Refrigerator air duct cleaning method

Abstract

The invention provides a refrigerator air duct cleaning method which comprises the following steps: spraying cleaning liquid into an air duct to clean the air duct; and spraying cleaning water into the air duct to wash the air duct. The cleaning water, the cleaning liquid and the cleaning water are sequentially sprayed into the air duct through the cleaning pipe, so that the whole air duct is cleaned, the refrigerator does not need to be disassembled, and convenience, rapidness and low cost are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of household appliances, and particularly to a method for cleaning a refrigerator air duct. Background Art

[0002] The principle of a refrigerator is to use air for refrigeration. Since the air temperature is high and the evaporator temperature is low, heat exchange directly occurs between the two, and the temperature of the air will decrease. The cold air is blown into each chamber of the refrigerator through the air duct under the action of a blower. However, if dirt such as dust and bacteria accumulates in the air duct, it is easy to cause a decrease in the refrigeration effect of the refrigerator and the generation of peculiar smell in the storage compartment. At this time, it is generally necessary to disassemble the refrigerator to clean the air duct, which is time-consuming and laborious.

[0003] In view of this, it is necessary to provide a method for cleaning a refrigerator air duct, which can clean the air duct without disassembling the refrigerator air duct. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for cleaning a refrigerator air duct, which includes the following steps:

[0005] Spray a cleaning liquid into the air duct through a cleaning pipe to clean the air duct;

[0006] Spray cleaning water into the air duct through the cleaning pipe to rinse the air duct.

[0007] As a further improvement of the present invention, before cleaning the air duct, spray cleaning water into the air duct through the cleaning pipe to moisten the air duct.

[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, a cleaning pump pumps cleaning water and a cleaning agent in proportion to form the cleaning liquid.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, a material for lowering the freezing point of the cleaning liquid is added to the cleaning water or the cleaning agent.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, a cleaning pump pumps cleaning water and a cleaning agent in proportion to form the cleaning liquid.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the time for spraying cleaning water to moisten the air duct is 20 s to 30 s, the time for spraying the cleaning liquid to clean the air duct is 30 to 40 s, and the time for spraying cleaning water to rinse the air duct is 40 to 60 s.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, a shielding member is movably arranged at the air outlet of the air duct. During the cleaning process of the air duct, the shielding member is opened to close the air outlet

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, a drain port is provided at the lowest point of the air duct. A fan and a water mist sensor are arranged in the air duct. After the flushing of the air duct is completed, a certain period of time is reserved for drainage, and then the fan is turned on to accelerate the discharge of the cleaning liquid in the air duct. When the water mist signal value feedback by the water mist sensor is lower than the preset value, the fan is turned off.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, after the cleaning is completed, the residual liquid in the cleaning pipe is evacuated by a cleaning pump.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, after the cleaning is completed, antifreeze is introduced into the cleaning pipe.

[0016] As a further improvement of the present invention, a heating element is provided in the cleaning pipe or along the position where the cleaning pipe is arranged. During the refrigeration process of the refrigerator, the heating element is turned on to prevent the liquid in the cleaning pipe from freezing.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention: The present invention realizes the overall cleaning of the air duct by spraying cleaning water, cleaning liquid, and cleaning water into the air duct in sequence through the cleaning pipe, without disassembling the refrigerator, which is convenient, fast, and low-cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention, and constitute a part of the present invention. The schematic embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 is the flow chart of the air duct cleaning method of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 is the overall structural schematic diagram of the refrigerator of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 is the internal connection schematic diagram of the refrigerator of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 is the exploded structural schematic diagram of the water storage box of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 is the structural schematic diagram of the air duct plate of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 is Figure 5 the enlarged structural schematic diagram of A in

[0025] Figure 7 the schematic diagram of a fixing method of the cleaning pipe;

[0026] Figure 8 is the schematic diagram of another fixing method of the cleaning pipe; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions of the present invention in conjunction with specific embodiments of the present invention and the corresponding drawings. Apparently, the described embodiments are only a part rather than all of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] The following will describe in detail the embodiments of the present invention. The examples of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, where the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions from beginning to end. The embodiments described below by referring to the drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention and should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

[0029] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationships indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

[0030] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified and defined, it should be noted that the terms "installation", "connection", and "coupling" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection, or the communication inside two elements. It may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0031] The air duct cleaning method described in the present invention is realized based on the structure of the refrigerator air duct, as Figures 2 to 8 shown, which includes an inner container 100, an air duct plate 200, a cleaning pipe 300, a cleaning box 400, and a drain pipe 500.

[0032] The air duct plate 200 is disposed inside the inner container 100. The cleaning pipe 300 is located on the air duct plate 200. The cleaning box 400 stores cleaning water and a cleaning agent. The cleaning liquid is injected into the cleaning pipe 300 through the cleaning box 400. The cleaning pipe 300 then sprays the cleaning liquid onto the air duct plate 200 to clean the air duct plate 200. The cleaning liquid flows down along the air duct plate 200 and is finally discharged through the drain pipe 500.

[0033] Among them, the air duct plate 200 and the air duct cover plate (not shown in the figure) form an air duct 201. The evaporator in the refrigerator generates cooling air after heat exchange, and the cooling air enters the refrigerator compartment through the air duct 201.

[0034] The air duct 201 includes a main air duct and a plurality of shunt air ducts located on both sides of the main air duct and communicating with the main air duct. The shunt air ducts are arranged at intervals in the height direction. The shunt air ducts are used to evenly shunt the cooling air in the main air duct and introduce it into the refrigerator compartment. The side of the shunt air duct away from the main air duct is an air outlet communicating with the refrigerator compartment.

[0035] The shunt air duct is divided into an air inlet section connected to the main air duct and an air outlet section connecting the air inlet section and the air outlet. The air inlet section has a certain inclination angle to facilitate the shunting of the cooling air into it, and the air outlet section is relatively gentle to facilitate the smooth export of the cooling air.

[0036] The cleaning pipe 300 is located in the air duct 201. When dirt such as dust and bacteria accumulates in the air duct 201, it is easy to cause the generation of peculiar smells in the storage compartment. And if there is an odor sensor in the storage compartment, the air blown into the storage compartment from the air duct 201 is doped with peculiar smells, which will affect the detection effect of the odor sensor. Therefore, it is necessary to clean the air duct 201. By injecting cleaning liquid into the cleaning pipe 300 and spraying the cleaning liquid to various positions of the air duct 201, the overall cleaning of the air duct 201 is realized, so as to ensure the cleanliness of the air duct 201.

[0037] Further, a drain port 202 is provided at the lowest point of the air duct 201. The cleaning liquid sprayed into the air duct 201 flows down along the air duct 201 and is finally discharged through the drain port 202.

[0038] The air duct 201 further includes a drain trough opened along its lower edge. The drain trough extends along the lower edge of the air duct 201 to the drain port 202. The drain trough is used to guide the cleaning liquid sprayed out from the cleaning pipe. When the air duct 201 needs to be cleaned, the cleaning liquid is introduced into the cleaning pipe 300. The cleaning liquid is sprayed into the air duct 201 through the cleaning pipe 300 to clean the air duct 201. The cleaning liquid flows down along the inner wall of the air duct 201 to the drain trough at the lower edge of the air duct 201, and finally converges along the drain trough to the drain port 202 at the bottom of the air duct 201 and is discharged.

[0039] The depth of the drain trough is 0.5 - 1 cm, and the depth of the drain trough can be determined according to the area of the air duct 201 and the flow value of the cleaning pipe 300. By opening the drain trough, the cleaning liquid can be effectively prevented from remaining in the air duct 201.

[0040] A water mist sensor 204 is further disposed in the air duct 201, and the water mist sensor 204 is used to detect the residual cleaning liquid in the air duct 201. The water mist sensor 204 is disposed at a position in the air duct 201 where the cleaning liquid is likely to remain.

[0041] Specifically, the water mist sensor 204 is located at the position with the smallest inclination angle of the air duct 201. In this embodiment, the water mist sensor 204 is located at the lower edge of the connection between the air inlet section and the air outlet section, and the inclination angle at this position is small and it is easy for the cleaning liquid to remain. The water mist sensors 400 are also disposed on both sides of the drain port 202, and the water mist sensors 400 here can detect the discharge of the cleaning liquid to prevent the drain port 202 from being blocked and unable to discharge the cleaning liquid in time.

[0042] A water blocking member 205 is further disposed at the air outlet of the air duct 201, and the water blocking member 205 is used to close the air outlet during the cleaning of the air duct 201, so as to prevent the cleaning liquid from entering the refrigerator compartment from the air outlet during the cleaning process.

[0043] The water blocking member 205 includes a driving member 205a and a water blocking plate 205b connected to the driving member 205a. The driving member 205a drives the water blocking plate 205b to move in the height direction to open or close the air outlet. An installation cavity is formed on the air duct plate 700, and the driving member 205a is fixed in the installation cavity. The driving member 205a includes a driving motor and a rotating gear connected to the output end of the driving motor. A rack meshing with the rotating gear is disposed on the water blocking plate 205b. When it is necessary to open or close the air outlet of the air duct 201, the driving motor is turned on. The driving motor operates to drive the rotating gear at the output end to rotate. The rotating gear rotates to drive the rack meshing with it to move up or down, and further drives the water blocking plate 205b to move up into the installation cavity to open the air outlet or move down into the air duct 201 to close the air outlet.

[0044] A water guiding portion is disposed on the surface of the bottom of the water blocking plate 205b facing the air duct 201. The water guiding portion has an inclined surface extending downward toward the air duct 201. When the water blocking plate 205b closes the air outlet, the bottom surface of the water guiding portion abuts against the bottom surface of the air duct 201. The cleaning liquid sprayed from the cleaning pipe 300 onto the water blocking plate 205b flows back into the air duct 201 along the water guiding portion.

[0045] A fan 203 is also provided in the air duct 201. The fan 203 is located in the middle of the air duct 201. After the air duct 201 is cleaned, the fan 203 is turned on to accelerate the discharge of the cleaning liquid in the air duct 201.

[0046] Further, the cleaning pipe 300 is arranged along the air duct 201. The extending direction of the cleaning pipe 300 is consistent with the trend of the air duct 201. The cleaning pipe 300 sprays the cleaning liquid to various positions of the air duct 201, so as to realize the overall cleaning of the air duct 201 and prevent dust and bacteria from gathering in the air duct 201.

[0047] The cleaning pipe 300 also includes nozzles 301 spaced on the cleaning pipe 300. The cleaning pipe 300 is arranged along the air duct 201 in a tree shape, keeping the same shape as the air duct 201, so as to spray the cleaning liquid to various positions of the air duct 201. The cleaning pipe 300 is connected to the box body located in the refrigerated room through a cleaning pump, so as to divert the cleaning liquid in the box body into the cleaning pipe 300, and finally spray it into the air duct through the nozzles 301.

[0048] In this embodiment, the nozzle 301 adopts an umbrella-shaped nozzle. A plurality of groups of water spray openings are circumferentially arranged on the nozzle 301. An outlet for connecting the cleaning pipe 300 and the water spray openings is arranged at the center of the nozzle 301. The cleaning liquid in the cleaning pipe 300 flows into the nozzle 301 through the outlet, and then is sprayed out through the water spray openings to clean the air duct 201. A pressure valve is arranged at the outlet. When the water pressure value at the outlet is less than the set value, the pressure valve closes the outlet; when the water pressure value at the outlet is greater than the set value, the pressure valve is pushed up, and the cleaning liquid flows into the nozzle 301 and is sprayed out from the water spray openings, so as to ensure that the nozzle 301 has a certain spraying range and a certain water pressure value to improve the cleaning efficiency of the air duct 201.

[0049] Further, the water pressure value in the cleaning pipe 300 is proportional to the size of the air duct 201, that is, the larger the size of the air duct 201, the larger the set pressure value of the pressure valve arranged in the nozzle 301, so as to increase the spraying range and spraying water pressure of the nozzle 301, realize the overall cleaning of the air duct 201, and prevent dirt residue.

[0050] The nozzle 301 is arranged at the end of the cleaning pipe 300 close to the air outlet of the air duct 201, and the distance between the nozzle 301 and the air outlet is greater than the spraying range of the nozzle 301. In this way, the cleaning liquid sprayed by the nozzle 301 will not enter the air outlet or even the compartment, preventing the residue of the cleaning liquid.

[0051] The spacing between the nozzles 301 located in the main air duct is smaller than the spacing between the nozzles 301 located in the shunt air duct. The main air duct is relatively wide and large in area, and a large number of the nozzles 301 are distributed therein; the shunt air duct is relatively narrow and small in area, and a small number of the nozzles 301 are distributed therein, so as to achieve full-range coverage spraying of the air duct 201.

[0052] Referring to Figures 7 to 8 , in an embodiment, the air duct plate 200 is provided with a groove 206, and the cleaning pipe 300 is embedded in the groove 206 to achieve fixation. At least part of the cleaning pipe 300 is embedded in the groove 206, and the opening depth of the groove 206 can be adaptively adjusted as needed.

[0053] Referring to Figure 7 , the groove 206 can be opened along the middle position or the edge position of the air duct 201. When the groove 206 is opened along the middle position of the air duct 201, the cleaning pipe 300 is fixed at the middle position of the air duct 201, and the nozzles 301 can spray the cleaning liquid evenly in all directions, so that the cleaning pipe 300 has the largest spraying range and the highest cleaning efficiency; when the groove 206 is opened along the edge position of the air duct 201, the cleaning pipe 300 is fixed at the edge position of the air duct 201, and the nozzles 301 spray in a fan shape upward or downward, which can reduce the influence of the cleaning pipe 300 on the air supply of the air duct 201.

[0054] Preferably, the groove 206 located in the main air duct is opened along the middle of the main air duct, and the nozzles 301 located in the main air duct are circular and have a number of liquid spraying ports distributed circumferentially. The groove 206 located in the shunt air duct is opened along the upper edge of the shunt air duct, and the nozzles 301 located in the shunt air duct are fan-shaped. The cleaning liquid in the cleaning pipe 300 sprays downward in a fan shape with the liquid inlet as the center, so as to reduce the obstruction of the cleaning pipe 300 to the backflow of the cleaning liquid, improve the backflow efficiency of the cleaning liquid, and prevent the cleaning liquid from remaining in the air duct 201.

[0055] When the cleaning pipe 300 is fixed in the air duct 201 by being embedded in the groove 206, the water mist sensor 204 is also located at the intersection of the cleaning pipes 300. The cleaning liquid sprayed from the nozzles 301 flows down along the inner wall of the air duct 201 and may gather at the intersection position of the cleaning pipes 300 due to the obstruction of the cleaning pipes 300, so the water mist sensor 204 is arranged here to monitor the residual cleaning liquid.

[0056] Referring to Figure 8, the groove 206 may also be formed on the side of the air duct plate 200 facing away from the air duct 201. The position where the groove 206 is formed corresponds to the air duct 201. The cleaning pipe 300 is embedded in the groove 206 to hide the cleaning pipe 300, while not affecting the circulation of the refrigerating air in the air duct 201. The nozzle 301 passes through the air duct plate 200 and is exposed in the air duct 201, so as to spray the cleaning liquid in the cleaning pipe 300 into the air duct 201 through the nozzle 301. And the position where the nozzle 301 passes through the air duct plate 200 is sealed. Hiding the cleaning pipe 300 on the side of the air duct plate 200 facing away from the air duct 201 can prevent the refrigerating air in the air duct 201 from freezing the residual cleaning liquid in the cleaning pipe 300.

[0057] In other embodiments, the cleaning pipe 300 can also be fixed by the nozzle 301. The nozzles 301 are arranged at intervals along the air duct 201 and are fixed in the air duct 201 by means of inlaying, adsorption, etc. The cleaning pipe 300 is fixed with the nozzle 301 as the positioning point, and there is no need to form the groove 206. The nozzles 301 can be arranged at the middle or edge position of the air duct 201, and the layout position of the cleaning pipe 300 is defined by the installation position of the nozzles 301. For details, reference can be made to the previous embodiment.

[0058] The cleaning box 400 is placed in the refrigerator's fresh food compartment, which is convenient for the installation of the cleaning box 400 and subsequent addition of cleaning water and cleaning agent. At the same time, the cleaning box 400 located in the fresh food compartment can effectively reduce the temperature of the cleaning water and cleaning agent, preventing the loss of cold in the air duct 201 during the cleaning of the air duct 201.

[0059] Further, the box body 400 includes a first box body 401, a second box body 402, a third box body 403, a water supply pipe 404 and a cleaning pump 405. The first box body 401 is used for storing cleaning water, the second box body 402 is used for storing cleaning agent, the cleaning pump 405 is installed in the third box body 403. The water supply pipe 404 includes two liquid inlets and one liquid outlet. The two liquid inlets extend into the first box body 401 and the second box body 402 respectively. The liquid outlet is connected to the inlet end of the cleaning pump 405, and the outlet end of the cleaning pump 405 is connected to the cleaning pipe 300, so as to supply cleaning water and cleaning agent to the cleaning pipe.

[0060] Specifically, a water injection port is provided on the top cover of the first box body 401. The second box body 402 is located at one side of the top inside the first box body 401. A filter member 406 is provided at the bottom of the second box body 402. The second box body 402 and the filter member 406 divide the internal space of the first box body 401 into two parts. The third box body 403 is located outside the first box body 401 and is connected to the first box body 401. The second box body 402 is located on the side of the first box body 401 close to the third box body 403.

[0061] The water supply pipe 404 includes a water supply main pipe connected to the inlet end of the cleaning pump 405, a first branch pipe communicating with the water supply main pipe and extending into the first box body 401, and a second branch pipe communicating with the first branch pipe and extending into the second box body 402. A through hole is also provided on the second box body 402. The first branch pipe passes through the through hole and extends into the first box body 401. The first branch pipe and the water injection port are respectively located on both sides of the filter member 406, that is, the first branch pipe introduces the cleaning water filtered by the filter member 406 into the cleaning pipe 300. A communication valve is also provided on the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe, which can spray the cleaning liquid mixed with the cleaning water and the cleaning agent into the air duct 201, or spray the cleaning water into the air duct 201 alone.

[0062] When it is necessary to introduce cleaning water into the cleaning pipe 300, open the communication valve on the first branch pipe and close the communication valve on the second branch pipe, and introduce the filtered cleaning water in the first box body 401 into the cleaning pipe 300 through the cleaning pump 405; when it is necessary to introduce the cleaning liquid into the cleaning pipe 300, open the communication valves on the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe at the same time. The cleaning water in the first box body 401 and the cleaning liquid in the second box body 402 are simultaneously sucked into the water supply main pipe, mixed in the water supply main pipe and finally introduced into the cleaning pipe 300 through the cleaning pump 405.

[0063] It should be specifically noted that the diameter of the first branch pipe is larger than the diameter of the second branch pipe, and the diameters of the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe can be set according to the mixing ratio of the cleaning water and the cleaning agent.

[0064] The drain pipe 500 is used to drain the cleaning sewage. The inlet of the drain pipe 500 is located at the drain port 202 opened at the lowest point of the air duct 201, so as to drain the cleaning sewage converged at the drain port 202.

[0065] The drain pipe 500 extends from the drain port 202 through the inner tank 100 to the evaporation dish 600 at the bottom of the refrigerator, so that the cleaning sewage collected at the drain port 202 is directed to the evaporation dish 600 through the drain pipe 500, and finally evaporates and dissipates through the evaporation dish 600. Of course, in other embodiments, the cleaning sewage can also be recovered, filtered and purified, and then re-introduced into the box body 400 for reuse.

[0066] Reference Figure 1 , a refrigerator air duct cleaning method provided by the present invention comprises the following steps:

[0067] The air outlet of the air duct 201 is closed by the shielding member 205, thereby preventing the cleaning liquid from entering the refrigerator compartment through the air outlet during the cleaning process;

[0068] The cleaning water is sprayed into the air duct 201 to infiltrate the air duct 201. The connecting valve on the first branch pipe is opened, and the connecting valve on the second branch pipe is closed. The cleaning pump 405 is started to pressurize and extract the cleaning water in the first box body 401 to pass into the cleaning pipe 300. When the pressure value in the cleaning pipe 300 reaches the set pressure value, the pressure valve of the nozzle is opened to spray the cleaning water into the air duct 201. The spraying time is 20 seconds to infiltrate the entire air duct 201.

[0069] After the infiltration is completed, the connecting valve on the second branch pipe is opened, and the cleaning pump 405 is started to pressurize and extract the cleaning water in the first box body 401 and the cleaning agent in the second box body 402. The cleaning liquid mixed by the two is passed into the cleaning pipe 300, and then sprayed to the air duct 201 through the nozzle. The spraying time is 30 seconds, wherein the mixing ratio of the cleaning agent and the cleaning water is 1:30;

[0070] After the cleaning agent dissolves the stains and odors in the air duct 201, the connecting valve on the second branch pipe is closed again, and cleaning water is introduced into the cleaning pipe 300 alone and sprayed into the air duct 201 to flush the air duct 201. The flushing time is 40 seconds.

[0071] After flushing, reserve 30 seconds of drainage time, and then turn on the fan 203 to accelerate the evaporation of residual liquid in the air duct 201. During this process, the water mist sensor 204 in the air duct 201 monitors the residual liquid in various places in the air duct 201. When the water mist signal value feedback from the water mist sensor 204 at each place reaches below the preset value, turn off the fan 203, reopen the air outlet of the air duct 201, and the cleaning is completed.

[0072] During the cleaning process, the cleaning water and cleaning liquid flow down along the inner wall of the air duct 201, converge at the drain port 202 at the lowest point of the air duct 201, and finally are diverted into the evaporating dish 600 through the drain pipe 500 connected to the drain port 202.

[0073] Furthermore, the inventor found through research that if there is liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 300 after the cleaning is completed, during the subsequent refrigeration process of the refrigerator, the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 300 will freeze, causing the cleaning pipe 300 to be blocked or even burst. To avoid the occurrence of the above risks, the present invention adopts but is not limited to the following solutions.

[0074] In the first type of solution, after the cleaning is completed, the liquid in the cleaning pipe 300 is emptied.

[0075] In one embodiment, the cleaning pipe 300 located in the diversion channel extends obliquely upward from the main air duct to the air outlet, and the connection point of the cleaning pipe 300 and the water supply pipe 404 is located at the lowest point of the cleaning pipe 300. Thus, after the cleaning is completed, the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 300 will naturally flow back into the water supply pipe 404 under the action of gravity, thereby preventing the remaining liquid from freezing and causing the cleaning pipe 300 to be blocked or even burst.

[0076] In another embodiment, a water leakage hole is opened at the downward bending portion of the cleaning pipe 300. The liquid at the downward bending portion of the cleaning pipe 300 cannot naturally flow back into the water supply pipe 404, so a water leakage hole is opened here to allow the remaining liquid to drain into the air duct 200. And the aperture of the water leakage hole is relatively small, preferably 0.2 - 0.5 cm, which has little influence on the internal water pressure of the cleaning pipe 300, preventing the internal water pressure of the cleaning pipe 300 from not reaching the set value of the pressure valve during the cleaning process and unable to realize the spray cleaning of the air duct 200 by the spray head 301.

[0077] In another embodiment, a pressure reducing valve is provided at the downward bending portion of the cleaning pipe 300. When the cleaning pump supplies cleaning liquid into the cleaning pipe 300 for cleaning, the internal water pressure of the cleaning pipe 300 is relatively high, and the pressure reducing valve remains closed, and the pressure valve opens to spray the cleaning liquid through the spray head 301; after the cleaning is completed, the internal water pressure of the cleaning pipe 300 decreases, the pressure valve closes, and the pressure reducing valve opens, and the liquid remaining in the bending portion drains into the air duct 200 through the pressure reducing valve.

[0078] In another embodiment, the cleaning pump 405 adopts a two-way water pump. After the cleaning is completed, the cleaning pump pumps the remaining cleaning liquid in the cleaning pipe 300 back into the box body 400, thereby preventing the remaining liquid from freezing and causing the cleaning pipe 300 to be blocked or even burst.

[0079] In the second type of solution, it is to prevent the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 300 from freezing at low temperatures.

[0080] In one embodiment, heat preservation treatment is carried out on the cleaning pipe 300, and a heat preservation layer is arranged on the outer layer of the cleaning pipe 300, so as to prevent the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 300 from freezing.

[0081] In another embodiment, the pipe wall of the cleaning pipe 300 includes an outer wall, an inner wall, and a vacuum cavity located between the outer wall and the inner wall. The vacuum cavity can effectively isolate the heat exchange between the cold air in the air duct 200 and the residual liquid in the cleaning pipe 300, so as to prevent the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 300 from freezing.

[0082] In another embodiment, a heating wire is used to provide heat for the cleaning pipe 300 to prevent the residual liquid therein from freezing. The heating wire can be arranged inside the cleaning pipe 300 or along the position where the cleaning pipe 300 is arranged. When the refrigerator is refrigerating, a certain amount of heat is provided for the cleaning pipe 300 through the heating wire, so as to prevent the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 300 from freezing. A temperature sensor is also arranged inside the cleaning pipe 300, and it is only necessary to keep the temperature of the liquid therein not lower than the freezing point, so as to avoid overheating of the heating wire, wasting energy and even reducing the refrigeration effect of the refrigerator.

[0083] In another embodiment, materials for lowering the freezing point of the cleaning liquid, such as salts, alcohols, etc., are added to the cleaning water cavity. Preferably, alcohols such as methanol and ethanol are added. While lowering the freezing point of the cleaning liquid, it also plays a role in sterilization during the cleaning process.

[0084] In summary, the present invention sprays cleaning water, cleaning liquid, and cleaning water into the air duct 201 in sequence through the cleaning pipe 300 to achieve the overall cleaning of the air duct 201, without disassembling the refrigerator, which is convenient, fast, and low-cost.

[0085] It should be understood that although this specification is described according to embodiments, not every embodiment only contains an independent technical solution. This narrative way of the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0086] The series of detailed descriptions listed above are only specific descriptions of the feasible embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any equivalent embodiments or changes made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator air duct cleaning method, characterized in that, It includes the following steps: Spray cleaning liquid into the air duct through the cleaning pipe to clean the air duct; Spray cleaning water into the air duct through the cleaning pipe to rinse the air duct.

2. The refrigerator air duct cleaning method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before cleaning the air duct, spray cleaning water into the air duct through the cleaning pipe to moisten the air duct.

3. The refrigerator air duct cleaning method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Pump cleaning water and cleaning agent in proportion by a cleaning pump to form the cleaning liquid.

4. The refrigerator air duct cleaning method according to claim 3, characterized in that: A material for lowering the freezing point of the cleaning liquid is added to the cleaning water or the cleaning agent.

5. The refrigerator air duct cleaning method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The time for spraying cleaning water to moisten the air duct is 20s - 30s, the time for spraying the cleaning liquid to clean the air duct is 30 - 40s, and the time for spraying cleaning water to rinse the air duct is 40 - 60s.

6. The refrigerator air duct cleaning method according to claim 1, characterized in that: A shielding member is movably arranged at the air outlet of the air duct. During the cleaning process of the air duct, the shielding member is opened to close the air outlet.

7. The refrigerator air duct cleaning method according to claim 1, characterized in that: A drain port is provided at the lowest point of the air duct. A fan and a water mist sensor are arranged in the air duct. After rinsing the air duct, a certain time is reserved for drainage, and then the fan is turned on to accelerate the discharge of the cleaning liquid in the air duct. When the water mist signal value feedback by the water mist sensor is lower than the preset value, the fan is turned off.

8. The refrigerator air duct cleaning method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: After cleaning is completed, pump out the residual liquid in the cleaning pipe through a cleaning pump.

9. The refrigerator air duct cleaning method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: After cleaning is completed, pour antifreeze into the cleaning pipe.

10. The refrigerator air duct cleaning method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: A heating member is arranged in the cleaning pipe or along the layout position of the cleaning pipe. During the refrigeration process of the refrigerator, the heating member is turned on to prevent the liquid in the cleaning pipe from freezing.

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