Refrigeration appliance

Abstract

A refrigeration appliance comprising: a cabinet defining at least one storage compartment; a door movably connected to a front of the cabinet to open or close at least a portion of the storage compartment, the door comprising a front wall defining a front surface of the refrigeration appliance and a first side wall always located between the front wall and the storage compartment during opening and closing of the door; a hinge fixed to the cabinet and comprising a hinge shaft extending towards the door, the door being movably connected to the cabinet by the hinge shaft; wherein, when the door is in a state of closing the storage compartment, a first end of the first side wall close to the cabinet has a first spacing to the cabinet, the first spacing being less than or equal to a second distance of a center of the hinge shaft to the front wall, and the second distance is less than a third distance, the third distance being a vertical distance of the center of the hinge shaft and the first end in a thickness direction of the door. The hinge design of the present disclosure can reduce the interference of the door with the cabinet during opening.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of refrigeration equipment technology, and specifically to a refrigeration equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Refrigeration appliances are widely used in people's daily lives and work for storing and preserving goods. Typically, a refrigeration appliance consists of a cabinet forming a storage compartment, which is then sealed by a door connected to the cabinet via hinges. For example, a receiving slot may be provided on the door, and a hinge may be installed on the cabinet. The hinge's axis extends into the receiving slot, and the axis rotates relative to the receiving slot during door opening and closing.

[0003] With the development of home decoration, the integration of refrigeration appliances with home decoration is a mainstream trend. Refrigeration appliances are embedded in cabinets, requiring very small gaps between the appliance door and the cabinet, while also ensuring that the appliance door can open at least 90 degrees. This presents new challenges for hinges. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One object of the embodiments of this disclosure is to provide an improved refrigeration appliance.

[0005] Therefore, this disclosure provides a refrigeration appliance, comprising: a housing defining at least one storage compartment; a door movably connected to the front of the housing to open or close at least a portion of the storage compartment, the door including a front wall defining a front surface of the refrigeration appliance and a first side wall that is always located between the front wall and the storage compartment during the opening and closing of the door; a hinge fixed to the housing and including a hinge axis extending toward the door, the door being movably connected to the housing via the hinge axis; wherein, when the door is in a closed state of the storage compartment, a first end of the first side wall near the housing has a first distance to the housing, the first distance being less than or equal to a second distance from the axis of the hinge axis to the front wall, and the second distance being less than a third distance, the third distance being the perpendicular distance between the axis of the hinge axis and the first end in the thickness direction of the door.

[0006] This implementation scheme satisfies certain constraints by limiting the distance from the hinge axis to the front wall of the door, the distance to the rear end of the first side wall, and the door-to-cabinet distance when the door is closed in the storage compartment. This reduces interference between the door and the cabinet during opening, as well as interference between the door's side edge and the cabinet body, thus meeting both the requirements for embedded installation and the protection against impacts to the refrigeration appliance. Specifically, the side edge refers to the connection point between the front wall and the first side wall. Furthermore, the hinge in this implementation scheme is an improvement on the traditional single-axis hinge to meet the requirements for embedded installation without requiring radical structural changes, and it has strong compatibility with existing refrigeration appliances. Furthermore, the hinge in this implementation scheme is a single-axis hinge, eliminating the need for track-changing movement during door opening and closing, ensuring stable overall movement and preventing uncontrollable door opening trajectories. This guarantees smooth door opening and closing and minimizes noise.

[0007] Furthermore, the distance from the hinge axis to the front wall of the door is not less than the door-to-box spacing, which provides sufficient space for the installation of the door seal on the side of the door facing the box, avoiding damage to the door seal during door opening and affecting the insulation effect of the refrigeration appliance.

[0008] Optionally, the fourth distance from the hinge axis to the first sidewall is greater than the second distance. Therefore, under the constraint that the first distance ≤ the second distance < the third distance, the hinge axis is positioned closer to the front wall on the door than the first sidewall, further ensuring that the side edges of the door do not collide with the cabinet during opening and closing.

[0009] Optionally, the difference between the second distance and the fourth distance satisfies the following condition: 0 < |L2 - L4| ≤ 7 mm, where L2 is the second distance and L4 is the fourth distance. The difference between the second distance and the fourth distance represents the distance the door retracts in the width direction of the refrigeration appliance away from the cabinet during the opening from 0° to 90°. The more the door retracts during opening, the more space it occupies for pulling out and using drawers in the storage room. Therefore, by reasonably setting the second and fourth distances, it is possible to ensure that the door does not interfere with the cabinet wall during opening, while making the door as close to the cabinet wall as possible when opened to 90°, thus allowing the drawers to be wider and increasing the actual usable volume for the user.

[0010] Optionally, the fourth distance is in the range of [13, 18] mm. Therefore, the fourth distance is made as small as possible while ensuring it is greater than the second distance, so as to ensure that the door does not interfere with the cabinet wall during opening, while allowing the door to be as close to the cabinet wall as possible when opened at 90°. This allows the drawers to be made wider, increasing the actual usable volume for the user.

[0011] Optionally, the hinge includes a hinge plate fixed to the housing and extending toward the door, with the hinge axis disposed on the hinge plate. When the door is closed, the hinge plate is recessed inward on the side facing the first sidewall to form a groove. This allows for the application of various types of doors, such as metal doors and glass doors. Specifically, the first sidewall of the metal door has an upward convex structure near the side ridge, and the groove on the hinge plate avoids this convex structure during door movement. The hinge plate for glass doors also retains the groove design, allowing glass and metal doors to reuse the same type of hinge plate, reducing the number of component models and facilitating factory management and production.

[0012] Optionally, the diameter of the hinge shaft is taken from [6, 8] mm. Thus, while ensuring structural strength to provide reliable support for the door, a thin shaft is used to allow the hinge shaft to be positioned closer to the front wall of the door, meeting the requirements for embedded installation.

[0013] Optionally, the first spacing is no greater than 11 mm. By reasonably controlling the maximum value of the door-to-box spacing when the storage compartment is closed, it is beneficial to reduce interference between the first end of the first sidewall and the cabinet during the opening process while meeting the requirements of embedded installation, and to avoid damage to the outer shell of the refrigeration appliance caused by bumps.

[0014] Optionally, the second distance ranges from [8.5, 12] mm. The value of the second distance should not be too large to meet the requirements of embedded installation, and the value of the second distance should not be too small to avoid interference between the first end and the enclosure when the door is opened.

[0015] Optionally, the third distance is greater than or equal to 33 mm. By reasonably designing the minimum value of the third distance, the interference between the first end of the first sidewall and the cabinet during the opening process is reduced while meeting the requirements of embedded installation, thus avoiding damage to the outer shell of the refrigeration appliance caused by bumps.

[0016] Optionally, the refrigeration appliance further includes a rear wall facing the cabinet when the door is closed. The rear wall is provided with a door seal, which includes a magnetic element adapted to adhere to the cabinet when the door is closed. The magnetic element has an outer end closer to the first side wall and an inner end further away from the first side wall. The hinge axis is closer to the outer end than the inner end. Therefore, the position of the hinge axis on the door also takes into account the deformation of the door seal during door opening and closing. While satisfying the aforementioned constraints, the axis is positioned further outward to ensure that the door seal (especially the magnetic element) does not compress the cabinet and cause damage when the door is opened.

[0017] Optionally, the overlap between the circle centered on the hinge axis and the outermost end, and the housing, is less than a first change. This first change is the change in the vertical distance between the magnetic element and the first end along the thickness direction of the door when the door is open, compared to the change in the vertical distance between the magnetic element and the first end along the thickness direction of the door when the door is closed. An improperly positioned axis can cause the magnetic element to attach to the housing too early when the door is closed. In this case, the door seal will press against the housing, causing the seal's burrs to lift and leak out of the inner liner (i.e., the back wall). The door will also fail to close completely due to the magnetic element attaching to the housing too early. This embodiment also considers the interference between the magnetic element and the housing during door opening and closing caused by the distance from the axis to the outermost end, ensuring that the magnetic element attaches to the housing as close as possible to the door's closing time, for example, approximately when the door is closed to 0°.

[0018] Optionally, the circle is tangent to the housing. This minimizes interference between the outer end of the magnetic connector and the housing during door opening and closing, satisfying the requirements for embedded installation while minimizing damage caused by bumps to the housing during the opening and closing process.

[0019] Optionally, the door is provided with a receiving groove, into which a bushing is inserted to receive the hinge shaft. During door movement, the hinge shaft, the bushing, and the door rotate relative to each other. Thus, the bushing acts as a connecting transition between the receiving groove and the hinge shaft, improving the smoothness of rotation during door opening and closing.

[0020] Optionally, one of the hinge shaft and the bushing is provided with a limiting portion, and the other is provided with an adapter portion. The limiting portion is used to cooperate with the adapter portion to restrict the relative rotation of the hinge shaft and the bushing during the door's movement, during which the bushing and the door rotate relative to each other. This reduces wear on the hinge shaft and extends the lifespan of the components.

[0021] Optionally, the bushing includes a flange that overlaps the upper surface of the door, the flange being partially cut towards the front wall to form a clearance portion. This allows the hinge shaft to be positioned as close as possible to the front wall, ensuring the second distance is sufficiently small within permissible limits.

[0022] Optionally, the hinge includes a hinge plate fixed to the housing and extending toward the door, with a hinge shaft disposed on the hinge plate, wherein the hinge shaft and the hinge plate are integrally formed. An integrally formed hinge helps reduce manufacturing complexity.

[0023] Optionally, the hinge plate includes a body fixed to the housing and a head extending from the body. The hinge axis is closer to the head than the body, and the fifth distance between the outer contour of the hinge axis projected axially onto the head and the outer contour of the head is less than 2 mm. Thus, the hinge axis can be positioned as close as possible to the front wall, ensuring that the second distance is sufficiently small within permissible limits.

[0024] Optionally, the axis is located in front of the door's center of gravity in the front-back direction. Therefore, as the door approaches the closed position, it tends to move closer to the enclosure, which facilitates automatic closing of the door at small angles and makes it easier to hold the door in the closed position.

[0025] Optionally, the door includes a handle groove, and the axis of the hinge shaft projects along the width direction of the door and overlaps with the handle groove. This reduces the force required for the user to open the door, making it easier and providing a better user experience.

[0026] Optionally, the door includes a handle groove, which includes a front sidewall defining the front boundary of the handle groove and a rear sidewall defining the rear boundary of the handle groove. Along the thickness direction of the door, the axis of the hinge shaft is located closer to the front sidewall than the rear sidewall. This further reduces the force required to open the door.

[0027] Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a refrigeration appliance, including a housing and a door, the housing defining at least one storage compartment, the door being movably connected to the front of the housing via a hinge to open or close at least a portion of the storage compartment, the hinge including a hinge axis disposed on the door, the door being rotatable about the hinge axis; the door including a front wall defining a front surface of the refrigeration appliance and a first side wall that is always located between the front wall and the storage compartment during the opening and closing of the door, the difference between a maximum distance from the axis of the hinge axis to the junction of the first side wall and the front wall and a fourth distance from the axis of the hinge axis to the first side wall is less than 4 mm.

[0028] This implementation scheme satisfies certain constraints by limiting the maximum distance from the hinge axis to the side rib of the door and the distance to the first side wall. This reduces interference between the door and the cabinet during opening, as well as interference between the side rib of the door and the cabinet body, thus meeting both the requirements for embedded installation and the protection against impacts to the refrigeration appliance. Specifically, the side rib refers to the connection point between the front wall and the first side wall. Furthermore, the hinge in this implementation scheme only requires optimization and adjustment based on a traditional single-axis hinge to meet the embedded installation requirements, without any radical structural changes, making it easier to promote and implement, and highly compatible with existing refrigeration appliances. Furthermore, the hinge in this implementation scheme is a single-axis hinge, eliminating the need for track-changing movement during door opening and closing, ensuring stable overall movement and smooth door operation.

[0029] Furthermore, the distance from the hinge axis to the front wall of the door is not less than the door-to-box spacing, which provides sufficient space for the installation of the door seal on the side of the door facing the box, avoiding damage to the door seal during door opening and affecting the insulation effect of the refrigeration appliance.

[0030] Optionally, the relative position of the hinge axis on the door satisfies the following condition: Where A is the fourth distance, and B is the second distance from the hinge axis to the front wall. This ensures that the refrigeration appliance can be embedded in the cabinet and that the door can be opened at least 90°. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of region A in the middle;

[0033] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure shown from another perspective;

[0034] Figures 4 to 7 This is a schematic diagram of the door opening process in a typical application scenario of an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0035] Figure 8 The door opened to Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the hinge area at the angle shown;

[0036] Figure 9 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view along the BB direction;

[0037] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a gate in a variation of an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0038] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A magnified view of a portion of region C in the middle;

[0039] Figure 12 yes Figure 10 The diagram shows the door in the closed storage room state and the engagement of the hinges.

[0040] Figure 13 yes Figure 10 The diagram shows the interaction between the door and the hinge when the door is at its maximum opening angle.

[0041] Figures 14 to 17 yes Figure 1A schematic diagram of the equivalent model of the motion trajectory of the middle hinge area during the door opening process;

[0042] Figure 18 This is an exploded view of hinges and bushings in section 2;

[0043] Figure 19 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the central door from another perspective;

[0044] Figure 20 This is an exploded view of the hinge and door connection area in a variation of an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0045] In the attached image:

[0046] 1-Refrigeration appliance; 10-Box body; 101-Storage compartment; 11-Door; 110-Front wall; 111-First side wall; 111a-First end; 111b-Second end; 1111-Main body; 1112-Side protrusion structure; 112-Front panel; 113-Rear wall; 114-Upper clip; 115-Recess; 116-Insulated space; 117-Lower clip; 118-Second side wall; 12-Door liner seal; 121-Magnetic suction; 121a-Outer end; 121b-Inner end; 122-Airbag chamber; 13-Receiving slot; 14-Busset; 141-Flanged edge; 142-Allowing part; 2-Hinge; 21-Hinge shaft; 22-Hinge plate; 221 - Groove; 222-Body; 223-Head; 224-Stamping groove; 23-Limiting block; 26-Door closer; 226-Protrusion; 31-Limiting part; 32-Adapting part; 4-Handle groove; 41-Front side wall; 42-Rear side wall; 5-Cabinet wall; L1-First distance; L2-Second distance; L3-Third distance; L4-Fourth distance; L5-Fifth distance; L6-Maximum distance; L7-Distance between the side wall of the refrigeration appliance and the cabinet wall; s1-Movement trajectory of the side rib during door opening; s2-Movement trajectory of the first end during door opening; x-Width direction of the refrigeration appliance; y-Depth direction of the refrigeration appliance; z-Height direction of the refrigeration appliance. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration appliance 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of region A in the middle. Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure shown from another perspective.

[0049] Refrigeration appliance 1 can be, for example, a refrigerator, a freezer, a wine cabinet, etc. Figure 1 Taking a French door refrigerator as an example, this implementation plan’s design regarding hinges and the receiving slots that adapt to the hinges can also be applied to various types of refrigerators, such as side-by-side refrigerators, multi-door refrigerators, and single-door refrigerators. Figure 1 In order to show the internal structure of the refrigeration appliance 1 more clearly, one of the doors 11 has been omitted.

[0050] For ease of description, in this embodiment, the width direction of the refrigeration appliance 1 is denoted as the x-direction, the depth direction as the y-direction, and the height direction as the z-direction. In this embodiment, the front and back directions refer to the y-direction and its opposite direction. Specifically, front or front side refers to the direction in which the refrigeration appliance 1 faces the user when in use, and rear or rear side refers to the direction in which the refrigeration appliance 1 is away from the user when in use.

[0051] Specifically, refer to Figure 1 The refrigeration appliance 1 may include a housing 10 and a door 11. The housing 10 defines at least one storage compartment 101, and the door 11 is movably connected to the front of the housing 10 to open or close at least a portion of the storage compartment 101. The storage compartment 101 may be, for example, a freezer compartment, a refrigerator compartment, a variable temperature compartment, etc. The door 11 may include an insulated space 116 filled with insulating material (e.g., Figure 9 (As shown). When the door 11 closes the storage compartment 101, the insulation layer formed by the insulation space 116 effectively isolates heat, ensuring that the storage compartment 101 has a better refrigeration / freezing effect.

[0052] More specifically, refer to Figures 1 to 3 The door 11 may include a front panel 112 and a rear wall 113 facing the housing 10 when the door 11 is closed (e.g., Figure 5 (As shown) and a frame provided around the perimeter of the door 11. An insulated space 116 is located between the front panel 112 and the rear wall 113. The forward-facing surface of the front panel 112 is adapted to form a front wall 110 defining the front surface of the refrigeration appliance 1. In some embodiments, the front panel 112 forms at least a portion of the front boundary of the insulated space 116 such that the insulation material contacts the rear side of the front panel 112. In other embodiments, another door panel may be provided on the rear side of the front panel 112. The front panel 112 may be a metal door shell, a glass panel, or a ceramic panel. Figures 1 to 9 The illustrated embodiment uses a glass door (i.e., the front panel 112 is a glass plate) as an example for demonstration purposes. Figures 10 to 13 The variation shown is illustrated using a metal door (i.e., the front panel 112 is a metal door shell) as an example.

[0053] Furthermore, door 11 may include an upper latch 114 and a lower latch 117 disposed opposite to each other along the z-direction (e.g., Figure 8 (As shown).

[0054] Furthermore, the door 11 may include a first sidewall 111 and a second sidewall 118 disposed opposite to each other along the x-direction, both of which limit the door 11 in the x-direction. In other words, the first sidewall 111 and the second sidewall 118 may be the outer surfaces of the left and right edges of the door 11.

[0055] Further, refer to Figures 1 to 3 The door 11 is movably connected to the housing 10 via a hinge 2. The hinge 2 may include a hinge plate 22 and a hinge shaft 21, wherein the hinge plate 22 is fixed to the housing 10 and extends toward the door 11, and the hinge shaft 21 is disposed on the hinge plate 22. The door 11 is movably connected to the housing 10 via the hinge shaft 21. For example, the hinge plate 22 can be fixed to the housing 10 using fasteners such as screws.

[0056] Furthermore, the hinge 2 can be disposed adjacent to the first sidewall 111, and the side where the first sidewall 111 is located can also be referred to as the hinge side. A door handle can be provided, for example, near the second sidewall 118, and the side where the second sidewall 118 is located can also be referred to as the non-hinge side or the handle side.

[0057] refer to Figures 4 to 7 Door 11 rotates about hinge axis 21 of hinge 2 to move between 0° and maximum opening angle (e.g., 115°) to open or close storage compartment 101. Furthermore, the first sidewall 111 remains between the front wall 110 and storage compartment 101 throughout the opening and closing of door 11. The second sidewall 118 is located between the front wall 110 and storage compartment 101 when door 11 is closed in storage compartment 101, and is located on the side of door 11 away from storage compartment 101 when door 11 is opened to an angle of 90° or greater.

[0058] The hinge 2 structure in this implementation scheme is compatible with various types of doors, such as Figures 1 to 9 The glass door shown Figures 10 to 13 The hinge 2 shown in this embodiment can be used for all metal doors. Unless otherwise specified, the specific structure of the hinge 2 and its placement on the door 11 will be described in detail using a glass door as an example.

[0059] Hinge 2 may include an upper hinge and a lower hinge arranged opposite to each other along the z-direction, wherein the upper hinge is disposed on the upper edge latch 114 of the door 11, such as... Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the lower hinge is located at the lower edge of the door 11, in the latch 117. Figure 8 As shown. The structure of the hinge shaft 21 of the upper and lower hinges and their installation position on the door 11 are consistent, and the hinge plates 22 of the upper and lower hinges are only slightly different in shape and construction.

[0060] In a specific implementation, refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 9 and Figure 14 When the door 11 is in the closed storage compartment 101 state, the first end 111a of the first side wall 111 near the box 10 has a first gap L1 to the box 10. The first gap L1 may exist due to the door seal 12 sandwiched between the door 11 and the box 10.

[0061] Furthermore, the first distance L1 is less than or equal to the second distance L2 from the axis of hinge shaft 21 to the front wall 110, and the second distance L2 is less than the third distance L3, whereby the third distance L3 is the perpendicular distance between the axis of hinge shaft 21 and the first end 111a in the thickness direction (e.g., the y-direction) of door 11. Figure 9 In the structure shown, the door 11 (e.g., the upper card 114) may be provided with a receiving groove 13 suitable for receiving the hinge shaft 21, so the axis of the hinge shaft 21 can be equivalent to the axis of the receiving groove 13.

[0062] In other words, the specific location of the hinge axis 21 on the door 11 must at least satisfy the constraint condition: the first distance L1 ≤ the second distance L2 < the third distance L3.

[0063] refer to Figures 14 to 17 The sum of the third distance L3 and the second distance L2 is equal to the thickness of the door 11 (i.e., the dimension along the y-direction). Given a fixed thickness of the door 11, the smaller the second distance L2, the larger the third distance L3. During the opening process of the door 11, the movement trajectory s1 of the side edge of the door 11 (also called the corner, i.e., the connection between the front wall 110 and the first side wall 111) is a circle drawn with the axis of the hinge shaft 21 as the center and the maximum distance L6 from the axis to the side edge as the radius. The smaller the second distance L2, the less the movement trajectory s1 of the side edge of the door 11 exceeds the first side wall 111 when the door 11 is closed over the storage compartment 101. Therefore, the third distance L3 is greater than the second distance L2 so that the axis of the hinge shaft 21 is set as close as possible to the front wall 110, reducing interference between the door 11 and the cabinet wall 5 during the opening process.

[0064] The smaller the second distance L2, the closer the axis of hinge axis 21 is to the front wall 110. (Reference) Figures 15 to 17 During the opening of the door 11, the movement trajectory s2 of the first end 111a of the first side wall 111 is a circle drawn with the axis of the hinge shaft 21 as the center and the distance from the axis to the first end 111a as the radius. The smaller the second distance L2 is, the greater the interference between the movement trajectory s2 of the first end 111a and the box 10. Therefore, the second distance L2 should not be too small in order to reduce the interference between the first end 111a and the box 10 during the opening process.

[0065] Based on the above, by adopting this implementation scheme, by limiting the distance from the hinge shaft 21 to the front wall 110 of the door 11 (i.e., the second distance L2), the distance to the rear end of the first side wall 111 (i.e., the first end 111a) (i.e., the third distance L2), and the door-box spacing when the door 11 closes the storage room 101 (i.e., the first spacing L1), certain constraints are met. This reduces the interference between the door 11 and the cabinet during the opening process, while also reducing the interference between the side edge of the door 11 and the cabinet 10 during the opening process. This approach simultaneously meets the requirements for embedded installation and provides protection against impacts to the refrigeration appliance 1.

[0066] Furthermore, the hinge 2 in this embodiment is an improvement on the traditional single-axis hinge, which can meet the needs of embedded installation without the need for radical structural changes and has strong compatibility with existing refrigeration appliances. Furthermore, the hinge 2 in this embodiment is a single-axis hinge, so the door 11 does not need to change track during opening and closing, the overall movement stroke is stable and controllable, ensuring smooth opening and closing of the door 11, and it is less likely to generate noise during the opening and closing process.

[0067] Furthermore, the distance from the hinge shaft 21 to the front wall 110 of the door 11 (i.e., the second distance L2) is not less than the door-box spacing (i.e., the first spacing L1), which can provide sufficient space for the installation of the door seal 12 on the side of the door 11 facing the box 10, and avoid the door seal 12 being squeezed and damaged during the opening of the door 11, thus affecting the heat preservation effect of the refrigeration appliance 1.

[0068] In one specific implementation, the refrigeration appliance 1 can be embedded in a cabinet, see further reference. Figure 9 , Figures 14 to 17 For refrigeration appliances 1 using an embedded installation method (such as embedded refrigerators, also known as zero-embedded refrigerators), they need to be able to be embedded into a matching embedded cabinet (such as a kitchen cabinet), and after embedding, the distance L7 between the side wall 111 of the refrigeration appliance 1 and the cabinet wall 5 of the cabinet can be kept within 4 mm. Correspondingly, the difference between the maximum distance L6 from the axis of the hinge shaft 21 to the connection point of the first side wall 111 and the front wall 110 and the fourth distance L4 from the axis of the hinge shaft 21 to the first side wall 111 is less than 4 mm, that is, L6-L4<4. Therefore, during the rotation and opening of the door 11 from the 0° position around the hinge shaft 21, the movement trajectory s1 of the side edge of the door 1 (i.e., Figures 14 to 17 The maximum distance beyond the outermost part of the door 11 in the x-direction (i.e., the first side wall 111) when the door 11 is in the closed position, with the center of the hinge axis 21 as the center and the diameter from the center of the axis to the side rib as the radius, will not exceed 4mm. Under the premise of ensuring that the spacing L7 meets the design requirement of not exceeding 4mm, it is ensured that the opening and closing of the door 11 will not bump into the cabinet wall 5.

[0069] Furthermore, the maximum distance L6 from the axis of hinge shaft 21 to the side rib can be equivalent to... Where A is the fourth distance L4, and B is the second distance L2 from hinge axis 21 to front wall 110. Correspondingly, L6-L4<4 can be equivalent to conditional expression (1): By designing the relative position of the hinge axis 21 on the door 11 to meet the above conditions, it can be ensured that the refrigeration appliance 1 is embedded in the cabinet and that the door 11 can be opened at least 90°.

[0070] In a specific implementation, continue to refer to Figure 3 , Figure 9 , Figures 14 to 17 The fourth distance L4 from the axis of hinge pin 21 to the first side wall 111 is greater than the second distance L2, i.e., L4>L2. Specifically, in addition to satisfying the aforementioned constraint condition L1≤L2<L3 and / or the aforementioned conditional expression (1), the hinge pin 21 is positioned on the door 11 closer to the front wall 110 relative to the first side wall 111. This further ensures that the side edge of the door 11 will not collide with the cabinet wall 5 during the opening and closing of the door 11. Furthermore, the hinge pin 21 position setting that simultaneously satisfies the aforementioned multiple constraint conditions also helps to reduce the compression of the door seal 12 during the opening and closing of the door.

[0071] In some embodiments, the difference between the second distance L2 and the fourth distance L4 can satisfy the following condition: 0 < |L2 - L4| ≤ 7 mm. Wherein, || is the absolute value symbol.

[0072] Specifically, the difference between the second distance L2 and the fourth distance L4 represents the distance by which the door 11 is recessed in the width direction (i.e., the x-direction) of the refrigeration appliance 1 away from the cabinet during the period when the door 11 is opened from 0° to 90°. Figure 14 As shown, the more recessed the door 11 is during opening, the more space it occupies for the drawers to be pulled out and used in the storage room 101. Therefore, by reasonably setting the second distance L2 and the fourth distance L4, it is possible to ensure that the door 11 does not interfere with the cabinet wall 5 during opening, while making the door 11 as close to the cabinet wall 5 as possible when it is opened to 90°. This allows the drawers to be made wider, which is beneficial to increasing the actual usable volume for the user.

[0073] For example, L2-L4 = -2mm. That is, when the door 11 is in the closed storage chamber 101 position, the first side wall 111 is flush with the side surface of the box 10, and when the door 11 is opened to 90°, the front wall 110 is recessed 2mm relative to the side surface of the box.

[0074] In some embodiments, the fourth distance L4 can be in the range of [13, 18] mm. Thus, the fourth distance L4 is made as small as possible while ensuring that it is greater than the second distance L2, so as to ensure that the door 11 does not interfere with the cabinet wall 5 when it is opened, while making the door 11 as close as possible to the cabinet wall 5 when it is opened to 90°, so that the drawer can be made wider, which is beneficial to increasing the actual usable volume for the user.

[0075] In some embodiments, the diameter of the hinge shaft 21 can be taken as [6,8] mm. Compared with the traditional thick shaft with a diameter of 16 mm selected solely for structural strength, this embodiment uses a thin shaft to allow the axis of the hinge shaft 21 to be set closer to the front wall 110 of the door 11 while ensuring structural strength to provide reliable support for the door 11, thus meeting the requirements for embedded installation.

[0076] In some embodiments, the hinge shaft 21 may be a solid shaft to further improve structural strength.

[0077] In some embodiments, a display panel (not shown) may be mounted on the outer surface of the door 11 (e.g., the front wall 110) for receiving or displaying control commands for the refrigeration appliance 1. The display panel is coupled to the control module (not shown) of the housing 10 via a wiring harness.

[0078] Furthermore, the wiring harness can extend within the insulated space 116 and through the hinge 2 to the housing 10. For example, instead of routing the wiring harness within the hinge axis 21, a slot can be cut into the hinge plate 22 for the wiring harness to pass through. The slot can be waist-shaped to provide room for the wiring harness to move during the movement of the door 11, since the wiring harness is not at the center of rotation at this time and will move in an arc around the axis of the hinge axis 21.

[0079] In some embodiments, the first spacing L1 is no greater than 11 mm. For example, the spacing L1 can be taken from [8, 11] mm. By reasonably controlling the maximum value of the door-box spacing when the door 11 closes the storage compartment 101 (i.e., not exceeding 11 mm), it is beneficial to reduce the interference between the first end 111a of the first sidewall 111 and the cabinet 10 during the opening process while meeting the embedded installation requirements, and to avoid damage to the outer shell of the refrigeration appliance 1 caused by bumps.

[0080] In some embodiments, the value of the second distance L2 can be in the range of [8.5, 12] mm. For example, the second distance L2 can be 11.5 mm. The value of the second distance L2 should not be too large to meet the requirements of embedded installation, and the value of the second distance L2 should not be too small to avoid interference between the first end 111a and the housing 10 when the door 11 is opened.

[0081] In some embodiments, the third distance L3 can be greater than or equal to 33 mm. For example, the thickness of the door 11 is typically taken from [45, 70] mm. Considering that the second distance L2 takes the maximum value of 12 mm, the minimum value of the third distance L3 can be determined as 45 - 12 = 33 mm. By reasonably designing the minimum value of the third distance L3, the interference between the first end 111a of the first sidewall 111 and the housing 10 during the opening process is reduced while meeting the requirements of embedded installation, thus avoiding damage to the outer shell of the refrigeration appliance 1 caused by bumps.

[0082] In a specific implementation, continue to refer to Figure 3 and Figure 9 The door seal 12 can be installed on the rear wall 113. When the door 11 closes the storage chamber 101, the door seal 12 is sandwiched between the rear wall 113 and the box body 10 to seal the storage chamber 101.

[0083] Specifically, combined Figure 14 The door seal 12 may include a magnetic element 121 adapted to adhere to the cabinet 10 when the door 11 closes the storage compartment 101. The door seal 12 may also include an airbag chamber 122 located between the magnetic element 121 and the first sidewall 111.

[0084] A non-zero gap may exist between the airbag chamber 122 and the first sidewall 111, and / or a non-zero gap may also exist between the airbag chamber 122 and the magnetic attractor 121, such as... Figure 9 The area circled in the middle is shown. Furthermore, the size of the aforementioned gap changes when the door 11 is in the closed state compared to the open state of the storage chamber 101. This change causes a change in the vertical distance along the y-direction between the magnetic member 121 and the first end 111a of the first sidewall 111. For example, after the door 11 moves from the open state to the closed state of the storage chamber 101, the gap between the airbag chamber 122 and the first sidewall 111 and / or between the airbag chamber 122 and the magnetic member 121 decreases due to the negative pressure within the storage chamber 101. For ease of description, the change in the vertical distance along the y-direction between the magnetic member 121 and the first end 111a when the door 11 is open compared to the change in the vertical distance along the y-direction between the magnetic member 121 and the first end 111a when the door 11 is closed is denoted as the first change.

[0085] Furthermore, along the x-direction, the magnetic chuck 121 may have an outer end 121a closer to the first sidewall 111 and an inner end 121b further away from the first sidewall 111, with the axis of the hinge shaft 21 closer to the outer end 121a than the inner end 121b. That is, the projection of the axis of the hinge shaft 21 along the y-direction overlaps with the magnetic chuck 121, and the point of overlap is offset from the central axis of the magnetic chuck 121 in the x-direction toward the outer end 121a.

[0086] Therefore, the position of the hinge axis 21 on the door 11 also takes into account the deformation of the door seal 12 during the opening and closing of the door 11 (e.g., the first change). Under the premise that the position of the axis satisfies the aforementioned constraints, it is set more towards the outer end 121a to ensure that the door seal 12 (especially the magnetic suction 121) will not squeeze the housing 10 and cause damage when the door 11 is opened.

[0087] In some embodiments, the door seal 12 may further include a flange (not shown) overlapping the first sidewall 111. The flange is designed to cover the rear wall 113 from the side of the refrigeration appliance 1 when the door 11 is closed over the storage compartment 101, making the refrigeration appliance 1 more aesthetically pleasing. Specifically, the aforementioned airbag chamber 122 and the first sidewall 111 may be the gap between the airbag chamber 122 and the flange.

[0088] In some embodiments, reference Figures 14 to 17 The overlap between the circle centered on the hinge shaft 21 and the outer end 121a, and the housing 10, can be less than the first variation. Specifically, an improperly positioned hinge shaft will cause the magnetic 121 to attach to the housing 10 too early when the door 11 is closed. In this case, the door seal 12 will squeeze the housing 10, causing the burr of the door seal 12 to lift up and leak out of the inner liner (i.e., the rear wall 113). The door 11 will also be unable to close completely because the magnetic 121 is attached to the housing 10 too early. In this embodiment, the design of the hinge shaft position also considers the interference between the magnetic 121 and the housing 10 during the opening and closing of the door 11 caused by the distance from the hinge shaft to the outer end 121a. This ensures that the magnetic 121 attaches to the housing 10 as close as possible to the closing time of the door 11. For example, the magnetic 121 attaches to the housing 10 when the door 11 is closed to 0°.

[0089] In some embodiments, a circle with the hinge shaft 21 as its center and the distance from the center to the outer end 121a as its diameter can be tangent to the housing 10. Therefore, the interference between the outer end 121a of the magnetic member 121 and the housing 10 is minimized during the opening and closing of the door 11. For example, when the door 11 opens and closes, the door seal 12 essentially rubs against the housing 10 without excessive mutual compression, thus satisfying the requirements for embedded installation while minimizing damage to the housing 10 caused by the door 11 bumping into it during opening and closing.

[0090] In a specific implementation, refer to Figures 2 to 7 , Figures 9 to 13 A receiving groove 13 may be provided on the door 11, and a bushing 14 is inserted in the receiving groove 13 to receive the hinge shaft 21. Specifically, the bushing 14 may have a through groove that runs from end to end, and the receiving groove 13 may be a blind hole formed in the upper clip 114 (or the lower clip 117) to prevent leakage. The bushing 14 is installed in the receiving groove 13.

[0091] Furthermore, during the movement of the door 11, the hinge shaft 21, the bushing 14, and the door 11 can rotate relative to each other. That is to say, during the rotation of the door 11 around the hinge shaft 21, the hinge shaft 21, the bushing 14, and the receiving groove 13 can all rotate relative to each other.

[0092] For example, the hinge pin 21 can be inserted into the bushing 14 and then extend into the receiving groove 13 together with the bushing 14. The dimensions of the hinge pin 21, bushing 14, and receiving groove 13 can be substantially matched to reduce wobbling during the movement of the door 11. Furthermore, the bushing 14 can be made of a material with a low coefficient of friction and good self-lubricating properties, such as polyoxymethylene resin, to ensure smooth movement of the hinge pin 21 relative to the bushing 14 and the receiving groove 13 relative to the bushing 14.

[0093] Therefore, the bushing 14 can play a connecting and transitioning role between the receiving groove 13 and the hinge shaft 21, improving the smoothness of rotation during the opening and closing of the door 11.

[0094] In one variation, refer to Figure 19 During the movement of door 11, only the bushing 14 and door 11 can rotate relative to each other, while the bushing 14 and hinge shaft 21 remain relatively stationary. In other words, hinge shaft 21 is fixed to the housing 10 by hinge plate 22, bushing 14 is wrapped around hinge shaft 21, and door 11 rotates around hinge shaft 21 and bushing 14 to open or close storage compartment 101.

[0095] Specifically, one of the hinge pin 21 and the bushing 14 may be provided with a limiting part 31, and the other may be provided with an adapter part 32. The limiting part 31 is used to cooperate with the adapter part 32 to limit the relative rotation of the hinge pin 21 and the bushing 14 during the movement of the door 11. For example, compared to Figure 2 and Figure 10 The shown cylindrical hinge shaft 21 can be a cuboid in this variation. The inner wall shape of the bushing 14, which is adapted to receive the hinge shaft 21, is also designed to be cuboid. The hinge shaft 21 is inserted into the bushing 14 with an interference fit. The four edges of the cuboid are adapted to form a limiting part 31 and a corresponding fitting part 32. Furthermore, the outer wall shape of the bushing 14 can be cylindrical to cooperate with the cylindrical receiving groove 13, ensuring that the door 11 can rotate smoothly around the hinge shaft 21 and the bushing 14.

[0096] Therefore, during the opening and closing of the door 11, only the outer wall of the bushing 14 and the receiving groove 13 rub against each other, which can reduce the wear of the hinge shaft 21 and extend the life of the parts.

[0097] In one specific implementation, the hinge shaft 21 and the hinge plate 22 can be integrally formed. The integrally formed hinge 2 helps to reduce manufacturing complexity.

[0098] In one variation, the hinge shaft 21 and the hinge plate 22 can be two separate parts and fixed together by welding, riveting, or other methods. This design is compatible with traditional hinges and improves adaptability.

[0099] In a specific implementation, continue to refer to Figures 2 to 7 and Figure 18 The bushing 14 may include a flange 141 that overlaps the upper surface of the door 11. Specifically, the end of the upper clip 114 near the first side wall 111 may be recessed downward to form a recess 115. The recess 115 is adapted to accommodate the portion of the hinge 2 that extends out of the housing 10. The front of the recess 115 is covered by the front wall 110, thus making the front of the refrigeration appliance 1 more concise and aesthetically pleasing. For example, a receiving slot 13 may be formed in the recess 115, and the flange 141 may overlap the upward-facing surface of the recess 115.

[0100] Furthermore, the side of the flange 141 facing the front wall 110 can be partially cut to form a clearance portion 142. For example, the flange 141 can be arranged around the opening of the bushing 14, and the size of the portion of the flange 141 located between the bushing 14 and the front wall 141 is smaller than the size of the other portions. The outer contour of the clearance portion 142 can be substantially parallel to the front wall 110. Thus, the hinge shaft 21 can be arranged as close as possible to the front wall 110, ensuring that the second distance L2 is sufficiently small within the allowable range.

[0101] In a specific implementation, continue to refer to Figures 2 to 7 The hinge plate 22 may include a body 222 fixed to the housing 10 and a head 223 extending from the body 222, with the hinge shaft 21 being closer to the head 223 than the body 222. Specifically, the hinge shaft 21 may be positioned as close as possible to the end of the head 223 away from the body 222.

[0102] Furthermore, the fifth distance L5 between the outer contour of the projection of the hinge axis 21 onto the head 223 along the axial direction (e.g., the z-direction) and the outer contour of the head 223 can be less than 2 mm. Specifically, refer to Figure 3 The head 223 extends slightly forward along the y-direction beyond the hinge axis 21, and the extent of this extension is the fifth distance L5. Furthermore, the fifth distance L5 can be as small as possible so that the hinge axis 21 can be positioned as close as possible to the front wall 110, ensuring that the second distance L2 is sufficiently small within the allowable range.

[0103] In some embodiments, considering the versatility of hinge 2 on both glass and metal doors, and the fact that glass door panels are typically thicker than metal door panels, the second distance L2 in the embodiments can be 11.2 mm, taking into account the thickness of the glass door panel.

[0104] In some embodiments, the head 223 may be a pointed tip protruding toward the first sidewall 111, and the arc diameter of the pointed tip may be approximately 8 mm.

[0105] In some embodiments, reference Figure 4 The projection of the head 223 along the z direction does not exceed the flange 141 in the x direction.

[0106] In one specific implementation, the axis of hinge pin 21 can be located in front of the center of gravity of door 11 in the front-back direction (e.g., the y-direction). Thus, when door 11 is about to reach the closed state, door 11 tends to move towards the housing 10, which facilitates automatic closing of door 11 at small angles and makes it easier to keep door 11 in the closed position.

[0107] Specifically, refer to Figure 8 A door closer 26 can be installed near the lower hinge to automatically close the door 11 when it moves to a small angle. Specifically, when the door 11 rotates to a very small angle, the door closer 26 moves along the side edge of the hinge plate 22 to pass over the protrusion 226 on the hinge plate 22. The door closer 26 and the protrusion 226 hook together, thereby keeping the door 11 in the closed position. With this embodiment, since the axis of the hinge shaft 21 is set close to the front wall 110, when the door 11 moves to a small angle, the center of gravity of the door 11 is located behind the axis along the y direction. Under its own gravity, the door 11 is more likely to move in the direction of closing the storage room 101. Thus, the door 11 remains in the closed position under the combined action of its own weight, the suction of the door seal 12, and the door closer 26. Since the door 11's own weight tends to keep it close to the housing 10, the suction of the door seal 12 and the load on the door closer 26 are relieved. Therefore, the requirements for the door closer 26 and the magnetic suction element 121 of the door seal 12 can be reduced.

[0108] In one specific implementation, the door 11 may include a handle groove 4, which may be disposed on the second side wall 118; or, the handle groove 4 may be disposed on the lower edge of the door 11, such as... Figure 8 and Figure 20 As shown.

[0109] Specifically, refer to Figure 8 and Figure 20 The handle groove 4 may include a front sidewall 41 defining the front boundary of the handle groove 4 and a rear sidewall 42 defining the rear boundary of the handle groove 4. The front sidewall 41 is adapted to form a gripping portion for the user to hold.

[0110] Furthermore, the projection of the hinge axis 21 (which coincides with the center of the receiving groove 13) along the width direction (e.g., the x-direction) of the door 11 can overlap with the handle groove 4. That is, the projection of the hinge axis 21 along the x-direction is located between the front sidewall 41 and the rear sidewall 42 in the y-direction.

[0111] Furthermore, along the thickness direction of the door 11 (e.g., the y-direction), the axis of the hinge shaft 21 is positioned closer to the front sidewall 41 than the rear sidewall 42. (See reference) Figure 20The closer the axis of hinge shaft 21 is to the front wall 110, the more perpendicular the force F1 exerted on the door 11 when the user operates the handle groove 4 to open the door 11 is to the line connecting the front side wall 41 and the axis, and the less the force applied by the user is lost in the transmission to the door 11 to complete the opening action.

[0112] Therefore, users need less force to open the door, making it easier and providing a better user experience.

[0113] In a specific implementation, refer to Figures 10 to 13 When the door 11 is closed, the hinge plate 22 can be recessed inward on the side facing the first sidewall 111 to form a groove 221.

[0114] Specifically, the first sidewall 111 may include a main body portion 1111 extending from the rear wall 113 toward the front wall 110 and flush with the upper surface of the door 11, and a lateral protrusion structure 1112 extending from the main body portion 1111 toward the front wall 110 and upward.

[0115] Furthermore, the groove 221 is used to avoid the lateral protrusion 1112 during the movement of the door 11. For example, refer to Figure 13 When the door 11 is opened to its maximum angle, the lateral protrusion 1112 is located within the groove 221, allowing the door 11 to open to its maximum angle without interference from the lateral protrusion 1112. Generally, the lateral protrusion 1112 is more common in metal doors; for glass doors, the lateral protrusion 1112 can be omitted entirely, such as... Figures 1 to 7 As shown. However, the hinge 2 used in glass doors can retain the groove 221, so that the hinge 2 used in glass doors and the hinge 2 used in metal doors can reuse the same hinge plate 22, without having to make different shapes of hinge plates 22 for the two types of doors.

[0116] Therefore, it can be applied to various types of doors, such as metal doors and glass doors. Specifically, the first sidewall 111 of the metal door has an upward protrusion near the side rib to form a side protrusion structure 1112, and the groove 221 provided on the hinge plate 22 is used to avoid the side protrusion structure 1112 during the movement of the door 11. As for the hinge plate 22 of the glass door, it also retains the groove 221 design, so that the same model of hinge plate 22 can be reused for glass doors and metal doors, reducing the number of parts and facilitating factory management and production.

[0117] In a specific implementation, refer to Figures 1 to 13 A stamping groove 224 can be formed on the hinge plate 22 to increase the strength of the hinge 2.

[0118] In a specific implementation, continue to refer to Figure 8 The lower hinge can also be equipped with a limit block 23 to limit the maximum opening angle of the door 11.

[0119] Although specific embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure, even when only a single embodiment is described with respect to a particular feature. The examples of features provided in this disclosure are intended to be illustrative and not limiting, unless otherwise stated. In practice, one or more technical features of the dependent claims may be combined with technical features of the independent claims, and technical features from the respective independent claims may be combined in any suitable manner rather than solely by the specific combinations listed in the claims.

[0120] While the above disclosure is provided, it is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art may make various alterations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure; therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure shall be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A refrigeration appliance, characterized in that, include: The enclosure (10) defines at least one storage compartment (101); A door (11) is movably connected to the front of the housing (10) to open or close at least a portion of the storage compartment (101), the door (11) including a front wall (110) defining the front surface of the refrigeration appliance and a first side wall (111) that is always located between the front wall (110) and the storage compartment (101) during the opening and closing of the door (11); A hinge (2) is fixed to the housing (10) and includes a hinge shaft (21) extending toward the door (11), the door (11) being movably connected to the housing (10) via the hinge shaft (21); wherein, when the door (11) is in the closed state of the storage room (101), the first end (111a) of the first sidewall (111) near the housing (10) has a first distance (L1) to the housing (10), the first distance (L1) being less than or equal to a second distance (L2) from the axis of the hinge shaft (21) to the front wall (110), and the second distance (L2) being less than a third distance (L3), the third distance (L3) being the vertical distance between the axis of the hinge shaft (21) and the first end (111a) in the thickness direction of the door (11).

2. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fourth distance (L4) from the axis of the hinge shaft (21) to the first sidewall (111) is greater than the second distance (L2).

3. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that, The difference between the second distance (L2) and the fourth distance (L4) satisfies the following condition: 0 < |L2 - L4| ≤ 7 mm; and / or The fourth distance (L4) ranges from [13, 18] millimeters.

4. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hinge (2) includes a hinge plate (22) fixed to the housing (10) and extending toward the door (11), and the hinge shaft (21) is disposed on the hinge plate (22). When the door (11) is closed, the hinge plate (22) is recessed inward toward the first sidewall (111) to form a groove (221).

5. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the hinge shaft (21) is taken from [6, 8] mm; and / or The first spacing (L1) is no greater than 11 mm; and / or The second distance (L2) ranges from [8.5, 12] mm; and / or The third distance (L3) is greater than or equal to 33 mm.

6. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigeration appliance also includes a rear wall (113) facing the cabinet (10) when the door (11) is closed, the rear wall (113) being provided with a door seal (12), the door seal (12) including a magnetic element (121) adapted to be attracted to the cabinet (10) when the door (11) closes the storage compartment (101), the magnetic element (121) having an outer end (121a) closer to the first side wall (111) and an inner end (121b) further away from the first side wall (111), the axis of the hinge shaft (21) being closer to the outer end (121a) than the inner end (121b).

7. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that, The overlap between the circle with the hinge axis (21) as the center and the distance from the hinge axis to the outer end (121a) as the diameter and the box body (10) is less than a first change amount. The first change amount is the change in the vertical distance between the magnetic suction member (121) and the first end (111a) along the thickness direction of the door (11) when the door (11) is open compared with the change in the vertical distance between the magnetic suction member (121) and the first end (111a) along the thickness direction of the door (11) when the door (11) is closed; or, the circle is tangent to the box body (10).

8. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The door (11) is provided with a receiving groove (13), and a bushing (14) is inserted into the receiving groove (13) to receive the hinge shaft (21). During the movement of the door (11), the hinge shaft (21), the bushing (14), and the door (11) rotate relative to each other; or One of the hinge shaft (21) and the bushing (14) is provided with a limiting part (31), and the other is provided with an adapter part (32). The limiting part (31) is used to cooperate with the adapter part (32) to restrict the relative rotation of the hinge shaft (21) and the bushing (14) during the movement of the door (11), during which the bushing (14) and the door (11) rotate relative to each other.

9. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bushing (14) includes a flange (141) that overlaps the upper surface of the door (11), and the flange (141) is partially cut toward the front wall (110) to form a clearance portion (142).

10. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1 or 8, characterized in that, The hinge (2) includes a hinge plate (22) fixed to the housing (10) and extending toward the door (11), and a hinge shaft (21) disposed on the hinge plate (22), wherein the hinge shaft (21) and the hinge plate (22) are integrally formed.

11. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 10, characterized in that, The hinge plate (22) includes a body (222) fixed to the housing (10) and a head (223) extending from the body (222). The hinge axis (21) is closer to the head (223) than the body 222, and the fifth distance (L5) between the outer contour of the projection of the hinge axis (21) onto the head (223) along the axial direction and the outer contour of the head (223) is less than 2 mm.

12. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The axis is located in front of the center of gravity of the door (11) in the front-back direction.

13. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The door (11) includes a handle groove (4), and the axis of the hinge shaft (21) is projected along the width direction of the door (11) and overlaps with the handle groove (4).

14. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The door (11) includes a handle groove (4), which includes a front sidewall (41) defining the front boundary of the handle groove (4) and a rear sidewall (42) defining the rear boundary of the handle groove (4). Along the thickness direction of the door (11), the axis of the hinge shaft (21) is located closer to the front sidewall (41) than the rear sidewall (42).

15. A refrigeration appliance comprising a housing (10) and a door (11), the housing (10) defining at least one storage compartment (101), the door (11) being movably connected to the front of the housing (10) by a hinge (2) to open or close at least a portion of the storage compartment (101), characterized in that, The hinge (2) includes a hinge axis (21) disposed on the door (11), and the door (11) is rotatable about the hinge axis (21); The door (11) includes a front wall (110) defining the front surface of the refrigeration appliance and a first side wall (111) that is always located between the front wall (110) and the storage compartment (101) during the opening and closing of the door (11). The difference between the maximum distance (L6) from the axis of the hinge shaft (21) to the connection between the first side wall (111) and the front wall (110) and the fourth distance (L4) from the axis of the hinge shaft (21) to the first side wall (111) is less than 4 mm.

16. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 15, characterized in that, The relative position of the hinge axis (21) on the door (11) satisfies the following condition: Wherein, A is the fourth distance, and B is the second distance (L2) from the hinge axis (21) to the front wall (110).

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