Side-mounted water purifying device and refrigerator

Abstract

This application provides a side-mounted water purification system and refrigerator for use in a refrigerator. The refrigerator has an internal drawer assembly comprising: a water storage box located on one side of the drawer assembly; and a water purification module located above the water storage box. The water purification module includes a housing, inside which a booster pump, a filter, a multi-way reversing valve, and a water inlet pipe are integrated. An ice-water distributor is fixedly connected to the front of the housing. The water storage box is connected to the booster pump, and the inlet of the multi-way reversing valve is connected to the filter. Its first outlet is connected to an ice maker, and its second outlet is connected to the ice-water distributor. The rear of the water storage box extends towards the rear of the refrigerator, bypassing the water purification module where the booster pump is located, thus expanding its volume. By removing the core components, such as the water pump, from the upper water purification module, the rear of the water storage box avoids structural interference and extends significantly towards the back of the refrigerator, greatly increasing the water storage capacity. Furthermore, the water system is uniformly organized on the side of the drawer, freeing up other contiguous refrigeration space and increasing the effective storage volume of the refrigerator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigerator technology, and in particular to a side-mounted water purification circuit device and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] With the upgrading of consumption and the popularization of the concept of healthy drinking water, users' demand for ice cubes and ice water is gradually increasing. Existing refrigerators that integrate ice making and direct drinking ice water functions are usually equipped with water filters, solenoid valves, ice makers and ice water dispensers to achieve full-process integration of water purification, water circuit control and ice water supply.

[0003] However, existing technologies have serious technical flaws in practical applications: existing refrigerators with ice-making and direct drinking water functions have their water system components mostly scattered throughout the refrigerator's storage cavity or door. This scattered layout firstly occupies a significant amount of effective storage space, resulting in a fragmented interior; secondly, the distance between components leads to excessively long pipe runs and a complex water system structure.

[0004] These defects not only increase the difficulty of production and assembly operations and manufacturing costs, but also make the long pipelines prone to reliability problems such as high water flow resistance and an increase in potential leaks. More seriously, the water storage unit below is often severely limited in capacity because it is occupied by water pumps and pipelines behind or around it, requiring users to add water frequently, which seriously affects the actual user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to improve the problems of limited storage space, long and complicated pipelines, and insufficient water storage box capacity caused by the dispersed components of the existing refrigerator water system, this application provides a side-mounted water purification device and refrigerator.

[0006] Firstly, this application provides a side-mounted drinking water purification circuit device, which adopts the following technical solution: A side-mounted water purification circuit device for a refrigerator, the refrigerator having an internal drawer assembly comprising: A water storage box is disposed on one side of the drawer assembly; A water purification module is located above the water storage box. The water purification module includes a housing, inside which a booster pump, a filter, a multi-way reversing valve, and a water inlet pipe are integrated. An ice water distributor is fixedly connected to the front of the housing. The water storage box is connected to the booster pump via a water pipe, the inlet of the multi-way reversing valve is connected to the filter, its first outlet is connected to the ice maker, and its second outlet is connected to the ice water distributor; the rear of the water storage box avoids the water purification module where the booster pump is located to extend towards the rear of the refrigerator to expand its volume.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, the booster pump, filter, multi-way reversing valve, and water inlet pipe are all housed within a single independent water purification module housing, which is then suspended or mounted directly above the water storage box. This spatial separation and modular integration layout of "purification above, water storage below" first eliminates the problems of water flow resistance and compartment space occupation caused by long-distance piping in traditional refrigerators. More importantly, because the core power and control components, such as the booster pump, piping, and valve body, which have a certain volume, are moved upwards and removed from the bottom space, structural interference obstacles at the rear of the water storage box are completely eliminated. Based on this, the rear of the water storage box can extend smoothly and significantly towards the back of the refrigerator, greatly increasing the vertical depth and overall volume of the water storage box, thus resolving the physical contradiction of the incompatibility between water purification and large-capacity water storage within a limited space.

[0008] Furthermore, the multi-way reversing valve is a two-position three-way solenoid valve. The water in the water storage box is drawn by the booster pump to the filter for purification and then flows into the two-position three-way solenoid valve. Two-position three-way solenoid valves are used to switch the flow of purified water into the ice maker through the first outlet or into the ice-water distributor through the second outlet.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution and using a two-position three-way solenoid valve as the core diversion hub, an integrated dynamic water circuit of "water storage-pressurization extraction-filtration purification-directional diversion" is constructed. When the system receives a water intake or ice-making command, the booster pump provides a stable negative pressure to extract water and force it through the filter. The purified high-quality water flows directly into the inlet of the two-position three-way solenoid valve. The two-position three-way solenoid valve, relying on the gain and loss of the electromagnet's electrical action, precisely switches the flow path between the first outlet (leading to the ice maker) and the second outlet (leading to the ice water distributor). This design replaces multiple independent check valves or shut-off valves that may be required in traditional water circuits with a single integrated valve body. This not only greatly simplifies the water circuit control logic and pipeline connection nodes and reduces the potential risk of leakage at pipeline joints, but also ensures the independence and cleanliness of drinking ice water and ice-making water at the source.

[0010] Furthermore, the drawer assembly includes a drawer fixing cavity, the bottom surface of the housing is provided with a fixing seat connected to the water inlet pipe, and the rear part of the top surface of the drawer fixing cavity is provided with a groove, the fixing seat being accommodated in the groove.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, the upper shell is not simply placed on the ground, but rather has a raised fixing seat on its bottom surface, and a corresponding groove is formed on the rear top surface of the lower drawer fixing cavity. During assembly, the fixing seat acts as a self-centering and limiting guide structural component. When the water purification module is lowered, the fixing seat slides precisely into and is accommodated in the groove, forming a mechanical interference fit. This concave-convex nested structure effectively restricts the degree of freedom of the water purification module in the horizontal plane (front-back and left-right directions), absorbs the transient high-frequency vibrations generated by the refrigerator compressor or booster pump during operation, and prevents the module from shifting or loosening after long-term operation.

[0012] Furthermore, the outlet of the water storage box extends into the groove and is sealed to the water inlet pipe by the positioning of the fixing seat.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, since the fixing seat is rigidly positioned by being embedded in the groove, the outlet of the water storage box extends upward into the same groove cavity for docking. The groove serves not only as a positioning slot but also as a connection compartment for the pipeline. With the precise positional reference formed by the fixing seat within the groove, the outlet of the water storage box and the inlet pipe extending from the inside of the shell can maintain strict coaxiality and end-face parallelism. This pipeline insertion based on precise positioning using a rigid structure eliminates the skew and torsional stress that easily occur during traditional blind insertion of flexible hoses, allowing the sealing ring to be subjected to uniform compression force, thereby constructing a highly reliable static / dynamic sealing interface and eliminating the risk of capillary leakage at the docking point.

[0014] Furthermore, the drawer assembly includes a drawer fixing cavity, with upwardly extending blocks on both sides of the drawer fixing cavity, and the side of the housing that cooperates with the blocks is an open structure; the top surface of the housing has screw positions that extend outward and are fixedly connected to the top surface of the blocks.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the upward-extending blocks on both sides of the drawer's fixed cavity serve as the structural load-bearing base. The shell adopts an open structure that fits snugly against the blocks, which effectively act as a seal for the shell's side walls. This "semi-open shell + block sealing" design provides operators with a wide field of vision for wiring and debugging during the initial assembly stage, greatly reducing the assembly difficulty of internal water pipes and solenoid valves. In the later stages of assembly, the screw positions extending from the top surface of the shell are threaded and fastened to the top surface of the sturdy blocks, firmly suspending and binding the water purification module to the side walls. This forms a strong vertical anti-overturning moment, ensuring that even when the user presses the ice water dispenser forcefully to dispense water, the entire module will not tilt backward or sink.

[0016] Furthermore, the top surface of the drawer fixing cavity is provided with a limiting flange, and the bottom surface of the housing is fixed to the top surface of the drawer fixing cavity by the limiting flange and the buckle; and the rear part of the bottom surface of the housing is provided with a notch for the water inlet pipe and the ice maker water pipe to pass into the interior of the housing.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the limiting flange and buckle on the top surface of the drawer fixing cavity form a "clamping-interlocking" mechanism. When the bottom surface of the shell is pressed in, the buckle undergoes elastic deformation, passes over the flange, and springs back to lock, thereby increasing the vertical anti-pull-out constraint force at the bottom of the module. At the same time, the specially opened notch at the rear of the bottom surface provides a wide routing channel for the main water pipes (inlet pipe and ice maker water pipe) entering and exiting the shell, preventing the water pipes from being squeezed or broken by hard metal or plastic edges when crossing the shell boundary. Moreover, combined with the aforementioned top screw fixation, a multi-point three-dimensional anti-vibration fixing system of "top surface screw connection reinforcement + bottom buckle flange support" is constructed, making the entire module extremely solid; while the anti-interference notch ensures that the flexibility and safety of the piping system are not compromised under this rigid fastening state.

[0018] Furthermore, the side of the housing is provided with a filter mounting position, and the front of the filter mounting position is provided with a decorative cover for removing and replacing the filter.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the filter is no longer buried deep behind a complex piping network or water tank. Instead, its mounting position is directly arranged on the side of the casing, with a decorative cover on the front facing the user. When the filter reaches the end of its service life, the user does not need to move the refrigerator, disassemble the water storage box, or even use any tools. Simply pry open or slide the decorative cover on the front with one hand to directly expose the pull-out interface of the filter for replacement in seconds. This structural design not only significantly reduces the maintenance threshold for users, but also perfectly conceals the exposed filter element and industrial pipelines inside under normal conditions, maintaining the high-end visual quality of the refrigerator's interior.

[0020] Furthermore, the drawer assembly is also equipped with a drawer and a shelf located on the upper part; the front of the ice water dispenser, the front of the water storage box, the front of the drawer, and the front of the shelf are arranged flush with each other.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the front-end interactive interface of the water system (ice water dispenser, front of the water storage box) and the original storage interface of the refrigerator (front of the drawers and shelves) are coplanar and aligned on a vertical reference plane. This topological plane overlap eliminates abrupt sharp edges and unevenness in the refrigerator's interior space, optimizing the overall visual order. More importantly, the aligned design means that the water dispensing contact point of the ice water dispenser is moved forward to the "golden usage area" that users can reach as soon as they open the door. When users hold a cup to get water with one hand, their line of sight and operating gestures do not need to go deep into the dark interior of the refrigerator, completely eliminating the possibility of interference and bumps, and greatly improving the smoothness of human-computer interaction.

[0022] Secondly, this application provides a refrigerator based on the aforementioned side-mounted water purification circuit device, including a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, and the aforementioned side-mounted water purification circuit device and drawer assembly. The drawer assembly is assembled inside the refrigerator compartment, and the water purification module and the water storage box are both disposed on one side inside the drawer assembly.

[0023] By adopting the above-mentioned technical solutions, traditional refrigerator water circuit components are often scattered in various places such as the door and the back wall of the inner liner, resulting in the refrigerator compartment being fragmented. The refrigerator of this application integrates the entire drawer assembly and water circuit device into a single unit and uniformly constrains it to "one side" inside the refrigerator compartment. This side-mounted and centralized topological layout is equivalent to defining a dedicated "water circuit service tower" inside the refrigerator, thereby completely freeing up the vast space in the middle and on the other side that would otherwise be occupied by pipelines, preserving a continuous large-volume refrigerator area, and meeting the storage needs of users for storing extra-wide and extra-large food items (such as whole pizzas and long vegetables).

[0024] Furthermore, the side-mounted water purification circuit device also includes an ice maker, which is suspended above the freezer compartment and connected to the first water outlet of the water purification module via an ice maker water pipe. The water purification module, the water storage box, and the ice maker are located on the same side of the refrigerator's storage space.

[0025] By adopting the above technical solution, the ice maker is suspended above the freezer compartment, and the water purification module, water storage box, and ice maker are strictly constrained within the vertical projection plane of the refrigerator's storage space on the same side. This means that the water pipe for the ice maker, running through the refrigerator and freezer compartments, can be laid across compartments with an extremely short straight distance, almost perpendicular to the vertical. This not only eliminates the material costs required for long-distance horizontal bends in the inner foam layer of the pipes, but more importantly, the extremely short straight pipes significantly reduce head resistance along the pipes, lessen the load on the booster pump, and reduce the systemic risks of residual water freezing, bacterial growth, and pipe aging and rupture in long pipes. Moreover, due to the overall side-mounted design of the water system, the entire refrigerator's ice production, water supply, and water purification functions are highly compressed into a highly organized single-sided vertical shaft channel, providing great convenience for the refrigerator's assembly line and after-sales fixed-point opening and maintenance.

[0026] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. Unlike existing technologies where components are scattered and occupy bottom space, this application is the first to propose a spatial separation and modular integration layout of "upper purification and lower water storage". After all core components such as the water pump are removed to the upper purification module, the rear of the water storage box avoids structural interference and can extend significantly to the back of the refrigerator. This not only greatly increases the water storage capacity (solving the problem of frequent water filling), but also unifies and organizes the water system on the side of the drawer, freeing up the remaining contiguous refrigeration space and increasing the overall effective storage volume of the refrigerator. 2. By confining the water purification module, water storage box, and ice maker at the top of the freezer compartment to the "same side" of the refrigerator storage space, this vertically aligned layout allows the water pipes and inlet pipes of the ice maker in the cross-compartment to be laid in a very short straight distance, eliminating the need for horizontal detours, greatly reducing the water head resistance and pressure loss of the pipeline, reducing the risk of aging and leakage of long pipelines, and also simplifying the assembly process. 3. Through multi-point three-dimensional fixing of "semi-open side + top screw connection + bottom limiting flange and buckle", and linked bottom notch design, the water purification module has strong vertical anti-overturning ability when facing the pressure of the ice water distributor, and ensures that the inlet and outlet water pipes are not subjected to hard compression when entering the notch under high strength fastening, thus improving the structural stability and safety of the whole machine in long-term operation. 4. The ice water dispenser, water tank, and the front of each drawer and shelf are flush with each other, eliminating the abruptness of the exposed water lines in traditional refrigerators and unifying the visual order of the interior. At the same time, the water dispensing point is placed in the golden interaction area, and the decorative cover design on the side allows for quick replacement of the water filter without disassembling the water tank, which optimizes the user's daily water dispensing and later consumable maintenance experience to the extreme. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the drawer assembly according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the water system device according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the water purification module in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the water purification module from another perspective in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drawer fixing cavity, which is mainly used to illustrate the embodiments of this application.

[0029] Figure label: 1. Refrigerated compartment; 2. Frozen compartment; 3. Drawer assembly; 31. Drawer; 32. Drawer fixing cavity; 321. Stop; 322. Water purifier module mounting position; 323. Limiting flange; 324. Groove; 33. Shelf; 4. Water circuit device; 41. Water purification module; 411. Housing; 4111. Screw position; 4112. Notch; 4113. Mounting base; 4114. Filter mounting position; 412. Booster pump; 413. Filter; 414. Two-position three-way solenoid valve; 4141. First water outlet; 4142. Second water outlet; 415. Water pipe; 4151. Inlet pipe; 4152. Ice maker water pipe; 4153. Distributor water pipe; 416. Ice water distributor; 417. Decorative cover; 42. Water storage box; 43. Ice maker. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0031] Reference Figures 1-6This application discloses a side-mounted water purification circuit device for a refrigerator, with a drawer assembly 3 inside the refrigerator. The side-mounted water purification circuit device includes a water storage box 42 and a purification module 41. The water storage box 42 is located on one side of the drawer assembly 3 and is used to store raw water to be purified. The purification module 41 is located above the water storage box 42 and includes a housing 411. The housing 411 integrates a booster pump 412, a filter 413, a multi-way reversing valve, and a water inlet pipe 4151. An ice water distributor 416 is fixedly connected to the front of the housing 411.

[0032] The water storage box 42 is connected to the booster pump 412 via water pipe 415, forming the starting point of the water circuit. The inlet of the multi-way reversing valve is connected to the filter 413, and its first outlet 4141 is connected to the ice maker 43, and its second outlet 4142 is connected to the ice water distributor 416, forming two branch terminals of the water circuit. The rear of the water storage box 42 avoids the water purification module 41 where the booster pump 412 is located, so as to extend towards the rear of the refrigerator to expand its volume.

[0033] Specifically, the aforementioned "side-mounted" layout refers to the water purification module 41 and the water storage box 42 being arranged side-by-side on the same side of the drawer assembly 3 (such as the left or right side of the refrigerator), rather than being dispersed on the front, back, left, or right sides of the refrigerator. The water purification module 41 is located above the water storage box 42, and is stacked vertically using the height direction of the lateral space of the drawer assembly 3. This ensures that the top surface of the water storage box 42 only needs to avoid the bottom projection of the water purification module 41, while the rear area of ​​the water storage box 42 completely avoids the height constraints of components such as the booster pump 412, filter 413, and multi-way reversing valve, and can extend towards the back panel of the refrigerator, thereby maximizing the water storage capacity of the water storage box 42 within the limited lateral space of the drawer assembly 3.

[0034] Specifically, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The front of the ice water distributor 416, the front of the water storage box 42, and the front of the drawer 31 in the drawer assembly 3 are all flush with each other. This flush design makes the side-mounted water channel device 4 and the storage components of the drawer assembly 3 form an integrated embedded visual effect, improving the overall consistency of the refrigerator interior. At the same time, the water dispensing position of the ice water distributor 416 and the opening position of the drawer 31 are at the same height, which conforms to the ergonomic principle, so that users can get water without bending over or tiptoeing, significantly improving the convenience of operation.

[0035] Additionally, refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5The aforementioned multi-way reversing valve adopts a two-position three-way solenoid valve 414. The water in the water storage box 42 is drawn by the booster pump 412 to the filter 413 for purification treatment, and then continuously flows into the two-position three-way solenoid valve 414. The two-position three-way solenoid valve 414 is used to switch the purified water to flow into the ice maker 43 through the first outlet 4141, or into the ice water distributor 416 through the second outlet 4142.

[0036] Therefore, when the ice maker 43 needs water replenishment, the water level sensor inside the ice maker 43 detects that the water level is lower than the set threshold and sends a water replenishment signal to the refrigerator controller. The controller drives the two-position three-way solenoid valve 414 to switch to the first position. At this time, the inlet of the two-position three-way solenoid valve 414 is connected to the first outlet 4141, and the second outlet 4142 is closed. The booster pump 412 starts, extracts and pressurizes the raw water in the water storage box 42, and delivers it to the filter 413 for purification through the inlet pipe 4151. The purified water flows into the two-position three-way solenoid valve 414 under pressure and is delivered to the ice mold of the ice maker 43 through the first outlet 4141 and the ice maker water pipe 4152. When the water level reaches the set height, the water level sensor feeds back a signal, and the controller shuts off the booster pump 412 and maintains the two-position three-way solenoid valve 414 in the current position or resets it, completing the water replenishment cycle.

[0037] When a user draws water through the chilled water distributor 416, pressing the water draw button triggers a water draw signal. The controller then drives the two-position three-way solenoid valve 414 to switch to the second position. At this time, the inlet of the two-position three-way solenoid valve 414 is connected to the second outlet 4142, while the first outlet 4141 is closed. The booster pump 412 starts, drawing and pressurizing the raw water in the storage box 42. After purification through the inlet pipe 4151, the water flows into the two-position three-way solenoid valve 414, and is then delivered through the second outlet 4142 and the distributor pipes 4153 and 415 to the outlet of the chilled water distributor 416, allowing the user to draw chilled water. When the user releases the water draw button, the water draw signal is interrupted, the controller shuts off the booster pump 412, and the two-position three-way solenoid valve 414 resets or remains in place, completing the water draw cycle.

[0038] It should be noted that the aforementioned mutually exclusive water outlet design ensures that the water replenishment of the ice maker 43 and the water intake of the ice water distributor 416 will not occur simultaneously, avoiding water pressure diversion problems caused by simultaneous operation of both circuits, and ensuring the water replenishment efficiency of the ice maker 43 and the stability of the water pressure output of the ice water distributor 416. Meanwhile, because the water purification module 41 and the water storage box 42 are side-mounted and vertically arranged, the piping from the water storage box 42 to the booster pump 412, filter 413, solenoid valve, and finally to the ice water distributor 416 is all located within the same lateral area of ​​the refrigerator, significantly shortening the piping length, reducing bends and joints, and lowering pressure loss and the risk of leakage.

[0039] Moreover, compared to the existing technology where the water purification components are scattered and the pipes span the width of the refrigerator, the side-mounted layout of this application integrates the core components of the water system on the same side of the drawer assembly 3, which has the following advantages: First, through the structural design of stacking and rear clearance, the volume of the water storage box 42 is maximized within the limited lateral space. The rear of the water storage box 42 extends towards the back panel of the refrigerator, increasing its depth and significantly reducing the frequency of water filling for users, while not encroaching on the effective storage volume of the refrigerator compartment 1.

[0040] Secondly, the side-mounted layout places the ice water dispenser 416 in the side-viewable area after the refrigerator door is opened, and the water dispensing position is at the same height as the drawer 31 operating position. This makes the user's water dispensing operation conform to the natural human posture, significantly improving convenience. In addition, the coplanar and flush design ensures the consistency of the refrigerator's interior appearance and avoids the abruptness of functional components.

[0041] Third, the highly integrated side-mounted layout significantly shortens the pipe length, reducing the pipe length from the water storage box 42 to the chilled water distributor 416, thereby reducing pipe material costs and pressure loss and improving system energy efficiency; moreover, the short pipe layout makes it easier to fix in the foam layer, reducing vibration noise and leakage risks.

[0042] In addition, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 6 The aforementioned drawer assembly 3 includes a drawer fixing cavity 32, and a groove 324 is provided on the rear part of the top surface of the drawer fixing cavity 32; the bottom surface of the housing 411 is provided with a fixing seat 4113 connected to the water inlet pipe 4151, the fixing seat 4113 protrudes downward to form a pipe connection cavity, the outer contour of the fixing seat 4113 is adapted to the groove 324, and the fixing seat 4113 is accommodated in the groove 324.

[0043] During assembly, the water purification module 41 is installed from top to bottom. The fixing base 4113 is aligned with the groove 324 on the rear of the top surface of the drawer fixing cavity 32 and inserted. The side wall of the groove 324 cooperates with the outer peripheral wall of the fixing base 4113 to form radial positioning, restricting the horizontal displacement of the water purification module 41. The bottom wall of the groove 324 cooperates with the bottom surface of the fixing base 4113 to form axial support, bearing the vertical load of the water purification module 41. This embedding structure enables rapid pre-positioning and bearing of the water purification module 41, simplifying the assembly and alignment process.

[0044] The outlet of the water storage box 42 extends upward into the groove 324 and is sealed to the inlet pipe 4151 by the positioning of the fixing seat 4113. Specifically, the fixing seat 4113 has a standardized quick-connect interface inside, and the upper end of the outlet of the water storage box 42 has a corresponding sealing ring and a claw. When the water storage box 42 is pushed into the mounting position under the drawer assembly 3, the outlet inserts upward into the fixing seat 4113. Under the guidance of the fixing seat 4113, it is coaxially aligned with the inlet pipe 4151. The sealing ring is compressed to form a radial seal, and the claw elastically locks to prevent loosening. This design of "fixed seat 4113 positioning + sealing connection" integrates the mechanical positioning of the water storage box 42 and the water circuit connection into the same action. Users only need to push in the water storage box 42 to complete the synchronous connection of the mechanical and liquid circuits without additional pipe insertion operations, which significantly improves the convenience of use. Meanwhile, the upward protruding structure of the fixing seat 4113 makes the sealing connection point higher than the top surface of the water storage box 42. Even if the water level inside the water storage box 42 is high, water is unlikely to leak back from the sealing connection point, thus enhancing the reliability of water leakage prevention.

[0045] Furthermore, the drawer fixing cavity 32 has upwardly extending blocks 321 on both sides along the side wall of the refrigerator liner, and the inner side of the blocks 321 forms the installation position 322 of the water purification module 41; the side of the housing 411 that cooperates with the blocks 321 is set as an open structure, that is, the side of the housing 411 facing the refrigerator side wall and the blocks 321 has no side wall obstruction, forming an open chamber.

[0046] Furthermore, the top surface of the housing 411 is provided with an outwardly extending screw position 4111, which is fixedly connected to the top surface of the stop block 321, forming a suspension and fixation of the front part of the housing 411. The top surface of the drawer fixing cavity 32 is provided with a limiting flange 323, and the bottom surface of the housing 411 is fixed to the top surface of the drawer fixing cavity 32 through the limiting flange 323 and the buckle: the buckle is an elastic hook claw structure, which elastically rebounds after passing over the limiting flange 323 during installation and hooks onto the inner side of the limiting flange 323, forming a horizontal limit and downward pull on the middle part of the housing 411.

[0047] A notch 4112 is provided at the rear of the bottom surface of the housing 411. The notch 4112 is located behind the fixing base 4113 and is used to allow the water inlet pipe 4151 and the ice maker water pipe 4152 to pass into the interior of the housing 411. After the water inlet pipe 4151 enters the fixing base 4113 from the water storage box 42, it bends backward and enters the interior of the housing 411 through the notch 4112 to connect with the booster pump 412. The ice maker water pipe 4152 is led out from the interior of the housing 411 and extends downward through the notch 4112 to connect with the ice maker 43.

[0048] The aforementioned multi-point fixing system forms a three-dimensional constraint structure of "rear fixing seat 4113 support + front screw position 4111 suspension + middle buckle limit," ensuring the overall rigidity and stability of the housing 411 in the open structure and effectively resisting the vibration of the booster pump 412 during operation. The open structure, combined with the lateral enclosure of the stop block 321, allows components such as the filter 413 and solenoid valve inside the housing 411 to be directly accessed from the side of the refrigerator, facilitating maintenance and repair.

[0049] In addition, refer to Figure 4 The housing 411 has a filter mounting position 4114 on its side, and a decorative cover 417 on the front of the filter mounting position 4114. Specifically, the filter 413 is installed by horizontal pull-out, and the filter mounting position 4114 is pushed in or pulled out in the horizontal direction.

[0050] It should be noted that, since the side of the housing 411 facing the block 321 is an open structure, the filter mounting position 4114 is located on this side, causing the filter 413 to be laterally exposed in the open space inside the block 321. When the filter 413 needs to be replaced, the user opens the refrigerator door, opens the decorative cover 417 from a side view, pulls out the old filter 413 laterally, pushes in the new filter 413 laterally, and closes the decorative cover 417. The entire process does not require disassembling the housing 411 or moving the refrigerator, and the maintenance time can be shortened to less than 1 minute. The decorative cover 417 is flush with the front of the housing 411, and when closed, it covers the filter 413, keeping the appearance neat, while also limiting the end face of the filter 413 to prevent loosening caused by transportation vibration.

[0051] This application also discloses a refrigerator, which, based on the aforementioned side-mounted water purification circuit device, adopts the following technical solution: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator compartment 1, a freezer compartment 2, and the aforementioned side-mounted water purification system and drawer assembly 3. The drawer assembly 3 is installed inside the refrigerator compartment 1 and includes a drawer fixing cavity 32, multiple drawers 31 installed within the drawer fixing cavity 32, and a shelf located on top of the drawers 31. The water purification module 41 and the water storage box 42 are both located on one side inside the drawer assembly 3, specifically in the lateral area of ​​the drawer fixing cavity 32. An ice maker 43 is suspended above the freezer compartment 2. The water purification module 41, the water storage box 42, and the ice maker 43 are located on the same side of the refrigerator's storage space.

[0052] Specifically, the ice maker 43 is connected to the first water outlet 4141 of the water purification module 41 via the ice maker water pipe 4152. Since all three are located on the same side, the ice maker water pipe 4152 only needs to be connected longitudinally within the same lateral area, without having to span the horizontal width of the refrigerator, thus significantly shortening the pipe length. If the freezer compartment 2 is located below the refrigerator compartment 1 (a typical top-and-bottom door refrigerator layout), the ice maker 43 is suspended above the freezer compartment 2, i.e., on the side closer to the refrigerator compartment 1. The ice maker water pipe 4152 can be connected by extending a short distance downward from the water purification module 41, with a simple and bend-free path. If the freezer compartment 2 is located above the refrigerator compartment 1 (a side-by-side refrigerator layout), the ice maker water pipe 4152 extends upward, also maintaining a short path on the same side.

[0053] This same-side layout simplifies the water circuit connection across temperature zones, facilitates the pre-embedding of insulation pipe sleeves in the foam layer, and reduces the cold bridge effect. At the same time, the water supply path of the ice maker 43 and the water intake path of the ice water distributor 416 are centrally managed in the water purification module 41 and controlled by the same two-position three-way solenoid valve 414, resulting in high system integration and simple control logic.

[0054] Therefore, on the one hand, the modular integration of the side-mounted water purification device and the drawer assembly 3 allows for space reuse of the water purification and storage functions within the refrigerator compartment 1, eliminating the need to sacrifice additional storage volume for the water purification function. Compared to traditional back or door layouts, the effective storage volume of the refrigerator compartment 1 is significantly increased. On the other hand, the same-side layout of the water purification module 41, water storage box 42, and ice maker 43 forms a short-path water system across temperature zones. The length of the ice maker water pipe 4152 is shortened, reducing pipe material consumption, pressure loss, and the risk of cold bridging, and facilitating pre-assembly and subsequent maintenance. Furthermore, as a modular unit, the drawer assembly 3 can be pre-assembled with the water purification device 4 on the production line and then installed as a whole into the refrigerator compartment 1, greatly simplifying the refrigerator assembly process and improving production efficiency. Moreover, if the water purification module 41 needs to be replaced later, the drawer assembly 3 can be pulled out as a whole for operation, making maintenance significantly more convenient than a distributed layout.

[0055] The implementation principle of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of this application is as follows: By vertically stacking the water purification module 41 and the water storage box 42, and placing them sideways on one side of the drawer assembly 3 inside the refrigerator compartment 1, the water purification module 41 integrates a booster pump 412, a filter 413, and a two-position three-way solenoid valve 414, forming a highly integrated water purification unit. During operation, the booster pump 412 draws water from the water storage box 42, purifies it through the filter 413, and then sends it to the two-position three-way solenoid valve 414. The two-position three-way solenoid valve 414, according to user instructions (ice making or water dispensing), switches and distributes the purified water to the ice maker 43 at the top of the freezer compartment 2 or to the ice-water distributor 416 located on the front of the water purification module 41. The rear of the water storage box 42 extends towards the rear of the refrigerator, avoiding the booster pump 412, to achieve a large-capacity water storage capacity. The water purification module 41 is fixed to the stop block 321 via screw positions 4111 on the top surface of the housing 411, and to the bottom surface via limiting flanges 323 and buckles. The mounting base 4113 and the groove 324 cooperate to achieve stable installation at multiple points. Meanwhile, the notch 4112 and groove 324 on the bottom surface of the housing 411 ensure a neat and orderly pipeline layout. Finally, the front surfaces of the ice water distributor 416, water storage box 42, drawer 31, and shelf are flush, achieving a consistent appearance.

[0056] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A side-mounted water purification circuit device for a refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator interior is equipped with a drawer assembly, characterized in that... include: A water storage box is disposed on one side of the drawer assembly; A water purification module is located above the water storage box. The water purification module includes a housing, inside which a booster pump, a filter, a multi-way reversing valve, and a water inlet pipe are integrated. An ice water distributor is fixedly connected to the front of the housing. The water storage box is connected to the booster pump via a water pipe, the inlet of the multi-way reversing valve is connected to the filter, its first outlet is connected to the ice maker, and its second outlet is connected to the ice water distributor; the rear of the water storage box avoids the water purification module where the booster pump is located to extend towards the rear of the refrigerator to expand its volume.

2. The side-mounted drinking water circuit device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multi-way reversing valve is a two-position three-way solenoid valve. The water in the water storage box is drawn by the booster pump to the filter for purification and then flows into the two-position three-way solenoid valve. Two-position three-way solenoid valves are used to switch the flow of purified water into the ice maker through the first outlet or into the ice-water distributor through the second outlet.

3. The side-mounted drinking water circuit device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drawer assembly includes a drawer fixing cavity, the bottom surface of the housing is provided with a fixing seat connected to the water inlet pipe, and the rear part of the top surface of the drawer fixing cavity is provided with a groove, and the fixing seat is accommodated in the groove.

4. The side-mounted drinking water circuit device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outlet of the water storage box extends into the groove and is sealed to the inlet pipe by the positioning of the fixing seat.

5. The side-mounted drinking water circuit device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drawer assembly includes a drawer fixing cavity, with upwardly extending blocks on both sides of the drawer fixing cavity. The side of the housing that cooperates with the blocks is an open structure. The top surface of the housing has screw positions that extend outward and are fixedly connected to the top surface of the blocks.

6. The side-mounted drinking water circuit device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The top surface of the drawer fixing cavity is provided with a limiting flange, and the bottom surface of the housing is fixed to the top surface of the drawer fixing cavity by the limiting flange and the buckle; and the rear part of the bottom surface of the housing is provided with a notch for the water inlet pipe and the ice maker water pipe to pass into the interior of the housing.

7. The side-mounted drinking water circuit device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side of the housing is provided with a filter mounting position, and the front of the filter mounting position is provided with a decorative cover for removing and replacing the filter.

8. The side-mounted drinking water circuit device according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The drawer assembly also includes a drawer and a shelf located at the top; the front of the ice water dispenser, the front of the water storage box, the front of the drawer, and the front of the shelf are all flush with each other.

9. A refrigerator, comprising a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, and a side-mounted water purification device and a drawer assembly as described in any one of claims 1-8, wherein the drawer assembly is assembled inside the refrigerator compartment, and the water purification module and the water storage box are both disposed on one side inside the drawer assembly.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, characterized in that, The side-mounted water purification circuit device also includes an ice maker, which is suspended above the freezer compartment and connected to the first water outlet of the water purification module via an ice maker water pipe. The water purification module, the water storage box, and the ice maker are located on the same side of the refrigerator's storage space.

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