Refrigerator

Abstract

The application discloses a refrigerator, which comprises a cabinet, a door body, a cooling device, a shelf assembly, a lifting device, a transmission assembly and a driving device. The door body is used for opening or closing the front opening of the cabinet. The lifting device is connected with the shelf assembly. The transmission assembly is rotatably arranged on the shelf assembly and connected with the lifting device, and is provided with a transmission wheel. The driving device comprises a mounting structure, an annular driving part and a holding part. The mounting structure is arranged on the shelf assembly. The annular driving part is sleeved on the outer periphery of the transmission wheel and the mounting structure. The holding part is arranged on the annular driving part. When the holding part is moved, the annular driving part is driven to move along the circumferential direction of the annular driving part, the transmission wheel is driven to rotate, the transmission assembly is driven to rotate, and the lifting device drives the shelf assembly to move along the height direction of the cabinet. The refrigerator can manually adjust the height of the shelf assembly to reduce the cost and noise, and quickly lift the shelf assembly to the target height, thereby improving the height adjustment efficiency of the shelf assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigeration equipment technology, and more particularly to a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] Refrigerators are an indispensable appliance in home life. As consumers' demands for fresh food increase, their requirements for refrigerators are also increasing. For example, the shelves inside the refrigerator are designed to be height-adjustable to accommodate items of different heights.

[0003] In related technologies, to ensure the efficiency of shelf height adjustment, an electric lifting mechanism is typically used to raise and lower the shelves along the vertical direction, thereby changing the shelf height to accommodate items of different heights. However, this structure is expensive and cannot be widely adopted in most refrigerators. Furthermore, it is prone to generating noise during use, and the noise level is relatively high, affecting the user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application discloses a refrigerator that can quickly raise and lower the shelf assembly to the target height while manually adjusting the height of the shelf assembly to reduce costs and noise, thereby improving the height adjustment efficiency of the shelf assembly and thus enhancing the user experience.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, some embodiments of this application disclose a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising:

[0006] The box has a storage room inside, and the box has a front opening on one side along its length that communicates with the storage room.

[0007] A door body, which is movably connected to the housing and is configured to open or close the front opening;

[0008] A cooling device is provided inside the housing and is used to cool the storage compartment.

[0009] A shelf assembly, wherein the shelf assembly is disposed in the storage room and is used to place items;

[0010] A lifting device is provided in the storage room and is connected to the shelf assembly. The lifting device is used to move the shelf assembly along the height direction of the box to adjust the height of the shelf assembly.

[0011] A transmission assembly, rotatably mounted on the shelf assembly and connected to the lifting device, is configured to cause the lifting device to move the shelf assembly along the height direction of the housing during rotation. The transmission assembly is provided with a transmission wheel; and...

[0012] A drive unit, wherein the drive unit is disposed in the storage chamber, and the drive unit comprises:

[0013] The mounting structure is disposed on the shelf assembly;

[0014] A ring-shaped drive component, the ring-shaped drive component being sleeved on the outer periphery of the transmission wheel and the mounting structure; and...

[0015] A gripping component is disposed on the annular drive component. The gripping component is used to drive the annular drive component to move along its circumferential direction when it is gripped and moved, so as to drive the transmission wheel to rotate, thereby driving the transmission assembly to rotate.

[0016] The refrigerator provided in this application, by setting the gripping component on the annular drive component, allows the user to grip the gripping component and directly act on the annular drive component, directly driving the annular drive component to move along its circumferential direction. This enables the annular drive component to move quickly, rapidly driving the transmission wheel to rotate, thereby enabling the lifting device to quickly raise and lower the shelf assembly to the target height, shortening the height adjustment time of the shelf assembly, improving the height adjustment efficiency of the shelf, and thus improving the user experience.

[0017] As can be seen, in the refrigerator provided in this application embodiment, while maintaining the ability to manually adjust the height of the shelf assembly to reduce costs and noise, the height adjustment time of the shelf assembly can be shortened, thereby improving the height adjustment efficiency of the shelf and thus improving the user experience.

[0018] As an optional implementation, in the embodiments of this application, the mounting structure includes a first mounting part and a second mounting part, the transmission wheel is located between the first mounting part and the second mounting part, and the annular driving component is sleeved on the outer periphery of the transmission wheel, the first mounting part and the second mounting part.

[0019] By setting two mounting parts (i.e., the first mounting part and the second mounting part) and placing the transmission wheel between the first mounting part and the second mounting part, the length of the ring drive component in its circumferential direction can be increased. This allows the user to move the grip component in a straight line as much as possible when holding the grip component and driving the ring drive component, avoiding turning. This is more in line with the user's usage habits and improves the user's comfort. Moreover, the transmission wheel can be used to support the middle position of the ring drive component, preventing the middle position of the ring drive component from sinking downwards. This ensures that the grip component can be held and the ring drive component can be driven smoothly, thus making the height adjustment process of the shelf assembly smoother.

[0020] As an optional implementation, in the embodiments of this application, the annular drive component is a belt, and the mounting structure and the transmission wheel are pulleys; or,

[0021] The ring drive component is a chain, the mounting structure and the transmission wheel are sprockets, and the mounting structure is rotatably mounted on the shelf assembly.

[0022] It is evident that the structure of the ring drive component is not limited to a single type; it can be either a belt or a chain, offering flexibility and variety. When the ring drive component is a chain and the transmission wheel is a sprocket, the connection between the ring drive component and the transmission wheel can be considered a meshing connection. Increasing the friction between the ring drive component and the transmission wheel ensures that the ring drive component smoothly drives the transmission wheel to rotate during movement, thus smoothly rotating the transmission assembly. This allows the lifting device to move the shelf assembly along the height direction, changing the height of the shelf assembly and thereby achieving height adjustment.

[0023] As an optional implementation, in the embodiments of this application, when the annular drive component is a belt, the annular drive component is a toothed belt, the mounting structure and the transmission wheel are toothed pulleys, and the mounting structure is rotatably disposed on the shelf assembly.

[0024] This configuration ensures that the connection between the ring drive component and the transmission wheel is an meshing connection, preventing slippage between the ring drive component and the transmission wheel during the movement of the ring drive component. This ensures that the ring drive component can smoothly drive the transmission wheel to rotate during the movement, thus allowing the transmission assembly to rotate smoothly. This enables the lifting device to move the shelf assembly along the height direction, thereby changing the height of the shelf assembly and achieving height adjustment.

[0025] As an optional implementation, in an embodiment of this application, the annular drive component has a hollow portion, and the refrigerator further includes a support component. The support component is connected to the shelf assembly and is embedded in the hollow portion of the annular drive component. The support component is used to support the annular drive component.

[0026] The supporting component is provided with a first clearance space and a second clearance space. The first clearance space is used to avoid the transmission wheel, and the second clearance space is used to avoid the mounting structure.

[0027] By embedding the support component in the hollow part of the annular drive component, the support component can provide a certain support for the annular drive component. During the manual pulling of the annular drive component, the annular drive component can move along the outer periphery of the support component. To a certain extent, the support component can also guide the movement of the annular drive component, thereby improving the smoothness and stability of the annular drive component during movement.

[0028] As an optional implementation, in an embodiment of this application, the refrigerator further includes an annular protective component, which is connected to the shelf assembly and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the annular driving component, with the gripping component located outside the annular protective component;

[0029] The annular protective component has a first inner wall surface and a second inner wall surface that are disposed opposite each other in the height direction of the box. An extension portion extending in the height direction of the box is disposed between the first inner wall surface and the second inner wall surface. The extension portion is located between the shelf assembly and the support component. A support portion is provided on the side of the extension portion facing the support component. The support portions are all spaced apart from the first inner wall surface and the second inner wall surface. The support component is connected to the support portion to indirectly connect to the shelf assembly. The annular driving component is sleeved on the outer periphery of the support portion and the support component.

[0030] This configuration not only allows the support portion to provide a connection point for the support component, but also, with the support portion spaced apart from the first and second inner wall surfaces, it forms a ring track to accommodate the ring drive component. Combined with the support component, it can provide better support and guidance for the ring drive component, making it smoother and more stable when the ring drive component is manually pulled.

[0031] As an optional implementation, in an embodiment of this application, the extension includes:

[0032] A first sub-extension, the first sub-extension being disposed on the first inner wall surface; and...

[0033] The second sub-extension is disposed on the second inner wall surface, and the second sub-extension is spaced apart from the first sub-extension.

[0034] The support portion includes:

[0035] A first sub-support portion, the first sub-support portion being connected to the side of the first sub-extension portion opposite to the first inner wall surface, and the first sub-support portion being spaced apart from the first inner wall surface; and,

[0036] The second sub-support portion is connected to the side of the second sub-extension portion away from the first inner wall surface, and the second sub-support portion is spaced apart from the second inner wall surface. The second sub-support portion and the second sub-support portion are spaced apart and have a slot formed thereon.

[0037] The support component is provided with a hook, which engages with the slot.

[0038] The connection between the support component and the annular protective component is achieved through the snap-fit ​​of the hooks and slots. This connection method is simple, stable and reliable, and it facilitates the connection and separation of the support component and the annular protective component. For example, if a malfunction occurs and the annular drive component cannot be pulled, the support component can be removed from the annular protective component to observe the connection relationship between the annular drive component and the transmission wheel, allowing for inspection and maintenance. The operation is relatively convenient.

[0039] As an optional implementation, in an embodiment of this application, the refrigerator further includes an annular protective component, which is connected to the shelf assembly and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the annular drive component, with the gripping component located outside the annular protective component.

[0040] This allows the ring-shaped protective component to protect the ring-shaped drive component and extend its service life.

[0041] As an optional implementation, in an embodiment of this application, the lifting device includes:

[0042] A mounting component, disposed within the storage chamber, has a spiral portion extending along the height direction of the housing on its outer peripheral surface; and...

[0043] A gear structure is located in the storage chamber and meshes with the helical part, and the gear structure is connected to the shelf assembly and the transmission assembly respectively;

[0044] The gear structure rotates under the rotation of the transmission assembly and moves relative to the helical part along the height direction of the box, thereby driving the shelf assembly to move along the height direction of the box.

[0045] Through the meshing action of the gear structure and the helical part, the gear structure can move relative to the helical part in the height direction when the gear structure is rotated. Since the shelf assembly is connected to the gear structure, the shelf assembly can move together with the gear structure in the height direction, thereby realizing the adjustment of the height of the shelf assembly so that users can store items of different heights.

[0046] Furthermore, when the shelf assembly is moved to the target height, the engagement of the gear structure and the helical part on the mounting component can lock the shelf assembly in its current position, preventing it from sliding down after height adjustment. This allows the shelf assembly to be suspended and fixed at any position, making it convenient for users to store items of different heights.

[0047] As an optional implementation, in the embodiments of this application, the lifting device further includes a guide structure located in the storage chamber and sleeved on the outer periphery of the mounting component, the spiral portion being at least partially located inside the guide structure, the gear structure being rotatably disposed inside the guide structure, and the guide structure being connected to the shelf assembly.

[0048] During the height adjustment of the shelving assembly, the guide structure slides along the mounting components. This, combined with the mounting components, guides the lifting and lowering of the shelving assembly, improving its sliding stability. Furthermore, since the gear structure is installed inside the guide structure, it supports and mounts the gear structure, preventing it from becoming suspended. This improves the smoothness of the gear structure's movement, further enhancing the sliding stability of the shelving assembly during height adjustment. This allows for smoother, more convenient height adjustment, preventing tilting or jamming, reducing failure rates, and extending service life.

[0049] As an optional implementation, in an embodiment of this application, the mounting component is located on the rear side of the storage compartment in the length direction of the box, and the shelf assembly is provided with a through hole extending along the length direction of the box, the through hole being located on the front side of the shelf assembly in the length direction of the box.

[0050] The transmission assembly is rotatably inserted into the through hole, and the transmission wheel and the drive device are located on the front side of the shelf assembly in the length direction of the box.

[0051] This configuration allows the installation components to be positioned at the rear of the storage compartment along its length, minimizing their impact on the front space of the storage compartment. Meanwhile, the transmission components allow the drive wheels and drive unit to be positioned at the front of the shelf assembly. The gripping component is located at the front of the shelf assembly along its length, making it convenient for the user to manually adjust the height of the shelf assembly.

[0052] As an optional implementation, in an embodiment of this application, the mounting component is disposed on the side wall of the storage chamber along the length of the box, and the spiral portion is disposed on one side of the mounting component along the length of the box.

[0053] The transmission assembly includes:

[0054] A first transmission component, which is connected to the gear structure; and...

[0055] The second transmission component, one of the second transmission component and the first transmission component is provided with a turbine, and the other is provided with a worm gear meshing with the turbine. The second transmission component is rotatably inserted into the through hole, and the transmission wheel is disposed in the second transmission component.

[0056] When the transmission wheel rotates, it drives the second transmission component to rotate, which in turn drives the first transmission component to rotate, thereby driving the gear structure to rotate.

[0057] This configuration, through the cooperation of the first transmission component, the second transmission component, and the worm gear, allows for the placement of the gripping component on the front of the shelf assembly for easy gripping, while simultaneously placing the mounting component on the side wall of the storage compartment along its length, i.e., on the rear wall of the storage compartment. Compared to placing the mounting component on the rear of the storage compartment along its length but fixing it to the left and / or right wall, this configuration minimizes the occupation of the front space of the storage compartment, allowing for a larger front space to accommodate items. This enables users to place items on the front of the shelf assembly for easy access.

[0058] As an optional implementation, in the embodiments of this application, the mounting component includes a first mounting rod and a second mounting rod, the first mounting rod and the second mounting rod are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the housing, and both the first mounting rod and the second mounting rod are provided with the spiral portion;

[0059] The gear structure includes:

[0060] A first gear, which meshes with the helical portion on the first mounting rod, and is connected to one side of the shelf assembly in the width direction of the housing; and,

[0061] The second gear meshes with the helical portion on the second mounting rod and is connected to the shelf assembly on the other side of the box in the width direction. The first transmission component is connected between the first gear and the second gear.

[0062] This configuration allows the first and second gears to rotate through the same gripping component, enabling them to rotate synchronously at the same speed. This ensures that the first and second gears move the same distance along the height direction, thus helping to avoid the problem of the shelf assembly tilting or jamming due to the different moving distances of the first and second gears during the adjustment of the shelf assembly height.

[0063] As an optional implementation, in an embodiment of this application, the transmission assembly further includes:

[0064] A first protective housing, which is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first transmission component; and...

[0065] The second protective housing is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first transmission component and is mated with the first protective housing. A protective space is formed between the second protective housing and the first protective housing, and the turbine and the worm are located in the protective space.

[0066] This configuration allows the turbine and worm to be positioned within the protective space formed by the first and second protective housings, while simultaneously protecting them from foreign objects that could enter and affect their meshing, thus ensuring that the turbine and worm can rotate normally and smoothly.

[0067] As an optional implementation, in an embodiment of this application, the transmission assembly further includes a snap-fit ​​structure, through which the first protective housing and the second protective housing are connected;

[0068] The snap-fit ​​structure includes:

[0069] A first buckle, comprising a first male buckle and a first female buckle that engage with each other; and

[0070] The second buckle and the first buckle are respectively located on both sides of the first protective shell and the second protective shell in the length direction of the box body, and the second buckle includes a second male buckle and a second female buckle that are engaged. The first male buckle and the second female buckle are disposed on the first protective shell, and the second male buckle and the first female buckle are disposed on the second protective shell.

[0071] By setting the first male and second female buckles on the first protective housing and the second male and first female buckles on the second protective housing, forces need to be applied to both the first and second protective housings simultaneously to separate them. This allows the first and second protective housings to be more securely engaged and fixed, preventing accidental contact that could cause them to separate and fail to protect the turbine and worm gear.

[0072] And / or, the buckle structure includes a plurality of third buckles, which are arranged along the length of the housing on one side of the first protective shell and the second protective shell in the height direction of the housing. Each third buckle includes a third male buckle and a third female buckle. One of the third male buckle and the third female buckle is disposed on the first protective shell and the other is disposed on the second protective shell. The third male buckle and the third female buckle are alternately disposed along the length of the housing.

[0073] By having one of the third male and third female buckles located on the first protective housing and the other on the second protective housing, and by alternating the third male and third female buckles along the length direction, forces must be applied to both the first and second protective housings simultaneously to separate them. This allows the first and second protective housings to be more securely engaged and fixed, preventing accidental contact that could cause them to separate and fail to protect the turbine and worm gear.

[0074] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are as follows:

[0075] The refrigerator provided in this application embodiment, by setting the gripping component on the annular drive component, allows the user to grip the gripping component and directly act on the annular drive component, directly driving the annular drive component to move along its circumferential direction. This enables the annular drive component to move quickly, rapidly driving the transmission wheel to rotate, thereby enabling the lifting device to quickly raise and lower the shelf assembly to the target height, shortening the height adjustment time of the shelf assembly, improving the height adjustment efficiency of the shelf, and thus improving the user experience.

[0076] As can be seen, in the refrigerator provided in this application embodiment, while maintaining the ability to manually adjust the height of the shelf assembly to reduce costs and noise, the height adjustment time of the shelf assembly can be shortened, thereby improving the height adjustment efficiency of the shelf and thus improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0077] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0078] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the refrigerator disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0079] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of a refrigerator (not showing the door) disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0080] Figure 3 This is a first-view structural schematic diagram of the shelf assembly, lifting device, transmission assembly and driving device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0081] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of point M in the image;

[0082] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of point N in the image;

[0083] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the shelf assembly, lifting device, transmission assembly, driving device, support component and annular protective component disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0084] Figure 7 This is an exploded structural diagram of the shelf assembly, lifting device, transmission assembly, drive device, support component and annular protective component disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0085] Figure 8 This is a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of the shelf assembly, lifting device, transmission assembly, drive device, support component, and annular protective component disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0086] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction of the shelf assembly, lifting device, transmission assembly, drive device, support component and annular protective component;

[0087] Figure 10 yes Figure 9A magnified view of point O in the image;

[0088] Figure 11 This is a first exploded structural diagram of the shelf assembly, lifting device, transmission assembly and drive device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0089] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 A magnified view of point P in the image;

[0090] Figure 13 This is a second exploded structural diagram of the shelf assembly, lifting device, transmission assembly and drive device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0091] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the shelf assembly, lifting device, transmission assembly and drive device disclosed in the embodiments of this application from a second perspective;

[0092] Figure 15 yes Figure 14 An exploded view of the shelving assembly, lifting device, transmission assembly, and drive device.

[0093] Figure 16 yes Figure 15 A magnified view of point Q in the image;

[0094] Figure 17 yes Figure 15 A magnified view of the area at point R in the image;

[0095] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting device and transmission assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0096] Figure 19 This is an exploded structural diagram of the lifting device and transmission assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0097] Figure 20 This is an exploded structural diagram of the lifting device and transmission assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application from another perspective.

[0098] Explanation of main figure symbols

[0099] 100-Refrigerator; 11-Cabinet; 111-Storage compartment; 112-Front opening; 12-Door; 13-Shelf assembly; 131-Support frame; 132-Shelf; 1321-Shelf; 1322-Side panel; 133-Through hole; 134-Hook; 135-Notch; 136-Second connection; 14-Lifting device; 141-Mounting component; 141a-First mounting rod; 141b-Second mounting rod; 1411-Screw; 142-Gear structure; 142a-First gear; 142b- Second gear; 143-Guide structure; 143a-First guide component; 143b-Second guide component; 1431-First shaft; 1431a-Guide hole; 1432-Second shaft; 1432a-Mounting hole; 1432b-Mounting opening; 1433-Hook-off part; 1433a-Hook-off main body; 1433b-Bearing part; 1434-Protrusion; 1435-First connecting part; 15-Transmission assembly; 15a-Transmission wheel; 151-First transmission component; 1511-Turbine; 152-Second transmission component; 152 1-Worm gear; 153-First protective housing; 154-Second protective housing; 155-Protective space; 156-Snap-fit ​​structure; 1561-First snap-fit; 1561a-First male snap-fit; 1561b-First female snap-fit; 1562-Second snap-fit; 1562a-Second male snap-fit; 1562b-Second female snap-fit; 1563-Third snap-fit; 1563a-Third male snap-fit; 1563b-Third female snap-fit; 16-Drive device; 161-Mounting structure; 1611-First mounting part; 1612-Second mounting part; 162-Annular drive part Component; 162a-Hollow section; 1621-First belt main body section; 1622-Second belt main body section; 1623-Toothed section; 163-Grip component; 17-Support component; 171-First clearance space; 172-Second clearance space; 173-Hook; 18-Annular protective component; 18a-First inner wall surface; 18b-Second inner wall surface; 181-Extension section; 181a-First sub-extension section; 181b-Second sub-extension section; 182-Support section; 182a-First sub-support section; 182b-Second sub-support section; 183-Slot;

[0100] f1 - Length direction; f2 - Width direction; f3 - Height direction. Detailed Implementation

[0101] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the exemplary embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the exemplary embodiments. Obviously, the described exemplary embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. That is, the specific embodiments described herein are merely used to explain this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0102] It should be noted that the brief descriptions of terminology used in this application are merely for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the embodiments described below, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this application.

[0103] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0104] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in this application may be used herein to describe various elements, but these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, a first transmission component may be referred to as a second transmission component, and similarly, a second transmission component may be referred to as a first transmission component. Both the first transmission component and the second transmission component are transmission components, but they are not the same transmission component.

[0105] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0106] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0107] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the singular forms of "a," "an," and "the" may also include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that terms such as "comprising / including" or "having" specify the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0108] In addition, the term "and / or" as used in this specification includes any and all combinations of the related listed items. For example, A and / or B can mean: A alone, A and B together, or B alone. That is, the term "and / or" as used in this specification includes any and all combinations of the related listed items.

[0109] Refrigerators are an indispensable appliance in home life. As consumers' demands for fresh food increase, their requirements for refrigerators are also increasing. For example, the shelves inside the refrigerator are designed to be height-adjustable to accommodate items of different heights.

[0110] In order to make the shelf height adjustable, related technologies usually set up a lifting device to drive the shelf components to rise and fall, so as to adjust the height of the shelf components.

[0111] Currently, there are two main types of driving methods for lifting devices:

[0112] One method is electric drive. The motor drives the first pulley (driving pulley) to rotate, which in turn drives the belt to move, thereby driving the second pulley (driven pulley) to rotate. This allows the lifting device to move the shelf assembly along the height direction under the rotation of the second pulley, so as to adjust the height of the shelf assembly.

[0113] While this method utilizes a motor to rapidly rotate the first pulley, ensuring its rotational speed, which in turn ensures the belt's movement speed and thus the second pulley's rotational speed, allowing the lifting device to quickly raise and lower the shelf assembly to the target height, it is costly and cannot be widely adopted in most refrigerators. Furthermore, it tends to generate significant noise during operation, negatively impacting the user experience.

[0114] Secondly, it can be manually driven. By manually rotating the first pulley (driving pulley), the belt rotates, which in turn rotates the second pulley (driven pulley). This allows the lifting device to move the shelf assembly along the height direction under the rotation of the second pulley, thus adjusting the height of the shelf assembly. For example, the lifting device may include a meshing rack and gear. Manually rotating the first pulley rotates the belt, which in turn rotates the second pulley, causing the gear connected to the second pulley to rotate. This causes the rack meshing with the gear to move along the height direction, thereby using the rack to move the shelf along the height direction, achieving the purpose of adjustable shelf height.

[0115] Although this method is low-cost and quiet, the limited speed of manually rotating the first pulley results in a low rotational speed, which in turn leads to a low belt speed. This makes the lifting device move the shelf along the height direction slowly, resulting in a long time required to adjust the shelf to the target height. In other words, manually rotating the first pulley usually requires many turns to move the belt the target length along its circumferential direction before the shelf can be adjusted to the target height. The inability to quickly adjust the shelf height means that adjusting the shelf height usually takes a long time, which can easily affect the user experience.

[0116] It is evident that how to reduce noise and improve efficiency during shelf height adjustment while keeping refrigerator costs in mind remains a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art.

[0117] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a refrigerator that can quickly raise and lower the shelf assembly to a target height while manually adjusting the height of the shelf assembly to reduce costs and noise, thereby improving the height adjustment efficiency of the shelf assembly.

[0118] The technical solutions of some embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0119] Please see Figure 1The refrigerator 100 provided in this application embodiment can be a double-door refrigerator; it can also be a single-door refrigerator, a three-door refrigerator, or a French door refrigerator; it can also be a French door refrigerator, that is, the upper part of the refrigerator 100 is a double-door refrigerator compartment, providing users with spacious storage space, while the lower part of the refrigerator is usually a drawer-type freezer compartment, which makes it easier to classify, store, and access frozen foods. This application embodiment does not limit the specific form of the refrigerator 100.

[0120] The refrigerator provided in this application includes a cabinet 11, which can be a columnar structure, such as a circular columnar structure, an elliptical columnar structure, a square columnar structure, etc., and the cabinet 11 has a length direction f1, a width direction f2 and a height direction f3.

[0121] like Figure 1 As shown, the box 11 has a front side and a rear side arranged opposite to each other. The side of the box 11 facing the user is the front side of the box 11, and the length direction f1 of the box 11 is from the rear side to the front side of the box 11. The box 11 also has a left side and a right side arranged opposite to each other. The width direction f2 of the box 11 is from the left side to the right side of the box 11. The box 11 also has a top and a bottom arranged opposite to each other. The height direction f3 of the box 11 is from the bottom to the top of the box 11.

[0122] Among the three directions of the box 11, namely the length direction f1, the width direction f2, and the height direction f3, two of them are perpendicular or approximately perpendicular.

[0123] Understandably, during the production process, process factors such as equipment precision and measurement errors may affect the actual molding effect of the box 11, making the box 11 "approximately perpendicular" in the degree direction f1, width direction f2 and height direction f3. That is, the included angle between the degree direction f1, width direction f2 and height direction f3 can be approximately 90°, such as 88°, 89°, 91° or 92°.

[0124] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the interior of the cabinet 11 includes a storage compartment 111, primarily used for storing items such as food. This storage compartment 111 can be a refrigerator, freezer, or variable-temperature compartment. The refrigerator compartment typically operates at a temperature between 2°C and 8°C, keeping food refrigerated. The freezer compartment typically operates at a temperature between -26°C and -14°C, keeping food frozen. The variable-temperature compartment's temperature is generally adjustable between -7°C and 5°C, or can be directly adjusted to -26°C to -14°C, for example, -18°C, for use as a freezer.

[0125] In some embodiments, the cabinet 11 has a front opening 112 communicating with the storage compartment 111 on one side along its length direction f1; the refrigerator 100 also includes a door 12, which is movably connected to the cabinet 11. For example, the door 12 is rotatably connected to the cabinet 11 or slidably connected to the cabinet 11, and the door 12 is configured to open or close the front opening 112, so that when it is necessary to take out the items in the storage compartment 111, the door 12 can be opened and the items in the storage compartment 111 can be taken out from the front opening 112; normally the door 12 is closed to prevent the cold air in the storage compartment 111 from leaking out, thereby maintaining the temperature in the storage compartment 111.

[0126] As an example, the refrigerator 100 may include a door 12, which is movably connected to the cabinet 11 on one side in the width direction f2 and can be opened from the other side in the width direction f2.

[0127] Another example is that the refrigerator 100 may include two separate doors 12, both of which are movably connected to the cabinet 11 and can be opened from the sides of the two doors 12 that are close to each other.

[0128] In some embodiments, the refrigerator 100 further includes a cooling device (not shown) disposed inside the cabinet 11 and used to cool the storage compartment 111.

[0129] Optionally, the cooling device may use a cooling cycle for compressing, condensing, and evaporating the refrigerant to generate cold air and supply it to the storage compartment 111. This cooling device may include a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, a condenser for condensing the compressed refrigerant, an expansion valve for expanding the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator for evaporating the expanded refrigerant to remove heat. The compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator constitute a cold cycle in which cooling air is supplied to the storage compartment 111. As a common component, a fan may be installed adjacent to the evaporator to force air circulation, blowing the cold air generated at the evaporator into the storage compartment 111. The temperature of the storage compartment 111 can be controlled by adjusting the fan's airflow and direction, adjusting the amount of circulating refrigerant, or adjusting the compressor's compression frequency to control the refrigeration load.

[0130] In some embodiments, the refrigerator 100 further includes a shelf assembly 13 disposed within the storage compartment 111 and used for placing items. The shelf assembly 13 allows the user to place items in the storage compartment 111 in layers.

[0131] Considering that most refrigerators 100 currently have several pairs of vertically arranged adjustable positions on the side wall of the cabinet 11, and the shelf assembly 13 is supported on the adjustable positions, the height of the shelf assembly 13 in this structure is fixed. Usually, only some shelf assemblies 13 can be removed to increase the height between the remaining shelf assemblies 13, but it is not possible to suspend the shelf assembly 13 at any position.

[0132] In this regard, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the refrigerator 100 provided in this application embodiment also includes a lifting device 14, which is installed in the storage compartment 111 and connected to the shelf assembly 13, so that the lifting device 14 can be used to drive the shelf assembly 13 to move along the height direction f3 of the cabinet 11 to adjust the height of the shelf assembly 13. This allows the shelf assembly 13 to be suspended at any position, so that the user can quickly adjust the height of the shelf assembly 13 without emptying the items on the shelf assembly 13, which greatly improves the convenience of use.

[0133] Please see Figure 3 The refrigerator 100 provided in this application embodiment also includes a transmission assembly 15, which is rotatably mounted on the shelf assembly 13 and connected to the lifting device 14. The transmission assembly 15 is used to cause the lifting device 14 to move the shelf assembly 13 along the height direction f3 when rotating. That is, by rotating the transmission assembly 15, the lifting device 14 can move the shelf assembly 13 along the height direction f3 to change the height of the shelf assembly 13, thereby realizing the adjustment of the height of the shelf assembly 13.

[0134] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the transmission assembly 15 is provided with a transmission wheel 15a. The refrigerator 100 provided in this embodiment of the application also includes a drive device 16. The drive device 16 is disposed in the storage compartment and includes a mounting structure 161, an annular drive component 162 and a gripping component 163. The mounting structure 161 is disposed on the shelf assembly 13. The annular drive component 162 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the transmission wheel 15a and the mounting structure 161. The gripping component 163 is disposed on the annular drive component 162 and is used to drive the annular drive component 162 to move along its circumferential direction when it is gripped and moved, so as to drive the transmission wheel 15a to rotate, thereby driving the transmission assembly 15 to rotate.

[0135] That is, when it is necessary to adjust the height of the shelf assembly 13, the user can hold the gripping part 163 and move the gripping part, which will drive the ring drive part 162 to move along its circumferential direction, thereby driving the transmission wheel 15a to rotate, thereby driving the transmission assembly 15 to rotate, so that the lifting device 14 drives the shelf assembly 13 to move along the height direction f3, thereby changing the height of the shelf assembly 13, and thus realizing the adjustment of the height of the shelf assembly 13.

[0136] In the above solution, by holding the gripping component 163, the ring drive component 162 can be manually driven to move along its circumferential direction, driving the transmission wheel 15a to rotate, thereby driving the transmission component 15 to rotate, so that the lifting device 14 drives the shelf assembly 13 to move along the height direction f3, thereby changing the height of the shelf assembly 13. This realizes the design of manually adjusting the height of the shelf assembly 13, thus achieving the design purpose of adjusting the height of the shelf assembly 13 without the need for a drive motor, which in turn helps to reduce the cost of the refrigerator 100 and reduce the noise when adjusting the height of the shelf assembly 13.

[0137] Furthermore, by placing the gripping component 163 on the annular drive component 162, this application allows the user to grip the gripping component 163 and directly act on the annular drive component 162, directly driving the annular drive component 162 to move along its circumferential direction. This enables the annular drive component 162 to move quickly, rapidly driving the transmission wheel 15a to rotate, thereby enabling the lifting device 14 to quickly raise and lower the shelf assembly 13 to the target height, shortening the height adjustment time of the shelf assembly 13, improving the height adjustment efficiency of the shelf assembly 13, and thus improving the user experience.

[0138] As can be seen, in the refrigerator 100 provided in this application embodiment, while maintaining the height of the manually adjustable shelf assembly 13 to reduce costs and noise, the height adjustment time of the shelf assembly 13 can be shortened, thereby improving the height adjustment efficiency of the shelf 132 and thus improving the user experience.

[0139] Optionally, the gripping component 163 may be a handle, grip, or carrying handle.

[0140] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the mounting structure 161 may include a first mounting part 1611 and a second mounting part 1612, a transmission wheel 15a is located between the first mounting part 1611 and the second mounting part 1612, and an annular drive component 162 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the transmission wheel 15a, the first mounting part 1611 and the second mounting part 1612.

[0141] By setting two mounting parts (i.e., the first mounting part 1611 and the second mounting part 1612) and placing the transmission wheel 15a between the first mounting part 1611 and the second mounting part 1612, the length of the ring drive component 162 in its circumferential direction can be increased, allowing the user to move the gripping component 163 in a straight line as much as possible when holding the gripping component 163 to drive the ring drive component 162, avoiding turning. This is more in line with the user's usage habits and improves the user's comfort. Moreover, the transmission wheel 15a can be used to support the middle position of the ring drive component 162, preventing the middle position of the ring drive component 162 from sinking downwards. This ensures that the gripping component 163 can be held to drive the ring drive component 162 in a smooth manner, thus making the height adjustment process of the shelf assembly 13 smoother.

[0142] Optionally, there can be multiple gripping components 163, such as two, three, four, five or more. Multiple gripping components 163 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the annular drive component 162, allowing users to flexibly grip different gripping components 163 to drive the annular drive component 162 to move, providing a variety of choices. At the same time, users can also grip different gripping components 163 with both hands, which is especially advantageous for users with less strength, to ensure that the annular drive component 162 can be driven smoothly to adjust the height of the shelf assembly 13.

[0143] Furthermore, even if the gripping member 163 is located at or near the bend of the annular drive member 162 after the previous height adjustment of the shelf assembly 13, if there is only one gripping member 163, then the next height adjustment of the shelf assembly 13 will require turning during the movement of the gripping member 163. When the gripping member 163 moves to the bend of the annular drive member 162, the moving speed of the gripping member 163 will inevitably slow down, affecting the height adjustment efficiency of the shelf assembly 13.

[0144] This application provides a plurality of gripping members 163 arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the annular drive member 162. Even if, after the previous adjustment of the height of the shelf assembly 13, there are gripping members 163 located at or near the bend of the annular drive member 162, there will also be gripping members 163 located away from the bend of the annular drive member 162. Thus, when adjusting the height of the shelf assembly 13 again, the gripping members 163 located away from the bend of the annular drive member 162 can be gripped, and the gripping members 163 can still be moved in a straight line, avoiding turning, so as to ensure the moving speed of the gripping members 163 and thus ensure the height adjustment efficiency of the shelf assembly 13.

[0145] As an optional implementation, the annular drive component 162 can be a belt, and the mounting structure 161 and the drive wheel 15a can be pulleys. Thus, when the belt moves, the friction between the belt and the drive wheel 15a can be used to rotate the drive wheel 15a, thereby rotating the transmission assembly 15. This causes the lifting device 14 to move the shelf assembly 13 along the height direction f3, changing the height of the shelf assembly 13 and thus achieving height adjustment of the shelf assembly 13.

[0146] In this embodiment, the annular drive component 162 may be a toothed belt, and the mounting structure 161 and the transmission wheel 15a are toothed pulleys, and the mounting structure 161 is rotatably mounted on the shelf assembly 13.

[0147] This application uses a toothed belt as the annular drive component 162 and a toothed pulley as the transmission wheel 15a, so that the connection between the annular drive component 162 and the transmission wheel 15a is an meshing connection, which increases the friction between the annular drive component 162 and the transmission wheel 15a and avoids slippage between the annular drive component 162 and the transmission wheel 15a during the movement of the annular drive component 162. This ensures that the annular drive component 162 can smoothly drive the transmission wheel 15a to rotate during the movement, and smoothly make the transmission assembly 15 rotate, so that the lifting device 14 drives the shelf assembly 13 to move along the height direction f3, thereby changing the height of the shelf assembly 13 and thus realizing the adjustment of the height of the shelf assembly 13.

[0148] In addition, when the shelf assembly 13 is moved to the target height, the meshing action of the toothed belt and the toothed pulley can lock the position of the shelf assembly 13 to a certain extent, fix the position of the shelf assembly 13, prevent the shelf assembly 13 from sliding down, and realize the suspension and fixation of the shelf assembly 13 at any position, making it convenient for users to store items of different heights.

[0149] In some embodiments, the annular drive member 162 includes a main body portion and a plurality of teeth 1623 formed on the inner surface of the main body portion, the plurality of teeth 1623 being arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the annular drive member 162; wherein, the mounting structure 161 is engaged with the plurality of teeth 1623, and the drive wheel 15a is engaged with the plurality of teeth 1623, and the gripping member 163 is disposed on the main body portion. In this embodiment, the thickness of the annular drive member 162 is the sum of the thicknesses of the main body portion and the teeth 1623, which is generally relatively thick, requiring a large installation space, which is not conducive to the miniaturization design of the drive device 16.

[0150] In this regard, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the annular drive component 162 in this application is designed as follows: it includes a first belt main body 1621, a second belt main body 1622 and a plurality of teeth 1623. The plurality of teeth 1623 are connected between the first belt main body 1621 and the second belt main body 1622, and the plurality of teeth 1623 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the annular drive component 162. The mounting structure 161 is meshed with the plurality of teeth 1623, and the transmission wheel 15a is meshed with the plurality of teeth 1623. The gripping component 163 is disposed in the first belt main body 1621.

[0151] Since multiple teeth 1623 are connected between the first belt body portion 1621 and the second belt body portion 1622, the teeth 1623, the first belt body portion 1621 and the second belt body portion 1622 can be made to be approximately the same. At this time, the thickness of the annular drive component 162 is approximately the thickness of the teeth 1623. Compared to the structure of the annular drive component 162 which includes the belt body portion and multiple teeth 1623 formed on the inner surface of the belt body portion, it is equivalent to saving the thickness of the belt body portion, making the thickness of the annular drive component 162 smaller, which is beneficial to the miniaturization design of the drive device 16.

[0152] As another alternative implementation, if the ring drive component 162 is a chain, then the mounting structure 161 and the drive wheel 15a are sprockets, and the mounting structure 161 is rotatably mounted on the shelf assembly 13.

[0153] This application uses a chain as the ring drive component 162 and a sprocket as the transmission wheel 15a, so that the connection between the ring drive component 162 and the transmission wheel 15a can be regarded as an meshing connection, increasing the friction between the ring drive component 162 and the transmission wheel 15a, avoiding slippage between the ring drive component 162 and the transmission wheel 15a during the movement of the ring drive component 162, ensuring that the ring drive component 162 can smoothly drive the transmission wheel 15a to rotate during the movement, and smoothly make the transmission assembly 15 rotate, so that the lifting device 14 drives the shelf assembly 13 to move along the height direction f3, thereby changing the height of the shelf assembly 13 and thus realizing the adjustment of the height of the shelf assembly 13.

[0154] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the refrigerator also includes a support member 17, which is connected to the shelf assembly 13 and is embedded in the hollow portion 162a of the annular drive member 162, so that the support member 17 can be used to support the annular drive member 162.

[0155] By embedding the support member 17 in the hollow portion 162a of the annular drive member 162, the support member 17 can provide a certain support for the annular drive member 162. During the process of manually pulling the annular drive member 162, the annular drive member 162 can move along the outer peripheral side of the support member 17. To a certain extent, the support member 17 can also guide the movement of the annular drive member 162, thereby improving the smoothness and stability of the annular drive member 162 during the movement.

[0156] The support component 17 may be provided with a first clearance space 171 and a second clearance space 172, so that the first clearance space 171 can be used to avoid the transmission wheel 15a, and the second clearance space 172 can be used to avoid the mounting structure 161.

[0157] In some embodiments, the refrigerator further includes an annular protective member 18, which is connected to the shelf assembly 13 and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the annular drive member 162, with the gripping member 163 located outside the annular protective member 18. This allows the annular protective member 18 to protect the annular drive member 162, thereby extending its service life.

[0158] When the annular drive component 162 is a chain or a toothed belt with a hollowed-out portion that exposes the teeth of the drive wheel 15a, the annular protection component 18 is provided to prevent foreign objects from entering the meshing point between the annular drive component 162 and the drive wheel 15a through the hollowed-out portion, thus affecting the meshing between the annular drive component 162 and the drive wheel 15a, and ensuring that the annular drive component 162 can drive the drive wheel 15a to rotate normally and smoothly.

[0159] In some embodiments, such as Figure 8 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the annular protective component 18 has a first inner wall surface 18a and a second inner wall surface 18b that are disposed opposite each other in the height direction f3. An extension portion 181 extending in the height direction f3 is disposed between the first inner wall surface 18a and the second inner wall surface 18b. The extension portion 181 is located between the shelf assembly 13 and the support component 17, and a support portion 182 protrudes from the side of the extension portion 181 facing the support component 17. The support portions 182 are spaced apart from the first inner wall surface 18a and the second inner wall surface 18b. The support component 17 is connected to the support portion 182, and the support component 17 is indirectly connected to the shelf assembly 13 through the support portion. The annular driving component 162 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the support portion and the support component 17.

[0160] In the above solution, not only can the support part 182 provide a connection position for the support component 17, but the support part 182 is also spaced apart from the first inner wall surface 18a and the second inner wall surface 18b to form a ring track to accommodate the ring drive component 162. Together with the support component 17, it can provide better support and guidance for the ring drive component 162, and can be pulled more smoothly and stably when manually pulling the ring drive component 162.

[0161] Optionally, the annular protective component 18 can be fixed to the shelf assembly 13 by means of a snap-fit, which is simple and stable and reliable.

[0162] In some embodiments, the extension 181 includes a first sub-extension 181a and a second sub-extension 181b, the first sub-extension 181a being disposed on a first inner wall surface 18a, and the second sub-extension 181b being disposed on a second inner wall surface 18b, with the second sub-extension 181b spaced apart from the first sub-extension 181a; the support 182 includes a first sub-support 182a and a second sub-support 182b, the first sub-support 182a being connected to the first sub-extension 181a. The first sub-support portion 182a is spaced apart from the first inner wall surface 18a on the side opposite to the first inner wall surface 18a. The second sub-support portion 182b is connected to the second sub-extension portion 181b on the side opposite to the first inner wall surface 18a and is spaced apart from the second inner wall surface 18b. The second sub-support portion 182b and the second sub-support portion 182b are spaced apart to form a slot. The support member 17 is provided with a hook 173, which engages with the slot 183.

[0163] The connection between the support component 17 and the annular protective component 18 is achieved through the snap-fit ​​of the hook 173 and the slot 183. This connection method is simple, stable and reliable, and it can facilitate the connection and separation of the support component 17 and the annular protective component 18. For example, if a malfunction occurs and the annular drive component 162 cannot be pulled, the support component 17 can be removed from the annular protective component 18, and the connection relationship between the annular drive component 162 and the transmission wheel 15a can be observed for inspection and maintenance. The operation is relatively convenient.

[0164] In some embodiments, the shelf assembly 13 includes a support frame 131 and a shelf 132. The support frame 131 is connected to the lifting device 14, and the shelf 132 is disposed on the support frame 131 and is mainly used for placing items. By using the support frame 131 to support the shelf 132, it is possible to ensure that the shelf 132 remains stable when bearing heavy objects and to keep the shelf 132 level, preventing the shelf 132 from tilting, thereby ensuring that items can be placed stably on the shelf 132.

[0165] Optionally, the shelf 132 is detachably mounted on the support frame 131. For example, the shelf 132 can be mounted on the support frame 131 by snap-fit, so that the shelf 132 can be removed from the support frame 131 and taken out from the front opening 112 for cleaning, keeping the inside of the refrigerator 100 clean and hygienic.

[0166] In some embodiments, the shelf 132 includes a shelf 1321 and a retaining edge 1322 surrounding the edge of the shelf 1321. In the height direction f3, the retaining edge 1322 protrudes from the shelf 1321, such that the top surface of the retaining edge 1322 is higher than the top surface of the shelf 1321. This prevents liquid from overflowing from the shelf 1321, giving the shelf 132 an anti-overflow function and preventing liquid from overflowing from the shelf 1321 to other parts of the storage compartment 111, thus facilitating cleaning of the refrigerator 100.

[0167] As an example, the shelf 132 may be made of tempered glass, which gives it good impact resistance and load-bearing capacity, providing a safe and durable support platform. As another example, the shelf 132 may be made of lightweight aluminum alloy, which reduces its weight and enhances its durability.

[0168] In some embodiments, such as Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the lifting device 14 includes a mounting component 141 and a gear structure 142. The mounting component 141 is disposed in the storage chamber, and a spiral portion 1411 extending along the height direction f3 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the mounting component 141. The gear structure 142 is located in the storage chamber and meshes with the spiral portion 1411. The gear structure 142 is connected to the shelf assembly 13 and the transmission assembly 15 respectively. The gear structure 142 rotates under the rotation of the transmission assembly 15 and moves relative to the spiral portion 1411 along the height direction f3 of the box 11, thereby driving the shelf assembly 13 to move along the height direction f3.

[0169] That is, by holding the gripping part 163 and pulling the ring drive part 162, the transmission wheel 15a and the transmission assembly 15 are driven to move, thereby driving the gear structure 142 to rotate, so that the gear structure 142 can move relative to the spiral part 1411 in the height direction f3. Since the shelf assembly 13 is connected to the gear structure 142, the shelf assembly 13 can move together with the gear structure 142 in the height direction f3, thereby realizing the adjustment of the height of the shelf assembly 13, so that users can store items of different heights.

[0170] Understandably, when the shelf assembly 13 is moved to the target height, the engagement of the gear structure 142 and the screw portion 1411 on the mounting component 141 can lock the shelf assembly 13 in the current position, preventing the shelf assembly 13 from sliding down after height adjustment, and enabling the shelf assembly 13 to be suspended and fixed in any position, making it convenient for users to store items of different heights.

[0171] Understandably, in other embodiments, the lifting device 14 may include a slide rail, a slider, a pulley, and a rope. The slide rail is fixed to the side wall of the housing 11. The slider is slidably mounted on the slide rail and connected to the shelf assembly 13. The pulley is fixed to the side wall of the housing 11 or to one end of the slide rail. The rope is wound around the pulley, with one end connected to the slider and the other end connected to the transmission assembly 15. When the transmission assembly 15 rotates, the rope will wrap around the transmission assembly 15, shortening the rope length and causing the slider to move upward relative to the slide rail. At this time, the shelf assembly 13 moves upward along with the slider. Alternatively, when the transmission assembly 15 rotates, the rope is released, lengthening the rope. The slider moves downward relative to the slide rail under gravity, and the shelf assembly 13 moves downward along with the slider, thereby adjusting the height of the shelf assembly 13.

[0172] In some embodiments, the lifting device 14 further includes a guide structure 143 located in the storage chamber and sleeved on the outer periphery of the mounting component 141. The spiral portion 1411 is at least partially located inside the guide structure 143. The gear structure 142 is rotatably disposed inside the guide structure 143 and meshes with the spiral portion 1411 inside the guide structure 143. The guide structure 143 is connected to the shelf assembly 13. The gear structure 142 is indirectly connected to the shelf assembly 13 through the guide structure 143. When the gear structure 142 is rotated, the gear structure 142 moves relative to the spiral portion 1411 and drives the guide structure 143 to slide relative to the mounting component 141, thereby driving the shelf assembly 13 to move along the height direction f3, changing the relative height of the shelf assembly 13, and thus realizing the height adjustment of the shelf assembly 13.

[0173] During the height adjustment of the shelving assembly 13, the guide structure 143 slides along the mounting component 141. The cooperation between the guide structure 143 and the mounting component 141 guides the lifting and lowering of the shelving assembly 13, improving its sliding stability. Furthermore, since the gear structure 142 is installed inside the guide structure 143, the guide structure 143 can install and support the gear structure 142, preventing it from being suspended in mid-air. This improves the smoothness of the gear structure 142's movement, further enhancing the sliding stability of the shelving assembly 13 during lifting and lowering. This allows for smoother, more convenient height adjustment of the shelving assembly 13, preventing tilting or jamming, reducing the failure rate, and extending its service life.

[0174] Optionally, the mounting component 141 can be fixed to the side wall of the housing 11 by threaded fasteners such as screws or bolts, and the fixing method is stable and reliable.

[0175] In some embodiments, the guide structure 143 may include a first shaft 1431, wherein the first shaft 1431 is provided with a guide hole 1431a through which the mounting member 141 passes, that is, the mounting member 141 passes through the guide hole 1431a and is movable relative to the guide hole 1431a; and the first shaft 1431 is connected to the shelf assembly 13 to realize the connection between the guide structure 143 and the shelf assembly 13.

[0176] In some embodiments, the guide structure 143 may further include a second shaft 1432, which is disposed on one side of the first shaft 1431 in the length direction f1 or on one side of the first shaft 1431 in the width direction f2. The second shaft 1432 is provided with a mounting hole 1432a communicating with the guide hole 1431a. The mounting hole 1432a penetrates at least one side of the second shaft 1432 in the width direction f2 or at least one side of the second shaft 1432 in the length direction f1. To form a mounting opening 1432b, that is, when the second shaft 1432 is disposed on one side of the first shaft 1431 in the length direction f1, the mounting hole 1432a penetrates at least one side of the second shaft 1432 in the width direction f2 to form a mounting opening 1432b; and when the second shaft 1432 is disposed on one side of the first shaft 1431 in the width direction f2, the mounting hole 1432a penetrates at least one side of the second shaft 1432 in the length direction f1 to form a mounting opening 1432b.

[0177] The gear structure 142 is installed in the mounting hole 1432a through the mounting opening 1432b, and the gear structure 142 can rotate relative to the mounting hole 1432a. When the gear structure 142 rotates relative to the mounting hole 1432a, the gear structure 142 moves relative to the helical part 1411 along the height direction f3, and drives the first shaft 1431 and the second shaft 1432 to move along the height direction f3. During this process, the second shaft 1432 moves along the mounting component 141 to serve as a guide.

[0178] The guide structure 143 with the above structure is relatively simple in structure, and its overall volume and weight are relatively small. It can reduce the load on the gear structure 142 and facilitate the gear structure 142 to drive the guide structure 143 and the shelf assembly 13 to move along the height direction f3.

[0179] In some embodiments, such as Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown, the mounting component 141 is located on the rear side of the storage compartment in the length direction f1, and the shelf assembly 13 is provided with a through hole 133 extending along the length direction f1. The through hole 133 is located on the front side of the shelf assembly 13 in the length direction f1. The transmission assembly 15 is rotatably inserted in the through hole 133, and the transmission wheel 15a and the drive device 16 are located on the front side of the shelf assembly 13 in the length direction f1.

[0180] In the above scheme, the installation component 141 can be placed on the rear side of the storage room in the length direction f1, so that the installation component 141 occupies as little space as possible on the front side of the storage room. The transmission component 15 can be used to place the transmission wheel 15a and the drive device 16 on the front side of the shelf assembly 13. At this time, the gripping component 163 is located on the front side of the shelf assembly 13 in the length direction f1, so that the user can hold the gripping component 163 to manually adjust the height of the shelf assembly 13.

[0181] Furthermore, the mounting component 141 is disposed on the side wall of the storage chamber in the length direction f1, and the spiral part 1411 is disposed on one side of the mounting component 141 in the length direction f1; the transmission assembly 15 includes a first transmission component 151 and a second transmission component 152. The first transmission component 151 is connected to the gear structure 142. One of the second transmission component 152 and the first transmission component 151 is provided with a turbine 1511, and the other is provided with a worm gear 1521 meshing with the turbine 1511. The second transmission component 152 is rotatably inserted in the through hole 133.

[0182] The transmission wheel 15a is disposed on the second transmission component 152. When the transmission wheel 15a rotates, it drives the second transmission component 152 to rotate, which in turn drives the first transmission component 151 to rotate, thereby driving the gear structure 142 to rotate. That is, when it is necessary to adjust the shelf assembly 13, the gripping component 163 is held and the ring drive component 162 is pulled to move, which drives the transmission wheel 15a to rotate, causing the second transmission component 152 and the worm gear 1521 to rotate. The worm gear 1521 drives the turbine 1511 and the first transmission component 151 to rotate, and simultaneously drives the gear structure 142 to rotate, so that the gear structure 142 moves relative to the helical part 1411 in the height direction f3, and simultaneously drives the guide structure 143 to slide relative to the mounting component 141, thereby driving the shelf assembly 13 to rise and fall in the height direction f3, so as to realize the adjustment of the height of the shelf assembly 13.

[0183] In the above solution, by utilizing the cooperation of the first transmission component 151, the second transmission component 152, and the turbine 1511 and worm gear 1521, it is possible to place the gripping component 163 on the front side of the shelf assembly 13 for easy gripping, while placing the mounting component 141 on the side wall of the storage compartment in the length direction f1, that is, placing the mounting component 141 on the rear wall of the storage compartment. Compared with placing the mounting component 141 on the rear side of the storage compartment in the length direction f1, but fixing it to the left and / or right side walls of the storage compartment, this solution can minimize the occupation of the front space of the storage compartment 111, allowing the storage compartment to have a larger front space to accommodate items, so that users can place items on the front side of the shelf assembly 13 for easy retrieval.

[0184] In some embodiments, the mounting component 141 includes a first mounting rod 141a and a second mounting rod 141b, which are arranged at intervals along the width direction f2 of the housing 11, and both the first mounting rod 141a and the second mounting rod 141b are provided with a helical portion 1411; the gear structure 142 includes a first gear 142a and a second gear 142b, the first gear 142a is meshed with the helical portion 1411 on the first mounting rod 141a, and the first gear 142a is connected to one side of the shelf assembly 13 in the width direction f2 of the housing 11, the second gear 142b is meshed with the helical portion 1411 on the second mounting rod 141b, and the second gear 142b is connected to the other side of the shelf assembly 13 in the width direction f2 of the housing 11.

[0185] Specifically, the guide structure 143 includes a first guide component 143a and a second guide component 143b. The first guide component 143a is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first mounting rod 141a and is connected to one side of the shelf assembly 13 in the width direction f2. The second guide component 143b is sleeved on the outer periphery of the second mounting rod 141b and is connected to the other side of the shelf assembly 13 in the width direction f2. A first gear 142a is disposed inside the first guide component 143a and meshes with the helical portion 1411 on the first mounting rod 141a. The second gear 142b is disposed inside the second guide component 143b and meshes with the helical portion 1411 on the second mounting rod 141b.

[0186] This configuration allows the shelf assembly 13 to be connected to the guide structure 143 on both sides in the width direction f2, enabling the guide structure 143 to support both sides of the shelf assembly 13. This provides stable support for the shelf assembly 13, thereby improving the installation stability of the shelf assembly 13 on the guide structure 143 and ensuring that the shelf assembly 13 moves smoothly during height adjustment.

[0187] In some embodiments, the first transmission component 151 is connected between the first gear 142a and the second gear 142b. When the shelf assembly 13 needs to be adjusted, the gripping component 163 is held to pull the annular drive component 162 to move, causing the transmission wheel 15a to rotate, which in turn causes the second transmission component 152 and the worm gear 1521 to rotate. The worm gear 1521 drives the turbine 1511 and the first transmission component 151 to rotate, and drives the first gear 142a and the second gear 142b to rotate. This causes the first gear 142a to move relative to the helical portion 1411 of the first mounting rod 141a in the height direction f3, and simultaneously drives the first guide component 143a to slide relative to the first mounting rod 141a. It also causes the second gear 142b to move relative to the helical portion 1411 of the second mounting member in the height direction f3, and simultaneously drives the second guide component 143b to slide relative to the second mounting rod 141b. This, in turn, causes the shelf assembly 13 to rise and fall in the height direction f3, thereby achieving the adjustment of the height of the shelf assembly 13.

[0188] As can be seen, this application can drive the first gear 142a and the second gear 142b to rotate through the same gripping component 163, thereby enabling the first gear 142a and the second gear 142b to rotate synchronously and maintain the same speed. This ensures that the first guide component 143a and the second guide component 143b move the same distance along the height direction f3, which helps to avoid the problem of the shelf assembly 13 tilting or jamming due to the different moving distances of the first guide component 143a and the second guide component 143b during the adjustment of the height of the shelf assembly 13.

[0189] In some embodiments, combined with Figures 14 to 17 As shown, the guide structure 143 is provided with a hook portion 1433 and a protrusion 1434 arranged along the height direction f3, with the hook portion 1433 located above the protrusion 1434; the shelf assembly 13 is provided with a hook portion 134 and a notch portion 135 arranged along the height direction f3, with the hook portion 134 located above the notch portion 135 and hooked onto the hook portion 1433, and the notch portion 135 inserted into the protrusion 1434 to prevent the shelf assembly 13 from rotating downward. In other words, in the assembled state, the protrusion 1434 is located behind the notch portion 135, therefore, the protrusion 1434 can prevent the shelf assembly 13 from rotating backward around the hook portion 1433.

[0190] The connection between the shelf assembly 13 and the guide structure 143 is achieved through the engagement of the hook portion 1433 and the hook portion 134, and the insertion of the protrusion 1434 and the notch portion 135. This connection method facilitates the connection and separation of the shelf assembly 13 and the guide structure 143. Specifically, during assembly, the hook portion 134 is hooked onto the hook portion 1433, and the notch portion 135 automatically aligns with the protrusion 1434 when the shelf assembly 13 is horizontal; during disassembly, the front end of the shelf assembly 13 is first lifted upwards, the notch portion 135 disengages from the protrusion 1434, and then the hook portion 134 is detached from the hook portion 1433.

[0191] In this application, the connection between the shelf assembly 13 and the guide structure 143 facilitates the operation of disassembling the shelf assembly 13 for cleaning, and improves the ease of disassembly and assembly of the shelf assembly 13.

[0192] In some embodiments, the first guide component 143a and the second guide component 143b of the guide structure 143 are each provided with two first connecting portions 1435. The two first connecting portions 1435 are respectively provided on both sides of the guide structure 143 in the length direction f1, and the two first connecting portions 1435 are respectively provided at both ends of the guide structure 143 in the height direction f3. The shelf assembly 13 is provided with two second connecting portions 136. One second connecting portion 136 is connected to one first connecting portion 1435 to realize the connection between the shelf assembly 13 and the guide structure 143.

[0193] The guide structure 143 and the shelf assembly 13 are connected by two first connecting parts 1435 and two second connecting parts 136, which allows for multiple connection points between the guide structure 143 and the shelf assembly 13. This enables the guide structure 143 to provide multi-point support for the shelf assembly 13, thereby improving the installation stability of the shelf assembly 13 on the guide structure 143. Furthermore, the use of hook parts 134 and hook twist parts 1433 for attachment further enhances the installation stability of the shelf assembly 13 on the guide structure 143.

[0194] In addition, the two first connecting parts 1435 are respectively disposed on both sides of the guide structure 143 in the length direction f1, and the two first connecting parts 1435 are also respectively disposed at both ends of the guide structure 143 in the height direction f3. This can disperse the two first connecting parts 1435 on both sides of the guide structure 143, or at both ends of the guide structure 143, avoiding the two first connecting parts 1435 being concentrated at one position of the guide structure 143. This allows the force on the guide structure 143 to be as uniform as possible, which is conducive to the smooth movement of the guide structure 143 along the mounting component 141 and improves the stability of the movement of the shelf assembly 13.

[0195] Optionally, the first connecting part 1435 may be a connecting post with a first connecting hole, and the second connecting part 136 may be a second connecting hole provided in the shelf assembly 13. The second connecting hole and the first connecting hole are connected by threaded locking parts such as screws or bolts. That is, the shelf assembly 13 and the guide structure 143 are connected by threaded locking parts such as screws or bolts, and the fixing method is stable and reliable.

[0196] It is understood that in other embodiments, the first connecting part 1435 and the second connecting part 136 can also be connected by a snap-fit ​​mechanism.

[0197] In some embodiments, such as Figure 15 , Figure 16 and Figure 17As shown, the hook part 1433 includes a hook body part 1433a and a support part 1433b connected to the hook body part 1433a. In the height direction f3, the support part 1433b is lower than the hook body part 1433a. The hook part 134 hooks onto the hook body part 1433a and abuts against the support part 1433b. This allows the support portion 1433b to support the hook portion 134, preventing the hook portion 134 from being suspended and deformed, thereby improving the structural stability of the hook portion 134. In particular, the second connecting portion 136 is located on the hook portion 134, which has a stable structure and can improve the connection stability between the hook portion 134 and the guide structure 143, thus improving the installation stability of the shelf assembly 13 on the guide structure 143. At the same time, it can also prevent the weight of the hook portion 134 from being concentrated on the hanging twist portion 1433, that is, the support portion 1433b can share part of the force of the hanging twist portion 1433, which is beneficial to improving the service life of the hanging twist portion 1433.

[0198] In some embodiments, the first guide member 143a of the guide structure 143 is provided with a hook portion 1433 and a protrusion 1434 on both sides in the width direction f2, and the second guide member 143b is provided with a hook portion 1433 and a protrusion 1434 on both sides in the width direction f2. The shelf assembly 13 is provided with a hook portion 134 and a notch portion 135 on both sides in the width direction f2. A hook portion 134 hooks onto a hook portion 1433, and a notch portion 135 is inserted into a protrusion 1434 to prevent the shelf assembly 13 from rotating downward.

[0199] Since the first guide member 143a has a hook portion 1433 and a protrusion 1434 on both sides of the width direction f2, and the second guide member 143b has a hook portion 1433 and a protrusion 1434 on both sides of the width direction f2, even if the first guide member 143a is fitted onto the outer periphery of the first mounting rod 141a and the second guide member 143b is fitted onto the outer periphery of the second mounting rod 141b, the hook portion 1433 on the first guide member 143a corresponds to the hook portion 134 on the shelf assembly 13, and the protrusion 1434 corresponds to the notch portion 135 on the shelf assembly 13. The second guide member 143b also has a hook portion 1433 corresponding to the hook portion 134 on the shelf assembly 13, and the protrusion 1434 corresponds to the notch portion 135 on the shelf assembly 13, so as to realize the connection between the guide structure 143 and the shelf assembly 13. It is evident that when assembling the guide structure 143, there is no need to distinguish between the first guide component 143a and the second guide component 143b, which has a good installation error prevention effect and makes the assembly of the guide structure 143 more flexible, convenient, and quick.

[0200] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 18, Figure 19 and Figure 20 As shown, the transmission assembly 15 also includes a first protective housing 153 and a second protective housing 154. The first protective housing 153 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first transmission component 151, and the second protective housing 154 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first transmission component 151. The second protective housing 154 is mated with the first protective housing 153, and a protective space 155 is formed between the second protective housing 154 and the first protective housing 153. The turbine 1511 and the worm gear 1521 are located in the protective space 155.

[0201] This configuration allows the turbine 1511 and worm 1521 to be positioned within the protective space 155 formed by the first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154. Simultaneously, the first and second protective housings 153 and 154 protect the turbine 1511 and worm 1521, preventing foreign objects from entering and affecting their meshing, thus ensuring the turbine 1511 and worm 1521 can rotate normally and smoothly.

[0202] In some embodiments, the transmission assembly 15 further includes a snap-fit ​​structure 156, through which the first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154 are connected. The connection method is relatively simple and stable and reliable.

[0203] In some embodiments, the snap-fit ​​structure 156 may include a first snap-fit ​​1561 and a second snap-fit ​​1562, wherein the first snap-fit ​​1561 and the second snap-fit ​​1562 are respectively located on both sides of the first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154 in the length direction f1. By enabling the first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154 to be engaged and connected on both sides in the length direction f1 via the first snap-fit ​​1561 and the second snap-fit ​​1562, that is, the first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154 are connected on one side in the length direction f1 via the first snap-fit ​​1561 and on the other side via the second snap-fit ​​1562, the connection stability of the first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154 can be improved.

[0204] Optionally, the first buckle 1561 includes a first male buckle 1561a and a first female buckle 1561b that engage with each other, and the second buckle 1562 includes a second male buckle 1562a and a second female buckle 1562b that engage with each other. The first male buckle 1561a and the second female buckle 1562b are disposed on the first protective housing 153, and the second male buckle 1562a and the first female buckle 1561b are disposed on the second protective housing 154.

[0205] By setting the first male buckle 1561a and the second female buckle 1562b on the first protective housing 153, and setting the second male buckle 1562a and the first female buckle 1561b on the second protective housing 154, forces need to be applied to both the first and second protective housings simultaneously to separate them. This allows the first and second protective housings to be more securely engaged and fixed, preventing accidental contact that could cause them to separate and fail to protect the turbine 1511 and the worm gear 1521.

[0206] In some embodiments, the snap-fit ​​structure 156 includes a plurality of third snap-fits 1563, which are arranged along the length direction f1 on one side of the first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154 in the height direction f3. The first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154 are connected by the plurality of third snap-fits 1563, which can improve the connection stability of the first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154.

[0207] Optionally, each third buckle 1563 includes a third male buckle 1563a and a third female buckle 1563b. One of the third male buckle 1563a and the third female buckle 1563b is disposed on the first protective housing 153 and the other is disposed on the second protective housing 154. Along the length direction f1, the third male buckle 1563a and the third female buckle 1563b are alternately disposed.

[0208] By having one of the third male buckle 1563a and the third female buckle 1563b disposed on the first protective housing 153 and the other disposed on the second protective housing 154 along the length direction f1, and by alternating the third male buckle 1563a and the third female buckle 1563b, a force needs to be applied to both the first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154 simultaneously to separate them. This allows the first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154 to be more securely engaged and fixed, preventing the first protective housing 153 and the second protective housing 154 from separating due to accidental contact, thus failing to protect the turbine 1511 and the worm gear 1521.

[0209] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0210] Furthermore, the embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application, and the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes: The box has a storage room inside, and the box has a front opening on one side along its length that communicates with the storage room. A door body, which is movably connected to the housing and is configured to open or close the front opening; A cooling device is provided inside the housing and is used to cool the storage compartment. A shelf assembly, wherein the shelf assembly is disposed in the storage room and is used to place items; A lifting device is provided in the storage room and is connected to the shelf assembly. The lifting device is used to move the shelf assembly along the height direction of the box to adjust the height of the shelf assembly. A transmission assembly, rotatably mounted on the shelf assembly and connected to the lifting device, is configured to cause the lifting device to move the shelf assembly along the height direction of the housing during rotation. The transmission assembly is provided with a transmission wheel; and... A drive unit, wherein the drive unit is disposed in the storage chamber, and the drive unit comprises: The mounting structure is disposed on the shelf assembly; A ring-shaped drive component, the ring-shaped drive component being sleeved on the outer periphery of the transmission wheel and the mounting structure; and... A gripping component is disposed on the annular drive component. The gripping component is used to drive the annular drive component to move along its circumferential direction when it is gripped and moved, so as to drive the transmission wheel to rotate, thereby driving the transmission assembly to rotate.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting structure includes a first mounting part and a second mounting part, the transmission wheel is located between the first mounting part and the second mounting part, and the annular drive component is sleeved on the outer periphery of the transmission wheel, the first mounting part and the second mounting part.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The annular drive component is a belt, and the mounting structure and the transmission wheel are pulleys; or... The ring drive component is a chain, the mounting structure and the transmission wheel are sprockets, and the mounting structure is rotatably mounted on the shelf assembly.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the annular drive component is a belt, the annular drive component is a toothed belt, the mounting structure and the transmission wheel are toothed pulleys, and the mounting structure is rotatably mounted on the shelf assembly.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The annular drive component has a hollow portion, and the refrigerator further includes a support component. The support component is connected to the shelf assembly and is embedded in the hollow portion of the annular drive component. The support component is used to support the annular drive component. The supporting component is provided with a first clearance space and a second clearance space. The first clearance space is used to avoid the transmission wheel, and the second clearance space is used to avoid the mounting structure.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes an annular protective component, which is connected to the shelf assembly and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the annular drive component. The gripping component is located outside the annular protective component. The annular protective component has a first inner wall surface and a second inner wall surface that are disposed opposite each other in the height direction of the box. An extension portion extending in the height direction of the box is disposed between the first inner wall surface and the second inner wall surface. The extension portion is located between the shelf assembly and the support component. A support portion is provided on the side of the extension portion facing the support component. The support portions are all spaced apart from the first inner wall surface and the second inner wall surface. The support component is connected to the support portion to indirectly connect to the shelf assembly. The annular driving component is sleeved on the outer periphery of the support portion and the support component.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The extension includes: A first sub-extension, the first sub-extension being disposed on the first inner wall surface; and... The second sub-extension is disposed on the second inner wall surface, and the second sub-extension is spaced apart from the first sub-extension. The support portion includes: A first sub-support portion, the first sub-support portion being connected to the side of the first sub-extension portion opposite to the first inner wall surface, and the first sub-support portion being spaced apart from the first inner wall surface; and, The second sub-support portion is connected to the side of the second sub-extension portion away from the first inner wall surface, and the second sub-support portion is spaced apart from the second inner wall surface. The second sub-support portion and the second sub-support portion are spaced apart and have a slot formed thereon. The support component is provided with a hook, which engages with the slot.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes an annular protective component, which is connected to the shelf assembly and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the annular drive component, with the gripping component located outside the annular protective component.

9. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The lifting device includes: A mounting component, disposed within the storage chamber, has a spiral portion extending along the height direction of the housing on its outer peripheral surface; and... A gear structure is located in the storage chamber and meshes with the helical part, and the gear structure is connected to the shelf assembly and the transmission assembly respectively; The gear structure rotates under the rotation of the transmission assembly and moves relative to the helical part along the height direction of the box, thereby driving the shelf assembly to move along the height direction of the box.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, characterized in that, The lifting device further includes a guide structure located inside the storage chamber and sleeved on the outer periphery of the mounting component. The spiral portion is at least partially located inside the guide structure. The gear structure is rotatably disposed inside the guide structure, and the guide structure is connected to the shelf assembly.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 9, characterized in that, The mounting component is located on the rear side of the storage compartment along the length of the box body, and the shelf assembly is provided with a through hole that extends along the length of the box body, the through hole being located on the front side of the shelf assembly along the length of the box body. The transmission assembly is rotatably inserted into the through hole, and the transmission wheel and the drive device are located on the front side of the shelf assembly in the length direction of the box.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, characterized in that, The mounting component is disposed on the side wall of the storage chamber along the length of the box body, and the spiral part is disposed on one side of the mounting component along the length of the box body; The transmission assembly includes: A first transmission component, which is connected to the gear structure; and... The second transmission component, one of the second transmission component and the first transmission component is provided with a turbine, and the other is provided with a worm gear meshing with the turbine. The second transmission component is rotatably inserted into the through hole, and the transmission wheel is disposed in the second transmission component. When the transmission wheel rotates, it drives the second transmission component to rotate, which in turn drives the first transmission component to rotate, thereby driving the gear structure to rotate.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, characterized in that, The mounting component includes a first mounting rod and a second mounting rod, which are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the housing, and both the first mounting rod and the second mounting rod are provided with the spiral portion; The gear structure includes: A first gear, which meshes with the helical portion on the first mounting rod, and is connected to one side of the shelf assembly in the width direction of the housing; and, The second gear meshes with the helical portion on the second mounting rod and is connected to the shelf assembly on the other side of the box in the width direction. The first transmission component is connected between the first gear and the second gear.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 12, characterized in that, The transmission assembly also includes: A first protective housing, which is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first transmission component; and... The second protective housing is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first transmission component and is mated with the first protective housing. A protective space is formed between the second protective housing and the first protective housing, and the turbine and the worm are located in the protective space.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, characterized in that, The transmission assembly also includes a snap-fit ​​structure, through which the first protective housing and the second protective housing are connected; The snap-fit ​​structure includes: A first buckle, comprising a first male buckle and a first female buckle that engage with each other; and The second latch, which is located on both sides of the first and second protective housings along the length of the housing, comprises a second male latch and a second female latch that engage with each other. The first male latch and the second female latch are disposed on the first protective housing, and the second male latch and the first female latch are disposed on the second protective housing; and / or, The buckle structure includes multiple third buckles, which are arranged along the length of the housing on one side of the first protective shell and the second protective shell in the height direction of the housing. Each third buckle includes a third male buckle and a third female buckle. One of the third male buckle and the third female buckle is disposed on the first protective shell and the other is disposed on the second protective shell. The third male buckle and the third female buckle are alternately disposed along the length of the housing.

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