Split type double-color injection-molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly and assembling method thereof

Abstract

This invention belongs to the technical field of refrigerator refrigeration and lighting equipment, specifically disclosing a split-type dual-color injection-molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly, including a planar light-emitting element, an air duct tail, and a light guide. The planar light-emitting element includes a support frame and a diffuser plate layer stacked sequentially. The support frame and the diffuser plate layer enclose a hollow cavity for accommodating the light guide, and the support frame and the diffuser plate layer adopt an integrated structure. This invention provides a split-type dual-color injection-molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly. The planar light-emitting element is independently injection-molded, and its design is separate from the support frame. Compared with the integrated structure in the prior art, this structure avoids the structural interference and poor injection molding flatness problems caused by the "irregular air duct tail" and the "planar light-emitting area" being an integrated injection molding structure. It not only eliminates the problems of air bubbles and uneven glue layer thickness, but also ensures the precise fit of the light guide by the highly flat support frame.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigerator refrigeration and lighting equipment technology, and in particular to a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly and its assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] Refrigerator duct surface light source is an LED surface-emitting lighting component integrated into the refrigerator's duct cover / air outlet. It combines compartment lighting, ambient lighting, and duct structure functionality, and has become the mainstream solution for high-end air-cooled refrigerators. For example... Figures 1 to 3 As shown, existing refrigerator air duct surface light sources typically integrate the surface light source module 100 with the air duct injection molded part 200. The light source is hidden inside the air duct, and uniform surface light emission is achieved through light guiding and diffusion structures. This can replace traditional point light sources or strip light sources, achieving internal refrigerator lighting or air outlet atmosphere indication effects without interfering with the normal airflow of the air duct. Such air duct injection molded parts 200 generally include a light-emitting area base shell 201 and an irregularly shaped air guide tail 202, forming a single integrated molding structure.

[0003] Chinese utility model patent CN219756761U discloses a composite surface light source for a refrigerator air duct. The diffuser layer has a screen-printed border; an LED light strip is connected to a wiring harness; the air duct injection molded part is a frame structure with adhesive grooves and wire grooves at its edges; the wiring harness, LED light strip, and light guide layer are disposed within the air duct injection molded part, with the LED light strip facing the light guide layer. This type of structure typically uses an "integrated injection molding" process to form the main body of the air duct injection molded part (including the bottom shell of the light-emitting area and the irregularly shaped air guide tail), and then uses an "adhesive dispensing process" to attach the diffuser plate to the air duct main body to form a light-emitting cavity. The surface of the diffuser plate is screen-printed with a black light-shielding edge or decorative pattern. This type of structure has many defects in actual production, assembly, and transportation. Firstly, there is the issue of adhesive failure caused by structural interference: Since the "irregularly shaped air duct tail" and the "planar light-emitting area" are integrally injection molded structures, the protruding irregularly shaped tail is significantly higher than the planar light-emitting area. During the pressure-holding and curing process after the diffuser plate is applied, a conventional flat platen will cause spatial interference (being lifted) with the irregularly shaped tail. Therefore, in actual production, it is necessary to use the very edge of the pressure plate for pressing. Because the pressing surface of the pressure plate is generally made of soft material, uneven pressure at the pressing edge and insufficient pressure will lead to extremely uneven stress on the adhesive lines, easily causing bubbles and uneven adhesive layer thickness, ultimately resulting in the product delaminating during use.

[0004] Secondly, poor flatness in injection molding: The integrated structure combines large areas of thin walls (light-emitting area) and complex thick walls (tail air duct, claws). Due to the large difference in wall thickness, the shrinkage rate is inconsistent during injection molding and cooling, which can easily lead to warping and deformation of the planar parts. Poor flatness not only affects the appearance, but also makes subsequent assembly of optical components difficult and increases the risk of light leakage.

[0005] Thirdly, logistics costs and breakage rates are high: the irregular tail shape prevents products from being stacked tightly, resulting in a large proportion of "air" inside the packaging box, low actual space utilization, and persistently high logistics and transportation costs. Moreover, the thin-walled claws integrated at the tail are extremely prone to breakage due to concentrated stress during long-distance transportation. Expensive cushioning packaging materials are needed to prevent breakage.

[0006] In summary, the existing refrigerator air duct surface light source technology suffers from problems such as bonding failure due to structural interference during the production and assembly process, poor injection molding flatness, high logistics costs, and high breakage rates. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This invention provides a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly, which can solve the problems of bonding failure caused by structural interference, poor injection molding flatness, high logistics costs and high breakage rate in the production and assembly process of refrigerator air duct surface light sources in the prior art.

[0008] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a split dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly, including a planar light-emitting element, an air duct tail, and a light guide element. The planar light-emitting element includes a support frame and a diffuser plate layer stacked sequentially. The support frame and the diffuser plate layer enclose a hollow receiving cavity for accommodating the light guide element, and the support frame and the diffuser plate layer adopt an integral structure. The tail end of the air duct is assembled onto the support frame; The light guide includes a reflector sheet, a light guide plate, and an LED light. The reflector sheet has a U-shaped structure, the light guide plate is located inside the open end of the reflector sheet, and the light-emitting surface of the LED light faces the light-incident end of the light guide plate.

[0009] This invention provides a split-type dual-color injection molded surface light source assembly for a refrigerator air duct, which, compared to the prior art, has, but is not limited to, the following beneficial effects: In this split-type dual-color injection-molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly, the supporting frame mainly serves to support and fix the entire planar light-emitting component and light guide component, providing a stable structural foundation for the assembly. It also prevents light emitted from the light guide component from leaking into non-light-emitting directions. The diffuser layer is used to uniformly diffuse the light transmitted by the light guide component, enabling the planar light-emitting component to achieve uniform surface emission, avoiding problems such as light spots and uneven brightness, and ensuring lighting and ambient display effects. The two components are designed as a single unit, which significantly improves the structural stability of the planar light-emitting component, avoids problems such as light leakage and loosening caused by assembly gaps, and simplifies the assembly process.

[0010] The rear end of the air duct is mounted on the supporting frame, and the two are separate structures that can be detached or fixedly assembled, breaking away from the existing design mode of integrating the planar light-emitting area and the irregularly shaped air guide tail end into one injection mold. The structure of the rear end of the air duct is adapted to the refrigerator air duct, and its main function is to realize the docking of the component with the refrigerator air duct.

[0011] In the light guide component, the LED lamp serves as the core light source, emitting light that directly enters the light-incident end of the light guide plate. The light guide plate transforms the point light source of the LED lamp into a surface light source, achieving uniform light transmission. The U-shaped reflector reflects light leaking to the sides and back during light transmission back into the light guide plate, reducing light loss and improving light utilization. It also further ensures the uniformity of light emission from the planar light-emitting component. The coordinated design of these three components ensures efficient and uniform surface light emission, meeting the high-quality lighting and ambient display requirements of high-end refrigerators.

[0012] This invention provides a split-type dual-color injection-molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly. The planar light-emitting component has a regular flat plate structure, and the air duct tail is assembled as an independent component onto the supporting frame. This split design is one of the innovations of this application, specifically addressing many technical defects of existing integrated structures. Specifically, the planar light-emitting component is independently injection-molded, with a split design from the supporting frame. Compared to the integrated structure in the prior art, this structure avoids structural interference and poor injection molding flatness problems caused by the "irregularly shaped air duct tail" and the "planar light-emitting area" being integrally injection-molded. It not only eliminates the problems of air bubbles and uneven adhesive layer thickness, but the highly flat supporting frame also ensures precise fit of the light guide component, reducing the gap between them, thereby reducing light spot generation, making the light output of the component more uniform, and improving the quality of lighting and ambient display.

[0013] Furthermore, a PET film is also provided on the diffusion plate layer.

[0014] Furthermore, the PET film includes an adhesive layer, a pattern layer, and a substrate layer, which are sequentially stacked from the layer closest to the diffuser plate to the layer furthest from the diffuser plate. The pattern layer forms a preset pattern through a printing process.

[0015] Furthermore, the tail end of the air duct is fixedly assembled to the support frame through a detachable connection structure.

[0016] Furthermore, the detachable connection structure is any one of the following: an inverted structure, a dovetail groove structure, a screw connection structure, or structural adhesive.

[0017] Furthermore, the supporting frame includes a bottom shell, a side frame surrounding the edge of the bottom shell, and a number of internal supporting ribs; Several internal support ribs are respectively located on the bottom shell and / or side frame.

[0018] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an assembly method for a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly, the method comprising the following steps: S1. The support frame is made of opaque thermoplastic material and formed by injection molding through an injection mold. S2. A semi-transparent material is used to perform secondary injection molding on the support frame, thereby forming a diffusion plate layer on the support frame; S3. After the second injection molding is completed, the material is cooled and shaped, and a hollow cavity is formed between the support frame and the diffuser plate to accommodate the light guide. S4. Assemble the reflector, light guide plate and LED light to form a light guide component. Place the light guide component in the hollow cavity and fix it. Then connect the tail of the air duct to the support frame to complete the assembly of the split dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source component.

[0019] Furthermore, in step S1, the injection molding process employs an injection mold with a core separating mechanism. The core separating mechanism is used to divide the mold cavity of the injection mold into a first molding cavity and a second molding cavity. The first molding cavity and the second molding cavity are respectively used to mold the support skeleton and the diffuser plate layer.

[0020] Furthermore, step S2 specifically includes the following steps: First, the PET film is placed into the second molding cavity. Then, a semi-transparent material is used to perform secondary injection molding on the support frame. After the semi-transparent material is combined with the PET film and cured, a diffusion plate layer with the PET film is formed on the support frame.

[0021] Furthermore, a protective film is provided on the surface of the light guide plate, and an extension traction sticker is provided on the protective film; During the process of placing the light guide component into the hollow cavity, the protective film is used to protect the surface of the light guide plate; After placing the light guide in the hollow cavity and fixing it, the protective film is completely removed from the surface of the light guide by pulling the extension traction sticker. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 The main structural view of the refrigerator air duct surface light source provided in the background art of this invention; Figure 2 Left view of the structure of the refrigerator air duct surface light source provided for the background technology of this invention; Figure 3A schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator air duct surface light source is provided for the background art of this invention; Figure 4 This is a front view of the planar light-emitting element in a split-type dual-color injection-molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 The left view of the structure of the planar light-emitting element in a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the planar light-emitting element in a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a front view of the structure of the tail end of a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a left view of the structure of the tail end of a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the tail end of a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the light guide plate and the protective film according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the reflector and light guide plate provided in another embodiment of the present invention. Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100. Surface light source module; 200. Air duct injection molded part; 201. Light-emitting area bottom shell; 202. Irregularly shaped air guide tail; 1. Planar light-emitting part; 2. Air duct tail; 3. LED light; 11. Support frame; 12. Diffuser layer; 13. Light guide; 14. Reflector; 15. Light guide plate; 16. Protective film. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings showing multiple embodiments according to this application. It should be understood that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments described in this application without creative effort will fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0024] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit this application; the terms "comprising," "including," "having," "containing," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are open-ended terms. Therefore, "comprising," "including," or "having" refers to, for example, a method or apparatus having one or more steps or elements, but is not limited to having only these one or more elements. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, or accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order or hierarchy. 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 indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "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.

[0025] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", 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 invention 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 invention.

[0026] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "attachment" 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 direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0027] It should be emphasized that when the term "comprising / including" is used in this specification, it is used to explicitly indicate the presence of the stated feature, integer, step, or component, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, parts, or groups of features, integers, steps, or parts.

[0028] In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, B and / or C can represent: B existing alone, B and C existing simultaneously, or C existing alone. Additionally, in this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0029] like Figures 4 to 11 As shown, the present invention provides a split dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly, including a planar light-emitting element 1, an air duct tail 2, and a light guide 13. The planar light-emitting element 1 includes a support frame 11 and a diffuser plate layer 12 stacked in sequence. The support frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12 enclose a hollow cavity for accommodating the light guide 13, and the support frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12 adopt an integral structure. The tail section 2 of the air duct is mounted on the support frame 11; The light guide 13 includes a reflector 14, a light guide plate 15, and an LED lamp 3. The reflector 14 has a U-shaped structure, and the light guide plate 15 is located inside the opening end of the reflector 14. The light-emitting surface of the LED lamp 3 is directly opposite the light-incident end of the light guide plate 15.

[0030] In this split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly, the planar light-emitting component 1 serves as the supporting body for the light guide component 13, the air duct tail 2 is used to achieve the adaptation connection with the refrigerator, and the light guide component 13 is used to achieve the transmission and homogenization of light. The three work together to meet the needs of refrigerator compartment lighting or air outlet atmosphere display, while solving many defects in the existing technology.

[0031] Specifically, the planar light-emitting component 1 includes a support frame 11 and a diffuser plate layer 12 stacked sequentially. The support frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12 enclose a hollow cavity for accommodating the light guide component 13, and the support frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12 adopt an integrated structure. The support frame 11 mainly supports and fixes the entire planar light-emitting component 1 and the light guide component 13, providing a stable structural foundation for the assembly, and also preventing light emitted by the light guide component 13 from leaking into non-light-emitting directions. The diffuser plate layer 12 is used to uniformly diffuse the light transmitted by the light guide component 13, enabling the planar light-emitting component 1 to achieve uniform surface light emission, avoiding problems such as light spots and uneven brightness, and ensuring lighting and ambient display effects. The integrated structural design of the two components significantly improves the structural stability of the planar light-emitting component 1, avoids problems such as light leakage and loosening caused by assembly gaps, and simplifies the assembly process.

[0032] The air duct tail section 2 is mounted on the support frame 11. The two are separate structures that can be detached or fixedly assembled, breaking away from the existing design mode of integrated injection molding of the planar light-emitting area and the irregularly shaped air guide tail section. The structure of the air duct tail section 2 is adapted to the refrigerator air duct, and its main function is to realize the docking of the component with the refrigerator air duct.

[0033] In the light guide component 13, the LED lamp 3 serves as the core light source, and the light emitted by it directly enters the light-incident end of the light guide plate 15. The light guide plate 15 is used to convert the point light source of the LED lamp 3 into a surface light source, achieving uniform light transmission. The U-shaped reflector 14 can reflect the light leaking to the sides and back during the light transmission process of the light guide plate 15 back into the light guide plate 15, reducing light loss, improving light utilization, and further ensuring the uniformity of light emitted by the planar light-emitting component 1. The coordinated design of these three components ensures that the component achieves efficient and uniform surface light emission, meeting the high-quality requirements of high-end refrigerators for lighting and ambient display.

[0034] In practical applications, the planar light-emitting element 1 has a regular flat plate structure, while the air duct tail 2 is assembled as an independent component onto the support frame 11. This separate design is one of the innovations of this application, specifically addressing many technical defects of existing integrated structures. Specifically, the planar light-emitting element 1 is independently injection molded, with a separate design from the support frame 11. Compared to the integrated structure in existing technologies, this structure avoids structural interference and poor injection molding flatness caused by the "irregularly shaped air duct tail" and the "planar light-emitting area" being integrally injection molded. It not only eliminates the problems of air bubbles and uneven adhesive layer thickness, but the highly flat support frame 11 also ensures precise fit of the light guide element 13, reducing the gap between them, thereby reducing light spot generation, making the light output of the component more uniform, and improving the quality of lighting and ambient display.

[0035] Meanwhile, the split design allows the planar light-emitting component 1 and the air duct tail 2 to be injection molded separately, avoiding the inconsistent injection molding cooling shrinkage rate caused by large differences in wall thickness between large-area thin walls and complex thick walls in an integrated structure. This significantly improves the flatness of the injection molding of the planar light-emitting component, enhancing not only the product's appearance quality but also reducing the difficulty of subsequent optical component assembly and minimizing the risk of light leakage. The split design also offers significant advantages in logistics and transportation. The planar light-emitting component and the air duct tail can be packaged and transported separately, avoiding the high transportation costs and breakage rates associated with irregularly shaped tails.

[0036] In summary, the supporting frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12 are integrally molded using a two-color injection molding process, replacing the dispensing bonding process in existing technologies. This design utilizes the inherent fusion properties of the two materials to achieve a seal, eliminating the need for additional adhesive. This design fundamentally eliminates bonding failures caused by uncontrollable factors such as adhesive aging, adhesive line breakage, and adhesive layer bubbles. It not only improves the structural stability and sealing performance of the planar light-emitting component 1, preventing issues like glue separation and light leakage during use, but also simplifies the production and assembly process, reducing the technological difficulty and defect rate during production.

[0037] This application separates the planar light-emitting component 1 from the air duct tail 2, allowing the planar light-emitting component 1 to form a regular flat structure, facilitating injection molding and subsequent assembly. Simultaneously, a two-color injection molding process is used to achieve integrated molding of the supporting frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12, replacing the traditional dispensing process and improving structural reliability and light emission effect. Compared to existing integrated injection molding and dispensing bonding technologies, this application, through structural separation and process optimization, improves product quality while reducing production and logistics costs, decreasing product breakage rates, and better meeting the needs of high-end air-cooled refrigerators for mass production and high-quality applications.

[0038] In some embodiments of the present invention, the support frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12 of the planar light-emitting element 1 are formed by a two-color injection molding process, wherein the support frame 11 is first injection molded and then the diffuser plate layer 12 is injection molded on the basis of the support frame 11. Specifically, two-color injection molding refers to an injection molding process that fuses two materials with different properties into one piece through two injection molding processes within the same mold. It can be achieved using a two-color injection molding machine for continuous injection operation, ensuring a tight weld between the support frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12. The support frame 11 is injection molded from an opaque thermoplastic material to ensure support strength and light-blocking effect; the diffuser plate layer 12 is injection molded from a semi-transparent material to achieve uniform light diffusion. The selection of these two materials must match the welding requirements of two-color injection molding to ensure that there are no obvious splicing marks and the structure is stable after integral molding.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, a PET film is also provided on the diffusion plate layer 12.

[0040] The bonding between the PET film and the diffusion plate 12 can be achieved in the following manner: The support frame 11 and the diffuser layer 12 adopt an integrated structure. That is, the support frame 11 and the diffuser layer 12 of the planar light-emitting component 1 are formed by a two-color injection molding process: First, the support frame 11 is injection molded; second, the diffuser layer 12 is injection molded on the basis of the support frame 11. Before the second step, that is, after the support frame 11 is injection molded, a PET film can be placed in the mold cavity. When the material of the diffuser layer 12 is injection molded, the high-temperature transparent material melt of the injection-molded diffuser layer 12 combines with the PET film, and the cured PET film becomes part of the diffuser layer 12.

[0041] In detail, the specific operation logic of this injection molding process is as follows: First, the injection molding material of the support skeleton 11 is injected into the corresponding area of ​​the mold cavity, and after cooling and solidification, the support skeleton 11 is formed; if a PET film needs to be assembled at this time, the PET film is placed in the mold cavity corresponding to the forming area of ​​the diffuser layer 12, ensuring that the PET film and the support skeleton 11 are accurately attached; then, the semi-transparent injection molding material of the diffuser layer 12 is injected into the mold cavity, and the material melt at high temperature fully contacts and fuses with the PET film. After cooling and solidification, the PET film and the diffuser layer 12 form a whole and become part of the diffuser layer 12.

[0042] In this solution, complex text, logos, or gradient dots can be printed on the diffuser layer 12 using the PET film, thereby achieving more personalized lighting effects and visual experiences. This design not only enhances the product's aesthetics but also meets the diverse needs of different users for refrigerator interior lighting and ambient display. By integrating the PET film onto the diffuser layer, problems such as pattern fading and blurring that may occur in traditional printing processes can be avoided, ensuring that the text or patterns remain clear and stable during long-term use.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present invention, the PET film includes an adhesive layer, a pattern layer and a substrate layer sequentially stacked from near the diffuser layer 12 to away from the diffuser layer 12. The pattern layer forms a pre-set pattern through a printing process.

[0044] Specifically, the PET film has a layered composite structure, with each layer having a clear function and working in concert to adapt to the fusion process of two-color injection molding and the optical requirements of the components. The adhesive layer is positioned close to the diffuser layer 12, primarily to enhance the bonding tightness between the PET film and the injection-molten material of the diffuser layer 12, ensuring no delamination or gaps after fusion, and further improving the structural stability of the diffuser layer 12. The pattern layer is located between the adhesive layer and the substrate layer, and it can form a pre-set pattern on the surface of the substrate layer through a specific printing process. The ink is "hidden" within the pattern layer, making it less prone to wear or fading. The substrate layer, as the core support layer of the PET film, is made of high-transparency PET material, possessing good light transmittance, wear resistance, and toughness, capable of supporting the pattern layer without affecting the normal transmission of light.

[0045] In detail, the printing process for the pattern layer can employ precision printing techniques suitable for PET materials, such as screen printing and UV printing, to ensure the forming accuracy and consistency of the preset pattern (such as text, logo, or gradient dots).

[0046] In some embodiments of the present invention, the tail end 2 of the air duct and the support frame 11 are fixedly assembled through a detachable connection structure.

[0047] Specifically, a detachable connection structure refers to a connection structure that enables quick assembly and disassembly of two components without damaging the components themselves or affecting subsequent reassembly. It can adopt various adaptable structural forms depending on the assembly requirements, structural dimensions, and usage scenarios of the components. The detachable connection structure must meet the usage requirements of the refrigerator's air duct surface light source. It must ensure that the connection between the air duct tail 2 and the support frame 11 is stable and reliable, preventing loosening or displacement during refrigerator operation. It must also be easy to operate, facilitating assembly, inspection, and subsequent maintenance and replacement during production.

[0048] The detachable connection structure allows the air duct tail 2 to be produced and tested as an independent component before being assembled with the planar light-emitting component 1, avoiding molding defects caused by the complex structure in integrated injection molding. At the same time, when the air duct tail 2 is damaged or needs to be adapted to different refrigerator air duct structures, the air duct tail 2 can be disassembled and replaced separately without replacing the entire planar light-emitting component 1, which greatly reduces maintenance costs and resource waste.

[0049] In some embodiments of the present invention, the detachable connection structure is any one of the following: an inverted structure, a dovetail groove structure, a screw connection structure, or structural adhesive.

[0050] Specifically, the inverted snap structure refers to a connection structure that achieves fixation through the interlocking of snaps and slots. It consists of elastic snaps set on the tail end 2 of the air duct or the support frame 11, and corresponding slots set on another component. During assembly, the snaps are quickly fixed by elastic deformation into the slots. During disassembly, a reverse force is applied to disengage the snaps from the slots, without the need for additional tools. The dovetail groove structure refers to a connection structure that achieves fixation through the sliding fit of dovetail-shaped protrusions and dovetail-shaped grooves. The protrusions and the inclined surfaces of the grooves fit tightly, effectively preventing vertical and horizontal displacement. During assembly, the protrusions are slid along the grooves to the preset position to complete the fixation. During disassembly, they are slid in the opposite direction to separate. The screw connection structure refers to a connection structure that achieves threaded fixation by screws passing through the preset mounting holes of the tail end 2 of the air duct and the support frame 11. Assembly and disassembly can be completed by tightening or loosening the screws, and the connection strength is high. The structural adhesive connection structure refers to a connection structure that achieves bonding and fixation through peelable structural adhesive. After the adhesive layer cures, it achieves tight bonding. During disassembly, the adhesive layer can be peeled off with a special tool without damaging the component itself, making it suitable for scenarios with certain requirements for connection sealing.

[0051] In detail, the inverted snap-fit ​​structure is suitable for scenarios requiring high assembly efficiency and not demanding high-strength fixing. Its simple structure and low production cost enable rapid mass assembly. The dovetail groove structure is suitable for scenarios requiring high connection stability and preventing component displacement. Its tight fit effectively resists vibrations during refrigerator operation. The screw connection structure is suitable for scenarios requiring high connection strength and long-term stable fixing. It offers high detachability and facilitates later inspection and maintenance. The structural adhesive connection structure is suitable for scenarios requiring high connection sealing and preventing air leakage. Its tight adhesion balances sealing and detachability. This multi-type design, based on the structural differences, usage needs, and manufacturing processes of various high-end air-cooled refrigerators, allows components to be flexibly adapted to various application scenarios, improving product versatility and market adaptability.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present invention, the support frame 11 includes a bottom shell, a side frame surrounding the edge of the bottom shell, and a plurality of internal support ribs. Several internal support ribs are respectively located on the bottom shell and / or side frame.

[0053] Specifically, the bottom shell of the support frame 11 is a flat plate structure, serving as the basic load-bearing component of the entire planar light-emitting element 1. It supports the light guide element 13 and the diffuser plate layer 12. It is injection molded from an opaque thermoplastic material (such as HIPS or ABS), combining support strength and light-shielding performance, effectively isolating the light leaking from the light guide element 13 to the back. The side frame is set around the edge of the bottom shell and is integrally formed with the bottom shell to form a enclosure structure. It is used to enclose the diffuser plate layer 12 to form a hollow cavity, providing a closed assembly space for the light guide element 13, and also to enhance the edge strength of the bottom shell and prevent the edge of the bottom shell from warping and deforming. The internal support ribs are strip-shaped or sheet-shaped structures. Their quantity, size and arrangement can be flexibly designed according to the overall size and load-bearing requirements of the support frame 11. They can be set on the bottom shell alone, on the side frame alone, or on both the bottom shell and the side frame at the same time, integrally formed with the bottom shell and the side frame to form a three-dimensional support structure.

[0054] The bottom shell, as the basic load-bearing structure, provides a stable support platform for the entire planar light-emitting component 1, ensuring the assembly accuracy of the light guide 13 and the diffuser plate layer 12. The surrounding side frame not only forms a enclosure for the hollow cavity but also disperses the stress at the edge of the bottom shell, preventing edge deformation and cracking during two-color injection molding and subsequent assembly. The internal support ribs further optimize the stress structure of the support frame 11, evenly distributing the weight of the light guide 13 and the stress during injection molding to the bottom shell and side frame, effectively preventing warping and deformation of the support frame 11, while improving its impact resistance and adapting to the vibration environment during refrigerator operation. In addition, the internal support ribs also provide auxiliary positioning for the light guide 13, ensuring accurate assembly of the light guide 13 within the hollow cavity and avoiding uneven light output caused by displacement.

[0055] Embodiments of the present invention also provide an assembly method for a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly, used for the production and processing of the split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly provided in the first aspect of the present invention. The method includes the following steps: S1. The support frame 11 is made of opaque thermoplastic material and is formed by injection molding through an injection mold. S2. A semi-transparent material is used to perform secondary injection molding on the support frame 11, thereby forming a diffusion plate layer 12 on the support frame 11. S3. After the second injection molding is completed, the material is cooled and shaped, and a hollow cavity is formed between the support frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12 to accommodate the light guide 13. S4. Assemble the reflector 14, light guide plate 15 and LED lamp 3 to form light guide component 13. Place the light guide component 13 in the hollow cavity and fix it. Then connect the tail end 2 of the air duct to the support frame 11 to complete the assembly of the split dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly.

[0056] This assembly method is a dedicated production process adapted to the split-type dual-color injection-molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly of this application. Its core is to combine the dual-color injection molding process with the characteristics of the split structure to achieve precise assembly and stable connection of each component, ensuring the component's molding quality and performance. Each step has a clear division of labor and is seamlessly connected, making it suitable for mass standardized production while also considering ease of operation and process stability. Specifically, steps S1 to S3 correspond to the dual-color injection molding process of the planar light-emitting component 1, and step S4 corresponds to the assembly of the light guide component 13 and the connection process between the air duct tail 2 and the support frame 11. The entire process revolves around the structural design and performance requirements of the component, ensuring the assembly accuracy and coordinated operation of each component.

[0057] This assembly method, based on the dual-color injection-molded integrated structure of the planar light-emitting component 1, the optical assembly requirements of the light guide component 13, and the detachable connection design between the air duct tail 2 and the support frame 11, solves the problems of high assembly difficulty, numerous molding defects, and low assembly efficiency of existing integrated components through a step-by-step, component-by-component assembly approach. In step S1, an opaque thermoplastic material (such as HIPS or ABS) is selected, and the support frame 11 is formed through injection molding and a special injection mold to ensure the structural strength, light-blocking performance, and molding flatness of the support frame 11, laying the foundation for subsequent secondary injection molding and component assembly. In step S2, a semi-transparent material (such as semi-transparent PS) is selected, and secondary injection molding is performed on the formed support frame 11. Utilizing the welding characteristics of two-color injection molding, the diffuser layer 12 is tightly fused with the support frame 11, achieving an integrated structure of the support frame 11 and the diffuser layer 12, avoiding splicing gaps. In step S3, after the secondary injection molding is completed, the process continues... The cooling and shaping process allows the support frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12 to fully solidify, while naturally forming a hollow cavity to accommodate the light guide 13, ensuring the dimensional accuracy and sealing of the cavity and adapting to the assembly of the light guide 13. In step S4, the reflector 14, the light guide plate 15, and the LED lamp 3 are precisely assembled to form the light guide 13, ensuring that the light-emitting surface of the LED lamp 3 is directly facing the light-incident end of the light guide plate 15 and that the light guide plate 15 and the U-shaped reflector 14 are tightly fitted. Then, the light guide 13 is smoothly placed into the hollow cavity and fixed. Finally, the tail end 2 of the air duct and the support frame 11 are connected and fixed through a preset detachable connection structure to complete the assembly of the entire component.

[0058] This assembly method combines two-color injection molding with component assembly procedures, featuring clear steps and strong operability. It ensures a tight weld between the support frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12, avoiding adhesion failure, while also guaranteeing the assembly accuracy of the light guide 13 to ensure uniform light output. Simultaneously, it achieves precise docking between the air duct tail 2 and the support frame 11. Furthermore, this assembly method is suitable for mass production needs, reducing defect rates and improving production efficiency through standardized operations. It also ensures convenient maintenance and guarantees component reliability, meeting the requirements for large-scale production and high-quality applications of high-end air-cooled refrigerator air duct surface light source components.

[0059] In some embodiments of the present invention, in step S1, the injection molding process employs an injection mold with a core separating mechanism. The core separating mechanism is used to divide the mold cavity of the injection mold into a first molding cavity and a second molding cavity. The first molding cavity and the second molding cavity are respectively used to mold the support skeleton 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12.

[0060] Specifically, the core separating mechanism is a movable separating component inside the injection mold. It can employ a sliding, flipping, or plug-in structure to separate and switch the mold cavity, with a plug-in structure being preferred. This core separating mechanism is used to divide the molding process into two molding areas: a first molding cavity and a second molding cavity. The first molding cavity matches the structure and dimensions of the support frame 11 and is used to hold the melt of the opaque thermoplastic material, achieving the injection molding of the support frame 11. The second molding cavity matches the structure and dimensions of the diffuser plate layer 12 and is connected to the first molding cavity, used to hold the melt of the semi-transparent material, i.e., achieving secondary injection molding of the diffuser plate layer 12 on the already formed support frame 11. This injection mold can be switched in position, ensuring that after the first injection molding of the support frame 11, it can switch to the molding position of the second molding cavity to complete the secondary injection molding.

[0061] In detail, the core separating mechanism precisely divides the mold cavity into a first molding cavity and a second molding cavity, allowing the injection molding of the support frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12 to proceed independently. This ensures that the support frame 11 can be completely molded in the first molding cavity, guaranteeing its structural strength, flatness, and light-shielding performance. Simultaneously, it allows the diffuser plate layer 12 to be precisely molded in the second molding cavity, fitting snugly against the support frame 11. The welding characteristics of two-color injection molding are utilized to achieve a tight fusion between the two. This structural arrangement, based on the characteristics of two-color injection molding and combined with the layered structure requirements of the support frame 11 and the diffuser plate layer 12, ensures precise alignment of the two molding cavities, avoiding defects such as material overflow and structural misalignment during secondary injection molding. It also ensures the dimensional accuracy of the hollow cavity, laying the foundation for the subsequent assembly of the light guide component 13.

[0062] In some embodiments of the present invention, step S2 specifically includes the following steps: First, the PET film is placed into the second molding cavity. Then, a semi-transparent material is used to perform secondary injection molding on the support frame 11. After the semi-transparent material is combined with the PET film and cured, a diffusion plate layer 12 with the PET film attached is formed on the support frame 11.

[0063] Specifically, in actual use, complex text, logos or gradient dots can be printed on the diffuser layer 12. By combining the PET film with the pattern layer with the diffuser layer 12, the purpose of printing complex text, logos or gradient dots on the diffuser layer 12 can be achieved.

[0064] More specifically, this step achieves the bonding and integration of the PET film and the diffuser layer 12. Its operation process is highly compatible with the function of the core separating mechanism and the layered structure of the PET film: First, the PET film is placed into the second molding cavity, ensuring that the placement of the PET film precisely corresponds to the outline of the second molding cavity and the bonding surface of the support frame 11, and that the adhesive layer of the PET film is away from the side of the support frame 11, laying the foundation for subsequent fusion with the semi-transparent material melt; then, a second injection molding is performed using the semi-transparent material, and the injection temperature, pressure and other process parameters need to be controlled so that the semi-transparent material melt can uniformly fill the second molding cavity, and at the same time fully contact and fuse with the adhesive layer of the PET film. After the melt cools and solidifies, the PET film and the diffuser layer 12 form a firm integrated structure, and finally a diffuser layer 12 with the PET film bonded is formed on the support frame 11.

[0065] In detail, this solution, by refining the specific operational process of step S2, involves bonding a PET film to the diffuser layer 12, thereby solving the problem of ink peeling off the integrated pattern layer on the diffuser layer 12. In this step, the PET film is first placed into the second molding cavity to ensure its positioning accuracy; then, a second injection molding process is performed, utilizing the high-temperature characteristics of the semi-transparent material melt to fully fuse the melt with the adhesive layer of the PET film. After curing, a seamless integrated structure is formed, avoiding defects such as delamination and gaps.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present invention, step S1 specifically includes the following steps: The injection mold is provided with light-shielding wings extending into the mold cavity. When injecting opaque thermoplastic material, light-shielding wing plates are formed at the edge of the support frame 11, that is, the support frame 11 with light-shielding wing plates is formed by injection molding. Step S2 specifically includes the following steps: A semi-transparent material is used to perform secondary injection molding on the support frame 11 with a light-shielding wing plate, thereby forming a diffuser plate layer 12 on the support frame 11. The light-shielding wing plate covers the edge of the diffuser plate layer 12.

[0067] Specifically, this step is a further optimization of the injection molding process in steps S1 and S2. By combining mold structure design with two-color injection molding process, the edge light-blocking effect of the planar light-emitting part 1 is improved to avoid light leakage.

[0068] The light-shielding wing inside the injection mold is a protruding structure extending towards the center of the mold cavity, integrally formed with the mold. Its extension length and thickness are adapted to the light-shielding requirements of the edge of the support frame 11. When injecting opaque thermoplastic material in step S1, the cavity area corresponding to the light-shielding wing will be filled with material. After cooling and solidification, it forms a light-shielding wing plate integral with the support frame 11. The light-shielding wing plate is located at the edge of the support frame 11 and is arranged in a surrounding or segmented manner. When the semi-transparent material is injected again in step S2 to form the diffuser layer 12, the light-shielding wing plate will naturally cover the edge of the diffuser layer 12, forming an edge light-shielding structure. In addition, when using the IML process (i.e., combining a PET film on the diffuser layer 12), if the light-shielding effect of the pattern layer of the PET film is not good, light leakage will occur at the edge of the diffuser layer 12. In this case, the light-shielding wing design can directly cover the edge of the semi-transparent diffuser layer 12 formed in step S2 by the light-shielding wing plate formed by the opaque material in step S1, thus compensating for the light-shielding shortcomings.

[0069] In step S1, the light-shielding wing inside the mold is injection molded together with the support frame 11. The resulting light-shielding wing plate is integrally connected with the support frame 11, and the structure is stable. No additional light-shielding components are required, which simplifies the production process. In step S2, the light-shielding wing plate covers the edge of the diffuser plate layer 12, which can block the light transmitted by the light guide 13 to the edge of the diffuser plate layer 12 from leaking outward, avoiding problems such as edge light leakage and halo, and improving the light emission uniformity and optical quality of the planar light-emitting component 1.

[0070] like Figures 4 to 11 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, a protective film 16 is also provided on the surface of the light guide plate 15, and an extension traction sticker is provided on the protective film 16. During the process of placing the light guide 13 into the hollow cavity, the protective film 16 is used to protect the surface of the light guide plate 15. After the light guide 13 is placed in the hollow cavity and fixed, the protective film 16 is completely removed from the surface of the light guide plate 15 by pulling the extension traction sticker.

[0071] Specifically, the protective film 16 is a transparent protective film adhered to the surface of the light guide plate 15. It is made of a highly transparent, easy-to-remove material that leaves no adhesive residue. Its size perfectly matches the surface size of the light guide plate 15, fully covering its surface. It protects the surface of the light guide plate 15 from scratches and contamination during the assembly and placement of the light guide component 13. The extension traction sticker is integrally formed with the protective film 16, in the form of a strip or sheet, extending to the outer edge of the light guide plate 15 for easy gripping and application of force by the operator. Its material is the same as the protective film 16, and the connection has a certain degree of toughness to ensure that it will not detach from the protective film 16 when pulled, allowing the protective film 16 to be completely removed.

[0072] In detail, in step S4, after assembling the reflector 14, light guide plate 15, and LED lamp 3 to form the light guide component 13, the protective film 16 on the surface of the light guide plate 15 can isolate friction and dust during the assembly process, preventing scratches and stains from appearing on the surface of the light guide plate 15, and ensuring that the optical transmission performance of the light guide plate 15 is not affected. During the process of placing the light guide component 13 in the hollow cavity and fixing it, the protective film 16 can further prevent surface damage caused by friction between the light guide plate 15 and the supporting frame 11 and reflector 14, ensuring the flatness and light transmittance of the light guide plate 15. After the light guide component 13 is fixed, the operator can completely remove the protective film 16 from the surface of the light guide plate 15 by holding the extension traction sticker and applying a certain pulling force. After removal, there is no adhesive residue, which does not affect the optical fit between the light guide plate 15 and the diffuser layer 12 and the PET film, ensuring the uniformity of light output of the component.

[0073] While the present invention has been disclosed above, its scope of protection is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such changes and modifications will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A split-type dual-color injection molded surface light source assembly for a refrigerator air duct, characterized in that, It includes a planar light-emitting element (1), a duct tail (2), and a light guide (13). The planar light-emitting element (1) includes a support frame (11) and a diffuser plate layer (12) stacked in sequence. The support frame (11) and the diffuser plate layer (12) enclose a hollow cavity for accommodating the light guide (13), and the support frame (11) and the diffuser plate layer (12) adopt an integral structure. The tail end (2) of the air duct is assembled on the support frame (11); The light guide (13) includes a reflector (14), a light guide plate (15), and an LED lamp (3). The reflector (14) has a U-shaped structure, and the light guide plate (15) is located inside the opening end of the reflector (14). The light-emitting surface of the LED lamp (3) is directly opposite the light-incident end of the light guide plate (15).

2. The split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diffusion plate layer (12) is also provided with a PET film.

3. A split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The PET film includes an adhesive layer, a pattern layer, and a substrate layer, which are stacked sequentially from the diffuser layer (12) to the distance from the diffuser layer (12); The pattern layer forms a preset pattern through a printing process.

4. A split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tail end (2) of the air duct and the support frame (11) are fixedly assembled through a detachable connection structure.

5. A split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The detachable connection structure is any one of the following: inverted structure, dovetail groove structure, screw connection structure, or structural adhesive.

6. A split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The supporting frame (11) includes a bottom shell, a side frame surrounding the edge of the bottom shell, and several internal supporting ribs; Several internal support ribs are respectively located on the bottom shell and / or side frame.

7. A method for assembling a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: S1. The support frame is formed by injection molding using an injection mold and is made of opaque thermoplastic material (11). S2. Using semi-transparent material, a secondary injection molding is performed on the support frame (11) to form a diffusion plate layer (12) on the support frame (11). S3. After the second injection molding is completed, the cooling and shaping are completed, and a hollow cavity is formed between the support frame (11) and the diffuser plate layer (12) to accommodate the light guide (13); S4. Assemble the reflector (14), light guide plate (15) and LED lamp (3) to form a light guide (13), place the light guide (13) in the hollow cavity and fix it, and then connect the tail end of the air duct (2) to the support frame (11) to complete the assembly of the split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly.

8. The assembly method of a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step S1, the injection molding process uses an injection mold with a core separation mechanism. The core separation mechanism is used to divide the mold cavity of the injection mold into a first molding cavity and a second molding cavity. The first molding cavity and the second molding cavity are used to form the support skeleton (11) and the diffuser plate layer (12), respectively.

9. The assembly method of a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, Step S2 specifically includes the following steps: First, the PET film is placed into the second molding cavity, and then a semi-transparent material is used to perform secondary injection molding on the support frame (11) so that the semi-transparent material is combined with the PET film and cured, and then a diffusion plate layer (12) with the PET film is formed on the support frame (11).

10. The assembly method of a split-type dual-color injection molded refrigerator air duct surface light source assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The light guide plate (15) is also provided with a protective film (16), and the protective film (16) is provided with an extension traction sticker; During the process of placing the light guide (13) into the hollow cavity, the protective film (16) is used to protect the surface of the light guide plate (15); After placing the light guide (13) in the hollow cavity and fixing it, the protective film (16) is completely removed from the surface of the light guide plate (15) by pulling the extension traction sticker.

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