A refrigerator

Abstract

The present application relates to the refrigeration technical field, provide a kind of refrigerator, including cabinet, evaporator, fan, water pan and heater, evaporative cavity is formed in cabinet, evaporator, water pan and fan are installed in evaporative cavity, evaporator and fan are fixed on water pan with interval, heater includes ferrous metal heating pipe and heat-conducting plate, ferrous metal heating pipe includes serpentine coil pipe, serpentine coil pipe is fixed on evaporator and is laid between the main evaporation part of evaporator and water pan with interval, water pan is equipped with first barrier part, heat-conducting plate includes first guide plate and second guide plate, first guide plate is fixed to the bottom of fan, below the shell of fan;Second guide plate is strip structure, and two ends are respectively connected with first guide plate and heating pipe heat conduction.The ferrous metal heating pipe that not easy to process does not need to be laid on the outer surface of evaporator by bending, heat is transferred from bottom to top in the form of heat radiation, defrosting is uniform, guarantee air path normal cooling, also can use part of preheating to fan defrosting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigeration technology, and more particularly to a freezer. Background Technology

[0002] Air-cooled freezers are a widely used refrigeration device in both commercial and residential applications. They utilize fans to force-circulate cold air, achieving uniform temperature distribution and rapid cooling within the freezer. In these freezers, the fan and finned evaporator are typically arranged horizontally, with the fan positioned on one side of the evaporator and cold air distributed to all areas of the freezer via ductwork. However, during long-term operation, frost easily forms on the surface of the finned evaporator. This frost buildup severely hinders airflow and significantly reduces heat exchange efficiency, thus requiring a defrosting device for regular defrosting of the evaporator.

[0003] Defrosting devices can employ electric heaters mounted on the outer surface of the evaporator. Since horizontal evaporators are directly fixed within the drip tray and the overall vertical space is limited, aluminum tube heaters are commonly used. Aluminum tubes offer good flexibility, allowing them to be molded to fit snugly against the top and bottom walls of the horizontal evaporator, reducing space requirements. However, aluminum tube heaters have significant drawbacks. The heating temperature of aluminum tubes is relatively low, and heat is transferred to the evaporator surface via conduction, resulting in limited heating efficiency. During defrosting, the frost melts first in the localized area in contact with the evaporator, followed by the entire frost layer detaching, leading to uneven and incomplete defrosting. Furthermore, the low heating efficiency results in a longer defrosting time, impacting the normal operating efficiency of the refrigerator. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To solve, or at least partially solve, the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a refrigerator in which a black metal heating tube is laid below the evaporator and above the drip tray. By heating air, the outer surface of the evaporator is defrosted, which improves the defrosting efficiency and solves the problem that the gap between the main evaporator and the inner wall of the drip tray causes the airflow to not pass through the main evaporator, resulting in poor evaporator cooling effect. Furthermore, the heating tube is connected to the fan through a heat-conducting plate, which transfers some of the heat to the fan housing, realizing synchronous defrosting of the fan and the air outlet area.

[0005] The present invention provides a freezer, including a cabinet, an evaporator, a fan, a drip tray and a heater; An evaporation chamber is formed inside the box. The evaporation chamber has an air inlet and an air outlet located on one side in the first horizontal direction. The evaporator is installed in the evaporation chamber and located between the air inlet and the air outlet. The fan is installed at the air outlet of the evaporation chamber. The evaporator and the fan are fixed to the water receiving tray at intervals along the first horizontal direction. The heater includes a heating tube and a heat-conducting plate. The heating tube is a ferrous metal heating tube and includes a serpentine coil. The serpentine coil is fixed on the evaporator and is laid at intervals between the main evaporation section of the evaporator and the water receiving tray. The inner wall of the water receiving tray is provided with a first shielding part, which protrudes upward and extends along a second horizontal direction. It is located on the side of the evaporator near the air inlet, so as to at least partially shield the distance between the main evaporator and the water receiving tray. The serpentine coil and the fan are spaced apart in the first horizontal direction. The heat-conducting plate is located between the serpentine coil and the fan to receive the heat from the serpentine coil and radiate heat to the fan. The heat-conducting plate includes a first guide plate and a second guide plate. The fan housing is spaced apart from the water receiving tray. The first guide plate is located below the housing and spaced apart from the housing. The second guide plate has a strip structure and its two ends are thermally connected to the first guide plate and the serpentine coil, respectively.

[0006] In the above technical solution, a serpentine coil of ferrous metal is laid below the evaporator and above the water tray, utilizing only the space between the main evaporation section and the water tray. The serpentine coil is planar in shape, avoiding the complex finned structure of the evaporator surface. This allows the difficult-to-process ferrous metal heating tubes to be laid flat below the evaporator without bending, instead utilizing their rigid structure. This solves the processing problem of ferrous metal tubes' poor flexibility and inability to be laid on the evaporator surface like aluminum tubes. Compared to aluminum tubes, ferrous metal heating tubes can withstand higher heating temperatures. The serpentine coil heats the evaporator from below, with heat transferred upwards through thermal radiation. The large radiation area heats the air, melting the frost layer on the evaporator surface. Compared to the existing technology where aluminum tubes conduct heat locally from the outer surface, defrosting is more uniform, avoiding the problem of frost falling off in large pieces after localized melting, thus improving the defrosting effect. In addition, by providing an upwardly protruding first shielding part on the inner wall of the water receiving pan, with a height at least exceeding the bottom wall of the serpentine coil, extending along the second horizontal direction and arranged outside the air inlet side of the evaporator, the first shielding part can at least partially shield the gap between the main evaporator and the water receiving pan, preventing the airflow from entering the evaporation chamber from the air inlet and then flowing directly to the air outlet through the gap between the two to form a short circuit in the air path. This forces all or most of the airflow to pass through the main evaporator for sufficient heat exchange, effectively avoiding the problem that the airflow cannot be cooled by bypassing the main evaporator, and improving the overall heat exchange efficiency and cooling effect of the evaporator. In addition, the first guide plate of the heat-conducting plate is located below the fan, and the strip-shaped second guide plate connects the first guide plate and the serpentine coil. This allows part of the heat from the heating tube to be transferred to the first guide plate via the second guide plate. The first guide plate then transfers part of the heat from the ferrous metal heating tube to the surrounding air of the fan casing, preventing direct heating that could damage the fan. The heat radiation from the first and second guide plates heats the surrounding air, which in turn heats the water collection tray below. The hot air can also enter the space between the air guide ring and the bottom of the fan casing through the opening at the bottom of the fan casing for further heating. This improves the temperature uniformity inside the fan casing and the air duct during the defrosting process and also defrosts the fan, preventing frost buildup on the fan impeller from affecting air delivery.

[0007] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the water receiving tray is provided with a plurality of protruding second shielding portions, the plurality of second shielding portions are spaced apart along a first horizontal direction, the second shielding portions are located below the main evaporation section and extend along a second horizontal direction.

[0008] In some embodiments, the ferrous metal heating tube is a steel pipe heating tube.

[0009] In the above technical solutions, compared with aluminum tubes, steel heating tubes have stronger high-temperature resistance, can withstand higher heating temperatures during defrosting, have higher heat transfer efficiency, and can quickly melt the thick frost layer on the evaporator. Aluminum tubes have a lower upper limit for high temperature resistance and are prone to deformation and insufficient heat output under high-temperature conditions, while steel tubes are less prone to thermal deformation and have better structural stability during long-term high-temperature cyclic use. Compared with other ferrous metal tubes such as pig iron, cast iron, and ferroalloys, steel heating tubes have better plasticity, are less prone to cracking and breakage when bent into coils suitable for evaporators, have a higher yield rate, better tube wall uniformity, and more uniform overall heat distribution during heating, without local overheating or heating blind spots. They are also less prone to rust and damage from long-term contact with defrosting condensate, have a longer service life, and have a moderate weight.

[0010] In some embodiments, the evaporator includes two fixed structures, refrigerant piping, and heat dissipation fins; The two fixed structures are spaced apart along the second horizontal direction, the refrigerant pipe is coiled between the two fixed structures, the heat dissipation fins are sleeved on the refrigerant pipe located between the two fixed structures, and the main evaporation section is the refrigerant pipe and heat dissipation fins located between the two fixed structures; The serpentine coil is coiled and fixed around the two fixed structures below the refrigerant pipeline and is spaced apart from the refrigerant pipeline. The second horizontal direction intersects with the first horizontal direction.

[0011] In the above technical solution, by winding and fixing the serpentine coil around two fixed structures below the refrigerant piping, the high temperature of the serpentine coil is prevented from damaging the refrigerant piping. The fixed structures serve as mounting carriers for the heating elements, eliminating the need for the heating elements to be directly laid on the complex finned surface of the evaporator, thus solving the problem of the difficulty in processing and installing ferrous metal heating elements on the evaporator surface. Secondly, the fixed structures are spaced apart along the second horizontal direction, intersecting with the first horizontal direction, meaning the main evaporation section of the evaporator is positioned opposite the fan, which facilitates improved heat exchange efficiency.

[0012] In some embodiments, the lower edge of the fixing structure is provided with a plurality of fixing portions at intervals along a first horizontal direction, and the heating tube is sequentially wound and fixed on each of the fixing portions along the first horizontal direction.

[0013] In the above technical solution, by setting multiple fixing parts at intervals along the first horizontal direction at the lower edge of the fixed structure, the heating tube can be sequentially wound and fixed to each fixing part along the first horizontal direction. Using the fixing parts as segmented support points for the heating tube, the winding and fixing of the heating tube no longer relies on manual hand positioning. During installation, the heating tube only needs to be sequentially inserted into each fixing part, solving the problem of the difficult operation of winding and fixing the heating tube to the fixed structure. Laying the heating tube in both the first and second horizontal directions increases the heating area below the evaporator, resulting in more uniform heat radiation.

[0014] In some embodiments, the fixing part includes fixing holes and guide grooves. The fixing holes are spaced apart along a first horizontal direction on the fixing structure and spaced apart from the lower end of the fixing structure. The guide grooves extend from the edge of the fixing structure and communicate with the fixing holes. The inner diameter of the guide grooves is smaller than the inner diameter of the fixing holes.

[0015] In the above technical solution, by setting a guide groove on the fixing part and connecting it to the fixing hole, and the inner diameter of the guide groove being smaller than the inner diameter of the fixing hole, the heating tube enters from the narrow opening of the guide groove during installation, slides along the guide groove to the fixing hole with the larger inner diameter, and is then stuck. This eliminates the need to directly insert the heating tube into the fixing hole, reducing installation difficulty and simplifying the operation of winding and fixing the heating tube to the fixing structure. The guide groove acts as a positioning guide; the heating tube enters each fixing hole sequentially along the guide groove to complete the reciprocating winding and fixing, resulting in high installation efficiency and reliable fixation that is not easily detached.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first guide plate is adapted to the support platform and a heat insulation material is sandwiched between them, and the second guide plate extends downward from one side edge of the first guide plate into the water receiving tray, and then bends and extends laterally to the first end of the heating tube.

[0017] In the above technical solution, the second guide plate extends downward from one side edge of the first guide plate into the water receiving tray, and then bends and extends laterally to the first end of the heating tube. This avoids the problem of the second guide plate directly connecting the first guide plate and the heating tube interfering with other components and causing high-temperature damage to other components.

[0018] In some embodiments, both ends of the heating tube pass through the same fixing structure along the second horizontal direction, and then extend upward and are electrically connected to the wires. The water receiving tray is folded outward along one edge in the first horizontal direction to form a support platform. The first guide plate and the fan are fixed on the support platform and are in contact with each other through heat insulation material. The second guide plate spans between the adjacent heating pipe and the first guide plate. And / or, the first end of the heating tube passes between the two fixed structures along the first horizontal direction near the fan, the first end of the heating tube is located outside the evaporator and is thermally connected to the second guide plate.

[0019] In the above technical solution, by passing both ends of the heating tube through the same fixed structure and extending upward to connect with the wire, the wire harness is concentrated at the fixed structure and does not extend on the water receiving tray outside the fixed structure. This avoids the interference and damage problems caused by the wire harness being arranged on the water receiving tray, facilitates the connection of the wire harness, and also facilitates the processing and shaping of the heating tube.

[0020] The first end of the heating tube is located on the outer side of the evaporator near the fan and is thermally connected to the second guide plate, which facilitates the installation of the second guide plate and avoids interference with the heat dissipation fins.

[0021] In some embodiments, one end of the second guide plate is formed with a curved portion, which covers and overlaps the outer wall of the heating tube, and the other end of the second guide plate is connected to the first guide plate; And / or, the width of the second guide plate along the second horizontal direction is less than the width of the first guide plate along the second horizontal direction.

[0022] In the above technical solution, the curved portion overlaps the outer wall of the heating pipe, increasing the contact area between the second guide plate and the heating pipe and improving the contact heat transfer efficiency. Simultaneously, the curved portion is installed via an overlay method, simplifying operation and eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures. The second guide plate is narrower in the second horizontal direction, limiting the heat transferred from the heating pipe to the first guide plate, thus reducing heat transfer and preventing excessive heat transfer from the heating pipe to the foaming blower casing.

[0023] In some embodiments, the number of the second guide plates is one or more spaced apart, and the second guide plates are suspended on the water receiving tray or arranged at least partially in contact with the bottom wall of the water receiving tray.

[0024] In some embodiments, the second guide plate is suspended on the water receiving tray, and at least one water leakage hole is provided on the second guide plate.

[0025] In the above technical solution, by opening at least one water leakage hole on the second guide plate suspended above the water receiving tray, water droplets falling on the surface of the second guide plate during the defrosting process can pass through the water leakage hole and fall directly into the water receiving tray, thus avoiding the problem of water droplets accumulating and frosting on the surface of the second guide plate. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an evaporator, heater, and water receiving tray according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is the present invention. Figure 1 A diagram from another angle; Figure 3 This is one of the inventions Figure 1 Enlarged view of point A in the middle; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an evaporator and heating element according to the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a water receiving tray and a heat-conducting plate according to the present invention; Figure 6 This is the present invention. Figure 4 A diagram from another angle; Figure 7 This is the present invention. Figure 1 Another angle of the diagram; Figure 8 This is the present invention. Figure 7 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction; Figure 9 This is the present invention. Figure 8 Enlarged view of point B in the middle; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another water receiving tray and heat-conducting plate of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a partial schematic diagram of another water receiving tray and heat-conducting plate of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a housing without an air duct shell according to the present invention.

[0029] in, 1. Evaporator; 11. Fixing structure; 111. Fixing part; 1111. Fixing hole; 1112. Guide groove; 12. Refrigerant piping; 121. Inlet pipe section; 122. Spiral pipe section; 123. Outlet pipe section; 13. Heat dissipation fins; 2. Water receiving tray; 21. Support platform; 22. First shielding part; 23. Second shielding part; 3. Heater; 31. Heating tube; 32. Heat-conducting plate; 321. First guide plate; 322. Second guide plate; 3221. Bending section; 3222. Drain hole; 33. Wire; 4. Housing; 41. Evaporation chamber; 5. Fan. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention, the solutions of the present invention will be further described below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other.

[0031] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention, but the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein; obviously, the embodiments in the specification are only some embodiments of the invention, and not all embodiments.

[0032] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] like Figures 1 to 12 As shown, this embodiment provides a freezer, and this embodiment takes a frost-free freezer as an example. The freezer includes a cabinet 4, an evaporator 1, a fan 5, a drip tray 2, and a heater 3.

[0034] like Figure 12 As shown, an evaporation chamber 41 is formed inside the cabinet 4. The evaporation chamber 41 has an air inlet and an air outlet at both ends in the first horizontal direction. An evaporator 1 and a drip tray 2 are installed inside the evaporation chamber 41. The evaporator 1 absorbs heat through refrigerant evaporation to lower the temperature of the flowing air, and the drip tray 2 collects the defrosting water from the evaporator 1. The evaporator 1 is a horizontal evaporator. A fan 5 is installed at the air outlet of the evaporation chamber 41, i.e., the fan 5 is located on one side of the evaporator 1 in the horizontal direction. The fan 5 forces air to flow through the evaporator 1, cools it down, and finally enters the storage area of ​​the freezer. The evaporator 1 and the fan 5 are fixedly mounted on the drip tray 2 at intervals along the first horizontal direction.

[0035] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the heater 3 includes a heating tube 31. The heating tube 31 is a ferrous metal heating tube, and ferrous metals mainly refer to iron and its alloys, such as steel, pig iron, ferroalloys, cast iron, etc., which generally have high temperature resistance properties. The heating tube 31 can be laid in a serpentine or straight shape below the evaporator 1 and above the water receiving tray 2.

[0036] In some embodiments, the heating tube 31 includes a reciprocating serpentine coil, that is, the heating tube 31 is sequentially wound along a first horizontal direction to form at least five rows of horizontally spaced tube segments. The serpentine coil is fixed to the evaporator 1. The serpentine coil is spaced apart from the bottom of the main evaporation section of the evaporator 1 and the water receiving pan 2, respectively, and is spaced apart from the fan 5 in the first horizontal direction.

[0037] In this embodiment, a ferrous metal heating tube is laid below the evaporator 1 and above the water tray 2, utilizing only the space between the main evaporation section and the water tray 2. The serpentine coil is planar in shape, avoiding the complex fin structure on the surface of the evaporator 1. This allows the difficult-to-process ferrous metal heating tube to be laid flat below the evaporator 1 without bending, instead utilizing its rigid structure. This solves the processing problem of ferrous metal tubes having poor flexibility and being unable to be laid on the outer surface of the evaporator 1 like aluminum tubes. Compared to aluminum tubes, the ferrous metal heating tube can withstand higher heating temperatures. The heating tube 31 heats the air, and the heat is transferred from bottom to top through thermal radiation. This allows the heated air to melt the frost layer on the surface of the evaporator 1. Compared to the existing technology where aluminum tubes conduct heat locally from the outer surface, defrosting is more uniform, avoiding the problem of frost falling off in large pieces after localized melting, which could easily block the drain of the water tray 2. The defrosting effect is thus improved.

[0038] In existing solutions, ferrous metal heating tubes are typically used for defrosting vertical evaporators. Vertical evaporators have a smaller bottom area, making the ferrous metal heating tubes easier to manufacture; furthermore, vertical evaporators discharge air from bottom to top, allowing for ample space below to install the ferrous metal heating tubes. However, when the ferrous metal heating tubes are used for defrosting the horizontal evaporator of this application, when laid between the main evaporator section and the water collection tray 2, when air is supplied through the duct, the air tends to flow directly from the space between the main evaporator section and the water collection tray 2 towards the air outlet, without flowing through the main evaporator section for cooling.

[0039] In this embodiment, a first shielding part 22 is provided on the inner wall of the water receiving tray 2. The first shielding part 22 protrudes upward and extends at least beyond the bottom wall of the serpentine coil. The first shielding part 22 extends along the second horizontal direction and is located on the side of the evaporator 1 near the air inlet, so as to at least partially shield the distance between the main evaporator and the water receiving tray 2.

[0040] In this embodiment, a first shielding part is provided on the inner wall of the water receiving pan 2. The first shielding part protrudes upward and its height exceeds the bottom wall of the serpentine coil. It extends along the second horizontal direction and is arranged outside the air inlet side of the evaporator 1. The first shielding part can form at least partial shielding of the gap between the main evaporator and the water receiving pan 2, preventing the airflow from entering the evaporation chamber 41 from the air inlet and then flowing directly to the air outlet through the gap between the two to form a short circuit. This forces all or most of the airflow to pass through the main evaporator for sufficient heat exchange, effectively avoiding the problem that the airflow cannot be cooled by bypassing the main evaporator, and improving the overall heat exchange efficiency and cooling effect of the evaporator 1.

[0041] The serpentine coil and the fan 5 are spaced apart in the first horizontal direction. When the ferrous metal serpentine coil is installed below the main evaporator, the fan 5 located on the air outlet side of the evaporator 1 is prone to frosting, leading to increased energy consumption or malfunction of the fan 5. If the fan 5 is directly heated by the serpentine coil winding outwards, the excessively high temperature of the serpentine coil, coupled with the fact that the fan 5's casing is typically made of plastic, could damage the fan 5's casing.

[0042] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the heater 3 in this embodiment includes a heat-conducting plate 32. The heat-conducting plate 32 is located between the serpentine coil and the fan 5 to receive heat from the serpentine coil and radiate heat around the fan 5. The heat-conducting plate 32 includes a first guide plate 321 and a second guide plate 322. The housing of the fan 5 is spaced apart from the inner wall of the water receiving tray 2. The first guide plate 321 is located below the housing and spaced apart from the housing, and does not directly contact it. The second guide plate 322 has a strip structure, and its two ends are thermally connected to the first guide plate 321 and the serpentine coil, respectively.

[0043] The first guide plate 321 is a flat plate or an arc-shaped plate that matches the curvature of the bottom of the fan 5. The first guide plate 321 and the second guide plate 322 are made of heat-conducting material. The casing of the fan 5 is usually made of plastic material, which can receive the heat transferred by the heat-conducting plate 32, so that the fan 5 can defrost as a whole.

[0044] In this embodiment, a second guide plate 322 connects the heating tube 31 and the first guide plate 321. This allows some of the heat from the heating tube 31 to be transferred to the first guide plate 321 via the second guide plate 322. The first guide plate 321 and the second guide plate 322 then heat the fan 5 through thermal radiation, thereby heating the surrounding air. This heated air then heats the fan 5, solving the problem of the ferrous metal heating tube being difficult to process and lay directly to achieve heat transfer with the fan 5. It also avoids the problem of the ferrous metal heating tube directly contacting the fan 5, which could easily damage the fan 5 during heat transfer. The second guide plate 322, as an intermediate heat transfer component, not only achieves heat transfer from the heating tube 31 to the fan 5 but also acts as a heat buffer, making the defrosting temperature of the fan 5 controllable and the defrosting process safer and more reliable.

[0045] In the above technical solution, the second guide plate 322 can be a flat plate or a bent plate. The second guide plate 322 can be replaced by a heat pipe or a heat rod. The serpentine coil is configured to match the inclination direction of the bottom wall of the water receiving tray 2.

[0046] The inner wall of the water receiving tray 2 is provided with a plurality of protruding second shielding parts 23. The plurality of second shielding parts 23 are spaced apart along the first horizontal direction. The second shielding parts 23 are located below the main evaporator and extend along the second horizontal direction, which can further block the airflow in the bottom gap, help optimize the air duct distribution, reduce airflow short circuit, and improve the overall heat exchange uniformity.

[0047] Preferably, the water receiving tray 2 has a groove, which is located on the side away from the drain outlet in the second horizontal direction. A second shielding part 23 is provided in the groove. Multiple second shielding parts 23 are arranged alternately with the heating tube 31.

[0048] Meanwhile, the heat-conducting plate 32 is located below the fan 5, allowing the heat generated by the heating pipe 31 to be transferred to the fan 5 through the air to defrost the fan 5 and prevent frost buildup on the fan 5 impeller from affecting airflow. The heat radiation from the heat-conducting plate 32 heats the surrounding air, and the hot air enters the space between the air guide ring and the bottom of the fan 5 volute through the opening at the bottom of the volute, thereby improving the temperature uniformity inside the fan 5 volute and the air duct during the defrosting process.

[0049] The heating element 31 can be either hollow or solid. The housing 4 has a pre-installed independent evaporation chamber 41, which is a rectangular hollow structure. A circular air outlet is located in the middle of one side wall in the first horizontal direction, and an air inlet is located on the other side wall. The evaporator 1 has a flat rectangular structure and is fixedly installed inside the evaporation chamber 41 with bolts. The fan 5 is a centrifugal fan, fixedly installed at the air outlet of the evaporation chamber 41 with a bracket. The air inlet of the fan 5 faces the inside of the evaporation chamber 41, and the air outlet is sealed to the air outlet. The drip tray 2 is made of stainless steel and has a long, narrow groove structure. Its length in the first horizontal direction is greater than the length of the evaporator 1, and one end in the second horizontal direction extends upward and is located outside the evaporator 1. The housing 4 includes an inner liner and an outer shell spaced apart. The inner liner is located inside the outer shell, and there is a foaming cavity filled with foaming material between them. Preferably, the housing 4 further includes an air duct shell, which cooperates with the inner liner to form an evaporation chamber 41 between them. The storage area is formed inside the inner liner. The evaporation chamber 41 is located at the bottom of the housing 4.

[0050] Preferably, the ferrous metal heating element is a steel pipe heating element.

[0051] Compared to aluminum tubes, steel heating tubes have stronger high-temperature resistance, can withstand higher heating temperatures during defrosting, and have higher heat transfer efficiency, enabling them to quickly melt the thick frost layer on the evaporator. Aluminum tubes have a lower upper limit for high temperature resistance and are prone to deformation and insufficient heat output under high-temperature conditions, while steel tubes are less prone to thermal deformation and have better structural stability during long-term high-temperature cyclic use. Compared to other ferrous metal tubes such as pig iron, cast iron, and ferroalloys, steel heating tubes have better plasticity, making them less prone to cracking and breakage when bent into coils suitable for the evaporator, resulting in a higher yield rate, better tube wall uniformity, and more even overall heat distribution during heating, eliminating local overheating or heating blind spots. They are also less prone to rust and damage from long-term contact with defrosting condensate, have a longer service life, and have a moderate weight.

[0052] The evaporator 1 includes two fixed structures 11, refrigerant pipes 12, and heat dissipation fins 13. The direction of the reciprocating winding of the heating tube 31 is consistent with the direction of the reciprocating winding of the refrigerant pipes 12.

[0053] Two fixed structures 11 are spaced apart along a second horizontal direction, and a refrigerant pipe 12 is coiled between the two fixed structures 11. Heat dissipation fins 13 are fitted onto the refrigerant pipe 12 located between the two fixed structures 11 to increase the heat dissipation area; these fins are typically copper or aluminum. The main evaporator section consists of the refrigerant pipe 12 and the heat dissipation fins 13 located between the two fixed structures 11. A serpentine coil is coiled and fixed to the two fixed structures 11 below the refrigerant pipe 12. The second horizontal direction intersects with the first horizontal direction, which is either the length or width direction of the freezer, and the second horizontal direction is either the length or width direction of the freezer. Preferably, the first horizontal direction is the width direction of the freezer, and the second horizontal direction is the length direction of the freezer. The evaporator 1 itself is arranged along the length direction of the first horizontal direction.

[0054] In this embodiment, the serpentine coil is wound and fixed to two fixing structures 11 below the refrigerant line 12, preventing the high temperature of the serpentine coil from damaging the refrigerant line 12. The fixing structures 11 serve as mounting carriers for the heating tube 31, eliminating the need for the heating tube 31 to be directly laid on the complex finned surface of the evaporator 1, thus solving the problem of the difficulty in processing and installing ferrous metal heating tubes on the surface of the evaporator 1. Furthermore, the fixing structures 11 are spaced apart along the second horizontal direction and intersect with the first horizontal direction, meaning the main evaporator section is positioned opposite the fan 5, which facilitates improved heat exchange efficiency.

[0055] The fixing structure 11 includes a vertically arranged fixing plate with multiple mounting parts on the fixing plate. The multiple mounting parts are arranged in a horizontal and vertical array. The refrigerant pipe is first wound horizontally and then wound vertically to complete one layer. Alternatively, the refrigerant pipe can be wound horizontally and then wound horizontally to complete one column before continuing to wind horizontally to complete the next column.

[0056] Furthermore, the serpentine coils are spaced apart from the bottom walls of the refrigerant pipe 12 and the water receiving pan 2.

[0057] In this embodiment, the heating tube 31 is reciprocated into a horizontally placed serpentine coil, creating a gap between the heating tube 31 and the refrigerant line 12. This avoids the heating tube 31 directly contacting the refrigerant line 12, which could lead to overheating and damage, or even refrigerant explosion. Simultaneously, the heating tube 31 is spaced apart from the bottom wall of the drip tray 2, preventing the high temperature of the heating tube 31 from being directly transferred to the bottom wall of the drip tray 2 and damaging the drip tray 2 and the adjacent housing 4. The horizontally placed serpentine coil structure increases the coverage area of ​​the heating tube 31 below the refrigerant line 12, resulting in more uniform heat radiation and better defrosting. Furthermore, the overall structure is supported by the fixing structure 11, making processing and installation very convenient.

[0058] The bottom of the drip tray 2 is equipped with a drain outlet, and the bottom wall of the drip tray 2 gradually slopes down from its edge towards the drain outlet. The drip tray 2 collects defrost water and discharges it from the drain outlet to the outside of the freezer or into a water storage box.

[0059] The top of the serpentine coil is close to and can contact the heat dissipation fins 13, but must maintain a distance from the refrigerant lines 12. The first shielding part 22 is not higher than the top of the serpentine coil, and the second shielding part 23 is not higher than the top of the serpentine coil. Both the first shielding part 22 and the second shielding part 23 are elongated protrusions, and the length of the first shielding part 22 is greater than that of the second shielding part 23.

[0060] In some embodiments, the lower edge of the fixing structure 11 is provided with a plurality of fixing parts 111 spaced apart along a first horizontal direction, and the heating tube 31 is sequentially wound and fixed on each fixing part 111 along the first horizontal direction. The fixing parts 111 include, but are not limited to, slots, hooks, wire holes and clamping pieces.

[0061] This embodiment uses multiple fixing parts 111 spaced apart along the first horizontal direction at the lower edge of the fixing structure 11. This allows the heating tube 31 to be repeatedly wound and fixed onto each fixing part 111 along the first horizontal direction. The fixing parts 111 serve as segmented support points for the heating tube 31, eliminating the need for manual positioning during winding and fixing. Installation simply involves inserting the heating tube 31 into each fixing part 111 sequentially, solving the problem of difficult operation in winding and fixing the heating tube 31 onto the fixing structure 11. The heating tube 31 is laid out in both the first and second horizontal directions, increasing the heating area below the evaporator 1 and resulting in more uniform heat radiation.

[0062] It should be noted that the heating tube 31 can be pre-processed into a serpentine coil to match the dimensions of multiple fixing parts 111. During installation, the various parts of the serpentine coil are directly installed onto the fixing parts 111 of the two fixing structures 11. Optionally, the bottoms of the two fixing structures 11 are fixed to the bottom wall of the water receiving tray 2. The fixing structure 11 is a rectangular plate structure.

[0063] The refrigerant pipeline 12 of the evaporator 1 includes an inlet pipe section 121, a wound pipe section 122 and an outlet pipe section 123. The wound pipe section 122 is wound back and forth on the fixed structure 11. The two ends of the wound pipe section 122 are connected to the inlet pipe section 121 and the outlet pipe section 123 respectively. The inlet pipe section 121 and the outlet pipe section 123 are both located on the side of the wound pipe section 122 that is closer to the fan 5.

[0064] The fixing part 111 includes fixing holes 1111 and guide grooves 1112. Fixing holes 1111 are spaced apart along a first horizontal direction on the fixing structure 11 and are a certain distance from the lower end face of the fixing structure 11 to prevent overheating of the water receiving tray 2. The guide groove 1112 extends from the edge of the fixing structure 11 and communicates with the fixing holes 1111. The inner diameter of the guide groove 1112 is smaller than the inner diameter of the fixing holes 1111. The guide groove 1112 can be a vertical groove, a horizontal groove, a bent groove, or a combination of various groove shapes. The outer diameter of the heating tube 31 is slightly larger than or equal to the width of the guide groove 1112, and the outer diameter of the heating tube 31 is less than or equal to the inner diameter of the fixing holes 1111. When the heating tube 31 is installed, the guide groove 1112 of the fixing structure 11 can be slightly deformed to facilitate the sliding of the heating tube 31 into the guide groove 1112.

[0065] In this embodiment, a guide groove 1112 is provided on the fixing part 111 and connects it to the fixing hole 1111. The inner diameter of the guide groove 1112 is smaller than the inner diameter of the fixing hole 1111. During installation, the heating tube 31 enters from the narrow opening of the guide groove 1112, slides along the guide groove 1112 to the fixing hole 1111 with a larger inner diameter, and is then stuck. This eliminates the need to directly insert the heating tube 31 into the fixing hole 1111, reducing installation difficulty and simplifying the operation of winding and fixing the heating tube 31 onto the fixing structure 11. The guide groove 1112 serves as a positioning guide, allowing the heating tube 31 to sequentially enter each fixing hole 1111 along the guide groove 1112 to complete the reciprocating winding and fixing. This results in high installation efficiency and reliable fixing, preventing the tube from falling off easily.

[0066] Specifically, the fixing structure 11 has horizontally extending guide grooves 1112 and fixing holes 1111 communicating with the guide grooves 1112 at both ends in the first horizontal direction. The fixing structure 11 has multiple cross-shaped guide grooves 1112 between its two ends in the first horizontal direction. Each guide groove 1112 penetrates the lower end face of the fixing structure 11, and two fixing holes 1111 are respectively connected to the left and right ends of the guide grooves 1112, facilitating the guidance of the heating tube 31 through the guide grooves 1112 into the fixing holes 1111.

[0067] The freezer also includes a defrost sensor. When using aluminum heating tubes, since the aluminum heating tubes are arranged on the upper and lower surfaces of the evaporator 1, the defrost sensor needs to be placed away from the area with the lowest temperature of the aluminum heating tubes. Therefore, the defrost sensor is placed on the inlet pipe section 121 of the evaporator 1, located at half the thickness of the evaporator 1. After the heating tube 31 is replaced with a steel heating tube, since the heating tube 31 is only arranged between the lower side of the evaporator 1 and the middle area of ​​the drip tray 2, the area with the lowest temperature changes from half the thickness of the evaporator 1 to the top area of ​​the evaporator 1. Therefore, the position of the defrost sensor is adjusted to the top of the inlet pipe of the evaporator 1 (see...). Figure 6 This area has the lowest air temperature, which ensures sufficient defrosting and allows for easy upward wiring of the defrost sensor, avoiding interference with the evaporator 1 and other structures.

[0068] like Figures 5 to 11 As shown, both ends of the heating tube 31 are inserted through the same fixing structure 11 along the second horizontal direction, and then extend upward and are electrically connected to the wire 33. That is, both ends of the heating tube 31 extend upward along the height direction, which is used for the wire 33 for external power supply.

[0069] The water receiving tray 2 has an upwardly extending baffle formed at one end edge in the second horizontal direction, and the evaporator 1 is spaced apart from the baffle. The two ends of the heating tube 31 are located between the evaporator 1 and the baffle.

[0070] In this embodiment, the heating tube 31 is electrically connected to the wire 33 by passing both ends through the same fixed structure 11 and extending upwards. This allows the wire harness to be drawn out centrally at the fixed structure 11 and not extended on the water receiving tray 2 outside the fixed structure 11. This avoids interference and damage caused by the wire harness being arranged on the water receiving tray 2, facilitates the connection of the wire harness, and also facilitates the processing and shaping of the heating tube 31.

[0071] The wiring harness of the defrost sensor and the wiring harness of the heating element 31 can extend upwards to connect to the same terminal.

[0072] The first end of the heating tube 31 is inserted between the ends of the two fixed structures 11 along the first horizontal direction near the fan 5, and the second end of the heating tube 31 is inserted between the other ends of the two fixed structures 11 along the first horizontal direction. The first end of the heating tube 31 is located on the outer side of the evaporator 1 near the fan 5 and is thermally connected to the second guide plate 322, which facilitates the installation of the second guide plate 322 and avoids interference with the heat dissipation fins 13.

[0073] The water receiving tray 2 is folded outward along one edge in the first horizontal direction to form a support platform 21. For example, the support platform 21 is a flat support structure. The first guide plate 321 and the fan 5 are fixed on the support platform 21 to avoid occupying space inside the water receiving tray 2. The first guide plate 321 is set on the support platform 21, and the bottom of the fan 5 housing is attached to the top wall of the first guide plate 321 and fixed on the support platform 21. The second guide plate 322 spans between the adjacent heating pipe 31 and the first guide plate 321.

[0074] Since the inlet pipe section 121 and outlet pipe section 123 of the refrigerant pipe 12 are both located on the side of the evaporator 1 close to the fan 5, in order to avoid the high-temperature heat conduction plate 32 directly heating the inlet pipe section 121 and outlet pipe section 123, which would cause the inlet pipe section 121 and outlet pipe section 123 to be damaged due to excessive temperature.

[0075] In this embodiment, the first guide plate 321 is adapted to the support platform 21, and the second guide plate 322 extends downward from one side edge of the first guide plate 321 into the water receiving tray 2, and then bends and extends laterally to the first end of the heating pipe 31, so as to avoid the problem of high temperature damage to the inlet pipe section 121 and the outlet pipe section 123 caused by the second guide plate 322 directly connecting the first guide plate 321 and the heating pipe 31.

[0076] Preferably, the main body of the first guide plate 321 is attached to the support platform 21, and one side edge of the first guide plate 321 extends inward to the top of the water receiving tray 2.

[0077] One specific design involves a bend 3221 formed at one end of the second guide plate 322, which overlaps and covers the outer wall of the heating tube 31. The other end of the second guide plate 322 is connected to the first guide plate 321. This increases the contact area between the second guide plate 322 and the heating tube 31, improving heat transfer efficiency. Furthermore, the bend 3221 is installed by covering, simplifying the process and eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures. The bend 3221 can be L-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped, etc.

[0078] The width of the second guide plate 322 along the second horizontal direction is smaller than the width of the first guide plate 321 along the second horizontal direction. That is, the second guide plate 322 is narrower in the second horizontal direction. The heat transferred from the heating pipe 31 to the first guide plate 321 is limited by the cross-sectional size of the second guide plate 322, which reduces the heat transfer and prevents excessive heat from being transferred from the heating pipe 31 to the fan 5 casing.

[0079] like Figure 5 As shown, there is one second guide plate 322, and the shape of the second guide plate 322 is either elongated or Y-shaped. Figure 10 As shown, there can be multiple second guide plates 322, which are spaced apart along the second horizontal direction.

[0080] The second guide plate 322 can be configured in several ways: One way to set it up is, for example Figure 9 As shown, the second guide plate 322 is suspended on the water receiving pan 2 and does not contact the water receiving pan 2, which can avoid heat transfer to the water receiving pan 2.

[0081] One end of the second guide plate 322 is connected to the first guide plate 321, and the other end extends to the edge of the water receiving tray 2 and then extends downward into the water receiving tray 2, and then extends laterally to the first end of the heating tube 31.

[0082] Another way to set it up is, such as Figure 11 As shown, the arrangement is at least partially attached to the bottom wall of the water receiving pan 2, which can transfer some heat to the water receiving pan 2 and can be used in conjunction with the fan 5 and the heating pipe 31 for defrosting.

[0083] One end of the second guide plate 322 is connected to the first guide plate 321, and the other end extends to the edge of the water receiving tray 2 and then extends downward into the water receiving tray 2. Then it adheres to the bottom wall of the water receiving tray 2 and extends towards the heating tube 31, and then extends upward to the first end of the heating tube 31.

[0084] The specific settings for the second guide plate 322 can be configured according to different product models and defrosting requirements.

[0085] Preferably, the second guide plate 322 is suspended on the water receiving tray 2, and at least one water leakage hole 3222 is provided on the second guide plate 322 (see reference). Figure 10 The number of drainage holes 3222 can be one or more. When the number of drainage holes 3222 can be multiple, the multiple drainage holes 3222 are spaced apart along the length direction of the second guide plate 322.

[0086] In this embodiment, at least one drainage hole 3222 is provided on the second guide plate 322 suspended above the water receiving tray 2, so that water droplets falling on the surface of the second guide plate 322 during the defrosting process can pass through the drainage hole 3222 and fall directly into the water receiving tray 2, thus avoiding the problem of water droplets accumulating and frosting on the surface of the second guide plate 322.

[0087] When the width of the second guide plate 322 is greater than or equal to 15mm to 20mm, its surface area is larger, making it easier to catch falling water droplets. Therefore, it is especially necessary to set up a drain hole 3222. The shape of the drain hole 3222 can be circular, elongated, or oblong, etc.

[0088] It should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0089] The above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to these embodiments, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A freezer, characterized in that, Includes the housing, evaporator, fan, drip tray, and heater; An evaporation chamber is formed inside the box. An air inlet and an air outlet are respectively opened at both ends of the evaporation chamber in the first horizontal direction. The evaporator and the water receiving tray are installed in the evaporation chamber, and the fan is installed at the air outlet of the evaporation chamber. The evaporator and the fan are fixed to the water receiving tray at intervals along the first horizontal direction. The heater includes a heating tube and a heat-conducting plate. The heating tube is a ferrous metal heating tube and includes a serpentine coil. The serpentine coil is fixed on the evaporator and is laid at intervals between the main evaporation section of the evaporator and the water receiving tray. The inner wall of the water receiving tray is provided with a first shielding part. The first shielding part protrudes upward and extends at least beyond the bottom wall of the serpentine coil. The first shielding part extends along the second horizontal direction and is located outside the side of the evaporator near the air inlet, so as to at least partially shield the distance between the main evaporator and the water receiving tray. The serpentine coil and the fan are spaced apart in a first horizontal direction. The heat-conducting plate is located between the serpentine coil and the fan to receive heat from the serpentine coil and radiate heat to the fan. The heat-conducting plate includes a first guide plate and a second guide plate. The fan housing is spaced apart from the water receiving tray. The first guide plate is located below the housing and spaced apart from the housing. The second guide plate has a strip structure, and its two ends are thermally connected to the first guide plate and the serpentine coil, respectively. The second guide plate is suspended on the water receiving tray, and at least one water leakage hole is provided on the second guide plate.

2. The freezer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the water receiving tray is provided with a plurality of protruding second shielding parts, which are spaced apart along a first horizontal direction. The second shielding parts are located below the main evaporation section and extend along a second horizontal direction.

3. The freezer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The evaporator includes two fixed structures, refrigerant piping, and heat dissipation fins; the two fixed structures are spaced apart along a second horizontal direction, the refrigerant piping is coiled between the two fixed structures, and the heat dissipation fins are sleeved on the refrigerant piping located between the two fixed structures; the main evaporation section consists of the refrigerant piping and heat dissipation fins located between the two fixed structures. The serpentine coil is coiled and fixed around the two fixed structures below the refrigerant pipeline and is spaced apart from the refrigerant pipeline. The second horizontal direction intersects with the first horizontal direction.

4. The freezer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lower edge of the fixed structure is provided with multiple fixing parts at intervals along the first horizontal direction, and the heating tube is sequentially wound and fixed on each of the fixing parts along the first horizontal direction.

5. The freezer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fixing part includes fixing holes and guide grooves. The fixing holes are spaced apart along a first horizontal direction on the fixing structure and spaced apart from the lower end of the fixing structure. The guide grooves extend from the edge of the fixing structure and communicate with the fixing holes. The inner diameter of the guide grooves is smaller than the inner diameter of the fixing holes.

6. The freezer according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, Both ends of the heating tube are inserted through the same fixing structure along the second horizontal direction, and then extend upward and are electrically connected to the wires respectively. The water receiving tray is folded outward along one edge in the first horizontal direction to form a support platform. The first guide plate and the fan are fixed on the support platform and are in contact with each other through heat insulation material. The second guide plate spans between the adjacent heating pipe and the first guide plate. And / or, the first end of the heating tube passes between the two fixed structures along the first horizontal direction near the fan, the first end of the heating tube is located outside the evaporator, and is thermally connected to the second guide plate.

7. The freezer according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first guide plate is adapted to the support platform and a heat insulation material is sandwiched between them. The second guide plate extends downward from one side edge of the first guide plate into the water receiving tray, and then bends and extends laterally to the first end of the heating tube.

8. The freezer according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, One end of the second guide plate has a curved portion, which covers and overlaps the outer wall of the heating tube, and the other end of the second guide plate is connected to the first guide plate; And / or, the width of the second guide plate along the second horizontal direction is less than the width of the first guide plate along the second horizontal direction.

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