Refrigerator liner structure and refrigerator

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of refrigerator manufacturing technology, providing a refrigerator inner liner structure and a refrigerator. The refrigerator inner liner structure includes a freezer inner liner, a refrigerator inner liner, an air duct assembly, and an air damper device. The freezer inner liner and the refrigerator inner liner are arranged side by side. A first air vent is formed on one side wall of the freezer inner liner, and a second air vent is formed on one side wall of the refrigerator inner liner. The first and second air vents are parallel to the side walls. The air duct assembly is located between the freezer inner liner and the refrigerator inner liner. The air duct assembly includes a main body and a cover plate. A groove is formed in the main body, and the cover plate is connected to the main body and covers the groove to form an air duct. The air damper device is located in the air duct. The opening at one end of the groove communicates with the first air vent and is configured as an air inlet. The opening at the other end of the groove communicates with the second air vent and is configured as an air outlet, so as to connect the freezer inner liner and the refrigerator inner liner through the air duct. By making the first and second air dampers parallel to the side walls of the corresponding inner liners, the space occupied by the air duct assembly in the thickness direction of the inner liner can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigerator manufacturing technology, and in particular to a refrigerator inner liner structure and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] Typically, single-cooling side-by-side refrigerators share the same compressor and refrigeration circuit. The refrigerator compartment is cooled, and the cold air from the freezer compartment is controlled by the opening and closing of an electric damper.

[0003] In related technologies, the layout design of the fan and damper in the refrigerator's inner liner restricts the installation location of the evaporator. Furthermore, when the cooling demand for the refrigerator increases, the evaporator needs to be larger, making it difficult to place within the refrigerator's inner liner. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a refrigerator inner liner structure and a refrigerator, which solves the problem that the installation position of the evaporator is limited in the prior art, making it difficult to meet the increased volume requirements of the evaporator under higher cooling demands.

[0005] The first aspect of this invention provides a refrigerator inner liner structure, comprising: a freezer inner liner, a refrigerator inner liner, an air duct assembly, and an air damper device. The freezer inner liner and the refrigerator inner liner are arranged side by side. A first air vent is formed on the side wall of the freezer inner liner near the refrigerator inner liner, and the first air vent faces the other side wall of the freezer inner liner. A second air vent is formed on the side wall of the refrigerator inner liner near the freezer inner liner, and the second air vent faces the other side wall of the refrigerator inner liner. The air duct assembly is disposed between the freezer inner liner and the refrigerator inner liner. The air duct assembly includes... The device includes a main body and a cover plate. A groove is formed in the main body, and openings are provided at both ends of the groove. The cover plate is connected to the main body and covers the groove to form an air duct. An air damper device is built into the air duct and is used to control the air duct to open or close. The opening at one end of the groove is connected to the first air outlet and is configured as the air inlet of the air duct. The opening at the other end of the groove is connected to the second air outlet and is configured as the air outlet of the air duct, so as to connect the freezing inner liner and the refrigeration inner liner through the air duct.

[0006] According to the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention, the cover plate is further provided with a terminal chamber, and the terminal chamber is provided with a damper terminal, which is used to electrically connect the damper device to the external main wiring harness.

[0007] According to the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention, a sealing cover is further provided on the terminal chamber, and the sealing cover is disposed on the terminal chamber to seal the terminal chamber.

[0008] According to the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention, the upper side of the side wall of the main body having the air inlet is also provided with an installation port, the installation port being spaced apart from the air inlet of the air duct, and the air damper device being horizontally installed in the air duct through the installation port.

[0009] According to the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention, a first groove is provided at the bottom of the groove corresponding to the mounting port, and a second groove is provided on the cover plate. The second groove and the first groove are arranged opposite to each other in the thickness direction to cooperate to form a limiting space. The damper device is disposed in the limiting space so that the damper device laterally blocks the air duct.

[0010] According to the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention, the main body includes a first connecting end connected to the freezing inner liner and a second connecting end connected to the refrigeration inner liner. The first connecting end and the second connecting end are offset in the thickness direction to form an airflow buffer between the first connecting end and the second connecting end.

[0011] According to the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention, the width of the air duct gradually increases from the airflow buffer portion to both ends, and the air damper device is disposed in the first connecting end and close to the airflow buffer portion.

[0012] According to the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention, the air inlet of the air duct is located at the lower part of the freezing inner liner, and the air outlet of the air duct is located at the upper part of the refrigeration inner liner.

[0013] According to the refrigerator liner structure provided by the present invention, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air inlet of the air duct is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the air outlet of the air duct.

[0014] According to the refrigerator liner structure provided by the present invention, the width of the air outlet is greater than the height of the air outlet, so that the air outlet forms a narrow and elongated flat structure.

[0015] A second aspect of the present invention provides a refrigerator, comprising: a refrigerator body, wherein the refrigerator body is provided with a refrigerator liner structure as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0016] The refrigerator inner liner structure and refrigerator provided by this invention reduce the space occupied by the air duct assembly in the thickness direction of the inner liner by aligning the first and second air dampers parallel to the corresponding side walls of the inner liner. This results in a more compact overall structure, facilitating the installation of larger evaporators or other components. Furthermore, by orienting the second air damper towards the side wall, the air outlet can be arranged in the height direction of the refrigerator compartment, thereby improving the uniformity of cold air delivery and increasing the cooling speed of the refrigerator compartment. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is one of the schematic diagrams of the overall assembly structure of the refrigerator inner liner provided by the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is the second schematic diagram of the overall assembly structure of the refrigerator inner liner provided by the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional view of the freezer inner liner in the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This invention provides Figure 3 A magnified structural diagram of point A in the middle.

[0022] Figure 5 This is an exploded structural diagram of the air duct assembly in the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the main component of the air duct assembly in the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a left-side view of the main component of the air duct assembly in the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a right-side view of the main component of the air duct assembly in the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention.

[0026] Figure 9 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the cover plate in the air duct assembly of the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention.

[0027] Figure 10 This is the second schematic diagram of the cover plate in the air duct assembly of the refrigerator inner liner structure provided by the present invention.

[0028] Figure label: 10. Freezer liner; 11. Freezer compartment; 12. First air vent; 13. Mounting port; 20. Refrigerator liner; 21. Refrigerator compartment; 22. Second air vent; 30. Air duct assembly; 31. Main body; 311. Groove; 312. Air inlet; 313. Air outlet; 314. Mounting port; 315. Airflow buffer; 316. First slot; 317. First connecting end; 318. Second connecting end; 32. Cover plate; 321. Terminal chamber; 322. Sealing cover; 323. Guide protrusion structure; 324. Second slot; 33. Air damper device. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0030] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the purpose of clarifying the embodiments of the present 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 the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0031] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0032] In embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0033] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0034] In related technologies, both the air inlet and outlet of the air duct are located on the rear wall of the rear liner, with their opening direction perpendicular to the side wall of the inner liner. During refrigerator pre-assembly, the electric damper is first installed into the pre-embedded air duct from the side; or during final assembly, the electric damper is first integrated with the external air duct of the final assembly and then installed onto the cabinet. The damper opening channel is perpendicular to the direction of the inner liner, and then the damper power connector is plugged into the reserved interface inside the cabinet. This layout restricts the internal space of the refrigerator inner liner, limiting the space available for evaporator installation, making it difficult to accommodate a larger evaporator. Furthermore, adjustments to the air duct will affect the overall damper connection and other positional relationships. To solve the above problems, this invention proposes a novel inner liner structure that, in conjunction with the air duct assembly, changes the overall layout of the air duct.

[0035] Regarding the problems in related technologies, such as Figures 1-5As shown, this embodiment provides a refrigerator inner liner structure, including a freezer inner liner 10, a refrigerator inner liner 20, an air duct assembly 30, and an air damper device. The freezer inner liner 10 and the refrigerator inner liner 20 are arranged side by side. A first air vent 12 is opened on the side wall of the freezer inner liner 10 near the refrigerator inner liner 20, and the first air vent 12 faces the other side wall of the freezer inner liner 10. A second air vent 22 is opened on the side wall of the refrigerator inner liner 20 near the freezer inner liner 10, and the second air vent 22 faces the other side wall of the refrigerator inner liner 20. The air duct assembly 30 is disposed between the freezer inner liner 10 and the refrigerator inner liner 20. Component 30 includes a main body 31 and a cover plate 32. A groove 311 is formed in the main body 31, and openings are provided at both ends of the groove 311. The cover plate 32 is connected to the main body 31 and covers the groove 311 to form an air duct. An air damper device is built into the air duct and is used to control the opening or closing of the air duct. The opening at one end of the groove 311 is connected to the first air outlet 12 and is configured as the air inlet 312 of the air duct. The opening at the other end of the groove 311 is connected to the second air outlet 22 and is configured as the air outlet 313 of the air duct, so as to connect the freezer inner liner 10 and the refrigerator inner liner 20 through the air duct. The air duct is used to connect the freezer inner liner 10 and the refrigerator inner liner 20. The air duct is usually arranged to extend along the thickness direction of the inner liner, which causes the main structure of the air duct to occupy a lot of space, which will seriously limit the installation of large-volume evaporators. In this embodiment, the air inlet 312 and air outlet 313 of the air duct assembly 30 are parallel to the plane of the side walls of the freezer inner liner 10 and the refrigerator inner liner 20. This means that it will not occupy too much space in the thickness direction, and can provide more installation space for other components, making the overall structure more compact.

[0036] Specifically, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, both the freezer inner liner 10 and the refrigerator inner liner 20 are constructed as rectangular structures, meaning they each include a rear wall, side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall. The side walls are located on both sides of the rear wall, the top wall is located at the top, and the bottom wall is located at the bottom, forming a storage space for storing food. The storage space formed by the freezer inner liner 10 is called the freezer compartment 11, and the storage space formed by the refrigerator inner liner 20 is called the refrigerator compartment 21. The air duct assembly 30 is integrally located on the back of the rear wall of both the freezer inner liner 10 and the refrigerator inner liner 20, and the overall structure of the air duct assembly 30 is parallel to the plane of the rear wall. This ensures that the air duct does not occupy space in the thickness direction of the inner liner, allowing for the installation of a larger evaporator and other components.

[0037] Among them, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4As shown, the first air vent 12 is located at the junction of the side wall and the rear wall of the freezer inner liner 10, and the second air vent 22 is located at the junction of the side wall and the rear wall of the refrigerator inner liner 20. The first air vent 12 and the second air vent 22 are directly opposite the side walls, so that the output cold air is directed towards the opposite side walls. There is a certain distance between the refrigerator inner liner 20 and the freezer inner liner 10. One end of the air duct assembly 30 is connected to the freezer inner liner 10, and the air inlet 312 of the air duct is connected to the first air vent 12 of the freezer inner liner 10. The air outlet 313 of the air duct assembly 30 is connected to the second air vent 22 of the refrigerator inner liner 20. The first air vent 12 and the second air vent 22 are directly opposite the other side wall of their respective inner liners, so that both the air inlet 312 and the air outlet 313 are parallel to the plane of the side wall.

[0038] Of course, in this embodiment, the overall structure of the main body 31 is parallel to the plane containing the rear walls of the refrigerated inner liner 20 and the frozen inner liner 10. This makes the plane containing the extending direction of the internal groove 311 parallel to the plane containing the rear walls of the refrigerated inner liner 20 and the frozen inner liner 10. Furthermore, in the specific installation, the entire air duct assembly 30 is pre-embedded between the frozen inner liner 10 and the refrigerated inner liner 20, and the main body of the air duct assembly 30 is located below the back side of the rear walls of the frozen inner liner 10 and the refrigerated inner liner 20. That is, the main body of the air duct assembly 30 does not protrude from the back side of the rear wall of the inner liner, which greatly reduces the space occupied by the main structure of the air duct in the thickness direction and makes the overall structure more compact.

[0039] During installation, the above embodiments, as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the main body 31 is located in a small space between the refrigerator inner liner 20 and the freezer inner liner 10. The ports at both ends of the main body 31 are connected to the first air vent 12 of the freezer inner liner 10 and the second air vent 22 of the refrigerator inner liner 20, respectively. This shortens the overall span of the air duct, reduces the path of cold air flow, reduces the loss of cold air, and optimizes the flow and circulation of cold air.

[0040] Understandably, in the structure of a side-by-side refrigerator, the evaporator, fan, and damper are typically positioned within the space along the thickness of the lower rear wall of the freezer compartment 11. This arrangement better utilizes the natural flow of cold air, optimizes energy efficiency and space utilization, reduces frost buildup, and improves freezing performance. Other locations in other refrigerators are less suitable for installing these components. Therefore, in scenarios requiring stronger cooling, the existing air duct layout needs to provide significantly more installation space, leading to an increase in overall size, manufacturing costs, and maintenance difficulty. Traditionally, air inlets and outlets are located on the rear wall of the freezer liner 10 or the refrigerator liner 20, making them perpendicular to the liner direction. This method occupies a large amount of installation space, especially in the thickness direction of the freezer compartment 10. In this embodiment, the air duct assembly 30 is installed on the back side of the rear wall of the refrigerator inner liner 20 and the freezer inner liner 10, and the air duct inlet 312 and air duct outlet 313 are parallel to the side wall of the freezer inner liner 10 and the refrigerator inner liner 20. The damper device is located inside the air duct. This eliminates the need to arrange the damper device and its related terminal connector in the thickness direction of the lower rear wall of the freezer compartment 11, saving space in the thickness direction and allowing for the installation of larger or more evaporators.

[0041] In other words, as described above, the overall structure of the air duct assembly 30 in this invention is located within the small space between the freezer inner liner 10 and the refrigerator inner liner 20. Furthermore, the opening directions of the air inlet and outlet, which are perpendicular to the direction of the inner liner in the traditional refrigerator inner liner structure, are changed to directions parallel to the side wall of the inner liner. This makes the overall structure more compact, provides more installation space for the evaporator, and optimizes the cold air circulation. In specific applications of the above embodiments, the main body 31 is a foam component, and the cover plate 32 is a plastic component. A groove 311 is integrally formed within the foam component. The cover plate 32 is snap-fitted to the main body 31 and can seal against the main body 31, thereby allowing the groove 311 and the cover plate 32 to cooperate and form an air duct.

[0042] In practical implementation, the damper device in the above embodiments can be pre-installed within the air duct to control the selective opening of the air duct. The damper device is an electric damper; opening the electric damper allows the air duct to be connected, and closing the electric damper closes the air duct.

[0043] In practical applications, as in the above embodiments, the electric damper is built-in and pre-embedded within the air duct, meaning it is pre-embedded within the main structure of the air duct. This pre-embedding facilitates the assembly of subsequent components. Simultaneously, the terminal connector of the electric damper is also pre-embedded in the corresponding position during pre-embedding, which facilitates subsequent electrical connection with the corresponding damper terminal, thereby achieving effective power supply to the electric damper. Furthermore, it saves installation space for the damper terminal within the thickness direction of the freezer compartment 11, allowing for the installation of larger evaporators or other components.

[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 , Figure 9 , Figure 10 As shown, the cover plate 32 in the refrigerator inner liner structure is also provided with a terminal chamber 321. The terminal chamber 321 contains a damper terminal, which is used to electrically connect the damper device to the external main wiring harness. The damper device is located within the air duct and needs to be electrically connected to the external main wiring harness to provide power. In this embodiment, the terminal chamber 321 is located on the cover plate 32, thereby enabling the integration of the damper terminal with the air duct assembly 30. This avoids the damper terminal occupying space in the thickness direction, providing more installation space for other components.

[0045] Specifically, the cover plate 32 is made entirely of plastic, and a terminal chamber 321 is formed in the middle of the cover plate 32. The terminal chamber 321 has an installation space, in which the damper terminal and a small number of wire harnesses are located. Specifically, one end of the damper terminal is connected to a wire, and the other end of the damper terminal has a plug-in end. The wire end is electrically connected to the damper device, and the plug-in end is electrically connected to the main wire harness.

[0046] Understandably, in conventional duct structures, the damper terminals electrically connected to the damper device are usually located in the thickness space on the lower side of the refrigeration inner liner 10. This inevitably occupies the thickness space, thus affecting the installation of other components. In this embodiment, the terminal chamber 321 is located on the cover plate 32, so that the damper terminals are located on the back of the duct assembly 30, and the main wiring harness and wires are led out from the back. This makes the overall structure more compact and avoids the damper terminals occupying the thickness space, allowing the thickness space to accommodate a larger evaporator.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the terminal chamber 321 is constructed as a rectangular cavity structure, and the terminal chamber 321 and the cover plate 32 are integrally formed. The main body of the damper terminal is located in the terminal chamber 321, while a part of the wire is located in the terminal chamber 321, and the other part of the wire is electrically connected to the damper device, thereby enabling the damper device and the external main wiring harness to conduct electricity.

[0048] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 , Figure 9As shown, the surface of the cover plate 32 is constructed of a grid structure, which makes the overall structural strength of the cover plate 32 higher.

[0049] In conjunction with the above embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, a sealing cover 322 is also provided on the terminal chamber 321. The sealing cover 322 covers the terminal chamber 321 to seal it. When connecting the damper terminal, it needs to be connected to the main wiring harness. In this example, the terminal chamber 321 is sealed by the sealing cover 322, which can isolate the foaming liquid and protect the damper terminal, facilitating subsequent maintenance.

[0050] Specifically, the sealing cover 322 is provided with a main wiring harness assembly connection end, so that after the sealing cover 322 is connected to the terminal chamber 321, the main wiring harness assembly connection end is located in the terminal chamber 321 and can be connected to the damper terminal, thus realizing the electrical connection between the damper terminal and the main wiring harness.

[0051] Understandably, in traditional refrigerator liner structures, the damper terminals occupy a certain amount of space during connection, and maintenance is usually required at the electrical connection terminals during later repairs. In this embodiment, the sealing cover 322 allows for direct opening of the sealing cover 322 when maintenance is needed, exposing the connection between the damper terminals and the main wiring harness, thus facilitating later maintenance.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the damper terminal is pre-installed along with the damper device 33. During the pre-installation process, the damper terminal is connected to the external main wiring harness, and finally the main wiring harness and the damper terminal are sealed into the terminal chamber 321 by the sealing cover 322. This method can protect the damper terminal and facilitate after-sales maintenance.

[0053] In specific settings, the above embodiments may be implemented as follows: Figure 5 As shown, connecting buckles are provided on the side walls of the terminal chamber 321 on opposite sides, and corresponding snap-fit ​​parts are provided on both sides of the sealing cover 322. The snap-fit ​​parts cooperate with the connecting snaps to connect the sealing cover 322, and the sealing cover 322 is tightly attached to the top surface of the terminal chamber 321 to achieve a sealed connection. The snap-fit ​​parts and connecting snaps facilitate the installation and removal of the sealing cover 322 and enhance the stability of both components.

[0054] Of course, in order to improve the airtightness of the sealing cover 322 connection, the sealing cover 322 in this embodiment is provided with an annular groove around its circumference. The annular groove fits around the edge of the terminal chamber 321, and a sealing ring is provided in the annular groove so that the sealing ring is squeezed to achieve a seal after installation.

[0055] In some embodiments, such as Figures 5-7 As shown, where Figure 6The dashed arrow indicates the direction of gas flow. In the refrigerator's inner liner structure, the main component 31 has an installation port 314 on the side wall of the side with the air inlet 312. The installation port 314 is spaced apart from the air inlet 312 of the air duct. The damper device is horizontally installed inside the air duct through the installation port 314. The damper device needs to be installed inside the air duct to control the opening and closing of the air duct. In this embodiment, the installation port 314 allows the damper device to be installed from one side of the air duct, resulting in a more compact overall structure and facilitating future maintenance of the damper device.

[0056] Specifically, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, an installation port 13 is provided on the inner liner 10 near the first air vent 12. The installation port 13 is located outside the installation opening 314. This arrangement facilitates the external installation of the damper device and is beneficial for later maintenance. That is, when the damper device is installed or removed for maintenance, it can be installed or removed through the installation port 13.

[0057] During installation, the damper device is pushed in from the outside of the mounting port 314, so that the entire damper device is located within the air duct. It is then connected to the main wiring harness via the damper terminal to supply power and activate the damper. Furthermore, the damper device 33 is horizontally embedded laterally from the mounting port 314. This ensures convenient maintenance while increasing the area at the air inlet 312, thereby increasing the amount of cold air entering and achieving efficient cooling of the refrigerator compartment 21. In conjunction with the above embodiments, as... Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, the bottom of the groove 311 at the corresponding position of the mounting port 314 is provided with a first groove 316, and the cover plate 32 is provided with a second groove 324. The second groove 324 and the first groove 316 are arranged opposite to each other in the thickness direction to form a limiting space. The damper device is located within the limiting space so that the damper device 33 laterally blocks the air duct. The damper device is located in the air duct and needs to have a stable positional relationship to avoid shaking. In this embodiment, the damper device is located within the limiting space, thereby restricting the circumferential degree of freedom of the damper device through the limiting space and improving the stability of the damper device.

[0058] Specifically, such as Figure 6 , Figure 10As shown, the first slot 316 and the second slot 324 are set as open on the side near the mounting port 314. After the cover plate 32 is connected to the main body 31, the first slot 316 and the second slot 324 form a rectangular limiting space. The limiting space is open on the side facing the mounting port 314, so that the damper device can be pushed into the limiting space from the open position. The top and bottom surfaces of the damper device are in contact with the top and bottom surfaces of the limiting space, and the side walls of the damper device are in contact with the inner walls of the limiting space, thereby realizing the limiting of the damper device and improving the stability of the damper device installation.

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the air inlet 312 of the air duct is located at the lower part of the freezer inner liner 10, and the air outlet 313 of the air duct is located at the upper part of the refrigerator inner liner 20. The air duct is used to connect the freezer compartment 11 space formed by the freezer inner liner 10 and the refrigerator compartment 21 space formed by the refrigerator inner liner 20. In this embodiment, by utilizing the physical properties of cold air, a more efficient and uniform cooling effect is achieved, while reducing energy consumption and improving user experience. The process of cold air descending from the top of the refrigerator compartment 21 ensures the uniformity of temperature distribution and avoids the frost problem caused by direct airflow.

[0060] Specifically, the air inlet 312 is located at the lower part of the freezer compartment 11, while the air outlet 313 is located at the upper part of the refrigerator compartment 21. This arrangement ensures that the air inlet 312 is lower than the air outlet 313 in the height direction of the refrigerator, which can optimize the efficiency of the control system and reduce energy consumption.

[0061] Understandably, cold air, being denser, naturally sinks. The low position of the air inlet 312 in the freezer compartment 11 facilitates efficient extraction of colder air from the bottom; the high position of the air outlet 313 in the refrigerator compartment 21 allows the cold air to be released from the top and naturally sink, forming a uniform distribution from top to bottom. This gradual diffusion of the sinking air reduces the temperature difference between the upper and lower layers of the refrigerator compartment 21, preventing localized overcooling or overheating and ensuring food preservation. Furthermore, natural convection assists in the flow of cold air, reducing the intensity of fan operation and thus reducing energy consumption. Furthermore, the air outlet 313 faces the side wall of the refrigerator compartment 21 and is located at a relatively high position, so that the cold air will not blow directly onto the food or shelves in the refrigerator compartment 21, reducing the problem of moisture condensation and frost caused by direct cold air blowing. The air inlet 312 is located at a low position and faces the side wall of the refrigerator compartment 21, ensuring that the cold air at the bottom of the freezer compartment 11 is preferentially circulated and utilized, avoiding cold air stagnation that causes excessive frost on the evaporator and prolonging the defrosting cycle.

[0062] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 , Figure 8As shown, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air inlet 312 is larger than that of the air outlet 313. The air duct enables the flow of cold air and ensures sufficient refrigeration effect within the refrigerator compartment 21. In this embodiment, by designing a larger area for the air inlet 312, more efficient cold air circulation and temperature control are achieved.

[0063] Specifically, such as Figure 7 As shown, the width of the air inlet 312 is less than or equal to its height, making the air inlet 312 an open rectangular structure, thus increasing the air intake area. By limiting the area of ​​the air inlet 312 to be larger than the surface area of ​​the air outlet 313, the airflow velocity at the outlet 313 can be increased, enabling rapid temperature regulation within the refrigerator compartment 21.

[0064] Understandably, increasing the area of ​​the air inlet 312 reduces the flow rate of the cold air recirculation. Lower flow rates reduce localized eddies or dead zones caused by high-speed airflow during circulation, ensuring that the cold air in the freezer compartment 11 is evenly drawn back to the evaporator. Conversely, reducing the area of ​​the air outlet 313 increases the flow rate of the cold air ejected. High-speed airflow propels the cold air to a more distant area, enhancing the cold air coverage within the refrigerator compartment 21 and reducing temperature stratification. Furthermore, the larger area of ​​the air inlet 312 reduces resistance during cold air recirculation, preventing fan overload due to duct blockage or excessive resistance, thereby reducing energy consumption and improving system stability.

[0065] It should be noted that in this embodiment and subsequent embodiments, the width direction of the air inlet 312 and the air outlet 313 refers to the direction extending along the side wall, that is, the height direction when the refrigerator is in use. The height direction of the air inlet 312 and the air outlet 313 is their own thickness direction.

[0066] In conjunction with the above embodiments or independent embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, the width W of the air outlet 313 is much greater than the height H of the air outlet 313, so that the air outlet 313 forms a narrow and flat structure. The air outlet is located inside the refrigerator compartment 21, and cold air is transported through the air outlet. In this embodiment, by limiting the air outlet 313 to a flat structure, the uniformity of cold air diffusion can be improved, energy loss can be reduced, and the user experience can be improved.

[0067] Specifically, the second air vent 22 is shaped to match the air outlet 313 of the air duct. The air outlet 313 can output cold air, and the flat structure of the air outlet 313 can make the cooling more uniform. Since the air outlet 313 is arranged along the extension direction of the side wall, the air outlet 313 can be distributed in a large area of ​​the refrigerator compartment 21, improving the uniformity of cold air distribution.

[0068] In specific implementation methods, such as Figure 10 As shown, multiple guide protrusions 323 are formed on the side of the cover plate 32 near the air outlet 313 of the air duct. The guide protrusions 323 can guide the flow direction of cold air at the air outlet 313 of the air duct, avoiding frequent icing caused by a large amount of cold air blowing directly. Furthermore, a column is provided in the groove 311 of the main body 31 near the air outlet 313. The column can, on the one hand, combine with the corresponding guide protrusion to support the cover plate 32, and on the other hand, guide the airflow.

[0069] Understandably, the flat-mouthed air outlets 313 can be distributed along the height of the refrigerator compartment 21, allowing cold air to be released from the elongated outlets 313, covering a wide area along the height of the refrigerator compartment 21. This design ensures a relatively gentle and widely distributed flow of cold air, preventing concentrated cold air from blowing directly onto the food. Furthermore, this design allows for a more compact overall structure. Moreover, the flat-mouthed outlet structure of the outlets 313 results in a gentler airflow, preventing excessively fast flow and noise. Combined with the aforementioned embodiment, the area of ​​the inlet 312 is larger than that of the outlet 313, allowing the airflow velocity at the outlet 313 to remain within a suitable range, enabling rapid temperature reduction in the refrigerator compartment 21 without causing significant noise. Furthermore, the parallel sidewalls of the inlet 312 and outlet 313 minimize space occupation, resulting in a more compact overall structure.

[0070] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 , Figure 8 As shown, the main body 31 includes a first connecting end 317 connected to the freezing inner liner 10 and a second connecting end 318 connected to the refrigerating inner liner 20. The first connecting end 317 and the second connecting end 318 are offset in the thickness direction to form an airflow buffer section 315 between the first connecting end 317 and the second connecting end 318. Cold air flows from the first connecting end 317 through the airflow buffer section 315 to the second connecting end 318, and is finally output from the second connecting end 318. In this process, the spacing in the thickness direction can weaken the kinetic energy of the gas flow, thereby making the output airflow relatively gentle.

[0071] Specifically, the misalignment means that the surfaces of the first connecting end 317 and the second connecting end 318 are not completely flush, and the first connecting end 317 and the second connecting end 318 have a certain height difference in the thickness direction. The main body 31 is the main structure of the air duct assembly 30. The main body 31 is made entirely of foam material, and a groove 311 structure is integrally formed inside the main body 31. Furthermore, the second connecting end 318 is located outside the first connecting end 317 to form a gap in the thickness direction.

[0072] It is understandable that cold air has a tendency to sink and its flow direction is from bottom to top, which weakens the kinetic energy of the gas flow during transmission. This embodiment, by setting the spacing in the thickness direction, increases the air resistance encountered by the gas flow, further weakening the kinetic energy of the gas flow and thus achieving a smoother gas output.

[0073] In conjunction with the above embodiments, such as Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the width of the air duct gradually increases from the location of the airflow buffer section 315 towards both ends, and the damper device is located within the first connecting end 317 and close to the airflow buffer section 315. Limiting the width of the airflow buffer section 315 facilitates the installation of the damper device. The damper device needs to control the opening and closing of the entire air duct. In this embodiment, placing the damper device close to the airflow buffer section 315 reduces the impact of airflow and allows for a smaller size of the damper device.

[0074] Specifically, the buffer section is a constriction section structure on the air duct, which makes the width of this end narrower. This allows for the use of smaller damper devices, which typically have lower energy consumption and weight, thus reducing overall energy consumption and space occupation, making the overall structure more compact.

[0075] It is understandable that although the airflow buffer section 315 is a contraction section, which will increase the airflow speed, the first connecting end 317 and the second connecting end 318 are spaced apart in the thickness direction and flow vertically upward as a whole. This will weaken the airflow energy at the buffer section position, thereby achieving the purpose of airflow buffering. In this way, the output cold air can be relatively gentle.

[0076] A second aspect of the present invention provides a refrigerator, including a refrigerator body, on which a refrigerator inner liner structure as provided in any of the above embodiments is provided. The refrigerator inner liner includes a freezer inner liner 10 and a refrigerator inner liner 20. A freezer compartment 11 is formed inside the freezer inner liner 10, and a refrigerator compartment 21 is formed inside the refrigerator inner liner 20. An air duct assembly 30 is disposed between the freezer inner liner 10 and the refrigerator inner liner 20 and connects the freezer compartment 11 and the refrigerator compartment 21.

[0077] The refrigerator provided in this example has the refrigerator liner structure of any of the aforementioned embodiments. Therefore, the refrigerator in this example has the characteristic effects of each of the aforementioned refrigerator liner structures. To avoid redundancy in the effect description, it will not be repeated here.

[0078] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that by aligning the first and second dampers parallel to the sidewalls of the corresponding inner liner, the space occupied by the air duct assembly 30 in the thickness direction of the inner liner can be reduced, thereby making the overall structure more compact and facilitating the installation of larger evaporators or other components. Furthermore, by aligning the second damper directly with the sidewall, the air outlet 313 can be arranged in the height direction of the refrigerator compartment 21, thereby improving the uniformity of cold air delivery and increasing the cooling speed of the refrigerator compartment 21.

[0079] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator inner liner structure, characterized in that, include: A freezing inner liner and a refrigeration inner liner are arranged side by side. A first air vent is provided on the side wall of the freezing inner liner near the refrigeration inner liner, and the first air vent faces the other side wall of the freezing inner liner. A second air vent is provided on the side wall of the refrigeration inner liner near the freezing inner liner, and the second air vent faces the other side wall of the refrigeration inner liner. An air duct assembly is disposed between the freezer inner liner and the refrigerator inner liner; the air duct assembly includes a main body and a cover plate, the main body has a groove formed therein, and both ends of the groove have openings; the cover plate is connected to the main body and covers the groove to form an air duct. A damper device is built into the air duct and is used to control the opening or closing of the air duct. The opening at one end of the groove is connected to the first air vent and is configured as the air inlet of the air duct. The opening at the other end of the groove is connected to the second air vent and is configured as the air outlet of the air duct, so as to connect the freezing inner liner and the refrigeration inner liner through the air duct.

2. The refrigerator inner liner structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover plate is also provided with a terminal chamber, and the terminal chamber is provided with a damper terminal, which is used to electrically connect the damper device to the external main wiring harness.

3. The refrigerator inner liner structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The terminal chamber is also provided with a sealing cover, which is placed on the terminal chamber to seal it.

4. The refrigerator inner liner structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body has an installation opening on the side wall of the air inlet side, the installation opening is spaced apart from the air inlet of the air duct, and the damper device is horizontally installed in the air duct through the installation opening.

5. The refrigerator inner liner structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bottom of the groove at the corresponding position of the installation port is provided with a first groove, and the cover plate is provided with a second groove. The second groove and the first groove are arranged opposite to each other in the thickness direction to cooperate to form a limiting space. The damper device is located in the limiting space so that the damper device laterally blocks the air duct.

6. The refrigerator inner liner structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body includes a first connecting end connected to the frozen inner liner and a second connecting end connected to the refrigerated inner liner. The first connecting end and the second connecting end are offset in the thickness direction to form an airflow buffer between the first connecting end and the second connecting end.

7. The refrigerator inner liner structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The width of the air duct gradually increases from the airflow buffer section to both ends, and the damper device is located inside the first connecting end and close to the airflow buffer section.

8. The refrigerator inner liner structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlet of the air duct is located at the lower part of the freezer inner liner, and the air outlet of the air duct is located at the upper part of the refrigerator inner liner.

9. The refrigerator inner liner structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-sectional area of ​​the air inlet of the air duct is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the air outlet of the air duct.

10. The refrigerator inner liner structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The width of the air outlet of the air duct is greater than the height of the air outlet of the air duct, so that the air outlet of the air duct forms a narrow and flat structure.

11. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: The refrigerator body, wherein the refrigerator body is provided with a refrigerator liner structure as described in any one of claims 1-10.

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