Pipe joint, refrigerator door and refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model discloses a pipe joint, a refrigerator door and a refrigerator. The pipe joint includes a conduit, a carrier, and a seal. The guide pipe is provided with an inlet connecting end and an outlet connecting end which are oppositely arranged. The bearing part comprises a connecting part and an inserting part, the connecting part is connected to the inner wall of the guide pipe so as to divide the cavity of the guide pipe into a liquid inlet cavity and a liquid outlet cavity which are communicated with each other, the inserting part is connected to the connecting part, and at least part of the inserting part faces the inlet connecting end and protrudes out of the connecting part so as to form an inserting groove between the inserting part and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity. The sealing piece is fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity, and at least part of the sealing piece exceeds the inserting part in the direction from the outlet connecting end to the inlet connecting end. According to the pipe joint, the sealing performance between the water outlet of the kettle and the door hole of the refrigerator door can be improved, liquid leakage is avoided, and therefore the use experience of a user on a refrigerator is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of refrigeration, in particular to a pipe joint, a box door and a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] Refrigerators are common household appliances in people's lives. Refrigerators mainly store food or other items by maintaining a constant low-temperature cold state. With the continuous development of technology, refrigerators have more and more additional functions. In related technologies, refrigerators have the function of a water dispenser. The door of such a refrigerator is usually equipped with a tongue depressor, a water spout and a kettle. The door has a door hole, and the water spout is installed in the door hole. The tongue depressor is installed on the outside of the door and is connected to one end of the water spout. The kettle has a water outlet, and the water outlet is equipped with a switch valve to control the opening and closing of the water outlet. The kettle is installed on the inside of the door, and the water outlet of the kettle is plugged into the door hole and connected to the other end of the water spout. The user can get water by pressing the tongue depressor. In addition, the user can remove the kettle from the door and directly use the kettle to pour ice water.

[0003] However, the seal between the kettle's water outlet and the door opening is poor, causing the ice water in the kettle to frequently overflow from the door opening during assembly and disassembly. This requires users to repeatedly clean up the overflowing ice water, resulting in a poor user experience. Utility Model Content

[0004] The utility model provides a pipe joint, a cabinet door and a refrigerator, which can improve the sealing between the water outlet of a kettle and the door hole of the cabinet door, avoid liquid leakage, and improve user experience.

[0005] The technical solutions adopted in this utility model are as follows:

[0006] According to the first aspect disclosed in the present utility model, there is provided a pipe joint, comprising a conduit, a supporting member and a sealing member. The conduit has an inlet connection end and an outlet connection end arranged opposite to each other. The supporting member comprises a connecting portion and a plug-in portion, the connecting portion being connected to the inner wall of the conduit to separate the cavity of the conduit into a liquid inlet cavity and a liquid outlet cavity that are interconnected, the plug-in portion being connected to the connecting portion, and at least a portion of the plug-in portion protruding from the connecting portion toward the inlet connection end to form a slot between the plug-in portion and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity. The sealing member is fixed to the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity, and at least a portion of the sealing member is arranged beyond the plug-in portion in a direction from the outlet connection end to the inlet connection end.

[0007] The pipe joint provided by the utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0008] When the pipe joint of the present invention is installed in the door hole of the box door for use, the catheter is installed in the door hole, the inlet connection end of the catheter faces the inside of the door, and the outlet connection end of the catheter faces the outside of the door. The liquid outlet of a liquid storage device such as a kettle can be inserted into the slot, so that the plug-in portion lifts up the valve core of the switch valve to connect the liquid storage cavity of the liquid storage device with the catheter. During the process of inserting the liquid outlet of a liquid storage device such as a kettle into the slot, before the valve core of the switch valve is lifted up by the plug-in portion, the liquid outlet of the liquid storage device such as the kettle first contacts the sealing member. During the process of pulling out the liquid outlet of a liquid storage device such as a kettle from the slot, the valve core of the switch valve first separates from the plug-in portion, so that the valve core of the switch valve is reset, closing the liquid outlet of the liquid storage device. At the same time, the sealing member is always connected between the liquid outlet and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity until the liquid outlet is pulled out from the slot. Therefore, during the repeated insertion and removal of liquid storage devices such as kettles and the pipe joint slots, the liquid in liquid storage devices such as kettles will never flow out from the gap between the liquid outlet and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity, so as to reduce liquid overflow, ensure the user's water hygiene and the environmental hygiene inside the refrigerator, and at the same time, the user does not need to repeatedly clean up the spilled liquid, thereby improving the user experience.

[0009] In addition, the pipe joint provided by the present invention is not limited to use between the refrigerator door and the water outlet. The pipe joint can also be installed between the water dispenser body and the water storage container of the water dispenser, between the humidifier body and the liquid storage container of the humidifier, and any other anti-liquid (air leakage) location that the user needs to install. The present invention does not impose any restrictions.

[0010] According to the second aspect disclosed by the present utility model, there is provided a box door, comprising a door body, a liquid storage device and the above-mentioned pipe joint. The door body has a door inner side, a door outer side and a door hole connecting the door inner side and the door outer side. The liquid storage device is fixed on the inner side of the door, and the liquid storage device has a liquid storage cavity and a liquid outlet hole connecting the liquid storage cavity. The catheter is installed in the door hole, the inlet connection end of the catheter faces the inner side of the door, and the outlet connection end of the catheter faces the outer side of the door. A switch valve is provided in the liquid outlet hole of the liquid storage device, and the liquid outlet hole is plugged into the slot so that the valve core of the switch valve cooperates with the plug-in part, and the sealing member is squeezed between the liquid outlet hole and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity.

[0011] The box door provided by the utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0012] The box door provided by the utility model can prevent liquid from leaking from the assembly point of the liquid outlet hole and the conduit during the process of the user repeatedly plugging and unplugging the liquid outlet hole and the slot of the liquid storage device, because the sealing member is always connected between the liquid outlet hole and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity, thereby improving the sealing effect and reducing residual liquid.

[0013] According to the third aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator is provided, comprising a box body and the above-mentioned door. The box body comprises a refrigerating chamber, and the door body is connected to the box body to open and close the refrigerating chamber. The inner side of the door is arranged toward the refrigerating chamber, and the outer side of the door is arranged away from the refrigerating chamber.

[0014] The refrigerator provided by the utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0015] The refrigerator provided by the utility model allows the user to access the ice water in the liquid storage device from outside the door through the aforementioned door, thereby reducing the need to open and close the door and reducing refrigerator cooling leakage. Furthermore, when the user removes the liquid storage device from the door, the liquid in the liquid storage device will not leak out of the assembly point of the liquid outlet and the conduit, eliminating the need for the user to repeatedly clean residual liquid, thereby improving the user experience of the refrigerator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the pipe joint of the utility model.

[0017] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the assembly of the pipe joint and the liquid storage device of the utility model.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of the catheter of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 It is a half-section view of the sealing member of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the pipe sleeve of the utility model.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of the pipe sleeve of the utility model from another perspective.

[0023] Figure 8 It is a front view of the door of the utility model.

[0024] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of the door of the utility model.

[0025] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the door of the utility model.

[0026] Figure 11 This is a structural diagram of the assembly of the pipe joint and the base of the utility model.

[0027] Figure 12 for Figure 11 Cross-sectional view along BB.

[0028] Figure 13 for Figure 11 Enlarged view of point C in the middle.

[0029] Figure 14It is a schematic diagram of the structure inside the connecting hole of the base in the utility model.

[0030] Figure 15 This is a structural schematic diagram of the utility model in which the pipe joint and the base are in an unlocked state.

[0031] Figure 16 This is a structural schematic diagram of the utility model in which the pipe joint and the base are in a locked state.

[0032] Figure 17 for Figure 16 rear view.

[0033] Figure 18 It is a structural diagram of the refrigerator in the present utility model.

[0034] Reference numerals:

[0035] 1-Refrigerator; 10-Liquid Storage Device; 11-Liquid Storage Chamber; 12-Valve Core; 13-Liquid Outlet; 20-Liquid Extraction Mechanism; 20a-Liquid Outlet Channel; 21-Liquid Outlet Component; 211-Liquid Outlet Housing; 212-Liquid Outlet Core; 213-Elastic Connector; 22-Distribution Component; 22a-Distribution Housing; 22b-Forced Part; 30-Pipe Connector; 31-Conduit; 31a-Inlet Connection End; 31b-Outlet Connection End; 311-Positioning Part 311a-guide mating surface; 312-limiting mating portion; 32-seal; 321-seal ring; 321a-inner wall of the seal ring; 321b-outer wall of the seal ring; 3211-seal rib; 3212-installation gap; 322-folding portion; 323-abutting portion; 323a-matching hole; 33-carrying member; 331-connecting portion; 331a-liquid inlet cavity; 331b-liquid outlet cavity; 332-plug-in portion; 33 3-slot; 334-guide hole; 34-pipe sleeve; 341-mounting portion; 342-clamping portion; 343-anti-slip portion; 35-first buckling portion; 36-second buckling portion; 37-first guide portion; 38-second guide portion; 39-buckle guide portion; 40-base; 41-connecting hole; 42-positioning portion; 421-disassembly portion; 421a-first open end; 421b-first closed end; 422-fixing portion; 422a -second open end; 422b-second closed end; 423-guide portion; 423a-guide surface; 424-limiting portion; 50-cabinet door; 51-door body; 51a-inside of the door; 51b-outside of the door; 51c-door hole; 51d-accommodation space; 52-cold leakage sealing member; 521-sleeve; 522-pressing cap; 523-first sealing ring; 524-second sealing ring; 60-cabinet body; 61-refrigerating chamber; 62-freezing chamber. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The following will be combined with the drawings in the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the present invention. It should be understood that the drawings in the present invention are only for illustrative purposes, and for those skilled in the art, the omission of certain well-known structures and their descriptions in the drawings is understandable. At the same time, in the description of the present invention, if there are terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc. that indicate orientation or positional relationships, they are only simplified descriptions based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the drawings for the convenience of describing the present invention, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Accordingly, the description of the present invention involves similar descriptions such as "first", "second", etc., which are only used to distinguish different components and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance, any order, or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated.

[0037] In the related art, a refrigerator has a water dispenser function. The door of such a refrigerator is usually provided with a tongue depressor, a water spout and a kettle. The door has an inner side, an outer side and a door hole connecting the two sides. The tongue depressor is installed on the outer side of the door. The water spout is installed in the door hole, and one end of the water spout extends out of the door hole and is connected to the tongue depressor. The kettle has a water outlet, and a switch valve is provided in the water outlet to control the opening and closing of the water outlet. When the kettle is installed on the inner side of the door, the water outlet of the kettle is plugged into the door hole of the door and is connected to the other end of the water spout. At this time, the valve core of the switch valve is lifted up, the water outlet is in an open state, and the ice water in the kettle can enter the water spout through the water outlet. When the user needs to take water, he only needs to press the tongue depressor to control the water spout to open, so that the ice water flows out of the water spout, and water is taken.

[0038] In addition, the user can also remove the kettle from the door. At this time, the valve core of the switch valve is reset, the water outlet is in a closed state, and the user can directly use the kettle to pour ice water to improve water extraction efficiency.

[0039] However, when users remove the kettle from the door to get water, they repeatedly plug and unplug the kettle's water outlet and the door opening. During this process, the valve core of the on-off valve is often lifted before the water outlet is fully assembled, causing the outlet to open prematurely. At this point, due to the poor seal between the kettle's water outlet and the door opening, the chilled water in the kettle overflows from the door opening. To prevent the overflowing chilled water from contaminating the drinking water and the refrigerator environment, users need to repeatedly clean the overflowing chilled water, resulting in a poor user experience.

[0040] Therefore, the utility model provides a pipe joint 30, which is used to improve the sealing between the water outlet of the kettle and the door hole 51c of the cabinet door 50, to prevent liquid from leaking during the disassembly and assembly of the kettle and the cabinet door 50, so as to ensure the hygiene of water intake and the environmental hygiene inside the refrigerator 1. At the same time, the user does not need to repeatedly clean the spilled liquid, thereby improving the user experience.

[0041] In addition, the pipe joint 30 provided by the present invention is not limited to use between the door 50 and the water outlet of the refrigerator 1. The pipe joint 30 can also be installed between the water dispenser body and the water storage container of the water dispenser, between the humidifier body and the liquid storage container of the humidifier, and any other anti-liquid (air leakage) position that the user needs to install. The present invention does not impose any restrictions.

[0042] The pipe joint 30 provided by the present invention will be described below.

[0043] See also Figures 1 to 3 The pipe joint 30 provided by the present invention includes a conduit 31, a supporting member 33 and a sealing member 32. The conduit 31 has an inlet connection end 31a and an outlet connection end 31b arranged opposite to each other. The supporting member 33 includes a connecting portion 331 and a plug-in portion 332. The connecting portion 331 is connected to the inner wall of the conduit 31 to separate the cavity of the conduit 31 into a liquid inlet cavity 331a and a liquid outlet cavity 331b that are interconnected. The plug-in portion 332 is connected to the connecting portion 331, and at least a portion of the plug-in portion 332 protrudes from the connecting portion 331 toward the inlet connection end 31a to form a slot 333 between the plug-in portion 332 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity 331a. The sealing member 32 is fixed to the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity 331a, and at least a portion of the sealing member 32 is arranged beyond the plug-in portion 332 in the direction from the outlet connection end 31b to the inlet connection end 31a.

[0044] It should be noted that the conduit 31 is used for fluid circulation. The conduit 31 can be configured as a variety of tubes such as a round tube or a square tube, and the present invention does not impose any restrictions. The conduit 31 has a length extending along the X direction, and the two ends of the conduit 31 spaced apart along the length direction are respectively configured as an inlet connection end 31a and an outlet connection end 31b. Among them, the inlet connection end 31a is used for fluid to enter the conduit 31 (for example, it can be used to connect to the water outlet of a liquid storage container such as a kettle). The outlet connection end 31b is used for fluid to exit the conduit 31 (for example, it can be used to connect to the liquid outlet component 21).

[0045] The connecting portion 331 of the support member 33 is used to support the plug-in portion 332 and cooperates with the plug-in portion 332 and the inner wall of the conduit 31 to form a slot 333. The connecting portion 331 can extend along the circumference of the conduit 31, dividing the cavity of the conduit 31 into a liquid inlet chamber 331a and a liquid outlet chamber 331b. The liquid inlet chamber 331a and the liquid outlet chamber 331b are separated along the axial direction of the conduit 31. The liquid inlet chamber 331a communicates with the inlet connection end 31a, and the liquid outlet chamber 331b communicates with the outlet connection end 31b. Furthermore, the connecting portion 331 can be provided with a guide hole 334 or other hollow structure to connect the liquid inlet chamber 331a and the liquid outlet chamber 331b.

[0046] The connector 332 is used to control the opening and closing of the on-off valve. When a user installs a liquid storage device 10, such as a kettle, on the door 50, the connector 332 lifts the valve core 12 of the on-off valve, separating the valve core 12 from the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10, allowing the liquid in the liquid storage device 10 to flow out.

[0047] The slot 333 is designed to be plugged into the liquid outlet 13 of a liquid storage device 10, such as a kettle. A seal 32 is installed within the slot 333. When the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 is inserted into the slot 333, the seal 32 is squeezed between the wall of the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet chamber 331a, thereby sealing the gap between the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet chamber 331a and preventing liquid from escaping from the assembly gap. Furthermore, because at least a portion of the seal 32 extends beyond the plug-in portion 332 in the direction from the outlet connection end 31b toward the inlet connection end 31a, the seal 32 remains connected between the outer wall of the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet chamber 331a during repeated insertion and removal of the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10, such as a kettle, from the slot 333. This prevents liquid from escaping from the assembly between the liquid outlet 13 and the slot 333, thereby reducing spillage.

[0048] See also Figure 3As an example, the pipe joint 30 of the present invention can be installed on the door of a refrigerator. The liquid outlet 13 of a liquid storage device 10 such as a kettle can be inserted into the slot 333, so that the plug-in portion 332 lifts the valve core 12 of the switch valve to connect the liquid storage chamber 11 of the liquid storage device 10 with the conduit 31, thereby facilitating the user's subsequent water extraction operation. During the process of inserting the liquid outlet 13 of a liquid storage device 10 such as a kettle into the slot 333, before the valve core 12 of the switch valve is lifted by the plug-in portion 332, the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 such as a kettle first contacts the seal 32 because at least a portion of the seal 32 extends beyond the plug-in portion 332. At this point, the valve core 12 of the on-off valve has not yet been lifted by the plug-in portion 332, and the liquid within the liquid storage device 10, such as a kettle, has not yet flowed out. However, the sealing member 32 has already sealed the installation gap between the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet chamber 331a. Therefore, when the valve core 12 of the on-off valve is lifted by the plug-in portion 332, the liquid within the liquid storage device 10, such as a kettle, cannot flow out through the gap between the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet chamber 331a, thereby reducing liquid overflow. Accordingly, when the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10, such as a kettle, is removed from the slot 333, the valve core 12 of the on-off valve first separates from the plug-in portion 332, causing the valve core 12 of the on-off valve to return to its original position, closing the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 and preventing the liquid within the liquid storage device 10 from flowing out. During this process, the sealing member 32 remains connected between the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet chamber 331a until the liquid outlet 13 is removed from the slot 333. Therefore, during the repeated insertion and removal of the liquid storage device 10 such as a kettle and the slot 333 of the pipe joint 30, the liquid in the liquid storage device 10 such as a kettle will never flow out from the gap between the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity 331a, so as to reduce liquid overflow, ensure the user's water hygiene and the environmental hygiene in the refrigerator, and at the same time, the user does not need to repeatedly clean up the spilled liquid, thereby improving the user's usage experience.

[0049] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, to facilitate processing of the carrier 33, the connecting portion 331 may be annular. A notch at the center of the connecting portion 331 forms a guide hole 334, connecting the liquid inlet chamber 331a with the liquid outlet chamber 331b. The plug-in portions 332 are spaced apart circumferentially around the guide hole 334, forming a notch between adjacent plug-in portions 332 that communicates with the guide hole 334. This facilitates the flow of liquid from the liquid storage device 10, such as a kettle, out through the guide hole 334 after the plug-in portions 332 lift the valve core 12 of the on-off valve.

[0050] Optionally, the guide hole 334 is coaxially arranged with the conduit 31, forming evenly spaced slots 333 between the connector 332 and the conduit 31. Thus, when the liquid outlet 13 is inserted into the slot 333, the seal 32 is evenly squeezed between the outer wall of the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet chamber 331a, thereby evenly sealing the gap between the liquid outlet 13 and the liquid inlet chamber 331a, improving the seal and reducing leakage. Furthermore, the coaxial arrangement of the guide hole 334 with the conduit 31 facilitates alignment of the connector 332 with the valve core 12 of the on-off valve, thereby lifting the valve core 12 and controlling the opening and closing of the on-off valve.

[0051] Of course, in other embodiments, the connecting portion 331 can also be configured as a circular baffle with a plurality of diversion holes 334 distributed thereon. The connecting portion 331 is provided with a rib protruding toward the inlet connection end 31a, the rib forming the plug portion 332. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the connecting portion 331 and the plug portion 332 form a connecting rod assembly, which can be used to lift the valve core 12 of the on-off valve to control the opening and closing of the on-off valve. This is not described in detail in the present invention.

[0052] See also Figure 5 In some embodiments, in order to improve the sealing effect of the seal 32, at least one sealing rib 3211 is provided on the side of the seal 32 facing the plug-in portion 332, and in the direction along the outlet connection end 31b pointing to the inlet connection end 31a, at least one sealing rib 3211 is located between the inlet connection end 31a and the plug-in portion 332.

[0053] It should be noted that each sealing rib 3211 can be arranged in an annular shape to ensure that the seal 32 is evenly sealed between the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet chamber 331a. This can increase the extrusion force of the seal 32 on the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet chamber 331a, making the seal 32 fit more closely with the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet chamber 331a, thereby enhancing the sealing effect. In addition, in the direction from the outlet connection end 31b to the inlet connection end 31a, the sealing rib 3211 also extends the outflow path of the liquid, further preventing liquid overflow and improving the sealing effect.

[0054] Optionally, to achieve double sealing and further enhance the sealing effect, more than two sealing ribs 3211 may be provided. Adjacent sealing ribs 3211 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the conduit 31. In other embodiments, each sealing rib 3211 may also be arcuate, with adjacent sealing ribs 3211 at least partially offset in the direction from the inlet connection end 31a to the outlet connection end 31b, to seal the gap between the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity 331a.

[0055] See you later Figure 1 and Figure 2In some embodiments, to facilitate securing the seal 32, the seal 32 includes a folded portion 322 and a sealing ring 321. The folded portion 322 is fixed to the wall of the conduit 31, and the sealing ring 321 is connected to the folded portion 322 and disposed within the liquid inlet cavity 331a. The sealing ring 321 has an inner wall facing the insertion portion 332, and at least one sealing rib 3211 is fixed to the inner wall of the sealing ring 321.

[0056] It should be noted that when the seal 32 is installed, the sealing ring 321 of the sealing member 32 is inserted into the slot 333, so that the folded portion 322 of the sealing member 32 is fixed to the edge of the inlet connection end 31a, thereby limiting the sealing ring 321 and preventing the sealing ring 321 from being moved during the insertion and removal of the liquid outlet hole 13 of the liquid storage device 10 and the slot 333. As a result, the sealing ring 321 can be stably squeezed between the liquid outlet hole 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity 331a, thereby improving the sealing effect.

[0057] As an example, the sealing ring 321 can be an annular column and disposed on the inner wall of the conduit 31. The sealing ring 321 has an inner wall and an outer wall disposed opposite each other. When the sealing ring 321 is mounted on the conduit 31, the outer wall of the sealing ring 321 faces the inner wall of the conduit 31, while the inner wall of the sealing ring 321 faces the plug-in portion 332. The sealing ring 321 has a flanged edge on the side facing the inlet connection end 31a. The flanged edge is disposed along the circumference of the sealing ring 321 and extends radially toward the outer wall of the sealing ring 321, forming a folded portion 322.

[0058] In some embodiments, to improve the fixing effect of the seal 32, the folded portion 322 is configured to have an interference fit between the conduit 31 and the sleeve 34. This configuration can limit the position of the folded portion 322 in the X direction and prevent the seal 32 from shifting, thereby maintaining the sealing effect.

[0059] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, in order to further improve the fixing effect of the seal 32 , the thickness of the folded portion 322 gradually increases in the direction from the inner wall of the sealing ring 321 to the outer wall of the sealing ring 321 .

[0060] This arrangement allows the folded portion 322 to have varying thicknesses, resulting in varying pressures on the folded portion 322 between the sleeve 34 and the conduit 31, thereby clamping the folded portion 322 to a certain limit along the Y direction. Specifically, the thickness of the folded portion 322 gradually increases from the inner wall of the sealing ring 321 toward the outer wall of the sealing ring 321, preventing the folded portion 322 from moving along the Y direction. This arrangement prevents the formation of a gap between the sealing ring 321 and the wall of the liquid outlet 13 when the liquid storage device 10 is inserted into the inlet connection end 31a, improving the sealing effect and preventing liquid leakage.

[0061] Thus, the folded portion 322 is simultaneously limited in the X and Y directions to improve the fixing effect of the seal 32 and prevent the seal 32 from shifting. In turn, the seal 32 is firmly squeezed between the hole wall of the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the conduit 31, thereby improving the sealing effect of the seal 32 and reducing liquid leakage. Optionally, the folded portion 322 can be configured as a wedge-shaped structure, which is not limited by the present invention.

[0062] See also Figure 2 In some embodiments, to facilitate the user's easy insertion and removal of the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 from the slot 333, the sealing ring 321 has an inner wall and an outer wall arranged opposite each other, and an installation gap 3212 is provided between the outer wall of the sealing ring 321 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity 331a. By providing the installation gap 3212, when the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 is inserted into the slot 333, the squeezed sealing ring 321 can move a small distance toward the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity 331a, thereby preventing the hole wall of the liquid outlet 13 and the sealing ring 321 from being too tightly inserted, making it difficult to remove the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 from the slot 333. However, it should be noted that although the sealing ring 321 can move a small distance toward the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity 331a, the sealing rib 3211 always presses against the liquid outlet 13. In this way, the cooperation between the sealing rib 3211 and the installation gap 3212 can prevent liquid leakage during the insertion and removal process of the liquid outlet hole 13 of the liquid storage device 10 and the slot 333.

[0063] Optionally, the range of the installation gap 3212 can be set to 0 to 1 mm. In this embodiment, the safety gap can be selected to be 0.2 mm. Of course, in actual use, the installation gap 3212 can also be adaptively adjusted according to specific circumstances.

[0064] In some embodiments, to facilitate securing the seal 32, the seal 32 further includes an abutment portion 323. The abutment portion 323 is connected to the sealing ring 321 and is offset from the folded portion 322. The abutment portion 323 defines a mating hole 323a. When the seal 32 is installed in the conduit 31, the abutment portion 323 abuts against the connecting portion 331, and the inserting portion 332 passes through the mating hole 323a.

[0065] In this way, the abutting portion 323 abuts the connecting portion 331, supporting the folded portion 322 against the edge of the inlet connection end 31a. Furthermore, the abutting portion 323 can be disposed on the inner wall of the sealing ring 321, and the abutting portion 323 extends from the outer wall of the sealing ring 321 toward the inner wall. This allows the abutting portion 323 to be connected between the sealing ring 321 and the inserting portion 332 via the mating hole 323a, thereby facilitating the reservation of an installation gap 3212 between the sealing ring 321 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet chamber 331a.

[0066] See also Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, to facilitate fixing the seal 32 , the pipe joint 30 further includes a sleeve 34 , which is fixed to the outer wall of the conduit 31 , and the folded portion 322 is clamped between the sleeve 34 and the conduit 31 to fix the seal 32 .

[0067] As an example, the sleeve 34 includes a mounting portion 341 and a clamping portion 342. The mounting portion 341 is fixed to the outer wall of the conduit 31, and the clamping portion 342 is connected to the mounting portion 341 so that the clamping portion 342 cooperates with the conduit 31 to clamp the folded portion 322. The mounting portion 341 can be configured as an annular column, and the mounting portion 341 is provided with a flange extending from the outer wall of the sealing ring 321 toward the inner wall to form the clamping portion 342. When the mounting portion 341 is sleeved on the outer wall of the conduit 31 in a direction from the inlet connection end 31a to the outlet connection end 31b and is fixed, the clamping portion 342 gradually approaches the inlet connection end 31a to squeeze the folded portion 322 of the seal 32, thereby securing the seal 32.

[0068] Optionally, the sealing member 32 may be elastic so as to undergo elastic deformation when the sealing member 32 is squeezed, thereby improving the sealing effect.

[0069] Compared with the related art method of fixing the seal 32 by gluing, the seal 32 is fixed by clamping the conduit 31 and the sleeve 34 together, which can prevent the liquid from soaking the glue layer and causing the seal 32 to fall off, thereby further improving the installation stability of the seal 32 and improving the sealing effect.

[0070] In some embodiments, to facilitate fixing the catheter 31 and the sleeve 34, the inner wall of the sleeve 34 is provided with at least one first snap-fit portion 35, and the outer wall of the catheter 31 is provided with at least one second snap-fit portion 36. Each first snap-fit portion 35 cooperates with each second snap-fit portion 36 to fix the sleeve 34 to the catheter 31.

[0071] It should be noted that the first fastening portion 35 and the second fastening portion 36 cooperate to secure the mounting portion 341 to the outer wall of the conduit 31, thereby securing the clamping portion 342 relative to the conduit 31 and maintaining the stability of the compression of the folded portion 322 of the seal 32. The first fastening portion 35 and the second fastening portion 36 may be mating threads or magnetic components, etc., and this is not a limitation of the present invention.

[0072] In some embodiments, to facilitate the processing of the first and second fastening portions 35, 36, one of the first and second fastening portions 35, 36 is configured as a slot, and the other as a tongue. The tongue is inserted into the slot to achieve the fastening assembly of the catheter 31 and the sleeve 34. Optionally, multiple first fastening portions 35 may be provided along the circumference of the sleeve 34, and multiple second fastening portions 36 may also be provided along the circumference of the catheter 31 to improve fastening stability.

[0073] In some embodiments, to facilitate the snapping together of the catheter 31 and the sleeve 34, one of the sleeve 34 and the catheter 31 that is provided with a slot is also provided with a snapping guide portion 39. The snapping guide portion 39 and the slot are spaced apart along the axial direction of the sleeve 34 so that the tongue can pass through the snapping guide portion 39 and be embedded in the slot.

[0074] It should be noted that the snap-fit guide portion 39 is used to guide the latch tongue to be inserted into the slot so that the conduit 31 and the sleeve 34 are snap-fitted. Optionally, the snap-fit guide portion 39 can be set as a recess. As an example, the first snap-fit portion 35 of the sleeve 34 is set as a slot, and the snap-fit guide portion 39 and the slot are spaced apart along the axial direction of the sleeve 34. When the sleeve 34 is snap-fitted with the conduit 31, the latch tongue on the outer wall of the conduit 31 is first aligned with the snap-fit guide portion 39, and then the sleeve 34 is pushed toward the conduit 31 so that the latch tongue passes through the snap-fit guide portion 39 and is inserted into the slot. This completes the assembly of the sleeve 34 and the conduit 31, and the folded portion 322 of the seal 32 is squeezed between the two to fix them, which saves time and effort in installation.

[0075] In other embodiments, to facilitate the fastening of the conduit 31 and the sleeve 34, the pipe joint 30 includes a guide assembly. The guide assembly includes a first guide portion 37 and a second guide portion 38. The sleeve 34 is provided with at least one first guide portion 37, which is spaced apart from the first fastening portion 35 along the circumference of the sleeve 34. The conduit 31 is provided with at least one second guide portion 38, each first guide portion 37 cooperating with each second guide portion 38 to fasten the first fastening portion 35 with the second fastening portion 36.

[0076] It should be noted that the first guide portion 37 and the second guide portion 38 are used to guide the first fastening portion 35 and the second fastening portion 36. Optionally, one of the first guide portion 37 and the second guide portion 38 is configured as a guide groove, and the other as a guide rib. The guide groove extends axially along the catheter 31. By inserting the guide rib into the guide groove and sliding it, the first fastening portion 35 and the second fastening portion 36 can be aligned and mated, thereby achieving the fastening assembly of the catheter 31 and the sleeve 34.

[0077] When the conduit 31 and the sleeve 34 are assembled, the seal 32 is installed into the slot 333, and the first guide portion 37 of the sleeve 34 is aligned with the second guide portion 38 on the conduit 31. Then, the sleeve 34 is pushed toward the conduit 31 along the guidance of the first guide portion 37 and the second guide portion 38, so that the first buckle portion 35 and the second buckle portion 36 are engaged. The assembly of the sleeve 34 and the conduit 31 is completed, and the folded portion 322 of the seal 32 is squeezed between the two to fix them. The installation is simple and quick, saving time and effort.

[0078] In some embodiments, to facilitate separation of the catheter 31 and the sleeve 34, the outer wall of the sleeve 34 is provided with an anti-slip portion 343. Thus, when the sleeve and the catheter 31 are configured for insertion, the anti-slip portion 343 facilitates the user applying an external force along the axial direction of the sleeve 34 to separate the sleeve 34 from the catheter 31.

[0079] Optionally, the outer wall of the sleeve 34 is provided with a flange extending beyond the main body. The flange extends along the circumference of the sleeve 34 to form an anti-slip portion 343, so that the user can grasp the flange and assemble and disassemble the sleeve 34 and the catheter 31 along the axial direction of the sleeve 34. The flange can be configured in a square, circular, elliptical, or polygonal shape, and the present invention does not impose any restrictions thereto. Furthermore, the outer wall of the flange can be provided with a plurality of anti-slip ribs to increase friction against the flange, facilitating separation of the sleeve 34 and the catheter 31. Optionally, the anti-slip ribs can be provided at intervals along the axial direction of the sleeve 34, or can be configured in a spiral, wavy, or linear shape, and the present invention does not impose any restrictions thereto.

[0080] See also Figures 8 to 10 The present invention further provides a box door 50 using the pipe joint 30, so as to facilitate the user to disassemble and assemble the liquid storage device 10 from the box door 50 and reduce residual liquid. The box door 50 will be described below.

[0081] The door 50 provided by the present invention includes a door body 51, a liquid storage device 10, and the aforementioned pipe joint 30. The door body 51 has an inner door side 51a, an outer door side 51b, and a door hole 51c connecting the inner door side 51a and the outer door side 51b. The pipe joint 30 is installed in the door hole 51c. The liquid storage device 10 is installed on the inner door side 51a. The liquid storage device 10 has a liquid storage cavity 11 and a liquid outlet 13 connecting the liquid storage cavity 11. The liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 is plugged into the inlet connection end 31a of the conduit 31, so that the sealing member 32 is squeezed to seal the gap between the hole wall of the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the conduit 31.

[0082] It should be noted that the pipe joint 30 and the door 50 are configured to be detachably connected, such as by threaded connection or plug-in connection, which is not limited in the present invention. When the pipe joint 30 is installed on the door 50, the conduit 31 can be detachably installed in the door hole 51c, with the inlet connection end 31a of the conduit 31 facing the inner side 51a of the door, and the outlet connection end 31b of the conduit 31 facing the outer side 51b of the door. The liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 can be inserted into the inlet connection end 31a of the conduit 31, and the sealing member 32 is squeezed between the hole wall of the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity 331a to seal the assembly gap between the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the conduit 31. Thus, when the user draws water from the liquid storage device 10, the gap between the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 and the door hole 51c of the door 50 is sealed by the sealing member 32 to reduce the liquid in the liquid storage device 10 from overflowing from the assembly point between the liquid outlet 13 and the door hole 51c, thereby reducing residual liquid.

[0083] Furthermore, the pipe connector 30 provided by the present invention forms a plug-in fit between the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 and the pipe connector 30, simplifying the assembly structure between the liquid storage device 10 and the door 50 and facilitating the user's assembly and disassembly of the liquid storage device 10 from the door 50. On the one hand, the user can directly remove the liquid storage device 10 from the door 50 and pour liquid from the liquid storage device 10 using the pouring spout, allowing the user to flexibly access ice water in a variety of ways, further enhancing the user experience. Furthermore, during assembly and disassembly of the liquid storage device 10, the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 is repeatedly inserted and removed from the inlet connection end 31a of the conduit 31. Because the seal 32 is firmly clamped between the pipe sleeve 34 and the conduit 31, the sealing rib 3211 on the sealing ring 321 always presses against the outer wall of the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10, preventing liquid from leaking from the assembly point between the liquid outlet 13 and the conduit 31, thereby improving the sealing effect and reducing residual liquid. Moreover, since the seal 32 is clamped by the sleeve 34 and the conduit 31, the connection stability of the seal 32 is better, which can prevent the seal 32 from falling off, thereby enabling the seal 32 to maintain a good sealing effect between the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 and the door hole 51c.

[0084] Therefore, the door 50 provided by the present invention is squeezed between the hole wall of the liquid outlet 13 and the inner wall of the conduit 31 through the sealing member 32, thereby preventing the liquid in the liquid storage device 10 from leaking from the assembly point of the liquid outlet 13 and the conduit 31, thereby reducing liquid residue and preventing residual liquid from contaminating drinking water and the environment inside the refrigerator 1. The user does not need to repeatedly clean the residual liquid, which saves time and effort and improves the user experience.

[0085] In some embodiments, to facilitate the user to draw water from the liquid storage device 10, the door 50 further includes a liquid drawing mechanism 20. The liquid drawing mechanism 20 may be a connecting rod assembly, a button assembly, or an electronic control element. As long as the user can utilize the liquid drawing mechanism 20 to drive the valve core 12 of the switch valve to move, thereby opening or closing the liquid outlet 13, the present invention will not be further described.

[0086] See, Figure 10For ease of understanding, the present invention illustrates a liquid dispensing mechanism 20. The liquid dispensing mechanism 20 includes a liquid outlet component 21 and a dispensing component 22. The dispensing component 22 includes a dispensing housing 22a and a force-bearing portion 22b. The dispensing housing 22a is mounted on the door exterior 51b of the door body 51. The force-bearing portion 22b is rotatably connected to the dispensing housing 22a. For example, the force-bearing portion 22b is configured as a depressing tongue, with the top end of the depressing tongue rotatably connected to the dispensing housing 22a and the bottom end of the depressing tongue being a free end. A torsion spring is provided between the dispensing housing 22a and the depressing tongue. When a user presses the free end of the depressing tongue, the torsion spring deforms, allowing the depressing tongue to rotate about its top end. When the user releases the pressure on the depressing tongue, the torsion spring returns to its original position, returning the depressing tongue from the pressed position to its idle position. The door body 51 includes an outer door shell and an inner door liner. The outer door shell forms the door exterior 51b of the door body 51, while the inner door liner forms the door interior 51a of the door body 51. To facilitate installation of the dispensing member 22 on the door body 51, the outer side 51b of the door body 51 is partially recessed toward the inner side 51a to form a receiving space 51d. The door hole 51c of the door body 51 communicates with the receiving space 51d. The dispensing housing 22a of the dispensing member 22 can be installed in the receiving space 51d.

[0087] The liquid outlet component 21 includes a liquid outlet housing 211, an elastic connector 213, and a liquid outlet core 212. The liquid outlet housing 211 has a liquid outlet cavity 331b, an inlet end, and an outlet end communicating with the liquid outlet cavity 331b. The inlet end of the liquid outlet housing 211 is connected to the outlet connection end 31b of the pipe joint 30. The outlet end of the liquid outlet channel 20a extends from the door opening 51c to the door exterior 51b. The liquid outlet core 212 is slidably disposed within the liquid outlet cavity 331b of the liquid outlet housing 211, with the liquid outlet channel 20a formed between the outer wall of the liquid outlet core 212 and the inner wall of the liquid outlet housing 211. The elastic connector 213 is connected between the liquid outlet core 212 and the liquid outlet housing 211. Furthermore, the liquid outlet core 212 is connected to the force-bearing portion 22b of the distribution component 22, enabling the liquid outlet core 212 to press against or separate from the outlet end of the liquid outlet housing 211, thereby opening or closing the liquid outlet channel 20a.

[0088] When a user wants to draw water, the user presses the detent of the dispensing component 22, causing it to rotate relative to the door body 51, pushing the liquid outlet core 212 of the liquid outlet component 21 upward along the axial direction of the door hole 51c, thereby opening the outflow end of the liquid outlet channel 20a. At the same time, the elastic connector 213 between the liquid outlet core 212 and the liquid outlet housing 211 drives the liquid outlet housing 211 upward along the axial direction of the door hole 51c. The liquid outlet housing 211 then pushes the pipe joint 30 upward along the axial direction of the door hole 51c, thereby using the plug-in portion 332 to lift the valve core 12 of the switch valve, separating the valve core 12 of the switch valve from the liquid outlet hole 13, thereby opening the liquid outlet hole 13 and allowing the liquid in the liquid storage device 10 to flow to the liquid outlet component 21 through the pipe joint 30, allowing the user to draw water.

[0089] When the user stops drawing water, the user releases the pressure on the depressing tongue of the dispensing component 22, causing the depressing tongue of the dispensing component 22 to rotate and reset, driving the liquid outlet core 212 to move downward along the axial direction of the door hole 51c, pressing against the outflow end of the liquid outlet channel 20a, and closing the liquid outlet channel 20a. At the same time, the elastic connector 213 resets to drive the liquid outlet housing 211 to move downward along the axial direction of the door hole 51c. The liquid outlet housing 211 drives the pipe connector 30 to move downward along the axial direction of the door hole 51c, causing the plug-in portion 332 to separate from the valve core 12 of the switch valve. The valve core 12 of the switch valve is reset by the elastic member to press against the liquid outlet hole 13, closing the liquid outlet hole 13. The liquid in the liquid storage device 10 no longer flows out, and the user stops drawing water.

[0090] The conduit 31 and the liquid outlet housing 211 are configured to be detachably connected, such as by threading or plugging, though this invention is not limited thereto. As an example, the outer wall of the conduit 31 is provided with a first mating portion and a second mating portion, spaced apart along the length of the conduit 31. The first mating portion is configured as an insert for slidingly connecting the conduit 31 to the door 50. The second mating portion is configured as an external thread for threaded connection of the conduit 31 to the liquid extraction mechanism 20.

[0091] Thus, the user can take the ice water in the liquid storage device 10 out of the door 50 without opening the door 50, so as to avoid frequently opening the door 50 of the refrigerator 1 and reduce the leakage of cold energy of the refrigerator 1.

[0092] To facilitate water collection, the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 is coaxially arranged with the flow path of the conduit 31 and the liquid outlet channel 20a of the liquid outlet component 21. This allows the liquid in the liquid storage device 10 to be discharged sequentially through the flow path of the conduit 31 and the liquid outlet channel 20a to the outer side of the door 51b. This shortens the liquid flow path and saves water collection time. As an example, the axis of the door hole 51c is arranged to be tilted from top to bottom, from the inner side 51a of the door to the outer side 51b of the door. The liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 is coaxially arranged with the door hole 51c.

[0093] In some embodiments, the liquid outlet component 21 can also be provided without the liquid outlet core 212. That is, the user directly drives the liquid outlet housing 211 to move axially along the door hole 51c by pressing the tongue, thereby pushing the valve core 12 to slide. In this case, when the user draws water from the liquid storage device 10, the liquid in the liquid storage device 10 can flow directly out of the outflow end of the liquid outlet channel 20a without separating the liquid outlet core 212 from the outflow end of the liquid outlet channel 20a before discharging. This configuration, by reducing the liquid outlet core 212, prevents liquid from accumulating in the liquid outlet channel 20a for a long time when the user draws water, preventing the liquid from becoming corrupted, thereby ensuring hygienic water intake.

[0094] In some embodiments, the cabinet door 50 also includes a cold leakage seal 5232, which is arranged in the door hole 51c to seal the installation gap 3212 between the door hole 51c and the liquid storage device 10, and between the door hole 51c and the liquid outlet component 21, thereby preventing cold air leakage inside the refrigerator 1.

[0095] The cold leakage seal 5232 includes a sleeve 521, a pressing cap 522, and a first sealing ring 523. The sleeve 521 is positioned on the inner wall of the door opening 51c, and the first sealing ring 523 is positioned between the sleeve 521 and the outer shell of the liquid outlet component 21. The top of the first sealing ring 523 is secured to the sleeve 521 by the pressing cap 522, preventing the first sealing ring 523 from falling off during movement of the liquid outlet component 21.

[0096] In addition, in order to improve the sealing between the pipe joint 30 and the door hole 51c, a second sealing ring 524 is further provided between the pipe joint 30 and the door hole 51c to seal the gap between the outer wall of the pipe joint 30 and the inner wall of the door hole 51c to prevent the refrigerator 1 from leaking cold.

[0097] See also Figures 11 to 13 In some embodiments, to facilitate the user's removal of the liquid storage device 10 and the liquid outlet component 21 from the door 50, the door 50 further includes a base 40. The base 40 is fixed to the inner side 51a of the door, and the pipe connector 30 is detachably connected to the base 40. The liquid storage device 10 is detachably connected to the base 40.

[0098] It should be noted that the base 40 is installed on the inner side 51a of the door body 51, and can be used to cooperate with the pipe joint 30 for detachable connection, and can also be used to support the liquid storage device 10. Among them, the base 40 is provided with a connection hole 41, and the connection hole 41 of the base 40 corresponds to the door hole 51c of the door body 51. The pipe joint 30 is installed in the door hole 51c, and the top end of the pipe joint 30 is used to plug into the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10, and the bottom end of the pipe joint 30 is used to connect with the liquid outlet component 21. When the user removes the liquid storage device 10 from the box door 50, the user only needs to lift the liquid storage device 10 to pull the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 out from the inlet connection end 31a of the pipe joint 30 to separate the liquid storage device 10 from the box door 50, so that the user can directly take the liquid storage device 10 to pour a large amount of ice water. The detachable connection between the pipe joint 30 and the base 40 can be a plug-in connection, a magnetic connection, or a lock connection, and the present invention does not limit this. When the user removes the liquid outlet component 21 from the door 50, they only need to remove the pipe joint 30 from the base 40, and then remove the liquid outlet component 21 through the pipe joint 30, thus separating the liquid outlet component 21 from the door 50. The outlet connection end 31b of the pipe joint 30 and the outer shell of the liquid outlet component 21 can be connected by a threaded connection or a lock connection, and the present invention does not limit this.

[0099] In some embodiments, since the liquid storage device 10 is usually heavy due to containing a large amount of liquid, in order to facilitate the user to install the liquid storage device 10 on the base 40, the base 40 is provided with at least one sliding guide portion, and the liquid storage device 10 is provided with at least one sliding guide matching portion. Each sliding guide portion is slidably connected to each sliding guide matching portion so that the liquid outlet 13 of the liquid storage device 10 is inserted into the slot 333 of the catheter 31.

[0100] See also Figure 13 and Figure 14 In some embodiments, to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the pipe joint 30 and the base 40, the inner wall of the connection hole 41 of the base 40 is provided with at least one positioning portion 42. The outer wall of the pipe joint 30 is provided with at least one positioning and mating portion 311. One of the positioning portion 42 and the positioning and mating portion 311 is configured as a groove, and the other of the positioning portion 42 and the positioning and mating portion 311 is configured as a protrusion. The groove includes a disassembly portion 421 and a fixing portion 422. The disassembly portion 421 and the fixing portion 422 are connected to each other along the axial direction of the connection hole 41 in an offset manner. During assembly of the pipe joint 30 to the base 40, the pipe joint 30 is inserted into the connection hole 41, and the protrusion moves through the disassembly portion 421 and into the fixing portion 422 to secure the pipe joint 30 to the base 40. During detachment of the pipe joint 30 from the base 40, the pipe joint 30 is rotated, causing the protrusion to move from the fixing portion 422 to the disassembly portion 421, thereby releasing the fixed fit between the pipe joint 30 and the base 40.

[0101] In this way, by utilizing the offset engagement between the positioning and fitting portion 311 and the positioning portion 42, the position of the protrusion between the fixing portion 422 and the detachment portion 421 can be changed by rotating the pipe connector 30 and the base 40, thereby achieving detachment and locking of the pipe connector 30 and the base 40. The user only needs to rotate the pipe connector 30 relative to the base 40 to remove the liquid outlet component 21 from the box door 50, thereby replacing or cleaning the liquid outlet component 21. This is simple, convenient, and time-saving.

[0102] Specifically, see Figures 15 to 17, the N direction is the installation direction for the pipe joint 30 and the base 40 to switch from the initial unlocked state to the locked state, and the M direction is the disassembly direction for the pipe joint 30 and the base 40 to switch from the locked state to the unlocked state. When the user installs the pipe joint 30 to the base 40, the protrusion of the pipe joint 30 is first aligned with the disassembly portion 421 of the groove on the base 40. The user uses the disassembly portion 421 to guide the pipe joint 30 into the connecting hole 41, so that the protrusion moves forward along the disassembly portion 421. When the protrusion moves to the offset fit position between the disassembly portion 421 and the fixing portion 422, the pipe joint 30 is inserted into the connecting hole 41. At this time, the user rotates the pipe joint 30 forward, so that the protrusion rotates from the disassembly portion 421 of the groove to the fixing portion 422 of the groove, so that the fixing portion 422 forms a fixed fit with the protrusion, so that the pipe joint 30 is fixed in the connecting hole 41 of the base 40. At this time, the pipe joint 30 is in a locked state, and the liquid outlet component 21 connected to the pipe joint 30 and the box door 50 connected to the base 40 are fixedly assembled.

[0103] To remove the pipe connector 30 from the base 40, the user simply rotates the pipe connector 30 in the opposite direction, allowing the protrusion of the pipe connector 30 to move from the fixed portion 422 of the groove on the base 40 to the removal portion 421 of the groove, thereby releasing the fixed fit between the protrusion and the fixed portion 422. The protrusion of the pipe connector 30 is then moved in the opposite direction within the removal portion 421 of the groove to remove the pipe connector 30 from the connection hole 41 of the base 40, thereby separating the pipe connector 30 from the base 40. At this point, the pipe connector 30 is in the disassembled state, and the liquid outlet component 21 connected to the pipe connector 30 and the chamber door 50 connected to the base 40 can be separated.

[0104] Furthermore, the inner wall of the connection hole 41 can be provided with a plurality of positioning portions 42, spaced apart along the circumference of the connection hole 41. Accordingly, the outer wall of the pipe joint 30 is provided with a plurality of positioning and mating portions 311, each corresponding one-to-one with a positioning portion 42. This arrangement, by increasing the number of positioning portions 42 and positioning and mating portions 311, can increase the connection area between the base 40 and the pipe joint 30, thereby improving the stability of the connection between the base 40 and the pipe joint 30 in the locked state.

[0105] Among them, the disassembly portion 421 can be set as a vertical groove extending along the axial direction of the connecting hole 41, and the fixing portion 422 can be set as a horizontal groove extending along the circumferential direction of the connecting hole 41 and connected to the vertical groove. Alternatively, the disassembly portion 421 can be set as a vertical groove extending along the axial direction of the connecting hole 41, and the fixing portion 422 can also be set as a vertical groove extending along the axial direction of the connecting hole 41, and the side walls of the two vertical grooves are partially connected. Alternatively, the disassembly portion 421 and the fixing portion 422 form a spiral groove extending along the axial direction of the connecting hole 41. Of course, the disassembly portion 421 and the fixing portion 422 can also be set to other shapes that meet the requirements, and the present invention does not impose any restrictions.

[0106] It should be noted that the protrusion can be an elastic body with elastic deformation ability such as a rubber block or a silicone block, and the present invention does not impose any restrictions. As an example, when the extrusion force on the protrusion in the fixed part 422 is greater than the extrusion force on the protrusion in the disassembly part 421, the protrusion can be fixed in the fixed part 422 by means of an elastic reset force to lock the base 40 and the pipe joint 30. Specifically, in order to facilitate the movement of the protrusion in the disassembly part 421, the protrusion can be not squeezed in the disassembly part 421. That is, there is a gap between the protrusion and the side wall of the disassembly part 421, and the protrusion does not undergo elastic deformation when moving in the disassembly part 421. At this time, the user can insert the pipe joint 30 into the connecting hole 41 with ease, and move the protrusion from the disassembly part 421 to the fixed part 422. When the protrusion moves from the disassembly portion 421 to the fixing portion 422, the protrusion is squeezed by the fixing portion 422 to undergo elastic deformation, so that the protrusion and the fixing portion 422 form a fixed fit, and the base 40 and the pipe joint 30 are locked by the elastic restoring force of the protrusion.

[0107] Alternatively, when the extrusion force exerted on the protrusion in the fixing portion 422 is less than the extrusion force exerted on the protrusion in the detachable portion 421, the protrusion can be restrained within the fixing portion 422, thereby locking the pipe joint 30 and the base 40. Optionally, the protrusion is in a compressed state when moving within the detachable portion 421, and in an uncompressed state within the fixing portion 422. When the protrusion is not moved by an external force, the elastic restoring force of the protrusion prevents the protrusion from moving from the fixing portion 422 to the detachable portion 421, thereby locking the base 40 and the pipe joint 30.

[0108] Alternatively, when the extrusion force exerted on the protrusion in the fixing portion 422 is equal to the extrusion force exerted on the protrusion in the removal portion 421, after the user moves the protrusion from the removal portion 421 to the fixing portion 422, the protrusion can be confined in the fixing portion 422 without being moved by other external forces, thereby locking the pipe joint 30 and the base 40.

[0109] Of course, the user can also adjust the extrusion force exerted on the protrusion in the disassembly portion 421 and the fixed portion 422 by adjusting the size of the protrusion and the width of the groove to limit the movement of the protrusion between the fixed portion 422 and the disassembly portion 421 of the groove. This utility model will not go into details about this.

[0110] Therefore, when the projection is elastic, as long as the projection is elastically deformed in at least one of the disassembly portion 421 and the fixing portion 422, the elastic restoring force of the projection can be used to lock the base 40 and the pipe connector 30. When the user rotates the pipe connector 30, causing the external force on the projection to exceed the elastic restoring force, the lock between the projection and the fixing portion 422 is released, allowing the base 40 and the pipe connector 30 to be separated. This facilitates the user's disassembly and assembly of the pipe connector 30 and the base 40, thereby facilitating the removal and assembly of the water spout on the door 50.

[0111] See you later Figure 13 and Figure 14 In some embodiments, in order to facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the pipe joint 30 and the base 40, the groove includes a guide portion 423, which is connected between the disassembly portion 421 and the fixing portion 422. The protrusion undergoes elastic deformation when passing through the guide portion 423, and the protrusion recovers the elastic deformation when it is in the disassembly portion 421 or the fixing portion 422.

[0112] It should be noted that the guide portion 423 is used to squeeze the protrusion, causing it to elastically deform. This, in turn, limits the movement of the protrusion between the fixing portion 422 and the disassembly portion 421 when the protrusion is not moved by an external force, thereby maintaining the locked state between the pipe joint 30 and the base 40. Optionally, the groove includes two side walls spaced apart along the axial direction of the connecting hole 41, with a portion of at least one of the side walls protruding along the axial direction of the connecting hole 41 to form the guide portion 423.

[0113] In some embodiments, in order to facilitate the rotation of the protrusion between the fixing portion 422 and the disassembly portion 421, the guide portion 423 is provided with a guide surface 423a, which extends along the circumference of the connecting hole 41, and the protrusion is provided with a guide mating surface 311a that cooperates with the guide surface 423a, and the extension direction of the guide mating surface 311a is the same as that of the guide surface 423a.

[0114] It should be noted that, through the cooperation between the guide surface 423a and the guide mating surface 311a, the friction and resistance between the protrusion and the guide portion 423 can be reduced when the protrusion passes through the guide portion 423, making it easier for the protrusion to rotate between the fixing portion 422 and the disassembly portion 421.

[0115] The guide portion 423 includes a first guide wall and a second guide wall spaced apart along the axial direction of the connection hole 41, with at least one of the first and second guide walls having a guide surface 423a. The bump includes a first mating surface and a second mating surface spaced apart along the axial direction of the connection hole 41, with at least one of the first and second mating surfaces having a guide mating surface 311a. This is not a limitation of the present invention.

[0116] In some embodiments, in order to remind the user that the protrusion can rotate between the fixed part 422 and the disassembly part 421, the inner wall of the connecting hole 41 is also provided with a limiting part 424, and the outer wall of the pipe joint 30 is also provided with a limiting matching part 312. When the limiting part 424 and the limiting matching part 312 cooperate with each other, the protrusion can switch position between the disassembly part 421 and the fixed part 422.

[0117] It should be noted that the axial movement distance of the pipe connector 30 relative to the insertion hole can be limited by the cooperation between the limiting portion 424 and the limiting matching portion 312. When the pipe connector 30 is inserted into the connecting hole 41, the protrusion aligns with the disassembly portion 421 and moves along the disassembly portion 421. During the movement of the protrusion along the disassembly portion 421, when the limiting portion 424 and the limiting matching portion 312 cooperate with each other, the limiting portion 424 and the limiting matching portion 312 can produce a sense of resistance or a snapping sound to prompt the user that the pipe connector 30 is properly inserted into the connecting hole 41. At this time, the user can rotate the pipe connector 30 so that the protrusion rotates from the disassembly portion 421 to the fixing portion 422 to lock the pipe connector 30 with the base 40.

[0118] In addition, the cooperation between the limiting portion 424 and the limiting matching portion 312 can also increase the contact area between the pipe joint 30 and the base 40 when locked, thereby improving the connection stability between the pipe joint 30 and the base 40 in the locked state.

[0119] As an example, to facilitate the machining of the stopper portion 424 and the stopper mating portion 312, the stopper portion 424 is provided radially protruding from the inner wall of the connecting hole 41, while the stopper mating portion 312 is provided protruding from the outer wall of the pipe joint 30. Along the axial direction of the connecting hole 41, the stopper portion 424 and the stopper mating portion 312 at least partially overlap, allowing the stopper portion 424 and the stopper mating portion 312 to press against each other. In other words, the stopper portion 424 acts as a rib on the inner wall of the connecting hole 41, while the stopper mating portion 312 acts as a rib on the outer wall of the pipe joint 30. When the two ribs press against each other, the pipe joint 30 is securely inserted into the connecting hole 41.

[0120] See also Figure 13 and Figure 14 In some embodiments, when the positioning portion 42 is set as a groove and the positioning fitting portion 311 is set as a protrusion, the positioning fitting portion 311 can be connected to the limiting fitting portion 312, and the positioning fitting portion 311 protrudes from the limiting fitting portion 312 along the radial direction of the connecting hole 41.

[0121] This arrangement is equivalent to arranging the protrusion and the limiting fitting portion 312 along the same circumference of the connecting hole 41, which can save the installation space of the positioning fitting portion 311 and the limiting fitting portion 312 on the pipe joint 30, making the structure of the pipe joint 30 more compact and smaller to meet the installation requirements in a narrow space.

[0122] In some embodiments, to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the pipe joint 30 and the base 40, the disassembly portion 421 has a first open end 421a and a first closed end 421b spaced apart along the axial direction of the connecting hole 41. In the axial direction of the connecting hole 41, the first closed end 421b and the limiting portion 424 are arranged at the same height.

[0123] It should be noted that the protrusion can be aligned with the disassembly portion 421 through the first open end 421a, so that the protrusion can be guided into the fixing portion 422 by the disassembly portion 421 to complete the locking of the pipe joint 30 and the base 40. The protrusion can also slide out of the disassembly portion 421 through the first open end 421a, completing the disassembly of the pipe joint 30 and the base 40.

[0124] When the first closed end 421b and the limiting portion 424 are arranged at the same height, it is equivalent to being arranged along the same circumference of the connecting hole 41. In this case, the first closed end 421b can also be used to limit the movement distance of the protrusion within the disassembly portion 421. After the protrusion abuts the first closed end 421b, the user can rotate the pipe connector 30 to rotate the protrusion from the disassembly portion 421 to the fixing portion 422, thereby locking the pipe connector 30 and the base 40.

[0125] In some embodiments, when the door 50 is provided with a base 40, to facilitate the movement of the plug portion 332 of the pipe connector 30 in coordination with the liquid extraction mechanism 20 to lift the valve core 12 of the on-off valve, the pipe connector 30 needs to be able to move axially relative to the base 40 along the connecting hole 41. Therefore, when the pipe connector 30 and the base 40 are locked, to ensure that the pipe connector 30 can move axially relative to the base 40 along the connecting hole 41, the fixing portion 422 has two groove walls spaced apart along the axial direction of the connecting hole 41. The spacing between the two groove walls is greater than the thickness of the protrusion, so that the protrusion can move axially within the fixing portion 422 along the connecting hole 41.

[0126] It should be noted that when the protrusion is in the fixing portion 422, the distance between the two groove walls of the fixing portion 422, spaced axially along the connecting hole 41, is greater than the thickness of the protrusion. Therefore, when the water outlet is connected to the pipe joint 30, the pipe joint 30 can be pushed to move axially relative to the base 40 along the connecting hole 41, thereby lifting the valve core 12 of the on-off valve. In addition, to prevent the protrusion from moving from the fixing portion 422 to the disassembly portion 421 during the movement of the pipe joint 30 relative to the base 40, a guide portion 423 can be provided between the fixing portion 422 and the disassembly portion 421.

[0127] In other embodiments, to facilitate axial movement of the pipe joint 30 relative to the base 40 along the connecting hole 41, the fixing portion 422 includes a second open end 422a and a second closed end 422b spaced apart along the axial direction of the connecting hole 41. The first open end 421a and the second open end 422a are opened in opposite directions. Along the axial direction of the connecting hole 41, the second closed end 422b is disposed between the first open end 421a and the first closed end 421b. The second closed end 422b and the limiting portion 424 limit the axial movement of the positioning fitting portion 311 along the connecting hole 41.

[0128] It should be noted that when the fixing portion 422 is provided with a second open end 422 a , the axial movement distance of the protrusion along the connecting hole 41 is limited by the limiting portion 424 and the second closed end 422 b .

[0129] See also Figure 18 The present invention also provides a refrigerator 1 using the above-mentioned door 50, so as to enhance the user experience of the refrigerator 1. The refrigerator 1 will be described below.

[0130] The refrigerator 1 provided by the present invention includes a housing 60 and the aforementioned door 50. The housing 60 includes a refrigerating chamber 61, and the door 51 is connected to the housing 60 to open and close the refrigerating chamber 61. The inner side 51a of the door is disposed toward the refrigerating chamber 61, while the outer side 51b of the door is disposed away from the refrigerating chamber 61. A liquid storage device 10 is disposed on the side of the door 51 facing the refrigerating chamber 61, so that the liquid in the liquid storage device 10 can be cooled by utilizing the refrigeration function of the refrigerator 1. A water spout is disposed on the side of the door 51 facing away from the refrigerating chamber 61, allowing the user to press a pressure tongue from outside the door 50 to access the chilled water in the liquid storage device 10, thereby reducing the need to open and close the door 50 and reducing the amount of cold water leaking from the refrigerator 1. Because the door 50 is equipped with a pipe joint 30, the removable connection between the pipe joint 30 and the base 40 allows the water spout to be removed from the door 50 for easy cleaning or replacement by the user, ensuring a hygienic water supply for the user and improving the user experience of the refrigerator 1.

[0131] In some embodiments, the box body 60 may also have at least one of a freezing chamber 62, a temperature-changing chamber, and a fresh-keeping chamber, which is not limited in the present invention. In addition, the present invention does not elaborate on other structures of the refrigerator 1.

Claims

1. A pipe joint, characterized in that: include: A conduit (31) having an inlet connection end (31a) and an outlet connection end (31b) disposed opposite to each other; The carrier (33) comprises a connecting portion (331) and an inserting portion (332), wherein the connecting portion (331) is connected to the inner wall of the conduit (31) to separate the cavity of the conduit (31) into a liquid inlet cavity (331a) and a liquid outlet cavity (331b) that are interconnected, and the inserting portion (332) is connected to the connecting portion (331), and at least a portion of the inserting portion (332) protrudes from the connecting portion (331) toward the inlet connection end (31a) to form a slot (333) between the inserting portion (332) and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity (331a); The sealing member (32) is fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity (331a), and at least a portion of the sealing member (32) is arranged beyond the plug-in portion (332) in a direction from the outlet connection end (31b) to the inlet connection end (31a).

2. The pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein: At least one sealing rib (3211) is provided on a side of the sealing member (32) facing the plug-in portion (332); in a direction from the outlet connection end (31b) to the inlet connection end (31a), the at least one sealing rib (3211) is located between the inlet connection end (31a) and the plug-in portion (332).

3. The pipe joint according to claim 2, wherein: Each sealing rib (3211) is annular, and two adjacent sealing ribs (3211) are spaced apart in a direction from the outlet connection end (31b) to the inlet connection end (31a).

4. The pipe joint according to claim 2, wherein: The sealing member (32) comprises a folded portion (322) and a sealing ring (321), wherein the folded portion (322) is fixed to the wall of the conduit (31), and the sealing ring (321) is connected to the folded portion (322) and is disposed in the liquid inlet cavity (331a); The sealing ring (321) has an inner wall arranged toward the plug-in portion (332), and the at least one sealing rib (3211) is fixed to the inner wall of the sealing ring (321).

5. The pipe joint according to claim 4, wherein: The sealing ring (321) has an inner wall and an outer wall arranged opposite to each other, and an installation gap (3212) is provided between the outer wall of the sealing ring (321) and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity (331a).

6. The pipe joint according to claim 4, wherein: The pipe joint (30) further comprises a pipe sleeve (34), wherein the pipe sleeve (34) is fixedly mounted on the outer wall of the conduit (31), and the folded portion (322) is clamped between the pipe sleeve (34) and the conduit (31) to fix the sealing member (32).

7. The pipe joint according to claim 6, wherein: The inner wall of the sleeve (34) is provided with at least one first buckling portion (35), and the outer wall of the conduit (31) is provided with at least one second buckling portion (36), and each first buckling portion (35) cooperates with each second buckling portion (36) to secure the sleeve (34) to the conduit (31).

8. The pipe joint according to claim 7, wherein: The inner wall of the sleeve (34) is provided with at least one first guide portion (37), and the first guide portion (37) and the first buckle portion (35) are spaced apart along the circumference of the sleeve (34); The outer wall of the conduit (31) is provided with at least one second guide portion (38), and each second guide portion (38) cooperates with each first guide portion (37) to enable the first buckling portion (35) to buckle with the second buckling portion (36).

9. The pipe joint according to claim 6, wherein: The outer wall of the pipe sleeve (34) is provided with an anti-slip portion (343).

10. A door, characterized in that: It comprises a door body (51), a liquid storage device (10), and a pipe joint (30) according to any one of claims 1 to 9; The door body (51) has a door inner side (51a), a door outer side (51b), and a door hole (51c) communicating the door inner side (51a) with the door outer side (51b); The liquid storage device (10) is fixedly arranged on the inner side (51a) of the door, and the liquid storage device (10) comprises a liquid storage cavity (11) and a liquid outlet hole (13) communicating with the liquid storage cavity (11); The conduit (31) is installed in the door hole (51c), the inlet connection end (31a) of the conduit (31) faces the inner side (51a) of the door, and the outlet connection end (31b) of the conduit (31) faces the outer side (51b) of the door; A switch valve is provided in the liquid outlet (13) of the liquid storage device (10), and the liquid outlet (13) is plugged into the slot (333) so that the valve core (12) of the switch valve cooperates with the plug-in portion (332), and the sealing member (32) is squeezed between the liquid outlet (13) and the inner wall of the liquid inlet cavity (331a).

11. The door according to claim 10, characterized in that: The box door (50) further comprises a liquid outlet component (21), the liquid outlet component (21) having a liquid outlet channel (20a), one end of the liquid outlet component (21) being connected to the outlet connection end (31b) of the conduit (31), and the other end of the liquid outlet component (21) extending from the door hole (51c) to the outside (51b) of the door; The liquid outlet hole (13) of the liquid storage device (10) is coaxially arranged with the flow channel of the conduit (31) and the liquid outlet channel (20a) of the liquid outlet component (21), so that the liquid in the liquid storage device (10) is discharged to the outside (51b) of the door through the flow channel of the conduit (31) and the liquid outlet channel (20a) in sequence.

12. The door according to claim 11, characterized in that: The door (50) includes a dispensing component (22); The distribution component (22) includes a fixed portion (422) and a force-bearing portion (22b), wherein the fixed portion (422) is arranged on the outer side (51b) of the door, and the force-bearing portion (22b) is movably connected to the fixed portion (422) and fixedly arranged on the liquid outlet component (21); By applying an external force to the force-bearing portion (22b), the liquid outlet component (21) is driven to push the conduit (31) to move along the axial direction of the door hole (51c), so that the plug-in portion (332) lifts the valve core (12) of the switch valve to open the liquid outlet hole (13).

13. The door according to claim 12, characterized in that: The liquid outlet component (21) comprises a liquid outlet housing (211), an elastic connecting member (213) and a liquid outlet core (212); The liquid outlet housing (211) has the liquid outlet channel (20a), and the liquid outlet housing (211) is connected to the outlet connection end (31b) of the conduit (31); The liquid outlet core (212) is slidably disposed in the liquid outlet channel (20a), and the liquid outlet core (212) is connected to the force-bearing portion (22b), so that the liquid outlet core (212) can press against or separate from the outflow end of the liquid outlet channel (20a); The elastic connecting member (213) is connected between the liquid outlet core (212) and the liquid outlet housing (211).

14. The door according to claim 11, characterized in that: The door (50) includes a base (40); The base (40) is fixedly mounted on the inner side (51a) of the door, and the base (40) is provided with a connecting hole (41) corresponding to the door hole (51c); The conduit (31) is detachably connected to the connecting hole (41) so that the outlet connecting end (31b) of the conduit (31) is disposed in the door hole (51c); The liquid storage device (10) is detachably connected to the base (40) so that the liquid outlet hole (13) is plugged into the slot (333) of the conduit (31).

15. The door according to claim 14, characterized in that: The inner wall of the connecting hole (41) is provided with at least one positioning portion (42), and the outer wall of the conduit (31) is provided with at least one positioning matching portion (311), and each of the positioning portions (42) is detachably connected to each of the positioning matching portions (311), so that the pipe joint (30) has a locked state fixed with the base (40) and a disassembled state separated from the base (40).

16. The door according to claim 15, characterized in that: One of the positioning portion (42) and the positioning matching portion (311) is configured as a groove, and the other of the positioning portion (42) and the positioning matching portion (311) is configured as a convex block, wherein the convex block is elastic so as to realize a detachable connection by utilizing the elastic deformation generated by the convex block in the groove.

17. The door according to claim 16, characterized in that: The groove comprises a disassembly portion (421) and a fixing portion (422), and the disassembly portion (421) and the fixing portion (422) are connected in an axially displaced manner along the connecting hole (41); The protrusion generates elastic deformation on at least one of the fixing portion (422) and the disassembling portion (421) to limit the movement of the protrusion between the disassembling portion (421) and the fixing portion (422); When the protrusion passes through the disassembly portion (421) and rotates into the fixing portion (422), the conduit (31) is fixed to the base (40), and the pipe joint (30) is in a locked state; When the protrusion is rotated from the fixing portion (422) to the disassembling portion (421), the fixed fit between the conduit (31) and the base (40) is released, and the pipe joint (30) is in a disassembled state.

18. The door according to claim 17, characterized in that: The groove includes a guide portion (423), the guide portion (423) is connected between the disassembly portion (421) and the fixing portion (422), the protrusion undergoes elastic deformation when passing through the guide portion (423), and the protrusion recovers the elastic deformation when it is in the disassembly portion (421) or the fixing portion (422).

19. A refrigerator, characterized in that: It comprises a box body (60) and a box door (50) according to any one of claims 10 to 18; The box body (60) includes a refrigerating chamber (61), and the door body (51) is connected to the box body (60) to open and close the refrigerating chamber (61); The inner side (51a) of the door is arranged toward the refrigerating chamber (61), and the outer side (51b) of the door is arranged away from the refrigerating chamber (61).

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