Hovering assembly and refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of refrigerators, in particular to a hovering assembly and a refrigerator, the hovering assembly is applied to the refrigerator, the refrigerator comprises a refrigerator body, a hinge assembly and a door body, and the door body is rotatably connected with the refrigerator body through the hinge assembly; the hovering assembly is arranged at the end, facing the hinge assembly, of the door body, the hovering assembly comprises an ejection mechanism and a damping part, the ejection mechanism comprises a transmission unit and an ejection rod, and the transmission unit can drive the ejection rod to move in the axial direction of the transmission unit through rotation of the door body so that the ejection rod can be switched between a first state and a second state; when the door body is opened to a first angle interval, the ejector rod is in a first state, and the damping piece abuts against the abutting face of the hinge assembly. When the door body is opened to the second angle interval, the ejector rod is in the second state, the damping piece is separated from the abutting face of the hinge assembly, the hovering assembly can achieve hovering when the door body is opened by a large angle and canceling resistance when the door body is opened by a small angle, and therefore the self-closing effect of the door closer cannot be affected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of refrigerators, and in particular to a hovering assembly and a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] The doors of existing refrigerators are easily affected by factors such as cabinet placement and hinge installation. After opening, the door cannot hover and instead automatically returns to its original position. This often requires users to hold onto the door to place items, hindering user experience.

[0003] Existing Chinese patent number CN113738214B discloses a hovering hinge. This hinge utilizes a rotating shaft, hinge seat, and cam to form multiple curved surfaces that contact abutments. The stability of the gear transmission and the damping created by these multiple contact surfaces create a hovering door effect. However, the damping provided by this hovering hinge persists when the door is closed, affecting the door closer's self-closing performance. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present application provides a hovering component and a refrigerator, wherein the hovering component can enable the door body to hover when it is opened at a large angle, and eliminate resistance at a small angle, thereby not affecting the self-closing effect of the door closer.

[0005] In the first aspect, the present application provides a suspension assembly, which is applied to a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a box body, a hinge assembly and a door body, and the door body is rotatably connected to the box body through the hinge assembly; the suspension assembly is arranged at one end of the door body facing the hinge assembly, and the suspension assembly includes: an ejection mechanism, including a transmission unit and an ejection rod connected to the transmission unit, and the transmission unit can drive the ejection rod to move along its own axial direction through the rotation of the door body so that the ejection rod can switch between a first state and a second state; and a damping member, which is arranged at one end of the ejection rod facing the hinge assembly; when the ejection rod is in the first state, the damping member abuts against the abutment surface of the hinge assembly, and when the ejection rod is in the second state, the damping member is separated from the abutment surface of the hinge assembly; wherein, when the door body is opened to a first angle range, the ejection rod is in the first state; when the door body is opened to a second angle range, the ejection rod is in the second state, and the first angle range is greater than the second angle range.

[0006] In a possible implementation, the hinge assembly includes a main body plate connected to the box body and a hinge shaft arranged on the main body plate, an abutment surface is provided on the main body plate, and the transmission unit is transmission-connected to the hinge shaft.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the transmission unit includes: a first gear fixedly disposed on the hinge shaft; a second gear disposed around the first gear and meshing with the first gear; and an axially movable member transmission-connected to the second gear, the axially movable member being movable along its own axial direction as the second gear rotates; wherein the ejector rod is disposed on the axially movable member.

[0008] In a possible implementation, the inner ring of the second gear is provided with an internal thread structure, the outer peripheral side of the axial moving member is provided with an external thread structure, and the external thread structure is threadedly connected to the internal thread structure.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the hovering assembly further includes a fixed cover, and the first gear and the second gear are located inside the fixed cover.

[0010] In a possible implementation, a limiting hole is provided on the fixed cover, and the axial moving member or the ejector rod passes through the limiting hole, and the limiting hole is used to limit the axial moving member or the ejector rod from rotating in the circumferential direction.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the axial moving member includes: a threaded tube connected to the second gear; and a screw rod, one end of which is threadedly connected to the threaded tube, and the other end of which is connected to the ejector rod.

[0012] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet, a hinge assembly, and a door body, wherein the door body is rotatably connected to the cabinet through the hinge assembly; and the above-mentioned hovering assembly.

[0013] In a possible implementation, a receiving groove is provided on the door body, and the transmission unit of the hovering assembly is located in the receiving groove.

[0014] In a possible implementation, an end cover is provided at one end of the door body facing the hinge assembly, a receiving groove is provided on the end cover, and the transmission unit of the hovering assembly is located in the receiving groove.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the refrigerator further includes a door closer, which is provided on the door body and is used to press the hovering assembly.

[0016] In a possible implementation, a locking portion is provided on the hinge assembly, and the door closer engages with the locking portion to keep the door body in a closed state.

[0017] The above technical solution provided by the embodiment of the present application has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0018] The hovering assembly and refrigerator provided in the embodiment of the present application, wherein the hovering assembly drives the ejector rod to move axially along with the rotation of the door body through the transmission unit; when the door body is opened to a first angle range and the ejector rod is in a first state, the damping member on the ejector rod abuts against the abutting surface of the hinge assembly, providing a damping force to achieve a hovering effect; when the door body is opened to a second angle range and the ejector rod is in a second state, the damping member on the ejector rod separates from the abutting surface of the hinge assembly, canceling the damping force, thereby achieving the door body hovering when it is opened at a large angle and canceling the resistance at a small angle, thereby not affecting the self-closing effect of the door closer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0021] One or more embodiments are exemplarily illustrated by pictures in the corresponding drawings. These exemplifications do not constitute limitations on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are represented as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings do not constitute proportional limitations.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a hovering assembly, a hinge assembly, and a door closer provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a hovering assembly, a door closer, and an end cover provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the planar structure of a hovering assembly, a door closer, and an end cover provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the cross-section structure along the AA direction;

[0026] Figure 5 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the cross-section structure along the BB direction;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a fixed cover provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic cross-sectional view of a damping element provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 8 A schematic structural diagram of an axial moving member and an ejector rod provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the planar structure of a second gear provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along CC direction;

[0032] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the planar structure of a first gear provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the planar structure of an end cap provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the planar structure of a hinge assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 14 A schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of the present application when the door is open.

[0036] Description of reference numerals:

[0037] 1. Ejector mechanism; 11. Transmission unit; 111. First gear; 112. Second gear; 1121. Internal thread structure; 113. Axial moving member; 1131. External thread structure; 12. Ejector rod;

[0038] 2. Damping parts;

[0039] 3. Fixed cover; 31. Limiting hole;

[0040] 4. Hinge assembly; 41. Main body plate; 42. Hinge shaft; 43. Locking part;

[0041] 5. End cap; 51. Accommodation slot; 511. First accommodation slot; 512. Second accommodation slot; 52. Fixing slot;

[0042] 6. Door closer; 61. Door closer body; 62. Stop plate; 63. Fixing piece;

[0043] 7. Box body;

[0044] 8. Door body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0046] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of the present invention. To simplify the disclosure of the present invention, the components and configurations of specific examples are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, the present invention may repeat reference numbers and / or letters in different examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed.

[0047] For ease of description, spatially relative terms may be used herein to describe the relative position or movement of one element or feature relative to another element or feature as shown in the figures, such as "inside," "outside," "inside," "outside," "below," "beneath," "above," "above," "front," "back," and the like. Such spatially relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation other than the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures undergoes a positional flip or a change in posture or a change in motion, then these directional indications will also change accordingly. For example, an element described as "below" or "below" another element or feature will subsequently be oriented as "above" or "above" another element or feature. Thus, the example term "below" can include both above and below orientations. The device may be oriented otherwise (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0048] The present application provides a hovering component and a refrigerator, wherein the hovering component can enable the door body to hover when it is opened at a large angle, and eliminate resistance at a small angle, thereby not affecting the self-closing effect of the door closer.

[0049] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a hovering assembly, a hinge assembly, and a door closer provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a hovering assembly, a door closer, and a door body provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the planar structure of a hovering assembly, a door closer, and a door body provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the cross-section structure along the AA direction; Figure 5 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the cross-section structure along the BB direction; Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a fixed cover provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 7 A schematic cross-sectional view of a damping element provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 8 A schematic structural diagram of an axial moving member and an ejector rod provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the planar structure of a second gear provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 10 for Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along CC direction; Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the planar structure of a first gear provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the planar structure of an end cap provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the planar structure of a hinge assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 14 A schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of the present application when the door is open.

[0050] like Figures 1-14 As shown, an embodiment of the present application provides a suspension assembly, which is applied to a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a cabinet 7, a hinge assembly 4 and a door 8. The door 8 is rotatably connected to the cabinet 7 through the hinge assembly 4. The suspension assembly is arranged at one end of the door 8 facing the hinge assembly 4. The suspension assembly includes: an ejection mechanism 1 and a damping member 2.

[0051] The ejection mechanism 1 includes a transmission unit 11 and an ejection rod 12 connected to the transmission unit 11. The transmission unit 11 can drive the ejection rod 12 to move along its own axial direction through the rotation of the door body 8, so that the ejection rod 12 can switch between the first state and the second state.

[0052] The damping member 2 is arranged at one end of the ejector rod 12 facing the hinge assembly 4; when the ejector rod 12 is in the first state, the damping member 2 abuts against the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, and when the ejector rod 12 is in the second state, the damping member 2 is separated from the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4.

[0053] Among them, when the door body 8 is opened to the first angle range, the ejector rod 12 is in the first state; when the door body 8 is opened to the second angle range, the ejector rod 12 is in the second state, and the first angle range is greater than the second angle range.

[0054] In the present application, the ejector rod 12 is driven to move axially by the transmission unit 11 as the door body 8 rotates. When the door body 8 is opened to the first angle range, the ejector rod 12 is in the first state, and the damping member 2 on the ejector rod 12 abuts against the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, providing a damping force to achieve a hovering effect. When the door body 8 is opened to the second angle range, the ejector rod 12 is in the second state, the damping member 2 on the ejector rod 12 separates from the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, canceling the damping force, thereby achieving the door body 8 hovering when it is opened at a large angle and canceling the resistance at a small angle, thereby not affecting the self-closing effect of the door closer 6 and preventing the door body 8 from being loosely closed.

[0055] In the related art, the door body 8 of existing refrigerator products is easily affected by the placement of the box body 7, the installation of the hinge, etc., and the door body 8 cannot hover after opening the door, and an automatic return phenomenon occurs. When the user takes or places items, he often needs to hold the door body 8 with his hands before he can place the items, which affects the user's use. The current hovering hinge is composed of multiple sections of curved surfaces for contacting the abutting part, which are composed of a rotating shaft, a hinge seat, and a cam. Through the stability of the gear transmission and the damping formed by the multiple contact surfaces, it can achieve the effect of the door body 8 hovering. However, this damping force that makes the door body 8 hover still exists when closing the door, which increases the effort spent on closing the door and affects the self-closing effect of the door closer 6. However, this structure is complicated to assemble, and has many design parts, which is costly. It is poorly matched with the actual use needs of users.

[0056] In the embodiment of the present application, the hovering assembly provided by the embodiment is in the second state during the opening and closing stage of the door body 8, that is, when the door body 8 is opened at a small angle, and the ejector rod 12 is in the second state. At this time, the damping member 2 is separated from the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, and there is no damping force. The door body 8 can be opened and closed with less effort, and the self-closing effect of the door closer 6 is not affected by the damping force when closing the door body 8. When the door body 8 is opened to a certain angle, the ejector rod 12 switches from the second state to the first state. At this time, the damping member 2 extends and abuts against the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, generating a damping force that causes the door body 8 to hover. In addition, the hovering assembly structure of the present application involves fewer parts, is simpler in structure, is easier to assemble, and reduces costs.

[0057] Moreover, the magnitude of the damping force generated by the hovering hinge in the prior art remains unchanged, that is, no matter how large the opening angle of the door body 8 is, the damping force is the same. During the entire process of opening and closing the door body 8, the damping force always exists. Although it can also meet the purpose of hovering the door body 8, the door body 8 of the refrigerator generally needs to be opened to a large enough angle before items can be taken in and out. In order to ensure the hovering effect of the door body 8, the damping force of the door body 8 is set to be large, but there is no need for the door body 8 to hover when the opening angle is small. Therefore, when the door body 8 is opened at a small angle, the damping force increases the effort to rotate the door body 8, affecting the user experience.

[0058] In the hovering assembly of the present application, the ejection length of the ejection rod 12 varies with the opening angle of the door body 8. The greater the opening angle of the door body 8, the longer the ejection length of the ejection rod 12. In other words, the greater the contact force between the damping member 2 on the ejection rod 12 and the contact surface of the hinge assembly 4, the greater the damping force applied to the door body 8, and the better the hovering effect. As the door body 8 closes, the damping force gradually decreases until the ejection rod 12 switches to the second state, at which point the damping force completely disappears.

[0059] In the related technology, the existing hovering component can provide damping force during the entire process of the door body 8 rotating. If the door body 8 is not closed tightly and the door closer 6 does not lock the door body 8, the door body 8 will remain in a closed but not closed state due to the existence of the damping force, so that the user cannot discover in time that the door body 8 is not closed tightly, causing the refrigerator to consume more power and affecting the user experience.

[0060] In the present application, when the door 8 is fully closed, the locking portion 43 of the hinge assembly 4 engages with the door closer 6, allowing the door 8 to remain in the closed state, achieving a self-closing effect. When the door 8 is nearly closed, the damping member 2 and the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4 are separated, and the door 8 is not subjected to the damping force. This facilitates opening and closing the door 8 and prevents the door 8 from being partially closed or not opened due to misoperation. If the door closer 6 fails to achieve self-closing of the door 8, that is, if the door 8 is not fully closed, the door 8 will be in an active state and can be easily opened or opened automatically, so the user can easily detect that the door 8 is not fully closed.

[0061] In the present application, because the refrigerator door 8 needs to be opened to a larger angle before items can be taken in and out, the present application chooses that when the door body 8 is opened to the first angle range, the ejector rod 12 is in the first state, and when the door body 8 is opened to the second angle range, the ejector rod 12 is in the second state, so that the door body 8 will have a hovering effect only when it is opened to a larger angle.

[0062] In an optional embodiment, the second angle range includes 0°-90°, and the door body 8 is in the second angle range when in the closed state; the first angle range includes 90°-120°. Of course, the first angle range and the second angle range can be designed according to the hovering requirements of the actual product, so as to meet the damping force generated by the refrigerator door body 8 when it is opened to a specific angle so that the door body 8 can hover, and the damping force continues to increase as the opening angle of the door body 8 increases, which can not only meet the hovering effect of the door body 8, but also reduce the effort spent on turning the door body 8.

[0063] Specifically, the damping member 2 is a damping pad having a fixing groove 52. The damping pad is sleeved on the end of the ejector rod 12 through the fixing groove 52 to achieve an effective connection with the ejector rod 12. To ensure the fixing effect of the damping pad, glue can also be provided in the fixing groove 52 to ensure the reliability of the connection between the damping pad and the ejector rod 12. The damping pad has a certain thickness in the thickness direction to ensure that the damping pad can be compressed after abutting the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, so as to prevent the damping pad from being compressed too much and causing excessive damping force.

[0064] Optionally, the damping member 2 can also be fixed to the ejector rod 12 by screws. A fixing hole is provided on the damping member 2, and the fixing hole is a countersunk hole. The screw fixes the damping member 2 to the end of the ejector rod 12 through the fixing hole.

[0065] In the present application, the damping member 2 may also be made of other materials that can provide damping force.

[0066] In some embodiments, the hinge assembly 4 includes a main plate 41 connected to the box body 7 and a hinge shaft 42 arranged on the main plate 41. The main plate 41 is provided with an abutment surface, and the transmission unit 11 is transmission-connected to the hinge shaft 42.

[0067] In the present application, the main body is connected to the box body 7, the hinge shaft 42 is arranged on the main body, and the door body 8 is rotated by the hinge shaft 42. During the rotation of the door body 8, it rotates around the hinge shaft 42. By transmitting the transmission unit 11 and the hinge shaft 42, the existing structure can be effectively utilized to achieve the purpose of the ejection rod 12 moving axially as the opening angle of the door body 8 changes, and the damping member 2 abuts against the abutting surface on the main plate 41, which also utilizes the existing structure, simplifies the structure, and saves costs.

[0068] Optionally, the transmission assembly can also be transmitted by other fixed structures on the box body 7 to realize the axial movement of the ejection rod 12 as the door body 8 rotates. It can also generate a damping force when the door body 8 is opened to a certain angle, so that the door body 8 is suspended. When the door body 8 is smaller than the above-mentioned angle, the damping force disappears and does not affect the self-closing effect of the door closer 6.

[0069] In some embodiments, the transmission unit 11 includes a first gear 111 , a second gear 112 , and an axial moving member 113 .

[0070] The first gear 111 is fixed on the hinge shaft 42 .

[0071] The second gear 112 is disposed around the first gear 111 , and the second gear 112 is meshed with the first gear 111 .

[0072] The axially movable member 113 is in transmission connection with the second gear 112 , and the axially movable member 113 can move along its own axial direction as the second gear 112 rotates.

[0073] The ejector rod 12 is disposed on the axial moving member 113 .

[0074] In the present application, the first gear 111 is arranged on the hinge shaft 42, remains fixed, and is coaxially arranged with the hinge shaft 42. When the door body 8 rotates, it rotates around the hinge shaft 42 and the first gear 111. The second gear 112 is arranged around the first gear 111 and engages with the first gear 111. When the door body 8 rotates, the second gear 112 rotates around the first gear 111, thereby realizing the rotation of the second gear 112. The rotation of the second gear 112 drives the axial moving member 113 to move along its own axial direction, thereby driving the ejection rod 12 and the damping member 2 to move, thereby realizing the abutment and separation of the damping member 2 and the abutment surface of the hinge assembly 4.

[0075] Specifically, the second gear 112 in the present application can be a gear, that is, a second gear 112 drives the axial moving part 113 to move axially by rotating; the second gear 112 can also be a gear set including multiple gears, the power input end of the gear set is engaged with the first gear 111, and the power output end of the gear set is used to drive the axial moving part 113 to move axially, and the multiple gears of the gear set have the effect of reducing speed and increasing torque.

[0076] Among them, the hinge shaft 42 in this application is fixed to the main plate 41 by means of a bulging method, and a pin is provided on the hinge shaft 42, and the first gear 111 is fixed by the pin, so that the first gear 111 is fixedly connected to the hinge shaft 42 and will not rotate with the rotation of the door body 8.

[0077] In a specific embodiment, the second gear 112 includes a gear set of multiple gears, and the multiple gears of the gear set can adjust the transmission ratio through a clutch, thereby adjusting the timing when the ejection rod 12 switches from the second state to the first state, thereby adjusting the opening angle of the door body 8 when it has a hovering function. After the product is assembled, it can be adjusted according to actual needs to adjust the opening angle of the door body 8 with the hovering function, thereby improving the user experience.

[0078] In a specific embodiment, an inner ring of the second gear 112 is provided with an internal thread structure 1121 , and an outer peripheral side of the axial moving member 113 is provided with an external thread structure 1131 , and the external thread structure 1131 is threadedly connected to the internal thread structure 1121 .

[0079] In the present application, the inner ring of the second gear 112 is a circular hole, and an internal thread structure 1121 is provided on the inner surface of the circular hole. An external thread structure 1131 is provided on the outer periphery of the axial moving member 113. The axial moving member 113 realizes a transmission connection with the second gear 112 through the threaded cooperation between the external thread structure 1131 and the internal thread structure 1121. When the second gear 112 rotates, it can drive the axial moving member 113 to move along its own axial direction. The axial moving member 113 drives the ejector rod 12 to extend and retract, so that the ejector rod 12 switches between the first state and the second state. The structure is simple and can ensure the accuracy of the transmission relationship, ensuring that the door body 8 generates a damping force when it is opened to a specific angle to achieve the door body 8 hovering. When the door body 8 is opened to an angle less than the specific angle, the damping force disappears, which will not affect the self-closing effect of the door closer 6 and prevent the door body 8 from being closed tightly.

[0080] Furthermore, the hovering assembly further includes a fixed cover 3 , and the first gear 111 and the second gear 112 are located inside the fixed cover 3 .

[0081] In the present application, by setting a fixed cover 3 and covering the first gear 111 and the second gear 112 in the fixed cover 3, the first gear 111 and the second gear 112 can be protected to prevent the first gear 111 and the second gear 112 from being exposed and falling off, and at the same time, external impurities can be prevented from entering and affecting the effective transmission of the first gear 111 and the second gear 112.

[0082] Specifically, the hovering assembly is arranged at the bottom of the door body 8, and the fixed cover 3 can provide a certain supporting effect on the first gear 111 and the second gear 112, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the position of the first gear 111 and the second gear 112. Moreover, during assembly, the first gear 111 and the second gear 112 can be positioned, which facilitates the assembly of the hovering assembly with the hinge assembly 4 and the door body 8.

[0083] The fixed cover 3 in the present application can not only protect the first gear 111 and the second gear 112, but also maintain the lubricating oil of the first gear 111 and the second gear 112, thereby ensuring the effective transmission between the first gear 111 and the second gear 112, and can also prevent external impurities from affecting the first gear 111 and the second gear 112, thereby affecting the effective transmission of the first gear 111 and the second gear 112.

[0084] In some embodiments, a limiting hole 31 is provided on the fixed cover 3 , and the axial moving member 113 or the ejector rod 12 passes through the limiting hole 31 . The limiting hole 31 is used to limit the axial moving member 113 or the ejector rod 12 from rotating in the circumferential direction.

[0085] In the present application, the limiting hole 31 on the fixed cover 3 is used to limit the axially moving part 113 or the ejector rod 12, so that the axially moving part 113 and the ejector rod 12 can only move axially and not rotate circumferentially, so that the axially moving part 113 and the ejector rod 12 will not rotate synchronously with the second gear 112 when the second gear 112 rotates, thereby ensuring that the axially moving part 113 and the ejector rod 12 can be extended and retracted along the axial direction.

[0086] Specifically, the size of the limiting hole 31 is smaller than the outer diameter of the second gear 112 , which can support the second gear 112 and prevent the second gear 112 from falling through the limiting hole 31 .

[0087] The limiting hole 31 in the present application is a square hole, and the cross-section of the ejector rod 12 is a square structure. The ejector rod 12 is limited by the limiting hole 31 so that the ejector rod 12 can only move axially and cannot rotate, thereby ensuring that the ejector rod 12 can telescopically move along the axial direction.

[0088] Alternatively, the ejector rod 12 may be limited by a keyway so that the ejector rod 12 can only move in the axial direction but not rotate. For example, a limit block may be provided on the fixed cover 3, and a limit groove may be provided on the outer surface of the ejector rod 12 along the axial direction. The limit block slides in the limit groove, thereby limiting the position of the ejector rod 12. For another example, a limit notch may be provided on the fixed cover 3, and a strip-shaped protrusion may be provided on the outer surface of the ejector rod 12 along the axial direction. The strip-shaped protrusion is located in the limit notch, thereby limiting the position of the ejector rod 12 so that the ejector rod 12 can only move in the axial direction but not rotate.

[0089] Specifically, the axial moving member 113 and the ejection rod 12 in the present application are integrally formed, that is, the upper half is the axial moving member 113 and the lower half is the ejection rod 12 .

[0090] The fixed cover 3 in the present application is also provided with a perforation for the hinge shaft 42 to pass through. The inner diameter of the perforation is smaller than the outer diameter of the first gear 111, thereby effectively supporting the first gear 111 and preventing the first gear 111 from falling off through the perforation.

[0091] In another specific embodiment, the axial moving member 113 includes: a threaded tube connected to the second gear 112 ; and a screw rod, one end of which is threadedly connected to the threaded tube, and the other end of which is connected to the ejector rod 12 .

[0092] In the present application, the axial moving part 113 can also be a threaded tube and a threaded rod. The threaded tube is fixedly connected to the second gear 112. The second gear 112 can drive the threaded tube to rotate. Through the cooperation between the threaded tube and the threaded rod, the threaded rod is driven to expand and contract axially, and then the ejection rod 12 is driven to move axially, thereby realizing the contact and separation of the abutment surface of the damping part 2 and the hinge assembly 4.

[0093] Specifically, the suspension assembly also includes a limiter for limiting the threaded rod. The limiter is used to limit the threaded rod so that it can only move axially and will not rotate with the threaded tube, thereby ensuring that the threaded rod can drive the ejection rod 12 to move effectively axially, thereby ensuring that the damping member 2 is driven to abut and separate from the abutment surface of the hinge assembly 4.

[0094] The hovering assembly drives the ejector rod 12 to move axially as the door body 8 rotates through the transmission unit 11. When the ejector rod 12 is in the first state, the damping member 2 on the ejector rod 12 abuts against the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, providing a damping force to achieve a hovering effect. When the ejector rod 12 is in the second state, the damping member 2 on the ejector rod 12 separates from the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, canceling the damping force, thereby achieving the door body 8 to hover when it is opened at a large angle and canceling the resistance at a small angle, thereby not affecting the self-closing effect of the door closer 6.

[0095] An embodiment of the present application provides a refrigerator, comprising: a box body 7, a hinge assembly 4 and a door body 8, wherein the door body 8 is rotatably connected to the box body 7 via the hinge assembly 4; and the above-mentioned hovering assembly.

[0096] In this application, the door body 8 is connected to the box body 7 through the hinge assembly 4 to ensure that the door body 8 can rotate. By adopting the above-mentioned hovering assembly, the door body 8 can have the function of hovering within a specific angle range. When the opening angle of the door body 8 is small, the damping force disappears and will not affect the self-closing effect of the door closer 6.

[0097] In some embodiments, a receiving groove 51 is provided on the door body 8 , and the transmission unit 11 of the hovering assembly is located in the receiving groove 51 .

[0098] In this application, by setting a receiving groove 51 on the door body 8 and setting the transmission unit 11 of the hovering assembly in the receiving groove 51, the transmission unit 11 can be designed to be hidden, and the hinge assembly 4 can be guaranteed to support the door body 8 and ensure the stability of the door body 8.

[0099] In some embodiments, an end cover 5 is provided at one end of the door body 8 facing the hinge assembly 4 . The end cover 5 is provided with a receiving groove 51 , and the transmission unit 11 of the hovering assembly is located in the receiving groove 51 .

[0100] In the present application, by setting an end cover 5 at the bottom of the door body 8 and setting a receiving groove 51 for accommodating the transmission unit 11 on the end cover 5, the existing door body 8 structure will not be affected. It is only necessary to install an end cover 5 with a receiving groove 51 at the bottom of the door body 8, and the hinge assembly 4 supports the door body 8 through the end cover 5.

[0101] Specifically, the accommodating groove 51 on the end cover 5 includes a first accommodating groove 511 for accommodating the first gear 111 and the second gear 112, and a second accommodating groove 512 for accommodating the ejector rod 12. The depth of the first accommodating groove 511 is less than the depth of the second accommodating groove 512, providing sufficient space for the ejector rod 12 to move along its own axial direction.

[0102] Among them, the end cover 5 is arranged at the bottom of the door body 8. By setting the accommodating groove 51 on the end cover 5, there is no need to set the accommodating groove 51 on the door body 8, which facilitates assembly. The hovering component and the door closer 6 can be installed on the end cover 5, and then the end cover 5 and the door body 8 are assembled.

[0103] In some embodiments, the refrigerator further includes a door closer 6 , which is disposed on the door body 8 and is used to compress the hovering assembly.

[0104] In the present application, the door closer 6 is arranged on the door body 8 and rotates with the door body 8. When the door body 8 is closed, the door closer 6 completes the self-closing of the door body 8. The door closer 6 presses and limits the hovering component to ensure the stability of the installation of the hovering component. The existing door closer 6 of the refrigerator is used to limit the hovering component to simplify the structure.

[0105] Specifically, the door closer 6 includes a door closer body 61, a stopper plate 62, and a fixing member 63. A fixing groove 52 is provided at the bottom of the door body 8. The fixing groove 52 is connected to the receiving groove 51. The stopper plate 62 is disposed in the fixing groove 52 and abuts against the hovering assembly, thereby compressing and fixing the hovering assembly. The door closer body 61 and the stopper plate 62 are fixed to the bottom of the door body 8 via the fixing member 63. The stopper plate 62 is used to limit the position of the door closer body 61. The depth of the fixing groove 52 is equal to the thickness of the stopper plate 62. The stopper plate 62 compresses and fixes the hovering assembly in the receiving groove 51.

[0106] A first flanging hole and a second flanging hole are provided on the door closer body 61. The first flanging hole is for the hinge shaft 42 of the hinge assembly 4 to pass through, and a makeshift hole for the pin of the hinge shaft 42 is provided thereon. At the same time, the positioning tool can be used to confirm whether the installation position of the first gear 111 meets the requirements. The second flanging hole can fix the door closer body 61 and the stop plate 62 on the door body 8.

[0107] Optionally, the hovering assembly may be compressed and fixed by a special fixing plate.

[0108] In some embodiments, a locking portion 43 is provided on the hinge assembly 4 , and the door closer 6 engages with the locking portion 43 to keep the door body 8 in a closed state.

[0109] In the related technology, the existing hovering component can provide damping force during the entire process of the door body 8 rotating. If the door body 8 is not closed tightly and the door closer 6 does not lock the door body 8, the door body 8 will remain in a closed but not closed state due to the existence of the damping force, so that the user cannot discover in time that the door body 8 is not closed tightly, causing the refrigerator to consume more power and affecting the user experience.

[0110] In the present application, when the door 8 is fully closed, the locking portion 43 of the hinge assembly 4 engages with the door closer 6, allowing the door 8 to remain in the closed state, achieving a self-closing effect. When the door 8 is nearly closed, the damping member 2 and the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4 are separated, and the door 8 is not subjected to the damping force. This facilitates opening and closing the door 8 and prevents the door 8 from being partially closed or not opened due to misoperation. If the door closer 6 fails to achieve self-closing of the door 8, that is, if the door 8 is not fully closed, the door 8 will be in an active state and can be easily opened or opened automatically, so the user can easily detect that the door 8 is not fully closed.

[0111] The refrigerator provided in the present application is provided with an ejection mechanism 1 on the door body 8, which forms a linkage with the hinge shaft 42 of the door body 8. When the door body 8 is opened around the hinge shaft 42, the hinge shaft 42 drives the ejection mechanism 1 on the door body 8 to be ejected downward. When the door body 8 is opened to a certain angle, the damping member 2 at the end of the ejection mechanism 1 cooperates with the abutment surface of the hinge assembly 4 to form a damping force. When the door body 8 self-returns due to the hinge assembly or the unevenness of the box body 7, the damping force formed by this structure can effectively limit the door body 8 and prevent the door body 8 from self-returning, so that the door body 8 can hover after reaching a certain opening angle. When the door body 8 is closed, the ejection mechanism 1 rises, the damping force between the door body 8 and the hinge assembly 4 disappears, and the door body 8 can be closed normally without affecting the self-closing effect of the self-closing device.

[0112] The assembly of the suspension assembly, the door closer 6, and the door body 8 is now introduced. A receiving groove 51 is reserved on the end cover 5 under the door body 8. The first gear 111 and the second gear 112 are placed in the Rong'a grass respectively, and then the axial moving part 113 is installed. The axial moving part 113 is connected to the second gear 112 through threads and installed in place. Vaseline is applied to the second gear 112 and the first gear 111 as grease filling. Next, the fixed cover 3 is installed. The hole position of the fixed cover 3 matches the reserved space between the axial moving part 113 and the end cover 5. The damping part 2 is then clamped to the bottom end of the ejector rod 12. Finally, the stop plate 62 and the door closer body 61 of the door closer 6 are installed. The door closer 6 is fastened by the fixing part 63 to complete the assembly.

[0113] In the related art, the door body 8 of existing refrigerator products is easily affected by the placement of the box body 7, the installation of the hinge, etc., and the door body 8 cannot hover after opening the door, and an automatic return phenomenon occurs. When the user takes or places items, he often needs to hold the door body 8 with his hands before he can place the items, which affects the user's use. The current hovering hinge is composed of multiple sections of curved surfaces for contacting the abutting part, which are composed of a rotating shaft, a hinge seat, and a cam. Through the stability of the gear transmission and the damping formed by the multiple contact surfaces, it can achieve the effect of the door body 8 hovering. However, this damping force that makes the door body 8 hover still exists when closing the door, which increases the effort spent on closing the door and affects the self-closing effect of the door closer 6. However, this structure is complicated to assemble, and has many design parts, which is costly. It is poorly matched with the actual use needs of users.

[0114] In the refrigerator provided by the embodiment of the present application, during the door body 8 opening and closing stage, that is, when the door body 8 is opened at a relatively small angle, the ejector rod 12 is in the second state. At this time, the damping member 2 is separated from the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, and there is no damping force. The door body 8 can be opened and closed with relatively little effort, and the self-closing effect of the door closer 6 is not affected by the damping force when closing the door body 8. When the door body 8 is opened to a certain angle, the ejector rod 12 switches from the second state to the first state. At this time, the damping member 2 extends and abuts against the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, generating a damping force that causes the door body 8 to hover. In addition, the hovering assembly structure of the present application involves fewer parts, is simpler in structure, is easier to assemble, and reduces costs.

[0115] Moreover, the magnitude of the damping force generated by the hovering hinge in the prior art remains unchanged, that is, no matter how large the opening angle of the door body 8 is, the damping force is the same. The damping force always exists during the entire process of opening and closing the door body 8. Although it can also meet the purpose of hovering the door body 8, the door body 8 of the refrigerator generally needs to be opened to a large enough angle before items can be taken and placed. When the door body 8 is opened at a small angle, there is no need for hovering. In order to ensure the hovering effect of the door body 8, the damping force of the door body 8 will be set to be larger. Therefore, when the door body 8 is opened at a small angle, the damping force increases the force of rotating the door body 8, affecting the user experience.

[0116] In the refrigerator of the present application, the ejection length of the ejection rod 12 varies with the opening angle of the door body 8. The greater the opening angle of the door body 8, the longer the ejection length of the ejection rod 12. In other words, the greater the contact force between the damping member 2 on the ejection rod 12 and the contact surface of the hinge assembly 4, the greater the damping force applied to the door body 8, and the better the hovering effect. As the door body 8 closes, the damping force gradually decreases until the ejection rod 12 switches to the second state, at which point the damping force completely disappears.

[0117] An embodiment of the present application also provides a refrigeration device, which includes a box body 7, a door body 8, a hinge assembly 4 and a hovering assembly. The door body 8 is rotatably connected to the box body 7 through the hinge assembly 4. The hovering assembly enables the door body 8 to hover when it is opened to a certain angle. When it is opened at a small angle, there is no hovering effect, which facilitates the opening and closing of the door body 8 and improves the self-closing effect of the door closer 6.

[0118] In existing refrigerators, the door 8 is susceptible to changes in the placement of the refrigerator body 7 and the installation of the hinges. This can cause the door 8 to fail to hover after opening, resulting in a self-returning phenomenon. This often requires users to support the door 8 with their hands when placing items, hindering user experience. A high-angle door hovering assembly has been designed. This assembly creates a resistance between the door and hinge during the door opening process. When the door is opened to a certain angle, a certain resistance is created between the door and hinge, causing the door 8 to hover, thus resolving the self-returning problem. When the door is closed, this resistance is eliminated, without affecting the self-closing effect of the door closer 6.

[0119] In the present application, the opening angle of the door body 8 is used to control the formation of a certain friction force between the door body 8 and the hinge assembly 4. When the door body 8 is opened to a certain angle, the friction between the door body 8 and the hinge assembly 4 causes the door body 8 to hover, which can effectively solve the problem that the door body 8 cannot hover. This function is only realized when the door body 8 is opened to a certain angle, which does not affect the operation of the door closer 6 and prevents the door body 8 from being loosely closed.

[0120] The hovering component in the present application can also be applied to other equipment that has hovering requirements for the door body 8, so that the door body 8 has the function of hovering after opening to a certain angle, and does not have the hovering function when it is less than the above angle. It can achieve the hovering of the door body 8 without affecting the operation of the door closer 6, thereby avoiding the situation where the door body 8 is not closed tightly.

[0121] In the related art, the door body 8 is easily affected by the placement of the box body 7, the installation of the hinge, etc., and the door body 8 cannot hover after opening the door, and an automatic return phenomenon occurs. When the user takes or places items, he often needs to hold the door body 8 with his hands before he can place the items, which affects the user's use. The current hovering hinge is composed of multiple sections of curved surfaces for contacting the abutting part, which are composed of a rotating shaft, a hinge seat, and a cam. Through the stability of the gear transmission and the damping formed by the multiple contact surfaces, it can achieve the effect of the door body 8 hovering. However, this damping force that makes the door body 8 hover still exists when closing the door, which increases the effort spent on closing the door and affects the self-closing effect of the door closer 6. However, this structure is complicated to assemble, has many design parts, and is expensive. It is poorly matched with the actual use needs of users.

[0122] The device provided in the present application adopts the suspension assembly in the present application. During the opening and closing stage of the door body 8, that is, when the door body 8 is opened at a small angle, the ejector rod 12 is in the second state. At this time, the damping member 2 is separated from the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, and there is no damping force. The door body 8 can be opened and closed with less effort, and the self-closing effect of the door closer 6 will not be affected by the damping force when closing the door body 8. When the door body 8 is opened to a certain angle, the ejector rod 12 switches from the second state to the first state. At this time, the damping member 2 extends and abuts against the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4, generating a damping force that causes the door body 8 to hover. In addition, the suspension assembly structure in the present application involves fewer parts, has a simpler structure, is convenient for assembly, and reduces costs.

[0123] Moreover, the magnitude of the damping force generated by the hovering hinge in the prior art remains unchanged, that is, no matter how large the opening angle of the door body 8 is, the damping force is the same. The damping force always exists during the entire process of opening and closing the door body 8. Although it can also meet the purpose of hovering the door body 8, the door body 8 of the refrigerator generally needs to be opened to a large enough angle before items can be taken and placed. When the door body 8 is opened at a small angle, there is no need for hovering. In order to ensure the hovering effect of the door body 8, the damping force of the door body 8 will be set to be larger. Therefore, when the door body 8 is opened at a small angle, the damping force increases the force of rotating the door body 8, affecting the user experience.

[0124] The device of the present application utilizes the aforementioned hovering assembly, and the ejection length of the ejection rod 12 varies with the opening angle of the door body 8. The greater the angle of the door body 8, the longer the ejection length of the ejection rod 12. In other words, the greater the contact force between the damping member 2 on the ejection rod 12 and the abutment surface of the hinge assembly 4, the greater the damping force applied to the door body 8, and the better the hovering effect. As the door body 8 closes, the damping force decreases until the ejection rod 12 switches to the second state, at which point the damping force disappears completely.

[0125] In the related technology, the existing hovering component can provide damping force during the entire process of the door body 8 rotating. If the door body 8 is not closed tightly and the door closer 6 does not lock the door body 8, the door body 8 will remain in a closed but not closed state due to the existence of the damping force, so that the user cannot discover in time that the door body 8 is not closed tightly, causing the refrigerator to consume more power and affecting the user experience.

[0126] In the present application, when the door 8 is fully closed, the locking portion 43 of the hinge assembly 4 engages with the door closer 6, allowing the door 8 to remain in the closed state, achieving a self-closing effect. When the door 8 is nearly closed, the damping member 2 and the abutting surface of the hinge assembly 4 are separated, and the door 8 is not subjected to the damping force. This facilitates opening and closing the door 8 and prevents the door 8 from being partially closed or not opened due to misoperation. If the door closer 6 fails to achieve self-closing of the door 8, that is, if the door 8 is not fully closed, the door 8 will be in an active state and can be easily opened or opened automatically, so the user can easily detect that the door 8 is not fully closed.

[0127] It should be understood that the terms used herein are for the purpose of describing specific example embodiments only and are not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "one", "an" and "said" as used herein may also be meant to include plural forms. The terms "comprise", "include", "contain" and "have" are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, parts, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring them to be performed in the specific order described or illustrated, unless the order of execution is clearly indicated. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be used.

[0128] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. can be used in the text to describe multiple elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms can only be used to distinguish an element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as "first", "second" and other numerical terms do not imply order or sequence when used in the text. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below can be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teaching of the example embodiments.

[0129] The foregoing description is intended only to provide specific embodiments of the present invention, intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand and implement the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but rather to be construed in the broadest manner consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

Claims

1. A suspension assembly, applied to a refrigerator, comprising a box (7), a hinge assembly (4) and a door (8), wherein the door (8) is rotatably connected to the box (7) via the hinge assembly (4); characterized in that: The suspension assembly is arranged at one end of the door body (8) facing the hinge assembly (4), and the suspension assembly comprises: An ejection mechanism (1) comprises a transmission unit (11) and an ejection rod (12) connected to the transmission unit (11), wherein the transmission unit (11) can drive the ejection rod (12) to move along its own axial direction through the rotation of the door body (8), so that the ejection rod (12) can switch between a first state and a second state; and a damping member (2) disposed at one end of the ejector rod (12) facing the hinge assembly (4); when the ejector rod (12) is in the first state, the damping member (2) abuts against the abutting surface of the hinge assembly (4); and when the ejector rod (12) is in the second state, the damping member (2) is separated from the abutting surface of the hinge assembly (4); When the door body (8) is opened to a first angle range, the ejector rod (12) is in the first state; when the door body (8) is opened to a second angle range, the ejector rod (12) is in the second state, and the first angle range is greater than the second angle range.

2. The hovering assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hinge assembly (4) comprises a main body plate (41) connected to the box body (7) and a hinge shaft (42) arranged on the main body plate (41); the main body plate (41) is provided with the abutment surface; and the transmission unit (11) is transmission-connected to the hinge shaft (42).

3. The hovering assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transmission unit (11) comprises: A first gear (111) is fixedly mounted on the hinge shaft (42); a second gear (112) disposed around the first gear (111), the second gear (112) being meshed with the first gear (111); and An axially movable member (113) is in transmission connection with the second gear (112), and the axially movable member (113) can move along its own axial direction as the second gear (112) rotates; Wherein, the ejector rod (12) is arranged on the axial moving member (113).

4. The hovering assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inner ring of the second gear (112) is provided with an internal thread structure (1121), and the outer peripheral side of the axial moving member (113) is provided with an external thread structure (1131), and the external thread structure (1131) is threadedly connected to the internal thread structure (1121).

5. The hovering assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: The suspension assembly further comprises a fixed cover (3), wherein the first gear (111) and the second gear (112) are located inside the fixed cover (3).

6. The hovering assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: A limiting hole (31) is provided on the fixed cover (3), the axial moving member (113) or the ejector rod (12) passes through the limiting hole (31), and the limiting hole (31) is used to limit the axial moving member (113) or the ejector rod (12) from rotating in the circumferential direction.

7. The hovering assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: The axial moving member (113) comprises: a threaded tube connected to the second gear (112); and A screw rod, one end of which is threadedly connected to the threaded pipe, and the other end of which is connected to the ejector rod (12).

8. A refrigerator, characterized in that: include: A box body (7), a hinge assembly (4) and a door body (8), wherein the door body (8) is rotatably connected to the box body (7) via the hinge assembly (4); and The hovering assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, characterized in that: The door body (8) is provided with a receiving groove (51), and the transmission unit (11) of the hovering assembly is located in the receiving groove (51).

10. The refrigerator according to claim 8, characterized in that: An end cover (5) is provided at one end of the door body (8) facing the hinge assembly (4), and a receiving groove (51) is provided on the end cover (5), and the transmission unit (11) of the hovering assembly is located in the receiving groove (51).

11. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that: The refrigerator further comprises a door closer (6), which is arranged on the door body (8) and is used to press the suspension assembly.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, characterized in that: The hinge assembly (4) is provided with a locking portion (43), and the door closer (6) is engaged with the locking portion (43) to keep the door body (8) in a closed state.

Images