Cover cap assembly and refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model discloses a cover cap assembly and a refrigerator and relates to the technical field of household appliance automation, the cover cap assembly is used for being installed at the top or the bottom of a refrigerator body of the refrigerator, the cover cap assembly comprises a cover body door opening and closing assembly, a cover body is provided with an inner side and an outer side which are opposite, and the inner side of the cover body covers the top or the bottom of the refrigerator body; the door opening and closing assembly is installed on the inner side of the cover body and used for driving a door body of the refrigerator to be opened and closed. According to the technical scheme, the opening and closing door assembly is arranged on the inner side of the cover cap, a corresponding fixing base does not need to be arranged on the refrigerator, the installation steps and complexity are reduced, modular production of the cover cap assembly is facilitated, and the production period and cost are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of home appliance automation, in particular to a cover assembly and a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] Existing automatic door opening refrigerators usually require the circuit board and the push rod mechanism to be installed on the outer side of the refrigerator together. During this process, a circuit board fixing seat needs to be set on the refrigerator to place the circuit board on the circuit board fixing seat to complete the fixing of the circuit board. Then a cover is installed above it to isolate the circuit board and the push rod mechanism from the external environment, thereby extending the overall service life.

[0003] However, since a circuit board fixing seat needs to be provided on the refrigerator, the installation steps and complexity are increased, which is not conducive to modular production and increases the production cycle and cost. Utility Model Content

[0004] The main purpose of the present utility model is to propose a cover assembly and a refrigerator, which aims to place the switch door assembly on the inner side of the cover, thereby eliminating the need to set a corresponding fixing seat on the refrigerator, saving installation steps and complexity, and facilitating the modular production of the cover assembly, reducing production cycle and cost.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides a cover assembly for installation on the top or bottom of a refrigerator body, the cover assembly comprising:

[0006] a cover having opposite inner and outer sides, the inner side of the cover covering the top or bottom of the box; and

[0007] The door opening and closing assembly is installed on the inner side of the cover body, and the door opening and closing assembly is used to drive the door opening and closing activities of the refrigerator.

[0008] In one embodiment, the inner side of the cover covers a hinge arrangement at the top or bottom of the box.

[0009] In one embodiment, the door opening and closing assembly comprises:

[0010] A driving device, installed on the inner side of the cover, for driving the door of the refrigerator to open and close; and

[0011] The electric control device is installed on the inner side of the cover and is electrically connected to the driving device, and is used for receiving a control signal and controlling the operation of the driving device.

[0012] In one embodiment, the driving device comprises:

[0013] a push rod movably mounted on the inner side of the cover body and having a movable stroke relative to the cover body; and

[0014] A driver is installed on the inner side of the cover, is in transmission with the push rod, and is electrically connected to the electronic control device; wherein,

[0015] The driver is used to control the push rod to generate the activity stroke, and during the activity stroke, the push rod is used to drive the door opening and closing of the refrigerator.

[0016] In one embodiment, the electronic control device includes:

[0017] The circuit board is installed on the inner side of the cover and is electrically connected to the driving device, so as to receive a control signal and control the operation of the driving device.

[0018] In one embodiment, the electronic control device further includes:

[0019] A wiring harness is installed on the inner side of the cover and is electrically connected to the circuit board for transmitting control signals.

[0020] In one embodiment, the driving device is arranged in a module, the inner side of the cover body has a first installation area for installing the driving device, and a plurality of first buckles are arranged around the first installation area, and the plurality of first buckles are used to clamp and limit the driving device; and / or,

[0021] The inner side of the cover body is provided with a second installation area for installing the electronic control device. A plurality of second buckles are arranged around the first installation area. The plurality of second buckles are used to clamp and limit the driving device.

[0022] In one embodiment, the cover assembly further includes an annular enclosure portion disposed on the periphery of the second installation area.

[0023] In one embodiment, the cover assembly further includes a sealing portion installed at an end portion of the annular enclosure portion away from the cover body, for sealing between the annular enclosure portion and the refrigerator body.

[0024] In one embodiment, a limiting groove is provided at the end of the annular enclosure portion away from the cover body, and the sealing portion is provided corresponding to the limiting groove; and / or,

[0025] The sealing portion includes insect-proof cotton.

[0026] The present invention further provides a refrigerator, comprising a cover assembly for installation on the top or bottom of a refrigerator body, the cover assembly comprising:

[0027] a cover having opposite inner and outer sides, the inner side of the cover covering the top or bottom of the box; and

[0028] The door opening and closing assembly is installed on the inner side of the cover body, and the door opening and closing assembly is used to drive the door opening and closing activities of the refrigerator.

[0029] The technical solution of the present invention is to install the cover assembly on the top or bottom of the refrigerator body and the switch door assembly on the inside of the cover body, so as to drive the door of the refrigerator to open and close. Since the switch door assembly is first arranged on the inner side of the cover body, when the cover body is installed on the refrigerator body, there is no need for additional fixing or limiting structures on the refrigerator body, which saves installation steps and complexity. At the same time, the switch door assembly can be mass-produced and integrated into the inner side of the cover body first, and then the cover assembly can be installed on the top or bottom of the refrigerator body. This not only facilitates the modular production of the cover assembly, but also reduces the production cycle and cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] 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, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of an embodiment of a cover assembly provided by the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Top view of the middle cover assembly.

[0033] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0034] 100, cover assembly;

[0035] 1. Cover; 11. First mounting area; 12. Second mounting area; 13. First buckle; 14. Second buckle; 15. Annular enclosure; 16. Sealing portion; 17. Third mounting area; 18. Third buckle;

[0036] 2. Door opening and closing assembly; 21. Drive device; 211. Push rod; 212. Driver; 22. Electronic control device; 221. Circuit board; 222. Wiring harness.

[0037] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the components in a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0040] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features limited to "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears in the full text, its meaning includes three parallel schemes. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes scheme A, or scheme B, or a scheme in which A and B are satisfied at the same time. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is mutually contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0041] Existing automatic-door refrigerators typically require the circuit board and push rod mechanism to be mounted on the outside of the refrigerator. This process requires a circuit board mount to secure the circuit board. A cover is then installed over the mount to isolate the circuit board and push rod mechanism from the outside environment, extending the overall service life. However, the need for a circuit board mount increases the number of installation steps and complexity, hindering modular production and increasing production cycle and costs.

[0042] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2To address the aforementioned technical issues, the present invention proposes a cover assembly 100 for installation on the top or bottom of a refrigerator housing. The cover assembly 100 comprises a cover 1 and a door opening / closing assembly 2. The cover 1 has opposing inner and outer sides, with the inner side of the cover 1 covering the top or bottom of the refrigerator housing. The door opening / closing assembly 2 is installed on the inner side of the cover 1 and is used to activate the refrigerator door.

[0043] The technical solution of the present invention is to install the cover assembly 100 on the top or bottom of the refrigerator body and the switch door assembly 2 on the inner side of the cover body 1, so as to drive the door of the refrigerator to open and close. Since the switch door assembly 2 is first arranged on the inner side of the cover body 1, when the cover body 1 is installed on the refrigerator body, there is no need to additionally set other fixing or limiting structures at the corresponding position of the refrigerator body, which saves installation steps and complexity. At the same time, the switch door assembly 2 can be mass-produced and integrated into the inner side of the cover body 1 first, and then the cover assembly 100 can be installed on the top or bottom of the refrigerator body. In this way, it is not only conducive to the modular production of the cover assembly 100, but also reduces the production cycle and cost.

[0044] In this arrangement, by covering the inner side of the cover body 1 with the refrigerator body, the switch door assembly 2 located between the cover body 1 and the refrigerator body can be isolated from the external environment, preventing dust or water vapor in the environment from directly entering the switch door assembly 2, thereby preventing the normal operation of the switch door assembly 2.

[0045] It is understandable that the cover body 1 can be connected to the refrigerator body in the following ways: threaded fixation - by pre-setting threaded holes on the cover body 1 and the refrigerator body, and using threaded fixings to screw into the threaded holes to fix the two together; snap connection - by designing matching snap structures on the edges of the cover body 1 and the refrigerator body, so that the two can be easily installed together or disassembled; magnetic connection - by setting a magnetic part between the refrigerator body and the cover body 1, so as to use the suction force of the magnetic part to fix the cover body 1 on the body, which is easy to operate and has good sealing. Adhesive connection - by applying glue between the cover body 1 and the refrigerator body, so that the two can be tightly connected. It should be noted that different cover bodies 1 and refrigerator bodies can adopt different connection methods to ensure the stability of the connection and the convenience of use. It can be selected according to actual needs and is not particularly limited here.

[0046] In one embodiment, the inner side of the cover body 1 covers the hinge arrangement of the top or bottom of the box body, that is, the cover body 1 is a hinge cover of the refrigerator.

[0047] This arrangement utilizes the hinge cover already present in the refrigerator, eliminating the need for additional components. It is understood that by placing the inner portion of the cover 1 over the hinge at the top or bottom of the refrigerator body, the inner portion of the cover 1 covering the hinge protects the hinge from external environmental erosion, such as dust, moisture, and oil, thereby extending the hinge's service life and reducing repair or replacement costs due to hinge damage.

[0048] Furthermore, it is understood that covering the hinge with the cover 1 not only reduces the noise generated by the hinge during operation, making the refrigerator door rotate more quietly relative to the refrigerator body when driven by the door opening and closing assembly 2, thereby improving the user experience, but also makes the overall appearance of the refrigerator neater and enhances the aesthetics of the product.

[0049] In one embodiment, the door opening and closing assembly 2 includes a drive device 21 and an electronic control device 22. The drive device 21 is mounted inside the housing 1 to actuate the opening and closing of the refrigerator door. The electronic control device 22 is mounted inside the housing 1 and electrically connected to the drive device 21 to receive control signals and control the operation of the drive device 21.

[0050] In this way, the driving device 21 and the electronic control device 22 are installed on the inner side of the cover body 1, which can avoid direct interference from the external environment, such as dust, moisture, etc., thereby extending the service life of the driving device 21 and the electronic control device 22.

[0051] It is understandable that the drive device 21 is a mechanical component that performs the opening and closing of the refrigerator door. It can be opened or closed by a motor, cylinder or other form of power source, by physically connecting to the refrigerator door (for example, through gears, chains or direct push). The electronic control device 22 is a control system that performs the opening and closing of the refrigerator. It receives control signals from the user or the outside and converts these signals into operating instructions that can be executed by the drive device 21. The electronic control device 22 is responsible for processing logical operations, such as when to open or close the refrigerator door, and controlling the opening size of the refrigerator door, thereby improving the intelligence of use.

[0052] Specifically, in one embodiment, the driving device 21 includes a push rod 211 and a driver 212. The push rod 211 is movably mounted on the inner side of the housing 1 and has a range of motion relative to the housing 1. The driver 212 is mounted on the inner side of the housing 1 and is in transmission with the push rod 211 and is electrically connected to the electronic control device 22. The driver 212 is used to control the push rod 211 to produce the range of motion. During the range of motion, the push rod 211 is used to drive the refrigerator door to open and close.

[0053] In this way, the electronic control device 22 sends a control instruction that can be executed to the driver 212 according to the external control signal received, thereby controlling the working state of the driver 212. The driver 212 has a first working mode and a second working mode (the electronic control device 22 can control the driver 212 to switch between the first working mode and the second working mode). When the door of the refrigerator needs to be opened, the driver 212 is in the first working mode, so that the push rod 211 is extended to push the door of the refrigerator gradually away from the refrigerator body, and the active stroke between the push rod 211 and the cover 1 is gradually increased, thereby opening the door of the refrigerator, making it convenient for users to take and put items placed inside the refrigerator; when the door of the refrigerator needs to be closed, the driver 212 is in the second working mode, so that the push rod 211 is retracted to drive the door of the refrigerator gradually close to the refrigerator body, and the active stroke between the push rod 211 and the cover 1 is gradually reduced, thereby closing the door of the refrigerator so that it fits with the refrigerator body, and insulating the items placed inside the refrigerator.

[0054] It can be understood that the driver 212 can be set as a motor (higher adjustment accuracy) or a cylinder (faster adjustment speed), and the compressed gas in the cylinder can be used to make the push rod 211 have a movable stroke relative to the cover body 1; or the rotation of the motor can be used to convert the rotational energy into a linear movement of the push rod 211, so that the push rod 211 has a movable stroke relative to the cover body 1, or other devices that can make the push rod 211 have a movable stroke relative to the cover body 1, which are not specifically limited here.

[0055] In one embodiment, the electronic control device 22 includes a circuit board 221 . The circuit board 221 is installed inside the housing 1 and is electrically connected to the driving device 21 for receiving control signals and controlling the operation of the driving device 21 .

[0056] With this arrangement, the circuit board 221 receives control signals from the outside. Upon receiving the signals, the circuit board 221 processes the control signals, including but not limited to decoding and logical analysis. After processing the signals, the circuit board 221 issues instructions to the driver 21 based on a preset logic or algorithm to control the operating state of the driver 21.

[0057] It is understood that a signal receiving module can be integrated on the circuit board 221 to receive external control signals through the signal receiving module. The control signal can be transmitted wirelessly (such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) or wired (such as a serial communication interface); a microprocessor or microcontroller can be integrated on the circuit board 221 to decode the control signal, perform logical judgment, etc.; a signal transmitting module can be integrated on the circuit board 221 to transmit instructions to the drive device 21 through the signal transmitting module.

[0058] In one embodiment, the electronic control device 22 further includes a wiring harness 222 . The wiring harness 222 is installed inside the housing 1 and is electrically connected to the circuit board 221 for transmitting control signals.

[0059] With such a configuration, the wiring harness 222 can provide power support and signal transmission to the circuit board 221. Since the circuit board 221 is electrically connected to the drive device 21, the wiring harness 222 can also provide power support or signal transmission to the corresponding drive device 21, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the electronic control device 22 and the drive device 21.

[0060] In addition, it should be noted that in the prior art, since the circuit board 221 and the push rod 211 mechanism are both installed on the refrigerator body, the wiring harness 222 is placed on the refrigerator body. When the cover is installed, part of the wiring harness 222 will be stuck between the cover and the refrigerator body, requiring rework, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

[0061] In this embodiment, by restricting the wiring harness 222 to the inner side of the cover 1, the wiring harness 222 can be prevented from being stuck between the cover and the refrigerator body, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of production and facilitating the integrated modular production of the cover 1.

[0062] In one embodiment, the driving device 21 is configured as a module, and the inner side of the cover body 1 has a first installation area 11 for installing the driving device 21. A plurality of first clips 13 are arranged around the first installation area 11, and the plurality of first clips 13 are used to clamp and limit the driving device 21.

[0063] With such arrangement, the driving device 21 can be clamped and limited by the plurality of first buckles 13 , which is conducive to quickly installing the driving device 21 into the first installation area 11 .

[0064] In one embodiment, the inner side of the cover body 1 has a second installation area 12 for installing the electronic control device 22 , and a plurality of second clips 14 are provided around the first installation area 11 , and the plurality of second clips 14 are used to clamp and limit the driving device 21 .

[0065] With such arrangement, the electronic control device 22 can be held and limited by the plurality of second buckles 14 , which is conducive to quickly installing the electronic control device 22 into the second installation area 12 .

[0066] It can be migrated that, in one embodiment, the inner side of the cover body 1 has a third installation area 17 for installing the wiring harness 222, and a plurality of third buckles 18 are arranged around the third installation area 17, and the plurality of third buckles 18 are used to clamp and limit the wiring harness 222.

[0067] With such an arrangement, the wiring harness 222 can be clamped and limited by the plurality of third buckles 18 , which is conducive to quickly installing the wiring harness 222 into the third installation area 17 .

[0068] In summary, the drive device 21 , the electronic control device 22 , and the wiring harness 222 can be quickly installed in the cover 1 through multiple first buckles 13 , second buckles 14 , and third buckles 18 , thereby improving the efficiency of the integrated modular production of the cover 1 .

[0069] It is understandable that the first clip 13 , the second clip 14 , and the third clip 18 can all be integrally formed with the cover body 1 , which not only saves production steps but also improves the connection strength between them and the cover body 1 .

[0070] In addition, it should be noted that there can be multiple drive devices 21, and the multiple drive devices 21 are all installed on the inner side of the cover 1 and electrically connected to the electronic control device 22. The multiple drive devices 21 can simultaneously drive one door body of the refrigerator or drive multiple doors of the refrigerator.

[0071] In one embodiment, the cover assembly 100 further includes an annular enclosure portion 15 disposed on the periphery of the second installation area 12 .

[0072] With such an arrangement, when the cover body 1 is placed on the refrigerator body, the annular enclosure portion 15 can be in contact with the refrigerator body portion, so that the electronic control device 22 installed in the second installation area 12 can be separated from other spaces inside the cover body 1, further protecting the electronic control device 22 from being contaminated by water vapor and dust, and extending the service life of the electronic control device 22.

[0073] In addition, it should be noted that the annular enclosure portion 15 can be integrally formed with the cover body 1 , which not only saves production steps but also improves the connection strength between it and the cover body 1 .

[0074] Specifically, in this embodiment, the annular enclosure portion 15 is further provided with a reserved hole, which facilitates the electrical connection between the wiring harness 222 and the circuit board 221 through the reserved hole.

[0075] In one embodiment, the cover assembly 100 further includes a sealing portion 16 installed at the end of the annular enclosure portion 15 away from the cover body 1, for sealing between the annular enclosure portion 15 and the refrigerator body.

[0076] This arrangement facilitates the sealing portion 16 to be confined to the annular enclosure portion 15, improves the modular integration of the cover assembly 100, and thereby reduces the installation cycle and time cost of the cover assembly 100 and the refrigerator body. It also facilitates the maintenance and replacement of the sealing portion 16.

[0077] In one embodiment, a limiting groove is provided at the end of the annular surrounding portion 15 away from the cover body 1 , and the sealing portion 16 is provided corresponding to the limiting groove.

[0078] In this way, the sealing part 16 is squeezed and deformed between the annular enclosure part 15 and the refrigerator body to fill the gap between the two. The presence of the limiting groove prevents the position of the sealing part 16 from shifting during the deformation process, thereby improving the sealing effect of the annular enclosure part 15.

[0079] In one embodiment, the sealing portion 16 includes insect-proof cotton.

[0080] It can be understood that insect-proof cotton, as a special material, has a good insect-proof effect, effectively preventing mosquitoes, cockroaches, insects or other small creatures from invading the annular enclosure 15 and damaging the electronic control device 22 therein, thereby extending the service life of the device.

[0081] The present invention also proposes a refrigerator, which includes a box body, a door body hinged to the box body, and a cover assembly 100. The specific structure of the cover assembly 100 refers to the above embodiment. Since the present refrigerator adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described one by one here.

[0082] In one embodiment, the box body and the door body are hinged via a hinge, and the driving device 21 is disposed close to the hinge.

[0083] It can be understood that the closer to the hinge (i.e. the rotation fulcrum), the greater the rotation angle of the door body relative to the box body (i.e. the larger the opening of the door body) when the driving device 21 drives the same distance, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the driving device 21, reduces the space occupied in the cover body 1, and saves production costs.

[0084] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the technical concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cover assembly for installation on the top or bottom of a refrigerator body, characterized in that: The cover assembly comprises: a cover having opposite inner and outer sides, the inner side of the cover covering the top or bottom of the box; and The door opening and closing assembly is installed on the inner side of the cover body, and the door opening and closing assembly is used to drive the door opening and closing activities of the refrigerator.

2. The cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The inner side of the cover covers the hinge arrangement of the top or bottom of the box.

3. The cover assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The door opening and closing assembly comprises: A driving device, installed on the inner side of the cover, for driving the door of the refrigerator to open and close; and The electric control device is installed on the inner side of the cover and is electrically connected to the driving device, and is used for receiving a control signal and controlling the operation of the driving device.

4. The cover assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The driving device comprises: a push rod movably mounted on the inner side of the cover body and having a movable stroke relative to the cover body; and A driver is installed on the inner side of the cover, is in transmission with the push rod, and is electrically connected to the electronic control device; wherein, The driver is used to control the push rod to generate the activity stroke, and during the activity stroke, the push rod is used to drive the door opening and closing of the refrigerator.

5. The cover assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The electronic control device comprises: The circuit board is installed on the inner side of the cover and is electrically connected to the driving device, so as to receive a control signal and control the operation of the driving device.

6. The cover assembly according to claim 5, wherein: The electronic control device further comprises: A wiring harness is installed on the inner side of the cover and is electrically connected to the circuit board for transmitting control signals.

7. The cover assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The driving device is arranged in a modular manner, the inner side of the cover body has a first installation area for installing the driving device, and a plurality of first buckles are arranged around the first installation area, and the plurality of first buckles are used to clamp and limit the driving device; and / or, The inner side of the cover body is provided with a second installation area for installing the electronic control device. A plurality of second buckles are arranged around the first installation area. The plurality of second buckles are used to clamp and limit the driving device.

8. The cover assembly according to claim 7, wherein: The cover assembly further includes an annular enclosure portion disposed on the periphery of the second installation area.

9. The cover assembly according to claim 8, wherein: The cover assembly further includes a sealing portion, which is mounted on the end of the annular enclosure portion away from the cover body and is used for sealing between the annular enclosure portion and the refrigerator body.

10. The cover assembly according to claim 9, wherein: A limiting groove is provided at the end of the annular enclosure portion away from the cover body, and the sealing portion is provided corresponding to the limiting groove; and / or, The sealing portion includes insect-proof cotton.

11. A refrigerator, characterized in that: The invention comprises a cover assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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