Sealing structure for drainage pipe opening of household refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model provides a sealing structure for a drain pipe orifice of a household refrigerator, which comprises a sealing assembly and a joint assembly for butt joint of a drain pipe, the joint assembly comprises a connecting assembly and a joint pipe, the connecting assembly is connected with the joint pipe, the connecting assembly is used for connecting a water pan, and a water inlet of the joint pipe is used for insertion of the drain pipe. The sealing assembly is connected to the water outlet of the connector pipe in an openable and closable mode, the sealing assembly is provided with a first position and a second position, the sealing assembly is located at the first position, the sealing assembly is connected to the water outlet of the connector pipe in a sealed mode, and the sealing assembly is located at the second position. And an overflowing gap for defrosting water to flow out to the water pan is formed between the sealing assembly and the water outlet of the joint pipe. The problem that hot air in a compressor cabin enters the refrigerator through a drain pipe due to the fact that no sealing device is arranged in the prior art is effectively solved, and the refrigerator has the advantages of being simple in structure, stable in sealing effect and high in assembling efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of refrigerators, in particular to a sealing structure for a drainage pipe outlet of a household refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of social economy, more and more household appliances have entered thousands of households. In particular, refrigerators have become one of the indispensable household appliances in people's daily lives. At present, during the operation of household refrigerators, defrost water flows into the water receiving pan through the drain pipe, and the water is evaporated and consumed by the heat generated by the operation of the compressor.

[0003] However, traditional drain pipe structures usually do not have sealing devices, which causes the hot air in the compressor compartment to enter the refrigerator through the drain pipe, causing the temperature and humidity inside the refrigerator to increase, affecting the preservation effect of food, increasing frost formation, and causing the compressor to work frequently, thereby increasing the energy consumption of the refrigerator.

[0004] In view of this, it is necessary to propose a sealing structure for the drain pipe outlet of a household refrigerator to solve or at least alleviate the above-mentioned defects. Utility Model Content

[0005] The main purpose of the utility model is to provide a sealing structure for a drain pipe outlet of a household refrigerator, so as to solve the technical problem that a traditional drain pipe structure usually has no sealing device.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the utility model provides a sealing structure for the drain pipe outlet of a household refrigerator, comprising a sealing assembly and a joint assembly for connecting the water pipes; wherein,

[0007] The joint assembly includes a connecting assembly and a joint pipe, the connecting assembly and the joint pipe are connected, the connecting assembly is used to connect to the water receiving tray, and the water inlet of the joint pipe is used for inserting the water pipe;

[0008] The sealing assembly can be connected to the water outlet of the joint pipe in an openable and closable manner, and the sealing assembly has a first position and a second position; wherein, when the sealing assembly is in the first position, the sealing assembly is sealingly connected to the water outlet of the joint pipe, and when the sealing assembly is in the second position, a flow gap is formed between the sealing assembly and the water outlet of the joint pipe for defrost water to flow out to the water receiving tray.

[0009] Preferably, the sealing assembly includes a sealing plate and two first connecting plates relatively arranged on both sides of the sealing plate, each of the first connecting plates is connected to the sealing plate, and a connecting boss is protruding on the inner side of each first connecting plate. The joint assembly also includes two second connecting plates arranged in parallel and spaced apart, the second connecting plates and the first connecting plates are arranged one-to-one, the second connecting plates are arranged on the inner side of the first connecting plate, and each of the second connecting plates is connected to the joint pipe, and each of the second connecting plates is provided with a mounting hole for the connecting boss to pass through, and the connecting boss is installed in the mounting hole so that the sealing plate can be opened and closed and connected to the water outlet of the joint pipe.

[0010] Preferably, the water outlet of the joint pipe is an inclined surface, the angle between the inclined surface and the horizontal plane is a first angle, the angle between the sealing plate under its own weight and the horizontal plane is a second angle, and the first angle is greater than the second angle.

[0011] Preferably, the connecting assembly includes a connecting tongue and a connecting seat, the bottom of the connecting seat is connected to the water receiving tray, the connecting tongue is connected to the joint pipe, and the connecting tongue is clamped to the top of the connecting seat.

[0012] Preferably, a guide groove for inserting the connecting tongue is formed at the top of the connecting seat, a first card joint is also provided at the top of the connecting seat, and a second card joint matching the first card joint is provided at the bottom of the connecting tongue. The connecting tongue is inserted into the guide groove, and the second card joint is snap-connected with the first card joint.

[0013] Preferably, the first connecting plate and the sealing plate are integrally formed.

[0014] Preferably, the joint assembly further comprises a limiting mechanism provided between the two second connecting plates, wherein the limiting mechanism is used to limit a maximum angle of the sealing plate that can swing from the first position to the second position.

[0015] Preferably, the limiting mechanism includes two limiting plates arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and each of the limiting plates is connected to the joint pipe.

[0016] Preferably, each of the limiting plates is connected to a corresponding second connecting plate.

[0017] Preferably, a reinforcing rib is further provided between the connecting tongue and the joint pipe.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] The present invention provides a sealing structure for the drain pipe of a household refrigerator. The present invention effectively solves the problem in the prior art that the hot air in the compressor compartment can enter the interior of the refrigerator through the drain pipe due to the lack of a sealing device. Secondly, the present invention uses gravity to press the sealing plate against the sealing surface to achieve the sealing function. It does not require complex mechanical structures, springs, bolts or other auxiliary fastening devices. It has a small number of parts and a simple structure, which simplifies the installation and maintenance steps and makes it more intuitive to use. At the same time, since the force of gravity is constant and not easily affected by the external environment, it can maintain a stable sealing effect and reduce the risk of failure. Furthermore, the present invention adopts a tool-free installation design, using a snap-on connection and a direct plug-in connection. It can be fixed with a simple press or insertion action, thereby improving production efficiency on the assembly line. With a pre-installed design, the connector assembly, sealing assembly, and water tray can be pre-installed off-line. On the production line, only the water tray needs to be installed and the drain pipe needs to be inserted into the connector pipe, which greatly shortens the time required for assembly on the line. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[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, 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.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the overall structure in one embodiment of the present utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 This is an exploded schematic diagram of the overall structure and the drain pipe in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of a sealing assembly in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of a sealing assembly in an embodiment of the present invention in a first position;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the sealing assembly in an embodiment of the present invention in the second position;

[0026] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of a connector assembly in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of the sealing assembly in one embodiment of the present invention under the action of its own weight.

[0028] The purpose, features and advantages of the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments.

[0029] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0030] 10. Sealing assembly; 110. Sealing plate; 120. First connecting plate; 130. Connecting boss; 20. Connector assembly; 210. Connecting assembly; 211. Connecting tongue; 212. Second clamping joint; 213. Connecting seat; 214. Guide groove; 215. First clamping joint; 220. Connector pipe; 221. Water inlet of the connector pipe; 222. Water outlet of the connector pipe; 230. Second connecting plate; 240. Limiting mechanism; 250. Reinforcing rib; 30. Water receiving tray; 40. Drain pipe; 410. Pressure relief hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0032] 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 are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture (as described in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0034] In addition, the descriptions of "first," "second," etc. in this utility model are for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the fact that they can be implemented by ordinary technicians in this field. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by this utility model.

[0035] Please see the attached Figures 1 to 7In one embodiment, the present invention provides a sealing structure for a drain pipe outlet of a household refrigerator, comprising a sealing assembly 10 and a joint assembly 20 for docking a water supply and drainage pipe 40; wherein the joint assembly 20 comprises a connecting assembly 210 and a joint pipe 220, wherein the connecting assembly 210 and the joint pipe 220 are connected, the connecting assembly 210 is used to connect to a water receiving pan 30, and the water inlet 221 of the joint pipe is used to insert the water supply and drainage pipe 40; the sealing assembly 10 is openably connected to the water outlet 222 of the joint pipe, and the sealing assembly 10 has a first position and a second position; wherein, when the sealing assembly 10 is in the first position, the sealing assembly 10 is sealed and connected to the water outlet 222 of the joint pipe, and when the sealing assembly 10 is in the second position, a flow gap is formed between the sealing assembly 10 and the water outlet 222 of the joint pipe for defrost water to flow out to the water receiving pan 30.

[0036] Specifically, when the sealing assembly 10 is in the first position, the drain pipe 40 does not drain water, and the sealing assembly 10 is sealed at the water outlet 222 of the joint pipe, thereby preventing hot air from the compressor compartment from entering the refrigerator through the drain pipe 40. This effectively solves the problem of hot air from the compressor compartment entering the refrigerator through the drain pipe 40 due to the lack of a sealing device in the prior art. When the sealing assembly 10 is in the second position, which can be the maximum open position of the sealing assembly 10, a flow gap 140 is formed between the sealing assembly 10 and the water outlet 222 of the joint pipe. This flow gap 140 allows defrost water from the drain pipe 40 to flow out through the joint pipe 220 and into the water receiving pan 30.

[0037] As a preferred embodiment, the sealing assembly 10 includes a sealing plate 110 and two first connecting plates 120 relatively arranged on both sides of the sealing plate 110, each of the first connecting plates 120 is connected to the sealing plate 110, and a connecting boss 130 is protruding on the inner side of each first connecting plate 120. The joint assembly 20 also includes two second connecting plates 230 arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and the second connecting plates 230 and the first connecting plates 120 are arranged one-to-one. The second connecting plates 230 are arranged on the inner side of the first connecting plate 120, and each of the second connecting plates 230 is connected to the joint pipe 220. Each of the second connecting plates 230 is provided with a mounting hole (not shown in the figure) for the connecting boss 130 to pass through, and the connecting boss 130 is installed in the mounting hole so that the sealing plate 110 can be opened and closed and connected to the water outlet 222 of the joint pipe.

[0038] Specifically, such as Figure 3As shown, the sealing assembly 10 of this embodiment includes a sealing plate 110 and two first connecting plates 120. The sealing plate 110 is used to seal the water outlet 222 of the joint pipe. The two first connecting plates 120 are respectively arranged on both sides of the sealing plate 110 for connecting with the second connecting plate 230 of the joint assembly 20. A connecting boss 130 is protruded from the inner side of each first connecting plate 120. The connecting boss 130 is used to cooperate with the mounting hole on the second connecting plate 230 to realize the openable and closable connection between the sealing assembly 10 and the joint assembly 20.

[0039] As a preferred embodiment, the water outlet 222 of the connecting pipe is an inclined surface, the angle between the inclined surface and the horizontal plane is a first angle, the angle between the sealing plate 110 and the horizontal plane under the action of its own weight is a second angle, and the first angle is greater than the second angle.

[0040] Specifically, such as Figure 5 As shown, the water outlet 222 of the joint pipe is an inclined surface, and the angle between the inclined surface and the horizontal plane is a first angle, that is, Figure 6 As shown in FIG. α, the sealing plate 110 is in a naturally drooping state (i.e., the geometric center O of the connecting boss 130 and the center of gravity G of the sealing plate 110 are on the same vertical line) and is tilted downward by β degrees in a horizontal plane, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 As shown, during design, the three-dimensional structure of sealing plate 110 is adjusted to adjust its center of gravity so that α > β, meaning the first angle is greater than the second angle. In this case, when not draining, sealing plate 110 is subject to gravity and automatically tilts toward β degrees. However, because α > β, sealing plate 110 presses against outlet 222 of the joint pipe, achieving a seal. During drainage, the weight or flow pressure of the water pushes away sealing plate 110, allowing normal drainage.

[0041] Furthermore, the connecting assembly 210 includes a connecting tongue 211 and a connecting seat 213, the bottom of the connecting seat 213 is connected to the water receiving tray 30, the connecting tongue 211 is connected to the joint pipe 220, and the connecting tongue 211 is clamped to the top of the connecting seat 213.

[0042] As a preferred embodiment, a guide groove 214 is formed at the top of the connecting seat 213 for inserting the connecting tongue 211, and a first clip joint 215 is also provided at the top of the connecting seat 213. A second clip joint 212 matching the first clip joint 215 is provided at the bottom of the connecting tongue 211. The connecting tongue 211 is inserted into the guide groove 214, and the second clip joint 212 and the first clip joint 215 are clipped together.

[0043] Specifically, by connecting the bottom of the connecting seat 213 to the water receiving tray 30, and connecting the connecting tongue 211 to the joint pipe 220, a stable structure is formed. This connection method can effectively resist external pressure and vibration, ensuring a stable and reliable connection; the snap-fit ​​design between the connecting tongue 211 and the connecting seat 213 makes the installation and disassembly process simple and quick.

[0044] Furthermore, a guide groove 214 is designed on the top of the connecting seat 213, which improves the accuracy and reliability of the connection, so that the connecting tongue 211 can be smoothly docked with the connecting seat 213. A first card joint 215 is provided on the connecting seat 213, and the bottom of the connecting tongue 211 is equipped with a second card joint 212 that matches the first card joint 215. When the connecting tongue 211 is fully inserted into the guide groove 214, the second card joint 212 will be engaged with the first card joint 215, thereby forming a stable connection and improving the connection assembly efficiency.

[0045] Furthermore, the first connecting plate 120 and the sealing plate 110 are integrally formed.

[0046] Furthermore, the joint assembly 20 further includes a limiting mechanism 240 disposed between the two second connecting plates 230, and the limiting mechanism 240 is used to limit the maximum angle at which the sealing plate 110 swings from the first position to the second position. Figure 5 As shown, the sealing plate 110 swings from left to right. Due to the limitation of the limiting mechanism 240, the maximum swing angle of the sealing plate 110 can only reach the position state of abutting the limiting mechanism 240, preventing the sealing plate 110 from rotating into the dead zone and being unable to reset.

[0047] As a preferred example, the limiting mechanism 240 includes two limiting plates (not shown) arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and each limiting plate is connected to the joint pipe 220 .

[0048] Furthermore, each of the limiting plates is connected to a corresponding second connecting plate 230. The connection between the limiting plates and the second connecting plates 230 can form a more stable structure, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the entire connection structure.

[0049] Furthermore, a reinforcing rib 250 is provided between the connecting tongue 211 and the joint pipe 220. The reinforcing rib 250 can enhance the structural strength of the connection portion between the connecting tongue and the joint pipe 220.

[0050] Assembly process: The first step is to assemble the joint pipe 220 and the sealing plate 110, and use elastic deformation to install the connecting bosses 130 on both sides into the corresponding mounting holes on both sides in sequence; the second step is to assemble the components assembled in the first step with the water receiving tray 30, insert the connecting tongue 211 into the guide groove 214, and use the second clamping joint 212 and the first clamping joint 215 to engage with each other; the third step is to install the water receiving tray 30; the fourth step is to insert the drain pipe 40 into the joint pipe 220 and expose the pressure relief hole 410 to prevent the imbalance of air pressure inside and outside the refrigerator from causing difficulty for the user to open the refrigerator door.

[0051] The present application utilizes gravity to press the sealing cover onto the sealing surface (water outlet 222 of the connector pipe) to achieve a sealing function. It does not require complex mechanical structures, springs, bolts or other auxiliary fastening devices. It has a small number of parts and a simple structure, which simplifies the installation and maintenance steps and makes it more intuitive to use. At the same time, since the force of gravity is constant and not easily affected by the external environment, it can maintain a stable sealing effect and reduce the risk of failure. In addition, the present application adopts a tool-free installation design, utilizing a snap-on connection and a direct plug-in connection. It only requires a simple press or insert action to complete the fixation, thereby improving production efficiency on the assembly line. Using a pre-installed design, the connector assembly 20, the sealing assembly 10, and the water tray 30 can be pre-installed off-line. On the production line, only the water tray 30 needs to be installed and the drain pipe 40 needs to be inserted into the connector pipe 220, which greatly shortens the time required for online assembly.

[0052] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sealing structure for a drain pipe of a household refrigerator, characterized in that: It includes a sealing component and a joint component for connecting water supply and drainage pipes; wherein, The joint assembly includes a connecting assembly and a joint pipe, the connecting assembly and the joint pipe are connected, the connecting assembly is used to connect to the water receiving tray, and the water inlet of the joint pipe is used for inserting the water pipe; The sealing assembly can be connected to the water outlet of the joint pipe in an openable and closable manner, and the sealing assembly has a first position and a second position; wherein, when the sealing assembly is in the first position, the sealing assembly is sealingly connected to the water outlet of the joint pipe, and when the sealing assembly is in the second position, a flow gap is formed between the sealing assembly and the water outlet of the joint pipe for defrost water to flow out to the water receiving tray.

2. The sealing structure for the drain pipe of a household refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing assembly includes a sealing plate and two first connecting plates relatively arranged on both sides of the sealing plate, each of the first connecting plates is connected to the sealing plate, and a connecting boss is protruding on the inner side of each first connecting plate. The joint assembly also includes two second connecting plates arranged in parallel and spaced apart, the second connecting plates and the first connecting plates are arranged one-to-one, the second connecting plates are arranged on the inner side of the first connecting plate, and each of the second connecting plates is connected to the joint pipe, and each of the second connecting plates is provided with a mounting hole for the connecting boss to pass through, and the connecting boss is installed in the mounting hole so that the sealing plate can be opened and closed and connected to the water outlet of the joint pipe.

3. The sealing structure for the drain pipe of a household refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The water outlet of the joint pipe is an inclined surface, the angle between the inclined surface and the horizontal plane is a first angle, the angle between the sealing plate and the horizontal plane under the action of its own weight is a second angle, and the first angle is greater than the second angle.

4. The sealing structure for the drain pipe outlet of a household refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The connecting assembly includes a connecting tongue and a connecting seat, the bottom of the connecting seat is connected to the water receiving tray, the connecting tongue is connected to the joint pipe, and the connecting tongue is clamped to the top of the connecting seat.

5. The sealing structure for the drain outlet of a household refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that: A guide groove for inserting the connecting tongue is formed at the top of the connecting seat, and a first card joint is also provided at the top of the connecting seat. A second card joint matching the first card joint is provided at the bottom of the connecting tongue. The connecting tongue is inserted into the guide groove, and the second card joint is snap-connected with the first card joint.

6. The sealing structure for the drain outlet of a household refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first connecting plate and the sealing plate are integrally formed.

7. The sealing structure for the drain outlet of a household refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The joint assembly further includes a limiting mechanism disposed between the two second connecting plates, and the limiting mechanism is used to limit a maximum angle at which the sealing plate swings from the first position to the second position.

8. The sealing structure for the drain pipe of a household refrigerator according to claim 7, characterized in that: The limiting mechanism includes two limiting plates arranged in parallel and at intervals, and each limiting plate is connected to the joint pipe.

9. The sealing structure for the drain pipe outlet of a household refrigerator according to claim 8, characterized in that: Each of the limiting plates is connected to a corresponding second connecting plate.

10. The sealing structure for the drain pipe of a household refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that: A reinforcing rib is further provided between the connecting tongue and the joint pipe.

Images