Refrigerator lock
The refrigerator lock with an electronically driven lock tongue assembly solves the problem of poor reliability of traditional refrigerator locks when operated by children, achieving higher safety and food preservation stability.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422955849.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-28
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-03
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-11-28
AI Technical Summary
Traditional refrigerator locks are not reliable when operated by children, pose a safety hazard, and can easily cause food damage.
The main control board and the driving mechanism are used to electrically drive the lock tongue assembly to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state, avoiding the need to set a switch lock structure on the lock body and controlling the state change of the lock tongue assembly through electronic equipment or keys.
The locking reliability of the refrigerator lock is improved, preventing children from opening it at will, and improving safety and stability of food preservation.
Smart Images
Figure CN223410626U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of refrigerators, in particular to a refrigerator lock. Background Art
[0002] Refrigerators are common household appliances, primarily used to preserve food at low temperatures. Traditional refrigerator doors can be opened freely, making them convenient for users. However, for children in the home, the doors can be easily opened, potentially allowing them to accidentally eat food or spoil the food inside, posing a safety hazard. Therefore, to prevent children from opening the refrigerator door, refrigerator locks are currently available. However, refrigerator locks typically feature an unlock button or knob on the lock body, which still poses a risk of being opened by children and is less reliable. Utility Model Content
[0003] The main purpose of the utility model is to provide a refrigerator lock, aiming to improve the locking reliability.
[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the refrigerator lock proposed by the present invention includes:
[0005] A lock body, comprising a housing, a main control board, a drive mechanism, and a lock tongue assembly. The drive mechanism is disposed within the housing and electrically connected to the main control board. The housing is provided with a lock tongue hole. The lock tongue assembly is slidably mounted in the lock tongue hole and has a locked state in which the lock tongue is extended from the lock tongue hole and an unlocked state in which the lock tongue is retracted into the lock tongue hole. The lock body is intended to be mounted on a refrigerator.
[0006] The door buckle has a lock hole, and is used to be installed on the refrigerator door to cooperate with the lock body. The lock tongue assembly is clamped in the lock hole when in the locked state.
[0007] Optionally, the lock tongue assembly includes a fixed plate and two lock tongues, the fixed plate is slidably installed in the lock tongue hole and is connected to the driving mechanism, each lock tongue is hinged to the fixed plate, and a locking protrusion is provided at the front end of each lock tongue and on the side facing away from the other lock tongue, and a locking slot is provided in the lock hole; in the locked state, the locking protrusion extends out from the side of the fixed plate to be locked into the locking slot.
[0008] Optionally, an abutment portion is provided in the shell, and a guide portion is provided on the side of the lock tongue facing away from the other lock tongue, and the hinge portion of the lock tongue is located between the guide portion and the clamping protrusion, and the lock tongue assembly also includes an elastic member, which is connected between the two lock tongues and has elastic deformation that drives the clamping protrusions on the two lock tongues to approach each other; in the unlocked state, the guide portion is located on the side of the abutment portion away from the lock tongue hole, and extends out compared to the side of the fixed plate, and the clamping protrusion is located on the fixed plate as a whole; in the locked state, the guide portion abuts against the abutment portion.
[0009] Optionally, the elastic member is a compression spring and abuts between the rear ends of the two locking tongues.
[0010] Optionally, the locking tongue assembly further includes a limiting column, which is located between the front ends of the two locking tongues. In the unlocked state, the locking tongue abuts against the limiting column.
[0011] Optionally, the housing is provided with a sliding groove, the sliding groove is communicated with the lock tongue hole, and the fixing plate is slidably mounted in the sliding groove.
[0012] Optionally, the lock tongue assembly further includes a pressing plate, which is connected to the fixing plate, and the lock tongue is located between the fixing plate and the pressing plate.
[0013] Optionally, the driving mechanism includes a driving motor, a gear, a sliding seat, a connecting rod, a first spring and a second spring, the gear is connected to the driving motor, the sliding seat is slidably mounted on the housing, and is provided with a rack portion meshing with the gear and a sliding hole located on one side of the rack portion, the connecting rod is slidably mounted in the sliding hole, one end of the connecting rod is connected to the lock tongue assembly, and the other end is provided with a limiting portion, the first spring is sleeved on the connecting rod and abuts between the lock tongue assembly and the sliding seat, the second spring is sleeved on the connecting rod and abuts between the limiting portion and the sliding seat.
[0014] Optionally, the shell is provided with a mounting hole, which is in the shape of a long strip extending along the sliding direction of the lock tongue assembly. The refrigerator lock also includes a connecting plate, which is provided with a sliding portion, which is slidably installed in the mounting hole, and the connecting plate is used to connect to the refrigerator.
[0015] Optionally, the shell includes a bottom shell and a cover plate, the main control board, the drive mechanism and the lock tongue assembly are all arranged on the bottom shell, the bottom shell is also provided with a battery mounting slot, the cover plate can be detachably mounted on the bottom shell and covers the battery mounting slot; the battery mounting slot is located on the side of the drive mechanism away from the lock tongue hole.
[0016] The technical solution of the utility model adopts a main control board and a driving mechanism to electrically drive the lock tongue assembly to switch between a locked state and an unlocked state. This can avoid setting a switch lock structure on the lock body, and the electronic device or electronic key can be carried by the parent. Even if a child can touch the lock body, the refrigerator lock cannot be opened, thereby improving the locking reliability of the refrigerator lock and effectively preventing children from opening the refrigerator at will. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] 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.
[0018] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an embodiment of a refrigerator lock body of the present utility model;
[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of the middle lock body;
[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the central lock body and door catch;
[0021] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Exploded view of the middle lock body;
[0022] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the middle drive mechanism and the lock tongue assembly;
[0023] Figure 6 for Figure 1 Exploded view of the middle shell.
[0024] Description of Figure Numbers:
[0025] 100. Lock body; 10. Housing; 11. Lock tongue hole; 12. Abutment portion; 13. Sliding groove; 14. Mounting hole; 15. Bottom shell; 151. Battery mounting slot; 16. Cover plate; 20. Main control board; 30. Drive mechanism; 31. Drive motor; 32. Gear; 33. Sliding seat; 331. Rack portion; 332. Sliding hole; 34. Connecting rod; 341. Limiting portion; 35. First spring; 36. Second spring; 40. Lock tongue assembly; 41. Fixing plate; 42. Lock tongue; 421. Snap protrusion; 422. Guide portion; 43. Elastic member; 44. Limiting column; 45. Pressing plate; 50. Connecting plate; 51. Sliding portion; 60. Door catch; 61. Lock hole; 62. Slot
[0026] 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
[0027] 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.
[0028] 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 various components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.
[0029] 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 suggesting their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, the meaning of "and / or" appearing throughout the text is to include three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B as an example", it includes solution A, or solution B, or solutions that satisfy both A and B. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this 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.
[0030] The utility model provides a refrigerator lock.
[0031] In the embodiment of the present utility model, Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the refrigerator lock includes a lock body 100 and a door catch 60. The lock body 100 includes a shell 10, a main control board 20, a drive mechanism 30 and a lock tongue assembly 40. The drive mechanism 30 is arranged in the shell 10 and is electrically connected to the main control board 20. The shell 10 is provided with a lock tongue hole 11. The lock tongue assembly 40 is slidably installed at the lock tongue hole 11 and has a locked state in which the lock tongue hole 11 is extended out and an unlocked state in which the lock tongue hole 11 is retracted. The lock body 100 is used to be installed in the refrigerator; the door catch 60 has a lock hole 61. The door catch 60 is used to be installed in the refrigerator door to cooperate with the lock body 100. The lock tongue assembly 40 is engaged in the lock hole 61 when in the locked state.
[0032] Specifically, the main control board 20 is equipped with a communication module for connecting to an electronic device (such as a mobile phone or smartwatch) or an inductive electronic key. This allows unlocking and locking to be controlled by the electronic device or electronic key. For a double-door refrigerator, the lock body 100 and door catch 60 can be installed on each refrigerator door. For a single-door refrigerator, the lock body 100 can be installed on the refrigerator body, and the door catch 60 can be installed on the refrigerator door. The lock body 100 and door catch 60 can be bonded to the refrigerator using an adhesive such as a backing adhesive, or they can be fixed to the refrigerator using screws.
[0033] The drive mechanism 30 is driven by a motor. When the bolt assembly 40 is in the unlocked state, when the main control board 20 receives a locking signal, the main control board 20 drives the drive mechanism 30 to operate, thereby driving the bolt assembly 40 from the unlocked state to the locked state, thereby achieving locking. When the bolt assembly 40 is in the locked state, when the main control board 20 receives an unlocking signal, the main control board 20 controls the drive mechanism 30 to operate, thereby driving the bolt assembly 40 from the locked state to the unlocked state, thereby achieving unlocking.
[0034] The technical solution of the present invention adopts the main control board 20 and the driving mechanism 30 to electrically drive the lock tongue assembly 40 to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state. This can avoid setting a switch lock structure on the lock body 100, and the electronic device or electronic key can be carried by the parent. Even if a child can touch the lock body 100, the refrigerator lock cannot be opened, thereby improving the locking reliability of the refrigerator lock and effectively preventing children from opening the refrigerator at will.
[0035] In some embodiments, the latch assembly 40 includes a fixed plate 41 and two latches 42. The fixed plate 41 is slidably mounted within the latch hole 11 and connected to the drive mechanism 30. Each latch 42 is hingedly connected to the fixed plate 41. A latching protrusion 421 is provided at the front end of each latch 42, facing away from the other latch 42. A latching slot 62 is provided within the lock hole 61. In the locked state, the latching protrusion 421 extends from the side of the fixed plate 41 to engage with the latching slot 62. Specifically, when the drive mechanism 30 drives the latch assembly 40 to the locked state and extends into the lock hole 61, the latching protrusion 421 fits neatly into the latching slot 62, thereby restricting the door catch 60 from moving away from the lock body 100. When the door catch 60 is secured to the refrigerator door, it prevents the refrigerator door from moving away from the lock body 100 and thus from opening. This allows the latch to be used in single-door refrigerators, expanding the applicability of refrigerator locks and making them more user-friendly.
[0036] In some embodiments, an abutment portion 12 is provided in the shell 10, and a guide portion 422 is provided on the side of the lock tongue 42 facing away from the other lock tongue 42. The hinge portion of the lock tongue 42 is located between the guide portion 422 and the locking protrusion 421. The lock tongue assembly 40 also includes an elastic member 43, which is connected between the two lock tongues 42 and has elastic deformation that drives the locking protrusions 421 on the two lock tongues 42 to approach each other; in the unlocked state, the guide portion 422 is located on the side of the abutment portion 12 away from the lock tongue hole 11, and extends out compared to the side of the fixed plate 41, and the locking protrusion 421 is located on the fixed plate 41 as a whole; in the locked state, the guide portion 422 abuts against the abutment portion 12.
[0037] Specifically, the guide portion 422 extends along the movement direction of the bolt assembly 40. When the driving mechanism 30 drives the bolt assembly 40 to gradually extend toward the bolt hole 11, the guide portion 422 gradually approaches the abutting portion 12. When the guide portion 422 first abuts against the abutting portion 12, the bolt assembly 40 has not yet reached the locked state. As the bolt assembly 40 continues to extend toward the bolt hole 11, the abutting portion 12 and the guide portion 422 cooperate to overcome the elastic force of the elastic member 43 and move the rear ends of the two bolts 42 closer to each other, thereby moving the front ends of the two bolts 42 away from each other, so that the locking protrusion 421 gradually extends outward from the fixing plate 41. When the bolt assembly 40 moves to the locked state and extends into the lock hole 61, the locking protrusion 421 just extends into the locking groove 62. In this manner, the bolt assembly 40 can be assembled into an integral module, which can reduce the coordination structure with the housing 10 and simplify the structure of the housing 10.
[0038] Of course, in other embodiments, a guide structure (rib or groove) can also be provided on the shell 10, and the extension direction of the guide structure is inclined relative to the movement direction of the lock tongue assembly 40. The lock tongue 42 cooperates with the guide structure so that when the lock tongue assembly 40 gradually extends toward the lock tongue hole 11, the locking protrusion 421 can gradually extend outward from the fixed plate 41.
[0039] In some embodiments, the elastic member 43 is a compression spring and abuts between the rear ends of the two locking tongues 42. By arranging the elastic member 43 at the rear end of the locking tongue 42, the structure of the front end of the locking tongue 42 can be simplified, thereby reducing the size of the portion of the locking tongue assembly 40 that extends out of the locking tongue hole 11. Of course, in other embodiments, the elastic member 43 can also be a tension spring and connected between the front ends of the two locking tongues 42.
[0040] In some embodiments, the locking tongue assembly 40 further includes a limiting post 44, which is located between the front ends of the two locking tongues 42. In the unlocked state, the locking tongues 42 abut against the limiting post 44. That is, when the front ends of the locking tongues 42 abut against the limiting post 44, the rear ends of the two locking tongues 42 are prevented from moving further away from each other, thereby ensuring that the elastic member 43 is stably installed between the rear ends of the two locking tongues 42.
[0041] In some embodiments, the housing 10 is provided with a sliding groove 13, which is in communication with the bolt hole 11, and the fixing plate 41 is slidably mounted in the sliding groove 13. Specifically, the depth of the sliding groove 13 is no greater than the thickness of the fixing plate 41. By providing the sliding groove 13, a guide is provided for the movement of the bolt assembly 40, and the positioning and installation of the bolt assembly 40 are also facilitated.
[0042] In some embodiments, the lock tongue assembly 40 further includes a pressure plate 45 connected to the fixed plate 41, with the lock tongue 42 located between the fixed plate 41 and the pressure plate 45. In this way, the lock tongue 42 and the elastic member 43 can be restrained on the fixed plate 41 by the pressure plate 45, so that the lock tongue assembly 40 forms an integral module, which facilitates the assembly of the lock body 100.
[0043] In some embodiments, the driving mechanism 30 includes a driving motor 31, a gear 32, a sliding seat 33, a connecting rod 34, a first spring 35 and a second spring 36. The gear 32 is connected to the driving motor 31. The sliding seat 33 is slidably installed on the shell 10 and is provided with a rack portion 331 meshing with the gear 32 and a sliding hole 332 located on one side of the rack portion 331. The connecting rod 34 is slidably installed in the sliding hole 332. One end of the connecting rod 34 is connected to the lock tongue assembly 40, and the other end is provided with a limiting portion 341. The first spring 35 is sleeved on the connecting rod 34 and abuts between the lock tongue assembly 40 and the sliding seat 33. The second spring 36 is sleeved on the connecting rod 34 and abuts between the limiting portion 341 and the sliding seat 33.
[0044] Specifically, when the drive motor 31 drives the latch assembly 40 from the unlocked state to the locked state, the sliding seat 33 abuts the first spring 35, thereby pushing the latch assembly 40 toward the locked state. Furthermore, when the drive motor 31 drives the latch assembly 40 from the locked state to the unlocked state, the sliding seat 33 abuts the second spring 36. Due to the restriction of the limiter 341, the latch assembly 40 can be pulled toward the unlocked state via the connecting push rod. When the refrigerator door is open, even if the latch assembly 40 is in the locked state, it will automatically retract into the latch hole 11 when pressure is applied, preventing the latch assembly 40 from rigidly abutting against the user.
[0045] In some embodiments, the housing 10 is provided with a mounting hole 14, which is in the shape of an elongated strip extending along the sliding direction of the lock tongue assembly 40. The refrigerator lock further includes a connecting plate 50, which is provided with a sliding portion 51, which is slidably mounted in the mounting hole 14. The connecting plate 50 is used to connect to the refrigerator. Specifically, taking a double-door refrigerator as an example, the door gap widths of different models of refrigerators may vary. By providing a slidable connecting plate 50 on the lock body 100, the position of the connecting plate 50 on the lock body 100 can be adjusted, so that the refrigerator lock can adapt to refrigerators with different door gaps, ensuring reliable installation of the refrigerator lock.
[0046] In some embodiments, the housing 10 includes a bottom shell 15 and a cover 16. The main control board 20, drive mechanism 30, and lock bolt assembly 40 are all located in the bottom shell 15. The bottom shell 15 also has a battery installation slot 151. The cover 16 is removably mounted to the bottom shell 15 and covers the battery installation slot 151. The battery installation slot 151 is located on the side of the drive mechanism 30 away from the lock bolt hole 11. This allows for independent battery power, making it easier for users to use. The removable design of the cover 16 facilitates battery replacement.
[0047] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made by using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the inventive 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 refrigerator lock, characterized in that: include: The lock body includes a housing, a main control board, a drive mechanism, and a lock tongue assembly. The drive mechanism is disposed within the housing and electrically connected to the main control board. The housing is provided with a lock tongue hole. The lock tongue assembly is slidably mounted in the lock tongue hole and has a locked state in which the lock tongue is extended from the lock tongue hole and an unlocked state in which the lock tongue is retracted into the lock tongue hole. The lock body is intended to be installed in a refrigerator. as well as The door buckle has a lock hole, and is used to be installed on the refrigerator door to cooperate with the lock body. The lock tongue assembly is clamped in the lock hole when in the locked state.
2. The refrigerator lock according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lock tongue assembly includes a fixed plate and two lock tongues, the fixed plate is slidably installed in the lock tongue hole and is connected to the driving mechanism, each lock tongue is hinged to the fixed plate, and a locking protrusion is provided at the front end of each lock tongue and on the side facing away from the other lock tongue, and a locking slot is provided in the lock hole; in the locked state, the locking protrusion extends out from the side of the fixed plate to be locked into the locking slot.
3. The refrigerator lock according to claim 2, wherein: An abutment portion is provided in the housing, a guide portion is provided on a side of the lock tongue facing away from the other lock tongue, a hinge portion of the lock tongue is located between the guide portion and the clamping protrusion, and the lock tongue assembly further includes an elastic member connected between the two lock tongues and having elastic deformation to drive the clamping protrusions on the two lock tongues toward each other; In the unlocked state, the guide portion is located on a side of the abutting portion away from the lock tongue hole and extends out from the side of the fixing plate, and the latch protrusion is entirely located on the fixing plate; in the locked state, the guide portion abuts against the abutting portion.
4. The refrigerator lock according to claim 3, characterized in that: The elastic member is a compression spring and is abutted between the rear ends of the two locking tongues.
5. The refrigerator lock according to claim 3, wherein: The locking tongue assembly further includes a limiting column, which is located between the front ends of the two locking tongues. In the unlocked state, the locking tongue abuts against the limiting column.
6. The refrigerator lock according to claim 2, wherein: The housing is provided with a sliding groove, the sliding groove is communicated with the lock tongue hole, and the fixing plate is slidably mounted in the sliding groove.
7. The refrigerator lock according to claim 2, wherein: The locking tongue assembly further comprises a pressing plate, which is connected to the fixing plate, and the locking tongue is located between the fixing plate and the pressing plate.
8. The refrigerator lock according to claim 1, wherein: The driving mechanism includes a driving motor, a gear, a sliding seat, a connecting rod, a first spring and a second spring. The gear is connected to the driving motor. The sliding seat is slidably mounted on the housing and is provided with a rack portion meshing with the gear and a sliding hole located on one side of the rack portion. The connecting rod is slidably mounted in the sliding hole. One end of the connecting rod is connected to the lock tongue assembly, and the other end is provided with a limiting portion. The first spring is sleeved on the connecting rod and abuts between the lock tongue assembly and the sliding seat. The second spring is sleeved on the connecting rod and abuts between the limiting portion and the sliding seat.
9. The refrigerator lock according to claim 1, wherein: The shell is provided with a mounting hole, which is in the shape of a long strip extending along the sliding direction of the lock tongue assembly. The refrigerator lock also includes a connecting plate, which is provided with a sliding portion. The sliding portion is slidably installed in the mounting hole, and the connecting plate is used to connect to the refrigerator.
10. The refrigerator lock according to claim 1, wherein: The shell includes a bottom shell and a cover plate. The main control board, the drive mechanism and the lock tongue assembly are all arranged on the bottom shell. The bottom shell is also provided with a battery mounting slot. The cover plate can be detachably mounted on the bottom shell and covers the battery mounting slot. The battery mounting slot is located on the side of the drive mechanism away from the lock tongue hole.