Refrigeration appliance

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model relates to a refrigerating appliance. The refrigeration appliance comprises a main body (1) with a chamber; a door (2) located in front of the main body; a hinge (3) connecting the main body and the door so that the door can rotate relative to the main body, the hinge comprising a hinge plate (31) having one end fixed to the main body and the other end located at the upper part of the door; a pipeline (4), one part of which is arranged on the main body and one part of which is arranged on the door; a guide (51) for guiding the line, the guide being adapted to rotate non-coaxially with the door as the door opens or closes, the guide comprising a first end (511) pivotally connected and a second end (512) opposite the first end. The first end is located between the hinge plate and connecting plates (525 and 62A) located above the hinge plate in the vertical direction and is in pivot connection with the hinge plate and the connecting plates.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The embodiment of the utility model relates to a refrigeration appliance. [Background Technology]

[0002] In some scenarios, it's necessary to run pipelines, such as electrical wiring or liquid lines, directly between the main body and door of a refrigeration appliance. For solutions that rotatably connect the door to the main body, a common approach is to insert the pipelines into the hinge holes of the door, allowing the pipelines to rotate coaxially with the door. This arrangement has the advantage that the pipelines do not move relative to the door or main body during door movement.

[0003] However, under certain constraints, the pipeline cannot rotate coaxially with the door, which causes the pipeline to move relative to the door and the main body.

[0004] WO2023046448A1 discloses a refrigeration appliance comprising a line guide mechanism disposed adjacent to a hinge for guiding lines from the appliance body to a door unit, and a line continuation guide mechanism connected to the line guide mechanism and disposed on a narrow side of the appliance door for guiding the lines from the line guide mechanism to the door unit. The guide mechanism comprises a line guide element that pivots during the door opening and closing process, and the lines extend within the line guide element to be guided to the door.

[0005] EP2743435A1 discloses a refrigeration appliance comprising a cabinet, at least one door, and at least one flexible tubular element, the flexible tubular element being inserted into one side of the cabinet and the other side of the door, the door being connected to the cabinet by at least one hinge to allow the door to rotate about a rotation axis for opening and closing, the refrigeration appliance further comprising a guide element, the guide element comprising a guide fulcrum, the guide fulcrum defining a guide axis, the flexible element being adapted to at least partially wind and unfold around the guide axis, and the support member defining a surface substantially perpendicular to the guide axis and adapted to support the flexible tubular element. [Summary of the invention]

[0006] One problem to be solved by the embodiments of the present utility model is to provide an improved refrigeration appliance.

[0007] Another problem to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration appliance with an improved pipeline guiding mechanism.

[0008] The problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above problems, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other problems not mentioned from the following description.

[0009] One aspect of an embodiment of the present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance. The refrigeration appliance includes: a main body having a compartment; a door located in front of the main body; a hinge connecting the main body and the door so that the door can rotate relative to the main body, the hinge including a hinge plate, one end of the hinge plate being fixed to the main body and the other end being located above the door; a pipeline, a portion of the pipeline being arranged in the main body and a portion being arranged in the door; a guide member for guiding the pipeline, the guide member being adapted to rotate non-coaxially with the door as the door is opened or closed, the guide member including a first end pivotally connected and a second end opposite the first end; wherein the first end is vertically located between the hinge plate and a connecting plate located above the hinge plate and is pivotally connected to the hinge plate and the connecting plate.

[0010] In a possible embodiment, a hinge cover is included for covering the hinge plate from above, and the connecting plate is a part of the hinge cover.

[0011] In a possible embodiment, the connecting plate is located at the front end of the hinge cover and is located above the door when the door is closed.

[0012] In a possible embodiment, a pre-guide is included, the pre-guide is fixed to the main body, the pipeline extends along the pre-guide toward the guide, and the pre-guide includes the connecting plate.

[0013] In a possible embodiment, the front guide includes a horizontally extending base plate, the pipeline is placed on the base plate, and the connecting plate includes a tongue extending upward from the base plate, bent and extending horizontally forward, and a space is formed between the base plate and the tongue plate to accommodate the first end of the guide.

[0014] In a possible embodiment, the base plate is arranged above the main body to cover the hinge plate; and / or the front guide is snap-connected to the hinge plate.

[0015] In a possible embodiment, a hinge cover is included for covering the hinge plate from above; wherein: the upper surface of the tongue is in contact with the lower surface of the hinge cover; and / or the hinge cover is buckled with the front guide.

[0016] In a possible embodiment, the hinge plate has a first axial hole, the upper part of the first end has a second axial hole, the lower part of the first end has a first axial portion inserted into the first axial hole, the connecting plate has a second axial portion inserted into the second axial hole, and the first axial hole and the second axial hole are coaxial.

[0017] In a possible embodiment, the upper side of the first end has a first annular boss protruding toward the connecting plate, and the first annular boss is connected to the connecting plate; and / or the lower side of the first end has a second annular boss protruding toward the hinge plate, and the second annular boss is in contact with the hinge plate.

[0018] In a possible embodiment, the door has a continuing guide groove extending along the width direction of the door, and the second end of the guide member can be movably located in the continuing guide groove relative to the continuing guide groove.

[0019] In a possible embodiment, the upper end of the door has a groove to receive the hinge plate and the guide, the upper surface of the hinge plate is higher than the bottom wall of the groove, the first end and the second end of the guide have a height difference and are not on the same horizontal plane, and the guide has an arc portion located between the first end and the second end to transition the height difference between the first end and the second end.

[0020] In a possible embodiment, the pipeline is fixed to the guide and includes a first pipeline segment located on one side of the pipeline fixed location and a second pipeline segment located on the other side of the pipeline fixed location, and during the movement of the door, the lengths of the first pipeline segment and the second pipeline segment remain constant.

[0021] In a possible embodiment, the pipeline is fixed at or near the second end; and / or the second end is located above the door; and / or includes a cable tie for fixing the pipeline to the guide, and the pipeline is fixed to the guide by the cable tie; and / or the component for fixing the pipeline to the guide is at least partially located in the guide channel of the guide.

[0022] In a possible embodiment, a pipeline restriction mechanism is included, which is configured to restrict movement of the pipeline along the length direction of the pipeline to define the length of the pipeline entering the guide.

[0023] In a possible embodiment, the pipeline restriction mechanism is located outside the guide; and / or the pipeline restriction mechanism is located on the main body.

[0024] In a possible embodiment, the pipeline limiting mechanism includes a stop portion and a stop protrusion protruding from an outer side of the first pipeline segment, and the stop portion defines a stop channel that allows the first pipeline segment to pass through but prevents the stop protrusion from passing through.

[0025] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, one end of the guide member can be reliably pivotally connected between the hinge plate and the connecting plate.

[0026] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the guide member is supported by the hinge plate and the hinge cover, so that the guide member can be stably arranged near the hinge in a more cost-effective manner.

[0027] According to another aspect of the present invention, the lengths of the first and second pipeline segments remain constant as the guide member moves relative to the door. The constant lengths of the pipelines on both sides of the fixed location prevent the pipelines on one side of the fixed location from being pulled or pushed to the other side of the fixed location, or vice versa, causing disorderly movement of the pipelines on the household appliance and damaging the pipelines. Therefore, according to the present invention, the household appliance pipelines can move more orderly with the door, which helps improve the safety and reliability of the household appliance.

[0028] According to another aspect of the embodiment of the present invention, while retaining a certain amount of movement margin, the pipelines can be prevented from entering the guide unit too much and being disorderly crowded in the guide unit and damaged, which is beneficial to improving the safety and reliability of household appliances.

[0029] The structure of the embodiment of the present invention and its other inventive objectives and beneficial effects will be more clearly understood through the description of the preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0030] As part of the specification and used to provide a further understanding of the present invention, the following drawings illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention and are used together with the specification to illustrate the principles of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 1 is a partially exploded view of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the door is closed;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a partial exploded view of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the door is opened;

[0033] Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention from another angle, wherein the door is opened;

[0034] Figure 4 is a partial perspective view of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the door is opened and the hinge cover and the cover on the top of the door are removed;

[0035] Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the door is closed and the hinge cover and the cover on the top of the door are removed;

[0036] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A partial enlarged view of the middle part;

[0037] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a guide member according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0038] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of a guide member according to an embodiment of the present invention from another angle;

[0039] Figure 9 is a perspective view of a front guide according to one embodiment of the present utility model;

[0040] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional view of a front guide member according to an embodiment of the present invention from another angle;

[0041] Figure 11 is a perspective view of a hinged cover according to one embodiment of the present utility model;

[0042] Figure 12 is a perspective view of a pipeline assembly according to one embodiment of the present utility model;

[0043] Figure 13 This is a partial exploded view of a household appliance according to another embodiment of the present utility model;

[0044] Figure 14 It is a three-dimensional view of a hinged cover according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Specific implementation method]

[0045] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 The household appliance 100 , taking a refrigeration appliance as an example, includes a main body 1 having a storage chamber 10 and at least one door 2 arranged in front of the main body 1 . The door 2 is rotatably located in front of the main body 1 via a hinge 3 .

[0046] One end of the hinge 3 is connected to the main body 1, and the other end is connected to the door 2. The hinge 3 may include a hinge plate 31 with one end fixed to the main body 1. The other end of the hinge plate 31 extends to the upper part of the door 2 and is rotatably connected to the door 2.

[0047] In one embodiment, the hinge 3 is arranged so that the rotation axis of the door 2 shifts during the opening process. In particular, during the opening process of the door 2, the side of the door 2 connected to the hinge 3 can be displaced inward by a predetermined amount to prevent the door 2 from interfering with the surrounding facilities (e.g., cabinets) of the household appliance 100.

[0048] The household appliance 100 may include a pair of doors 2, each door 2 being connected to the main body 1 by a corresponding hinge 3. Figure 1 In the embodiment, the hinge arranged on one side of the household appliance 100 is covered from above by the hinge cover 6, while the hinge 3 arranged on the other side of the household appliance 100 is exposed because the hinge cover 6 is disassembled.

[0049] Household appliance 100 includes a pipeline 4. The pipeline 4 can be a wire or wiring harness for transmitting electricity, or a pipe for conveying liquids, such as water. A portion of the pipeline 4 is located in the main body 1, and a portion is located in the door 2, extending between the main body 1 and the door 2. The pipeline 4 is typically a flexible pipeline element.

[0050] Both ends of the pipeline 4 may have a connector 45 to respectively connect to the matching connectors on the main body 1 and the door 2. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the pipeline 4 may further include one or more connectors 45 located between the two connectors when necessary.

[0051] The pipeline 4 extends along the guide mechanism 5 across the main body 1 and the door 2. The pipeline 4 is constrained and covered to a certain extent by the guide mechanism 5, which is conducive to a more stable arrangement of the pipeline 4 on the household appliance 100.

[0052] The guide mechanism 5 includes at least one guide member 51 that rotates during the movement of the door 2. The guide member 51 is strip-shaped and has a guide channel 510 extending along its length. The pipeline 4 extends along the guide channel 510. At least one end of the guide member 51 is pivotally connected, allowing it to rotate during the opening or closing of the door 2. In this embodiment, the guide member 51 is a single-piece injection-molded, hollow, elongated plastic component.

[0053] The rotation axis of the guide 51 extends vertically but is not coaxial with the rotation axis of the door 2. The rotation axis of the guide 51 intersects the guide channel 510, so the pipeline 4 is arranged in the guide 51 to intersect the rotation axis of the guide 51.

[0054] In an exemplary embodiment, the guide member 51 is rotatably connected at a first end 511 close to the main body 1 , and a second end 512 close to the door 2 is located above the door 2 and rotatable relative to the first end 511 of the guide member 51 .

[0055] like Figure 5 As shown, when the door 2 is closed, the guide 51 is substantially parallel to the front surface of the main body 1. When the door 2 is opened, the second end 512 of the guide 51 rotates around the first end 511 and is located farther from the hinge 3 than the first end 511.

[0056] The guide member 51 is rotatably connected to and supported on the hinge plate 31. The guide member 51 is connected to the hinge plate 31 at a position extending in front of the main body 1, such that the rotation axis of the guide member 51 is located in front of the main body 1. In one embodiment, one of the hinge plate 31 and the guide member 51 has an axis hole, and the other of the hinge plate 31 and the guide member 51 has a rotating shaft inserted into the axis hole. Therefore, during the door opening process, the guide member 51 rotates relative to the hinge plate 31.

[0057] The upper side of the guide member 51 may also be pivotally connected. In one embodiment, the household appliance 100 includes a connecting plate 525 located above the hinge plate 31, and the first end 511 of the guide member 51 is located between the connecting plate 525 and the hinge plate 31 in the vertical direction and is axially connected to the connecting plate 525 and the hinge plate 31 respectively.

[0058] like Figure 2 、 Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the hinge plate 31 has a first shaft hole 32, the guide member 51 has a first shaft portion 513 on the lower side for inserting into the first shaft hole 32, and the guide member 51 has a second shaft hole 514 on the upper side for receiving a second shaft portion 526 extending downward from the connecting plate 525. The first shaft hole 32 and the second shaft hole 514 are coaxial.

[0059] The guide member 51 may be designed with a first annular boss 516 and a second annular boss 517 on the upper and lower sides of the first end 511, respectively. When the guide member 51 rotates, the first and second annular bosses 516, 517 come into frictional contact with the connecting plate 525 and the hinge plate 31, respectively. The first and second annular bosses 516, 517 are thin-walled structures, which reduces friction between the guide member 51, the hinge plate 31, and the connecting plate 525. Furthermore, friction can be reduced by forming a set of finely shaped bumps on the upper and lower surfaces of the first end 511.

[0060] The upper end of the door 2 has a recess 23 for receiving the hinge 3 and the guide 51. The upper surface of the hinge plate 31 is higher than the bottom wall of the recess 23. The first end 511 and the second end 512 of the guide 51 are at different heights and are not on the same level. This allows the first end 511 to mate with the hinge plate 31, while the second end 512 mates with the door 2. The height difference between the first end 511 and the second end 512 of the guide 51 is bridged by a rounded portion 515 located in the middle of the guide 51.

[0061] The door 2 also has a continuous guide groove 22 adjacent to and connected to the groove 23. The continuous guide groove 22 extends along the width of the door 2 at the top of the door 2. The second end 512 of the guide member 51 is located within the continuous guide groove 22. As the door 2 opens and closes, the second end 512 extends fully or partially into the continuous guide groove 22 of the door 2 to guide the movement of the pipeline 4 within the door 2.

[0062] A continuation guide groove 22 may be formed in the end cap 21 of the door 2. The end cap 21 may be inseparably bonded to the thermal insulation material of the door 2 during the foaming process of the door 2. The continuation guide groove 22 is configured to be open at the end connected to the door 2 by the hinge 3 and closed at the end away from the hinge 3.

[0063] The continuation guide groove 22 is open upward, so that the pipeline 4 can be easily installed on the door 2. The door 2 includes a cover 26 for closing the continuation guide groove 22 from above.

[0064] The second end 512 of the guide member 51 extends into the continuing guide groove 22 via the groove 23 and the open end of the continuing guide groove 22, guiding the pipeline 4 into the continuing guide groove 22. Driven by the guide member 51, the pipeline 4 moves relative to the door 2 in the continuing guide groove 22.

[0065] The guide member 51 can generate displacement along the width direction of the door 2 relative to the door 2 during the movement of the door 2, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, when the door 2 is in the closed position, the second end 512 of the guide member 51 penetrates deeper into the continued guide groove 22. At the same time, since the guide member 51 and the door 2 have different rotation axes, the guide member 51 also undergoes circumferential displacement relative to the continued guide groove 22 when rotating around the first end 511.

[0066] The opposite front groove wall 221 and rear groove wall 222 of the guide groove 22 can limit the second end 512 of the guide member 51 .

[0067] The main body 1 has a receiving portion 11, in which one end of the pipeline 4 is connected to another pipeline (not shown) extending from the main body 1. The receiving portion 11 can be located at the top of the main body 1.

[0068] The guiding mechanism 5 may include a pre-guiding member 52 for guiding the pipeline 4 at least at one end between the receiving portion 11 and the guiding member 51. Figures 1 to 6 refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 , the front guide 52 can be fixed on the main body 2 and has a channel 521 for constraining the pipeline 4. In this way, the pipeline 4 can be better guided between the main body 1 and the door 2. The pipeline 4 is located between the hinged cover 6 and the front guide 52.

[0069] The hinge cover 6 has a protruding structure 62 at its front portion facing the door 2 , and the protruding structure 62 covers the first end 511 of the guide member 51 from above.

[0070] The front guide 52 is arranged above the main body 1, covering a portion of the hinge plate 31. The front guide 52 can be fixed to the hinge plate 31 by snapping and / or screws. For example, the front guide 52 has a plurality of snap structures 529, which are used to snap the front guide 52 to the hinge plate 31.

[0071] The front guide 52 may have an avoidance hole 528 to avoid components protruding upward from the hinge plate 31 , such as screws for fixing the hinge 3 to the main body 1 .

[0072] The pre-guide member 52 includes an inlet end 522, a pipeline guide structure 523, and an outlet end 524. The inlet end 522 has a stopper 811 that limits the movement path of the pipeline 4 and restricts the pipeline 4 to a certain length range. The stopper protrusion 43 on the pipeline 4 cooperates with the stopper 811 to limit the length of the pipeline 4 that can enter the guide mechanism 5.

[0073] The connecting plate 525 can be integrally formed at the front end of the front guide 52. The front guide 52 includes a base plate 520 supported above the hinge plate 31. The connecting plate 525 includes a tongue 5250 that protrudes upward from the front side of the base plate 520 and then extends horizontally forward to a height higher than the channel 521, thereby forming a space for accommodating the first end of the guide 51.

[0074] The guide member 51 is rotatably connected to a second shaft portion 526 extending downward from the tongue 5250. A connection structure is provided between the hinge cover 6 and the front portion of the front guide member 52, allowing the lower surface of the protruding structure 62 to contact the upper surface of the tongue 5250. With the support of the stronger hinge cover 6, even when the upper side of the guide member 51 mates with the weaker tongue 5250, the guide member 51 still maintains sufficient stability at the first end 511.

[0075] like Figure 11 As shown, the hinge cover 6 may include a plurality of snap-fit ​​portions 63 , which snap-fit ​​portions 63 and the front guide 52 , so that the hinge cover 6 and the front portion of the front guide 52 can be held more tightly.

[0076] The snap-fit ​​portions 63 are snap-fitted to both sides of the front guide 52 behind the tongue 5250 , so that the tongue 5250 can be stably attached to the lower surface of the hinge cover 6 with higher strength.

[0077] As described above, the rotation axis of the guide 51 and the rotation axis of the door 2 do not coincide with each other, so when the door 2 is opened or closed, the pipeline 4 extending between the main body 1 and the door 2 will be pulled or pushed to move relative to the door 2.

[0078] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, when the door 2 is closed, more pipeline 4 is pulled onto the door 2 compared to when the door 2 is open. In addition to restricting the direction of the pipeline 4, the pipeline 4 should have a certain movement margin so that the pipeline 4 will not be too tight during the movement of the door 1.

[0079] According to an embodiment of the present invention, household appliance 100 includes a pipeline restraining mechanism 8 , which is configured to constrain the movement of pipeline 4 along its length and thereby limit the maximum compensation length of pipeline 4 relative to guide mechanism 5 . By limiting the maximum compensation length of pipeline 4 relative to guide mechanism 5 , pipeline restraining mechanism 8 limits the maximum length of pipeline that can enter guide member 51 , thereby preventing excessive pipeline 4 from being squeezed within guide member 51 and causing damage to pipeline 4 as guide member 51 rotates.

[0080] The pipeline limiting mechanism 8 includes a first limiting mechanism 81 adapted to limit the movement range of the pipeline 4 located on the main body 1 toward the door 2 and / or a second limiting mechanism 82 adapted to limit the movement range of the pipeline 4 located on the door 2 toward the main body 2.

[0081] In some embodiments, the first restraining mechanism may be located on the body and the second restraining mechanism may be located on the door.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first limiting mechanism may be located at one end of the guide mechanism, and the second limiting mechanism may be located at the other end of the guide mechanism.

[0083] The household appliance 100 uses a pipeline 4 to supply electricity or liquid from the main body 1 to the door 2. Therefore, for convenience of description, in the description of this embodiment, the pipeline section located in the main body 1 is located upstream relative to the pipeline section located in the door 2, the first end 511 is located upstream relative to the second end 512, and the front guide 52 is located upstream relative to the guide 51.

[0084] The first limiting mechanism 81 is used to constrain the pipeline section located upstream of the first end 511 of the guide 51. The first limiting mechanism 81 limits the length of the pipeline 4 entering the guide 51 through the first end 511.

[0085] The first limiting mechanism 81 may be located upstream of the first end 511 of the guide 51 .

[0086] The second limiting mechanism 82 may be located downstream of the first end 511 of the guide 51 to limit the length of the pipeline 4 entering the guide 51 from the second end 512 of the guide 51 .

[0087] In one embodiment, the first limiting mechanism 81 is configured to prevent the pipeline 4 from continuing to move along its length direction after the corresponding pipeline segment moves a certain distance along the length direction, thereby preventing the pipeline 4 from excessively entering the guide 51 .

[0088] In one embodiment, second restraining mechanism 82 secures pipeline 4 to a component adjacent to pipeline 4 in such a manner that, even when door 2 moves, pipeline 4 moves with it, but the secured portion 40 of pipeline 4 remains unchanged relative to the adjacent component. In this manner, pipeline 4 is divided into a first pipeline segment 41 located on one side of secured portion 40 and a second pipeline segment 42 located on the other side of secured portion 40 relative to secured portion 40. The lengths of first and second pipeline segments 41, 42 remain constant during door 2 movement.

[0089] That is, relative to the second limiting mechanism 82, the pipeline 4 is divided into a first pipeline segment 41 located on one side of the second limiting mechanism 82 and a second pipeline segment 42 located on the other side of the second limiting mechanism 82. Therefore, the pipeline 4 can be divided into two segments whose lengths are not affected by the movement of the door 2 and the pipeline 4. The first pipeline segment and the second pipeline segment are less likely to move during movement, which improves the controllability of the movement trajectory of the pipeline 4.

[0090] The first limiting mechanism 81 may include a stop portion 811 and a stop protrusion 43 protruding from the outer side of the pipeline 4. The stop portion 811 has a stop channel 813 that allows the pipeline 4 to move along its length but prevents the stop protrusion 43 from passing through.

[0091] The stop portion 811 may include an arcuate elastic hook 814, which defines a stop channel 813. This facilitates insertion of the pipeline 4 into the stop channel 813. The stop protrusion 43 may be integrally formed on the outside of the pipeline 4, or in an alternative embodiment, the stop protrusion 43 may be formed by a cable clip or cable tie fastened to the outside of the pipeline 4.

[0092] The stop portion 811 is closer to the first end 511 of the guide member 51 than the stop protrusion 43. When the pipeline 4 is pulled toward the door 2 during the movement of the door 2, the pipeline 4 moves toward the door 2 with the stop protrusion 43 until the stop protrusion 43 and the stop portion 811 abut against each other, thereby preventing the pipeline 4 from moving further toward the door 2.

[0093] Since the pipeline 4 is fixed by the second limiting mechanism 82 downstream of the first end 511 of the guide member 51, the maximum compensation length that the pipeline 4 can move relative to the guide member 51 is limited by the pipeline length between the stop protrusion 43 and the stop portion 811 of the first limiting mechanism 81 when the two are farthest apart.

[0094] When the pipeline 4 is pushed in the direction of the main body 1 during the movement of the door 2, the portion of the pipeline 4 that entered the guide 51 can exit the guide 51. Figure 4 ) to the closed position of door 2 ( Figure 5), a portion of the pipeline 4 in the guide member 51 can be pulled into the guide member 51 through an opening of the guide member 51, but the first limiting mechanism 8 can prevent too much pipeline 4 from entering the guide member 51 and being squeezed and damaged in the guide member 51 as the guide member 51 moves.

[0095] In one embodiment, the second restraining mechanism 82 secures the pipeline 4 to the guide 51. In this way, both the pipeline 4 and the guide 51 can be moved in a bound manner. The pipeline 4 can therefore be positioned within the guide 51 with more restricted movement, and it is possible for the pipeline 4 to bend less near the second restraining mechanism 82.

[0096] The second limiting mechanism 82 is at least partially located in the guide channel 510. The second limiting mechanism 82 may include a cable tie 44 for bundling and fixing the pipeline 4 to the guide member 51. The second limiting mechanism 82 may include at least one fixing hole 519 penetrating the wall of the guide member 51, and the cable tie 44 passes through the fixing hole 519 to fix the pipeline 4 to the guide member 51.

[0097] The second limiting mechanism 82 can be located at the second end 512 of the guide member 51. The movement of the first pipeline segment 41 located upstream of the second end 512 of the guide member 51 can be substantially performed within and upstream of the first end 511, and the movement of the second pipeline segment 42 can be substantially performed within the continued guide groove 22.

[0098] The second end 512 may include an extension piece 518 extending beyond the guide channel 510, with fixing holes 519 distributed on the extension piece 518. The extension piece 518 may be located above the guide channel 510, leaving the portion of the pipeline 4 below the extension piece 518 exposed. The cable tie 44 may extend below the pipeline 4, wrap around the pipeline 4 upward, and then pass through the fixing holes 519 to secure the pipeline 4 to the guide member 51. This facilitates securing the pipeline 4 to the guide member 51.

[0099] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the second pipeline section 42 extends from the fixed position 40 toward the side of the continuation guide groove 22 away from the hinge 3 and turns back near the closed end of the continuation guide groove 22 to have a U-shaped portion 421.

[0100] The household appliance 100 includes a third limiting mechanism 83 for limiting the range of movement of the second pipeline section 42 toward the hinge side of the door 2 .

[0101] In one embodiment, the door 2 has a partition structure 211 located within the continuation guide groove 22 and between the two legs of the U-shaped portion 421, so that the second pipeline segment 42 can be reliably partitioned into a U-shape. The partition structure 211 may include a rib protruding from the bottom wall of the continuation guide groove 22.

[0102] The door 2 may further include an upper stopper 212 located outside the U-shaped portion 421 and adjacent to the partition structure 211. The upper stopper 212 is located above the second pipeline segment 42 to prevent the second pipeline segment 42 from upwardly separating from the continuation guide groove 22. The upper stopper 212 may be arranged within the continuation guide groove 22 so as to protrude from one inner wall of the continuation guide groove 22 toward the other inner wall.

[0103] The upper stopper 212 and the partition structure 211 may be spaced apart along the extending direction of the second pipeline segment 42. A portion of the second pipeline segment 42 extends between the partition structure 211 and the upper stopper 212. Specifically, the folded leg 4211 of the U-shaped portion 421 is located between the partition structure 211 and the upper stopper 212.

[0104] In this way, the second pipeline section 42 can stably move along with the guide member 51 when the door 2 moves.

[0105] When the door 2 is in the closed position, Figure 5 As shown, the second pipeline segment 42 is closer to the closed end of the continuation guide groove 22. As the door 2 is opened, the guide member 51 pulls the second pipeline segment 42 toward the open end of the continuation guide groove 22. Specifically, the pipeline 4 is pulled toward the main body 1, and the U-shaped portion 421 moves relative to the door 2 in a direction away from the closed end of the continuation guide groove 22.

[0106] When the door 2 is opened to the maximum angle, the U-shaped portion 421 can move to a position suitable for being stopped by the partition structure 211, such as Figure 4 shown.

[0107] During the closing process of the door 2, the guide member 51 pushes the second pipeline section 42 toward the closed end of the continuous guide groove 22 until it is substantially restored to the position shown in FIG. Figure 5 Status shown.

[0108] Because the two legs of the U-shaped portion 421 are separated by the partition structure 211, the second pipeline segment 42 can be distributed in an orderly manner within the continued guide groove 22. In addition, the return leg 4211 is sandwiched between the partition structure 211 and the upper stop portion 212, allowing the second pipeline segment 42 to maintain its U-shape in a more orderly manner. Its movement within the continued guide groove 22 is mainly reflected in the change in the position of the U-shaped portion 421 relative to the door 2, thereby making the movement trajectory of the second pipeline segment 42 relative to the door 2 more controllable.

[0109] In one embodiment, before being installed in the household appliance 100, the pipeline 4 and the guide 51 are assembled into a pipeline assembly 7. Figure 12As shown, the pipeline 4 passes through the guide member 51 and is secured to the guide member 51 by the second restraining mechanism 82. Specifically, the pipeline 4 is tied to the guide member 51 using a cable tie 44. The pipeline 4 is secured to the guide member 51 such that when a tensile force within a predetermined range is applied to the pipeline 4 at the securing portion 40, the securing portion 40 of the pipeline 4 does not move relative to the guide member 51. In this way, the movement of the pipeline 4 on both sides of the securing portion 40 is appropriately isolated, so that the length of the pipeline 4 segments on both sides does not change with the movement of the door 2.

[0110] In order to accurately distribute the pipeline 4 on the main body 1 and the door 2, the length of the pipeline 4 relative to the rotatable guide 52 can be distributed when assembling the pipeline 4 and the guide 51. For example, the length of the pipeline 4 can be measured so that a first pipeline segment 41 of a first predetermined length is distributed on one side of the fixed portion 40 of the pipeline 4, and a second pipeline segment 42 of a second predetermined length is distributed on the other side of the fixed portion 40 of the pipeline 4.

[0111] In this way, when the pipeline assembly 7 is assembled on the household appliance 100 , the lengths of the pipeline 4 on the main body 1 and the door 2 can be accurately distributed.

[0112] The second limiting unit 82 is assembled together with the pipeline assembly 7 on the household appliance 100 , so that the distribution of the pipeline 4 relative to the door 2 during the movement of the door 2 can be more accurately controlled.

[0113] Alternatively, a stop protrusion 43 may be pre-formed or assembled into the pipeline assembly 7. The stop protrusion 43 may be a cable tie that is tied around the outside of the pipeline 4. Thus, when the pipeline assembly 7 is assembled into the household appliance 100, the pipeline limiting mechanism 8 is provided to limit the maximum compensation length that the pipeline 4 can enter the guide mechanism 5.

[0114] Figure 13 FIG. 1 shows a partially exploded schematic diagram of a refrigeration appliance 100A according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 Show Figure 13 The main difference between this embodiment and the above embodiment lies in the structure of the hinge cover and the guide mechanism. Therefore, for the sake of simplicity and ease of understanding, Figure 13 and Figure 14 The same reference numerals as those in the above embodiment are used for the same elements. Figures 1 to 12 The same elements are designated by different reference numerals.

[0115] and Figures 1 to 12 The difference between using an additional front guide 52 to limit the range of motion of the pipeline 4 is that, in this embodiment, Figure 13 and Figure 14As shown, the underside of the hinge cover 6A, which covers the hinge 3, has a stopper 61A to limit the continued movement of the pipeline 4 on the main body 1 side toward the guide 51. The stopper 61A defines a stop channel 611A that allows the pipeline 4 to pass but prevents the stop protrusion 43 located outside the pipeline 4 from passing. Along the length of the pipeline 4, the stopper 61A is located between the stop protrusion 43 and the guide 51. Thus, the first limiting mechanism 81A formed by the stopper 61A and the stop protrusion 43 can limit the length of the pipeline 4 that enters the guide 51.

[0116] In this embodiment, the stop portion 61A includes a pair of elastic hooks 612A, and the two elastic hooks 612A together define a stop channel 611A.

[0117] When the pipeline 4 is assembled in the household appliance 100, the stop portion 61A is closer to the first end 511 of the guide member 51 than the stop protrusion 43. When the pipeline 4 is pulled toward the door 2 during movement of the door 2, the pipeline 4 moves toward the door 2 with the stop protrusion 43 until the stop protrusion 43 and the stop portion 61A abut against each other, thereby preventing the pipeline 4 from moving further toward the door 2.

[0118] Unlike the previous embodiment in which the rotatable guide member 51 is rotatably connected to the tongue 5250 of the front guide member 52, in this embodiment, the first end 511 of the rotatable guide member 51 is sandwiched between the hinge plate 31 and the hinge cover 6A, and the guide member 51 is rotatably connected to the hinge cover 6A. Specifically, the hinge cover 6A has a connecting plate 62A that covers the first end 511 of the guide member 51 from above. The connecting plate 62A has a shaft portion 621A protruding downward from its lower surface. The shaft portion 621A can be inserted into the shaft hole located at the first end 511 of the guide member 51, thereby achieving a rotatable connection between the guide member 51 and the hinge cover 6A.

[0119] The lower side of the guide member 51 may still be pivotally connected to the hinge plate 31 as shown in the previous embodiment.

[0120] The lower side of the hinged cover 6A may also form a pipeline guiding structure for guiding the pipeline 4 .

[0121] Thus, the stopper 61A for limiting the range of movement of the pipeline 4 toward the door 2 and the connecting plate 62A and the shaft 621A for connecting the rotatable guide 51 are arranged on the hinge cover 6A, making it possible to eliminate the need for an additional front guide 52 .

[0122] In the above embodiment, one of the first limiting mechanism 81 and the second limiting mechanism 82 is configured to limit the movement of the pipeline 4 in only one direction, while the other is configured to limit the movement of the pipeline 4 in both directions (the pipeline 4 is fixed by the second limiting mechanism). It will be understood that under the principles of the present invention, in order to limit the maximum compensation length of the pipeline 4 entering the guide mechanism 5, especially the guide member 51, both limiting mechanisms can limit the movement of the pipeline 4 in one direction. For example, the limiting mechanism on the main body side is used to prevent the pipeline from continuing to move toward the door, while the limiting mechanism on the door side is configured to prevent the pipeline from continuing to move toward the main body. In this way, the length of the pipeline segment that can move relative to the guide mechanism, especially relative to the guide member, can be limited.

[0123] Combine Figures 1 to 14 The various embodiments of the individual components of the invention can be combined with each other in any given manner to achieve the advantages of the present invention. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, and other means outside the means shown can generally be used as long as these means can achieve the same effect.

Claims

1. A refrigeration appliance (100), characterized in that include: A body having compartments (1); a door (2) located in front of the main body; A hinge (3) connecting the main body and the door so that the door can rotate relative to the main body, the hinge comprising a hinge plate (31), one end of the hinge plate being fixed to the main body and the other end being located above the door; Pipeline (4), part of the pipeline is arranged in the main body, and part of the pipeline is arranged in the door; A guide member (51) for guiding a pipeline, the guide member being adapted to rotate non-coaxially with the door as the door is opened or closed, the guide member comprising a first end (511) pivotally connected and a second end (512) opposite to the first end; The first end is located between the hinge plate and a connecting plate (525, 62A) located above the hinge plate in the vertical direction and is pivotally connected to the hinge plate and the connecting plate.

2. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The utility model comprises a hinge cover for covering the hinge plate from above, and the connecting plate is a part of the hinge cover.

3. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that: The connecting plate is located at the front end of the hinge cover and is located above the door when the door is closed.

4. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that The invention comprises a front guide (52), the front guide being fixed to the main body, the pipeline extending along the front guide toward the guide, and the front guide comprising the connecting plate (525).

5. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that: The front guide comprises a horizontally extending base plate (520) on which the pipeline is placed. The connecting plate comprises a tongue piece (5250) extending upward from the base plate, bending forward and extending horizontally, and forming a space between the base plate and the tongue piece for accommodating the first end of the guide.

6. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that: The base plate is arranged above the main body to cover the hinge plate; and / or the front guide is snap-connected to the hinge plate.

7. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that: The invention comprises a hinge cover for covering the hinge plate from above, wherein: The upper surface of the tongue (5250) contacts the lower surface of the hinge cover; and / or The hinged cover and the front guide are snap-fitted.

8. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hinge plate has a first axial hole (32), a second axial hole (514) at the upper portion of the first end, a first axial portion (513) inserted into the first axial hole at the lower portion of the first end, and a second axial portion (526) inserted into the second axial hole at the connecting plate. The first axial hole and the second axial hole are coaxial.

9. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper side of the first end has a first annular boss (516) protruding toward the connecting plate, and the first annular boss is in contact with the connecting plate; and / or the lower side of the first end has a second annular boss (517) protruding toward the hinge plate, and the second annular boss is in contact with the hinge plate.

10. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The door has a continuing guide groove (22) extending along the width direction of the door, and the second end of the guide piece can be movably located in the continuing guide groove relative to the continuing guide groove.

11. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the door has a groove (23) for receiving the hinge plate and the guide, the upper surface of the hinge plate is higher than the bottom wall of the groove, the first end and the second end of the guide have a height difference and are not on the same horizontal plane, and the guide has an arc portion (515) located between the first end and the second end to transition the height difference between the first end and the second end.

12. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that The pipeline is fixed to the guide and includes a first pipeline segment (41) located on one side of the pipeline fixing location (40) and a second pipeline segment (42) located on the other side of the pipeline fixing location. During the movement of the door, the lengths of the first pipeline segment and the second pipeline segment are respectively kept constant.

13. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that The pipeline is secured at or near the second end; and / or The second end is located above the door; and / or comprising a tie (44) for fixing the pipeline to the guide, the pipeline being fixed to the guide by the tie; and / or The component for fixing the pipeline to the guide is at least partially located in the guide channel (510) of the guide.

14. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that The pipeline restriction mechanism is provided to restrict the movement of the pipeline along the length direction of the pipeline and to limit the length of the pipeline entering the guide.

15. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 14, characterized in that: The pipeline restriction mechanism is located outside the guide; and / or The pipeline restriction mechanism is located on the main body; and / or The pipeline limiting mechanism includes a stop portion (811, 61A) and a stop protrusion (43) protruding from the outside of the first pipeline segment. The stop portion defines a stop channel (813, 611A) that allows the first pipeline segment to pass through but prevents the stop protrusion from passing through.

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