Telescopic mechanism, driving device and refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model discloses a telescopic mechanism, a driving device and a refrigerator. The telescopic mechanism comprises a bearing part, a motor, a telescopic assembly, an angle detection assembly and a first position detection assembly. The bearing piece comprises a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The motor is arranged at the first end and comprises an output end. The telescopic assembly is arranged between the output end and the second end and comprises a rotating part rotationally arranged on the bearing part and a telescopic part in transmission fit with the rotating part, the rotating part is in transmission connection with the output end so as to drive the telescopic part to move in the direction close to or away from the second end, and the telescopic part comprises an initial position. The angle detection assembly is arranged on the bearing part and used for detecting the rotating angle of the rotating part. The first position detection assembly is arranged on the bearing part and used for detecting whether the telescopic part is at the initial position. The driving device applying the telescopic mechanism can improve the reliability of automatic door closing of the refrigerator, and is beneficial to improving the use experience of a user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of home appliance technology, and in particular to a telescopic mechanism, a drive device, and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of society and the economy and the improvement of people's living standards, refrigerators have gradually become an indispensable household appliance. As intelligent technology continues to expand into the home appliance field, consumers are increasingly demanding ease of use and intelligent features in their appliances. Automatic door opening and closing, as a fundamental intelligent function of refrigerators, is becoming increasingly widespread.

[0003] In related technologies, a drive mechanism is usually used to achieve automatic opening and closing of the refrigerator door. However, the reliability of using a drive mechanism to automatically open and close the refrigerator door is poor, which is not conducive to the user experience. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a telescopic mechanism, a drive device, and a refrigerator. The drive device using the telescopic mechanism achieves high reliability in automatically opening and closing the refrigerator door, which is beneficial to improving the user experience.

[0005] Specifically, this disclosure is achieved through the following technical solution.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a telescopic mechanism is provided, comprising a carrier, a motor, a telescopic assembly, an angle detection assembly, and a first position detection assembly. The carrier includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to the first end. The motor is disposed at the first end and includes an output end. The telescopic assembly is disposed between the output end and the second end, and includes a rotating member rotatably disposed on the carrier and a telescopic member drivingly cooperating with the rotating member. The rotating member is drivingly connected to the output end to drive the telescopic member to move towards or away from the second end, and the telescopic member includes a starting position. The angle detection assembly is disposed on the carrier and is used to detect the rotation angle of the rotating member. The first position detection assembly is disposed on the carrier and is used to detect whether the telescopic member is in the starting position.

[0007] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects:

[0008] When the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door, a motor drives a rotating component, causing it to rotate and transmit power to the telescopic component. This causes the telescopic component to move towards or away from the second end of the support frame, thus automatically opening or closing the door. During the rotation of the rotating component, an angle detection component monitors its rotation angle, allowing for better control of the number of rotations and consequently, the travel of the telescopic component, improving the reliability of the automatic door opening and closing. A first position detection component is installed on the support frame to detect whether the telescopic component is in its initial position (when the telescopic component is in its initial position, the refrigerator door is closed). Therefore, the first position detection component ensures the refrigerator door is closed. In other words, the dual detection by the angle detection component and the first position detection component improves the reliability of the automatic door closing and enhances the user experience.

[0009] The technical solution disclosed herein will be further explained below.

[0010] In one embodiment, when the first position detection component detects that the telescopic member is in the starting position, the signal sent by the first position detection component can be used to calibrate the angle detection component.

[0011] In one embodiment, the rotating component includes a lead screw, and the telescopic component includes a nut that is threadedly engaged with the lead screw, the nut being slidably connected to the bearing component. The lead screw includes a transmission end that is pulsatorically connected to the output end and a detection end that is disposed opposite to the transmission end, the detection end being disposed near the second end, and an angle detection component being disposed between the detection end and the second end.

[0012] In one embodiment, the carrier has a receiving groove for accommodating a lead screw and a mounting groove adjacent to the receiving groove along the axial direction of the lead screw. The lead screw is rotatably disposed in the receiving groove, and the lead nut is slidably engaged with the receiving groove. The angle detection assembly includes an encoder, which is mounted in the mounting groove and is used to detect the rotation angle of the detection end.

[0013] In one embodiment, the lead screw and the inner bottom wall of the receiving groove form a clearance space, and the first position detection component is located in the clearance space and spaced apart from the lead screw nut.

[0014] In one embodiment, the first position detection component includes a transmitter and a receiver spaced apart from the transmitter to form a mating gap, and a nut has a protrusion. When the nut is in the initial position, the protrusion is inserted into the mating gap to separate the transmitter and the receiver. When the nut is not in the initial position, the protrusion is removed from the mating gap.

[0015] In one embodiment, the telescopic member further includes an end position spaced apart from the starting position along the moving direction of the telescopic member, and the telescopic mechanism further includes a second position detection component disposed on the carrier member, the second position detection component being used to detect whether the telescopic member is at the end position.

[0016] In one embodiment, both the first position detection component and the second position detection component include a transmitting end and a receiving end spaced apart from the transmitting end to form a mating gap, and the telescopic member has a protrusion. When the telescopic member is in the starting position or the ending position, the protrusion is inserted into the mating gap to separate the transmitting end and the receiving end. When the telescopic member is in a non-starting position or the ending position, the protrusion is disengaged from the mating gap.

[0017] In one embodiment, the rotating member includes a driving gear, and the telescopic member includes a driven rack that meshes with the driving gear. The driving gear is fixedly connected to the output end and can be driven to rotate by the output end. The driven rack is fixedly connected to the telescopic member, and the driving gear and the driven rack mesh and transmit power.

[0018] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a driving device is provided for a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a cabinet and a door rotatably connected to the cabinet, and includes a linkage mechanism and a telescopic mechanism as described in any of the above embodiments. The linkage mechanism includes a first mounting member fixedly connected to the cabinet, a second mounting member fixedly connected to the door, and a linkage assembly disposed between the first mounting member and the second mounting member. The second mounting member swings relative to the first mounting member via the linkage assembly. The telescopic mechanism further includes a driving rod connected to the telescopic member, with a connecting notch at its second end. The driving rod passes through the connecting notch and is movably connected to the linkage mechanism to drive the second mounting member to swing relative to the first mounting member.

[0019] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects:

[0020] The drive device utilizes the telescopic mechanism described in any of the above embodiments, enabling the refrigerator door to open or close automatically. Furthermore, in the event of a power outage, the refrigerator can use the first position detection component to calibrate the angle detection component, improving the reliability of opening or closing the door when power is restored after a power outage and enhancing the user experience.

[0021] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerator is provided, comprising a door, a body, a control device, and a drive device as described in the above embodiments. A first mounting member is fixedly connected to the body, and a second mounting member is fixedly connected to the door, so that the door rotates relative to the body to open or close the body. The control device is communicatively connected to the drive device and is capable of controlling the drive device to open or close the body.

[0022] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects:

[0023] The refrigerator utilizes the drive device described in any of the above embodiments, which enables the refrigerator door to open or close automatically. Furthermore, in the event of a power outage, the refrigerator can use the first position detection component to calibrate the angle detection component, improving the reliability of opening or closing the door when power is restored after a power outage and enhancing the user experience.

[0024] The technical solution disclosed herein will be further explained below.

[0025] In one embodiment, when the first position detection component detects that the telescopic member is in the starting position, the control device can receive the signal sent by the first position detection component to calibrate the angle detection component.

[0026] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this disclosure, are used to provide a further understanding of this disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of this disclosure and their descriptions are used to explain this disclosure and do not constitute an undue limitation of this disclosure.

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator according to one embodiment.

[0030] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structural schematic of the refrigerator's drive mechanism.

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of the drive device.

[0032] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of a drive device according to an embodiment.

[0033] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the drive device shown.

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drive device according to one embodiment.

[0035] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of a drive device according to an embodiment.

[0036] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the drive device shown.

[0037] Figure 9 for Figure 7 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the drive device shown.

[0038] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a telescopic mechanism according to one embodiment.

[0039] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the telescopic mechanism according to another embodiment.

[0040] Explanation of the reference numerals in the attached figures.

[0041] 1. Refrigerator; 10. Door; 20. Cabinet; 30. Control device; 40. Drive device; 41. Linkage mechanism; 411. First mounting component; 412. Second mounting component; 413. Linkage assembly; 42. Telescopic mechanism; 4210. Bearing component; 4211. First end; 4212. Second end; 4213. Connecting notch; 4214. Receiving slot; 4215. Mounting slot; 4220. Motor; 4221. Output end; 4230. Telescopic assembly; 4231. Rotating component; 4232. Telescopic component; 4233. Lead screw; 4 234. Nut; 4235. Drive gear; 4236. Driven rack; 4240. Angle detection assembly; 4241. Encoder; 4250. First position detection assembly; 4251. Transmitter; 4252. Fitting clearance; 4253. Receiver; 4260. Drive rod; 4270. Second position detection assembly; 4280. Circuit board; 401. Starting position; 402. Transmission end; 403. Detection end; 404. Clearance space; 405. Protrusion; 406. Ending position; 407. Nut; 408. Second lead screw. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The technical solutions in the embodiments (or "implementations") of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements.

[0043] If this disclosure uses terms relating to directional indications or positional relationships (e.g., up, down, left, right, front, back, inside, outside, top, bottom, center, vertical, horizontal, longitudinal, transverse, length, height, counterclockwise, clockwise, axial, radial, circumferential, etc.), such terms are only used to explain the relative positional relationships and movements between components in a specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings); if the specific posture changes, the directional indications or positional relationships will also change accordingly. Furthermore, terms such as "first" and "second" in this disclosure are used only for descriptive convenience and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0044] With the development of society and the economy and the improvement of people's living standards, refrigerators have gradually become an indispensable household appliance. As intelligent technology continues to expand into the home appliance field, consumers are increasingly demanding ease of use and intelligent features in their appliances. Automatic door opening and closing, as a fundamental intelligent function of refrigerators, is becoming increasingly widespread.

[0045] In related technologies, a drive mechanism is usually used to realize the automatic opening and closing of the refrigerator door. However, when using a drive mechanism to automatically open and close the refrigerator door, if the drive mechanism suddenly loses power, the position data cannot be updated after the power is restored. This results in poor reliability of the automatic opening and closing of the door after the refrigerator loses power and is not conducive to the user experience.

[0046] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a telescopic mechanism 42. This mechanism can improve the reliability of opening or closing the refrigerator door 10 when power is restored after a power outage, thereby improving the user experience of the refrigerator 1.

[0047] To better understand the telescopic mechanism 42 of this application, a refrigerator 1 using the telescopic mechanism 42 and the drive device 40 will be used as an example.

[0048] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, refrigerator 1 includes a door 10, a cabinet 20, a control device 30, and a drive device 40. The door 10 is connected to the cabinet 20 via the drive device 40. The control device 30 is communicatively connected to the drive device 40 and can control the drive device 40 to open or close the door 10 or the cabinet 20. Thus, the control device 30 controls the drive device 40 to open or close the door 10, thereby achieving automatic door opening and closing. This improves the overall intelligence of refrigerator 1 and enhances the user experience.

[0049] like Figures 2 to 4As shown, in some embodiments, the drive device 40 includes a linkage mechanism 41 and a telescopic mechanism 42. The linkage mechanism 41 includes a first mounting member 411 fixedly connected to the housing 20, a second mounting member 412 fixedly connected to the door 10, and a linkage assembly 413 disposed between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. The second mounting member 412 swings relative to the first mounting member 411 via the linkage assembly 413. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the door 10, the telescopic mechanism 42 of the drive device 40 can drive the second mounting member 412, causing the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411 via the linkage assembly 413, thereby realizing the automatic opening or closing of the door 10.

[0050] It should be noted that the drive unit 40 can be installed on the door 10 or on the body 20.

[0051] like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism 42 includes a support member 4210, a motor 4220, a telescopic assembly 4230, an angle detection assembly 4240, and a first position detection assembly 4250. The support member 4210 includes a first end 4211 and a second end 4212 disposed opposite to the first end 4211. The motor 4220 is disposed at the first end 4211 and includes an output end 4221. The telescopic assembly 4230 is disposed between the output end 4221 and the second end 4212. The telescopic assembly 4230 includes a rotating member 4231 rotatably disposed on the support member 4210 and a telescopic member 4232 that is driven to cooperate with the rotating member 4231. The rotating member 4231 is driven to the output end 4221 to drive the telescopic member 4232 to move toward or away from the second end 4212. The telescopic member 4232 includes a starting position 401. An angle detection component 4240 is disposed on the support member 4210 and is used to detect the rotation angle of the rotating member 4231. A first position detection component 4250 is disposed on the support member 4210 and is used to detect whether the telescopic member 4232 is in the starting position 401.

[0052] Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the motor 4220 drives the rotating component 4231, causing it to rotate and transmit power with the telescopic component 4232. This causes the telescopic component 4232 of the telescopic assembly 4230 to move towards or away from the second end 4212 of the support member 4210, thereby automatically opening or closing the refrigerator door 10. Furthermore, during the rotation of the rotating component 4231 driven by the motor 4220, the rotation angle of the rotating component 4231 is detected by the angle detection component 4240, allowing for better control of the number of rotations of the rotating component 4231 and thus better control of the stroke of the telescopic component 4232, improving the reliability of automatically opening or closing the refrigerator door 10. A first position detection component 4250 is provided on the support member 4210, which can detect whether the telescopic component 4232 is in the initial position (when the telescopic component 4232 is in the initial position, the refrigerator door 10 is closed). Therefore, the first position detection component 4250 ensures that the refrigerator 1 is in the closed state. That is, with the dual detection of the angle detection component 4240 and the first position detection component 4250, the reliability of the refrigerator 1's automatic door closing can be improved, thus enhancing the user experience.

[0053] It should be noted that the "rotating component 4231 and output end 4221 transmission connection" can be directly connected to achieve a transmission connection, or they can be connected through a transmission mechanism. A direct connection can be a detachable fixed connection or a non-detachable fixed connection, as long as power transmission is achieved. Methods such as socketing, snap-fitting, integral molding, and welding are feasible and can be flexibly selected according to actual application needs. For example, one component may have a non-cylindrical part, and the other component may have a mating hole for transmission with the non-cylindrical part. Non-cylindrical parts include polygonal cylinders, elliptical cylinders, semi-cylindrical parts, etc.

[0054] In one embodiment, the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic component 4230 can be integrally formed with the output end 4221 (such as the output shaft) of the motor 4220, or the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic component 4230 can be rigidly fixed with the output end 4221 (such as the output shaft) of the motor 4220 by a key.

[0055] In embodiments of this application, the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic assembly 4230 and the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 are configured to be detachable. This facilitates maintenance of the drive device 40.

[0056] In related technologies, when the angle detection component 4240 is powered off, the position information stored by the angle detection component 4240 after power is restored is the position information at the time of power failure. If the refrigerator door 10 is moved during the power failure, the position information stored by the angle detection component 4240 will be different from the actual position information of the door 10. This reduces the reliability of automatically opening or closing the door 10 when the power is restored after the power failure, affecting the user's experience.

[0057] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, when the first position detection component 4250 detects that the telescopic member 4232 is in the starting position 401, the signal sent by the first position detection component 4250 can be used to calibrate the angle detection component 4240. Thus, during the opening or closing of the door 10, if the refrigerator 1 or the motor 4220 experiences a power outage, the angle detection component 4240 may be unable to determine the rotation angle of the rotating member 4231, resulting in uncertain position information. Consequently, the motor 4220 may be unable to determine the required stroke to open or close the door 10. Therefore, by setting a first position detection component 4250 on the carrier 4210, when the first position detection component 4250 detects that the telescopic component 4232 is in the starting position 401, the angle detection component 4240 can be calibrated. When the refrigerator 1 is powered off and then powered on again, when the first position detection component 4250 detects that the telescopic component 4232 is in the starting position 401, the first position detection component 4250 will send a signal, and the sent signal can be used to calibrate the angle detection component 4240, thereby redetermining the number of rotations of the motor 4220 to determine the stroke required to open or close the door 10. This method can improve the reliability of opening or closing the door 10 when the refrigerator 1 is powered off and then powered on again, and improve the user experience.

[0058] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the control device 30 is communicatively connected to the drive device 40 and can control the drive device 40 to open or close the housing 20.

[0059] like Figure 4As shown, in some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism 42 further includes a drive rod 4260 connected to the telescopic member 4232. The second end 4212 has a connection notch 4213. The drive rod 4260 passes through the connection notch 4213 and is movably connected to the linkage mechanism 41 to drive the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the motor 4220 drives the rotating member 4231, causing the rotating member 4231 to rotate and transmit power with the telescopic member 4232. This causes the telescopic member 4232 of the telescopic assembly 4230 to move towards or away from the second end 4212 of the bearing member 4210, thereby driving the drive rod 4260 to move. The drive rod 4260 passes through the connection notch 4213 and is connected to the linkage mechanism 41, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, thus achieving automatic opening or closing of the refrigerator door 10.

[0060] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, when the telescopic member 4232 is in the initial position 401, the cabinet door 10 closes the cabinet body 20. Thus, when the refrigerator 1 is powered on again after a power outage, the door 10 can be manually closed, causing the telescopic member 4232 to return to the initial position 401. At this time, the first position detection component 4250 can detect the telescopic member 4232 and send a signal to calibrate the angle detection component 4240. This calibration of the angle detection component 4240 is simple, requiring only the door 10 to be closed, making it easy to operate and improving the user experience.

[0061] It should be noted that the angle detection component 4240 can be implemented in various ways, including magnetic encoder 4241, photoelectric encoder 4241, etc., as long as it can detect the number of rotations of the rotating part 4231, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0062] like Figure 4 as well as Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a lead screw 4233, and the telescopic member 4232 includes a nut 4234 that is threadedly engaged with the lead screw 4233. The nut 4234 is slidably connected to the bearing member 4210. The lead screw 4233 includes a transmission end 402 that is pulsatorically connected to the output end 4221 and a detection end 403 that is disposed opposite to the transmission end 402. The detection end 403 is disposed near the second end 4212, and the angle detection component 4240 is disposed between the detection end 403 and the second end 4212. Thus, when the motor 4220 operates, the output end 4221 is connected to the transmission end 402 of the lead screw 4233, thereby driving the lead screw 4233 to rotate. The telescopic member 4232 includes a nut 4234 that can cooperate with the lead screw 4233, and the nut 4234 is slidably connected to the bearing member 4210, allowing the telescopic member 4232 to move towards or away from the second end 4212, thereby automatically opening or closing the cabinet door 10. An angle detection component 4240 is positioned between the detection end 403 and the second end 4212 to detect the number of rotations of the lead screw 4233, thereby determining the moving distance of the nut 4234 and thus the travel distance of the cabinet door 10. Furthermore, this arrangement allows the telescopic mechanism 42 to have a compact structure, and the angle detection component 4240 does not interfere with the sliding of the nut 4234. The angle detection component 4240 is located at the end, which also enables the thickness of the telescopic mechanism 42 to be adapted to the thickness of the door 10, making full use of the width space of the door 10.

[0063] like Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the carrier 4210 is provided with a receiving groove 4214 for accommodating the lead screw 4233 and a mounting groove 4215 adjacent to the receiving groove 4214 along the axial direction of the lead screw 4233. The lead screw 4233 is rotatably disposed in the receiving groove 4214, and the nut 4234 is slidably engaged with the receiving groove 4214. The angle detection assembly 4240 includes an encoder 4241, which is mounted in the mounting groove 4215 for detecting the rotation angle of the detection end 403. Thus, the lead screw 4233 is disposed in the receiving groove 4214 of the carrier 4210, and an adjacent mounting groove 4215 is provided in the receiving cavity along the axial direction of the lead screw 4233 for mounting the encoder 4241 in the mounting groove 4215 for detecting the rotation angle of the lead screw 4233. This arrangement allows the telescopic mechanism 42 to have a compact structure and saves its space.

[0064] It should be noted that the axial direction of the lead screw 4233 is... Figure 4 The X direction is shown.

[0065] like Figure 4 as well as Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, the lead screw 4233 and the inner bottom wall of the receiving groove 4214 form a clearance space 404, and the first position detection component 4250 is located in the clearance space 404 and is spaced apart from the lead nut 4234. Thus, by placing the first position detection component 4250 in the clearance space 404 formed by the lead screw 4233 and the inner bottom wall of the receiving groove, the telescopic mechanism 42 can be made compact, and the first position detection component 4250 is also spaced apart from the lead nut 4234, avoiding interference with the movement of the lead nut 4234.

[0066] like Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the first position detection component 4250 includes a transmitting end 4251 and a receiving end 4253 spaced apart from the transmitting end 4251 to form a mating gap 4252. The nut 4234 has a protrusion 405. When the nut 4234 is in the initial position 401, the protrusion 405 is inserted into the mating gap 4252 to separate the transmitting end 4251 from the receiving end 4253. When the nut 4234 is in a non-initial position 401, the protrusion 405 moves away from the mating gap 4252. Thus, when the refrigerator 1 is powered on again after a power outage, the telescopic member 4232 is moved to engage the protrusion 405 and the mating clearance 4252, allowing the first position detection component 4250 to detect the telescopic member 4232. This sends a signal to calibrate the angle detection component 4240, redetermine the number of rotations of the motor 4220, and determine the stroke required to open or close the door 10. This improves the reliability of opening or closing the door 10 when the refrigerator 1 is powered on again after a power outage, and enhances the user experience.

[0067] like Figures 4 to 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the telescopic member 4232 further includes a termination position 406 spaced apart from the starting position 401 along the moving direction of the telescopic member 4232. The telescopic mechanism 42 also includes a second position detection component 4270 disposed on the support member 4210. The second position detection component 4270 is used to detect whether the telescopic member 4232 is at the termination position 406. Thus, when the refrigerator 1 automatically opens the door 10, the second position detection component 4270 can detect whether the telescopic member 4232 is at the termination position 406. When the telescopic member 4232 moves to the termination position 406, the second position detection component 4270 can send a signal to control the motor 4220 to stop working, avoiding opening the door 10 at too large an angle, which could damage the refrigerator 1.

[0068] It should be noted that when the telescopic component 4232 is in the termination position 406, the door 10 opens the box body 20, and this is the position where the door 10 opens to its maximum angle.

[0069] It should be noted that the direction of movement of the telescopic component 4232 is... Figure 4The X direction is shown.

[0070] It should be noted that, as Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of the telescopic member 4232 in the drive device 40 at the termination position 406. Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of the telescopic component 4232 in the drive device 40 at the starting position 401.

[0071] like Figure 4 , Figure 7 as well as Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism 42 further includes a circuit board 4280. A first position detection component 4250 and a second position detection component 4270 are electrically connected to the circuit board 4280, which is disposed on the support member 4210. Thus, by electrically connecting the first position detection component 4250 and the second position detection component 4270 to the circuit board 4280, the circuit board 4280 can control the first position detection component 4250 and the second position detection component 4270. Furthermore, modularly mounting the first position detection component 4250, the second position detection component 4270, and the circuit board 4280 on the support member 4210 facilitates the replacement and maintenance of these components.

[0072] like Figure 4 , Figures 7 to 9 As shown, in some embodiments, both the first position detection component 4250 and the second position detection component 4270 include a transmitting end 4251 and a receiving end 4253 spaced apart from the transmitting end 4251 to form a mating gap 4252. The telescopic member 4232 is provided with a protrusion 405. When the telescopic member 4232 is in the starting position 401 or the ending position 406, the protrusion 405 is inserted into the mating gap 4252 to separate the transmitting end 4251 from the receiving end 4253. When the telescopic member 4232 is in a position other than the starting position 401 or the ending position 406, the protrusion 405 is disengaged from the mating gap 4252. In this way, by inserting the protrusion 405 into the mating gap 4252, the transmitting end 4251 and the receiving end 4253 are separated, thereby determining whether the telescopic member 4232 is located at the starting position 401 or the ending position 406. In this way, when the protrusion 405 is inserted into the mating gap 4252, the protrusion 405 and the mating gap 4252 do not come into contact, reducing friction and thus improving the overall lifespan.

[0073] It should be noted that the first position detection component 4250 and the second position detection component 4270 can be implemented in various ways, including pressure sensors, magnetic sensors, photoelectric sensors, infrared sensors, etc.

[0074] It should be noted that the first position detection component 4250 and the second position detection component 4270 can be assembled into a single module, and then modularly assembled into the telescopic component 4230. Alternatively, they can be assembled separately into the telescopic component 4230 and then assembled into a single module with the telescopic component 4230. This facilitates the modular assembly of the drive device 40 and improves assembly efficiency.

[0075] It should be noted that the telescopic component 4232 can be driven to reciprocate along the support component 4210 by the motor 4220 in either a direct or indirect manner. For example, the telescopic component 4232 can be directly driven to reciprocate along the support component 4210 by the telescopic motor 4220, or it can be indirectly driven to reciprocate along the support component 4210 by a power source and transmission mechanism. The key is to achieve the goal of driving the telescopic component 4232 to reciprocate along the support component 4210.

[0076] like Figure 10 As shown, in some embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a driving gear 4235, and the telescopic member 4232 includes a driven rack 4236 meshing with the driving gear 4235. The driving gear 4235 is fixedly connected to the output end 4221 and can be driven to rotate by the output end 4221. The driven rack 4236 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232, and the driving gear 4235 and the driven rack 4236 mesh and transmit power. Thus, when the door 10 is automatically opened or closed, the motor 4220 operates, and its output end 4221 drives the driving gear 4235 to rotate. The driven rack 4236 meshes and transmits power with the driving gear 4235, thereby driving the driven gear to reciprocate along the support member 4210. The driven rack 4236 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232, driving the telescopic member 4232 to reciprocate along the support member 4210 to achieve automatic opening or closing of the door 10.

[0077] like Figure 11As shown, in some other embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a nut 407, the telescopic assembly 4230 includes a second lead screw 408 that is threadedly engaged with the nut 407, the nut 407 is fixedly connected to the output end 4221 and can be driven to rotate by the output end 4221, the second lead screw 408 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232, the second lead screw 408 is threadedly engaged with the nut 407, and the bearing member 4210 abuts against the telescopic member 4232 to restrict the rotation of the telescopic member 4232. Thus, when the cabinet door 10 is automatically opened or closed, the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 is fixedly connected to the nut 407, so that the output end 4221 drives the nut 407 to rotate. The nut 407 is threadedly connected to the second lead screw 408, and the second lead screw 408 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232. The bearing member 4210 abuts against the telescopic member 4232 to restrict the rotation of the telescopic member 4232, so that the telescopic member 4232 can reciprocate along the bearing member 4210 under the rotation of the nut 407, thereby realizing the automatic opening or closing of the cabinet door 10.

[0078] It should be noted that the technical solutions or features described in the above embodiments can be combined or complemented by each other without conflict. The scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described in the above embodiments and shown in the accompanying drawings; all modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A telescopic mechanism, characterized in that, include: The carrier includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to the first end; A motor is disposed at the first end, and the motor includes an output end; A telescopic assembly is disposed between the output end and the second end. The telescopic assembly includes a rotating member rotatably disposed on the carrier and a telescopic member that is driven to cooperate with the rotating member. The rotating member is driven to the output end to drive the telescopic member to move toward or away from the second end. The telescopic member includes a starting position. An angle detection component, disposed on the support member, is used to detect the rotation angle of the rotating member; and A first position detection component is disposed on the carrier and is used to detect whether the telescopic component is in the starting position.

2. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the first position detection component detects that the telescopic member is in the starting position, the signal sent by the first position detection component can be used to calibrate the angle detection component.

3. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating component includes a lead screw, and the telescopic component includes a nut that is threadedly engaged with the lead screw. The nut is slidably connected to the bearing component. The lead screw includes a transmission end that is pulsatorically connected to the output end and a detection end that is disposed opposite to the transmission end. The detection end is disposed close to the second end, and the angle detection component is disposed between the detection end and the second end.

4. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The support member is provided with a receiving groove for accommodating the lead screw and a mounting groove adjacent to the receiving groove along the axial direction of the lead screw. The lead screw is rotatably disposed in the receiving groove, and the lead nut is slidably engaged with the receiving groove. The angle detection component includes an encoder, which is installed in the mounting groove and is used to detect the rotation angle of the detection end.

5. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lead screw forms a clearance space with the inner bottom wall of the receiving groove, and the first position detection component is located in the clearance space and is spaced apart from the lead screw nut.

6. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first position detection component includes a transmitting end and a receiving end that is spaced apart from the transmitting end to form a mating gap. The nut has a protrusion. When the nut is in the starting position, the protrusion is inserted into the mating gap to separate the transmitting end from the receiving end. When the nut is not in the starting position, the protrusion leaves the mating gap.

7. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The telescopic member also includes an ending position spaced apart from the starting position along the moving direction of the telescopic member, and the telescopic mechanism also includes a second position detection component disposed on the carrier member, the second position detection component being used to detect whether the telescopic member is at the ending position.

8. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, Both the first position detection component and the second position detection component include a transmitting end and a receiving end that is spaced apart from the transmitting end to form a mating gap. The telescopic member is provided with a protrusion. When the telescopic member is in the starting position or the ending position, the protrusion is inserted into the mating gap to separate the transmitting end from the receiving end. When the telescopic member is not in the starting position or the ending position, the protrusion moves away from the mating gap.

9. The telescopic mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating component includes a driving gear, and the telescopic component includes a driven rack that meshes with the driving gear. The driving gear is fixedly connected to the output end and can be driven to rotate by the output end. The driven rack is fixedly connected to the telescopic component, and the driving gear and the driven rack mesh and transmit power.

10. A driving device applied to a refrigerator, the refrigerator including a cabinet and a door rotatably connected to the cabinet, characterized in that, Includes a linkage mechanism and a telescopic mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 9; The linkage mechanism includes a first mounting component fixedly connected to the housing, a second mounting component fixedly connected to the housing door, and a linkage assembly disposed between the first mounting component and the second mounting component. The second mounting component swings relative to the first mounting component through the linkage assembly. The telescopic mechanism further includes a drive rod connected to the telescopic member, the second end of which is provided with a connection notch. The drive rod passes through the connection notch and is movably connected to the linkage mechanism to drive the second mounting member to swing relative to the first mounting member.

11. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The device includes a door, a housing, a control device, and the drive device as described in claim 10. The first mounting member is fixedly connected to the housing, and the second mounting member is fixedly connected to the door, so that the door rotates relative to the housing to open or close the housing. The control device is communicatively connected to the drive device and is capable of controlling the drive device to open or close the housing.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, characterized in that, When the first position detection component detects that the telescopic member is in the starting position, the control device can receive the signal sent by the first position detection component to calibrate the angle detection component.

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