Ice-making box assembly of refrigerator and refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model provides an ice-making box assembly of a refrigerator and the refrigerator, and relates to the technical field of refrigerators. The ice-making box assembly comprises the hanging frame and the ice-making box, the hanging frame is hung below the shelf, the hanging frame is provided with the containing cavity, the back of the hanging frame is provided with at least one opening communicated with the containing cavity, so that cold air entering from an air inlet of an inner container of the refrigerator enters the containing cavity through the opening, and the ice-making box is arranged in the containing cavity of the hanging frame in a drawable mode. According to the technical scheme, the ice-making box assembly is hung below the freezing chamber shelf, so that the occupied space of the ice-making box assembly can be reduced. In addition, the opening is formed in the back of the hanging frame, so that cold air can enter the containing cavity from the opening, flowing cold air of the freezing chamber is fully utilized, and the ice making efficiency of the ice making box is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of refrigerator technology, and in particular to an ice maker assembly and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, manual ice makers in refrigerators are typically placed on the bottom shelf of the freezer compartment. These occupies a significant amount of space and do not fully utilize the circulating airflow within the freezer, resulting in low ice-making efficiency. Furthermore, the operation is not convenient or flexible for users when adding water or removing ice cubes, making it difficult to meet the demand for continuous ice production. Utility Model Content

[0003] One objective of this invention is to provide an ice maker assembly for a refrigerator, thereby solving the technical problems of low ice-making efficiency and large space occupation of existing refrigerator ice makers.

[0004] A further objective of this invention is to improve the versatility of the ice maker.

[0005] Another objective of this invention is to provide a refrigerator having the aforementioned ice-making container assembly.

[0006] Specifically, this utility model provides an ice maker assembly for a refrigerator, the refrigerator including an inner liner and a freezer shelf connected to the inner liner, the back of the inner liner having at least one air inlet, and the ice maker assembly including:

[0007] A hanging rack is suspended below the freezer compartment shelf. The hanging rack has a receiving cavity and at least one opening on its back that communicates with the receiving cavity, so that cold air entering from the air inlet enters the receiving cavity through the opening.

[0008] An ice maker is removably mounted within the receiving cavity of the hanging bracket.

[0009] Optionally, the bracket has one of the openings, which is aligned with one of the air inlets.

[0010] Optionally, the size of the opening is larger than the size of the air inlet.

[0011] Optionally, the hanging rack is provided with a snap-fit ​​part on both sides along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator, and each snap-fit ​​part snaps into the side of the freezer compartment shelf corresponding to it.

[0012] Optionally, the bracket includes:

[0013] Front frame;

[0014] The rear frame is located behind the front frame;

[0015] At least one telescopic component is connected to the front frame and the rear frame respectively, and the length of the hanging bracket along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator is adjusted by telescopic adjustment.

[0016] Optionally, each of the telescopic components includes:

[0017] The first rod is located below the rear frame and connected to the rear frame. The interior of the first rod is hollow and extends along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator.

[0018] The second rod is connected at one end to the lower part of the front frame and extends from the front frame toward the rear of the refrigerator. The second rod is movably inserted inside the first rod, and the length of the bracket along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator is adjusted by moving the second rod relative to the first rod.

[0019] Optionally, the inner sides of the two side panels of the hanging rack along the lateral direction of the refrigerator and the outer sides of the two side panels of the ice maker along the lateral direction of the refrigerator are respectively provided with mutually cooperating sliding limiting structures. The sliding limiting structures extend along the front-back direction of the refrigerator, thereby limiting the sliding direction of the ice maker.

[0020] Optionally, the ice maker includes a front panel, and the bracket includes a bottom plate. An operating gap is formed between the front end of the bottom plate and the front panel for user operation, so as to facilitate manual operation of the front panel, thereby driving the ice maker to move along the front-back direction of the refrigerator.

[0021] Optionally, each of the ice-making boxes has multiple ice trays arranged in an array inside, and the multiple ice trays may be the same or different in shape.

[0022] In particular, this utility model also provides a refrigerator, including the ice-making box assembly described above.

[0023] The ice maker assembly of this invention includes a hanging rack and an ice maker. The hanging rack is suspended below a shelf and has a receiving cavity. At least one opening on its back communicates with the receiving cavity, allowing cold air entering from the air inlet of the refrigerator liner to enter the receiving cavity through the opening. The ice maker is removably mounted within the receiving cavity of the hanging rack. This technical solution, by suspending the ice maker assembly below the freezer shelf, reduces the space occupied by the ice maker assembly. Furthermore, the opening on the back of the hanging rack allows cold air to enter the receiving cavity, fully utilizing the flowing cold air in the freezer and improving the ice-making efficiency of the ice maker.

[0024] Furthermore, the hanging rack in this utility model includes a front frame, a rear frame, and at least one telescopic component. The rear frame is located behind the front frame, and the telescopic component is connected to both the front and rear frames and is designed to be telescopic to adjust the length of the hanging rack along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator. This allows the length of the hanging rack to be adjusted according to the depth of the refrigerator, enabling the ice maker assembly to adapt to refrigerators of more different sizes and improving the versatility of the ice maker assembly.

[0025] The above and other objects, advantages and features of this utility model will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of this utility model in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the present invention in a detailed manner by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or components. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of an ice maker assembly installed inside a refrigerator liner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the back panel of the hanging bracket and the inner liner according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of a hanger according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of the front frame of the hanger according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of the rear frame of the hanger according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of a hanging bracket in an extended state according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of an ice-making box according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of an ice-making box according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic structural diagram of the bottom of an ice-making box according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0037] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0038] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature, that is, include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. When a feature "includes or contains" one or more of the features it encompasses, unless otherwise specifically described, this indicates that other features are not excluded and may be further included.

[0039] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "installation," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art should be able to understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0040] Unless otherwise specified, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the description of this embodiment have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of an ice maker assembly 100 installed inside a refrigerator liner 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the hanger 10 and the back plate 210 of the inner liner 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, in one specific embodiment, the refrigerator includes an inner liner 200 and a freezer shelf 300 connected to the inner liner 200. At least one air inlet 211 is provided on the back of the inner liner 200. The ice maker assembly 100 of the refrigerator includes a hanger 10 and an ice maker 50. The hanger 10 is suspended below the freezer shelf 300. The hanger 10 has a receiving cavity 14, and its back has at least one opening 15 communicating with the receiving cavity 14, so that cold air entering from the air inlet 211 enters the receiving cavity 14 through the opening 15. The ice maker 50 is retractably disposed within the receiving cavity 14 of the hanger 10. Here, the back of the hanger 10 refers to the side of the hanger 10 closest to the rear of the refrigerator.

[0042] This embodiment reduces the space occupied by the ice maker assembly 100 by suspending it below the freezer shelf 300. Furthermore, an opening 15 is provided on the back of the shelf 10, allowing cold air to enter the receiving cavity 14, thus fully utilizing the flowing cold air in the freezer and improving the ice-making efficiency of the ice maker 50.

[0043] The operation is convenient and flexible for users when filling water and removing ice cubes. After pulling out the ice maker 50, water can be poured directly into it. When removing ice cubes, after pulling out the ice maker 50, flipping and pressing the silicone of the ice maker 50 will cause the ice cubes to fall into the ice maker, greatly improving the user's convenience.

[0044] The suspended ice box assembly 100 is designed to facilitate continuous ice making for users. Its high ice-making efficiency and convenient operation allow users to complete the process of making, removing, and remaking ice in a short time, thus meeting users' continuous demand for ice.

[0045] In some embodiments, the refrigerator's inner liner 200 has a back panel 210, on which at least one air inlet 211 is provided. In this embodiment, the back panel 210 has two air inlets 211, which are spaced apart along the left-right direction of the refrigerator. In other embodiments, the number of air inlets 211 on the back panel 210 can be determined according to specific design requirements, such as three, four, or five.

[0046] In some embodiments, the number of air inlets 211 on the back panel 210 can be determined based on the number of ice box assemblies 100 suspended on the freezer shelf 200, and the number of air inlets 211 can be set to be consistent with the number of ice box assemblies 100.

[0047] In some embodiments, both air inlets 211 are rectangular and have the same size. In other embodiments, the air inlets 211 can be configured in other shapes, such as circular. Additionally, the two air inlets 211 can have different sizes.

[0048] In some embodiments, the bracket 10 has an opening 15 aligned with an air inlet 211. In other embodiments, one opening 15 may correspond to multiple air inlets 211, depending on the specific requirements.

[0049] In some embodiments, the shape of the opening 15 of the bracket 10 can be set to match the shape of the air inlet 211. For example, if the shape of the air inlet 211 is rectangular, then the shape of the opening 15 is also rectangular. If the shape of the air inlet 211 is circular, then the shape of the opening 15 is also circular.

[0050] In other embodiments, the bracket 10 may also be configured to have a plurality of openings 15, each opening 15 corresponding to an air inlet 211.

[0051] In some embodiments, the size of the opening 15 is larger than the size of the air inlet 211, thereby facilitating the smoother entry of cold air into the receiving cavity 14.

[0052] In other embodiments, if the air inlet 211 is located on the left side of the refrigerator's inner liner 200, then an opening 15 needs to be made on the left side of the hanging bracket 10. If the air inlet 211 is located on the right side of the refrigerator's inner liner 200, then an opening 15 needs to be made on the right side of the hanging bracket 10. If the air inlet 211 is located at the bottom of the refrigerator's inner liner 200, then an opening 15 needs to be made at the bottom of the hanging bracket 10. That is, the opening 15 needs to be made on the side of the hanging bracket 10 corresponding to the air inlet 211, that is, closer to the air inlet 211, so that cold air can smoothly enter the receiving cavity 14 of the hanging bracket 10.

[0053] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of a hanger 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the back of the bracket 10 does not need to be provided with a plate, and the entire back forms an opening 15, so that the size of the opening 15 is maximized, thereby increasing the air intake of the receiving cavity 14 and further improving the ice-making efficiency of the ice maker 50.

[0054] In some embodiments, the mounting bracket 10 is provided with snap-fit ​​portions 13 on both sides along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator, and each snap-fit ​​portion 13 snaps into the corresponding side of the freezer shelf 300. It can be understood that the mounting bracket 10 is provided with snap-fit ​​portions 13 on both the front and rear sides, thereby improving the stability of the mounting bracket 10 during installation.

[0055] In some embodiments, the latching portion 13 located on the front side of the bracket 10 is formed by bending and extending from the top of the bracket 10 toward the rear of the refrigerator. The latching portion 13 located on the rear side of the bracket 10 is formed by bending and extending from the top of the bracket 10 toward the front of the refrigerator. Here, the extension length of the latching portion 13 needs to ensure the stability of the bracket 10 during installation.

[0056] In some embodiments, the snap-fit ​​portion 13 may be configured to extend along the left-right direction of the refrigerator, and its extension length is consistent with the left-right length of the bracket 10.

[0057] When installing the hanging bracket 10, it can be installed from the left or right side of the freezer shelf 300 first. The bracket 10 is inserted into the corresponding side of the freezer shelf 300 using the snap-fit ​​parts 13 on both sides. Then, the freezer shelf 300 and the hanging bracket 10 are installed as a whole onto the inner liner 200 of the refrigerator, which is relatively convenient.

[0058] In some embodiments, the inner liner 200 of the refrigerator has a support portion protruding toward the inside of the refrigerator. The support portion extends along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator and is used to support the freezer shelf 300. The two sides of the freezer shelf 300 are respectively located on the support portion.

[0059] When disassembling the hanging rack 10, the freezer shelf 300 and the hanging rack 10 can be considered as a whole. First, remove the whole unit from the inner liner 200 of the refrigerator, and then remove the hanging rack 10 from the left or right side of the freezer shelf 300 to complete the disassembly of the hanging rack 10. After the hanging rack 10 is disassembled, the freezer shelf 300 is then installed back into the inner liner 200 of the refrigerator. The ice maker assembly 100 in this embodiment is relatively flexible in its installation. When ice maker 50 is needed for ice making, it can be installed on the freezer shelf 300. When ice making is not needed, the ice maker assembly 100 can be removed without taking up refrigerator space.

[0060] When installing the ice maker 50, you can first install the bracket 10 onto the freezer shelf 300 according to the steps described above, and then push the ice maker 50 into the receiving cavity 14 of the bracket 10 from the front side. Alternatively, you can first push the ice maker 50 into the receiving cavity 14 of the bracket 10 from the front side, then install the entire ice maker assembly 100 onto the freezer shelf 300, and then treat the ice maker assembly 100 and the freezer shelf 300 as a whole, installing the whole assembly onto the inner liner 200 of the refrigerator.

[0061] When you need to remove ice, simply pull the ice container 50 out of the rack 10, then flip the ice container 50 over and press the silicone inside to remove the ice. After removing the ice, reinstall the ice container 50 back onto the rack 10.

[0062] In some embodiments, to protect the freezer shelf 300 from being scratched by the hanger 10, a protective element can be wrapped around the snap-fit ​​portion 13, or the front and rear sides of the freezer shelf 300 can be wrapped with a protective element, thereby protecting both the hanger 10 and the freezer shelf 300. Here, the protective element can be a silicone part, or a protective element made of other materials.

[0063] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of the front frame 20 of the hanger 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of the rear frame 30 of the hanger 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of the hanger 10 in an extended state according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 4 to 6 As shown, and see Figures 1 to 4 In a preferred embodiment, the hanging bracket 10 includes a front frame 20, a rear frame 30, and at least one telescopic component 40, with the rear frame 30 positioned behind the front frame 20. The telescopic component 40 is connected to both the front frame 20 and the rear frame 30. By telescopically adjusting the length of the hanging bracket 10 along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator, the length of the hanging bracket 10 can be adjusted according to the depth of the refrigerator, allowing the ice maker assembly 100 to adapt to refrigerators of more different sizes and improving the versatility of the ice maker assembly 100.

[0064] In some embodiments, there are multiple telescopic components 40, and the multiple telescopic components 40 together realize the telescopic extension and retraction of the bracket 10.

[0065] In some embodiments, each telescopic component 40 includes a first rod 42 and a second rod 41. The first rod 42 is disposed below and connected to the rear frame 30. The interior of the first rod 42 is hollow and extends along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator. One end of the second rod 41 is connected to the lower part of the front frame 20 and extends from the front frame 20 toward the rear of the refrigerator. The second rod 41 is movably inserted inside the first rod 42. The length of the hanging rack 10 along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator is adjusted by the movement of the second rod 41 relative to the first rod 42. This embodiment achieves telescopic functionality of the hanging rack 10 through the design of the first rod 42 and the second rod 41. In addition, this embodiment places the first rod 42 and the second rod 41 at the bottom of the rear frame 30 and the front frame 20 respectively, without affecting the aesthetics of the hanging rack 10.

[0066] In other embodiments, telescopic components 40 with other structures can also be used to achieve the telescopic extension of the bracket 10, such as gear and rack structures.

[0067] In some embodiments, ice makers 50 of different lengths can be configured for different lengths of the hanging rack 10 to ensure compatibility between the ice maker 50 and the hanging rack 10. Alternatively, only one length of ice maker 50 can be designed to accommodate hanging racks 10 of different lengths. The length of the ice maker 50 can be set to be the same as the minimum length of the hanging rack 10, so that even if the hanging rack 10 is extended, the minimum length ice maker 50 can still be installed in the receiving cavity 14 of the hanging rack 10 without affecting normal use.

[0068] In some embodiments, the number of telescopic components 40 is four. That is, four second rods 41 are installed at the bottom of the front frame 20, and four first rods 42 are installed at the bottom of the rear frame 30. The four second rods 41 are spaced apart and evenly arranged along the bottom of the front frame 20, and the four first rods 42 are spaced apart and evenly arranged along the bottom of the rear frame 30. Each second rod 41 corresponds to one first rod 42.

[0069] This embodiment improves the stability of the front frame 20 during movement by setting multiple telescopic components 40.

[0070] In some embodiments, the extension length of the first rod 42 can be set to be consistent with the extension length of the rear frame 30, or it can be designed according to the extension length.

[0071] In some embodiments, the extension length of the second rod 41 can be set according to the extension length of the first rod 42.

[0072] In some embodiments, the diameters of the first rod 42 and the second rod 41 can be designed according to specific design requirements. The larger the diameter of the second rod 41, the better the stability.

[0073] When the bracket 10 is set to be retractable, when disassembling the bracket 10, the front frame 20 can be removed first, and then the rear frame 30 can be removed.

[0074] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of an ice-making container 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of an ice-making container 50 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 This is a schematic structural diagram of the bottom of an ice-making container 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 7 to 9 As shown, and see Figures 3 to 6 The inner sides of the two side panels of the hanging bracket 10 along the horizontal direction of the refrigerator and the outer sides of the two side panels of the ice maker 50 along the horizontal direction of the refrigerator are respectively provided with mutually cooperating sliding limiting structures. The sliding limiting structures extend along the front and rear direction of the refrigerator, thereby limiting the sliding direction of the ice maker 50.

[0075] In some embodiments, the hanging rack 10 includes two opposing first side plates 11, the inner walls of which are respectively provided with protrusions 111 extending along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator. The ice maker 50 includes two opposing second side plates 52, the outer walls of which are respectively provided with grooves 521 extending along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator. Each groove 521 engages with a corresponding protrusion 111, thereby allowing the ice maker 50 to move along the hanging rack 10. It can be understood that the sliding limiting structure includes the protrusions 111 and the grooves 521.

[0076] In other embodiments, grooves 521 can be provided on the inner walls of the two first side plates 11, and protrusions 111 can be provided on the outer walls of the two second side plates 52. Through the cooperation of the grooves 521 and the protrusions 111, the ice maker 50 can also move along the front and back direction of the refrigerator.

[0077] In some embodiments, a plurality of protrusions 111 may be provided on each first side plate 11, and a plurality of grooves 521 may be provided on each second side plate 52. The number of protrusions 111 on each first side plate 11 is the same, and the number of grooves 521 on each second side plate 52 is the same.

[0078] This embodiment improves the stability of the ice maker 50's movement through the cooperation of multiple protrusions 111 and multiple grooves 521. The number of protrusions 111 can be determined based on the dimension of the first side plate 11 along the height direction of the refrigerator. The larger the dimension of the first side plate 11 along the height direction of the refrigerator, the more protrusions 111 there are; the smaller the dimension of the first side plate 11 along the height direction of the refrigerator, the fewer protrusions 111 there are.

[0079] In some embodiments, the bracket 10 consists of two first side plates 11, a base plate 12, and two snap-fit ​​parts 13, with the bracket 10 extending from front to back. (See also...) Figure 3 .

[0080] In other embodiments, to further improve ice-making efficiency, openings 15 can also be made on the two first side plates 11 of the hanger 10. The number of openings 15 on the first side plates 11 can be set according to the extension length of the first side plates 11. The longer the extension length of the first side plates 11, the more openings 15 there are on the first side plates 11, and the shorter the extension length of the first side plates 11, the fewer openings 15 there are on the first side plates 11.

[0081] In some embodiments, the dimensions of the hanging rack 10 can be designed according to the dimensions of the freezer shelf 300. The width of the hanging rack 10 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator can be set to half, one-third, or one-quarter of the width of the freezer shelf 300 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator, or it can be set to be the same as the width of the freezer shelf 300 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator. Here, the width of the freezer shelf 300 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator is the dimension excluding the dimension placed on the inner liner 200.

[0082] When the width of the hanging rack 10 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator is the same as the width of the freezer shelf 300 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator, only one hanging rack 10 can be installed on each freezer shelf 300. When the width of the hanging rack 10 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator is half the width of the freezer shelf 300 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator, two hanging racks 10 can be installed on each freezer shelf 300. When the width of the hanging rack 10 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator is one-third the width of the freezer shelf 300 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator, three shelves can be installed on each freezer shelf 300. When the width of the hanging rack 10 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator is one-quarter the width of the freezer shelf 300 along the left-right direction of the refrigerator, four shelves can be installed on each freezer shelf 300, and so on.

[0083] In some embodiments, the size of the rack 10 can be designed according to requirements, and does not need to be designed according to the size of the freezer shelf 300. If multiple racks 10 are to be installed on a freezer shelf 300, then the size of the rack 10 can be made smaller.

[0084] In some embodiments, when the hanger 10 is configured to be retractable, then the protrusion 111 on the hanger 10 also needs to be configured to be retractable. See Figure 4 and Figure 6 Both the front frame 20 and the rear frame 30 have protruding strips 111 on their first side plates 11. A second rod 41 extends from the protruding strip 111 of the front frame 20, while the protruding strip 111 of the rear frame 30 is hollow, allowing the second rod 41 at the protruding strip 111 of the front frame 20 to extend into the protruding strip 111 of the rear frame 30. This design ensures that the left and right sides and the bottom of the front frame 20 are supported by the rear frame 30 during movement, improving the stability of the front frame 20 during the pulling process.

[0085] In some embodiments, the ice maker 50 includes a front panel 53, and the bracket 10 includes a bottom plate 12. An operating gap is formed between the front end of the bottom plate 12 and the front panel 53 to allow the user to manually operate the front panel 53, thereby moving the ice maker 50 along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator. (See also...) Figure 9This can be understood as follows: when a user needs to take out ice cubes, they only need to place their hand in the operating gap and pull the front plate 53 of the ice maker 50 to pull out the ice maker 50, which is quite convenient.

[0086] In some embodiments, the ice maker 50 consists of two second side panels 52, a front panel 53, and a plurality of silicone ice trays 51. That is, the back of the ice maker 50 has no panels, and cold air can directly enter the bottom of the silicone ice trays 51 after entering the receiving cavity 14 through the air inlet 211 and the opening 15, thereby further improving ice-making efficiency.

[0087] In addition, the cold air that enters the receiving cavity 14 can flow out from the gap between the front end of the bottom plate 12 and the front plate 53, thereby realizing the circulation of cold air.

[0088] In other embodiments, to further improve ice-making efficiency, openings 15 can also be made on the base plate 12 of the hanger 10. The number of openings 15 on the base plate 12 can be set according to the extension length of the base plate 12. The longer the extension length of the base plate 12, the more openings 15 there are on the base plate 12, and the shorter the extension length of the base plate 12, the fewer openings 15 there are on the base plate 12.

[0089] In some embodiments, if the bracket 10 is in an extended state, it is not necessary to open the opening 15 on the base plate 12. Cold air can enter the receiving cavity 14 from between two adjacent second rods 41, which can also achieve the effect of increasing the air intake into the receiving cavity 14.

[0090] In some embodiments, each ice-making container 50 has a plurality of ice trays 51 arranged in an array inside, the plurality of ice trays 51 having the same or different shapes, see [link to documentation]. Figure 7 and Figure 8 .

[0091] See Figure 7 The ice tray 51 is cube-shaped and can be used to make cube-shaped ice cubes. Each ice maker 50 can make multiple cube-shaped ice cubes at the same time. Here, the ice tray 51 is made of silicone. When you want to take out ice, simply flip the ice maker 50 over and then press down on the ice tray 51 to remove the ice cube.

[0092] See Figure 8 Ice tray 51 is rectangular and can be used to make rectangular ice blocks. Each ice maker 50 can make multiple rectangular ice blocks at the same time.

[0093] In some embodiments, the ice trays 51 can be designed to simultaneously produce ice cubes of different sizes. For example, one row of rectangular ice trays 51 and another row of cubic ice trays 51 can be arranged, thereby enabling one ice box assembly 100 to produce ice cubes of multiple sizes simultaneously.

[0094] When the ice maker 50 can only make ice cubes of the same size, that is, all the ice trays 51 in the ice maker 50 are the same size, then two ice makers 50 can be hung on the freezer shelf 300, and the other ice maker 50 can make ice cubes of other sizes.

[0095] In some embodiments, the shape of the ice tray 51 can be customized to create ice cubes of different shapes, such as designing the ice tray 51 in the shape of a panda.

[0096] This embodiment also provides a refrigerator, which includes the ice maker assembly 100 of any of the above embodiments. Details regarding the ice maker assembly 100 are not provided here.

[0097] In this embodiment, the ice box assembly 100 is suspended on the freezer shelf 300. Water can be added and ice can be removed by pulling out the ice box 50. The operation is flexible and can meet the needs of continuous ice making.

[0098] This embodiment uses a suspended ice maker assembly design that does not occupy the bottom space of the freezer compartment, optimizes the spatial layout of the freezer compartment, and provides users with more storage possibilities.

[0099] In this embodiment, because the bracket 10 is close to the air inlet 211, the ice box assembly 100 can make full use of the air flowing in the freezer chamber, which greatly improves the ice-making efficiency and makes the ice-making process faster and more efficient.

[0100] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although many exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood and recognized as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. An ice-making container assembly for a refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes an inner liner and a freezer shelf connected to the inner liner. At least one air inlet is provided on the back of the inner liner. The ice maker assembly includes: A hanging rack is suspended below the freezer compartment shelf. The hanging rack has a receiving cavity and at least one opening on its back that communicates with the receiving cavity, so that cold air entering from the air inlet enters the receiving cavity through the opening. An ice maker is removably mounted within the receiving cavity of the hanging bracket.

2. The ice-making container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bracket has one of the openings, which is aligned with one of the air inlets.

3. The ice-making container assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The size of the opening is larger than the size of the air inlet.

4. The ice-making container assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The hanging rack has snap-fit ​​parts on both sides along the front-to-back direction of the refrigerator, and each snap-fit ​​part snaps into the corresponding side of the freezer compartment shelf.

5. The ice-making container assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The bracket includes: Front frame; The rear frame is located behind the front frame; At least one telescopic component is connected to the front frame and the rear frame respectively, and the length of the hanging bracket along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator is adjusted by telescopic adjustment.

6. The ice-making container assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each of the telescopic components includes: The first rod is located below the rear frame and connected to the rear frame. The interior of the first rod is hollow and extends along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator. The second rod is connected at one end to the lower part of the front frame and extends from the front frame toward the rear of the refrigerator. The second rod is movably inserted inside the first rod, and the length of the bracket along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator is adjusted by moving the second rod relative to the first rod.

7. The ice-making container assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The inner sides of the two side panels of the hanging bracket along the horizontal direction of the refrigerator and the outer sides of the two side panels of the ice maker along the horizontal direction of the refrigerator are respectively provided with mutually cooperating sliding limiting structures. The sliding limiting structures extend along the front-back direction of the refrigerator, thereby limiting the sliding direction of the ice maker.

8. The ice-making container assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The ice maker includes a front panel, and the bracket includes a base plate. An operating gap is formed between the front end of the base plate and the front panel for the user to operate, so that the user can manually operate the front panel and thus move the ice maker along the front-back direction of the refrigerator.

9. The ice-making container assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, Each of the ice-making boxes has multiple ice compartments arranged in an array inside, and the multiple ice compartments may be the same or different in shape.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that, Includes the ice-making container assembly as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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