Hinge assembly and refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model discloses a hinge assembly and a refrigerator and relates to the technical field of refrigerators, the hinge assembly is applied to the refrigerator, the hinge assembly comprises a first fixing seat, a second fixing seat, a connecting rod assembly and a protective cover, the first fixing seat comprises a mounting part and a hinging part arranged on one side of the mounting part, the mounting part is used for being mounted on a refrigerator body of the refrigerator, and the connecting rod assembly is arranged on the second fixing seat. The hinging part comprises an end plate arranged at the tail end of the extension direction of the mounting part; the second fixing base is used for being installed on a door body of the refrigerator. The connecting rod assembly is rotationally connected with the second fixing base and the hinge part so that the second fixing base can rotate relative to the first fixing base. And the protective cover is mounted on the hinge part and covers the end plate. According to the technical scheme, the protective cover is installed at the tail end of the extending direction of the installation part and covers the end plate at the tail end of the protective cover, the problem that the end plate of the first fixing base is exposed outside is solved, the appearance of the refrigerator is improved, and meanwhile the hinge assembly is prevented from being damaged by the external environment.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to refrigerator technical field, especially hinge assembly and refrigerator. BACKGROUND

[0002] The refrigerator door body is usually opened and closed through the hinge assembly. Since the overall structure of the hinge assembly is relatively complex, the thickness size is generally 25mm and above. When actually installed on the refrigerator product, the end plate of the fixing seat connected with the hinge assembly and the refrigerator body is exposed outside. SUMMARY

[0003] The main purpose of the utility model is to provide a hinge assembly and refrigerator, which aims to solve the problem of the end plate of the first fixing seat being exposed outside.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the hinge assembly provided by the utility model is applied to a refrigerator, and the hinge assembly comprises:

[0005] A first fixing seat comprises a mounting portion and a hinge portion arranged on one side of the mounting portion. The mounting portion is used for mounting on the body of the refrigerator. The hinge portion comprises an end plate arranged at the end of the extension direction of the mounting portion.

[0006] A second fixing seat is used for mounting on the door body of the refrigerator.

[0007] A connecting rod assembly is rotatably connected with the second fixing seat and the hinge portion, so that the second fixing seat can rotate relative to the first fixing seat.

[0008] A protective cover is mounted on the hinge portion and covers the end plate.

[0009] In an embodiment, the hinge assembly further comprises an adapter, the connecting rod assembly is rotatably connected with the hinge portion through the adapter, the protective cover is provided with a clamping piece, and the clamping piece penetrates through the end plate to clamp the adapter.

[0010] In an embodiment, the hinge portion further comprises two connecting plates adjacent to the end plate, the two connecting plates are oppositely arranged and rotatably connected with the connecting rod assembly, and the protective cover further comprises two first clamping plates arranged at intervals, and the two connecting plates are clamped between the two first clamping plates.

[0011] In an embodiment, one side of the first clamping plate towards the connecting plate is provided with a protruding rib, and the protruding rib is buckled on the edge of the side edge of the connecting plate away from the end plate.

[0012] In an embodiment, the protective cover further comprises two second clamping plates arranged at intervals, and the two connecting plates are clamped between the two second clamping plates.

[0013] In an embodiment, the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are arranged in a spaced manner, and the outer surfaces of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are located in the same plane.

[0014] In an embodiment, the two first clamping plates and the two second clamping plates form a limiting area, and the clamping member is arranged close to the middle part of the limiting area.

[0015] In an embodiment, the two first clamping plates include an upper clamping plate and a lower clamping plate, and the edge of the protective cover protrudes from the side of the upper clamping plate away from the connecting plate.

[0016] In an embodiment, the protective cover is integrally formed by injection molding.

[0017] In an embodiment, the first fixing seat is made of metal.

[0018] In an embodiment, the mounting portion and the hinge portion are integrally formed.

[0019] The utility model also provides a refrigerator which comprises the hinge assembly.

[0020] The technical scheme of the utility model solves the problem that the end plate of the first fixing seat is exposed, improves the appearance of the refrigerator, and protects the hinge assembly from the external environment. DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical scheme in the embodiments of the utility model or the prior art, the drawings needed in the embodiment or the prior art description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the utility model, and other drawings can be obtained according to the structures shown in the drawings without creative labor for those skilled in the art.

[0022] Figure 1 Fig. 1 is a structural schematic view of an embodiment of the refrigerator before the protective cover is installed according to the utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 Fig. 2 is a structural schematic view of an embodiment of the refrigerator after the protective cover is installed according to the utility model;

[0024] Figure 3 Fig. 3 is a structural schematic view of an embodiment of the hinge assembly according to the utility model;

[0025] Figure 4 Fig. 4 is a side view of the hinge assembly according to the utility model; Figure 3

[0026] ​Figure 5 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hinge assembly according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the hinge assembly along line M1-M1;

[0027] Figure 6 Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the hinge assembly along line M2-M2; Figure 5 Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of part A in Fig. 2;

[0028] Figure 7 Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of part B in Fig. 3; Figure 3 Fig. 6 is a top view of the hinge assembly;

[0029] Figure 8 Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the hinge assembly; Figure 7 Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the hinge assembly along line M1-M1;

[0030] Figure 9 Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the hinge assembly along line M2-M2; Figure 8 Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of part A in Fig. 8;

[0031] Figure 10 Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of part B in Fig. 9; Figure 3 Fig. 12 is an exploded view of the hinge assembly;

[0032] Figure 11 Fig. 13 is a structural schematic view of an embodiment of the protective cover; Figure 3 Fig. 14 is a structural schematic view of another embodiment of the protective cover.

[0033] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] 10, hinge assembly; 20, box body; 30, door body; 100, first fixing seat; 200, second fixing seat; 300, connecting rod assembly; 400, protective cover; 500, adapter; 110, mounting portion; 120, hinged portion; 121, end plate; 122, connecting plate; 410, first clamping plate; 411, upper clamping plate; 412, lower clamping plate; 420, second clamping plate; 430, protruding rib; 440, clamping member.

[0035] The implementation, functional features and advantages of the present application will be further described with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0037] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the utility model have directionality indication (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directionality indication is only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement condition, etc. between components in a certain posture, if the certain posture changes, the directionality indication also changes accordingly.

[0038] In addition, if the embodiments of the utility model have descriptions such as "first", "second", etc., the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for description purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, the features limited by "first" and "second" can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, "and / or" or "and / or" appearing throughout the text means that the three parallel schemes are included, for example, "A and / or B" includes A scheme, or B scheme, or A and B simultaneously satisfy the scheme. In addition, the technical solutions of each embodiment can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the realization of ordinary skilled persons in the art, when the combination of technical solutions appears contradictory or unachievable, it should be considered that the combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the protection scope required by the utility model.

[0039] The utility model provides a hinge assembly 10.

[0040] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 In an embodiment of the utility model, the hinge assembly 10 is applied to a refrigerator, and the hinge assembly 10 includes a first fixing seat 100, a second fixing seat 200, a connecting rod assembly 300 and a protective cover 400. The first fixing seat 100 includes a mounting portion 110 and a hinge portion 120 arranged on one side of the mounting portion 110. The mounting portion 110 is used to be mounted on the cabinet 20 of the refrigerator. The hinge portion 120 includes an end plate 121 arranged at the end of the extension direction of the mounting portion 110. The second fixing seat 200 is used to be mounted on the door body 30 of the refrigerator. The connecting rod assembly 300 is rotatably connected with the second fixing seat 200 and the hinge portion 120 respectively, so that the second fixing seat 200 can rotate relative to the first fixing seat 100. The protective cover 400 is mounted on the hinge portion 120 and covers the end plate 121.

[0041] Specifically, the first fixing seat 100 is used to be connected with the cabinet 20 of the refrigerator, and the second fixing seat 200 is used to be mounted on the door body 30 of the refrigerator. The second fixing seat 200 is rotatably connected with the hinge portion 120 of the first fixing seat 100 through the connecting rod assembly 300, so that the door body 30 of the refrigerator can rotate relative to the cabinet 20 of the refrigerator, thereby realizing the opening and closing function of the door body 30 of the refrigerator and ensuring the normal opening and closing of the door body 30 of the refrigerator.

[0042] The first fixing base 100 comprises a mounting portion 110 and a hinged portion 120 connected with each other. The mounting portion 110 is responsible for mounting the hinge assembly 10 on the cabinet 20 of the refrigerator to ensure that the hinge assembly 10 is stable and immovable. The hinged portion 120 is located on one side of the mounting portion 110 and is used to be rotationally connected with the connecting rod assembly 300 to realize the rotation function of the hinge assembly 10. The hinged portion 120 comprises an end plate 121 located at the end of the extension direction of the mounting portion 110.

[0043] The protective cover 400 has the functions of being beautiful and protective. The protective cover 400 is mounted on the hinged portion 120 and is used to cover the end plate 121. The protective cover 400 not only can avoid the exposure of the end plate 121 of the first fixing base 100 to the outside, improve the appearance quality, make the product look more neat and beautiful, and thus improve the market competitiveness of the product, but also can help to protect the internal structure of the hinge assembly 10 from the damage of the external environment, reduce the risk of failure caused by the invasion of foreign matters, and avoid the user from contacting the sharp edges in the operation process, thus increasing the safety in use. In addition, the material and color of the protective cover 400 are matched with the shell of the cabinet 20, which improves the visual effect of the whole refrigerator, makes the refrigerator look more fashionable and high-grade, and thus can enhance the market competitiveness of the product.

[0044] The technical scheme of the utility model solves the problem of the exposure of the end plate 121 of the first fixing base 100 to the outside by mounting the protective cover 400 at the end of the extension direction of the mounting portion 110 and covering the end plate 121 at the end, and improves the appearance of the refrigerator while protecting the hinge assembly 10 from the damage of the external environment.

[0045] In an embodiment, please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 10 and Figure 11 The hinge assembly 10 further comprises an adapter 500. The connecting rod assembly 300 is rotationally connected with the hinged portion 120 through the adapter 500. The protective cover 400 is provided with a clamping piece 440 which penetrates through the end plate 121 to be clamped with the adapter 500.

[0046] The adapter 500 is fixed relative to the hinged portion 120 and is rotationally connected with the connecting rod assembly 300, so as to realize the rotational connection between the connecting rod assembly 300 and the hinged portion 120. The first fixing base 100 and the adapter 500 are separately arranged and are rotationally connected with the connecting rod assembly 300 through the adapter 500. The first fixing base 100 and the adapter 500 are both easier to process, so as to reduce the manufacturing difficulty of the first fixing base 100. The clamping piece 440 on the protective cover 400 penetrates through the end plate 121 and is clamped with the adapter 500 to firmly fix the protective cover 400 on the hinged portion 120. The quick mounting and dismounting of the protective cover 400 are facilitated, and no additional tools or fasteners are needed, so as to simplify the assembly process.

[0047] In other embodiments, the protective cover 400 can be mounted on the hinge part 120 by screws; the protective cover 400 can also be bonded or magnetically connected to the hinge part 120.

[0048] In an embodiment, referring to Figure 7 、 Figure 8 and Figure 11 , the hinge part 120 further comprises two connecting plates 122 adjacent to the end plate 121, the two connecting plates 122 are oppositely arranged and rotationally connected to the connecting rod assembly 300, and the protective cover 400 further comprises two first clamping plates 410 arranged at intervals, and the two connecting plates 122 are clamped between the two first clamping plates 410.

[0049] The two connecting plates 122 are adjacent to the end plate 121 and located on the same side of the end plate 121. The connecting plate 122 is used to rotationally connect with the connecting rod assembly 300 and provides a more stable support platform to ensure that the connecting rod assembly 300 can rotate smoothly and effectively disperse the force generated when the door body 30 is opened and closed. The two connecting plates 122 are oppositely arranged face to face to form a clamping structure, which can better control the movement path of the connecting rod assembly 300 and reduce unnecessary shaking. The two first clamping plates 410 arranged at intervals on the protective cover 400 clamp the two connecting plates 122 therebetween, not only play a role in fixing the protective cover 400, but also enhance the structural stability of the entire hinge assembly 10. The design of the first clamping plate 410 makes it difficult for the protective cover 400 to shift after installation, providing good limiting effect. The first clamping plate 410 is hidden inside the protective cover 400, and the first clamping plate 410 will not affect the overall appearance of the refrigerator.

[0050] In an embodiment, referring to Figure 7 、 Figure 9 and Figure 11 , the first clamping plate 410 is provided with a protruding rib 430 on the side facing the connecting plate 122, and the protruding rib 430 is buckled on the edge of the side of the connecting plate 122 away from the end plate 121.

[0051] The buckling of the protruding ribs 430 with the edges of the connecting plates 122 can serve as a positioning function, ensuring that the protective cover 400 does not shift during installation, improving the precision and consistency of the assembly of the protective cover 400 with the hinge part 120. The buckling structure of the protruding ribs 430 with the edges of the connecting plates 122 enhances the connection strength between the first clamping plate 410 and the connecting plates 122, ensuring that the protective cover 400 does not loosen or fall off during long-term use, thereby improving the reliability and safety of the entire hinge assembly 10. The design of the protruding ribs 430 simplifies the installation steps of the protective cover 400, making the assembly of the protective cover 400 more intuitive and fast. While the clamping piece 440 is clamped with the adapter 500, the protruding ribs 430 slide from the outer surface of the connecting plates 122 to the edges of the connecting plates 122 and complete buckling with the edges of the connecting plates 122, without the need for additional tools or fasteners, greatly improving the assembly efficiency of the protective cover 400. The protruding ribs 430 are hidden on the side of the first clamping plate 410 facing the connecting plates 122, maintaining the neat appearance of the hinge assembly 10 and enhancing the overall aesthetics of the product.

[0052] In an embodiment, referring to Figure 7 and Figure 11 , the protective cover 400 further comprises two second clamping plates 420 arranged at intervals, and the two connecting plates 122 are clamped between the two second clamping plates 420.

[0053] The protective cover 400 further comprises two second clamping plates 420 arranged at intervals, and the two connecting plates 122 are clamped between the two second clamping plates 420.

[0054] In an embodiment, referring to Figure 1 , the first clamping plate 410 and the second clamping plate 420 are arranged at intervals, and the outer surfaces of the first clamping plate 410 and the second clamping plate 420 are located in the same plane.

[0055] The first clamping plate 410 and the second clamping plate 420 have a spacing therebetween and clamp the two connecting plates 122 respectively. The second clamping plate 420 does not affect the deformation effect of the first clamping plate 410. In the process of buckling with the edge of the connecting plate 122, the first clamping plate 410 is more easily deformed, so that the installation of the protective cover 400 is more easily. The thickness of the first clamping plate 410 and the second clamping plate 420 is the same, and the outer surfaces of the first clamping plate 410 and the second clamping plate 420 are located in the same plane, so as to ensure the clamping effect of the first clamping plate 410 and the second clamping plate 420 on the connecting plate 122. At the same time, the surface of the protective cover 400 is relatively flat, which improves the appearance of the product.

[0056] In other embodiments, the first clamping plate 410 and the second clamping plate 420 can also be connected as a whole.

[0057] In an embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 , the two first clamping plates 410 and the two second clamping plates 420 form a limiting area, and the clamping piece 440 is arranged near the middle of the limiting area.

[0058] The two first clamping plates 410 and the two second clamping plates 420 jointly form a limiting area, and the limiting area is used for accommodating at least part of the hinge part 120 and limiting the movement range of the connecting plate 122. The clamping piece 440 is arranged near the middle of the limiting area, which ensures that the protective cover 400 can uniformly bear external pressure after installation, avoids deformation or loosening caused by uneven local stress, and improves the mechanical strength and reliability of the hinge assembly 10 as a whole; the protective cover 400 is easier to align during installation, which improves the assembly accuracy and consistency.

[0059] In other embodiments, the clamping piece 440 can also be arranged near the edge of the limiting area; the limiting area can also be provided with a plurality of clamping pieces 440, and the plurality of clamping pieces 440 are distributed at intervals in the limiting area.

[0060] In an embodiment, please refer to Figures 1 to 3 , and Figure 11 , the two first clamping plates 410 include an upper clamping plate 411 and a lower clamping plate 412, and the edge of the protective cover 400 protrudes from the side of the upper clamping plate 411 away from the connecting plate 122.

[0061] One of the two first clamping plates 410 is an upper clamping plate 411, and the other is a lower clamping plate 412, which are respectively located on the upper and lower sides of the connecting plate 122. After the hinge assembly 10 is installed on the refrigerator, the upper surface of the hinge assembly 10 will be lower than the upper surface of the refrigerator body 20, and there will be a gap when viewed from the side of the refrigerator body 20. The edge of the protective cover 400 protrudes from the side of the upper clamping plate 411 away from the connecting plate 122, and the edge of the protective cover 400 will be higher than the upper surface of the hinge assembly 10, thereby shielding the gap and making the overall appearance of the refrigerator more neat and beautiful. At the same time, the protruding part of the edge of the protective cover 400 can effectively prevent external objects from directly contacting the upper clamping plate 411 and the connecting plate 122, reducing the risk of damage caused by collision or scratching.

[0062] In other embodiments, the edge of the protective cover 400 protrudes from the upper clamping plate 411 flush.

[0063] In an embodiment, the protective cover 400 is integrally formed by injection molding.

[0064] In an embodiment, the protective cover 400 is made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), ABS resin, etc. These materials have good mechanical properties, chemical corrosion resistance, and impact resistance, and have a certain elasticity, so that the clamping piece 440, the first clamping plate 410, and the second clamping plate 420 can elastically deform during installation. The protective cover 400 is integrally formed by injection molding, and the protective cover 400 has no seams or splicing points, avoiding the problem of structural failure due to the weakness of the seams; it can easily realize complex geometric shapes and fine structural details, such as the clamping piece 440 and the rib 430, without the need for additional processing steps; multiple functional components, such as the clamping piece 440, the first clamping plate 410, and the second clamping plate 420, can be integrated in one molding process, reducing subsequent assembly processes and improving production efficiency.

[0065] In an embodiment, the first fixing seat 100 is made of metal.

[0066] The first fixing seat 100 can be made of stainless steel, aluminum alloy, galvanized steel, etc. Metal materials have high rigidity and strength, and can withstand large forces and stresses, ensuring that the first fixing seat 100 does not deform or damage during long-term use. The high rigidity of the metal material allows the first fixing seat 100 to remain stable when subjected to external impact or vibration, reducing the risk of loosening or falling off and improving overall reliability. The first fixing seat 100 made of metal material can be manufactured through processes such as stamping, casting, and machine tool processing, ensuring dimensional accuracy and consistency and meeting the requirements of high-precision installation.

[0067] In other embodiments, the first fixing seat 100 can also be made of high-strength engineering plastic.

[0068] In an embodiment, the mounting portion 110 and the hinged portion 120 are integrally formed.

[0069] The mounting portion 110 and the hinged portion 120 are manufactured as a whole component, which can be made by injection molding, die casting or stamping, etc., so that the first fixing seat 100 has higher strength and rigidity and can better withstand stress and impact in long-term use. The integrally formed design of the mounting portion 110 and the hinged portion 120 reduces the number of mounting parts and assembly steps, reduces production cost and improves production efficiency.

[0070] In other embodiments, the mounting portion 110 and the hinged portion 120 are connected by welding.

[0071] The utility model also proposes a kind of refrigerator, and the refrigerator includes hinge assembly 10, and the specific structure of the hinge assembly 10 refers to above-mentioned embodiment, since the refrigerator has adopted all technical solutions of above-mentioned all embodiments, it at least has all beneficial effects brought by the technical scheme of above-mentioned embodiment, and here is not repeated.

[0072] The above is only exemplary embodiment of the utility model, and not therefore limit the patent range of the utility model, all equivalent structural transformation made in the technical concept of the utility model using the utility model specification and drawing contents, or direct / indirectly applied in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection range of the utility model.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly for use in a refrigerator, characterized in that, The hinge assembly includes: The first fixing seat includes a mounting part and a hinge part disposed on one side of the mounting part. The mounting part is used to install on the refrigerator body, and the hinge part includes an end plate disposed at the end of the extending direction of the mounting part. The second mounting bracket is used for installation on the door of the refrigerator; The linkage assembly is rotatably connected to the second fixed base and the hinge portion, respectively, so that the second fixed base can rotate relative to the first fixed base; A protective cover is installed on the hinge and covers the end plate.

2. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The hinge assembly further includes an adapter, the connecting rod assembly is rotatably connected to the hinge portion through the adapter, and the protective cover is provided with a snap-fit ​​element, which passes through the end plate to snap into the adapter.

3. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The hinge portion further includes two connecting plates adjacent to the end plate. The two connecting plates are arranged opposite to each other and are rotatably connected to the connecting rod assembly. The protective cover also includes two spaced-apart first clamping plates, and the two connecting plates are sandwiched between the two first clamping plates.

4. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, The first card plate has a raised rib on the side facing the connecting plate, and the raised rib is fastened to the edge of the side of the connecting plate opposite to the end plate.

5. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, The protective cover also includes two spaced-apart second clamping plates, and the two connecting plates are sandwiched between the two second clamping plates.

6. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The first card plate and the second card plate are spaced apart, and the outer surfaces of the first card plate and the second card plate are located in the same plane.

7. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The hinge assembly further includes an adapter, the connecting rod assembly is rotatably connected to the hinge part through the adapter, the protective cover is provided with a snap-fit, the snap-fit ​​passes through the end plate to snap-fit ​​with the adapter; the two first snap-fit ​​plates and the two second snap-fit ​​plates form a limiting area, and the snap-fit ​​is disposed near the center of the limiting area.

8. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, The two first plates include an upper plate and a lower plate, and the edge of the protective cover protrudes from the side of the upper plate opposite to the connecting plate.

9. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The protective cover is injection molded as a single piece; And / or, the first fixing base is made of metal; And / or, the mounting portion and the hinge portion are integrally formed.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that, Includes the hinge assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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