Refrigerator

Abstract

The refrigerator comprises a refrigerator body, a door body and a distributor, a storage chamber is formed in the refrigerator body, the door body is rotationally connected to the refrigerator body so as to open or close the storage chamber, and the distributor is arranged on the door body and used for a user to take water. The distributor comprises a distributor shell and a water taking structure, the distributor shell is arranged on the side, away from the storage chamber, of the door body, and a containing cavity is defined by the distributor shell to contain a container used for taking water. The water taking structure is arranged on the distributor shell. The water taking structure comprises a water outlet pipe, the water outlet pipe is provided with a water outlet, and when the water outlet pipe is located in the containing cavity, the water outlet pipe is configured to allow a container located in the containing cavity to take water. The water outlet pipe is rotationally connected to the distributor shell and is configured to rotate towards the outside of the containing cavity so that the water outlet can stretch out of the containing cavity, and then a container located outside the containing cavity can take water. The refrigerator can be suitable for a container with a larger capacity, and the water taking convenience of a user is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of household appliance technology, and more particularly to a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] In modern households, refrigerators have become an indispensable home appliance. With the improvement of living standards, refrigerators with dispensers have emerged, providing water and / or ice dispensing functions to meet different user requirements and the diversified needs of the market.

[0003] In related technologies, the dispenser is usually placed on the refrigerator door, the water intake structure is connected to the dispenser housing, and a receiving cavity is formed on the dispenser housing to accommodate a container for receiving water.

[0004] However, the current water-holding chambers are not large enough and are usually suitable for standard containers that fit the chamber size. They cannot accommodate larger containers such as jugs or tall bottles, which affects the convenience of water dispensing for users. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application discloses a refrigerator that can accommodate larger capacity containers, improving the convenience for users to obtain water.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, embodiments of this application disclose a refrigerator, comprising:

[0007] A box, the box containing a storage compartment;

[0008] A door, which is movably connected to the housing to open or close the storage room;

[0009] A distributor is installed on the door and is used to provide water to users.

[0010] The distributor includes:

[0011] A distributor housing is disposed on the side of the door away from the storage chamber, and the distributor housing defines a receiving cavity to accommodate a container for taking water.

[0012] A water intake structure is provided in the distributor housing;

[0013] The water intake structure includes:

[0014] A water outlet pipe having a water outlet, wherein the water outlet pipe is configured to draw water from the container located within the receiving cavity when the water outlet pipe is in the receiving cavity;

[0015] The water outlet pipe is rotatably connected to the distributor housing, and the water outlet pipe is configured to rotate outward of the receiving cavity so that the water outlet extends out of the receiving cavity, thereby supplying water to the container located outside the receiving cavity.

[0016] This application also discloses a refrigerator, including:

[0017] A box, the box containing a storage compartment;

[0018] A door, which is rotatably connected to the box to open or close the storage room;

[0019] A distributor is installed on the door and is used to provide water to users.

[0020] The distributor includes:

[0021] A distributor housing connected to the door body, the distributor housing defining a receiving cavity for accommodating a container for taking water;

[0022] A water intake structure is provided in the distributor housing;

[0023] The water intake structure includes:

[0024] The water outlet pipe has one end rotatably connected to the distributor housing and the other end having a water outlet. The water outlet pipe has at least a first state and a second state. In the first state, the water outlet is located inside the receiving cavity. In the second state, the end of the water outlet pipe with the water outlet can rotate to the outside of the receiving cavity.

[0025] With the water outlet pipe located within the receiving cavity, it is configured to draw water from containers within the cavity. Furthermore, by rotatably connecting the water outlet pipe of the water-drawing structure to the distributor housing, the pipe can be rotated outwards from the receiving cavity, allowing the outlet to extend beyond the cavity and draw water from containers located outside. This configuration allows not only standard containers adapted to the cavity size to be used for water collection, but also larger containers that cannot be accommodated by the cavity. By rotating the water outlet pipe, the outlet can extend beyond the cavity, allowing the container to draw water regardless of the cavity's size. Therefore, the refrigerator of this application can use containers of various sizes for water collection, thereby improving its versatility and user convenience.

[0026] As an optional implementation, the water outlet pipe includes:

[0027] A tube body, one end of which is rotatably connected to the distributor housing;

[0028] A diverter joint having the outlet is rotatably connected to the other end of the pipe body so that the water outlet direction can be adjusted.

[0029] By designing the water outlet pipe to include a pipe body and a swivel joint, the swivel joint, rotatably connected to the pipe body, can rotate freely relative to the pipe body. This allows the orientation of the water outlet to be adjusted arbitrarily, changing the direction of the water flow. Therefore, users can adjust the water flow direction according to their needs, making the refrigerator's water dispensing structure more flexible, convenient, and meeting diverse user requirements, thus enhancing the user experience.

[0030] As an optional implementation, the dispenser housing has a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite to each other along the height direction of the housing, the first surface having a shaft hole penetrating the second surface, and the water intake structure further includes:

[0031] A rotating component is rotatably inserted through the shaft hole, and the water outlet pipe is rotatably connected to the distributor housing through the rotating component.

[0032] By providing a shaft hole penetrating the first and second surfaces, a rotating component is rotatably inserted into the shaft hole, allowing the water outlet pipe to be rotatably connected to the distributor housing. That is, the rotation axis of the rotating component extends along the height direction of the housing, and the water outlet pipe can rotate laterally around the height direction of the housing to the outside of the receiving cavity for larger capacity containers to collect water. This design is simpler and easier to implement while still ensuring user convenience. Furthermore, compared to related technologies that require specific receiving spaces due to extending or coiling the flexible water outlet pipe, the rotating water outlet pipe in this embodiment does not excessively occupy the refrigerator's internal space, which is more conducive to miniaturization of the water dispensing structure. Moreover, when users rotate the water outlet pipe to collect water with a large capacity container, they do not need to hold the flexible pipe by hand, making the water collection process more convenient.

[0033] As an optional implementation, the rotating member includes:

[0034] A rotating shaft is rotatably inserted through the shaft hole and connected to the water outlet pipe to drive the water outlet pipe to rotate;

[0035] A limiting structure is connected to the rotating shaft, and the limiting structure is used to limit the position of the rotating shaft in its own axial direction.

[0036] By setting the rotating component to include a rotating shaft and a limiting structure, since the limiting structure is connected to the rotating shaft, it plays a limiting role in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, which can prevent the rotating shaft from moving axially and affecting the reliability of the rotating shaft. Therefore, it is beneficial to the smoothness of the water outlet pipe during the switching process between the first state and the second state.

[0037] As an optional implementation, the limiting structure includes:

[0038] A first limiting part is provided at one end of the rotating shaft near the water outlet pipe, and the first limiting part abuts against the second surface of the distributor housing;

[0039] The second limiting part is disposed opposite to the first limiting part and abuts against the first surface of the dispenser housing.

[0040] The first limiting part can restrict the shaft from coming off in the direction from the second surface to the first surface, and the second limiting part can restrict the shaft from coming off in the direction from the first surface to the second surface. In this way, after the shaft is installed in the shaft hole, the limiting parts at both ends can limit the two directions of the shaft in the axial direction, thereby preventing the shaft from moving in its own axial direction and improving the reliability of the water outlet pipe rotation connection.

[0041] As an optional implementation, the limiting structure is integrally formed with the rotating shaft.

[0042] By integrating the limiting structure with the rotating shaft, the material usage is reduced and the assembly process is simplified, thus improving assembly efficiency, while still ensuring the shaft can rotatably connect to the shaft hole. Furthermore, compared to using an additional limiting structure, which requires careful control of the installation reliability between the limiting structure and the rotating shaft, the integrated rotating component reduces installation requirements and makes it easier to verify proper installation.

[0043] As an optional implementation, the limiting structure includes at least one sub-limiting part, which is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft. The sub-limiting part has a guide arc surface, which is inclined toward the axis of the rotating shaft in the direction away from the water outlet pipe.

[0044] Based on the integrated design of the limiting structure and the rotating shaft, the rotating component needs to be installed as a whole into the shaft hole. To ensure rotational connection, the outer diameter of the rotating shaft should approximately match the inner diameter of the shaft hole. However, the limiting structure, which prevents the rotating shaft from disengaging from the shaft hole, is larger than the shaft hole, which is not conducive to the overall installation of the rotating component. Therefore, by designing the limiting structure with a guide arc surface that is inclined axially along the rotating shaft, the dimension of the end of the limiting structure furthest from the rotating shaft is smaller. This design allows the limiting structure to be accurately aligned into the shaft hole, and with the guidance of the guide arc surface, it is easier for the limiting structure to pass through the shaft hole until the rotating shaft and the shaft hole are properly matched, thereby improving the ease of installation of the rotating component.

[0045] As an optional implementation, the dispenser further includes a display module, the display module comprising:

[0046] A display panel is disposed on the door body and located above the receiving cavity;

[0047] A first function key is located on the display panel and is configured to allow the user to select the water volume.

[0048] The second function key is located on the display panel and is spaced apart from the first function key. When the first function key is pressed, the second function key is configured to be pressed to make the water outlet pipe dispense water.

[0049] By setting up a first and second function key that are linked, pressing the first function key to select the water volume and then pressing the second function key to dispense water allows the dispenser to enable users to select the water volume. Users can select the water volume based on the container's capacity or the amount of water they need before dispensing. This eliminates the need for users to constantly monitor the water dispensing process and prevents them from accidentally dispensing too much water or causing overflow. This makes it more convenient for users to obtain water and improves the user experience.

[0050] For example, when making pastries, the ingredients used usually have strict proportions, which requires a certain amount of water. In this case, during the water dispensing process, the user can first select the amount of water using the first function key, and then press the second function key to make the water dispensing structure dispense water, so as to achieve a fixed amount of water dispensing.

[0051] As an alternative implementation, the receiving cavity has two side walls that are disposed opposite each other along the width direction of the door body, and one end of the water outlet pipe connected to the distributor housing is disposed close to one of the side walls.

[0052] This allows for greater space to extend the water outlet pipe, ensuring that even after the water outlet pipe is rotated to the second state, a certain length of the water outlet pipe can extend out, so that the outlet is in a suitable position to facilitate the smooth intake of water into large-capacity containers located outside the receiving cavity.

[0053] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are:

[0054] The refrigerator provided in this application, with the water outlet pipe located within the receiving cavity, is configured to draw water from containers situated inside the cavity. Furthermore, by rotatably connecting the water outlet pipe of the water-drawing structure to the distributor housing, the water outlet pipe can be rotated outwards from the receiving cavity, allowing the water outlet to extend beyond the cavity and thus draw water from containers located outside the cavity. This configuration allows not only standard containers adapted to the size of the receiving cavity to be used for water collection, but also, when a larger container that cannot be accommodated by the cavity is needed, the water outlet pipe can be rotated to extend its outlet outside the cavity. In this case, the container can be used without being limited by the size of the receiving cavity. Therefore, the refrigerator of this application can use containers of various sizes for water collection, thereby improving the refrigerator's versatility and enhancing user convenience. Attached Figure Description

[0055] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0056] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of a refrigerator provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0057] Figure 2 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0058] Figure 3 This is the third schematic diagram of the refrigerator structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0059] Figure 4 This is an exploded structural diagram of the refrigerator door provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the water outlet pipe in the first state provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0061] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the water outlet pipe in the second state provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0062] Figure 7This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the dispenser provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0063] Figure 8 This is a second schematic diagram of the distributor provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0064] Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of the dispenser provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle;

[0066] Figure 11 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the water outlet pipe provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0067] Figure 12 for Figure 11 A magnified view of a portion of point B in the middle;

[0068] Figure 13 This is the second schematic diagram of the water outlet pipe provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0069] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0070] 100. Refrigerator; 10. Cabinet; 10a. Storage compartment; 20. Door; 21. Door outer shell; 22. Inner liner; 30. Dispenser; 31. Dispenser housing; 31a. Ice outlet; 31b. First surface; 31c. Second surface; 31d. Shaft hole; 311. Receiving cavity; 311a. Upper wall; 311b. Lower wall; 311c. Side wall;

[0071] 32. Water intake structure; 321. Water outlet pipe; 321a. Water outlet; 321b. First section; 321c. Second section; 321d. Third section; 3211. Pipe body; 3212. Diversion joint;

[0072] 322. Water inlet pipe; 323. Rotating component; 3231. Rotating shaft; 3232. Limiting structure; 3232a. First limiting part; 3232b. Second limiting part; 3232c. Sub-limiting part; 3232c1. Guide arc surface;

[0073] 33. Display module; 331. Display panel; 332. First function key; 333. Second function key; 334. Ice dispensing key;

[0074] 200. Container. Detailed Implementation

[0075] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0076] In this application, the terms "upper," "left," "right," "front," "rear," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this application and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0077] Furthermore, in addition to indicating location or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in some cases to indicate a certain dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0078] Furthermore, the terms "set up," "equipped with," and "connected" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; 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, or an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0079] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are primarily used to distinguish different devices, elements, or components (which may be the same or different in specific type and construction), and are not intended to indicate or imply the relative importance or quantity of the indicated devices, elements, or components. Unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0080] The technical solution of this application will be further described below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0081] Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 3 This application discloses a refrigerator 100, which can be a double-door refrigerator 100, a single-door refrigerator 100, a three-door refrigerator 100, or a French door refrigerator 100. Alternatively, it can be a French door refrigerator 100, that is, the upper part is a double-door refrigerator compartment, providing users with spacious storage space, and the lower part is usually a drawer-type freezer compartment, which makes it easier to classify, store, and access frozen foods. The specific form is not limited in this application embodiment.

[0082] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the refrigerator 100 may include a cabinet 10, within which a storage compartment 10a is formed for storing food. The storage compartment 10a may be a freezer, a refrigerator, or a variable-temperature compartment, etc. The temperature of the refrigerator compartment is typically between 2°C and 8°C, keeping food in a refrigerated state. The temperature of the freezer compartment is typically between 14°C and 26°C, keeping food in a frozen state. The temperature of the variable-temperature compartment is generally adjustable between 5°C and 7°C, or can be directly set to 18°C ​​for use as a freezer.

[0083] The refrigerator 100 is defined by its height, specifically from the bottom to the top of the cabinet 10. The cabinet 10 also has a width and a front-to-back direction. The width of the cabinet 10 is defined from one end to the other, and the front of the cabinet 10 is the side facing the user. Of the width, front-to-back, and height directions of the cabinet 10, at least two pairs are perpendicular or nearly perpendicular.

[0084] Understandably, during the production process, process factors such as equipment precision and measurement errors may affect the actual molding effect of the box 10, making the box 10 "approximately perpendicular" in the width direction, front-back direction and height direction. That is, the included angle between the width direction, front-back direction and height direction can be approximately 90°, such as 88°, 89°, 91° or 92°.

[0085] In some embodiments, the refrigerator 100 may include a door 20, which is rotatably connected to the cabinet 10 to open or close the storage compartment 10a to prevent cold air from leaking out of the storage compartment 10a.

[0086] In some embodiments, the refrigerator 100 may include two independent doors 20, both of which are rotatably connected to the cabinet 10 and can be opened from the sides of the two doors 20 that are close to each other.

[0087] In some embodiments, the refrigerator 100 includes a water tank (not shown), which may be disposed in the storage compartment 10a and is used to store water. Since the water tank is disposed in the storage compartment 10a, the refrigeration system can provide cooling capacity to the storage compartment 10a, causing the temperature of the storage compartment 10a to be between 2°C and 8°C. This ensures that when the storage compartment 10a is a refrigerator compartment, the temperature of the water in the water tank is below room temperature, and the water taken out can be cold water.

[0088] In some embodiments, the refrigerator 100 includes a dispenser 30 disposed on the door 20, which is used to allow a user to dispense water. In the front-to-back direction of the refrigerator 100, the door 20 corresponds to the water tank. The dispenser 30 is provided on the door 20 so that the user can dispense water without opening the door 20.

[0089] It is worth noting that the aforementioned dispenser 30 is applied to the refrigerator 100 and installed on the door 20, primarily for the convenience of users to remove water or ice from the refrigerator. For example, by inputting an ice-removal command and then activating the switch, the dispenser 30 completes the ice-removal action. Similarly, by inputting a water-removal command and activating the switch, the dispenser 30 completes the water-removal action. It can be understood that when the dispenser 30 is only used for dispensing water, it functions as a water dispenser installed on the refrigerator 100.

[0090] Optionally, the distributor 30 can be installed on one door 20 of the refrigerator 100, or the distributor 30 can be installed on both doors 20.

[0091] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 4 The door body 20 may include a door outer shell 21 and an inner liner 22. The door outer shell 21 is movably connected to the housing 10, and the inner liner 22 is located on the rear side of the door outer shell 21, facing the storage chamber 10a. An installation cavity (not shown) is formed between the door outer shell 21 and the inner liner 22. The installation cavity is used to accommodate a foamed insulation layer (not shown) to improve the insulation performance of the door body 20 and prevent cold leakage.

[0092] Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 4 In some embodiments, the dispenser 30 includes a dispenser housing 31 disposed on the side of the door 20 away from the storage chamber 10a, and the dispenser housing 31 defines a receiving cavity 311 for accommodating a container 200 for dispensing water. Specifically, the dispenser housing 31 is connected to the door outer shell 21 and is housed between the door outer shell 21 and the inner liner 22.

[0093] Understandably, the dispenser housing 31 defines a receiving cavity 311, which is a water inlet for accommodating a container. The receiving cavity 311 has a support platform for placing a container 200 that is adapted to the size of the receiving cavity 311 without requiring the user to hold it by hand.

[0094] In some embodiments, the dispenser 30 includes a water intake structure 32 disposed on the dispenser housing 31 to deliver water from the water storage tank to a container 200 placed in or outside the receiving cavity 311.

[0095] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 5 and Figure 6 The water intake structure 32 includes an outlet pipe 321 with an outlet 321a. When the outlet pipe 321 is located in the receiving cavity 311, the outlet pipe 321 is configured to supply water to the container 200 located in the receiving cavity 311.

[0096] In some embodiments, the water outlet pipe 321 is rotatably connected to the distributor housing 31 and is configured to rotate outward of the receiving cavity 311 so that the water outlet 321a extends out of the receiving cavity 311, thereby allowing the container 200 located outside the receiving cavity 311 to take water.

[0097] It is understandable that, since the water outlet pipe 321 is rotatably connected to the distributor housing 31, the water outlet pipe 321 can not only be in the receiving cavity 311, but also be in the state where the water outlet pipe 321 extends out of the receiving cavity 311 when rotated.

[0098] It should be noted that the two states of the water outlet pipe 321 are not fixed positions, but rather two areas divided by the interior and exterior of the receiving cavity 311. The state in which the water outlet pipe 321 is located in the receiving cavity 311 can refer to the state in which the water outlet 321a of the water outlet pipe 321 is also located in the receiving cavity 311, so that the container 200 can be placed in the receiving cavity 311 to collect water. For example, the water outlet pipe 321 is aligned with the width direction of the box 10, and at this time the water outlet 321a is approximately located in the middle of the receiving cavity 311. Alternatively, the water outlet pipe 321 can be rotated at a certain angle relative to the width direction of the box 10 towards the side closer to the user. At this angle, the water outlet 321a is closer to the user. That is, in the state in which the water outlet pipe 321 is located in the receiving cavity 311, the water outlet pipe 321 can be rotated, for example, rotated by 5° or 10° relative to the width direction of the box, as long as the container can still be placed in the receiving cavity 311 to collect water.

[0099] The state in which the water outlet pipe 321 rotates to the outside of the receiving cavity 311 can refer to a state in which the water outlet 321a of the water outlet pipe 321 also rotates to the outside of the receiving cavity 311, so that the container 200, which exceeds the size of the receiving cavity 311, receives water from the outside. Here, the state in which the water outlet pipe 321 extends out of the receiving cavity 311 should be interpreted broadly. It not only refers to the critical state in which the water outlet 321a extends out of the receiving cavity 311, but also to the limit state in which the water pipe 321 extends out of the receiving cavity 311, as well as the intermediate state between the two states. For example, the state in which the water outlet pipe 321 extends to the front-back direction along the box 10. At this time, the extension direction of the water outlet pipe 321 can be perpendicular or approximately perpendicular to the width direction of the box 10, that is, approximately 90°, or the extension direction of the water outlet pipe 321 can be inclined at 70° or 80° relative to the width direction of the box 10, etc.

[0100] In some embodiments, the water intake structure 32 includes a water outlet pipe 321, one end of which is rotatably connected to the distributor housing 31, and the other end of which has a water outlet 321a. The water outlet pipe 321 has at least a first state and a second state. In the first state, the water outlet 321a is located inside the receiving cavity 311. In the second state, the end of the water outlet pipe 321 with the water outlet 321a can be rotated to the outside of the receiving cavity 311.

[0101] By rotatably connecting the water outlet pipe 321 of the water intake structure 32 to the distributor housing 31, the water outlet pipe 321 can be rotated outward of the receiving cavity 311, so that the water outlet 321a extends out of the receiving cavity 311, thereby allowing the container 200 located outside the receiving cavity 311 to take water. This configuration allows not only standard containers 200 adapted to the size of the receiving cavity 311 to collect water, but also, when a larger container 200 that cannot be accommodated by the receiving cavity 311 is needed, the water outlet pipe 321 can be rotated so that the water outlet 321a extends out of the receiving cavity 311. In this case, the container 200 can collect water without being limited by the size of the receiving cavity 311. Therefore, the refrigerator 100 of this application can use containers 200 of various sizes to collect water, thereby improving the versatility of the refrigerator 100 and enhancing user convenience.

[0102] It is worth noting that the first state of the water outlet pipe 321 can refer to the state in which the water outlet pipe 321 is located in the receiving cavity 311. The second state of the water outlet pipe 321 can refer to the state in which the water outlet pipe 321 is rotated to the outside of the receiving cavity 311. The water outlet pipe 321 in these two states can be referred to the above embodiments for description, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0103] In some embodiments, the water intake structure 32 further includes an inlet pipe 322, one end of which is connected to a water storage tank, and the other end is connected to an outlet pipe 321 via a distributor housing 31. The inlet pipe 322 is located inside the door body 20 and is detachably connected to the water storage tank. During maintenance and repair, only replaceable water pipes need to be replaced; that is, when either the inlet pipe 322 or the outlet pipe 321 is damaged, only the corresponding pipe needs to be replaced, without replacing the entire water intake structure 32. This not only saves costs but also facilitates replacement operations.

[0104] In some embodiments, the refrigerator 100 may further include an ice maker (not shown), which may be located in the storage compartment 10a and is used to make ice. The refrigerator 100 is provided with a refrigeration system to provide cooling capacity to the storage compartment 10a, and the refrigeration system may also provide cooling capacity to the ice maker to realize the ice-making function of the ice maker.

[0105] In some embodiments, when the refrigerator 100 has an ice maker, the dispenser 30 of the refrigerator 100 can also be used to dispense ice. The refrigerator 100 may include an ice storage box disposed within the storage compartment 10a. Along the height direction of the refrigerator 100, the ice storage box may be located below the ice maker, or the ice maker may be located inside the ice storage box, so that the ice storage box can receive ice blocks falling from the ice maker.

[0106] In some embodiments, see Figure 7 and Figure 8 The dispenser housing 31 has an ice-retrieving port 31a, which is connected to the receiving cavity 311 and can also be connected to the ice storage box. When a user needs ice, the container 200 can be placed in the receiving cavity 311 to receive the ice falling from the ice-retrieving port 31a to complete the ice-retrieving operation.

[0107] That is, in some embodiments, the dispenser 30 of this application is an ice water dispenser, which is communicatively connected to the controller (not shown) of the refrigerator 100, and can provide users with ice and / or cold water as needed.

[0108] In some embodiments, the distributor 30 further includes a display module 33 disposed on the door 20. The display module 33 can display information such as temperature, humidity, date, and time, and provide intelligent control functions.

[0109] In some embodiments, the display module 33 includes a display panel 331, which is disposed on the door 20 and located above the receiving cavity 311. The first display panel 331 may include a temperature display area, through which the user can intuitively understand the temperature changes inside the refrigerator 100, or a health indicator area, that is, to monitor and display the health status inside the refrigerator 100, or a mode display area, such as intelligent cooling, quick cooling, quick freezing, etc., which the user can adjust according to their needs.

[0110] In some embodiments, continue reading Figure 7 The display module 33 also includes a first function key 332, which is located on the display panel 331 and is configured to allow the user to select the water volume. That is, the first function key 332 is a water volume selection key, and the user can select the amount of water to take as needed, such as 500ML, 800ML, 1L or 1.5L, etc.

[0111] In some embodiments, the display module 33 further includes a second function key 333, which is disposed on the display panel 331 and spaced apart from the first function key 332. When the first function key 332 is pressed, the second function key 333 is configured to be pressed to cause water to flow from the water outlet pipe 321.

[0112] By setting the first function key 332 and the second function key 333 in a linkage setting, after pressing the first function key 332 to select the water volume, pressing the second function key 333 to dispense water enables the dispenser 30 to have the function of allowing users to select the water volume. Users can select the water volume according to the capacity of the container 200 or the amount of water they need before dispensing water. In this way, users do not need to pay attention to the water dispensing process throughout the process, and do not need to worry about dispensing too much water or even causing water to overflow if they are not careful. This makes it more convenient for users to obtain water and improves the user experience.

[0113] For example, when making pastries, the ingredients used usually have strict proportions, which requires a certain amount of water. In this way, during the water dispensing process, the user can first select the amount of water using the first function key 332, and then press the second function key 333 to make the water dispensing structure 32 dispense water, so as to achieve a certain amount of water dispensing.

[0114] It can be understood that the first function key 332 and the second function key 333 are buttons set on the display panel 331 for dispensing water in water dispensing mode, allowing users to select the first function key 332 and the second function key 333 to dispense a fixed amount of water when they need it. The first function key 332 and the second function key 333 can be physical buttons or virtual buttons.

[0115] Of course, in other embodiments, the display module 33 may also include an ice-retrieving button 334, which the user can select to retrieve ice when needed.

[0116] In one example, the ice dispensing button 334 can be set on the display panel 331. After the container 200 is placed in the receiving cavity 311 and aligned with the ice dispensing port 31a, ice can be dispensed by selecting the ice dispensing button 334 on the display panel 331.

[0117] In another example, the ice-retrieving button 334 can be located on the inner wall of the receiving cavity 311 facing the opening. After the container 200 is placed in the receiving cavity 311, the container 200 can apply a force to the ice-retrieving button 334 to trigger the ice-retrieving mode and retrieve ice. This design allows the user to retrieve ice without manual selection.

[0118] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 7 and Figure 8 The cavity 311 also has an upper wall 311a and a lower wall 311b arranged opposite each other along the height direction of the box 10. The lower wall 311b can be used to place the container 200, and the upper wall 311a can be formed with an ice extraction port 31a.

[0119] In some embodiments, see Figures 9 to 10The distributor housing 31 has a first surface 31b and a second surface 31c that are arranged opposite to each other along the height direction of the housing 10. The first surface 31b is provided with a shaft hole 31d that penetrates the second surface 31c.

[0120] In some embodiments, the second surface 31c may be part of the upper wall 311a that forms the receiving cavity 311, that is, the shaft hole 31d is located on the upper wall 311a of the receiving cavity 311, the shaft hole 31d is arranged along the height direction of the housing 10, and the connection between the water outlet pipe 321 and the distributor housing is located on the upper wall 311a of the receiving cavity 311.

[0121] In some embodiments, the receiving cavity 311 has two side walls 311c disposed opposite to each other along the width direction of the door body 20, and one end of the water outlet pipe 321 connected to the distributor housing 31 is disposed near one of the side walls 311c.

[0122] This allows the outlet pipe 321 to have more space to extend, so that even after the outlet pipe 321 is rotated to the second state, a certain length of outlet pipe 321 can extend out to ensure that the outlet 321a is in a suitable position so that the large-capacity container 200 located outside the receiving cavity 311 can smoothly receive water.

[0123] Specifically, the ice outlet 31a can be located in the middle of the receiving cavity 311 along the width direction of the box 10, and the connection between the water outlet pipe 321 and the distributor housing 31 is located on at least one of the two sides of the ice outlet 31a.

[0124] It should be noted that when the water outlet pipe 321 is housed in the receiving cavity 311 and is in the first state, the water outlet 321a is also located approximately in the middle of the receiving cavity 311 along the width direction of the box body 10, and is staggered with the ice outlet 31a. That is, the two are also arranged one after the other along the front and back direction of the box body 10, and there is no mutual obstruction between them when taking water or ice.

[0125] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 11 The water intake structure 32 also includes a rotating component 323, which is rotatably inserted through the shaft hole 31d. The water outlet pipe 321 is rotatably connected to the distributor housing 31 through the rotating component 323.

[0126] By providing a shaft hole 31d that penetrates the first surface 31b and the second surface 31c, the rotating member 323 is rotatably inserted into the shaft hole 31d, so that the water outlet pipe 321 is rotatably connected to the distributor housing 31. That is, the rotation axis of the rotating member 323 extends along the height direction of the cabinet 10, and the water outlet pipe 321 can rotate laterally around the height direction of the cabinet 10 to the outside of the receiving cavity 311 to collect water from a larger capacity container 200. While meeting the user's operational convenience, the structure is simpler and easier to implement. In addition, compared with the related technology where the flexible water outlet pipe 321 is taken out by extending or winding, which requires a specific receiving space, the rotating water outlet pipe 321 in this embodiment does not excessively occupy the internal space of the refrigerator 100, which is more conducive to the miniaturization of the water collection structure 32. On the other hand, when the user rotates out the water outlet pipe 321 to collect water from a large capacity container 200, there is no need to hold the water outlet pipe 321 by hand because it is a flexible pipe, which makes the water collection process more convenient for the user.

[0127] It should be noted that the rotating part 323 is hollow so that the water flowing out of the water storage tank passes through the inlet pipe 322, then through the hollow rotating part 323 to the outlet pipe 321 and flows out from the outlet 321a.

[0128] In some embodiments, continue reading Figure 11 The water outlet pipe 321 may include a first segment 321b, a second segment 321c, and a third segment 321d. The first segment 321b is rotatably connected to the distributor housing 31 and extends along the height direction of the housing 10. The second segment 321c is connected between the first segment 321b and the third segment 321d and extends along the width direction of the housing 10. The third segment 321d extends downward along the height direction of the housing 10.

[0129] Since the connection between the water outlet pipe 321 and the distributor housing 31 is close to the side wall 311c of the receiving cavity 311, this arrangement allows the water outlet pipe 321 to extend to the middle of the receiving cavity 311. When the container 200 is placed in the receiving cavity 311, it can be better dispensed without being affected by the side wall 311c.

[0130] It is understood that the water outlet pipe 321 in this embodiment can be a rigid water pipe, such as plastic or metal. In this way, when the water outlet pipe 321 is rotated out of the receiving cavity 311 to draw water, the water outlet pipe 321 can still remain in the extended state on its own, without the user having to manually hold the water outlet pipe 321 to draw water. This avoids the situation where the user has to hold the container 200 in one hand and the water outlet pipe 321 in the other hand to draw water, making it easier for the user to draw water and improving the user experience.

[0131] In some embodiments, the rotating member 323 includes a rotating shaft 3231, which is rotatably disposed in the shaft hole 31d. The rotating shaft 3231 is connected to the water outlet pipe 321 to drive the water outlet pipe 321 to rotate.

[0132] In some embodiments, the rotating member 323 includes a limiting structure 3232 connected to the rotating shaft 3231, and the limiting structure 3232 is used to limit the position of the rotating shaft 3231 in its own axial direction.

[0133] By configuring the rotating component 323 to include a rotating shaft 3231 and a limiting structure 3232, since the limiting structure 3232 is connected to the rotating shaft 3231, it plays a limiting role in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 3231, which can prevent the rotating shaft 3231 from moving axially and affecting the reliability of the rotating shaft 3231. Therefore, it is beneficial to the smoothness of the water outlet pipe 321 during the switching process between the first state and the second state.

[0134] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 10 The limiting structure 3232 includes a first limiting part 3232a, which is located at one end of the rotating shaft 3231 near the water outlet pipe 321 and abuts against the second surface 31c of the distributor housing 31.

[0135] In some embodiments, the limiting structure 3232 includes a second limiting portion 3232b, which is disposed opposite to the first limiting portion 3232a, and the second limiting portion 3232b abuts against the first surface 31b of the dispenser housing 31.

[0136] The first limiting part 3232a can restrict the rotating shaft 3231 from disengaging in the direction from the second surface 31c to the first surface 31b, and the second limiting part 3232b can restrict the rotating shaft 3231 from disengaging in the direction from the first surface 31b to the second surface 31c. In this way, after the rotating shaft 3231 is installed in the shaft hole 31d, the limiting parts at both ends can be used to limit the two sides of the rotating shaft 3231 in the axial direction, thereby preventing the rotating shaft 3231 from moving in its own axial direction and improving the reliability of the rotating connection of the water outlet pipe 321.

[0137] It should be noted that the limiting structure 3232 can restrict the rotating shaft 3231 in two directions. Specifically, it has two directions along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 3231. Taking the setting of the rotating shaft 3231 along the height direction of the refrigerator 100 as an example, one is to restrict the rotating shaft 3231 to an upward position along the height direction of the refrigerator 100 (e.g., Figure 11 The middle paper is facing upwards), and the other is to limit the position of the rotating shaft 3231 downwards along the height direction of the refrigerator 100 (such as...). Figure 11(with the paper facing downwards), thereby preventing the shaft 3231 from moving axially and improving the reliability of the water outlet pipe 321 rotational connection.

[0138] In some embodiments, the limiting structure 3232 and the rotating shaft 3231 are integrally formed.

[0139] By integrally molding the limiting structure 3232 and the rotating shaft 3231, the assembly of parts can be reduced and the assembly process simplified, while ensuring that the rotating shaft 3231 can be rotatably connected to the shaft hole 31d, thereby improving assembly efficiency. Furthermore, compared to the method of separately setting the limiting structure 3232, which requires controlling the installation reliability between the limiting structure 3232 and the rotating shaft 3231, the integrally molded rotating component 323 reduces installation requirements and makes it easier to verify whether the installation is in place.

[0140] Of course, in some embodiments, the limiting structure 3232 and the rotating shaft 3231 can also be set separately.

[0141] Optionally, the first limiting part 3232a and the second limiting part 3232b may be a limiting ring, a limiting protrusion or a limiting block located on the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 3231, so as to prevent the rotating shaft from coming out of the shaft hole or moving relative to it.

[0142] In some embodiments, see Figure 12 The limiting structure 3232 includes at least one sub-limiting part 3232c, which is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 3231. The sub-limiting part 3232c has a guide arc surface 3232c1, which is inclined toward the axis of the rotating shaft 3231 in the direction away from the water outlet pipe 321.

[0143] Based on the integral setting of the limiting structure 3232 and the rotating shaft 3231, the rotating component 323 needs to be installed as a whole in the shaft hole 31d. In order to ensure the rotational connection, the outer diameter of the rotating shaft 3231 is approximately matched with the inner diameter of the shaft hole 31d. However, the limiting structure 3232, as a component that can restrict the rotating shaft 3231 from coming out of the shaft hole 31d, is larger than the shaft hole 31d, which may be detrimental to the overall installation of the rotating component 323. Based on this, by setting the limiting structure 3232 to have a guide arc surface 3232c1, and making the guide arc surface 3232c1 inclined in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 3231, the size of the end of the limiting structure 3232 away from the rotating shaft 3231 is relatively small. With this setting, the limiting structure 3232 can be accurately aligned into the shaft hole 31d. Under the guidance of the guide arc surface 3232c1, the limiting structure 3232 can be more easily inserted into the shaft hole 31d until the rotating shaft 3231 and the shaft hole 31d are engaged, thereby improving the ease of installation of the rotating component 323.

[0144] Optionally, there can be multiple sub-limiting portions 3232c, which are disposed around the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 3231. Preferably, there can be two sub-limiting portions 3232c, which are arranged opposite each other along the radial direction of the rotating shaft 3231.

[0145] In some embodiments, the first limiting portion 3232a includes two sub-limiting portions 3232c, which can be symmetrically arranged radially along the rotating shaft 3231. Thus, when the rotating member 323 is installed, the two symmetrically arranged sub-limiting portions 3232c can play a guiding role and can play a more balanced limiting role.

[0146] In some embodiments, the second limiting portion 3232b is arranged around the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 3231. The second limiting portion 3232b can be a sheet-like structure or a limiting protrusion protruding from the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 3231, as long as it satisfies the limiting function. The specific form is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0147] Optionally, the first limiting part 3232a and the second limiting part 3232b are both integrally formed with the rotating shaft 3231. The rotating part 323 can be installed from one end of the first limiting part 3232a. The first limiting part 3232a passes through the shaft hole 31d, so that the rotating shaft 3231 is connected to the shaft hole 31d.

[0148] In some embodiments, the rotating component 323 and the water outlet pipe 321 can also be integrally formed. This configuration reduces the number of parts, and during installation, the rotating component 323 and the water outlet pipe 321 can be installed onto the distributor housing 31 in only one assembly, making the assembly simpler, optimizing the assembly process to the maximum extent, and improving the assembly efficiency.

[0149] In some embodiments, see Figure 13 The water outlet pipe 321 includes a pipe body 3211, one end of which is rotatably connected to the distributor housing 31.

[0150] In some embodiments, the water outlet pipe 321 includes a diverter 3212, which has a water outlet 321a. The diverter 3212 is rotatably connected to the other end of the pipe body 3211 so that the water outlet direction of the water outlet 321a can be adjusted.

[0151] Optionally, one end of the swivel joint 3212 may be provided with a spherical connector, and the other end of the tube body 3211 may be provided with a spherical connecting cavity. The spherical connector is connected to the spherical connecting cavity, so that the swivel joint 3212 can rotate at any angle.

[0152] By configuring the water outlet pipe 321 to include a pipe body 3211 and a diverter 3212, since the diverter 3212 is rotatably connected to the pipe body 3211, the diverter 3212 can rotate arbitrarily relative to the pipe body 3211, thereby allowing the orientation of the water outlet 321a to be adjusted arbitrarily to change the water outlet direction of the water outlet 321a. Thus, users can adjust the water outlet direction according to their usage needs, making the water intake structure 32 of the refrigerator 100 more flexible, more convenient for users to use, and meeting diverse user needs, thereby improving the user experience.

[0153] In some embodiments, the pipe body 3211 can be a semi-rigid deflector pipe, which can be adjusted and shaped at any node. Users can adjust the pipe body 3211 according to different containers 200 so that the outlet 321a can face any angle, adapting to more types or sizes of containers 200.

[0154] The refrigerator disclosed in the embodiments of this application has been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the refrigerator of this application and its core ideas. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: A box, the box containing a storage compartment; A door, which is movably connected to the housing to open or close the storage room; A distributor is installed on the door and is used to provide water to users. The distributor includes: A distributor housing is disposed on the side of the door away from the storage chamber, and the distributor housing defines a receiving cavity to accommodate a container for taking water. A water intake structure is provided in the distributor housing; The water intake structure includes: A water outlet pipe having a water outlet, wherein the water outlet pipe is configured to draw water from the container located within the receiving cavity when the water outlet pipe is in the receiving cavity; The water outlet pipe is rotatably connected to the distributor housing, and the water outlet pipe is configured to rotate outward of the receiving cavity so that the water outlet extends out of the receiving cavity, thereby supplying water to the container located outside the receiving cavity.

2. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: A box, the box containing a storage compartment; A door, which is rotatably connected to the box to open or close the storage room; A distributor is installed on the door and is used to provide water to users. The distributor includes: A distributor housing connected to the door body, the distributor housing defining a receiving cavity for accommodating a container for taking water; A water intake structure is provided in the distributor housing; The water intake structure includes: The water outlet pipe has one end rotatably connected to the distributor housing and the other end having a water outlet. The water outlet pipe has at least a first state and a second state. In the first state, the water outlet is located inside the receiving cavity. In the second state, the end of the water outlet pipe with the water outlet can rotate to the outside of the receiving cavity.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The water outlet pipe includes: A tube body, one end of which is rotatably connected to the distributor housing; A diverter joint having the outlet is rotatably connected to the other end of the pipe body so that the water outlet direction can be adjusted.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The distributor housing has a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to each other along the height direction of the housing. The first surface is provided with a shaft hole penetrating the second surface. The water intake structure further includes: A rotating component is rotatably inserted through the shaft hole, and the water outlet pipe is rotatably connected to the distributor housing through the rotating component.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rotating component includes: A rotating shaft is rotatably inserted through the shaft hole and connected to the water outlet pipe to drive the water outlet pipe to rotate; A limiting structure is connected to the rotating shaft, and the limiting structure is used to limit the position of the rotating shaft in its own axial direction.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The limiting structure includes: A first limiting part is provided at one end of the rotating shaft and abuts against the first surface of the dispenser housing; The second limiting part is located at the other end of the rotating shaft and is spaced apart from the first limiting part. The second limiting part abuts against the second surface of the dispenser housing.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The limiting structure is integrally formed with the rotating shaft.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first limiting part and / or the second limiting part includes at least one sub-limiting part, which is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft. The sub-limiting part has a guide arc surface, which is inclined toward the axis of the rotating shaft in the direction away from the water outlet pipe.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The dispenser further includes a display module, the display module comprising: A display panel is disposed on the door body and located above the receiving cavity; A first function key is located on the display panel and is configured to allow the user to select the water volume. The second function key is located on the display panel and is spaced apart from the first function key. When the first function key is pressed, the second function key is configured to be pressed to make the water outlet pipe dispense water.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The receiving cavity has two side walls that are arranged opposite each other along the width direction of the door body, and one end of the water outlet pipe that is connected to the distributor housing is located close to one of the side walls.

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