Refrigeration equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model relates to the refrigeration technology, in particular to refrigeration equipment. According to the refrigeration equipment, the evaporator is arranged in the evaporation bin, and cold air is provided for the storage chamber; and a heater is arranged in the evaporation bin to defrost the evaporator. The heater is electrified to generate heat for defrosting by arranging a heating core; by arranging the shell assembly, a mounting cavity is formed to accommodate and mount the heating core. The exhaust structure is arranged and used for exhausting gas in the mounting cavity; the exhaust structure is closed after gas is exhausted, so that the air pressure of the closed mounting cavity is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure, the shell assembly bears the atmospheric pressure from outside to inside, the expansion force from inside to outside during heating can be counteracted, the shell assembly can make contact with the heating core more tightly, heat dissipation is facilitated, and the service life of the heating core is prolonged. Therefore, the service life of the heater is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to refrigeration technology, and more particularly to a refrigeration device. Background Technology

[0002] During refrigerator use, the food stored in the storage compartment and the air contain moisture, causing frost to form when the air passes through the evaporator. When the frost reaches a certain thickness, it affects the smooth flow of air through the evaporator, thus impacting cooling efficiency. Therefore, refrigerators need to be defrosted regularly.

[0003] In related technologies, a heater is usually installed below the evaporator to melt frost using the heat generated by the heater. However, the heater is repeatedly subjected to expansion and contraction forces during defrosting and evaporator cooling processes, making it prone to damage. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a refrigeration device to extend the service life of a heater used for defrosting an evaporator.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a refrigeration device, which includes:

[0006] The housing is constructed to form a storage chamber and an evaporation chamber; an evaporator is installed in the evaporation chamber to reduce the air temperature inside the evaporation chamber; an air duct is provided between the evaporation chamber and the storage chamber to allow cold air from the evaporation chamber to flow into the storage chamber;

[0007] A heater for defrosting the evaporator; the heater is installed inside the evaporation chamber; the heater includes:

[0008] A housing assembly is connected to the evaporator and contacts the fins of the evaporator; the housing assembly is configured to form a mounting cavity.

[0009] A heating element is installed inside the mounting cavity, and the heating element generates defrosting heat when energized;

[0010] The housing assembly is provided with an exhaust structure for discharging gas from the mounting cavity;

[0011] The exhaust structure is configured to seal the mounting cavity after the gas is discharged, so that the gas pressure in the sealed mounting cavity is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure.

[0012] The refrigeration equipment of this application embodiment includes an evaporator installed in an evaporation chamber to provide cold air to the storage compartment; and a heater installed in the evaporation chamber to defrost the evaporator. The heater contacts the fins of the evaporator to achieve constant-temperature heat conduction defrosting. This zero-distance heating not only improves defrosting efficiency but also has advantages such as low energy consumption and small room temperature rise. Furthermore, it reduces the installation space occupied by the heater and evaporator, providing space for a large-capacity refrigerator design. The heater generates heat through an energized heating core for defrosting; an outer shell assembly forms an installation cavity to accommodate and install the heating core. An exhaust structure is provided to expel gas from the installation cavity; after the gas is expelled, the exhaust structure is sealed, ensuring that the air pressure in the sealed installation cavity is lower than standard atmospheric pressure. This allows the outer shell assembly to withstand atmospheric pressure from the outside in, which not only counteracts the inward expansion force during heating but also ensures a tighter contact between the outer shell assembly and the heating core, aiding in heat dissipation and thus extending the heater's lifespan.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, when the heating core is heated, the air pressure in the mounting cavity is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure.

[0014] This ensures that the housing components are always subjected to pressure from the outside in, without having to endure alternating expansion and contraction forces, which helps to improve the service life of the housing components.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, the air pressure range within the mounting cavity is 0.56 bar to 0.8 bar.

[0016] In this way, the mounting cavity can be kept at a low pressure to counteract the expansion force, and the excessively low air pressure in the mounting cavity can be avoided to prevent excessive contraction force, which would affect the structural strength and stability of the outer shell assembly.

[0017] In some embodiments of this application, the housing assembly includes:

[0018] The outer casing extends along a first direction, and the outer casing is open at both ends along the first direction;

[0019] A first seal is connected to one of the openings of the housing;

[0020] A second seal is connected to another opening in the housing;

[0021] The outer casing, the first seal, and the second seal together form the mounting cavity.

[0022] The housing assembly of this application provides protection and mechanical strength to the heating core by providing a housing, and the openings at both ends of the housing simplify the installation of the heating core. By providing a first seal and a second seal at both ends of the housing, the sealing performance of the mounting cavity is improved, the waterproof and moisture-proof performance of the heater is enhanced, and the safety and reliability of the heater when used for evaporator defrosting are improved.

[0023] In some embodiments of this application, at least one of the first seal and the second seal is provided with the exhaust structure.

[0024] In this embodiment, the exhaust structure is disposed on the first and / or second sealing elements, making the heater structure compact. Furthermore, no opening is needed on the outer casing, resulting in a relatively closed structure for the outer casing and helping to ensure the sealing performance of the casing assembly.

[0025] In some embodiments of this application, the power supply cable of the heating core extends through the first seal to the outside of the mounting cavity; the exhaust structure is disposed on the first seal.

[0026] In this embodiment, both the exhaust structure and the power supply cable are arranged on the first sealing element, eliminating the need for additional installation space for the exhaust structure. This helps to improve the compactness of the heater structure and reduce its installation space requirements.

[0027] In some embodiments of this application, the first seal includes:

[0028] A side sealing portion, which is annular and surrounds the outer side of one end of the housing;

[0029] An end seal is formed at one end of the side seal and abuts against one end of the housing.

[0030] In this embodiment, a cap-shaped first sealing element is formed by providing a side sealing part and an end sealing part. The first sealing element is sleeved on one end of the outer shell, so that both the end face and the side face of the outer shell can be sealed, which helps to improve the sealing effect.

[0031] In some embodiments of this application, the second sealing member includes: a body portion, a plug portion, and a side portion, wherein the side portion is annular and the plug portion is connected to the same end of the body portion; the side portion is located outside the plug portion, and there is a mating gap between the side portion and the plug portion;

[0032] The plug portion is inserted into the housing, and the side portion is located on the outside of the housing;

[0033] The end of the outer casing is inserted into the mating gap.

[0034] In this embodiment, the second seal is inserted into the housing by a plug portion and surrounded by a side portion, thus achieving a double seal and improving the sealing performance and reliability of the second seal at the end of the housing.

[0035] In some embodiments of this application, the outer shell is in contact with the heating core surface, resulting in a large contact area between the outer shell and the heating core. This is beneficial for improving the heat transfer performance of the heating core through the outer shell, thereby improving the reliability of the heater.

[0036] In some embodiments of this application, the exhaust structure includes an exhaust pipe, one end of which is inserted into the housing assembly and communicates with the mounting cavity; the exhaust pipe is configured to seal after discharging gas from the mounting cavity.

[0037] One end of the exhaust pipe is inserted into and communicates with the mounting cavity to expel the gas inside. This design facilitates the connection between the exhaust structure and the suction equipment, and allows for flexible and diverse methods of sealing the exhaust pipe. Attached Figure Description

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the implementation methods in the embodiments of this application or related technologies, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigeration device provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the evaporator and heater provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0041] Figure 3 Front view of the evaporator and heater provided for some embodiments of this application;

[0042] Figure 4 Schematic diagrams of the heater provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0043] Figure 5 Exploded views of heaters provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0044] Figure 6 for Figure 5 An enlarged schematic diagram of region P in the diagram;

[0045] Figure 7 Schematic diagrams of the heater provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0046] Figure 8 for Figure 7 AA section view in the middle;

[0047] Figure 9 for Figure 8 An enlarged schematic diagram of the Q region in the diagram;

[0048] Figure 10 A side view of an evaporator and heater provided for some embodiments of this application;

[0049] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first seal provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0050] Figure 12 for Figure 8 An enlarged diagram of region R in the diagram;

[0051] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second seal provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0052] Figure 14 for Figure 13 BB section view in the middle.

[0053] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0054] 100: Box body; 101: Storage room;

[0055] 200: Door body;

[0056] 300: Evaporator; 310: Refrigerant pipe; 320: Fins; 330: End plate; 331: Mounting port;

[0057] 400: Heater; 410: Housing assembly; 4101: Mounting cavity; 411: Housing; 412: First seal; 4121: Side seal; 4122: End seal; 4123: Wire hole; 4124: Mounting hole; 413: Second seal; 4131: Body; 4132: Plug; 4133: Side surround; 4134: Mating gap; 420: Heating core; 421: PTC element; 422: Insulating layer; 423: Positive electrode; 4231: Electrode body; 4232: Connecting terminal; 4233: Cylindrical structure; 424: Negative electrode; 425: Positive cable; 426: Negative cable; 427: Insulating sleeve;

[0058] 430: Exhaust structure. Detailed Implementation

[0059] To make the objectives, implementation methods and advantages of this application clearer, the exemplary implementation methods of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the exemplary embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described exemplary embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0060] It should be noted that the brief descriptions of terms in this application are only for the convenience of understanding the embodiments described below, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. Unless otherwise stated, these terms should be understood in their ordinary and common meaning.

[0061] Furthermore, the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, are intended to cover but not exclusively include, for example, a product or device that includes a series of components is not necessarily limited to those that are explicitly listed, but may include other components that are not explicitly listed or that are inherent to such product or device.

[0062] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", 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 application 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 application.

[0063] 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. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0064] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; 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; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0065] During refrigerator use, the food stored in the storage compartment and the air contain moisture, causing frost to form when the air passes through the evaporator. When the frost reaches a certain thickness, it affects the smooth flow of air through the evaporator, thus impacting cooling efficiency. Therefore, refrigerators need to be defrosted regularly.

[0066] In related technologies, a heater is typically installed below the evaporator, using the resistance wire of the heater to generate heat to melt frost. However, resistance wire heaters have disadvantages such as high energy consumption, susceptibility to overheating, and large installation space requirements.

[0067] PTC heaters have significant advantages such as low thermal resistance, high safety performance, long lifespan, and small size, and are widely used in various fields such as car battery preheating, air conditioning heating, dryer heating, and medical equipment insulation. However, for refrigerator evaporator defrosting, the heater needs to be in a constantly humid environment, and water flow occurs during defrosting. Therefore, when using PTC heaters in refrigerators, due to their poor sealing and waterproofing performance, safety issues such as short circuits and fires may occur.

[0068] The researchers of this application discovered that by using a sealing structure to seal both ends of the PTC heater's outer casing, the sealing and waterproof properties of the PTC heater can be improved, thus solving the short circuit problem caused by moisture or immersion in water.

[0069] However, the sealing structure of the outer shell and its ends is still prone to damage. Research has found that the sealing structure creates a closed space within the shell. During defrosting, the PTC heater operates at a relatively high temperature, such as 250°C; while during cooling, the evaporator operates at a very low temperature, such as -30°C, resulting in a significant temperature difference within the PTC heater's environment. The gas within this closed space expands and contracts with temperature changes; the gas pressure at high temperatures is approximately 2.15 times that at low temperatures and 1.77 times that at room temperature. During PTC heating, the air within the closed space expands due to heat, exerting outward pressure on the outer shell and sealing structure; during defrosting, the air contracts due to cold, exerting inward pressure on the outer shell and sealing structure. Thus, under the repeated action of inward and outward forces, the sealing structure is prone to failure, and the outer shell is easily deformed, affecting the service life of the PTC heater.

[0070] Taking a room temperature of 15℃ and an evaporator cooling temperature of -30℃ as an example, the temperature difference experienced by the PTC heater during cooling is 45℃. When the PTC heater is heating, the temperature exceeds 100℃; for example, if the PTC heater reaches a heating temperature as high as 250℃, the temperature difference due to thermal expansion exceeds 200℃. This can be understood as the expansion force on the outer shell of the PTC heater being greater than the contraction force.

[0071] The PTC heater's casing and sealing structure are prone to damage due to repeated exposure to opposing expansion and contraction forces, leading to fatigue damage. To address this, the researchers in this application reduced fatigue damage to the casing and sealing structure by transforming the forces acting on them into unidirectional forces.

[0072] If the outer shell and sealing structure of the PTC heater are constantly subjected to expansion force, the expansion force will increase significantly during heating due to the relatively high heating temperature of the PTC heater. This can easily lead to damage to the outer shell and sealing structure. Furthermore, the expansion force can cause the outer shell to separate from the internal heating core, affecting the heat dissipation of the PTC heater and its service life.

[0073] Therefore, this application provides a PTC heater with an exhaust structure on the outer shell assembly for discharging gas from the outer shell assembly. After discharging the gas from the outer shell assembly, the exhaust structure is sealed, so that the gas pressure of the outer shell assembly is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure. This allows the outer shell assembly to withstand the pressure of the external atmospheric pressure, reducing the force exerted on the outer shell assembly by thermal expansion and contraction, and helping to improve the service life of the PTC heater.

[0074] 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.

[0075] Reference Figure 1 This application provides a refrigeration device, which may be a refrigerator, freezer, or freezer cabinet. The refrigeration device may include a cabinet 100, which is configured to form a storage compartment 101 with an access opening for storing items.

[0076] Multiple storage compartments 101 can be provided to expand storage space. Depending on the storage temperature of the storage compartments 101, they can include at least one refrigerated compartment and at least one frozen compartment. The internal temperature of the refrigerated compartment can be maintained between approximately 0°C and 5°C for storing items in refrigeration mode; the internal temperature of the frozen compartment can be maintained between approximately -30°C and 0°C for storing items in freezing mode.

[0077] In some possible implementations, at least one of the storage chambers 101 may also be configured as a vacuum chamber or a variable temperature chamber, etc., which will not be described in detail in the embodiments of this application.

[0078] For example, two storage compartments 101 can be provided, which can be stacked vertically or arranged side by side horizontally. One of them can be a refrigerator compartment and the other can be a freezer compartment.

[0079] Continue to refer to Figure 1The refrigeration device in this embodiment may further include a door 200, which is rotatably connected to the housing 100 to open or close the loading / unloading port. For example, the door 200 is hinged to the housing 100.

[0080] Each storage room 101 may be provided with one door 200; or, each storage room 101 may be provided with two doors 200, which may rotate in opposite directions to open or close the storage room 101.

[0081] Of course, in some possible implementations, the storage compartment 101 is equipped with drawers, and the outer end of the drawers forms a door 200.

[0082] The refrigeration device in this embodiment may further include a refrigeration system for reducing the air temperature in the storage compartment 101. Exemplarily, the refrigeration system may be housed within the enclosure 100. The refrigeration system may include a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator connected in a cycle.

[0083] During refrigeration system operation, the compressor compresses refrigerant vapor to generate high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant vapor, which is then transported to the condenser. The condenser liquefies the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant vapor, generating high-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant liquid, which is then transported to the expansion valve. The expansion valve reduces the pressure of the refrigerant liquid, transforming the high-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant liquid into a low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant liquid, which is then transported to the evaporator. The evaporator receives the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant liquid and boils it under isobaric conditions, absorbing heat and vaporizing to form refrigerant vapor, thereby lowering the temperature inside storage compartment 101.

[0084] In some embodiments, there may be one evaporator, which may be located at the rear of the freezer compartment, providing cold air to both the freezer and refrigerator compartments.

[0085] In other embodiments, an evaporator may be provided. The refrigeration equipment may only have a cold storage compartment, to which the evaporator provides cold air.

[0086] In some other embodiments, there may be two evaporators, one located at the rear of the freezer compartment and the other at the rear of the refrigerator compartment. The evaporator located in the freezer compartment provides cold air to the freezer compartment, and the evaporator located in the refrigerator compartment provides cold air to the refrigerator compartment.

[0087] In this embodiment, the housing 100 is configured to form an evaporation chamber. An evaporator is installed inside the evaporation chamber to reduce the air temperature inside the evaporation chamber; an air duct is provided between the evaporation chamber and the storage chamber 101 to allow cold air from the evaporation chamber to flow into the storage chamber 101.

[0088] In some embodiments, the refrigeration equipment may further include an air duct assembly installed on the rear side of the storage compartment 101, which together with the storage compartment 101 forms an air duct.

[0089] A fan can be installed inside the air duct, and the fan drives the cold air in the evaporation chamber to enter the storage chamber 101 through the air duct. A return air vent is also provided between the storage chamber 101 and the evaporation chamber so that the air in the storage chamber 101 can flow back to the evaporation chamber through the return air vent.

[0090] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments of this application, the refrigeration device may further include a heater 400 for defrosting the evaporator 300. The heater 400 is installed inside the evaporation chamber and is in contact with the evaporator 300.

[0091] The heater 400 can be installed on the evaporator 300 to prevent the heater 400 from contacting the wall of the evaporation chamber and overheating.

[0092] The evaporator 300 may include a refrigerant pipe 310 and multiple fins 320. The refrigerant pipe 310 is used for refrigerant circulation, and the fins 320 are provided with through holes for the refrigerant pipe 310 to pass through, so that the fins 320 can be sleeved on the outside of the refrigerant pipe 310 to increase the heat exchange area between the refrigerant pipe 310 and the air.

[0093] The refrigeration pipe 310 may include straight pipe sections and U-shaped pipe sections, with the two ends of the U-shaped pipe sections connected to the straight pipe sections, making the refrigeration pipe 310 approximately S-shaped. Figure 2 In the middle, the straight section of the refrigeration pipe 310 extends along the X-axis direction.

[0094] Multiple fins 320 can be arranged at intervals along the length of the refrigerant pipe 310, so that the projection of the evaporator 300 on the bottom surface of the casing 100 is approximately rectangular. The length of the refrigerant pipe 310 extends in the same direction as the straight pipe section, corresponding to... Figure 2 The X-axis direction in the diagram.

[0095] The evaporator 300 may also include an end plate 330, which may be arranged parallel to the fins 320. The end plate 330 may have through holes for the refrigerant pipe 310 to pass through, allowing the fins 320 to be fitted over the outside of the refrigerant pipe 310, thus providing support for both the refrigerant pipe 310 and the fins 320. The end cap may also be connected to other structures of the refrigerator to facilitate the installation of the evaporator 300.

[0096] There can be two end plates 330, located at both ends of the length extension direction of the cooling pipe 310, and all the fins 320 are located between the two end plates 330.

[0097] In some embodiments, each of the two end plates 330 is provided with a mounting port 331, so that both ends of the heater 400 pass through the mounting port 331, thereby mounting the heater 400 on the end plate 330. With this configuration, the heater 400 is inserted into the evaporator 300 and comes into direct contact with the fins 320, which helps to directly transfer heat to the fins 320, thereby helping to improve defrosting efficiency.

[0098] In some embodiments, the heater 400 extends along the length of the cooling pipe 310, in Figure 3 In the middle, the heater 400 extends along the X-axis, which gives the heater 400 more contact points with the evaporator 300, which helps to improve defrosting efficiency.

[0099] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the heater 400 includes a housing assembly 410 connected to an end plate 330 of the evaporator 300. The housing assembly 410 also contacts the fins 320 of the evaporator 300 to transfer heat to the fins 320 of the evaporator 300.

[0100] The heater 400 may also include a heating element 420, which is installed inside the housing assembly 410 and generates defrosting heat when energized.

[0101] The heating element 420 may include a PTC element 421, which may be made of ceramic materials such as barium titanate. The material of the PTC element 421 exhibits a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) effect within a specific temperature range, meaning that the material's resistance increases with increasing temperature. When the temperature reaches a certain set value, the resistance of the PTC element 421 increases rapidly, thereby reducing the current flowing through it and lowering heat generation. This allows the heater 400 to automatically reduce power input after reaching the set temperature, preventing overheating and contributing to safety and energy efficiency.

[0102] The heating element 420 may also include a positive electrode 423 and a negative electrode 424, which are located on opposite sides of the PTC element 421 and are used to conduct electricity so that current can effectively pass through the PTC element 421.

[0103] In this embodiment, the positive electrode 423 and the negative electrode 424 are in the form of plates and are located on opposite sides of the PTC element 421. The positive electrode 423 is connected to the positive cable 425, and the negative electrode 424 is connected to the negative cable 426 to supply power to the PTC element 421.

[0104] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 Taking the electrical connection of the positive electrode 423 as an example, the electrical connection structure between the electrode and the power supply cable is described. The positive electrode 423 includes an electrode body 4231 and a connecting terminal 4232. The electrode body 4231 contacts the PTC element 421. The connecting terminal 4232 protrudes from the end of the electrode body 4231, and the end of the connecting terminal 4232 facing away from the electrode body 4231 is curled to form a cylindrical structure 4233. The positive cable 425 is inserted into the cylindrical structure 4233 to achieve an electrical connection between the positive cable 425 and the positive electrode 423. The connection method is simple and the structure is compact.

[0105] The heating core 420 may also have two insulating sleeves 427. The two insulating sleeves 427 are respectively fitted on the outside of the connection terminal 4232 of the positive electrode 423 and the connection of the cable. This can not only insulate the connection terminal 4232 from the outer shell assembly 410, but also protect the connection.

[0106] The heating core 420 may also be covered by an insulating layer 422 covering the PTC element 421, the positive electrode 423 and the negative electrode 424, so that the electrodes are insulated from the housing assembly 410 and do not conduct electricity.

[0107] Reference Figures 7 to 9 The housing assembly 410 is configured to form a mounting cavity 4101, the heating core 420 is installed in the mounting cavity 4101, and the power supply cable of the heating core 420 extends to the outside of the mounting cavity 4101.

[0108] Combination Figure 5 , Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 The housing assembly 410 is provided with an exhaust structure 430 for venting gas from the mounting cavity 4101.

[0109] The exhaust structure 430 can be an opening or aperture provided on the housing assembly 410, which is simple in structure and easy to process.

[0110] The exhaust structure 430 may include an exhaust pipe, one end of which is inserted into and communicates with the mounting cavity 4101 to discharge gas from the mounting cavity 4101. This configuration facilitates the connection of the exhaust structure 430 to the suction device, and allows for flexible and diverse methods of sealing the exhaust pipe.

[0111] The exhaust pipe is configured to seal after the gas in the mounting cavity 4101 is discharged. The exhaust pipe can be sealed by bending and clamping it.

[0112] In some embodiments, the exhaust structure 430 may further include a sealing structure connected to the exhaust pipe to seal the exhaust pipe.

[0113] The exhaust pipe does not come into contact with the heating element 420 to avoid damaging the heating element 420.

[0114] The exhaust system 430 can have multiple exhaust methods.

[0115] For example, when the heating element 420 is energized, it generates heat, causing the air inside the mounting cavity 4101 to expand and be discharged to the outside of the housing assembly 410 through the exhaust structure 430. After the heating element 420 is de-energized, its temperature drops, creating a low-pressure state inside the housing assembly 410. Thus, no additional suction equipment is required, making the exhaust operation of the heater 400 simple and convenient.

[0116] For example, a suction device, such as an air pump or vacuum pump, is connected to the exhaust structure 430 to extract the gas from the mounting cavity 4101. This configuration not only provides high suction efficiency but also allows for more precise control of the gas pressure within the mounting cavity 4101.

[0117] The exhaust structure 430 of this application embodiment is configured to seal the gas in the mounting cavity 4101 after exhausting the gas, so that the gas pressure in the sealed mounting cavity 4101 is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure.

[0118] There are several ways to seal the exhaust structure 430. For example, the exhaust structure 430 can be sealed by setting a sealing component, such as a sealing plug, a plug block, or a plug cap. The exhaust structure 430 can be sealed by setting a sealing plug, a plug block, or a plug cap inside the exhaust structure 430.

[0119] After the exhaust structure 430 is blocked, a closed space is formed inside the mounting cavity 4101, and the air pressure inside the mounting cavity 4101 is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure, i.e., it is in a low-pressure state. Thus, under the action of external atmospheric pressure, the outer shell assembly 410 bears pressure from the outside in. When the heater 400 heats, the pressure of the external atmospheric pressure on the outer shell assembly 410 can offset the expansion force, reducing the expansion force acting on the outer shell assembly 410; when the evaporator 300 cools, the outer shell assembly 410 bears the pressure of the external atmospheric pressure and the compression force of cooling, making the outer shell assembly 410 fit more tightly with the heating core 420, which facilitates the heat dissipation of the heating core 420 to the outside through the outer shell assembly 410.

[0120] Furthermore, the heating core 420 is located within the enclosed mounting cavity 4101, which can improve the waterproof performance of the heater 400 and enhance the safety and reliability of the heater 400 when used for defrosting the evaporator 300.

[0121] Reference Figure 10In some possible implementations of this application, the exhaust structure 430 is located on the side of the end plate 330 of the evaporator 300 away from the fins 320. This arrangement can prevent the fins 320 from wearing down the exhaust structure 430 and affecting the airtightness of the mounting cavity 4101, thus reducing the possibility of the exhaust structure 430 being worn.

[0122] In some embodiments, the exhaust structure 430 is staggered from the U-shaped section of the refrigeration pipe 310 to avoid interference between the two.

[0123] Therefore, the refrigeration equipment of this application embodiment includes an evaporator 300 installed in the evaporation chamber to provide cold air to the storage compartment 101; and a heater 400 installed in the evaporation chamber to defrost the evaporator 300. The heater 400 contacts the fins 320 of the evaporator 300 to achieve constant-temperature heat conduction defrosting. This zero-distance heating not only improves defrosting efficiency but also has advantages such as low energy consumption and small room temperature rise. Furthermore, it reduces the installation space occupied by the heater 400 and the evaporator 300, providing space for a large-capacity refrigerator design. The heater 400 generates heat through an energized heating core 420 for defrosting; and a mounting cavity 4101 is formed by the outer shell assembly 410 to accommodate and install the heating core 420. By setting an exhaust structure 430 to discharge the gas in the mounting cavity 4101, and sealing the exhaust structure 430 after the gas is discharged, the gas pressure in the sealed mounting cavity 4101 is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure. This allows the outer shell assembly 410 to withstand the atmospheric pressure from the outside in, which not only counteracts the expansion force from the inside out during heating, but also makes the outer shell assembly 410 and the heating core 420 more closely in contact, which helps to dissipate heat and thus improves the service life of the heater 400.

[0124] In the initial state, the air pressure inside the mounting cavity 4101 is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure. The initial state can be understood as the state before the refrigerator starts operating, after the heater 400 is assembled.

[0125] In some embodiments of this application, when the heating core 420 is heating, the air pressure inside the mounting cavity 4101 may be equal to or slightly higher than the standard atmospheric pressure. At this time, the difference between the air pressure in the mounting cavity 4101 in the initial state and the standard atmospheric pressure is small, the mounting cavity 4101 is subjected to a small expansion force during heating defrosting, and the outer shell assembly 410 is subjected to a small contraction force from the outside to the inside during evaporator 300 cooling.

[0126] In other embodiments of this application, when the heating core 420 is heating, the air pressure inside the mounting cavity 4101 is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure. This can be understood as the air pressure inside the mounting cavity 4101 always being lower than the standard atmospheric pressure in the initial state, when the evaporator 300 is cooling, and when defrosting, so that the outer casing assembly 410 is always subjected to pressure from the outside in, without having to endure alternating expansion and contraction forces, which helps to improve the service life of the outer casing assembly 410.

[0127] When the gas pressure in the mounting cavity 4101 is less than 0.56 bar, the gas pressure in the mounting cavity 4101 is low. When the evaporator 300 is cooling, the gas in the mounting cavity 4101 is cooled and contracted, which causes the pressure on the outer casing assembly 410 from the outside to the inside to increase further, which can easily exceed the time limit force of the outer casing assembly 410 and cause it to be easily damaged.

[0128] When the air pressure in the mounting cavity 4101 is greater than 0.8 bar, the air pressure in the mounting cavity 4101 is relatively high. When the heating core 420 heats and defrosts, the gas in the mounting cavity 4101 expands due to heat, and the air pressure in the mounting cavity 4101 exceeds the standard atmospheric pressure by a large amount. This causes the outer shell assembly 410 to be subjected to a large pressure from the inside out, and the outer shell assembly 410 is still subjected to a large expansion force and contraction force, which affects the structural strength and stability of the outer shell assembly 410.

[0129] In some embodiments of this application, the air pressure range within the mounting cavity 4101 is 0.56 bar to 0.8 bar. This ensures a low-pressure state within the mounting cavity 4101, counteracting the expansion force, and also prevents excessively low air pressure within the mounting cavity 4101 from causing excessive contraction force, which would affect the structural strength and stability of the outer shell assembly 410.

[0130] This can be understood as the air pressure range within the mounting cavity 4101 being 0.56 bar to 0.8 bar in the initial state.

[0131] For example, the air pressure range within the mounting cavity 4101 is 0.56 bar to 0.66 bar, 0.66 bar to 0.76 bar, or 0.76 bar to 0.8 bar. For instance, the air pressure within the mounting cavity 4101 is 0.60 bar, 0.65 bar, 0.70 bar, 0.75 bar, or 0.8 bar.

[0132] Continue to refer to Figure 5 In some embodiments, the housing assembly 410 includes: a housing 411, the housing 411 being along a first direction (corresponding to...) Figure 5 The outer casing 411 extends along the X-axis direction and has openings at both ends along the first direction, with the heating core 420 installed inside the outer casing 411.

[0133] The outer casing 411 can be a metal casing, which not only has good heat transfer performance but also provides protection and mechanical strength for the internal heating core 420. Of course, the outer casing 411 can also be a plastic casing, provided that it has sufficient heat resistance and corrosion resistance.

[0134] In some embodiments, the outer shell 411 is in surface contact with the heating core 420, resulting in a large contact surface between the outer shell 411 and the heating core 420. This is beneficial for improving the heat transfer performance of the heating core 420 through the outer shell 411, thereby improving the reliability of the heater 400.

[0135] The housing assembly 410 may further include a first seal 412 connected to one of the openings of the housing 411 to seal one of the ports of the housing 411. The first seal 412 and the housing 411 may be joined by a vulcanization process to ensure the sealing and reliability of the connection between the first seal 412 and the housing 411.

[0136] The housing assembly 410 may further include a second seal 413 connected to another opening of the housing 411 to seal another port of the housing 411. The second seal 413 and the housing 411 may be connected by a vulcanization process to ensure the sealing and reliability of the connection between the second seal 413 and the housing 411.

[0137] Thus, the outer shell 411, the first seal 412, and the second seal 413 enclose and form the mounting cavity 4101.

[0138] The housing assembly 410 of this application provides protection and mechanical strength to the heating core 420 by providing a housing 411, and the openings at both ends of the housing 411 simplify the installation of the heating core 420. By providing a first seal 412 and a second seal 413 at both ends of the housing 411, the sealing performance of the mounting cavity 4101 is improved, the waterproof and moisture-proof performance of the heater 400 is improved, and the safety and reliability of the heater 400 in defrosting the evaporator 300 are enhanced.

[0139] In some embodiments of this application, at least one of the first seal 412 and the second seal 413 is provided with an exhaust structure 430.

[0140] In some embodiments, the exhaust structure 430 is provided with a simple structure, fewer sealed ports, and reduced potential leakage points. For example, in Figure 9 In the illustrated structure, the exhaust structure 430 is disposed on the first seal 412. Alternatively, the exhaust structure 430 may also be disposed on the second seal 413.

[0141] In some other embodiments, two exhaust structures 430 are provided, with the first seal 412 and the second seal 413 respectively provided with exhaust structures 430. This arrangement can improve the exhaust efficiency in the mounting cavity 4101.

[0142] Typically, there are large spaces at both ends of the outer casing 411. If an exhaust structure 430 is set at one end of the outer casing 411, the gas exhaust resistance in the space at the other end will be large, affecting the exhaust efficiency. By setting two exhaust structures 430, the spaces at both ends of the outer casing 411 can be vented separately, which helps to improve the exhaust efficiency.

[0143] In this embodiment, the exhaust structure 430 is disposed on the first seal 412 and / or the second seal 413, making the structure of the heater 400 compact. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for an opening in the housing 411, resulting in a relatively closed structure of the housing 411 and helping to ensure the sealing performance of the housing assembly 410.

[0144] In some of the possible implementations, the power supply cable of the heating core 420 extends through the first seal 412 to the outside of the mounting cavity 4101; the exhaust structure 430 is disposed on the first seal 412.

[0145] Among them, combined Figure 5 and Figure 11 The power supply cables of the heating core 420 include a positive cable 425 and a negative cable 426. The first sealing member 412 is provided with two through holes 4123 so that the positive cable 425 and the negative cable 426 can pass out from the mounting cavity 4101 through the through holes 4123.

[0146] The first sealing element 412 may also be provided with a mounting hole 4124, and the exhaust structure 430 is installed in the mounting hole 4124 and communicates with the mounting cavity 4101.

[0147] In this embodiment, both the exhaust structure 430 and the power supply cable are arranged on the first seal 412, eliminating the need for additional installation space for the exhaust structure 430. This helps to improve the compactness of the heater 400 structure and reduce its installation space requirements.

[0148] Reference Figure 9 and Figure 11 In some embodiments of this application, the first seal 412 includes a side seal portion 4121, which is annular and surrounds the outer side of one end of the housing 411.

[0149] The first seal 412 includes an end seal 4122, which is formed at one end of the side seal 4121 and abuts against one end of the housing 411. The end seal 4122 is provided with a wire hole 4123 and a mounting hole 4124.

[0150] In this embodiment of the application, a cap-shaped first sealing member 412 is formed by providing a side sealing part 4121 and an end sealing part 4122. The first sealing member 412 is sleeved on one end of the outer shell 411, so that both the end face and the side face of the outer shell 411 can be sealed, which helps to improve the sealing effect.

[0151] Combination Figures 12 to 14 In some embodiments of this application, the second seal 413 includes: a body portion 4131, a plug portion 4132, and a side portion 4133. The side portion 4133 is annular and is connected to the plug portion 4132 at the same end of the body portion 4131. The side portion 4133 is located outside the plug portion 4132, and there is a mating gap 4134 between the side portion 4133 and the plug portion 4132. The plug portion 4132 is inserted into the housing 411, and the side portion 4133 is located outside the housing 411. The end of the housing 411 is inserted into the mating gap 4134.

[0152] This can be understood as follows: an annular mating interval 4134 is opened at one end of the second seal 413, a plug portion 4132 is formed on the inner side of the mating interval 4134, and a side enclosure portion 4133 is formed on the outer side of the mating interval 4134.

[0153] In this embodiment, the second seal 413 is inserted into the housing 411 by providing a plug portion 4132 and surrounds the housing 411 by a side portion 4133, thereby achieving a double-layer seal and improving the sealing performance and reliability of the second seal 413 at the end of the housing 411.

[0154] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0155] For ease of explanation, the above description has been provided in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, the above exemplary discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the specific forms disclosed above. Various modifications and variations can be obtained based on the above teachings. The selection and description of the above embodiments are for the purpose of better explaining the principles and practical applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better utilize the described embodiments and various different variations of embodiments suitable for specific use considerations.

Claims

1. A refrigeration appliance characterized in that, The application relates to a refrigerator comprising: a cabinet (100) configured to form a storage compartment (101) and an evaporation chamber; an evaporator (300) is arranged in the evaporation chamber, and the evaporator (300) is used to reduce the air temperature in the evaporation chamber; an air duct is arranged between the evaporation chamber and the storage compartment (101) to allow cold air in the evaporation chamber to flow into the storage compartment (101); a heater (400) used to defrost the evaporator (300); the heater (400) is installed in the evaporation chamber; the heater (400) comprises: a shell assembly (410) connected with the evaporator (300) and in contact with fins (320) of the evaporator (300); the shell assembly (410) is configured to form an installation cavity (4101); a heating core (420) installed in the installation cavity (4101), and the heating core (420) generates defrosting heat when electrified; the shell assembly (410) is provided with an exhaust structure (430) used to exhaust gas in the installation cavity (4101); the exhaust structure (430) is configured to be blocked after exhausting the gas in the installation cavity (4101) so that the air pressure in the blocked installation cavity (4101) is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure.

2. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, wherein, When the heating core (420) is heated, the air pressure in the installation cavity (4101) is lower than the standard atmospheric pressure.

3. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, wherein, The air pressure in the installation cavity (4101) ranges from 0.56 bar to 0.8 bar.

4. The refrigeration appliance of any of claims 1-3, wherein, The shell assembly (410) comprises: a shell (411) extending along a first direction, and the shell (411) is open at both ends along the first direction; a first sealing member (412) connected to one of the openings of the shell (411); a second sealing member (413) connected to the other opening of the shell (411); the shell (411), the first sealing member (412) and the second sealing member (413) enclose the installation cavity (4101).

5. The refrigeration appliance of claim 4, wherein, The exhaust structure (430) is arranged on at least one of the first sealing member (412) and the second sealing member (413).

6. The refrigeration appliance of claim 5, wherein, A power supply cable of the heating core (420) penetrates out of the installation cavity (4101) through the first sealing member (412); and the exhaust structure (430) is arranged on the first sealing member (412).

7. The refrigeration appliance of claim 4, wherein, The first sealing member (412) comprises: a side sealing portion (4121) arranged outside one end of the shell (411); an end sealing portion (4122) formed at one end of the side sealing portion (4121) and in abutment with one end of the shell (411).

8. The refrigeration appliance of claim 4, wherein, The second sealing member (413) comprises a body part (4131), a plug part (4132), and a side wall part (4133), the side wall part (4133) is annular, the side wall part (4133) and the plug part (4132) are connected to the same end of the body part (4131); the side wall part (4133) is located outside the plug part (4132), and a fit spacing (4134) is formed between the side wall part (4133) and the plug part (4132); The plug part (4132) is inserted into the shell (411), and the side wall part (4133) is located outside the shell (411); An end of the shell (411) is inserted into the fit spacing (4134).

9. The refrigeration appliance of claim 4, wherein, The shell (411) is in surface contact with the heating core (420).

10. The refrigeration appliance of any of claims 1-3, wherein, The exhaust structure (430) comprises an exhaust pipe, one end of the exhaust pipe is inserted into the shell assembly (410) and communicates with the mounting cavity (4101); the exhaust pipe is configured to be blocked after exhausting the gas in the mounting cavity (4101).

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