Humidity control storage container and refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model provides a humidity control storage container and a refrigerator. The humidity control storage container comprises a shell and a humidity control assembly. The shell is provided with a storage cavity and a moisture permeable hole communicated with the storage cavity. The humidity control assembly comprises a sealing piece in sealing fit with the moisture permeable hole and a humidity sensing piece connected between the sealing piece and the shell. When the humidity in the storage cavity is increased, the humidity sensing piece is in an open state, the sealing piece is jacked up to open the moisture permeable hole, and the moisture of the storage cavity is removed. When the humidity in the storage cavity is reduced, the humidity sensing piece is in a reset state, the sealing piece is driven to reset so as to close the moisture permeable hole, and the storage cavity is moisturized. According to the humidity control storage container, the humidity in the humidity control storage container can be adjusted in a self-adaptive mode, so that the condensation phenomenon is reduced, and the use experience of a user on a refrigerator is improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular, to a humidity control storage container and a refrigerator. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of social economy and the improvement of people's living standards, refrigerators have gradually become an indispensable household appliance in people's daily life. With the continuous expansion of intelligent technology to the field of household appliances, consumers are increasingly pursuing ease of use and intelligence in the use experience of household appliances. A humidity control compartment is provided in the refrigerator to store food materials such as fruits and vegetables that have requirements for storage humidity. As a basic function of the intelligence of the refrigerator, the humidity control compartment is also increasingly widely used.

[0003] In the related art, a humidity adjusting drawer is provided in the refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator to form a humidity control compartment. However, the humidity adjusting drawer is prone to condensation, and the user experience is poor. UTILITY MODEL CONTENT

[0004] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a humidity control storage container and a refrigerator, which can adaptively adjust the humidity in the humidity control storage container to reduce condensation and improve the user experience of the refrigerator.

[0005] Specifically, the present disclosure is implemented by the following technical solutions:

[0006] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a humidity control storage container is provided, which includes a housing and a humidity control assembly. The housing is provided with a storage cavity and a moisture-permeable hole communicating with the storage cavity. The humidity control assembly includes a sealing member sealingly matched with the moisture-permeable hole and a humidity sensing member connected between the sealing member and the housing. The humidity sensing member has an open state and a reset state of restoring the shape, which changes with the amount of absorbed moisture. When the humidity in the storage cavity increases, the humidity sensing member is in the open state to lift the sealing member to open the moisture-permeable hole, and the storage cavity is dehumidified. When the humidity in the storage cavity decreases, the humidity sensing member is in the reset state to drive the sealing member to reset to close the moisture-permeable hole, and the storage cavity is humidified.

[0007] The technical solutions of the present disclosure are further described as follows:

[0008] In one of the embodiments, the deformation direction of the humidity sensing member is arranged along the depth direction of the moisture-permeable hole.

[0009] In one of the embodiments, the sealing member includes a fixed part connected with the housing and a movable part connected with the fixed part, and the humidity sensing member is connected between the movable part and the housing. When the humidity sensing member is in the open state, the humidity sensing member pushes the movable part to swing forward relative to the fixed part to open the moisture-permeable hole. When the humidity sensing member is in the reset state, the humidity sensing member drives the movable part to swing reversely relative to the fixed part to close the moisture-permeable hole.

[0010] In one of the embodiments, the sealing member is elastically deformable, and the sealing member is in sealing engagement with the moisture-permeable hole through elastic deformation.

[0011] In one of the embodiments, a plurality of humidity sensors are provided, and each humidity sensor is arranged between the movable part and the housing in a spaced manner.

[0012] In one of the embodiments, the deformation humidity range of the humidity sensor is set to 80% to 95%, and the full recovery humidity range of the humidity sensor is set to 20% to 60%.

[0013] In one of the embodiments, the humidity control assembly further comprises a support member, the support member is fixedly arranged on the housing, and the humidity sensor is connected between the support member and the movable part.

[0014] In one of the embodiments, the housing is provided with a top, a bottom arranged in a spaced manner with the top along the depth direction of the storage cavity, and a side connected between the top and the bottom. The side is provided with at least one moisture-permeable hole. An end of the sealing member close to the top is arranged as a fixed part to be connected with the side. An end of the sealing member close to the bottom is arranged as a movable part to be connected with the humidity sensor. The support member is fixedly arranged between the bottom and the moisture-permeable hole. The humidity sensor is arranged at an end of the support member close to the moisture-permeable hole to be connected with the movable part.

[0015] In one of the embodiments, the support member is connected with a side of the side facing the storage cavity, and the sealing member is connected with a side of the side facing outside the storage cavity. The humidity sensor comprises a connecting part connected with the support member and a deformation part connected between the connecting part and the movable part. The deformation part is elongated along a direction pointing to the movable part from the connecting part as the amount of absorbed moisture increases, to form an open state to drive the movable part to swing forward and open the moisture-permeable hole. The deformation part is reset along a direction pointing to the connecting part from the movable part as the amount of absorbed moisture decreases, to form a reset state to drive the movable part to swing reversely and close the moisture-permeable hole.

[0016] In one of the embodiments, the deformation direction of the humidity sensor is arranged along the width direction or the length direction of the moisture-permeable hole. When the humidity sensor is in the open state, the humidity sensor pushes the sealing member to slide relative to the housing to open the moisture-permeable hole. When the humidity sensor is in the reset state, the humidity sensor drives the sealing member to slide to reset to close the moisture-permeable hole.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a refrigerator is provided, which comprises a cabinet and any one of the humidity control storage containers. The cabinet is provided with a refrigeration chamber, and the housing is arranged in the refrigeration chamber and can reciprocate relative to the cabinet to open or close the storage cavity.

[0018] The embodiments of the present disclosure have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0019] The humidity sensing piece can change in length with the change of humidity in the storage cavity when the humidity control storage container is in use, so as to form an open state and a reset state. If the humidity in the storage cavity increases, the moisture absorbed by the humidity sensing piece into the storage cavity also increases, and the humidity sensing piece can absorb water to swell to be in the open state, so as to lift the sealing piece to open the moisture-permeable hole. At this time, the moisture in the storage cavity can escape through the moisture-permeable hole, and the excess moisture can be discharged, so as to reduce the humidity in the storage cavity and avoid condensation on the wall of the storage cavity. If the humidity in the storage cavity decreases, the moisture absorbed by the humidity sensing piece into the storage cavity also decreases, and the humidity sensing piece gradually recovers the deformation to be in the reset state, so as to reset the sealing piece to close the moisture-permeable hole. At this time, the moisture in the storage cavity cannot escape through the moisture-permeable hole, so as to keep the storage cavity humid and prevent the food from wilting.

[0020] When the humidity control storage container of the present disclosure is installed in a refrigerator for use, the shell can be used to connect with the cabinet and placed in the refrigeration compartment of the cabinet, so as to form a low-temperature environment in the storage cavity. The storage cavity of the shell can be used to store fruits and vegetables. When the amount of fruits and vegetables stored in the storage cavity is large, the transpiration of the fruits and vegetables is strong, the humidity in the storage cavity increases, and the humidity sensing piece is elongated in a high-humidity environment, so as to lift the sealing piece from the moisture-permeable hole to open the moisture-permeable hole and discharge the moisture in the storage cavity. When the amount of fruits and vegetables stored in the storage cavity is small, the transpiration of the fruits and vegetables is weak, the humidity in the storage cavity decreases, and the humidity sensing piece recovers the deformation in a low-humidity environment, so as to reset the sealing piece to close the moisture-permeable hole and prevent the moisture in the storage cavity from being discharged through the moisture-permeable hole, thereby keeping the storage cavity humid and preventing the fruits and vegetables from shrinking and wilting due to the decrease of humidity.

[0021] Therefore, the humidity control storage container provided by the present disclosure can adaptively adjust the humidity in the storage cavity to keep the storage cavity humid in a low-humidity state and prolong the storage time of the food in the storage cavity. At the same time, the humidity control storage container provided by the present disclosure can discharge the excess moisture in the storage cavity in a high-humidity state through adaptive humidity control, so as to reduce the condensation phenomenon and improve the user experience.

[0022] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory, and cannot limit the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] The accompanying drawings, which are included as part of this disclosure, serve to provide further understanding of the present disclosure, and the illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure and their description serve to explain the present disclosure, and do not constitute improper limitations on the present disclosure.

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a humidity-controlled storage container according to one embodiment.

[0026] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The front view of the humidity-controlled storage container shown.

[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The humidity-controlled storage container shown is a cross-sectional view at point AA (the humidity sensor is in the reset state).

[0028] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of the humidity sensor in the open state.

[0029] Figure 5 for Figure 2 The enlarged view of the humidity-controlled storage container at point B (the humidity sensor is in the reset state).

[0030] Figure 6 for Figure 5 The diagram shows the structure of the humidity sensor in the open state.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the humidity sensor of a humidity-controlled storage container in an open state, as shown in another embodiment.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator according to one embodiment.

[0033] Figure 9 for Figure 8 The refrigerator shown is a cross-sectional view at point C.

[0034] Figure label:

[0035] 1-Refrigerator; 10-Door; 20-Cabinet; 21-Refrigerator compartment; 22-Freezer compartment; 100-Moisture-controlled storage container; 110-Shell; 111-Storage cavity; 112-Moisture vent; 113-Top; 114-Bottom; 115-Side; 120-Moisture control component; 121-Sealing component; 1211-Fixing part; 1212-Moving part; 122-Humidity sensor; 1221-Connecting part; 1222-Deformable part; 123-Supporting component. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions in the embodiments (or implementations) of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described with reference to the drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, identical or similar elements in different drawings represent identical or similar elements or perform identical or similar functions unless otherwise specified.

[0037] If the present disclosure involves terms related to directionality or positional relationships (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, inner, outer, top, bottom, center, vertical, horizontal, longitudinal, transverse, length, height, counterclockwise, clockwise, axial, radial, circumferential, etc.), such terms are used only to explain the relative positional relationships, movement conditions, etc. between components in a certain posture (as shown in the drawings). If the posture changes, the directionality or positional relationship also changes accordingly.

[0038] With the development of social economy and the improvement of people's living standards, refrigerators have gradually become an indispensable household appliance in people's daily life. With the diversification of refrigerator functions, there are many types and brands of refrigerators, which provide consumers with many choices. Simply improving the cold retention characteristics of refrigerators cannot meet people's requirements for refrigerators. The intelligence of refrigerators has also become an important factor affecting the competitiveness of refrigerators. In refrigerators with similar functions or performance, the higher the intelligence of the refrigerator, the more attractive it is to consumers to purchase.

[0039] Among them, a humidity control compartment is arranged in the refrigerator for storing food materials such as fruits and vegetables that require a certain humidity for storage, so as to prolong the storage time of such food materials. As a basic function of refrigerator intelligence, the humidity control compartment is also increasingly widely used and favored by consumers.

[0040] For example, most fruits and vegetables prefer to be stored in a low-temperature and high-humidity environment to prolong preservation. In related technologies, a refrigerator generally has a humidity adjusting drawer arranged in the refrigeration compartment to form a humidity control compartment. Among them, the refrigerator in related technologies usually adopts a sealed drawer method (such as using a sealing strip to seal the edge of the drawer) to achieve the humidifying effect. However, an environment that is too sealed can cause condensation in the drawer during refrigeration to form a low-temperature environment. Therefore, the refrigerator in related technologies also uses a humidity adjusting method such as a humidity permeable hole or a humidity permeable film to prevent condensation from occurring. However, when the amount of fruits and vegetables in the drawer is small, the humidity permeable hole or the humidity permeable film will still lose moisture outside the drawer, resulting in a humidity in the drawer that does not meet the standard, causing the fruits and vegetables to wilt, and affecting the user's experience.

[0041] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a humidity control storage container, which can adaptively adjust the opening or closing of the moisture permeable hole according to the amount of fruits and vegetables stored in the humidity adjusting drawer, so as to adjust the humidity environment in the drawer, to keep the fruits and vegetables moist in a low humidity state, thereby prolonging the preservation of the fruits and vegetables, and to discharge excess moisture in a high humidity state, thereby reducing the condensation phenomenon and improving the user experience. In addition, the humidity control storage container provided by the present disclosure is not limited to household refrigerators, but can also be applied to refrigerators or commercial refrigerators, and the present disclosure does not make any limitation.

[0042] The humidity control storage container provided by the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] Referring to Figures 1 to 4 , Figure 1 is a structural schematic view of the humidity control storage container 100 shown in an embodiment, Figure 2 is Figure 1 a front view of the humidity control storage container 100 shown, Figure 3 is Figure 1 a sectional view of the humidity control storage container 100 shown at A-A (the humidity sensing piece 122 is in a reset state), Figure 4 is Figure 3 a structural schematic view of the humidity sensing piece 122 shown in an open state. The humidity control storage container 100 provided by the present disclosure includes a housing 110 and a humidity control assembly 120. The housing 110 is provided with a storage cavity 111 and a moisture permeable hole 112 communicating with the storage cavity 111. The humidity control assembly 120 includes a sealing piece 121 sealingly matched with the moisture permeable hole 112 and a humidity sensing piece 122 connected between the sealing piece 121 and the housing 110. When the humidity in the storage cavity 111 increases, the humidity sensing piece 122 is in an open state, which lifts the sealing piece 121 to open the moisture permeable hole 112, and discharges the humidity from the storage cavity 111. When the humidity in the storage cavity 111 decreases, the humidity sensing piece 122 is in a reset state, which drives the sealing piece 121 to reset to close the moisture permeable hole 112, and keeps the humidity in the storage cavity 111.

[0044] It should be noted that the housing 110 can be provided as an integrally formed structure, or as a spliced and assembled structure. The shape of the housing 110 can be set according to requirements, and the material of the housing 110 is a low-temperature-resistant and corrosion-resistant material, such as glass, plastic or metal. The present disclosure does not make any limitation on the shape, material and assembly method of the housing 110. The storage cavity 111 provided by the housing 110 is used to store fruits and vegetables, and the moisture permeable hole 112 provided by the housing 110 can be used to exchange the gas inside and outside the storage cavity 111, to prevent condensation and to adjust humidity. The number of moisture permeable holes 112 can be one or more, and the present disclosure does not make any limitation.

[0045] The humidity control assembly 120 includes a seal 121 and a humidity sensor 122. The seal 121 is used to mate with the vent hole 112, and the shape and size of the seal 121 are adapted to the vent hole 112. The humidity sensor 122 is connected between the seal 121 and the housing 110. The humidity sensor 122 has the ability to elongate and deform as the humidity in the storage cavity 111 increases, and to recover its shape as the humidity in the storage cavity 111 decreases. The humidity sensor 122 can be a humidity-sensitive material, which can elongate a certain distance after absorbing more water and recover its shape after absorbing less water. Optionally, the humidity sensor 122 can be polyurethane, hydrogel, or other polymer composite materials, etc., and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0046] With this configuration, if the humidity inside the storage cavity 111 increases, the humidity sensor 122 absorbs more moisture from the storage cavity 111. The humidity sensor 122 expands and elongates, lifting the seal 121 to open the vent hole 112. At this time, the moisture inside the storage cavity 111 can escape through the vent hole 112, dissipating excess moisture and reducing the humidity inside the storage cavity 111, thus preventing condensation on the walls of the storage cavity 111. If the humidity inside the storage cavity 111 decreases, the moisture absorbed by the humidity sensor 122 also decreases. The humidity sensor 122 gradually returns to its original shape, causing the seal 121 to reset and close the vent hole 112. At this time, the moisture inside the storage cavity 111 cannot escape through the vent hole 112, thus keeping the storage cavity 111 moisturized and preventing the food from wilting.

[0047] Thus, the humidity-controlled storage container 100 provided in this disclosure can sense the humidity change in the storage cavity 111 by setting a humidity sensor 122. Through the elongation deformation of the humidity sensor 122 in a high humidity environment and the recovery deformation in a low humidity environment, it can drive the sealing member 121 to open or close relative to the moisture permeation hole 112, thereby adaptively adjusting the humidity in the storage cavity 111 to extend the storage time of food in the storage cavity 111 in a low humidity state and reduce condensation in a high humidity state.

[0048] When the humidity-controlled storage container 100 of this disclosure is installed in a refrigerator 1, the shell 110 can be connected to the cabinet 20 and placed in the refrigerator compartment of the cabinet 20 to create a low-temperature environment in the storage cavity 111. The storage cavity 111 of the shell 110 can be used to store fruits and vegetables. When there are many fruits and vegetables stored in the storage cavity 111, the transpiration of the fruits and vegetables is strong, and the humidity in the storage cavity 111 increases. The humidity sensor 122 extends in the high humidity environment, pushing the seal 121 out of the moisture vent 112 to open the moisture vent 112 and discharge the moisture in the storage cavity 111, preventing excess moisture from forming condensation on the wall of the storage cavity 111. At the same time, after the moisture is discharged through the moisture vent 112, it can also reduce the humidity in the storage cavity 111, which is conducive to the evaporation of water on the surface of fruits and vegetables and prevents bacteria and mold from growing on the surface of fruits and vegetables, thus preventing them from rotting. When the amount of fruits and vegetables stored in the storage cavity 111 is small, the transpiration of the fruits and vegetables is weak, resulting in a decrease in humidity within the storage cavity 111. The humidity sensor 122 recovers its deformation under low humidity conditions, resetting the sealing element 121 to close the moisture vent 112, preventing moisture from escaping from the storage cavity 111 through the moisture vent 112. This keeps the storage cavity 111 moisturized and prevents the fruits and vegetables from drying out and wilting due to reduced humidity. Therefore, the humidity-controlled storage container 100 provided in this disclosure can both maintain the moisture of fruits and vegetables to prolong their freshness and prevent condensation.

[0049] In some embodiments, the humidity sensor 122 may also harden after absorbing water and elongating, thereby increasing the support stability of the seal 121 and facilitating the opening of the moisture permeation hole 112.

[0050] See Figures 3 to 6 , Figure 3 for Figure 1 The humidity-controlled storage container 100 shown is a cross-sectional view at point AA (humidity sensor 122 is in the reset state). Figure 4 for Figure 3 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the humidity sensor 122 in the open state. Figure 5 for Figure 2 The enlarged view of the humidity-controlled storage container 100 at point B (humidity sensor 122 is in the reset state). Figure 6 for Figure 5 The diagram shows the humidity sensor 122 in the open state. In some embodiments, to facilitate the preservation of fruits and vegetables in the storage cavity 111 and extend their storage time, the humidity sensor 122 can be configured to deform within a humidity range of 80% to 95% to lift the seal 121 and open the moisture permeation hole 112. The humidity range within which the humidity sensor 122 completely recovers its shape can be set to 20% to 60%.

[0051] Thus, when the content of fruits and vegetables in the storage cavity 111 is low, if the humidity range in the storage cavity 111 is between 20% and 60%, the storage cavity 111 is in a low humidity state, the humidity sensor 122 is in a reset state, the humidity sensor 122 does not extend, and the sealing member 121 closes the moisture permeation hole 112 to keep the storage cavity 111 moist to prevent the fruits and vegetables from wilting.

[0052] When the storage cavity 111 contains a large amount of fruits and vegetables, if the humidity level within the storage cavity 111 is between 80% and 95%, the storage cavity 111 is in a high-humidity state, and the humidity sensor 122 is in the open state. For example, when the humidity level within the storage cavity 111 exceeds 80%, the humidity sensor 122 uses its elongated deformation to push the seal 121 out of the vent 112, thereby opening the vent 112 and allowing moisture to escape from the storage cavity 111. The extension length of the humidity sensor 122 is positively correlated with the humidity level within the storage cavity 111. In other words, as the humidity level within the storage cavity 111 increases, the elongated deformation of the humidity sensor 122 also gradually increases. The greater the extent to which the seal 121 is pushed up, the larger the opening range of the vent 112, thus improving the efficiency of moisture removal from the storage cavity 111. For example, when the humidity range in the storage cavity 111 reaches 95%, the humidity sensor 122 absorbs water and extends completely, thereby fully opening the moisture vent 112 to accelerate the release of moisture.

[0053] When the humidity range within the storage cavity 111 is between 60% and 80%, if the humidity range increases from 60% to 80%, the humidity sensor 122 is in a gradual extension process. At this time, although the humidity sensor 122 has an extension trend, this extension trend is not enough to lift the seal 121, so the vent hole 112 is not open. If the humidity range decreases from 80% to 60%, the humidity sensor 122 is in a gradual recovery process. At this time, the humidity sensor 122 has already driven the seal 121 to close the vent hole 112, but the humidity sensor 122 has not yet fully recovered its length, so the seal 121 can still further tighten the vent hole 112 to increase the sealing between the seal 121 and the vent hole 112, so the vent hole 112 is also in a closed state.

[0054] See you later Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a humidity-controlled storage container 100 according to one embodiment. Figure 2 for Figure 1The diagram shows a front view of the humidity-controlled storage container 100. In some embodiments, the humidity-controlled storage container 100 is used in conjunction with a refrigerator 1, and the side of the shell 110 near the back of the cabinet 20 can be connected to a cold air duct to create a low-temperature environment within the storage cavity 111. At this time, due to the temperature difference, the area within the shell 110 prone to condensation is correspondingly located on the side of the shell 110 near the cold air duct or evaporator. Therefore, the moisture permeation hole 112 and the humidity control component 120 of this disclosure can be disposed on the side 115 of the shell 110 where condensation is likely to occur, to expel excess moisture in the high-humidity environment within the storage cavity 111 and reduce condensation.

[0055] As an example, the housing 110 may have a top 113 pointing in the Z direction and a bottom 114 spaced apart from the top 113 in the opposite Z direction, with a side portion 115 connected between the top 113 and the bottom 114. The housing 110 also has a back side pointing in the Y direction and a front side spaced apart from the back side in the opposite Y direction. The housing 110 also has a left side pointing in the X direction and a right side spaced apart from the left side in the opposite X direction. When the housing 110 is installed in the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator 1, the back side can be used to connect a cold air duct. Therefore, the moisture permeation hole 112 and the humidity control assembly 120 of this disclosure can be installed on the back side of the side portion 115.

[0056] Of course, in other embodiments, the moisture permeation hole 112 and the moisture control component 120 may also be disposed in other positions of the housing 110, such as the top 113 or the bottom 114 of the housing 110, and this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0057] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 for Figure 1 The humidity-controlled storage container 100 shown is a cross-sectional view at point AA (humidity sensor 122 is in the reset state). Figure 4 for Figure 3 The diagram shows the humidity sensor 122 in the open state. In some embodiments, to facilitate opening the vent hole 112, when the vent hole 112 and the humidity control component 120 are installed on the side 115 of the housing 110, the deformation direction of the humidity sensor 122 can be set along the depth direction of the vent hole 112. The depth direction of the vent hole 112 can be set along the Y direction. Thus, the humidity sensor 122 can extend along the Y direction in a high-humidity environment to push the seal 121 to move along the Y direction, thereby opening the vent hole 112. Conversely, the humidity sensor 122 can recover its length along the opposite Y direction in a low-humidity environment to move the seal 121 back to its original position along the opposite Y direction, thereby closing the vent hole 112.

[0058] In some embodiments, to facilitate opening the moisture permeation hole 112, the sealing member 121 includes a fixed portion 1211 connected to the housing 110 and a movable portion 1212 connected to the fixed portion 1211. A humidity sensor 122 is connected between the movable portion 1212 and the housing 110. When the humidity sensor 122 is in the open state, it pushes the movable portion 1212 to swing forward relative to the fixed portion 1211, thereby opening the moisture permeation hole 112. When the humidity sensor 122 is in the reset state, it drives the movable portion 1212 to swing backward relative to the fixed portion 1211, thereby closing the moisture permeation hole 112.

[0059] It should be noted that, along the Z direction in the figure, the end of the seal 121 near the top 113 of the housing 110 is configured as a fixed part 1211. The fixed part 1211 can be connected to the side 115 of the housing 110, and the fixed part 1211 can also be connected to the wall of the moisture permeation hole 112. The end of the seal 121 near the bottom 114 of the housing 110 is configured as a movable part 1212, which is connected to the humidity sensor 122. Forward oscillation can be clockwise, and reverse oscillation can be counterclockwise.

[0060] With this configuration, the humidity control assembly 120, consisting of the seal 121 and the humidity sensor 122, can be considered a lever assembly. The fixed part 1211 acts as the fulcrum of the seal 121. When the humidity sensor 122 extends to push the movable part 1212 to swing clockwise, the humidity sensor 122 is farther from the fixed part 1211, resulting in a longer lever arm. According to the torque formula, the humidity sensor 122 only needs to provide a small force to push the seal 121 to swing and open the moisture permeation hole 112. Thus, the humidity sensor 122 only needs to extend a short length after reaching the deformation humidity to push the seal 121 to swing, and through the lever effect, it can open the moisture permeation hole 112 to a larger extent. This achieves a small extension deformation along the Y direction to drive a large swing of the seal 121, thereby opening the moisture permeation hole 112 with less effort. In addition, the humidity sensor 122 can open the moisture vent 112 by a small extension, which can also improve the sensitivity of the humidity sensor 122 to the humidity in the storage cavity 111, thereby more accurately controlling the humidity in the storage cavity 111.

[0061] Correspondingly, when the humidity sensor 122 recovers its length and causes the movable part 1212 to swing counterclockwise, the sealing part 121 can not only rely on the deformation recovery of the humidity sensor 122 to reset and close the moisture vent 112, but also use its own gravity to reset and close the moisture vent 112, thereby achieving moisture retention in the storage cavity 111.

[0062] Thus, the moisture-controlled storage container 100 of this disclosure, in conjunction with the moisture-controlled component 120, can open and close the moisture-permeable hole 112 using the lever principle. This not only utilizes the small elongation deformation of the humidity sensor 122 to drive the sealing component 121 to swing, thereby achieving a larger opening range for the vent, but also allows for easier opening and closing of the vent. Furthermore, compared to a technical solution that directly uses the humidity sensor itself to cover the moisture-permeable hole and then uses the deformation of the humidity sensor itself equal to the opening range of the vent for moisture removal, this disclosure offers a larger moisture removal range, better moisture removal effect, and better anti-condensation effect.

[0063] In some embodiments, the seal 121 is elastic, and the seal 121 and the moisture permeation hole 112 are sealed together by elastic deformation. Thus, the elasticity of the seal 121 improves the sealing effect between the seal 121 and the moisture permeation hole 112, thereby improving the moisture retention effect on the storage cavity 111. As an example, the seal 121 may be made of silicone or rubber, etc., and this disclosure is not limiting.

[0064] See Figure 5 and Figure 6 In some embodiments, to ensure uniform force on the movable part 1212, multiple humidity sensors 122 may be provided, with each humidity sensor 122 spaced apart between the movable part 1212 and the housing 110. Thus, through the cooperation of multiple humidity sensors 122 with the movable part 1212, the multiple humidity sensors 122 can provide driving force to the movable part 1212 at various points, thereby ensuring uniform force on the movable part 1212 and better opening or closing the moisture permeation hole 112. As an example, multiple humidity sensors 122 may be spaced apart along the X direction to connect between the movable part 1212 and the housing 110.

[0065] See Figures 3 to 6 In some embodiments, to facilitate the installation of the humidity sensor 122, the humidity control assembly 120 further includes a support member 123, which is fixed to the housing 110, and the humidity sensor 122 is connected between the support member 123 and the movable part 1212.

[0066] It should be noted that the support member 123 can be used to provide a mounting surface for the humidity sensor 122, so as to support the humidity sensor 122 to be connected to the corresponding height position of the movable part 1212, thereby driving the movable part 1212 to open or close the moisture vent 112. As an example, the support member 123 can be fixed between the bottom 114 of the housing 110 and the moisture vent 112. The humidity sensor 122 can be installed on the end of the support member 123 near the moisture vent 112 to connect with the movable part 1212. The support member 123 can be configured as a support column or support platform or other protruding structure, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0067] In some embodiments, the support member 123 is connected to the side of the side portion 115 facing inwards from the storage cavity 111, and the sealing member 121 is connected to the side of the side portion 115 facing outwards from the storage cavity 111. Thus, the support member 123 can be disposed within the storage cavity 111, and the humidity sensor 122, through its elongation deformation, can push the sealing member 121 outwards from the storage cavity 111 to open the moisture permeation hole 112. The humidity sensor 122, through its recovery deformation, can cause the sealing member 121 to swing inwards from the storage cavity 111 to close the moisture permeation hole 112. This configuration, by swinging the sealing member 121 outwards from the storage cavity 111 to open the moisture permeation hole 112, avoids situations where the storage cavity 111 contains a large amount of fruits and vegetables, resulting in insufficient space for the sealing member 121 to swing, thereby affecting the opening effect of the moisture permeation hole 112.

[0068] See Figure 4 In some embodiments, to facilitate the movement of the humidity sensor 122 towards the seal 121 to open the moisture-permeable hole 112, the humidity sensor 122 includes a connecting portion 1221 connected to the support member 123 and a deformable portion 1222 connected between the connecting portion 1221 and the movable portion 1212. The deformable portion 1222 extends along the direction from the connecting portion 1221 to the movable portion 1212 as the amount of absorbed moisture increases, thereby causing the movable portion 1212 to swing forward. The deformable portion 1222 returns to its original position along the direction from the movable portion 1212 to the connecting portion 1221 as the amount of absorbed moisture decreases, thereby causing the movable portion 1212 to swing in the opposite direction.

[0069] It should be noted that the connecting part 1221 is fixedly connected to the supporting part, which can be fixed by means of adhesive, welding or screws, etc., and this disclosure does not impose any limitation. The deformable part 1222 is connected between the connecting part 1221 and the movable part 1212. Since one side of the connecting part 1221 is fixed, when the water absorption of the deformable part 1222 increases and it extends, the deformable part 1222 can lift the movable part 1212 in the direction indicated by X, forming a clockwise swing. When the water absorption of the deformable part 1222 decreases and it returns to its original length, the deformable part 1222 can pull the movable part 1212 back to its original position in the opposite direction of X, forming a counterclockwise swing.

[0070] Thus, through the cooperation between the connecting part 1221 and the deformation part 1222 of the humidity sensor 122, the extension direction of the deformation part 1222 can be restricted, thereby driving the movable part 1212 to move relative to the housing 110, forming the opening and closing of the moisture permeation hole 112.

[0071] Furthermore, when the humidity sensor 122 is entirely made of a humidity-sensitive material, both the connecting portion 1221 and the deformation portion 1222 can be made of a humidity-sensitive material. However, the connecting portion 1221 needs to be fixedly installed with the support member 123 to limit the extension direction of the deformation portion 1222. Of course, the connecting portion 1221 can also be made of a non-humidity-sensitive material, while the deformation portion 1222 can be made of a humidity-sensitive material; this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0072] In some embodiments, the seal 121 can also be flipped inward toward the storage cavity 111 to open the moisture permeation hole 112. Correspondingly, the humidity sensor 122 can be disposed outside the storage cavity 111. After the humidity sensor 122 absorbs water, it can extend to push the seal 121 toward the storage cavity 111 to open the moisture permeation hole 112. Alternatively, the humidity sensor 122 can also be disposed inside the storage cavity 111. After the humidity sensor 122 absorbs water, it can curl toward the storage cavity 111 to pull the seal 121 toward the storage cavity 111, thereby opening the moisture permeation hole 112. After the humidity sensor 122 loses water, the seal 121 is reset to close the moisture permeation hole 112. Thus, this disclosure does not limit the direction of movement of the seal 121 relative to the housing 110 to open the moisture permeation hole 112.

[0073] See Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the humidity sensor 122 in the open state of a humidity-controlled storage container 100 according to another embodiment. In some embodiments, the deformation direction of the humidity sensor 122 may also be set along the width or length direction of the moisture permeation hole 112. When the humidity sensor 122 is in the open state, the humidity sensor 122 pushes the sealing member 121 to slide relative to the housing 110 to open the moisture permeation hole 112. When the humidity sensor 122 is in the reset state, the humidity sensor 122 drives the sealing member 121 to slide back to its original position to close the moisture permeation hole 112.

[0074] It should be noted that, in addition to opening and closing the vent hole 112 by swinging the seal 121, the vent hole 112 can also be opened or closed by sliding the seal 121. Specifically, the seal 121 can be slidably connected to the housing 110, and the extension direction of the humidity sensor 122 can be set along the Z direction in the figure. When the humidity in the storage cavity 111 increases, the humidity sensor 122 absorbs more water and extends along the Z direction, pushing the seal 121 up along the Z direction, thereby slowly opening upward at the bottom 114 of the vent hole 112 for dehumidification. When the humidity in the storage cavity 111 decreases, the humidity sensor 122 absorbs less water and restores its length along the opposite Z direction, pulling the seal 121 back to its original position along the opposite Z direction, thereby closing the vent hole 112 for humidification.

[0075] Of course, in other embodiments, the sealing element 121 and the humidity sensor 122 can cooperate to open or close the moisture permeation hole 112 by other moving methods, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0076] See Figure 8 and Figure 9 , Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment. Figure 9 for Figure 8 The refrigerator 1 shown is a cross-sectional view at point C. This disclosure also provides a refrigerator 1, including a body 20 and a humidity-controlled storage container 100 of any of the above embodiments. The body 20 has a refrigerator compartment, and a housing 110 is disposed within the refrigerator compartment. The housing 110 is reciprocating relative to the body 20 to open or close the storage cavity 111.

[0077] It should be noted that the cabinet 20 is provided with a refrigerator compartment 21, and the refrigerator 1 also includes a door 10 for opening or closing the refrigerator compartment 21. The shell 110 can be configured as a drawer shape, and the shell 110 and the inner wall of the refrigerator compartment can be configured as a sliding connection (such as connecting a guide device such as a slide rail or groove) so that the shell 110 can move back and forth relative to the cabinet 20, thereby opening or closing the storage cavity 111, making it convenient for users to store or take out fruits and vegetables.

[0078] In some embodiments, the refrigerator 1 further includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a throttling device (not shown). The cabinet 20 also includes a freezer compartment 22, and the refrigerator 1 further includes a door 10 for opening or closing the freezer compartment 22. The compressor, condenser, evaporator, and throttling device are respectively disposed in the cabinet 20, and at least a portion of the evaporator is disposed within the freezer compartment 22.

[0079] When refrigerator 1 is running, the compressor outputs high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which is then delivered to the condenser. The condenser condenses the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant into medium-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. This medium-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant then undergoes expansion and throttling by the throttling device, further reducing its pressure and temperature. The resulting low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant flows out from the throttling device to the evaporator. The low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant evaporates into gaseous refrigerant within the evaporator. Since at least a portion of the evaporator is located within the freezer compartment 22, the refrigerant absorbs a significant amount of heat from within the freezer compartment 22 during evaporation, thereby lowering the temperature within the freezer compartment 22 and facilitating the freezing of items, thus achieving the cooling function of refrigerator 1. The refrigerant exiting the evaporator replenishes the compressor, forming a refrigerant circuit. In this way, the refrigerant continuously circulates within the refrigerant circuit to maintain the freezing environment of the freezer compartment 22 (e.g., below -1°C).

[0080] In some embodiments, a refrigeration duct is provided between the refrigerated compartment 21 and the frozen compartment 22 to facilitate the transfer of some of the cold air from the frozen compartment 22 to the refrigerated compartment 21, thereby reducing or maintaining the low-temperature environment (e.g., 2°C to 8°C) in the refrigerated compartment 21. The shell 110 of the humidity-controlled storage container 100 may be disposed inside the refrigerated compartment 21 to form a low-temperature environment within the storage cavity 111.

[0081] Therefore, when the humidity-controlled storage container 100 is used in the refrigerator 1, the storage cavity 111 can maintain a low-temperature environment while also adaptively adjusting the humidity inside the storage cavity 111 according to the amount of fruits and vegetables stored therein. This allows for humidification of the storage cavity 111 under low humidity conditions, extending the storage time of the food inside. Simultaneously, the humidity-controlled storage container 100 provided in this disclosure can also expel excess moisture from the storage cavity 111 under high humidity conditions through adaptive humidity control, reducing condensation and thus improving the user experience.

[0082] Other structural details regarding refrigerator 1 are not described in this disclosure.

[0083] The technical solutions or features described in the above embodiments can be combined or complemented by each other without conflict. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described in the above embodiments and shown in the accompanying drawings. All modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A moisture-controlled storage container, characterized by, The application relates to a moisture control device, comprising: a shell provided with a storage cavity and a moisture-permeable hole communicating with the storage cavity; and a moisture control assembly comprising a sealing member sealingly matched with the moisture-permeable hole and a humidity sensing member connected between the sealing member and the shell; wherein when the humidity in the storage cavity increases, the humidity sensing member is in an open state to lift the sealing member to open the moisture-permeable hole and discharge moisture from the storage cavity; when the humidity in the storage cavity decreases, the humidity sensing member is in a reset state to drive the sealing member to reset and close the moisture-permeable hole, thereby keeping the storage cavity moist.

2. The moisture-controlled reservoir container of claim 1, wherein, The deformation direction of the humidity sensing member is arranged along the depth direction of the moisture-permeable hole.

3. The moisture-controlled reservoir container of claim 2, wherein, The sealing member comprises a fixed part connected with the shell and a movable part connected with the fixed part, and the humidity sensing member is connected between the movable part and the shell; when the humidity sensing member is in the open state, the humidity sensing member pushes the movable part to swing forward relative to the fixed part to open the moisture-permeable hole; when the humidity sensing member is in the reset state, the humidity sensing member drives the movable part to swing reversely relative to the fixed part to close the moisture-permeable hole.

4. The moisture-controlled reservoir container of claim 3, wherein The sealing member has elasticity, and the sealing member is sealingly matched with the moisture-permeable hole through elastic deformation.

5. The moisture-controlled reservoir container of claim 3, wherein The humidity sensing member is provided with a plurality of humidity sensing members, and each humidity sensing member is arranged between the movable part and the shell in a spaced manner; and / or, the deformation humidity range of the humidity sensing member is set to 80% to 95%, and the complete recovery deformation humidity range of the humidity sensing member is set to 20% to 60%.

6. The moisture-controlled reservoir container of any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein, The moisture control assembly further comprises a support member fixedly arranged on the shell, and the humidity sensing member is connected between the support member and the movable part.

7. The moisture-controlled reservoir container of claim 6, wherein, The shell is provided with a top part, a bottom part arranged in a spaced manner along the depth direction of the storage cavity, and a side part connected between the top part and the bottom part; the side part is provided with at least one moisture-permeable hole; one end of the sealing member close to the top part is arranged as the fixed part to be connected with the side part; one end of the sealing member close to the bottom part is arranged as the movable part to be connected with the humidity sensing member; the support member is fixedly arranged between the bottom part and the moisture-permeable hole; the humidity sensing member is arranged on one end of the support member close to the moisture-permeable hole to be connected with the movable part.

8. The moisture-controlled reservoir container of claim 7, wherein, The support member is connected with one side of the side part facing the storage cavity, and the sealing member is connected with the other side of the side part facing outside the storage cavity; the humidity sensing member comprises a connecting part connected with the support member and a deformation part connected between the connecting part and the movable part; the deformation part is elongated along the direction of the connecting part pointing to the movable part with the increase of the amount of absorbed moisture to form the open state to drive the movable part to swing forward and open the moisture-permeable hole; the deformation part is reset along the direction of the movable part pointing to the connecting part with the decrease of the amount of absorbed moisture to form the reset state to drive the movable part to swing reversely and close the moisture-permeable hole.

9. The moisture-controlled reservoir container of claim 1, wherein, The deformation direction of the humidity sensing member is arranged along the width direction or the length direction of the moisture-permeable hole; When the humidity sensing member is in the open state, the humidity sensing member pushes the sealing member to slide relative to the shell to open the moisture permeable hole; When the humidity sensing member is in the reset state, the humidity sensing member drives the sealing member to slide to reset to close the moisture permeable hole.

10. A refrigerator characterized by comprising: The humidity control storage container comprises a box and the humidity control storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 9; the box is provided with a refrigeration chamber, and the shell is arranged in the refrigeration chamber and can reciprocate relative to the box to open or close the storage cavity.

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