Heat insulation valve and refrigerator thereof
By installing an eccentrically rotating valve core in the refrigerator's drain pipe, defrosting water drives the valve core to rotate and discharge water, solving the problems of cold air loss and the entry of hot and humid air. This achieves simple and effective drainage and air pressure balance, reducing costs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NINGBO FOTILE KITCHEN WARE CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-12
AI Technical Summary
The existing refrigerator drain pipe suffers from severe cold air loss and allows hot and humid outside air to enter and cause frost when no valve is installed. Installing a one-way valve results in a complex structure and high cost.
Design a heat insulation valve with an eccentrically positioned valve core. Defrosting water drives the valve core to rotate and discharge water. When the valve core is not under force, the connection port is shut off to prevent hot and humid air from entering.
It enables the smooth discharge of defrost water, preventing the loss of cold air and the entry of hot and humid air, and has a simple structure and low cost.
Smart Images
Figure CN224229343U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of refrigerator technology, and in particular to a heat insulation valve and the refrigerator thereof. Background Technology
[0002] Refrigerators are typically equipped with a drain pipe, which drains defrost water. Furthermore, because refrigerators are frequently opened and closed during use, hot and humid air from outside enters. Due to thermal expansion and contraction, this can cause a drop in internal air pressure, making the refrigerator door "sucked" shut and difficult to open. Therefore, the refrigerator drain pipe also needs to balance the air pressure inside and outside the refrigerator.
[0003] Currently, to achieve the above functions, some refrigerators do not have a valve at the drain pipe, allowing defrost water and air to freely enter and exit. However, without a valve, during normal operation, because the density of cold air inside the refrigerator is greater than that of warm air outside, cold air will escape to the outside along the drain pipe. This leads to the loss of cold air and increases power consumption. Furthermore, warm, humid air from outside will enter the refrigerator along the drain pipe and frost up at the defrost water drain inlet, clogging the drain. Some refrigerators have two one-way valves at the drain pipe; one automatically opens when defrost water is drained, and the other automatically opens when the air pressure inside the refrigerator is lower than outside. However, this solution has a complex structure and higher manufacturing and assembly costs. Utility Model Content
[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this utility model provides a heat insulation valve.
[0005] A heat insulation valve, installed on a refrigerator drain pipe, includes: a valve body having a valve cavity inside, the valve body also having a first connecting port and a second connecting port communicating with the valve cavity, the first connecting port being used to communicate with the water inlet of the refrigerator drain pipe, and the second connecting port being used to communicate with the water outlet of the refrigerator drain pipe; a valve core, installed in the valve cavity and rotatably connected to the valve body, and capable of connecting the first connecting port and the second connecting port by rotation, and isolating the first connecting port and the second connecting port when rotation stops; wherein, the valve core rotates about a first axis, the first axis not intersecting the axis of the first connecting port.
[0006] With this configuration, defrost water is discharged through the refrigerator's drain pipe, and the heat insulation valve is installed in the drain pipe, becoming the necessary path for the defrost water flow. The defrost water enters the valve chamber through the first connecting port, then flows out through the second connecting port, and flows towards the outlet of the refrigerator's drain pipe. Because the first axis around which the valve core rotates does not intersect with the axis of the first connecting port—meaning the valve core is installed off-center relative to the valve body's axis—and the defrost water generally flows along the axis of the first connecting port towards the second connecting port, when the defrost water drips onto the off-center valve core, the entire valve core experiences an off-center force, causing it to rotate and allowing the defrost water to flow smoothly to the second connecting port. When the valve core is not under force, meaning no defrost water drips, the valve core maintains a barrier between the first and second connecting ports, preventing external humid and hot air from flowing from the second connecting port to the first connecting port, thus preventing frost formation.
[0007] In one embodiment, the valve core includes a body and a stop body, wherein there are multiple stop bodies, which are respectively connected at intervals to the outer periphery of the body, and the body is coaxially arranged with the first axis.
[0008] In one embodiment, a plurality of stops are arranged at circumferential intervals along the main body, and are arranged in pairs on the radial sides of the main body. The two corresponding stops are located in the same plane, and the plane defined by the two corresponding stops intersects the first axis.
[0009] In one embodiment, the valve body is provided with a first clearance section and a second clearance section. The end of the stop body away from the main body forms a first rotation trajectory as the main body rotates. Both the first clearance section and the second clearance section are arc-shaped, and the inner walls of the first clearance section and the second clearance section are respectively spaced apart from the first rotation trajectory.
[0010] In one embodiment, the included angle between adjacent stops is α, the corresponding radian of the first clearance segment is θ, and the corresponding radian of the second clearance segment is β, satisfying: α≤β and α≤θ.
[0011] In one embodiment, the first connection port and the second connection port are coaxially arranged, and the axis is the second axis, while the first axis and the second axis are perpendicular to each other.
[0012] In one embodiment, the shortest distance between the first axis and the second axis is L, the center of the first and second clearance segments is the first axis, and the diameter of the circle defined by the inner walls of the first and second clearance segments is D. The inner diameters of the first and second connecting openings are the same and are d, satisfying: , .
[0013] In one embodiment, a rotating shaft is inserted through the main body, and two rotating seats are constructed on the inner wall of the valve body. Rotating holes are opened on the two rotating seats, and the two ends of the rotating shaft are respectively installed in the two rotating holes.
[0014] In one embodiment, the valve body includes a first valve cover and a second valve cover, which are connected and cooperate to form the valve cavity.
[0015] This utility model also provides a refrigerator, including the heat insulation valve and the drain pipe as described above. The drain pipe includes a first section and a second section, which are separately arranged. The heat insulation valve is located between the first section and the second section and is connected to the first section and the second section.
[0016] Compared to existing technologies, this invention features a rotatable valve core. When defrost water flows into the valve chamber through the drain pipe, the gravity of the water drives the valve core to rotate, allowing the defrost water to drain smoothly. When there is no driving force to rotate the valve core, it remains stationary, blocking the first and second connecting ports and preventing the entry of hot and humid air. Furthermore, it has a simple structure and low cost. Attached Figure Description
[0017] Figure 1 A perspective view of one embodiment of the heat insulation valve provided by this utility model;
[0018] Figure 2 A partial structural diagram of one embodiment of the heat insulation valve provided by this utility model;
[0019] Figure 3 A partial structural cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the heat insulation valve provided by this utility model;
[0020] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the heat insulation valve provided by this utility model;
[0021] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of one embodiment of the valve body provided by this utility model.
[0022] The symbols in the diagram represent the following meanings:
[0023] 100. Insulation valve; 10. Valve body; 11. First connecting port; 12. Second connecting port; 13. Rotating seat; 131. Rotating hole; 14. First clearance section; 15. Second clearance section; 16. First valve cover; 17. Second valve cover; 18. Valve cavity; 20. Valve core; 21. Main body; 22. Stop body; 23. Rotating shaft. Detailed Implementation
[0024] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.
[0025] It should be noted that when a mechanism is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another mechanism, it can be directly on the other mechanism or there may be an intervening mechanism. When a mechanism is considered to be "connected to" another mechanism, it can be directly connected to the other mechanism or there may be an intervening mechanism. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application's specification are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.
[0026] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0027] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature and the second feature are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0028] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0029] Please see Figures 1-5This utility model provides a heat insulation valve 100, in which the valve core 20 and the valve body 10 are eccentrically set, so that when the defrosting water flowing along the axis of the valve body 10 drips onto the valve core 20, it can always drive the valve core 20 to rotate, so as to flow out smoothly. Meanwhile, the valve core 20 can keep the drain pipe normally closed in the normal state, reducing the entry of external hot and humid air.
[0030] A heat insulation valve 100 is installed on the refrigerator drain pipe and includes a valve body 10 and a valve core 20. The valve body 10 has a valve cavity 18 inside and a first connecting port 11 and a second connecting port 12 that communicate with the valve cavity 18. The first connecting port 11 is used to communicate with the water inlet of the refrigerator drain pipe, and the second connecting port 12 is used to communicate with the water outlet of the refrigerator drain pipe. The valve core 20 is installed in the valve cavity 18 and is rotatably connected to the valve body 10. It can connect the first connecting port 11 and the second connecting port 12 by rotation and disconnect the first connecting port 11 and the second connecting port 12 when rotation stops. The valve core 20 rotates around a first axis, which does not intersect with the axis of the first connecting port 11.
[0031] Thus, defrost water is discharged through the refrigerator drain pipe, and the heat insulation valve 100 is installed in the refrigerator drain pipe, becoming the necessary path for the flow of defrost water. Defrost water enters the valve chamber 18 through the first connecting port 11, then flows out through the second connecting port 12, and flows to the outlet of the refrigerator drain pipe. Since the first axis around which the valve core 20 rotates does not intersect with the axis of the first connecting port 11, that is, the installation position of the valve core 20 is offset relative to the axis of the valve body 10, and the defrost water generally flows along the axis of the first connecting port 11 to the second connecting port 12, when the defrost water drips onto the offset valve core 20, the entire valve core 20 is subjected to an offset force, thus rotating under the force, allowing the defrost water to flow smoothly to the second connecting port 12 with the rotation of the valve core 20. When the valve core 20 is not under force, that is, when there is no defrosting water dripping, the valve core 20 keeps the first connection port 11 and the second connection port 12 separated to prevent external hot and humid air from flowing from the second connection port 12 to the first connection port 11 and to prevent frost formation.
[0032] It needs to be explained that when the valve core 20 is set eccentrically, for example... Figure 3 For example, when the first axis is offset to the left relative to the axis of the valve body 10, the defrosting water will drip onto the right side of the valve core 20. At this time, the valve core 20 will naturally rotate clockwise due to the force on the right side, and the defrosting water will flow out with the rotation of the valve core 20.
[0033] Specifically, the valve core 20 includes a main body 21 and stop bodies 22. There are multiple stop bodies 22, which are respectively connected to the outer periphery of the main body 21 at intervals. The main body 21 is coaxially arranged with the first axis. Therefore, as the valve core 20 rotates, the different stop bodies 22 cooperate with the inner wall of the valve body 10 to block the entry of external air.
[0034] To ensure the effectiveness of the stop body 22 in blocking external hot and humid air, in this embodiment, multiple stop bodies 22 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the main body 21, and are correspondingly arranged in pairs on the radial sides of the main body 21. The two corresponding stop bodies 22 are located on the same plane, and the plane defined by the two corresponding stop bodies 22 intersects the first axis. In this way, the two corresponding stop bodies 22 can make the force on both sides of the valve core 20 balanced when it rotates, thus making its rotation smoother.
[0035] Preferably, the multiple stop bodies 22 are evenly spaced to ensure that the force on the valve core 20 is more balanced in all directions and positions. In this embodiment, six stop bodies 22 are provided, with a 60° interval between adjacent stop bodies 22.
[0036] Multiple stop bodies 22 form a petal-shaped spherical structure. The outer peripheral walls of the multiple stop bodies 22 are all arcs. The outer peripheral side of each stop body 22 can form a semicircle. The outer peripheral sides of the multiple stop bodies 22 cooperate to define a sphere. When the valve core 20 rotates, the rotation space required by the valve core 20 is a sphere. Otherwise, interference is likely to occur.
[0037] To address this, the valve body 10 is constructed with a first clearance section 14 and a second clearance section 15. The end of the stop body 22 furthest from the main body 21 forms a first rotation trajectory as the main body 21 rotates. Both the first clearance section 14 and the second clearance section 15 are arc-shaped, and the inner walls of the first clearance section 14 and the second clearance section 15 are respectively spaced apart from the first rotation trajectory. Thus, the gaps between the inner walls of the first clearance section 14 and the second clearance section 15 and the first rotation trajectory are small. After their shapes are matched, regardless of how the valve core 20 rotates, the gaps between the stop body 22 and the inner walls of the first clearance section 14 and the second clearance section 15 will not change, thereby improving the valve core 20's blocking effect against external hot and humid air.
[0038] Of course, it is understandable that in other embodiments, the valve body 10 may not have the first clearance section 14 and the second clearance section 15, but a simpler straight cylindrical structure, which can also form a stop cooperation effect with the valve core 20 and reduce the process cost. However, its isolation effect on external air is not as good as the above-mentioned arrangement of the first clearance section 14 and the second clearance section 15.
[0039] Furthermore, the included angle between adjacent stop bodies 22 is α, the corresponding radian of the first clearance section 14 is θ, and the corresponding radian of the second clearance section 15 is β, satisfying: α≤β and α≤θ. In this way, no matter what angle the valve core 20 rotates to, it can isolate the air at both ends of the drain pipe.
[0040] Furthermore, the first connecting port 11 and the second connecting port 12 are coaxially arranged, with the axis being the second axis, and the first axis and the second axis are perpendicular to each other. This simplifies the assembly of the valve core 20, makes parameter calculations for each structure easier, and ensures more balanced rotational forces.
[0041] Understandably, in other embodiments, if there is particularly much defrost water on one side of the refrigerator drain pipe, or if the refrigerator drain pipe is originally inclined, the first axis and the valve core 20 can also be offset at a certain angle to balance the other structures that are inclined as described above.
[0042] The shortest distance between the first axis and the second axis is L. The center of the first clearance segment 14 and the second clearance segment 15 is the first axis, and the diameter of the circle defined by the inner wall of the first clearance segment 14 and the inner wall of the second clearance segment 15 is D. The inner diameters of the first connecting port 11 and the second connecting port 12 are the same and are d, satisfying the following: , Thus, when the internal air pressure of the refrigerator decreases, external air flows upward through the valve core 20, pushing it to rotate counterclockwise, thereby balancing the internal and external air pressure. The above relationship ensures that the deviation distance L is not too large, preventing the requirement that α is less than or equal to θ from being compromised. If the cavity diameter D of the valve core 20 is too small, even if L is 0, the requirement that α is less than or equal to θ mentioned in the technical problem cannot be met. Therefore, the above relationship ensures that each structure holds true.
[0043] A rotating shaft 23 is inserted through the main body 21. Two rotating seats 13 are constructed on the inner wall of the valve body 10, and rotating holes 131 are opened on the two rotating seats 13. The two ends of the rotating shaft 23 are respectively installed in the two rotating holes 131. In this way, the rotating seats 13 can provide material for opening the rotating holes 131, and the rotating holes 131 do not need to be opened on the valve body 10, which would affect the structural strength of the valve body 10 and easily cause leakage risk.
[0044] The valve body 10 includes a first valve cover 16 and a second valve cover 17, which are connected and cooperate to form a valve cavity 18. In this way, the valve core 20 can be assembled onto the second valve cover 17 first, and then the first valve cover 16 can be placed on the second valve cover 17, thereby reducing assembly difficulty and simplifying the manufacturing process.
[0045] This utility model also provides a refrigerator, including a heat insulation valve 100 and a drain pipe. The drain pipe includes a first section and a second section, which are separately arranged. The heat insulation valve 100 is located between the first section and the second section and is connected to the first section and the second section.
[0046] Compared to existing technologies, this invention features a rotatable valve core 20. When defrost water flows into the valve chamber 18 through the drain pipe, the gravity of the water drives the valve core 20 to rotate, allowing the defrost water to drain smoothly. When there is no driving force to rotate the valve core 20, it remains stationary, blocking the first and second connecting ports 11 and 12 to prevent the entry of hot and humid external air. This structure provides drainage and balances internal and external air pressure, and is simple in design and inexpensive.
[0047] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.
[0048] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A heat insulation valve, installed on the drain pipe of a refrigerator, characterized in that, include: The valve body (10) has a valve cavity (18) inside. The valve body (10) also has a first communication port (11) and a second communication port (12) that communicate with the valve cavity (18). The first communication port (11) is used to communicate with the inlet of the refrigerator drain pipe, and the second communication port (12) is used to communicate with the outlet of the refrigerator drain pipe. The valve core (20) is installed in the valve cavity (18) and is rotatably connected to the valve body (10). It can connect the first communication port (11) and the second communication port (12) by rotation and disconnect the first communication port (11) and the second communication port (12) when rotation stops. The valve core (20) rotates around a first axis, which does not intersect with the axis of the first communication port (11).
2. The heat insulation valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve core (20) includes a main body (21) and a stop body (22). There are multiple stop bodies (22), which are connected to the outer periphery of the main body (21) at intervals. The main body (21) is coaxial with the first axis.
3. The heat insulation valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, Multiple stops (22) are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the main body (21), and are arranged in pairs on the radial sides of the main body (21). The two corresponding stops (22) are located on the same plane, and the plane defined by the two corresponding stops (22) intersects the first axis.
4. The heat insulation valve according to claim 3, characterized in that, The valve body (10) is provided with a first clearance section (14) and a second clearance section (15). The end of the stop body (22) away from the main body (21) forms a first rotation trajectory as the main body (21) rotates. The first clearance section (14) and the second clearance section (15) are both arc-shaped, and the inner wall of the first clearance section (14) and the inner wall of the second clearance section (15) are respectively spaced apart from the first rotation trajectory.
5. The heat insulation valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The included angle between adjacent stops (22) is α, the corresponding radian of the first clearance segment (14) is θ, and the corresponding radian of the second clearance segment (15) is β, satisfying: α≤β and α≤θ.
6. The heat insulation valve according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first connecting port (11) and the second connecting port (12) are coaxially arranged, and the axis is the second axis. The first axis and the second axis are perpendicular to each other.
7. The heat insulation valve according to claim 6, characterized in that, The shortest distance between the first axis and the second axis is L, the center of the first clearance segment (14) and the second clearance segment (15) is the first axis, and the diameter of the circle defined by the inner wall of the first clearance segment (14) and the inner wall of the second clearance segment (15) is D. The inner diameters of the first connecting port (11) and the second connecting port (12) are the same and are d, satisfying: , .
8. The heat insulation valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, A rotating shaft (23) is inserted through the main body (21), and two rotating seats (13) are constructed on the inner wall of the valve body (10). Rotating holes (131) are opened on the two rotating seats (13), and the two ends of the rotating shaft (23) are respectively installed in the two rotating holes (131).
9. The heat insulation valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve body (10) includes a first valve cover (16) and a second valve cover (17), which are connected and cooperate to form the valve cavity (18).
10. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The invention includes the heat insulation valve and drain pipe according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the drain pipe includes a first section and a second section, the first section and the second section are separately disposed, and the heat insulation valve is located between the first section and the second section and communicates with the first section and the second section.