Refrigerator drain pipe structure and its refrigerator
By installing sealing components with expansion and contraction sections in the refrigerator's drain pipe, the problems of cold air loss and the entry of hot and humid air are solved, resulting in a lower energy consumption and a more reliable defrosting process.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NINGBO FOTILE KITCHEN WARE CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
AI Technical Summary
The refrigerator drain pipe causes cold air to escape and hot, humid air to enter the evaporator and frost up, increasing energy consumption and the risk to defrosting reliability.
Design a refrigerator drain pipe structure, including an expanding section and a contracting section, with a sealing component inside. The sealing component can move under the action of external force to block or open the drain pipe, preventing hot and humid air from entering. The sealing component is also moved by the gravity of the condensate to allow the condensate to flow down.
It effectively prevents hot and humid air from entering the refrigerator, avoids frost buildup on the evaporator, reduces energy consumption, and improves defrosting reliability.
Smart Images
Figure CN224434812U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of refrigerators, and in particular to a refrigerator drain pipe structure and a refrigerator thereof. Background Technology
[0002] During the heat exchange process, the heat exchange elements in the refrigerator will produce condensate. In order to facilitate the drainage of condensate, a drain pipe structure is usually installed below the heat exchange elements to guide the condensate to the water collection tray in the compressor chamber.
[0003] Condensate collects at the drain pipe opening and flows through the pipe body into the drip tray, where it evaporates. Simultaneously, the drain pipe assembly also helps balance the air pressure inside and outside the refrigerator. When the refrigerator door is closed, the gas inside contracts due to the cold, lowering the air pressure to below the outside pressure. At this point, outside air flows into the refrigerator through the drain pipe, balancing the air pressure inside and outside and preventing a large pressure difference that could prevent the refrigerator door from opening.
[0004] However, because the density of cold air inside the refrigerator is greater than the density of hot air outside, the cold air inside will escape to the outside of the refrigerator along the drain pipe. This leads to the loss of cold air and increases power consumption. When the refrigerator is not defrosting, that is, when there is no condensation in the drain pipe, the hot and humid air outside will enter the evaporator space or compartment through the drain pipe, exchange heat with the cold air in the evaporator compartment, and increase the refrigerator's energy consumption. Moreover, the hot and humid air directly entering the evaporator compartment and encountering the cold evaporator, is very likely to frost and ice on its surface, increasing the risk of unreliable defrosting and further increasing the energy consumption during defrosting. Utility Model Content
[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this utility model provides a refrigerator drain pipe structure.
[0006] A refrigerator drain pipe structure includes: a drain pipe; a water receiving tray located below the drain pipe; wherein the drain pipe includes an expanding section and a reducing section, the expanding section and the reducing section are connected, and the inner diameter of the reducing section is smaller than that of the expanding section; a sealing member is provided inside the drain pipe, the outer diameter of the sealing member is not smaller than the inner diameter of the reducing section, and the sealing member has a first position capable of abutting against the inner wall of the reducing section; the sealing member is configured to move away from the first position in response to an external force.
[0007] With this configuration, the sealing element is placed inside the drain pipe. Because the inner diameter of the reduced diameter section is smaller, the sealing element can abut against the inner wall of the reduced diameter section and move freely within the expanded diameter section. When the sealing element is in the first position and abuts against the reduced diameter section, it can block the drain pipe, preventing external humid and hot air from entering the refrigerator, avoiding the problem of evaporator frosting, and reducing the refrigerator's energy consumption. When condensate flows into the drain pipe, the gravity of the condensate applies pressure to the sealing element, causing the sealing element to move away from the first position in response to the pressure, thereby opening the drain pipe and allowing the condensate to flow down smoothly.
[0008] In one embodiment, the refrigerator drain pipe structure includes an elastic element, one end of which is connected to the water receiving tray and the other end is connected to the sealing element, supporting the sealing element at the first position.
[0009] In one embodiment, the elastic element is configured as a spring, and the sealing element is configured as a spherical structure.
[0010] In one embodiment, the drain pipe includes at least two expansion sections, and a reduction section is located between the two expansion sections, with the inner diameter of the reduction section gradually decreasing and then gradually increasing along the axial direction of the reduction section.
[0011] In one embodiment, the inner wall at the smallest point of the reduced diameter section defines a flow opening, and the sealing element fits against the inner wall of the flow opening.
[0012] In one embodiment, the water receiving tray has a mounting base connected to the bottom of the water receiving tray and protruding toward the drain pipe. The mounting base has a mounting groove, into which the drain pipe extends.
[0013] In one embodiment, the mounting base is provided with a positioning element, which is coaxially arranged with the mounting groove. As the drain pipe extends into the mounting groove, the positioning element abuts against the inner wall of the drain pipe, and the elastic element abuts against the positioning element.
[0014] In one embodiment, the positioning member includes at least four positioning ribs, two adjacent positioning ribs are arranged at an angle, and each positioning rib abuts against the wall of the drain pipe.
[0015] The positioning rib includes a limiting section and an abutting section. The limiting section is connected to the abutting section, and the abutting section is located at the bottom of the mounting groove. When the drain pipe extends into the mounting groove, the limiting section abuts against the inner wall of the drain pipe, and the end of the drain pipe abuts against the abutting section.
[0016] In one embodiment, the end of the drain pipe away from the drip tray is also connected to a tray assembly, which is used to hold condensate.
[0017] The tray assembly includes a tray and a connecting pipe. The tray has flanges on both sides, defining a carrying space. The bottom of the tray has a through hole. The carrying space is connected to the connecting pipe through the through hole. The connecting pipe is connected to the drain pipe and is set at an angle to the drain pipe.
[0018] This utility model provides a refrigerator, including the refrigerator drain pipe structure described above.
[0019] Compared to existing technologies, this invention features a sealing component that can move within the drain pipe. Because the inner diameter of the reduced-diameter section is smaller, the sealing component can abut against the inner wall of the reduced-diameter section and move freely within the expanded-diameter section, which has a larger inner diameter. When the sealing component is in the first position and abuts against the reduced-diameter section, it can seal the drain pipe, preventing external humid and hot air from entering the refrigerator, avoiding the problem of evaporator frosting, and reducing the refrigerator's energy consumption. When condensate flows into the drain pipe, the gravity of the condensate applies pressure to the sealing component, causing it to move away from the first position in response to the pressure, thereby opening the drain pipe and allowing the condensate to flow smoothly. Attached Figure Description
[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of one embodiment of the refrigerator drain pipe structure provided by this utility model;
[0021] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the refrigerator drain pipe structure provided by this utility model;
[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the mounting base provided by this utility model.
[0023] The symbols in the diagram represent the following meanings:
[0024] 100. Refrigerator drain pipe structure; 10. Drain pipe; 11. Expanding section; 12. Reducing section; 13. Flow port; 20. Water tray; 30. Sealing component; 40. Elastic component; 50. Mounting base; 51. Mounting groove; 52. Positioning component; 521. Positioning rib; 5211. Limiting section; 5212. Abutting section; 60. Tray assembly; 61. Tray; 611. Through hole; 612. Flanged edge; 62. Connecting pipe. Detailed Implementation
[0025] 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.
[0026] 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.
[0027] 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.
[0028] 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.
[0029] 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.
[0030] This utility model provides a refrigerator drain pipe structure 100, which constructs a reduced diameter section 12 on the drain pipe 10 that can cooperate with the sealing member 30 to seal the drain pipe 10, thereby preventing hot and humid air from entering the refrigerator when no condensate is generated.
[0031] Please see Figures 1-3 The refrigerator drain pipe structure 100 includes a drain pipe 10 and a water tray 20. The water tray 20 is located below the drain pipe 10. The drain pipe 10 includes an expanding section 11 and a reducing section 12. The expanding section 11 and the reducing section 12 are connected, and the inner diameter of the reducing section 12 is smaller than that of the expanding section 11. A sealing member 30 is provided inside the drain pipe 10. The outer diameter of the sealing member 30 is not smaller than the inner diameter of the reducing section 12, and the sealing member 30 has a first position that can abut against the inner wall of the reducing section 12. The sealing member 30 is configured to leave the first position in response to an external force. Thus, the sealing element 30 is disposed inside the drain pipe 10. Since the inner diameter of the reduced diameter section 12 is smaller, the sealing element 30 can abut against the inner wall of the reduced diameter section 12 and move freely within the expanded diameter section 11, which has a larger inner diameter. When the sealing element 30 is in the first position and abuts against the reduced diameter section 12, it can seal the drain pipe 10, preventing external humid and hot air from entering the refrigerator, avoiding the problem of evaporator frosting, and reducing the refrigerator's energy consumption. When condensate flows into the drain pipe 10, the gravity of the condensate applies pressure to the sealing element 30, causing the sealing element 30 to leave the first position in response to the pressure, thereby allowing the drain pipe 10 to be connected so that the condensate can flow down smoothly.
[0032] Furthermore, the refrigerator drain pipe structure 100 includes an elastic element 40. One end of the elastic element 40 is connected to the drip tray 20, and the other end is connected to the sealing element 30, supporting the sealing element 30 in a first position. Thus, when the sealing element 30 moves downward under the pressure of condensate, it releases the blockage on the drain pipe 10, and the condensate naturally falls into the drip tray 20. At the same time, the sealing element 30 compresses the elastic element 40, and the elastic element 40 accumulates elastic potential energy. When the condensate stops falling, it pushes the sealing element 30 back to the first position.
[0033] In other embodiments, the elastic element 40 may not be located below the sealing element 30, but rather above it, pulling the sealing element 30 with elastic force. For example, when condensate pushes the sealing element 30 downward, the sealing element 30 can still move downward and release space for the condensate to flow. At this time, the elastic element 40 is stretched and can also accumulate elastic potential energy. After the condensate has flowed out, the elastic element 40 returns to its initial length, pulling the sealing element 30 back to the first position to continue blocking the drain pipe 10.
[0034] Furthermore, the elastic element 40 is configured as a spring, and the sealing element 30 is configured as a spherical structure. The spring has a simple and stable structure, and the spherical sealing element 30 is adapted to the drain pipe 10 to ensure the sealing performance.
[0035] In other embodiments, the elastic element 40 may also be other elastic materials, such as a rubber strip structure.
[0036] The drain pipe 10 includes at least two expanding sections 11, with a reducing section 12 located between the two expanding sections 11. Along the axial direction of the reducing section 12, its inner diameter gradually decreases and then gradually increases. Thus, the reducing section 12 is located in the middle of the drain pipe 10, making it more compatible with the installation method of the aforementioned sealing component 30 and simplifying assembly. The gradual decrease and increase in the inner diameter of the reducing section 12 avoids the problem of liquid turbulence caused by sudden increases or decreases in the inner diameter, resulting in smoother flow of condensate.
[0037] The inner wall at the smallest point of the reduced diameter section 12 defines the flow port 13. The sealing member 30 fits into the inner wall of the flow port 13. Thus, the cooperation between the sealing member 30 and the smallest flow port 13 allows the sealing member 30 to be assembled into the preset position whether it is assembled from top to bottom or from bottom to top, and movement will not interfere.
[0038] Understandably, in other embodiments, the inner diameter of the flow port 13 may also be smaller than that of the sealing member 30, in which case the sealing member 30 will abut against the reduced diameter section 12, and the sealing can also be achieved.
[0039] The drip tray 20 has a mounting base 50 inside. The mounting base 50 is connected to the bottom of the drip tray 20 and protrudes towards the drain pipe 10. The mounting base 50 has a mounting groove 51, into which the drain pipe 10 extends. In this way, the mounting base 50 can limit the end of the drain pipe 10, reducing its shaking. The condensate dripping from the drain pipe 10 will preferentially enter the mounting groove 51, thus reducing condensate splashing.
[0040] Furthermore, the mounting base 50 is provided with a positioning element 52, which is coaxially arranged with the mounting groove 51. As the drain pipe 10 extends into the mounting groove 51, the positioning element 52 abuts against the inner wall of the drain pipe 10. This further ensures the stability of the position of the drain pipe 10.
[0041] The positioning member 52 includes at least four positioning ribs 521, with adjacent positioning ribs 521 arranged at an angle, and each positioning rib 521 abutting against the wall of the drain pipe 10. In this way, the four positioning ribs 521 can limit the position of the drain pipe 10 from at least four directions to reduce its shaking.
[0042] In this embodiment, the four positioning ribs 521 are arranged vertically in pairs to ensure a more balanced limiting effect on the drain pipe 10. In other embodiments, the positioning ribs 521 may be increased to six or eight, etc.
[0043] The positioning rib 521 includes a limiting section 5211 and an abutting section 5212. The limiting section 5211 and the abutting section 5212 are connected, and the abutting section 5212 is located at the bottom of the mounting groove 51. When the drain pipe 10 extends into the mounting groove 51, the limiting section 5211 abuts against the inner wall of the drain pipe 10, and the end of the drain pipe 10 abuts against the abutting section 5212. In this way, the abutting section 5212 can ensure the axial position stability of the drain pipe 10, while the limiting section 5211 can ensure the radial position stability of the drain pipe 10.
[0044] The end of the drain pipe 10 furthest from the drip tray 20 is connected to a tray assembly 60, which is used to collect condensate. The tray assembly 60 includes a tray 61 and a connecting pipe 62. The tray 61 has flanges 612 on both sides, defining a carrying space. The bottom of the tray 61 has a through hole 611, through which the carrying space communicates with the connecting pipe 62. The connecting pipe 62 communicates with the drain pipe 10 and is angled to the drain pipe 10. In this way, the connecting pipe 62 is angled to the drain pipe 10, saving the space occupied by the tray assembly 60 in the height direction. Furthermore, the flanges 612 of the tray 61 prevent condensate from splashing, ensuring that the condensate flows through the connecting pipe 62 to the drain pipe 10.
[0045] This utility model also provides a refrigerator, including the refrigerator drain pipe structure 100 as described above.
[0046] Compared to existing technologies, this invention features a sealing member 30 that can move within the drain pipe 10. Because the inner diameter of the reduced diameter section 12 is smaller, the sealing member 30 can abut against the inner wall of the reduced diameter section 12 and move freely within the expanded diameter section 11, which has a larger inner diameter. When the sealing member 30 is in the first position and abuts against the reduced diameter section 12, it can seal the drain pipe 10, preventing external humid and hot air from entering the refrigerator, avoiding the problem of evaporator frost, and reducing the refrigerator's energy consumption. When condensate flows into the drain pipe 10, the gravity of the condensate applies pressure to the sealing member 30, causing the sealing member 30 to move away from the first position in response to the pressure, thereby opening the drain pipe 10 so that the condensate can flow down smoothly.
[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 drain structure of a refrigerator, characterized by comprising: include: Drain pipe (10); A water receiving tray (20) is located below the drain pipe (10); The drain pipe (10) includes an expanding section (11) and a reducing section (12), the expanding section (11) and the reducing section (12) are connected, and the inner diameter of the reducing section (12) is smaller than that of the expanding section (11). A sealing member (30) is provided inside the drain pipe (10), the outer diameter of the sealing member (30) is not smaller than the inner diameter of the reducing section (12), and the sealing member (30) has a first position that can abut against the inner wall of the reducing section (12). The sealing member (30) is configured to move away from the first position in response to an external force.
2. The refrigerator drain structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerator drain pipe structure includes an elastic element (40), one end of which is connected to the water receiving tray (20), and the other end is connected to the sealing element (30), and the sealing element (30) is supported in the first position.
3. The refrigerator drain structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic element (40) is configured as a spring, and the sealing element (30) is configured as a spherical structure.
4. The refrigerator drain pipe structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drain pipe (10) includes at least two expansion sections (11), and the reduction section (12) is located between the two expansion sections (11). Along the axial direction of the reduction section (12), the inner diameter of the reduction section (12) gradually decreases and then gradually increases.
5. The refrigerator drain structure according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The inner wall at the smallest inner diameter of the reduced diameter section (12) defines the flow opening (13), and the sealing element (30) fits against the inner wall of the flow opening (13).
6. The refrigerator drain structure according to claim 2, wherein The water receiving tray (20) has a mounting base (50) inside. The mounting base (50) is connected to the bottom of the water receiving tray (20) and protrudes towards the drain pipe (10). The mounting base (50) has a mounting groove (51) in it, and the drain pipe (10) extends into the mounting groove (51).
7. The refrigerator drain structure according to claim 6, wherein, The mounting base (50) is provided with a positioning element (52), which is coaxially arranged with the mounting groove (51). As the drain pipe (10) extends into the mounting groove (51), the positioning element (52) abuts against the inner wall of the drain pipe (10), and the elastic element (40) abuts against the positioning element (52).
8. The refrigerator drain structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The positioning element (52) includes at least four positioning ribs (521), two adjacent positioning ribs (521) are set at an angle, and each positioning rib (521) abuts against the wall of the drain pipe (10). The positioning rib (521) includes a limiting section (5211) and an abutting section (5212). The limiting section (5211) is connected to the abutting section (5212), and the abutting section (5212) is located at the bottom of the mounting groove (51). When the drain pipe (10) extends into the mounting groove (51), the limiting section (5211) abuts against the inner wall of the drain pipe (10), and the end of the drain pipe (10) abuts against the abutting section (5212).
9. The refrigerator drain structure according to claim 1, wherein, The drain pipe (10) is connected to a tray assembly (60) at the end away from the water receiving tray (20), the tray assembly (60) being used to hold condensate; The tray assembly (60) includes a tray (61) and a connecting pipe (62). The tray (61) has flanges (612) on both sides, defining a carrying space. The bottom of the tray (61) has a through hole (611). The carrying space is connected to the connecting pipe (62) through the through hole (611). The connecting pipe (62) is connected to the drain pipe (10) and is set at an angle to the drain pipe (10).
10. A refrigerator characterized by comprising: Includes the refrigerator drain pipe structure as described in any one of claims 1-9.