Air duct structure and refrigerator

Abstract

This disclosure provides an air duct structure and a refrigerator. When the purification main body is in the first position, it isolates the airflow channel between the first and second air duct sections, with its first side facing the second air duct section for absorbing pollutants within it. At this time, the ultraviolet light provider is in a closed state to avoid wasting light energy. When the purification main body is in the second position, the first and second air duct sections are connected, and the purification main body is fitted onto the inner wall of the second air duct section, forming a purification cavity with the first side of the purification main body and the inner wall of the second air duct section. The ultraviolet light provider is in an open state and located within the purification cavity for purifying the pollutants adsorbed on the first side. This disclosure increases the utilization of light energy from the ultraviolet light provider, achieves more thorough purification, and significantly reduces the interference of the ultraviolet light provider's thermal effect on the low-temperature environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of refrigerator technology, and more particularly to an air duct structure and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] A refrigerator is a device that preserves food by providing a storage compartment for refrigerating and storing it, and a cold air supply system to supply cold air to the storage compartment. Among related technologies, active sterilization and purification technologies for refrigerators mainly include ion sterilization, ultraviolet sterilization, ozone sterilization, and photocatalytic sterilization, but each has its own drawbacks. For example, ion technology cannot completely mineralize organic matter, leading to the generation of nitrogen oxides, and it is prone to breakdown and electrical sparks under high humidity conditions; ultraviolet and ozone sterilization are prone to secondary pollution; photocatalytic technology is considered the cleanest sterilization and purification method and has been widely used in air purification, water purification, and soil remediation. However, current photocatalytic purification technologies suffer from low light energy utilization and incomplete purification, easily generating intermediate products. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, in order to solve the technical problems of low light energy utilization and incomplete purification that easily generate intermediate products in the existing photocatalytic purification technology, this disclosure provides a duct structure and a refrigerator.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a duct structure is provided, the duct structure including a duct assembly and a photocatalytic purification assembly, the duct assembly including a first duct section and a second duct section, the photocatalytic purification assembly including a purification body and an ultraviolet light providing part, the purification body and the ultraviolet light providing part being located within the duct formed by the duct assembly, the first duct section being connected to the second duct section, and the purification body being rotatably connected to the duct assembly, such that the purification body has a first position and a second position;

[0005] When the purification main body is in the first position, the ultraviolet light providing part is in the closed state, the purification main body isolates the airflow channel between the first air duct section and the second air duct section, and the first side of the purification main body faces the second air duct section for absorbing pollutants in the second air duct section;

[0006] When the purification main body is in the second position, the first air duct section is connected to the second air duct, and the purification main body is fastened to the inner wall of the second air duct section so that the first side of the purification main body and the inner wall of the second air duct section form a sealed purification cavity. The ultraviolet light providing part is in the open state and is located in the purification cavity for purifying the pollutants adsorbed on the first side.

[0007] In one alternative implementation,

[0008] The second side of the purification body is adapted to the cross-section of the first air duct section. When the purification body is in the first position, the second side abuts against the inner wall edge of the first air duct section to isolate the airflow channel between the first air duct section and the second air duct section.

[0009] In one alternative implementation,

[0010] The first air duct section has a circular cross-section, and the purification body includes a hemispherical shell, the concave surface of which is the first side, and the convex surface of which is the second side.

[0011] In one alternative implementation,

[0012] The purification body includes an elastic washer, which is located at the edge of the hemispherical shell.

[0013] In one alternative implementation,

[0014] The purification main body includes a rotating shaft, and the hemispherical shell is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the air duct assembly through the rotating shaft.

[0015] In one alternative implementation,

[0016] The rotating shaft is located at the connection point between the first air duct section and the second air duct section.

[0017] In one alternative implementation,

[0018] A purification layer is provided on the first side of the purification body. The purification layer includes an adsorption material and a photocatalytic material. The adsorption material is used to adsorb pollutants. The ultraviolet light providing part includes at least one ultraviolet lamp. The ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet lamp irradiates the photocatalytic material to purify pollutants.

[0019] In one alternative implementation,

[0020] The ultraviolet light providing part is disposed on the inner wall of the second air duct section, and when the purification main body is fastened to the inner wall of the second air duct section, the ultraviolet light providing part is located on the central axis of the purification main body.

[0021] In one alternative implementation,

[0022] A heat insulation layer is provided on the second side of the purification main body, which is used to block the heat generated by the ultraviolet light providing part and the purification main body when purifying pollutants.

[0023] In one alternative implementation,

[0024] The air duct structure includes a fan, which is located on the side of the second air duct section away from the first air duct section. When the purification body is in the first position, the air outlet direction of the fan is towards the first side of the purification body.

[0025] In one alternative implementation,

[0026] The first air duct section and the second air duct section are connected to form a straight air duct. When the purification main body is switched from the first position to the second position, the rotation angle of the purification main body is 90°.

[0027] In one alternative implementation,

[0028] The first air duct section and the second air duct section are connected to form an L-shaped air duct. When the purification main body is switched from the first position to the second position, the rotation angle of the purification main body is 180°.

[0029] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerator is provided, the refrigerator including a storage compartment, an evaporator, and at least one air duct structure as described in any of the first aspects, the air duct structure forming an air duct located on the airflow passage between the storage compartment and the evaporator.

[0030] In one alternative implementation,

[0031] When the purification main body of the air duct structure is in the first position, the first side of the purification main body faces the main air duct of the refrigerator.

[0032] In one alternative implementation,

[0033] When the purification main body of the air duct structure is in the first position, the first side of the purification main body faces the storage compartment of the refrigerator.

[0034] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: In this disclosure, the air duct structure may include an air duct assembly and a photocatalytic purification assembly. The air duct assembly may include a first air duct segment and a second air duct segment connected together. The photocatalytic purification assembly may include a purification body and an ultraviolet light providing part. Both the purification body and the ultraviolet light providing part are located within the air duct formed by the air duct assembly, and the purification body is movably connected to the air duct assembly, so that the purification body has a first position and a second position. When the purification body is in the first position, the purification body isolates the airflow channel between the first air duct segment and the second air duct segment, and the first side of the purification body faces the second air duct segment for absorbing pollutants in the second air duct segment. At this time, the ultraviolet light providing part is in a closed state to avoid wasting light energy. When the purification body is in the second position, the first air duct segment is connected to the second air duct, and the purification body is fastened to the inner wall of the second air duct segment so that the first side of the purification body and the inner wall of the second air duct segment form a purification cavity. The ultraviolet light providing part is in an open state and is located within the purification cavity for purifying the pollutants adsorbed on the first side. In this disclosure, the ultraviolet light provider is in a closed state when adsorbing pollutants, and in a closed state when purifying pollutants, thereby increasing the utilization of light energy from the ultraviolet light provider. Simultaneously, since the purification main body is fitted onto the inner wall of the second air duct section during pollutant purification, a sealed purification chamber is formed, preventing the release of photocatalytic intermediate products, resulting in more thorough purification. Furthermore, the thermal effect of the ultraviolet light provider on the low-temperature environment is significantly reduced.

[0035] For example, when the air duct structure of this disclosure is applied to a refrigerator, the air duct formed by the air duct structure is located on the airflow channel between the storage compartment and the evaporator. When there is no need for the airflow channel between the storage compartment and the evaporator to be connected, the ultraviolet light provider can be controlled to be in a closed state, and the purification main body can be controlled to be in a first position. At this time, even if the purification main body isolates the airflow channel between the first and second air duct sections, it will not affect the normal operation of the refrigerator. The first side of the purification main body faces the second air duct section, allowing for the adsorption of pollutants. When there is a need for the airflow channel between the storage compartment and the evaporator to be connected, the purification main body can be controlled to be in a second position, connecting the first and second air duct sections to ensure the normal operation of the refrigerator. Furthermore, the purification main body is fitted onto the inner wall of the second air duct section, so that the first side of the purification main body and the inner wall of the second air duct section form a sealed purification chamber. The ultraviolet light provider is in an open state and located inside the purification chamber, providing ultraviolet light to the purification chamber for purifying the pollutants adsorbed on the first side. This better ensures the refrigerator's sterilization and purification capabilities, improving the user experience.

[0036] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0039] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0040] Figure 1 This is an exploded schematic diagram of a duct structure according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0041] Figure 2 This is an assembly schematic diagram of an air duct structure (including a fan) according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0042] Figure 3 This is another assembly schematic diagram of an air duct structure according to an exemplary embodiment (the fan is not included in the figure).

[0043] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a second air duct section according to an exemplary embodiment (including an ultraviolet light provider).

[0044] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the purification main body according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0045] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an L-shaped air duct according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0046] in:

[0047] 1. Air duct assembly; 11. First air duct section; 12. Second air duct section; 2. Photocatalytic purification assembly; 21. Purification main body; 211. Hemispherical shell; 2111. First side; 2112. Second side; 212. Rotating shaft; 22. Ultraviolet light supply unit; 3. Fan. Detailed Implementation

[0048] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0049] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples for implementing various aspects of the present invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples. Such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed.

[0050] For ease of description, spatial relative terms may be used in the text to describe the relative position or movement of one element or feature relative to another element or feature, as shown in the figure. These relative terms include, for example, "inside," "outside," "middle," "outer," "below," "below," "above," "front," "back," etc. Such spatial relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation, other than those depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure undergoes a positional flip, orientation change, or change of motion, these directional indications will change accordingly. For instance, an element described as "below other elements or features" or "below other elements or features" will subsequently be oriented "above other elements or features" or "above other elements or features." Therefore, the example term "below" can include both upper and lower orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used in the text will be interpreted accordingly.

[0051] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. Therefore, the drawings only show the components related to this application and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0052] The embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments are only for illustrating this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0053] To address the technical problems of low light energy utilization and incomplete purification leading to intermediate products in existing photocatalytic purification technologies, this disclosure provides a duct structure, a refrigerator, and a control method.

[0054] In this disclosure, the air duct structure may include an air duct assembly and a photocatalytic purification assembly. The air duct assembly may include a first air duct segment and a second air duct segment connected together. The photocatalytic purification assembly may include a purification body and an ultraviolet light providing part. Both the purification body and the ultraviolet light providing part are located within the air duct formed by the air duct assembly, and the purification body is movably connected to the air duct assembly, so that the purification body has a first position and a second position. When the purification body is in the first position, the purification body isolates the airflow channel between the first air duct segment and the second air duct segment, and the first side of the purification body faces the second air duct segment for absorbing pollutants in the second air duct segment. At this time, the ultraviolet light providing part is in a closed state to avoid wasting light energy. When the purification body is in the second position, the first air duct segment is connected to the second air duct, and the purification body is fastened to the inner wall of the second air duct segment so that the first side of the purification body and the inner wall of the second air duct segment form a purification cavity. The ultraviolet light providing part is in an open state and is located within the purification cavity for purifying the pollutants adsorbed on the first side. In this disclosure, the ultraviolet light provider is in a closed state when adsorbing pollutants, and in a closed state when purifying pollutants, thereby increasing the utilization of light energy from the ultraviolet light provider. Simultaneously, since the purification main body is fitted onto the inner wall of the second air duct section during pollutant purification, a sealed purification chamber is formed, preventing the release of photocatalytic intermediate products, resulting in more thorough purification. Furthermore, the thermal effect of the ultraviolet light provider on the low-temperature environment is significantly reduced.

[0055] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 4 As shown, an air duct structure, a refrigerator equipped with the air duct structure, and a control method applied to the refrigerator are provided. In this embodiment, the air duct structure may include an air duct assembly 1 and a photocatalytic purification assembly 2. The air duct assembly 1 includes a first air duct section 11 and a second air duct section 12, wherein the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12 are connected to form the air duct of the air duct assembly 1.

[0056] The photocatalytic purification component 2 includes a purification main body 21 and an ultraviolet light providing part 22. Both the purification main body 21 and the ultraviolet light providing part 22 are located within the air duct formed by the air duct component 1, and the purification main body 21 is rotatably connected to the air duct component 1, so that the purification main body 21 has a first position and a second position.

[0057] When the purification main body 21 is in the first position, the ultraviolet light providing part 22 is in a closed state, that is, the ultraviolet light providing part 22 does not emit ultraviolet light. The purification main body 21 isolates the airflow channel between the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12, and the first side 2111 of the purification main body 21 faces the second air duct section 12 for absorbing pollutants in the second air duct section 12.

[0058] When the air duct structure is applied to a refrigerator, and the purification main body 21 is in the first position, the first side 2111 of the purification main body 21 faces the main air duct of the refrigerator. That is, the side of the second air duct section 12 away from the first air duct section 11 can be connected to the main air duct to purify the main air duct. Alternatively, when the air duct structure is applied to a refrigerator, and the purification main body 21 is in the first position, the first side 2111 of the purification main body 21 can also face the storage compartment of the refrigerator. That is, the side of the second air duct section 12 away from the first end can be directly connected to the storage compartment to directly purify the storage compartment. It should be noted that the air duct structure can be installed in other locations requiring pollutant purification besides the aforementioned locations; there is no limitation on this.

[0059] When the purification main body 21 is in the second position, the first air duct section 11 is connected to the second air duct, and the purification main body 21 is fastened to the inner wall of the second air duct section 12, so that the first side 2111 of the purification main body 21 and the inner wall of the second air duct section 12 form a sealed purification cavity. The ultraviolet light providing part 22 is in the open state, that is, the ultraviolet light providing part 22 emits ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light providing part 22 is located in the purification cavity, and through cooperation with the purification main body 21, it purifies the pollutants adsorbed on the first side 2111. It should be noted that the sealed purification cavity formed by the first side 2111 of the purification main body 21 and the inner wall of the second air duct section 12 may be a partially sealed purification cavity, taking into account objective factors such as structural errors.

[0060] In this embodiment, when the purification main body 21 adsorbs pollutants, the ultraviolet light providing part 22 is in a closed state, while when purifying pollutants, the ultraviolet light providing part 22 is in a closed state. This avoids unnecessary activation of the ultraviolet light providing part 22 and increases the utilization of light energy from it. Simultaneously, since the purification main body 21 is attached to the inner wall of the second air duct section 12 during pollutant purification, a sealed purification chamber is formed, preventing the release of intermediate products from photocatalysis, resulting in more thorough purification. Furthermore, the thermal effect of the ultraviolet light providing part 22 significantly reduces interference with the low-temperature environment.

[0061] The purification body 21 may have a purification layer (not shown in the figure) on its first side 2111. This purification layer may include an adsorbent material and a photocatalytic material. The adsorbent material is used to adsorb pollutants, allowing the first side 2111 to adsorb and aggregate the pollutants. The adsorbent material may be selected from materials such as activated carbon, molecular sieves, zeolites, silica gel, metal-organic frameworks, and alumina, or composite materials containing one of these components; there is no limitation on this. The photocatalytic material may be selected from materials such as nano-titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. The ultraviolet light provider 22 irradiates the photocatalytic material of the purification layer with emitted ultraviolet light, generating strongly oxidizing free radicals, thereby degrading pollutants and achieving purification.

[0062] The ultraviolet light providing unit 22 may include at least one ultraviolet lamp; that is, the ultraviolet light providing unit 22 may be a single ultraviolet lamp or an ultraviolet lamp assembly, without limitation. In addition, the ultraviolet light providing unit 22 may be disposed on the inner wall of the second air duct section 12, for example, the ultraviolet light providing unit 22 may be fixed to the inner wall by means of adhesive connection or screw connection.

[0063] When the purification main body 21 is attached to the inner wall of the second air duct section 12, the ultraviolet light providing part 22 can be located on the central axis of the purification main body 21 to better ensure that the ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet light providing part 22 can evenly irradiate the purification layer on the first side 2111 of the purification main body 21, thereby improving the purification effect. Of course, the ultraviolet light providing part 22 can also be located outside the central axis, and there is no limitation on this, as long as it can ensure that the ultraviolet light emitted by it can evenly irradiate the purification layer.

[0064] The second side 2112 of the purification main body 21 may be provided with a heat insulation layer (not shown in the figure). When the ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet light providing unit 22 purifies pollutants with the photocatalytic material of the purification layer, a considerable amount of heat may be generated during the purification process. The aforementioned heat insulation layer can block the heat generated by the ultraviolet light providing unit 22 and the purification main body 21 during the purification of pollutants, thereby avoiding affecting the gas temperature in the air duct. For example, heat insulation material can be coated on the second side 2112 of the purification main body 21 to form a heat insulation layer. The heat insulation material can be ceramic heat insulation coating, silicon-based heat insulation coating, or polyurethane heat insulation coating, etc., and is not limited thereto.

[0065] When the air duct structure of this disclosure is applied to a refrigerator, the air duct formed by the air duct structure is located on the airflow channel between the storage compartment (not shown in the figure) and the evaporator (not shown in the figure). Since the purification main body 21 is in the first position, even if the purification main body 21 isolates the airflow channel between the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12, the normal operation of the refrigerator will not be affected when the airflow channel between the storage compartment and the evaporator does not need to be connected. The first side 2111 of the purification main body 21 faces the second air duct section 12, so that pollutants can be adsorbed. When there is a need for communication between the airflow channel between the storage compartment and the evaporator, the purification main body 21 can be controlled to be in the second position, with the first air duct section 11 connected to the second air duct to ensure normal use of the refrigerator. Furthermore, the purification main body 21 is fastened to the inner wall of the second air duct section 12 so that the first side 2111 of the purification main body 21 and the inner wall of the second air duct section 12 form a sealed purification chamber. The ultraviolet light providing part 22 is in the open state and located inside the purification chamber, which can provide ultraviolet light to the purification chamber for purifying the pollutants adsorbed on the first side 2111.

[0066] The refrigerator may include a control device (not shown in the figure), such as a motherboard. The air duct structure may include a drive device (not shown in the figure) for driving the rotation of the purification body 21 relative to the air duct assembly 1. The control device may be electrically connected to the drive device, and the control device may also be electrically connected to the ultraviolet light providing unit 22.

[0067] The control device determines whether the airflow channel between the refrigerator's storage compartment and the evaporator needs to be connected. It's important to note that when the refrigerator's storage compartment needs cooling, the airflow channel between the storage compartment and the evaporator must be connected. In other words, the need for airflow connection between the storage compartment and the evaporator can be determined based on whether the storage compartment needs cooling. Conversely, when the temperature of the storage compartment is higher than the set temperature, the storage compartment needs cooling. Therefore, the determination of whether the storage compartment needs cooling can be based on the difference between its temperature and the set temperature.

[0068] When the control device determines that the storage chamber does not require cooling, it can also determine that the airflow channel between the storage chamber and the evaporator does not need to be connected. In this case, the control device can control the purification main unit 21 to be in the first position via the drive device, and can also control the ultraviolet light supply unit 22 to be in the off state. At this time, the purification main unit 21 adsorbs pollutants. When the control device determines that the storage chamber requires cooling, it can also determine that the airflow channel between the storage chamber and the evaporator needs to be connected. In this case, the control device can control the purification main unit 21 to be in the second position via the drive device, and can also control the ultraviolet light supply unit 22 to be in the on state. At this time, the purification main unit 21 and the ultraviolet light supply unit 22 purify pollutants.

[0069] In this embodiment of the refrigerator, since the ultraviolet light providing unit 22 can be controlled to be in a closed state when it is not needed, not only can the light utilization rate of the ultraviolet light providing unit 22 be improved, but the energy consumption of the entire ultraviolet light providing unit 22 can also be reduced. Moreover, this embodiment can better ensure the sterilization and purification capabilities of the refrigerator while ensuring normal operation, thereby improving the user experience.

[0070] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 5 As shown, an air duct structure is provided, as well as a refrigerator equipped with the air duct structure and a control method applied to the refrigerator. In this embodiment, the second side 2112 of the purification main body 21 is adapted to the air duct cross-section of the first air duct section 11. When the purification main body 21 is in the first position, the second side 2112 abuts against the inner wall edge of the first air duct section 11 to better isolate the airflow channel between the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12.

[0071] The first air duct section 11 has a circular cross-section. The purification body 21 includes a hemispherical shell 211, with its concave inner surface being the first side 2111 and its convex outer surface being the second side 2112. The convex outer surface of the hemispherical shell 211 is adapted to the cross-section of the first air duct section 11. Therefore, when the hemispherical shell 211 is in the first position, its convex outer surface abuts against the edge of the first air duct section 11, sealing the side of the first air duct section 11 facing the second air duct section 12, thus blocking the airflow channel between the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12. When the hemispherical shell 211 is in the second position, its first side 2111 can be fastened to the inner wall of the second air duct section 12, and the concave inner surface of the hemispherical shell 211 and the inner wall of the second air duct section 12 can enclose each other to form a sealed purification chamber.

[0072] It should be noted that the fit between the purification body 21 and the first air duct section 11 can be either a fit between a hemispherical shell 211 and an air duct with a circular cross-section, or other fits. There are no limitations on this, as long as it can ensure that the second side 2112 of the purification body 21 is compatible with the air duct cross-section of the first air duct section 11.

[0073] In addition, in this embodiment, the purification body 21 may include an elastic washer (not shown in the figure), which may be, for example, a rubber washer. The elastic washer is disposed at the edge of the hemispherical shell 211. Based on this, when the hemispherical shell 211 is in the first position, the elastic washer can improve the sealing between the purification body 21 and the first air duct section 11, thereby better isolating the airflow channel between the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12. Moreover, the elastic washer can provide a certain buffering effect to avoid hard contact between the second side 2112 of the purification body 21 and the first air duct section 11. When the hemispherical shell 211 is in the second position, the elastic washer can also improve the sealing of the purification cavity between the purification body 21 and the inner wall of the second air duct section 12, and can also avoid hard contact between the first side 2111 of the purification body 21 and the inner wall of the second air duct section 12.

[0074] The purification main body 21 may include a rotating shaft 212, and the hemispherical shell 211 may be rotatably connected to the inner wall of the air duct of the air duct assembly 1 via the rotating shaft 212. For example, the rotating shaft 212 may be located at the connection position between the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12, so that the hemispherical shell 211 abuts against the first air duct section 11 at a first position and against the inner wall of the second air duct section 12 at a second position.

[0075] In some embodiments, when it is necessary to switch the hemispherical shell 211 from the first position to the second position, the control device can drive the rotating shaft 212 to rotate clockwise via a drive motor. The rotation of the rotating shaft 212 can cause the hemispherical shell 211 to flip, thereby switching it from the first position to the second position. When it is necessary to switch the hemispherical shell 211 from the second position to the first position, the control device can drive the rotating shaft 212 to rotate counterclockwise via a drive motor. The rotation of the rotating shaft 212 can cause the hemispherical shell 211 to flip, thereby switching it from the second position to the first position.

[0076] It should be noted that, in addition to using a drive motor to switch the position of the hemispherical shell 211, other drive devices can also be used to switch the position of the hemispherical shell 211, and there is no limitation on this.

[0077] In this embodiment, the hollow hemispherical shell 211 can be flipped, which can both block the air duct of the circular first air duct section 11 to isolate the flow of gas, and also fit onto the ultraviolet light providing part 22, forming a purification chamber with the inner wall of the second air duct section 12 for photocatalytic purification, thus achieving multi-functional operation. In addition, after the hemispherical shell 211 is flipped, it forms a sealed purification chamber with the inner wall of the second air duct section 12, effectively preventing the escape of photocatalytic intermediate products, improving the purification effect, and increasing the utilization rate of ultraviolet light.

[0078] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 5 As shown, an air duct structure is provided, as well as a refrigerator equipped with the air duct structure and a control method applied to the refrigerator. In this embodiment, the air duct structure may include a fan 3. The fan 3 is located on the side of the second air duct section 12 opposite to the first air duct section 11. When the purification main body 21 is in the first position, the air outlet direction of the fan 3 is towards the first side 2111 of the purification main body 21. The fan 3 can enhance the airflow movement, making it easier for polluted gas in the air duct of the second air duct section 12 to come into contact with the first side 2111 of the purification main body 21, thereby improving the adsorption efficiency of pollutants.

[0079] The control device is electrically connected to the fan 3 to control its on / off state. When the air duct structure is applied in a refrigerator, if it is determined that the airflow channel between the storage compartment and the evaporator does not require connection, the control device can keep the fan 3 on. Since the airflow direction of the fan 3 is towards the first side 2111 of the purification main body 21, pollutants can be blown towards the first side 2111 of the purification main body 21, thereby improving the adsorption efficiency of the purification main body 21 for pollutants. If it is determined that the airflow channel between the storage compartment and the evaporator requires connection, the control device can keep the fan 3 off to avoid the fan 3 affecting the normal flow of gas in the air duct. Additionally, this also reduces the refrigerator's energy consumption.

[0080] In this embodiment, by setting the fan 3, the adsorption efficiency of pollutants on the first side 2111 of the purification body 21 can be improved. The improved adsorption efficiency of pollutants can better enhance the purification capacity of the air duct structure for pollutants, thereby improving the purification and sterilization effect of the refrigerator and further enhancing the user experience.

[0081] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 4 As shown, an air duct structure is provided, as well as a refrigerator equipped with the air duct structure and a control method applied to the refrigerator. In this embodiment, the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12 are connected to form a straight air duct, and when the purification main body 21 switches from the first position to the second position, the rotation angle of the purification main body 21 is 90°.

[0082] The first air duct section 11 forms a circular cross-section air duct. The second air duct section 12 forms a square cross-section air duct. The two air duct sections can be connected by flanges, welding, snap-fit ​​connections, or sealing rings, etc., to ensure robustness and airtightness.

[0083] A rotating shaft 212 can be installed at the connection point between the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12. The rotating shaft 212 can be connected to a hollow hemispherical shell 211. The diameter of the hemispherical shell 211 can be approximately the same as the diameter of the air duct cross-section of the first air duct section 11, thereby shielding the circular air duct of the first air duct section 11 and blocking the passage of airflow. The side length of the air duct cross-section of the second air duct section 12 can be greater than the diameter of the hemispherical shell 211 to ensure that the hemispherical shell 211 can be rotated within the second air duct section 12.

[0084] In different working modes, the hemispherical shell 211 can be rotated by the rotating shaft 212 to switch between the first position and the second position, thereby controlling the connection and blockage of the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12.

[0085] In the first operating mode, the hemispherical shell 211 is in the first position, which can isolate the airflow between the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12. In the second operating mode, the hemispherical shell 211 is in the second position, and the hemispherical shell 211 is fastened to the inner wall of the second air duct section 12, and the ultraviolet lamp assembly is fastened therein to form a sealed purification chamber. In this case, the ultraviolet lamp assembly is located on the central axis of the hemispherical shell 211.

[0086] It should be noted that when the air duct formed by the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12 is a straight air duct (refer to...) Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown), when the hemispherical shell 211 is in the first position, it can be switched to the second position by rotating 90°, thereby fastening it to the inner wall of the second air duct section 12. When the air duct formed by the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12 is an L-shaped air duct (see reference...). Figure 6 As shown, when the hemispherical shell 211 is in the first position, it can be switched to the second position by rotating 180°, thereby fitting onto the inner wall of the second air duct section 12. Of course, the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12 can also form air ducts of other shapes, which is not limited. When the first air duct section 11 and the second air duct section 12 form air ducts of other shapes, the rotation angle of the hemispherical shell 211 when switching positions can be determined according to the actual situation, which is not limited.

[0087] The concave surface of the hemispherical shell 211 is coated with adsorbent and photocatalytic materials to form a purification layer, enabling the adsorption and aggregation of pollutants. In the second operating mode, the ultraviolet lamp assembly irradiates the photocatalytic material to purify the pollutants. The adsorbent can be activated carbon, molecular sieves, zeolites, silica gel, metal-organic frameworks, alumina, or composite materials containing one of these components. The photocatalytic material can be nano-titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, etc.

[0088] The outer convex surface of the hemispherical shell 211 is coated with a heat-insulating material, thus forming a heat-insulating layer that can block the heat generated during the photocatalytic purification process. The heat-insulating material can be ceramic heat-insulating coating, silicon-based heat-insulating coating, or polyurethane heat-insulating coating, etc.

[0089] The air duct structure can be installed inside the refrigerator's air duct, and the rotation of the hemispherical shell 211 is controlled by the refrigerator's control device (e.g., the main board). When the storage compartment does not need cooling, i.e., the airflow in the storage compartment does not need to be connected to the evaporator, the hemispherical shell 211 can be controlled to be in the first position. The airflow in the air duct impacts the concave surface of the hemispherical shell 211 under the action of the fan 3, and the pollutant molecules are adsorbed by the adsorption material on the concave surface. This state is the first working mode. When the storage compartment needs cooling, i.e., the airflow in the storage compartment needs to be connected to the evaporator, the hemispherical shell 211 is rotated to the second position under the control of the control device. The hemispherical shell 211 is attached to the inner wall of the second air duct section 12 to form a purification chamber, and the ultraviolet lamp assembly is attached to the purification chamber. At the same time, the ultraviolet lamp assembly is controlled to be turned on to start purifying the pollutant molecules adsorbed in the first working mode. At this time, the heat insulation material coated on the outer convex surface of the hemispherical shell 211 isolates the heat generated by the ultraviolet light. Once the temperature inside the storage room reaches the set temperature, it indicates that the storage room no longer needs cooling. The control device can then control the hemispherical shell 211 to flip to the first position and close the air duct. This process is the second working mode, in which the fan 3 is in the off state.

[0090] In this embodiment, the air duct assembly 1 is composed of air duct segments with circular and square cross-sections. Each air duct segment can be a sleeve-type air duct, increasing the flexibility and adaptability of the structure. A hollow hemispherical shell 211 is set between two air duct segments, which can perfectly block the circular air duct. The hollow hemispherical shell 211 can be flipped, which can both block the circular air duct to control airflow and attach to the ultraviolet lamp assembly for photocatalytic purification, realizing multi-functional operation. After flipping, the hemispherical shell 211 combines with the ultraviolet lamp assembly and forms a sealed purification chamber with the inner wall of the second air duct segment 12, effectively preventing the escape of photocatalytic intermediate products, improving the purification effect, and increasing the utilization of light energy of the ultraviolet lamp, with all the light emitted by the ultraviolet lamp illuminating the purification assembly. In addition, the concave surface of the hemispherical shell 211 is coated with adsorption material and photocatalytic material to enhance the adsorption of harmful substances and photocatalytic reaction, thereby improving purification efficiency. Furthermore, the sealed purification chamber design and the coating of heat-insulating material on the convex surface of the hemispherical shell 211 can reduce the impact of ultraviolet lamp heat on the low-temperature environment and improve environmental adaptability. That is, this embodiment can increase the utilization rate of ultraviolet light energy, and the purification is more thorough, while the interference of the thermal effect of ultraviolet light on the low-temperature environment is also greatly reduced.

[0091] Those skilled in the art will further recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the components and steps of the various examples have been generally described in terms of functionality in the foregoing description. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0092] It should be noted that the terms "one implementation," "embodiment," "exemplary embodiment," and "some embodiments" used in the specification indicate that the described embodiment may include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, implementing such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not, is within the knowledge scope of those skilled in the art.

[0093] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or air conditioner that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or air conditioner. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or air conditioner that includes said element.

[0094] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments provided to fully illustrate this application, and the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on this application are all within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An air duct structure characterized by, The air duct structure includes an air duct assembly and a photocatalytic purification assembly. The air duct assembly includes a first air duct section and a second air duct section. The photocatalytic purification assembly includes a purification body and an ultraviolet light providing part. The purification body and the ultraviolet light providing part are both located within the air duct formed by the air duct assembly. The first air duct section is connected to the second air duct section, and the purification body is rotatably connected to the air duct assembly, so that the purification body has a first position and a second position. When the purification main body is in the first position, the ultraviolet light providing part is in the closed state, the purification main body isolates the airflow channel between the first air duct section and the second air duct section, and the first side of the purification main body faces the second air duct section for absorbing pollutants in the second air duct section; When the purification main body is in the second position, the first air duct section is connected to the second air duct, and the purification main body is fastened to the inner wall of the second air duct section so that the first side of the purification main body and the inner wall of the second air duct section form a sealed purification cavity. The ultraviolet light providing part is in the open state and is located in the purification cavity for purifying the pollutants adsorbed on the first side.

2. The air duct structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second side of the purification body is adapted to the cross-section of the first air duct section. When the purification body is in the first position, the second side abuts against the inner wall edge of the first air duct section to isolate the airflow channel between the first air duct section and the second air duct section.

3. The air duct structure according to claim 2, wherein The first air duct section has a circular cross-section, and the purification body includes a hemispherical shell, the concave surface of which is the first side, and the convex surface of which is the second side.

4. The air duct structure according to claim 3, wherein The purification body includes an elastic washer, which is located at the edge of the hemispherical shell.

5. The air duct structure according to claim 3, wherein The purification main body includes a rotating shaft, and the hemispherical shell is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the air duct assembly through the rotating shaft.

6. The air duct structure according to claim 5, wherein The rotating shaft is located at the connection point between the first air duct section and the second air duct section.

7. The air duct structure according to claim 1, wherein A purification layer is provided on the first side of the purification body. The purification layer includes an adsorption material and a photocatalytic material. The adsorption material is used to adsorb pollutants. The ultraviolet light providing part includes at least one ultraviolet lamp. The ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet lamp irradiates the photocatalytic material to purify pollutants.

8. The air duct structure according to claim 7, wherein The ultraviolet light providing part is disposed on the inner wall of the second air duct section, and when the purification main body is fastened to the inner wall of the second air duct section, the ultraviolet light providing part is located on the central axis of the purification main body.

9. The air duct structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, A heat insulation layer is provided on the second side of the purification main body, which is used to block the heat generated by the ultraviolet light providing part and the purification main body when purifying pollutants.

10. The air duct structure according to claim 1, wherein The air duct structure includes a fan, which is located on the side of the second air duct section away from the first air duct section. When the purification body is in the first position, the air outlet direction of the fan is towards the first side of the purification body.

11. The air duct structure according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein The first air duct section and the second air duct section are connected to form a straight air duct. When the purification main body is switched from the first position to the second position, the rotation angle of the purification main body is 90°.

12. The air duct structure according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein The first air duct section and the second air duct section are connected to form an L-shaped air duct. When the purification main body is switched from the first position to the second position, the rotation angle of the purification main body is 180°.

13. A refrigerator characterized by comprising: The refrigerator includes a storage compartment, an evaporator, and at least one air duct structure as described in any one of claims 1-12, wherein the air duct structure forms an air duct located on the airflow passage between the storage compartment and the evaporator.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13, characterized in that, When the purification main body of the air duct structure is in the first position, the first side of the purification main body faces the main air duct of the refrigerator.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein, When the purification main body of the air duct structure is in the first position, the first side of the purification main body faces the storage compartment of the refrigerator.

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