Refrigerator pressure switch and refrigerator
By using an elastic sealing sheet to drive the deformation of the moving electrode in the refrigerator's gas pressure switch, the problem of capacitance changes being easily interfered with in the prior art is solved, achieving more stable and reliable refrigerator door control.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NINGBO FOTILE KITCHEN WARE CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-12
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-04
AI Technical Summary
Existing refrigerator pressure switches have small metal sheet deformations, making capacitance changes susceptible to electromagnetic interference and assembly tolerances, which affects the reliability and accuracy of the switch.
The movable electrode is mounted on an elastic sealing sheet. The change in air pressure inside the refrigerator drives the elastic sealing sheet to deform, which in turn changes the distance between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode. By changing the pressure difference, the capacitance change threshold is increased, avoiding the effects of electromagnetic interference and assembly deviation.
The stability and reliability of the refrigerator's pressure switch have been improved, preventing false triggering and enhancing the accuracy and stability of door opening control.
Smart Images
Figure CN224593551U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigerator pressure switch technology, and in particular to a refrigerator pressure switch and a refrigerator. Background Technology
[0002] The automatic door opening device of a refrigerator can use a pneumatic switch as a detection device. When the refrigerator door is pushed, a certain pressure difference can be formed between the inside and outside of the refrigerator. This pressure difference acts on the pneumatic switch, causing its state to change, thereby outputting a corresponding electrical signal to control the door to open.
[0003] Existing pneumatic switches include a movable metal plate and a fixed electrode, which are connected via an electrical signal, forming a variable capacitor. When the door is pushed, the internal air pressure changes, causing the metal plate to deform. This changes the distance between the metal plate and the fixed electrode, resulting in a change in capacitance. By detecting this change in capacitance, an opening signal is output to control the refrigerator door to open when the change reaches a set threshold. However, since the deformation that the metal plate can produce is usually very small, it is necessary to lower the circuit's detection threshold to improve the sensitivity to small capacitance changes. This increased sensitivity may lead to electromagnetic interference, assembly tolerances, and other factors being misinterpreted as valid capacitance changes, resulting in false triggering of the switch and affecting the reliability and accuracy of the refrigerator door status detection. Utility Model Content
[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a refrigerator pressure switch and refrigerator with high reliability and accuracy.
[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides the following technical solution:
[0006] A refrigerator pressure switch, installed on the refrigerator body, is capable of controlling the opening of the refrigerator door in response to changes in internal air pressure; the refrigerator pressure switch includes:
[0007] A housing having a cavity and for mounting to the enclosure;
[0008] An elastic sealing sheet is installed inside the cavity and divides the cavity into a first cavity and a second cavity that are independently arranged in the axial direction of the cavity, the second cavity being used to communicate with the interior of the box body;
[0009] A fixed electrode is installed in the first cavity and spaced apart from the elastic sealing sheet in the axial direction of the cavity;
[0010] The movable electrode is located on the side of the elastic sealing sheet facing the fixed electrode and is spaced apart from the fixed electrode;
[0011] The elastic sealing sheet includes a sealing area and a thin-walled area. The sealing area is sealed against the inner wall of the chamber and is arranged around the thin-walled area. In the axial direction of the chamber, the thickness of the thin-walled area is less than the thickness of the sealing area. The movable electrode is installed in the thin-walled area.
[0012] In response to a change in pressure within the second cavity, the thin-walled region can deform toward the fixed electrode, thereby causing the movable electrode to move toward the fixed electrode and changing the distance between the movable plate and the fixed electrode.
[0013] Understandably, this application utilizes an elastic sealing sheet and mounts the movable electrode on it. When the internal air pressure of the refrigerator changes, the pressure difference between the internal and external air pressures drives the elastic seal to deform. This deformation, in turn, causes the movable electrode to deform, altering the distance between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode, thus changing the capacitance value. Because the elastic seal is easily deformable, and its deformation changes with the pressure difference, the threshold for capacitance change can be increased by altering the pressure difference without increasing the response sensitivity when testing capacitance changes. This avoids interference from electromagnetic interference, assembly deviations, and other factors when measuring capacitance changes, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the refrigerator's pressure switch controlling door opening.
[0014] In one embodiment, an annular groove is formed at the junction of the sealing area and the thin-walled area in the radial direction of the chamber. The annular groove protrudes towards the second cavity in the axial direction of the chamber, and the opening of the annular groove faces the fixed electrode.
[0015] In one embodiment, in the axial direction of the chamber, the wall thickness at the annular groove is h1, where 0.2mm ≤ h1 ≤ 0.5mm.
[0016] In one embodiment, the resilient sealing sheet is configured as a silicone sheet.
[0017] In one embodiment, the thickness of the thin-walled region is h2, where 0.5 mm ≤ h2 ≤ 2 mm.
[0018] In one embodiment, the refrigerator pressure switch further includes a gasket, the gasket being annular and disposed between the sealing area and the fixed electrode, with both sides of the gasket abutting against the sealing area and the fixed electrode, respectively.
[0019] In one embodiment, a step is provided on the inner wall of the chamber, and the sealing area abuts against the step.
[0020] In one embodiment, the housing includes an upper shell and a lower shell, the upper shell being mounted to the housing, the upper shell being positioned above the lower shell in the axial direction of the housing, and being detachably connected to the lower shell to form the cavity.
[0021] In one embodiment, a plurality of extrusion columns are provided on the inner wall of the upper shell, and the plurality of extrusion columns are spaced apart along the circumference of the chamber;
[0022] The end of the extrusion column facing the lower shell can abut against and extrude the fixed electrode.
[0023] This application also provides the following technical solutions:
[0024] A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a door, and a refrigerator pressure switch as described in any of the above embodiments. The door is mounted on the cabinet and can move relative to the cabinet in response to an external force to change the internal air pressure of the cabinet. The refrigerator pressure switch is mounted on the cabinet and is used to control the opening of the refrigerator door in response to changes in the internal air pressure of the refrigerator.
[0025] Compared to existing technologies, the refrigerator pressure switch utilizes an elastic sealing plate and mounts a movable electrode on it. When the internal air pressure of the refrigerator changes, the pressure difference between the internal and external air pressures drives the elastic sealing plate to deform. This deformation, in turn, causes the movable electrode to deform, altering the distance between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode, thus changing the capacitance value. Because the elastic sealing plate is easily deformable, and its deformation changes with the pressure difference, the threshold for capacitance change can be increased by altering the pressure difference without increasing the sensitivity of the capacitance test. This avoids interference from electromagnetic interference, assembly deviations, and other factors when measuring capacitance changes, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the refrigerator pressure switch in controlling door opening. Attached Figure Description
[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerator structure provided in this application.
[0028] Figure 2 A top view of the refrigerator provided in this application.
[0029] Figure 3For this application Figure 2 Sectional view at point AA.
[0030] Figure 4 For the purposes of this application Figure 3 Enlarged view of point B in the middle.
[0031] Figure 5 For this application Figure 4 A magnified view of point C in the middle.
[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the refrigerator pressure switch provided in this application.
[0033] Figure 7 An exploded view of the refrigerator pressure switch provided in this application.
[0034] The component labels are as follows:
[0035] 100. Refrigerator pressure switch; 10. Housing; 11. Chamber; 111. First chamber; 112. Second chamber; 113. Inner wall; 12. Step; 13. Upper shell; 131. Extrusion column; 14. Lower shell; 15. Connecting pipe; 20. Elastic sealing sheet; 21. Sealing area; 22. Thin-walled area; 23. Annular groove; 30. Fixed electrode; 31. Through hole; 40. Movable electrode; 50. Gasket;
[0036] 200, Refrigerator; 201, Cabinet; 210, First Embedded Box; 211, First Pipe Interface; 220, Second Embedded Box; 221, Second Pipe Interface; 230, Connecting Pipe. Detailed Implementation
[0037] 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.
[0038] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is considered to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component present. 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.
[0039] 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.
[0040] 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.
[0041] 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.
[0042] Please see Figures 1 to 7 This application provides a refrigerator pressure switch 100, which is installed on the cabinet 201 of the refrigerator 200. When the refrigerator door is pushed, the internal air pressure of the refrigerator 200 changes. The refrigerator pressure switch 100 can respond to the change in internal air pressure of the refrigerator 200 and control the opening of the refrigerator door.
[0043] Specifically, the refrigerator pressure switch 100 includes a housing 10, an elastic sealing sheet 20, a fixed electrode 30, and a movable electrode 40. The housing 10 has a cavity 11 and is used for installation onto the cabinet 201. The elastic sealing sheet 20 is installed inside the cavity 11 and divides the cavity 11 into a first cavity 111 and a second cavity 112, which are independently arranged, along the axial direction of the cavity 11. The second cavity 112 is used to communicate with the interior of the cabinet 201. The fixed electrode 30 is installed in the first cavity 111 and is spaced apart from the elastic sealing sheet 20 along the axial direction of the cavity 11. The movable electrode 40 is located between the elastic sealing sheet 20 and the fixed electrode. The movable electrode 40 is disposed on one side of the fixed electrode 30 at a distance from it. The elastic sealing sheet 20 includes a sealing area 21 and a thin-walled area 22. The sealing area 21 seals against the inner wall 113 of the chamber 11 and surrounds the thin-walled area 22. Along the axial direction of the chamber 11, the thickness of the thin-walled area 22 is less than the thickness of the sealing area 21. The movable electrode 40 is mounted on the thin-walled area 22. In response to pressure changes within the second chamber 112, the thin-walled area 22 deforms towards the fixed electrode 30, causing the movable electrode 40 to move towards the fixed electrode 30 and changing the distance between the movable sheet and the fixed electrode 30. Thus, by providing the elastic sealing sheet 20 and mounting the movable electrode 40 on it, when the internal air pressure of the refrigerator 200 changes, the pressure difference between the internal and external air pressures drives the elastic sealing sheet to deform. This deformation of the elastic sealing sheet causes the movable electrode 40 to deform, resulting in a change in the distance between the movable electrode 40 and the fixed electrode, thus altering the capacitance value. Because elastic seals are prone to deformation, and their deformation changes with pressure difference, the threshold of capacitance change can be increased by changing the pressure difference without increasing the response sensitivity when testing capacitance change. This avoids interference from factors such as electromagnetic interference and assembly deviation when measuring capacitance change, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the refrigerator pressure switch 100 in controlling the door opening.
[0044] like Figure 4 As shown, a step 12 is provided on the inner wall 113 of the chamber 11, and the sealing area 21 abuts against the step 12 and is sealed by the step 12. In this way, by providing the step 12, stable support and positioning can be provided for the sealing area 21, improving the installation accuracy and stability of the elastic sealing sheet 20 during use.
[0045] like Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, the housing 10 includes an upper shell 13 and a lower shell 14. The upper shell 13 is installed onto the cabinet 201. Along the axial direction of the housing 10, the upper shell 13 is positioned above the lower shell 14 and is detachably connected to the lower shell 14 to form a chamber 11. Thus, by providing a split, detachable housing 10 structure, the installation, debugging, and maintenance of internal components are facilitated when using the refrigerator pressure switch 100, thereby improving production and maintenance efficiency.
[0046] In one embodiment, a plurality of extrusion posts 131 are provided on the inner wall 113 of the upper shell 13, and the plurality of extrusion posts 131 are spaced apart circumferentially along the cavity 11; wherein, the end of the extrusion post 131 facing the lower shell 14 can abut against and extrude the fixed electrode 30. By providing the extrusion posts 131, the extrusion posts 131 extrude the fixed electrode 30, which can simultaneously apply a downward force along the axial direction of the shell to the sealing area 21 of the elastic sealing sheet 20, thereby enhancing the sealing performance between the sealing area 21 and the step 12.
[0047] Here, the extrusion columns 131 are set to multiple, ranging from 2 to 10, such as 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10, etc.
[0048] Furthermore, the extrusion column 131 is integrally formed with the upper shell 13. This reduces the number of parts, simplifies the assembly process, and improves the overall structural reliability.
[0049] In this embodiment, multiple extrusion columns 131 are spaced apart circumferentially along the upper shell 13, facing the fixed electrode 30. This allows pressure to be applied evenly to the fixed electrode 30 from all directions, and the fixed electrode 30, in turn, causes the sealing area 21 to press against the step 12 at various locations, ensuring a good seal between the sealing area 21 and the step 12. Furthermore, the arrangement of the extrusion columns 131 also improves the stability of the fixed electrode 30.
[0050] like Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, an annular groove 23 is formed at the connection between the sealing area 21 and the thin-walled area 22 in the radial direction of the chamber 11. The annular groove 23 protrudes towards the second chamber 112 in the axial direction of the chamber 11, and the opening of the annular groove 23 faces the fixed electrode 30. Here, by setting the annular groove 23, a weak area can be formed at the connection between the sealing area 21 and the thin-walled area 22, making the elastic sealing sheet 20 more likely to deform in response to changes in the internal air pressure of the refrigerator 200. This can improve the capacitance change threshold, avoid interference factors from affecting the control of the refrigerator air pressure switch 100, and thus improve the stability of the refrigerator air pressure switch 100.
[0051] Furthermore, in the axial direction of chamber 11, the wall thickness at the annular groove 23 is h1, where 0.2mm ≤ h1 ≤ 0.5mm. For example, h1 can be 0.2mm, 0.4mm, 0.5mm, etc. In this way, by setting 0.2mm ≤ h1 ≤ 0.5mm, it is ensured that the annular groove 23 has sufficient flexibility to allow the thin-walled area 22 to deform and drive the movable electrode 40 to move, while also preventing easy damage due to excessively thin walls, thus ensuring stable and reliable deformation of the elastic sealing sheet 20.
[0052] In one embodiment, the elastic sealing sheet 20 is a silicone sheet. This allows the elastic sealing sheet 20 to effectively seal the chamber 11 while also being able to deform flexibly. This ensures that the elastic sealing sheet 20 provides a good seal for the second chamber 112 while also deforming in response to changes in internal air pressure within the refrigerator 200, thus guaranteeing the stability of the refrigerator's air pressure switch 100. However, the elastic sealing sheet 20 can also be made of rubber.
[0053] In one embodiment, the thickness of the thin-walled region 22 is h2, where 0.5mm ≤ h2 ≤ 2mm. For example, h1 can be 0.5mm, 0.8mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, etc. This ensures that the thin-walled region 22 can undergo appropriate deformation under the internal air pressure of the refrigerator 200, without being too thick to deform properly or too thin to be damaged by excessive deformation. This allows the movable electrode 40 to stably change its distance from the fixed electrode 30, resulting in a strong linear correlation between the capacitance value and the air pressure, and high control precision of the refrigerator air pressure switch 100.
[0054] like Figure 7 As shown, the fixed electrode 30 can be a metal sheet such as a copper sheet, aluminum sheet, or stainless steel sheet. The fixed electrode 30 and the movable electrode 40 form a capacitor structure, and the fixed electrode 30 and the movable electrode 40 can be connected to a circuit to collect signals, thereby outputting the signal. Here, the fixed electrode 30 can be integrated with the circuit to facilitate the reception and transmission of capacitance signals.
[0055] In this embodiment, a PCB circuit board is integrated on the fixed electrode 30. By integrating the fixed electrode with the PCB circuit board, no additional circuitry is required, thus reducing assembly costs. The PCB circuit board collects capacitance signals and transmits them to the refrigerator's controller, which then uses these capacitance signals to control the refrigerator's opening and closing.
[0056] Furthermore, a through hole 31 is provided on the fixed electrode 30, through which the first cavity 111 communicates with the outside. Not limited to this, in other embodiments, a through hole may also be provided on the housing 10 to communicate the first cavity 111 with the outside.
[0057] In one embodiment, the active electrode 40 can be a metal sheet such as a copper sheet, an aluminum sheet, or a stainless steel sheet.
[0058] like Figure 7 As shown, the refrigerator pressure switch 100 also includes a gasket 50. The gasket is annular and is disposed between the sealing area 21 and the fixed electrode 30, with both sides of the gasket 50 abutting against the sealing area 21 and the fixed electrode 30, respectively. This buffers the pressure between the sealing area 21 and the fixed electrode 30, improving the stability of the fixed electrode 30 installation.
[0059] This application also provides the following technical solutions:
[0060] A refrigerator 200, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the refrigerator includes a housing 201, a door, and a refrigerator pressure switch 100 as described in any of the above embodiments. The door is mounted on the housing 201 and can move relative to the housing 201 in response to external force to change the internal air pressure of the housing 201. The refrigerator pressure switch 100 is mounted on the housing 201 and is used to control the opening of the refrigerator door in response to changes in the internal air pressure of the refrigerator 200.
[0061] like Figure 6 As shown, the refrigerator 200 also includes a first embedded box 210, a second embedded box 220, and a connecting pipe 230. The first embedded box 210 is installed on the cabinet 201 and is provided with a first pipe interface 211. The second embedded box 220 is installed inside the cabinet 201 and is provided with a second pipe interface 221. One end of the connecting pipe 230 is connected to the first pipe interface 211, and the other end is connected to the second pipe interface 221. The shell 10 is provided with a plug pipe 15 that communicates with the second cavity 112. The plug pipe 15 is inserted into the first pipe interface 211 and communicates with the connecting pipe 230.
[0062] 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.
[0063] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the patent protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A refrigerator air pressure switch, which is arranged on a cabinet (201) of a refrigerator (200) and can control opening of a door body of the refrigerator (200) in response to change of air pressure inside the refrigerator (200), characterized in that, The refrigerator pressure switch (100) includes: The housing (10) has a chamber (11) and is used for mounting to the enclosure (201). An elastic sealing sheet (20) is installed in the chamber (11) and divides the chamber (11) into a first chamber (111) and a second chamber (112) that are independently arranged in the axial direction of the chamber (11). The second chamber (112) is used to communicate with the interior of the box body (201). A fixed electrode (30) is installed in the first cavity (111) and spaced apart from the elastic sealing sheet (20) in the axial direction of the cavity (11); The active electrode (40) is located on the side of the elastic sealing sheet (20) facing the fixed electrode (30) and is spaced apart from the fixed electrode (30); The elastic sealing sheet (20) includes a sealing area (21) and a thin-walled area (22). The sealing area (21) is sealed against the inner wall (113) of the chamber (11) and surrounds the thin-walled area (22). In the axial direction of the chamber (11), the thickness of the thin-walled area (22) is less than the thickness of the sealing area (21). The movable electrode (40) is installed in the thin-walled area (22). In response to the pressure change in the second cavity (112), the thin-walled region (22) can deform toward the fixed electrode (30) to drive the movable electrode (40) to move toward the fixed electrode (30) and change the distance between the movable electrode (40) and the fixed electrode (30).
2. The refrigerator pressure switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the radial direction of the chamber (11), an annular groove (23) is formed at the connection between the sealing area (21) and the thin-walled area (22). The annular groove (23) protrudes from the axial direction of the chamber (11) toward the second cavity (112) and the opening of the annular groove (23) faces the fixed electrode (30).
3. The refrigerator pressure switch according to claim 2, wherein, In the axial direction of the chamber (11), the wall thickness of the annular groove (23) is h1, 0.2mm≤h1≤0.5mm.
4. The refrigerator pressure switch according to claim 1, wherein, The elastic sealing sheet (20) is made of silicone.
5. The refrigerator pressure switch according to claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the thin-walled region (22) is h2, 0.5mm≤h2≤2mm.
6. The refrigerator gas pressure switch according to claim 1, wherein, The refrigerator pressure switch (100) also includes a gasket (50), which is annular and disposed between the sealing area (21) and the fixed electrode (30), with the two sides of the gasket (50) abutting against the sealing area (21) and the fixed electrode (30) respectively.
7. The refrigerator gas pressure switch according to claim 1, wherein, A step (12) is provided on the inner wall (113) of the chamber (11), and the sealing area (21) abuts against the step (12).
8. The refrigerator gas pressure switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (10) includes an upper shell (13) and a lower shell (14). The upper shell (13) is used to be installed on the box (201). In the axial direction of the housing (10), the upper shell (13) is located above the lower shell (14) and is detachably connected to the lower shell (14) to form the chamber (11).
9. The refrigerator gas pressure switch according to claim 8, characterized in that, The inner wall (113) of the upper shell (13) is provided with a plurality of extrusion columns (131), and the plurality of extrusion columns (131) are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the chamber (11); The end of the extrusion column (131) facing the lower shell (14) can abut against and extrude the fixed electrode (30).
10. A refrigerator characterized by comprising: The refrigerator includes a housing (201), a door, and a refrigerator pressure switch (100) as described in any one of claims 1-9. The door is mounted on the housing (201) and can move relative to the housing (201) in response to an external force to change the internal air pressure of the housing (201). The refrigerator pressure switch (100) is mounted on the housing (201) and is used to control the opening of the refrigerator (200) door in response to changes in the internal air pressure of the refrigerator (200).