Refrigerator

Abstract

The application relates to a refrigerator. The refrigerator comprises a cabinet, a cabinet door, a water dispenser and a defrosting water recycling mechanism, wherein the cabinet is provided with an evaporator; the cabinet door is connected to the cabinet in an openable and closable mode, and the cabinet door is provided with a door seal; the water dispenser is arranged on the cabinet or the cabinet door, and the water dispenser comprises a water storage tank for storing drinking water; the defrosting water recycling mechanism comprises a collecting assembly, a filtering assembly, a first pipeline and a second pipeline, the collecting assembly is arranged below the evaporator, and the collecting assembly is used for collecting defrosting water generated by defrosting of the evaporator; the filtering assembly is connected with the collecting assembly, one end of the first pipeline is connected with the filtering assembly, the other end of the first pipeline is connected with the water storage tank, one end of the second pipeline is connected with the filtering assembly, and the other end of the second pipeline is connected with the door seal. The above refrigerator realizes recycling and reuse of defrosting water, and avoids problems such as overflow and bacterial breeding caused by the defrosting water remaining in the refrigerator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to refrigerators. Background Technology

[0002] The principle of a frost-free refrigerator is to use air for cooling. When hot air flows through the evaporator built into the refrigerator, heat exchange occurs directly between the two, causing the air temperature to drop and forming cold air. This cold air is then blown into the refrigerator, thus lowering the temperature inside.

[0003] Because water vapor exists in the air, it condenses when it encounters cold air, causing frost to form on the evaporator surface of a frost-free refrigerator during operation. To ensure the long-term stable operation of the evaporator, it needs to be defrosted periodically, which produces defrost water. In related technologies, refrigerators typically use a drain pipe to transport the defrost water produced after evaporator defrosting to a drip tray at the bottom of the refrigerator to evaporate. This not only wastes water resources but also has low evaporation efficiency, leading to problems such as bacterial growth and defrost water overflow. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a refrigerator that can make full use of the defrost water produced after the refrigerator evaporator defrosts.

[0005] This application provides a refrigerator, including:

[0006] A housing, in which an evaporator is installed;

[0007] A door is provided on the box body, which is openable and closable and has a door seal for sealing the gap between the box body and the box body.

[0008] A water dispenser, said water dispenser being disposed on the housing or the housing door, said water dispenser including a water storage tank for storing drinking water; and,

[0009] Defrosting water recovery mechanism, wherein the defrosting water recovery mechanism includes:

[0010] A collection component is disposed below the evaporator and is used to collect defrost water generated after the evaporator is defrosted.

[0011] A filter assembly connected to the collection assembly, the filter assembly being used to filter the defrost water;

[0012] A first pipeline, one end of which is connected to the filter assembly, and the other end of which is connected to the water storage tank;

[0013] The second conduit has one end connected to the filter assembly and the other end leading to the door seal.

[0014] The technical solution will be further explained below:

[0015] In one embodiment, the housing includes a door frame portion that abuts against the door seal when the door is closed;

[0016] The defrosting water recovery mechanism also includes a humidifying pipe, which is connected to the second pipeline. The humidifying pipe is fixed to the door frame and arranged around the door frame. Multiple water outlet holes are spaced apart on the pipe wall of the humidifying pipe.

[0017] In one embodiment, the housing includes a door frame portion that abuts against the door seal when the door is closed;

[0018] The defrosting water recovery mechanism also includes a humidifying pipe, which is connected to the second pipeline. The humidifying pipe is fixed to the door frame and arranged around the door frame. Multiple water outlet holes are spaced apart on the pipe wall of the humidifying pipe.

[0019] In one embodiment, the defrosting water recovery mechanism further includes a humidifying pipe, which is connected to the second pipeline. The humidifying pipe is fixed to the door seal and arranged around the door seal. Multiple water outlet holes are provided at intervals on the pipe wall of the humidifying pipe.

[0020] In one embodiment, the defrosting water recovery mechanism further includes a drying element disposed on the door seal, the drying element being capable of generating heat to dry the door seal.

[0021] In one embodiment, a valve body is provided on the second pipeline, the valve body being used to open or close the second pipeline.

[0022] In one embodiment, the refrigerator further includes a main control board, which is electrically connected to the valve body and is used to control the valve body to open or close the second pipeline;

[0023] The defrosting water recovery mechanism also includes a humidity sensor, which is installed on the cabinet or door and electrically connected to the main control board. The humidity sensor is used to obtain the humidity value of the door seal, and when the humidity value of the door seal obtained by the humidity sensor is lower than a preset value, the main control board controls the valve body to open the second pipeline.

[0024] In one embodiment, a first pump body is provided on the first pipeline, the first pump body being used to pump the defrosting water along the first pipeline to the water storage tank; and / or,

[0025] A second pump body is provided on the second pipeline, and the second pump body is used to pump the defrosting water along the second pipeline to the door seal.

[0026] In one embodiment, the filtering component includes:

[0027] A first filter is provided with a first inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet. The first inlet is connected to the collection component and the first outlet is connected to the second pipeline.

[0028] The second filter has a second inlet and a third outlet. The second inlet is connected to the second outlet, and the third outlet is connected to the first pipeline.

[0029] The second filter has a higher filtration accuracy than the first filter.

[0030] In one embodiment, the collection component includes:

[0031] A collection shell is disposed below the evaporator and is used to collect and gather the defrost water produced after the evaporator is defrosted.

[0032] A storage container, which is connected to the collection shell and the filter assembly, is used to store the defrosting water.

[0033] In one embodiment, a bracket is provided on the side of the tank door near the tank body, and the water storage tank is disposed on the bracket; the first pipeline extends along the tank wall of the tank body to the tank door, and connects to the water storage tank along the tank door.

[0034] The refrigerator described above incorporates a defrost water recovery mechanism within the cabinet. This mechanism collects defrost water generated during evaporator defrosting via a collection component. The collected defrost water is then filtered through a filter component. A portion of the filtered defrost water is then channeled into a water tank via a first pipe to replenish the water dispenser's water supply. This solves the inconvenience of using a water dispenser that previously required connecting to an external water source or manual refilling. Simultaneously, a second pipe channels a portion of the filtered defrost water to the door seals, providing moisture and preventing them from hardening, aging, and cracking due to dryness after prolonged use, which could lead to poor sealing. The defrost water also serves to clean the door seals, preventing the accumulation of dirt and bacterial growth.

[0035] In summary, the refrigerator of this application realizes the recycling and reuse of defrost water, avoiding problems such as overflow and bacterial growth caused by defrost water remaining in the refrigerator. It also solves the problem of inconvenient water replenishment for water dispensers, as well as the problem of poor sealing and inconvenient cleaning caused by the door seal hardening, aging and cracking due to dry environment after long-term use. Attached Figure Description

[0036] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments of this application and their descriptions are used to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of this application.

[0037] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0038] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are not drawn to a 1:1 scale, and the relative dimensions of the various components are shown as examples only and not necessarily to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure behind the hidden compartment of a refrigerator according to one embodiment.

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the defrost water recovery mechanism of a refrigerator according to one embodiment.

[0041] Figure 3 This is a front view of the refrigerator body according to one embodiment.

[0042] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The image shows a magnified view of the refrigerator's casing at point B.

[0043] Figure 5 for Figure 3 The image shows a magnified view of the refrigerator body at point C.

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerator body according to one embodiment.

[0045] Figure 7 for Figure 6 The image shows a magnified view of the refrigerator's casing in section D.

[0046] Figure 8 for Figure 1 The image shows a magnified view of the refrigerator in section A.

[0047] Figure 9 This is a side view of the refrigerator door according to one embodiment.

[0048] Figure 10 for Figure 9 The image shows a magnified view of the refrigerator door in section E.

[0049] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0050] 10. Cabinet; 11. Storage compartment; 12. Door frame; 20. Cabinet door; 21. Door seal; 211. Groove; 22. Bracket; 31. Evaporator; 32. Compressor; 41. Collection assembly; 411. Collection shell; 412. Storage container; 42. Filter assembly; 421. First filter; 422. Second filter; 43. First pipeline; 44. Second pipeline; 45. Valve body; 46. Humidification pipe; 461. Water outlet; 462. Water inlet connector; 47. Drying component; 48. Humidity sensor; 50. Water tank. Detailed Implementation

[0051] 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.

[0052] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0053] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are 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 with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0054] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0055] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0056] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0057] One embodiment of this application provides a refrigerator, which may specifically be a frost-free refrigerator.

[0058] See Figures 1 to 3 In some embodiments, the refrigerator includes a cabinet 10, a door 20, and an evaporator 31.

[0059] See Figure 3 In some embodiments, the housing 10 is provided with a storage compartment 11 for storing food and other items to be refrigerated or frozen. It is easy to understand that different foods and other items generally have different storage temperature requirements; therefore, the storage compartment 11 is divided into at least a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment based on the temperature it can provide. Generally speaking, the temperature inside the freezer compartment is lower than the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment.

[0060] See Figure 2In some embodiments, an evaporator 31 is disposed within the cabinet 10 and is used to provide cold air to the refrigerator compartment 11. Specifically, the evaporator 31 typically forms a circulation loop in conjunction with a compressor 32, a condenser (not shown), and a capillary tube (not shown). The compressor 32 compresses the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant into a high-pressure, high-temperature gaseous state and discharges it into the condenser. The high-pressure, high-temperature gaseous refrigerant releases heat to the air in the condenser and cools into a high-pressure liquid state. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant is depressurized through the capillary tube, becoming a low-pressure, low-temperature gas-liquid mixture that enters the evaporator 31. The low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant exchanges heat with the air passing over the surface of the evaporator 31 within the evaporator 31, turning the air into cold air. This cold air is then introduced into the refrigerator compartment 11 of the cabinet 10 to cool the compartment 11. Simultaneously, the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant evaporates into a gaseous state within the evaporator 31, and the gaseous refrigerant returns to the compressor 32. This process is repeated to continuously maintain the low temperature of the refrigerator compartment 11.

[0061] Understandably, water vapor exists in the air. When air containing water vapor exchanges heat with evaporator 31, the water vapor will condense into frost on the surface of evaporator 31. In order to ensure the long-term stable operation of evaporator 31, it is necessary to defrost evaporator 31 regularly. Defrosting evaporator 31 will produce defrost water. In related technologies, refrigerators usually transport the defrost water produced by defrosting evaporator 31 to a drip tray at the bottom of the refrigerator through a drain pipe to wait for evaporation. This not only wastes water resources, but also has low evaporation efficiency, leading to problems such as bacterial growth and defrost water overflow.

[0062] See Figure 1 In some embodiments, the door 20 is closable and connected to the box body 10. The door 20 is used to close the storage compartment 11. Further, a door seal 21 is provided on the door 20. The door seal 21 is used to seal the gap between the door 20 and the box body 10 when the door 20 is closed, so as to prevent cold air in the storage compartment 11 from escaping from the gap. It is easy to understand that the door seal 21 is provided on the side wall of the door 20 near the box body 10, and the door seal 21 is provided around the edge of the door 20.

[0063] Generally, door seals 21 are mostly made of rubber or silicone, which are prone to hardening, aging, and cracking due to dry environments after long-term use, leading to poor sealing and increased refrigerator energy consumption. Furthermore, to increase the elastic deformation capacity of the door seal 21 to improve sealing performance, [further details are needed]. Figure 10 Door seals 21 are usually provided with grooves 211, which are prone to accumulating dirt and breeding bacteria, causing hygiene problems and making cleaning inconvenient.

[0064] In some embodiments, the refrigerator also includes a water dispenser disposed in the cabinet 10 or the door 20. Specifically, the water dispenser is located in the refrigerator compartment to provide refrigerated drinking water. Further, see... Figure 1 The water dispenser includes a water tank 50 for storing drinking water.

[0065] Understandably, the water tank 50 of the water dispenser needs to be replenished with water regularly. Currently, it is usually necessary to replenish the water tank 50 by connecting a water pipe or manually adding water, which is inconvenient.

[0066] Based on the above problems, in some embodiments of this application, the refrigerator also includes a defrost water recovery mechanism, which can recover defrost water and apply it to cleaning and moisturizing the door seal 21 and replenishing water for the water dispenser.

[0067] Specifically, see Figure 2 In some embodiments, the defrost water recovery mechanism includes a collection component 41, a filter component 42, a first conduit 43, and a second conduit 44.

[0068] In some embodiments, a collection component 41 is disposed below the evaporator 31, and the collection component 41 is used to collect defrost water generated during the defrosting of the evaporator 31.

[0069] In some embodiments, the filter assembly 42 is connected to the collection assembly 41, and the filter assembly 42 is used to filter the defrost water collected by the collection assembly 41 to remove impurities and bacteria from the defrost water.

[0070] In some embodiments, one end of the first pipe 43 is connected to the filter assembly 42, and the other end of the first pipe 43 is connected to the water storage tank 50. The first pipe 43 is used to pass some of the filtered defrost water into the water storage tank 50 to replenish the water supply for the water dispenser.

[0071] In some embodiments, one end of the second conduit 44 is connected to the filter assembly 42, and the other end of the second conduit 44 leads to the door seal 21. The second conduit 44 is used to pass a portion of the filtered defrost water to the door seal 21 for cleaning or moisturizing purposes.

[0072] In the refrigerator described above, a defrost water recovery mechanism is installed inside the cabinet 10. This mechanism collects the defrost water generated after the evaporator 31 defrosts via a collection component 41; filters the collected defrost water via a filter component 42; and then channels a portion of the filtered defrost water into the water tank 50 via a first pipe 43 to replenish the water dispenser. This solves the problem of inconvenience caused by the need to connect to an external water source or manually replenish water. Simultaneously, a portion of the filtered defrost water is channeled to the door seal 21 via a second pipe 44, which helps to keep the door seal 21 moist. This prevents the door seal 21 from hardening, aging, and cracking due to dryness after long-term use, which could lead to poor sealing. The defrost water also serves to clean the door seal 21, preventing the accumulation of dirt and bacterial growth.

[0073] In summary, the refrigerator of this application realizes the recycling and reuse of defrost water, avoiding problems such as overflow and bacterial growth caused by defrost water remaining in the refrigerator. It also solves the problem of inconvenient water replenishment for water dispensers, as well as the problem of poor sealing and inconvenient cleaning caused by the door seal 21 hardening, aging and cracking due to dry environment after long-term use.

[0074] See Figure 3 In one embodiment, the box body 10 includes a door frame portion 12, which abuts against the door seal 21 when the box door 20 is closed, so as to achieve sealing during storage.

[0075] Combination Figure 4 In some embodiments, the defrost water recovery mechanism further includes a humidification pipe 46, which is connected to the second pipe 44. Figure 5 The humidifying pipe 46 is equipped with a water inlet connector 462, and the humidifying pipe 46 is connected to the second pipe 44 through the water inlet connector 462.

[0076] Furthermore, the humidifying pipe 46 is fixed on the door frame portion 12 and arranged around the door frame portion 12, that is, the humidifying pipe 46 is arranged in a ring.

[0077] Combination Figure 6 as well as Figure 7 The humidifying pipe 46 has multiple water outlet holes 461 spaced apart on its pipe wall. Specifically, when the cabinet door 20 is closed, the water outlet holes 461 on the humidifying pipe 46 face the door seal 21, so that defrosting water enters the humidifying pipe 46 along the second pipe 44 and can be sprayed from the water outlet holes 461 onto the door seal 21, thereby cleaning or moisturizing the door seal 21.

[0078] The humidifying pipe 46 is connected to the second pipe 44, and multiple water outlet holes 461 are opened at intervals on the humidifying pipe 46. This allows the defrosting water in the second pipe 44 to be sprayed more evenly to various positions of the door seal 21, so that the door seal 21 can be fully cleaned or moistened. At the same time, by fixing the humidifying pipe 46 to the door frame 12, the laying difficulty of the second pipe 44 can be simplified, and the second pipe 44 can be prevented from being pulled when opening and closing the box door 20.

[0079] For example, in other embodiments, the humidifying pipe 46 can also be directly fixed to the door seal 21 and arranged around the door seal 21. Similarly, the humidifying pipe 46 is connected to the second pipe 44, and multiple water outlet holes 461 are provided at intervals on the pipe wall of the humidifying pipe 46. Thus, after the defrosting water enters the humidifying pipe 46 along the second pipe 44, it can be sprayed directly onto the door seal 21 from the water outlet holes 461, thereby cleaning or moisturizing the door seal 21.

[0080] See Figure 8In some implementations, a valve body 45 is provided on the second pipeline 44, which is used to open or close the second pipeline 44. For example, the valve body 45 can be a solenoid valve, so that when cleaning or moisturizing the door seal 21 is required, controlling the valve body 45 to open allows filtered defrosting water to flow through the second pipeline 44 to the door seal 21. After cleaning or moisturizing the door seal 21 is completed, controlling the valve body 45 to close the second pipeline 44 prevents waste of defrosting water.

[0081] Furthermore, the flow rate of defrosting water in the second pipe 44 can also be controlled by controlling the opening degree of the valve body 45. Specifically, when it is necessary to clean the door seal 21, increasing the opening degree of the valve body 45 increases the flow rate of the second pipe 44, allowing the defrosting water to flush and clean the door seal 21. When it is necessary to keep the door seal 21 moist, decreasing the opening degree of the valve body 45 reduces the flow rate of the second pipe 44, allowing the defrosting water to flow slowly to the door seal 21, thus moistening the door seal 21 while preventing waste of defrosting water.

[0082] In some embodiments, the refrigerator also includes a main control board, which is electrically connected to the valve body 45. The main control board is used to control the valve body 45 to open or close the second pipeline 44. The automatic control of the valve body 45 by the main control board improves automation.

[0083] See Figure 9 as well as Figure 10 In some embodiments, the defrosting water recovery mechanism further includes a humidity sensor 48, which is disposed on the door frame 12 or the door 20 of the housing 10. The humidity sensor 48 is electrically connected to the main control board. The humidity sensor 48 is used to obtain the humidity value of the door seal 21. When the humidity value of the door seal 21 obtained by the humidity sensor 48 is lower than a preset value, the main control board controls the valve body 45 to open the second pipeline 44.

[0084] Specifically, the humidity sensor 48 monitors the humidity of the door seal 21 in real time. When the humidity value of the door seal 21 is lower than the preset value, it is determined that the surface of the door seal 21 is too dry. At this time, the main control board controls the valve body 45 to open the second pipeline 44, so that defrosting water flows to the door seal 21 to moisturize the door seal 21, thereby achieving the effect of automatically moisturizing and preventing aging of the door seal 21.

[0085] See also Figure 10 In some embodiments, the defrosting water recovery mechanism further includes a drying element 47, which is disposed on the door seal 21. The drying element 47 can generate heat to dry the door seal 21. In this way, after the door seal 21 is cleaned, the drying element 47 dries the water remaining in the groove 211 of the door seal 21, which can prevent the growth of bacteria.

[0086] For example, the drying element 47 can be an electric heating wire. The drying element 47 is disposed in the groove 211 of the door seal 21, so that the water remaining in the groove 211 of the door seal 21 can be dried directly, thereby improving the drying effect. Furthermore, the drying element 47 is disposed around the door seal 21, so that all areas of the door seal 21 can be thoroughly dried, thereby further preventing the growth of bacteria on the door seal 21.

[0087] Optionally, in some embodiments, the valve body 45, the drying component 47, and the humidity sensor 48 are all communicatively connected to the main control board of the refrigerator. A control panel may also be provided on the door 20 or the cabinet 10, through which parameters such as humidity threshold, drying time, or cleaning time can be set. The main control board of the refrigerator controls the operation of the valve body 45, the drying component 47, and the humidity sensor 48 according to the set humidity threshold, drying time, and / or cleaning time.

[0088] Optionally, in one embodiment, a first pump body (not shown) is provided on the first pipeline 43. The first pump body is used to pump the defrost water filtered by the filter assembly 42 along the first pipeline 43 to the water storage tank 50, thereby ensuring that the defrost water in the first pipeline 43 can smoothly enter the water storage tank 50.

[0089] Understandably, in other embodiments, when the water tank 50 of the water dispenser is positioned below the end of the first pipe 43 connected to the filter assembly 42, the defrosting water in the first pipe 43 can also automatically flow to the water tank 50 under the action of gravity, thereby eliminating the need to install a first pump body in the first pipe 43.

[0090] Optionally, in some embodiments, a second pump body is provided on the second pipeline 44. The second pump body is used to pump the defrost water filtered by the filter assembly 42 along the second pipeline 44 to the door seal 21, thereby ensuring that the defrost water in the first pipeline 43 can smoothly enter the water storage tank 50.

[0091] Similarly, in other embodiments, when the end of the first pipe 43 connected to the filter assembly 42 is higher than the position of the door seal 21, the water in the second pipe 44 can also automatically flow to the door seal 21 under the action of gravity, thereby eliminating the need to install a second pump body in the second pipe 44.

[0092] See Figure 2 In some embodiments, the filter assembly 42 includes a first filter 421, which has a first inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. The first inlet is connected to the collection assembly 41, and the first outlet is connected to the second pipeline 44. Thus, the defrost water collected by the collection assembly 41 enters the first filter 421 through the first inlet, and the defrost water filtered by the first filter 421 then enters the second pipeline 44 through the first outlet, and flows along the second pipeline 44 to the door seal 21.

[0093] Specifically, the first filter 421 can be a coarse filter, used to coarsely filter the defrost water to remove larger particles of impurities, so that the defrost water meets the standards for clean water. For example, the filter element of the first filter 421 can be a polypropylene (PP) melt-blown filter element, an activated carbon filter element, or a ceramic filter element, etc., without limitation.

[0094] In some embodiments, the second filter 422 is provided with a second inlet and a third outlet, the second inlet being connected to the second outlet and the third outlet being connected to the first pipe 43. The second filter 422 has a higher filtration accuracy than the first filter 421. In other words, the second filter 422 and the first filter 421 are connected in series. Thus, defrosting water coarsely filtered by the first filter 421 enters the second filter 422 through the second inlet, undergoes fine filtration by the second filter 422, and then enters the first pipe 43 through the third outlet, flowing along the first pipe 43 into the water storage tank 50.

[0095] Specifically, the second filter 422 can be a fine filter, used to finely filter the defrost water to remove tiny particles such as colloids, bacteria, and fine dust, so that the defrost water meets drinking water standards. For example, the filter element of the second filter 422 can be a membrane filter, etc., without limitation.

[0096] See Figure 2 In some embodiments, the collection assembly 41 includes a collection shell 411 disposed below the evaporator 31. The collection shell 411 is used to collect and gather defrost water generated during the defrosting of the evaporator 31. Specifically, the collection shell 411 is funnel-shaped, thereby enabling better collection of defrost water flowing down from the evaporator 31.

[0097] In some embodiments, the collection component 41 further includes a storage container 412, which is in communication with the collection shell 411 and the filter component 42. The storage container 412 is used to store defrost water. In this way, the defrost water collected by the collection shell 411 can flow into and be stored in the storage container 412, waiting to be filtered by the filter component 42.

[0098] See Figure 1 In some embodiments, a bracket 22 is provided on the inner side of the door 20, wherein the inner side of the door 20 refers to the side of the door 20 facing the refrigerator body when closed. The water tank 50 is mounted on the bracket 22. By mounting the water tank 50 on the bracket 22 of the door 20, the water tank 50 can avoid occupying space in the refrigerator compartment 11, allowing the refrigerator compartment 11 to accommodate more items.

[0099] Furthermore, the second pipe 44 extends along the wall of the cabinet 10 to the door 20, and connects to the water storage tank 50 along the door 20. Specifically, the first pipe 43 is embedded in the wall of the cabinet 10, thereby avoiding the first pipe 43 from being exposed and affecting the appearance of the refrigerator.

[0100] For example, the first conduit 43 is a flexible hose, thereby preventing the first conduit 43 from being torn off when the box door 20 is opened or closed.

[0101] 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.

[0102] 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 protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: A housing, in which an evaporator is installed; A door is provided on the box body, which is openable and closable and has a door seal for sealing the gap between the box body and the box body. A water dispenser, wherein the water dispenser is disposed on the cabinet or the cabinet door, and the water dispenser includes a water storage tank for storing drinking water; as well as, Defrosting water recovery mechanism, wherein the defrosting water recovery mechanism includes: A collection component is disposed below the evaporator and is used to collect defrost water generated after the evaporator is defrosted. A filter assembly connected to the collection assembly, the filter assembly being used to filter the defrost water; A first pipeline, one end of which is connected to the filter assembly, and the other end of which is connected to the water storage tank; The second conduit has one end connected to the filter assembly and the other end leading to the door seal.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The enclosure includes a door frame portion, which abuts against the door seal when the door is closed; The defrosting water recovery mechanism also includes a humidifying pipe, which is connected to the second pipeline. The humidifying pipe is fixed to the door frame and arranged around the door frame. Multiple water outlet holes are spaced apart on the pipe wall of the humidifying pipe.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The defrosting water recovery mechanism also includes a humidifying pipe, which is connected to the second pipeline. The humidifying pipe is fixed to the door seal and arranged around the door seal. Multiple water outlet holes are spaced apart on the pipe wall of the humidifying pipe.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The defrosting water recovery mechanism also includes a drying component, which is disposed on the door seal and is capable of generating heat to dry the door seal.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, A valve body is provided on the second pipeline, and the valve body is used to open or close the second pipeline.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes a main control board, which is electrically connected to the valve body. The main control board is used to control the valve body to open or close the second pipeline. The defrosting water recovery mechanism also includes a humidity sensor, which is installed on the cabinet or door and electrically connected to the main control board. The humidity sensor is used to obtain the humidity value of the door seal, and when the humidity value of the door seal obtained by the humidity sensor is lower than a preset value, the main control board controls the valve body to open the second pipeline.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first pump body is installed on the first pipeline, and the first pump body is used to pump the defrosting water along the first pipeline to the water storage tank; and / or, A second pump body is provided on the second pipeline, and the second pump body is used to pump the defrosting water along the second pipeline to the door seal.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filtering component includes: A first filter is provided with a first inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet. The first inlet is connected to the collection component and the first outlet is connected to the second pipeline. The second filter has a second inlet and a third outlet. The second inlet is connected to the second outlet, and the third outlet is connected to the first pipeline. The second filter has a higher filtration accuracy than the first filter.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The collection component includes: A collection shell is disposed below the evaporator and is used to collect and gather the defrost water produced after the evaporator is defrosted. A storage container, which is connected to the collection shell and the filter assembly, is used to store the defrosting water.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, A bracket is provided on the inside of the box door, and the water storage tank is mounted on the bracket; the first pipeline extends along the box wall of the box body to the box door, and connects to the water storage tank along the box door.

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