A water receiving box for a refrigerator and a refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model discloses a water receiving box for refrigerator and refrigerator, water receiving box for refrigerator, including box body and drain, and box body is equipped with water receiving groove, drain is protruding in water receiving groove, and drain has drain channel, and drain channel is equipped with inlet and outlet, and inlet is located at the top of water receiving groove, and when water flow overflows to water receiving groove, inlet guides water flow to drain channel, and outlet guides water flow to export. The refrigerator comprises a cabinet body, a refrigeration assembly and the water receiving box for the refrigerator. The drain in the water receiving box is protruding in the water receiving groove, so that the condensed water entering the water receiving box will not be directly discharged, but remains in the water receiving groove, realizing the secondary utilization of water resources. In this way, the user can take the condensed water remaining in the water receiving groove as needed, and through natural evaporation, auxiliary evaporation and other ways, the remaining condensed water is converted into water vapor, which can supplement the latent heat of evaporation required for the operation of the evaporator of the refrigerator, effectively improving the operation energy efficiency of the evaporator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of refrigerator technology, and in particular to a water receiving box for a refrigerator and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] During the daily operation of refrigerators (such as wine cabinets or beverage cabinets), the evaporator inside will produce condensation due to temperature differences. To prevent the condensation from dripping directly into the refrigerator or onto the floor, causing water accumulation and dampness, a water collection box is usually installed under the evaporator to collect the condensation. In existing technologies, the structural design of condensate collection boxes for refrigerated display cases is relatively simple. They typically use a drain hole at the bottom of the box to drain water, which connects to an external drain pipe. When condensate flows into the collection box, it directly enters the drain pipe through the bottom drain hole and is ultimately discharged into the external environment without any indiscriminate discharge. This results in condensate being discharged immediately upon entering the box, unable to be retained within it. This not only leads to continuous water waste but also prevents the water from being recycled and reused according to the user's actual needs, thus losing the secondary utilization value of the condensate. Utility Model Content

[0003] In order to overcome at least one of the defects of the prior art, one of the objectives of this utility model is to provide a water receiving box for a refrigerator, wherein the drain outlet of the water receiving box is located at the top of the water receiving trough, so that the condensate water entering the water receiving box will not be discharged directly, but will remain in the box until the water volume reaches the height of the drain outlet before being discharged, thereby providing a prerequisite for the recycling of condensate water and realizing the secondary use of water resources.

[0004] The second objective of this invention is to provide a refrigerator in which the condensate stored in the internal water collection box can evaporate naturally or with assistance to form water vapor. This water vapor can replenish the latent heat of vaporization required for the operation of the refrigerator's evaporator, effectively improving the operating efficiency of the evaporator.

[0005] One of the objectives of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: A water collection box for a refrigerator includes: The box body is equipped with a water receiving groove; A drainage component protrudes from the water receiving trough and has a drainage channel. The drainage channel has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is located at the top of the water receiving trough and is used to guide water flow into the drainage channel when water overflows into the water receiving trough. The outlet is used to guide water flow out.

[0006] Furthermore, the water receiving trough is provided with multiple partitions, which are staggered in the water receiving trough to form multiple buffer troughs; the drainage component protrudes from one of the buffer troughs.

[0007] Furthermore, the bottom wall and side wall of the water receiving tank are connected by an arc surface.

[0008] Furthermore, the drainage component includes a drain pipe with a connecting edge extending along the axial direction of the drain pipe and connected to the wall of the water receiving tank.

[0009] Furthermore, the connecting edge is integrally formed within the water receiving groove.

[0010] Furthermore, the water receiving box is provided with a connecting part, which is used to connect with an external structure.

[0011] Furthermore, the connecting part includes a connecting arm, which has a through hole for connecting a connector.

[0012] Furthermore, at least two connecting arms are provided, and the two connecting arms are spaced apart along the edge of the box body.

[0013] Furthermore, the box body is provided with a clearance groove, which penetrates the box body along the axial direction of the box body.

[0014] The technical solution adopted for the second objective of this utility model is: A refrigerator includes a cabinet body, a refrigeration component, and a water collection box for the refrigerator body. The refrigeration component and the water collection box are installed inside the cabinet body, and the refrigeration component is in communication with the water collection box.

[0015] In summary, the water collection box and refrigerator provided by this utility model have the following technical effects: the drain component inside the water collection box protrudes from the water collection trough. Since the inlet of the drain component is located at the top of the water collection trough, the condensate water will not be discharged directly after entering the water collection box, but will remain in the water collection trough until the water volume reaches the height of the drain outlet before being discharged. This provides a prerequisite for the recycling of condensate water and realizes the secondary use of water resources.

[0016] In this way, users can take the condensate water stored in the water tank as needed, or convert the stored condensate water into water vapor through natural evaporation or assisted evaporation. This water vapor can directly replenish the latent heat of vaporization required for the operation of the refrigerator evaporator, effectively reducing the extra energy loss caused by insufficient latent heat supply, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the evaporator. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 1 of the present utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 1 of this utility model from another perspective; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the structure of Embodiment 1 of this utility model; Figure 4 This is a structural cross-sectional view of Embodiment 2 of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of Embodiment 2 of this utility model; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of Embodiment 2 of this utility model; The meanings of the reference numerals in the attached figures are as follows: 10. Box body; 11. Water receiving tray; 111. Curved surface; 12. Partition; 13. Buffer groove; 14. Connecting part; 141. Connecting arm; 142. Through hole; 15. Clearance groove; 20. Drainage component; 21. Drainage channel; 211. Inlet; 212. Outlet; 22. Connecting edge; 30. Cabinet body; 40. Refrigeration component. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0020] In this invention, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "middle," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this invention and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0021] Furthermore, in addition to indicating direction or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in some cases to indicate a certain dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms "installation," "setup," "equipped with," "connection," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; 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, or an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0023] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are primarily used to distinguish different devices, components, or parts (which may be the same or different in specific type and construction), and are not intended to indicate or imply the relative importance or quantity of the indicated devices, components, or parts. Unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0024] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0025] Example 1, See Figures 1 to 3 This utility model discloses a water receiving box for a refrigerator, including: a box body 10 and a drain component 20. The box body 10 is provided with a water receiving groove 11, and the drain component 20 protrudes into the water receiving groove 11. The drain component 20 has a drain channel 21, which is provided with an inlet 211 and an outlet 212. The inlet 211 is located at the top of the water receiving groove 11. When water overflows into the water receiving groove 11, the inlet 211 guides the water flow into the drain channel 21. The outlet 212 is used to guide the water flow out.

[0026] Based on the above structure, during assembly, the drain component 20 protrudes into the water receiving tank 11, and the drain channel 21 inside the drain component 20 passes through the drain component 20 and the box body 10. This allows condensate to flow from the inlet 211 to the outlet 212 after being introduced into the drain, and then discharged to the outside of the box body 10, forming a complete drainage path. In addition, since the inlet 211 of the drain channel 21 is located at the top of the water receiving tank 11, water will only enter the drain channel 21 and be discharged outward when the condensate level in the water receiving tank 11 rises to the height of the inlet 211. This ensures that the condensate entering the water receiving tank 11 is also temporarily retained in the water receiving tank 11, providing sufficient operating space and preconditions for users to subsequently recycle and reuse the condensate (such as direct use or conversion into water vapor through evaporation), effectively avoiding resource waste caused by direct discharge of condensate.

[0027] In practical applications, when installing the water collection box in a refrigerator (such as a wine cabinet, cigar cabinet, or beverage cabinet) or other equipment with a refrigeration system, the water collection box is positioned directly below the refrigeration component (such as the evaporator), allowing the condensate generated during evaporator operation to drip vertically into the water collection tank 11. Since the condensate inside the water collection tank 11 can be retained for a short period, in this scenario, the condensate retained in the water collection tank 11 utilizes the equipment's own heat, such as the heat generated by the compressor inside the refrigerator, to heat the condensate in the water collection tank 11, causing it to evaporate naturally and form water vapor. Alternatively, a heater can be added to the water collection tank 11 to directly heat and atomize the condensate to produce water vapor. By utilizing the condensate recovered in the water collection tank 11 to generate water vapor, the water vapor directly diffuses to the area surrounding the evaporator, supplementing the latent heat of vaporization required during the evaporator's refrigeration process. This effectively compensates for the additional energy loss caused by low ambient humidity and insufficient latent heat supply, thereby improving the evaporator's operating efficiency and achieving energy-saving effects.

[0028] More specifically, when the refrigeration components (such as the evaporator) generate excessive condensate due to changes in operating conditions (such as a sudden increase in ambient humidity or an increase in refrigeration load), causing the water level in the water collection tank 11 to rise rapidly to the height of the inlet 211, the inlet 211 can immediately guide the excessive water into the drainage channel 21, and then discharge it to the outside of the box 10 through the outlet 212. This can effectively reduce the problem of water overflowing from the water collection tank 11 and seeping into the equipment, further ensuring the stability of equipment operation.

[0029] It should be noted that the drainage component 20 in this embodiment can be an existing drainage pipe. During assembly, a through hole 142 that matches the outer diameter of the drainage pipe is first opened at the corresponding position at the bottom of the water receiving tank 11. Then, one end of the drainage pipe (the end that will later form the inlet 211) is left inside the water receiving tank 11, and the other end (the end that will later form the outlet 212) is passed through to the through hole 142 and sealed by welding, gluing or other methods. Of course, a pipe integrally formed with the water receiving tank 11 can also be used as the drainage component 20. The specific setting can be determined according to the actual needs.

[0030] Furthermore, the water receiving trough 11 is provided with multiple partitions 12, which are staggered in the water receiving trough 11 to form multiple buffer troughs 13; the drainage component 20 protrudes from one of the buffer troughs 13.

[0031] Specifically, in this embodiment, multiple baffles 12 adapted to the depth of the water receiving tank 11 are installed inside the water receiving tank 11 (the height of the baffles 12 is slightly lower than the top of the water receiving tank 11 to avoid obstructing the water flow between the buffer tanks 13). The multiple baffles 12 are distributed in an alternating pattern, thereby dividing the inside of the water receiving tank 11 into multiple independent buffer tanks 13 that are interconnected through the top of the baffles 12. In use, condensate will preferentially drip into the buffer tank 13 closest to the evaporator. At this time, the baffles 12 can use their own structure to offset the impact force of the falling water flow, slowing down the water flow that originally had kinetic energy, and reducing the occurrence of water splashing directly hitting the bottom of the tank. When the buffer tank 13 near the evaporator is filled to the full level, the water flow will slowly overflow along the top of the baffles 12 to the adjacent buffer tank 13, and then be transferred through the overflow of each buffer tank 13 in sequence, and finally gradually converge into the buffer tank 13 where the drain component 20 is located.

[0032] Throughout the entire water flow path, the water flows in a stable overflow state without significant splashing. This not only effectively solves the problem of splashing caused by excessive water flow impact, but also reduces the possibility of water splashing onto the outside of the water receiving tank 11 and contaminating the internal components of the equipment or causing dampness inside the cabinet 30, thus improving the stability of equipment operation.

[0033] More specifically, when the equipment suddenly generates a large amount of condensate due to a sudden increase in ambient humidity or evaporator defrosting, the large amount of condensate will be dispersed into multiple buffer tanks 13. Each buffer tank 13 first temporarily stores a portion of the water, and then slowly delivers it to the buffer tank 13 where the drain component 20 is located through the gaps in the partition 12. This reduces the situation where water flow concentrates and impacts the drain component 20. In this way, even if the total amount of water entering is large, the temporary storage capacity of the buffer tank 13 can provide sufficient drainage time for the drain component 20, effectively reducing the risk of short-term overflow. At the same time, when the water flows slowly through each buffer tank 13, it can also reduce the instantaneous pressure on the drainage channel 21, reduce the probability of drainage blockage, and further improve the stability of the water receiving box.

[0034] In addition, the bottom wall and side wall of the water receiving tank 11 are connected by the arc surface 111, which makes it less likely that there will be right angles or corners between the bottom wall and side wall of the water receiving tank 11. When the water receiving box needs to be cleaned, the rag or cleaning tool can slide smoothly along the arc surface 111, making it easier to contact the bottom of the water receiving tank 11, remove residual impurities in the water receiving tank 11, and reduce the accumulation of residue or dirt.

[0035] Furthermore, the drainage component 20 includes a drainage pipe with a connecting edge 22 extending along the axial direction of the drainage pipe and connected to the wall of the water receiving tank 11.

[0036] Specifically, the drainage component 20 in this embodiment is made of a drainage pipe. During assembly, a connecting edge 22 is provided on the outside of the drainage pipe. The connecting edge 22 is connected to the wall of the water receiving tank 11. Since the connecting edge 22 extends along the axial direction of the drainage pipe (i.e., the length direction of the drainage pipe), the effective connection area between the drainage pipe and the wall of the water receiving tank 11 can be increased, making the drainage pipe more stable after installation.

[0037] Compared to the drain pipe being directly connected to the wall of the water receiving tank 11, the axially extended connecting edge 22 allows the stress points of both to be more dispersed, reducing the loosening of the installation caused by local stress concentration, thus improving the overall stability of the drain pipe after installation and making it less prone to displacement or joint cracking.

[0038] It should be noted that the connecting edge 22 can be integrally formed on the outside of the drain pipe and connected to the wall of the water receiving tank 11 by welding or gluing.

[0039] Preferably, the connecting edge 22 is integrally formed in the water receiving groove 11 so that the drainage component 20, the connecting edge 22 and the water receiving groove 11 are seamless and form a complete structural whole. In this way, when the drainage pipe is subjected to water flow impact for a long time or the equipment operation generates slight vibration, the connecting edge 22 is not easy to deform or crack due to local stress concentration, thereby improving the stability of the connection of the drainage component 20.

[0040] Furthermore, the water receiving box is provided with a connecting part 14, which is used to connect with an external structure.

[0041] Specifically, when it is necessary to connect the water collection box to an external structure (such as the cabinet body 30 of a refrigerator or an evaporator), it can be connected to the external structure through the connecting part 14. The connecting part 14 can be a snap-fit ​​connecting part 14, for example, elastic snaps are provided on the outer walls of both sides of the box body 10; correspondingly, the external structure has a pre-set slot that matches the snap. During assembly, simply push the water collection box into the slot, and the snap will automatically engage and fix it, without the need for additional tools, achieving quick assembly and disassembly, and convenient installation.

[0042] Of course, the connecting part 14 can also be a threaded hole provided on the box body 10, and a corresponding threaded hole is provided on the external structure. Then, the water receiving box is threadedly connected to the external structure by screws, bolts or other connecting parts to achieve a stable connection.

[0043] Preferably, in this embodiment, the connecting part 14 includes a connecting arm 141, on which a through hole 142 is provided for connecting a connector. During assembly, the through hole 142 on the connecting arm 141 is aligned with a through hole 142 or a threaded hole on the external structure, and then a connecting screw or bolt or other connector is used to connect the connecting arm 141 to the external structure, thereby achieving a stable connection of the housing 10.

[0044] More specifically, there are at least two connecting arms 141, which are spaced apart on the edge of the box 10 so that at least two positioning supports are formed between the water receiving box and the external structure. The force can be distributed to at least two fixed points by the spaced at least two connecting arms 141, reducing the risk of loosening or deformation of a single connecting arm 141 due to local stress concentration, and improving the stability of the water receiving box after installation.

[0045] It should be noted that the number of connecting arms 141 can be set to two, three or more according to actual installation requirements, so that the box 10 and the external structure can form multi-point support.

[0046] Furthermore, the box body 10 is provided with a relief groove 15, which extends through the box body 10 along the axial direction of the box body 10.

[0047] Specifically, during assembly, the internal space of the external structure (such as a refrigerator or freezer) is compact, and there are often external interference structures in the water collection box installation area, such as evaporator connection pipes (such as refrigerant pipes, power harnesses), the reinforcing ribs of the cabinet 30, or the fixing brackets of other components. If the box 10 does not have a relief groove 15, these structures will directly block the installation of the water collection box, causing the box 10 to be unable to be aligned (e.g., unable to be fixed to the cabinet 30 through the connecting part 14), or even forced to shift and miss the condensate dripping area. Therefore, in this embodiment, by setting a relief groove 15 that runs through the axial direction of the box 10, these interference structures are allowed to pass through the space of the relief groove 15, for example, allowing pipes to pass through the relief groove 15 or allowing brackets to be inserted into the relief groove 15, so that the water collection box can be installed smoothly without changing the original layout of the external structure.

[0048] Example 2, See Figures 4 to 6 This embodiment discloses a refrigerator, including a cabinet body 30, a refrigeration component 40, and a water collection box used in the refrigerator in Embodiment 1. The refrigeration component 40 and the water collection box are installed inside the cabinet body 30, and the refrigeration component 40 is connected to the water collection box.

[0049] Specifically, the refrigeration assembly 40 includes components such as an evaporator, condenser, expansion valve, and compressor, forming a complete refrigeration cycle system. The evaporator is used to lower the temperature inside the cabinet (achieving refrigeration of items), the compressor provides power for the refrigerant circulation, the condenser is responsible for heat dissipation, and the expansion valve achieves refrigerant throttling and pressure reduction. During assembly, the connecting arm 141 of the water collection box is aligned with the preset mounting holes of the cabinet body 30 fixing frame and fixed with screws, so that the water collection box is located directly below the evaporator. At the same time, the water collection box avoids interference with the evaporator connecting pipes inside the cabinet body 30 and the space of the cabinet body 30 through the axial through-hole clearance groove 15 on the box body 10, so that after installation, the water collection tray 11 coincides with the condensate dripping area of ​​the evaporator.

[0050] Since the condensate inside the water collection tank 11 can be retained for a short time, the heat generated by the compressor inside the refrigerator during operation heats the condensate in the water collection tank 11, causing it to evaporate naturally and form water vapor. This allows the condensate in the water collection tank 11 to be reused to form water vapor, which is then directly diffused to the area around the evaporator. This water vapor replenishes the latent heat of vaporization required by the evaporator during the refrigeration process, effectively making up for the extra energy loss caused by low ambient humidity and insufficient latent heat supply, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the evaporator and achieving the energy-saving effect of the refrigerator.

[0051] When the evaporator produces excessive condensate due to changes in operating conditions (such as a sudden increase in ambient humidity or an increase in refrigeration load), causing the water level in the water collection tank 11 to rise rapidly to the height of the inlet 211, the inlet 211 can immediately guide the excessive water into the drainage channel 21, and then discharge it to the outside of the box 10 through the outlet 212. This can effectively reduce the problem of water overflowing from the water collection tank 11 and seeping into the equipment, further ensuring the stability of the refrigerator's operation.

[0052] The technical means disclosed in this utility model are not limited to those disclosed in the above embodiments, but also include technical solutions composed of any combination of the above technical features. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principle of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications are also considered within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A water collection box for a refrigerator, characterized in that, include: The box body is equipped with a water receiving groove; A drainage component protrudes from the water receiving trough and has a drainage channel. The drainage channel has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is located at the top of the water receiving trough and is used to guide water flow into the drainage channel when water overflows into the water receiving trough. The outlet is used to guide water flow out.

2. The water receiving box for a refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water receiving trough is provided with multiple partitions, which are staggered in the water receiving trough to form multiple buffer troughs; the drainage component protrudes from one of the buffer troughs.

3. The water receiving box for a refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom wall and side wall of the water receiving tank are connected by an arc surface.

4. The water receiving box for a refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The drainage component includes a drain pipe with a connecting edge extending along the axial direction of the drain pipe and connected to the wall of the water receiving tank.

5. The water receiving box for a refrigerator as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The connecting edge is integrally formed inside the water receiving groove.

6. The water receiving box for a refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water receiving box is provided with a connecting part, which is used to connect with an external structure.

7. The water receiving box for a refrigerator as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The connecting part includes a connecting arm, which has a through hole for connecting a connector.

8. The water collection box for a refrigerator as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The connecting arm is provided in at least two parts, and the two connecting arms are distributed at intervals along the edge of the box.

9. The water receiving box for a refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The box body is provided with a clearance groove, which penetrates the box body along the axial direction.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that, It includes a cabinet, a refrigeration component, and a water collection box for a refrigerator as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the refrigeration component and the water collection box are installed inside the cabinet, and the refrigeration component is in communication with the water collection box.

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