Water tank and ice making device

Abstract

The embodiment of the application discloses a water tank and ice making equipment, and relates to the technical field of refrigeration and freezing equipment. The water tank comprises a tank body, a handle, a pop-up mechanism, a locking mechanism and an unlocking mechanism. The front panel of the tank body is provided with a handle groove. The handle is hinged to the tank body. The pop-up mechanism is installed on the tank body and connected with the handle. The pop-up mechanism is used for rotating the handle from a first position to a second position. The locking mechanism is installed on the handle and / or the tank body. The locking mechanism is used for locking the handle in the first position on the tank body. In the first position, the handle is completely located in the handle groove. In the second position, at least part of the structure of the handle is located outside the handle groove. The unlocking mechanism comprises a trigger button and an electric driving structure. The electric driving structure is installed on the tank body. The trigger button is used for starting the electric driving structure. The electric driving structure is used for unlocking the locking mechanism. When the handle is in the first position, the handle is hidden and does not protrude outside the tank body, so that the collision is reduced, and the probability that the handle is damaged due to the collision is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigeration and freezing equipment technology, and more particularly to a water tank and ice-making equipment. Background Technology

[0002] As people's living standards continue to improve, adding ice to various alcoholic beverages to make chilled drinks has become a common practice, resulting in a growing demand for ice-making equipment. In existing technology, some ice-making equipment has a water tank to store a certain amount of water. During the ice-making process, the water in the tank enters the ice box, where it is made into ice blocks. To facilitate filling the water tank and cleaning the tank, the water tank is usually equipped with an integrated handle, which can be pulled to remove the water tank from the main body of the ice-making equipment.

[0003] Because the handle of the water tank is exposed on the outside of the ice-making equipment, it is easy to collide with other objects or people, and the handle is easily damaged. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, this application provides a water tank and ice-making device to solve the technical problem that the handle in the prior art is easily damaged by collision with external objects or people.

[0005] To achieve one, some, or all of the above objectives, or other objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows: Firstly, this application proposes a water tank, comprising: The enclosure has a front panel with a handle groove. A handle is hinged to the housing and is rotatable relative to the housing between a first position and a second position; in the first position, the handle is fully located within a handle groove; in the second position, at least a portion of the handle's structure is located outside the handle groove. The pop-out mechanism is installed on the housing and connected to the handle. The pop-out mechanism is used to rotate the handle from the first position to the second position. A locking mechanism is installed on the handle and / or housing, and is used to lock the handle in the first position to the housing; The unlocking mechanism includes a trigger button and an electric drive structure. The trigger button is installed on the handle or housing, and the electric drive structure is installed on the housing. The trigger button is used to activate the electric drive structure, which is used to unlock the locking mechanism.

[0006] In some alternative technical solutions, a pivot is provided at the top of the handle, and the pop-out mechanism includes a torsion spring. The torsion spring is sleeved on the pivot, and its two ends are respectively connected to the housing and the handle. The torsion spring is used to drive the handle to rotate around the pivot, so that the handle can rotate from a first position to a second position.

[0007] In some alternative technical solutions, the handle has an inner cavity, a locking mechanism is installed in the inner cavity, the handle has a first through hole, and the housing has a first lock hole; the locking mechanism includes a locking pin assembly, the locking pin assembly includes a locking pin, one end of the locking pin passes through the first through hole and extends into the first lock hole, and the unlocking mechanism is used to drive the locking pin to move in a first direction to disengage from the first lock hole.

[0008] In some alternative technical solutions, the locking mechanism also includes a mounting base, and the locking pin assembly also includes a slider and a first reset member. The mounting base is installed in the inner cavity, the slider is slidably assembled on the mounting base, the locking pin is located at one end of the slider, and a first reset member is provided between the slider and the mounting base. The first reset member is used to push the slider so that the locking pin moves toward the first lock hole.

[0009] In some alternative technical solutions, the slider is provided with a first inclined surface, and the unlocking mechanism also includes a sliding body, which is provided with a second inclined surface. The first inclined surface contacts the second inclined surface, and the electric drive structure is connected to the sliding body. The sliding body moves along the second direction to drive the slider to move along the first direction, and causes the locking pin to move away from the first locking hole.

[0010] In some alternative technical solutions, the unlocking mechanism also includes a transition section, with the electric drive structure mounted below the mounting base, and the electric drive structure connected to the sliding body via the transition section.

[0011] In some alternative technical solutions, the front side plate of the handle is provided with a second through hole, and the sliding body is exposed on one side of the second direction through the second through hole.

[0012] In some optional technical solutions, there are two locking pin assemblies. The handle is provided with a first through hole on each side in the first direction. The housing is provided with a first locking hole corresponding to each first through hole. The two locking pins pass through the corresponding first through hole and extend into the corresponding first locking hole.

[0013] In some alternative technical solutions, each of the two sliders is provided with a first inclined surface, and the inclination directions of the first inclined surfaces on the two sliders are opposite. The sliding body is provided with a matching second inclined surface corresponding to each first inclined surface. The sliding body moves along the second direction to drive the two sliders to move in opposite directions, and cause both locking pins to move away from the first locking hole.

[0014] Secondly, this application proposes an ice-making device, including a housing and a water tank as described above, wherein the housing is provided with a receiving area and the water tank is placed in the receiving area.

[0015] Implementing the embodiments of this application will have the following beneficial effects: Firstly, the water tank provided in this application can be used in ice-making equipment. Because the water tank has a handle, when the handle is in the first position, the surface of the handle is flush with the surface of the tank body. When the handle is in the second position, the handle extends outside the tank body, allowing the user to grip the handle and pull the water tank, thus facilitating its movement. During use, the user can activate the electric drive structure by triggering a button, causing the locking mechanism to unlock. This causes the pop-out mechanism to move the handle from the first position to the second position, so that part of the handle pops out outside the handle slot, making it easier for the user to grip the handle and move the water tank.

[0016] As can be seen from the above, in the use of ice-making equipment with the aforementioned water tank, the handle can be hidden and will not protrude from the outside of the tank, thus reducing or even avoiding collisions with other objects or people in the outside world, providing stronger protection for the handle and reducing the probability of the handle being damaged due to collisions.

[0017] Secondly, since the ice-making equipment includes the water tank provided in the first aspect above, it has at least all the beneficial effects of the water tank, which will not be elaborated here. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art 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.

[0019] in: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a water tank with the handle in the first position in one embodiment; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a water tank with the handle in the second position in one embodiment; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of some structural components in a water tank in one embodiment; Figure 4 An exploded view of the components of the cover and front panel in one embodiment; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the handle being assembled inside the cover and front panel in one embodiment; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the back cover of the handle in one embodiment; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism in a locked state in one embodiment; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism in the unlocked state in one embodiment; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the sliding component in one embodiment; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making device in one embodiment, showing the handle of the water tank in the first position. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the ice-making device in one embodiment, showing the handle of the water tank in the second position.

[0020] 1-Water tank; 2-Outer shell; 10-Box body; 11-Front panel; 12-Handle groove; 13-Cover body; 131-Left half; 132-Right half; 133-Mounting plate; 14-Shaft hole; 15-First lock hole; 20-Handle; 21-Spindle; 22-First through hole; 23-Rear cover; 24-Front side panel; 25-Second through hole; 30 - Pop-up mechanism; 40-Locking mechanism; 41-Locking pin; 42-Mounting base; 43-Slider; 431-First inclined surface; 44-First reset component; 50 - Unlocking mechanism; 51 - Trigger button; 521 - Motor; 522 - Screw; 53 - Sliding body; 531 - Second inclined surface; 532 - Limiting groove; 54 - Adapter; 541 - Screw hole; 55 - Second reset component. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0023] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the structure or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0024] 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 one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0025] To illustrate the technical solutions described in this application, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific drawings and embodiments.

[0026] Firstly, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this embodiment proposes a water tank 1, including: a tank body 10, a handle 20, a pop-out mechanism 30, a locking mechanism 40, and an unlocking mechanism 50, wherein: The housing 10 has a front panel 11, and the front panel 11 is provided with a handle groove 12. The housing 10 includes at least a bottom plate and a plurality of side plates, wherein the side plate located at the front during use is the front panel 11. The front panel 11 is provided with a handle groove 12 for accommodating a handle 20. In an optional embodiment, the handle groove 12 may be formed by a rearward recess of the front panel 11. Alternatively, as... Figure 4 As shown, in another optional embodiment, the housing 10 further includes a cover 13. The front panel 11 has an opening, and the cover 13 is connected to the rear side of the front panel 11, located behind the opening. The cover 13 and the front panel 11 together form a handle groove 12, and the opening of the front panel 11 is the opening of the handle groove 12. The cover 13 and the front panel 11 can be connected by means of bonding, welding, or by fasteners such as screws and rivets. In an optional embodiment, the cover 13 includes a left half 131 and a right half 132, which are connected. In this arrangement, the left half 131, the right half 132, and the front panel 11 are separate structures, connected during subsequent assembly, which facilitates the installation of the locking mechanism 40 and the unlocking mechanism 50.

[0027] The handle 20 is hinged to the housing 10 and is rotatable relative to the housing 10 between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the handle 20 is completely within the handle groove 12; in the second position, at least a portion of the handle 20 is located outside the handle groove 12. The handle 20 is hinged to the housing 10, meaning that the handle 20 is connected to the housing 10 and is rotatable relative to the housing 10. In an alternative embodiment, the handle 20 is connected to the housing 10 via a pivot 21. The pivot 21 may be integral with the handle 20, with a shaft hole 14 provided on the housing 10 into which the pivot 21 is inserted. Alternatively, the pivot 21 may be integral with the housing 10, with a shaft hole 14 provided on the handle 20 into which the pivot 21 is inserted. Alternatively, the handle 20, the pivot 21, and the housing 10 can be separate structures, with a shaft hole 14 provided on both the handle 20 and the housing 10. The pivot 21 passes through the shaft hole 14 of the housing 10 and also through the shaft hole 14 of the handle 20. In the above embodiments, the handle 20 rotates relative to the housing 10 about the axis of the pivot 21.

[0028] The pop-out mechanism 30 is installed on the housing 10 and is connected to the handle 20. The pop-out mechanism 30 is used to rotate the handle 20 from a first position to a second position. The pop-out mechanism 30 can be a flexible structure, such as a spring or a spring sheet.

[0029] A locking mechanism 40 is installed on the handle 20 and / or the housing 10. The locking mechanism 40 is used to lock the handle 20 in the first position to the housing 10. The locking mechanism 40 can be installed on the handle 20 or on the housing 10, or it can be installed on both the handle 20 and the housing 10. The locking mechanism 40 is used to lock the handle 20 to the housing 10 in the first position of the handle 20. That is to say, the locking mechanism 40 is used to fix the handle 20 in the first position. The locking mechanism 40 may include a snap-fit, a locking pin, or other structures.

[0030] The unlocking mechanism 50 includes a trigger button 51 and an electric drive structure. The trigger button 51 is mounted on the handle 20 or the housing 10, and the electric drive structure is mounted on the housing 10. The trigger button 51 is used to activate the electric drive structure, which in turn unlocks the locking mechanism 40. The trigger button 51 can be a physical button or a virtual button. The electric drive structure may include an electric motor 521.

[0031] The water tank 1 provided in this embodiment can be applied to an ice-making device. The tank body 10 is used to hold water for ice making, and the tank body 10 is equipped with a handle 20, so the tank body 10 can be moved by the handle 20. During the use of the ice-making device, there is no need to move the water tank 1. At this time, the handle 20 is locked in the first position by the locking mechanism 40, that is, the handle 20 is completely located in the handle groove 12. Since the handle 20 does not protrude from the front panel 11, this state of the handle 20 can be called the hidden state. When it is necessary to use the handle 20 to move the water tank 1, the user presses the trigger button 51, the electric drive structure is activated, the electric drive structure causes the locking mechanism 40 to unlock, and the pop-out mechanism 30 rotates the handle 20 from the first position to the second position, that is, at least part of the structure of the handle 20 extends out of the handle groove 12, so that the operator can hold the handle 20 to move the water tank 1.

[0032] As can be seen from the above, during the use of the ice-making equipment with the above-mentioned water tank 1, the handle 20 can be hidden and will not protrude from the outside of the tank 10, thus reducing or even avoiding collisions with other objects or people in the outside world, providing stronger protection for the handle 20 and reducing the probability of the handle 20 being damaged due to collisions.

[0033] like Figures 4 to 6As shown, in some optional technical solutions, a rotating shaft 21 is provided at the top of the handle 20, and the pop-out mechanism 30 includes a torsion spring. The torsion spring is sleeved on the rotating shaft 21, and its two ends are respectively connected to the housing 10 and the handle 20. The torsion spring is used to drive the handle 20 to rotate around the rotating shaft 21, so that the handle 20 rotates from a first position to a second position. The handle 20 is connected to the housing 10 through the rotating shaft 21. Exemplarily, a first shaft hole 14 is provided through the top of the handle 20 along a first direction, and two second shaft holes 14 are provided on the housing 10. The rotating shaft 21 passes through the first shaft hole 14, and its two ends are respectively outside the first shaft hole 14 and extend into the two second shaft holes 14. Alternatively, in another example, the top of the handle 20 protrudes to both sides along a first direction to form columnar structures. These two columnar structures are two rotating shafts 21 formed on both sides of the handle 20. Two second shaft holes 14 are provided on the housing 10, and the two rotating shafts 21 extend into the two second shaft holes 14 respectively, thereby allowing the handle 20 to be rotatably connected to the housing 10. In this arrangement, since the rotating shafts 21 are located at the top of the handle 20, the bottom of the handle 20 moves a relatively large distance during rotation. Therefore, when the handle 20 rotates by the same angle, the bottom of the handle 20 moves a relatively larger distance, and a relatively larger portion of the handle 20 protrudes outside the handle groove 12. In an optional embodiment, a torsion spring can be sleeved on the rotating shaft 21. In a specific example, there are two torsion springs, one sleeved on one rotating shaft 21 and the other sleeved on the other rotating shaft 21. In another alternative example, one end of one of the two torsion springs can be connected to one end of the other to connect the two torsion springs into a single large torsion spring. It is worth noting that during the rotation of the handle 20 from the second position to the first position, the torsion spring deforms and stores force. When the handle 20 is locked in the first position by the locking mechanism 40, the torsion spring is in a stored-force state. After the locking mechanism 40 is unlocked, the torsion spring elastically rotates the handle 20 to the second position.

[0034] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in one alternative embodiment, a cover 13 is connected to the rear side of the front panel 11, and a mounting plate 133 is connected to the top of the cover 13. A second shaft hole 14 is provided on the mounting plate 133. This arrangement, with the second shaft hole 14 located on the mounting plate 133, allows the cover 13 and the front panel 11 to be manufactured from relatively thin materials, thereby reducing the overall weight of the water tank 1.

[0035] In some alternative technical solutions, the handle 20 has an inner cavity, the locking mechanism 40 is installed in the inner cavity, the handle 20 has a first through hole 22, and the housing 10 has a first lock hole 15; the locking mechanism 40 includes a locking pin 41 assembly, the locking pin 41 assembly includes a locking pin 41, one end of the locking pin 41 passes through the first through hole 22 and extends into the first lock hole 15, and the unlocking mechanism 50 is used to drive the locking pin 41 to move along a first direction to disengage from the first lock hole 15.

[0036] It is worth noting that the axis of the first through hole 22 is not perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft 21. That is to say, the axis of the first through hole 22 can form an acute angle or an obtuse angle with the axis of the rotating shaft 21, or it can be parallel to the axis of the rotating shaft 21. In a specific example, the axis of the first through hole 22 is parallel to the axis of the rotating shaft 21. The direction of movement of the locking pin 41 is the extension direction of the axis of the first through hole 22.

[0037] In some alternative embodiments, the unlocking mechanism 50 may be directly connected to the locking pin 41 to drive the locking pin 41 to move along the axial direction of the first through hole 22, thereby causing the locking pin 41 to extend into the first lock hole 15 for locking operation, or causing the locking pin 41 to move away from the first lock hole 15 for unlocking operation.

[0038] like Figure 3 , Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, in some optional technical solutions, the locking mechanism 40 further includes a mounting base 42, and the locking pin 41 assembly further includes a slider 43 and a first reset member 44. The mounting base 42 is installed in the inner cavity, the slider 43 is slidably mounted on the mounting base 42, and the locking pin 41 is disposed at one end of the slider 43. The first reset member 44 is disposed between the slider 43 and the mounting base 42. The first reset member 44 is used to push the slider 43 so that the locking pin 41 moves towards the first lock hole 15. Under the action of the first reset member 44, the locking pin 41 extends into the first lock hole 15, thereby locking the handle 20 in the first position. Under the action of the unlocking mechanism 50, the slider 43 resists the force of the first reset member 44, and the slider 43 drives the locking pin 41 to move, thereby disengaging the locking pin 41 from the first lock hole 15, that is, unlocking is achieved. In this configuration, the unlocking mechanism 50 only needs to move the locking pin 41 away from the first lock hole 15, and the first reset member 44 resets the locking pin 41 to the locked state. The first reset element 44 can be an elastic structure, such as a spring or a spring sheet. In one example, the first reset element 44 is a spring. One end of the spring contacts or is connected to the mounting base 42, and the other end contacts or is connected to the slider 43. Since the locking pin 41 is set on the slider 43, and the slider 43 is slidably assembled on the mounting base 42, the slider 43 and the locking pin 41 move synchronously. The mounting base 42 provides support and guidance for the slider 43, making the locking pin 41 more stable during movement. A groove can be provided on the mounting base 42 to install the slider 43. Alternatively, a slide rail can be provided on one of the mounting base 42 and the slider 43, and a groove can be provided on the other. The sliding fit between the slide rail and the groove is achieved through the cooperation of the slide rail and the groove.

[0039] In some alternative embodiments, the electric drive mechanism may include a magnetic element and an electromagnetic coil, which attracts the magnetic element when the electromagnetic coil is energized. The magnetic element is mounted on the slider 43. After the unlocking mechanism 50 is activated, the electromagnetic coil is energized to attract the magnetic element, thereby moving the slider 43 on which the magnetic element is mounted, thereby moving the locking pin 41 away from the first locking hole 15.

[0040] In some alternative technical solutions, the electric drive mechanism may include a motor 521, a screw 522, and a nut. The output shaft of the motor 521 is connected to the screw 522, and a nut is fitted onto the screw 522. The slider 43 is connected to the nut. After the motor 521 is started, the output shaft drives the screw 522 to rotate, thereby causing the nut and slider 43 to move along the axial direction of the output shaft. The output shaft is coaxially arranged with the first through hole 22.

[0041] like Figures 7 to 9As shown, in some alternative technical solutions, the slider 43 is provided with a first inclined surface 431, and the unlocking mechanism 50 also includes a sliding body 53, which is provided with a second inclined surface 531. The first inclined surface 431 contacts the second inclined surface 531. The electric drive structure is connected to the sliding body 53. The sliding body 53 moves in a second direction to drive the slider 43 to move in a first direction, and causes the locking pin 41 to move away from the first locking hole 15. With this configuration, the electric drive structure can be arranged in the second direction of the sliding body 53. The electric drive structure drives the sliding body 53 to move in the second direction, and the sliding body 53 can drive the slider 43 to move in the first direction. That is, through the cooperation of the first inclined surface 431 and the second inclined surface 531, the force output by the electric drive structure is directed, thereby realizing the movement of the slider 43. For example, the electric drive mechanism includes a motor 521, a screw 522, and a nut. The output shaft of the motor 521 is connected to the screw 522, and a nut is fitted onto the screw 522. The sliding body 53 is connected to the nut. The axial direction of the output shaft is a second direction, and the movement direction of the slider 43 is a first direction, which is perpendicular to the second direction. In this arrangement, the electric drive mechanism and the sliding body 53 can be arranged in the second direction of the slider 43, thereby saving space in the first direction and facilitating layout. It is worth noting that the number of first inclined surfaces 431 on the slider 43 can be one or more. The number of second inclined surfaces 531 on the sliding body 53 corresponding to the slider 43 is the same as the number of first inclined surfaces 431 on the slider 43, and the inclination angle of the second inclined surfaces 531 is the same as the inclination angle of the first inclined surfaces 431. The second inclined surfaces 531 and the first inclined surfaces 431 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0042] In some alternative technical solutions, the unlocking mechanism 50 also includes a transition section 54, with the electric drive structure mounted below the mounting base 42. The electric drive structure is connected to the sliding body 53 via the transition section 54. Because of the transition section 54, the electric drive structure can be positioned at different horizontal levels from the sliding body 53, thus expanding the range of possible mounting positions for the electric drive structure. Since the electric drive structure is mounted below the mounting base 42, space in the second direction of the mounting base 42 is saved, improving the space utilization of the handle 20's internal cavity. In one example, the electric drive mechanism includes a motor 521 and a screw 522. The transition section 54 has a screw hole 541, through which the transition section 54 is screwed to the screw 522, thus eliminating the need for a nut.

[0043] In some alternative embodiments, the adapter 54 contacts a portion of the sliding body 53 on the side away from the slider 43. After the electric drive structure is activated, the adapter 54 pushes the sliding body 53 to move closer to the slider 43 along a second direction. A limiting groove 532 may be provided on the front side of the sliding body 53 (i.e., the side away from the slider 43), and the adapter 54 extends into the limiting groove 532, which limits the adapter 54 in a first direction. The adapter 54 moves closer to the slider 43 along the second direction, thereby causing the sliding body 53 to move closer to the slider 43.

[0044] In some optional configurations, a second reset member 55 may be installed between the sliding body 53 and the mounting base 42. During the movement of the electrically driven adapter 54 away from the slider 43, the second reset member 55 causes the sliding body 53 to move away from the slider 43 to reset. The second reset member 55 may be a spring, and it is in a charged state when the sliding body 53 is in the second position.

[0045] like Figure 3 As shown, in some alternative technical solutions, the handle 20 includes a rear cover 23 and a front side plate 24, with an inner cavity formed between the rear cover 23 and the front side plate 24. The front side plate 24 of the handle 20 is provided with a second through hole 25, and the sliding body 53 protrudes from the second through hole 25 on one side in a second direction. In this configuration, the operator can push the sliding body 53 through the second through hole 25 to move the sliding body 53, thereby performing a manual unlocking operation. Because of the second through hole 25, the operator can manually unlock the handle 20 when the electric drive structure malfunctions, so as to pop out the handle 20 and remove the water tank 1 from the ice-making equipment where it is located, so as to facilitate the maintenance of the electric drive structure.

[0046] In some optional technical solutions, the number of locking pin 41 assemblies is two. The handle 20 has a first through hole 22 on each side in the first direction, and the housing 10 has a first locking hole 15 corresponding to each first through hole 22. The two locking pins 41 pass through the corresponding first through hole 22 and extend into the corresponding first locking hole 15. Because there are two locking pins 41, located on both sides of the handle 20, the handle 20 is locked on both sides in the first direction, resulting in high locking stability.

[0047] When there are two locking pin 41 components, there is one trigger button 51, and the number of electric drive structures can be one or two. When there are two electric drive structures, after the trigger button 51 is triggered, the two electric drive structures start synchronously. While one electric drive structure drives one locking pin 41 component to unlock, the other electric drive structure drives the other locking pin 41 component to unlock, thereby unlocking the handle 20.

[0048] When there are two locking pin 41 components, one slider 43 can be installed on the top of the mounting base 42 and the other slider 43 can be installed on the bottom of the mounting base 42, thereby making better use of the internal cavity space of the handle 20 in the height direction.

[0049] When there is only one electric drive structure, in some optional technical solutions, the two sliders 43 are each provided with a first inclined surface 431, and the inclination directions of the first inclined surfaces 431 on the two sliders 43 are opposite. The sliding body 53 is provided with a matching second inclined surface 531 corresponding to each first inclined surface 431. The sliding body 53 moves along the second direction to drive the two sliders 43 to move in opposite directions, and cause the two locking pins 41 to move away from the first locking hole 15. In this configuration, there is only one electric drive structure and one sliding body 53. One sliding body 53 simultaneously drives the two sliders 43 to move in opposite directions, thereby causing the two locking pins 41 extending from both sides of the handle 20 to retract into the inner cavity of the handle 20 to unlock the handle 20.

[0050] In some alternative embodiments, a second locking hole may be provided on the housing 10. After the handle 20 is rotated a certain angle from the first position, the unlocking mechanism 50 returns to its original position. When the handle 20 moves to the second position, the first through hole 22 is opposite to the second locking hole, and the locking pin 41 extends into the second locking hole under the action of the first reset member 44, thereby locking the handle 20 in the second position. In this arrangement, the handle 20 can be locked in the second position through the cooperation of the locking pin 41 and the second locking hole, making the handle 20 more stable when moving the water tank 1 by the handle 20. After the user puts the water tank 1 back into the ice-making device, the trigger button 51 can be pressed again to activate the unlocking mechanism 50, thereby unlocking the handle 20 in the second position, and then the user can push the handle 20 back to the first position. During the movement of the handle 20 from the second position to the first position, the unlocking mechanism 50 returns to its original position, so that when the handle 20 moves to the first position and the first through hole 22 is opposite to the first lock hole 15, the locking pin 41 extends into the first lock hole 15 under the action of the first reset member 44, thereby locking the handle 20 in the first position.

[0051] Secondly, such as Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown in the figure, this application embodiment also proposes an ice-making device, including a shell 2 and a water tank 1 provided by the above technical solution. The shell 2 has a receiving area, and the water tank 1 is placed in the receiving area.

[0052] The ice-making equipment includes the water tank 1 provided in the first aspect above. Therefore, the ice-making equipment has at least all the beneficial effects of the water tank 1, which will not be elaborated further here. The outer shell 2 surrounds the outside of the water tank 1, protecting the various structures inside the water tank 1, and the outer shell 2 can also cover the various structures of the water tank 1, improving its aesthetics.

[0053] The ice-making equipment provided in this application embodiment may further include an ice-making mechanism, which may include pipes, an evaporator, and other structures. The pipes may include cooling pipes for supplying coolant to the evaporator, water inlet pipes for injecting ice-making liquid (e.g., water) into the ice box, and drain pipes for allowing excess water to drain out. The cooling pipes are connected to the evaporator, and the water inlet pipes are connected to the ice box. When the ice box is in the ice-making position, at least a portion of the evaporator is located inside the ice box, and the ice outlet of the ice box faces upward (including directly upward or inclined upward). Water flows into the ice box through the water inlet pipe, and the evaporator causes the liquid inside the ice box to freeze into ice cubes. After ice making is completed, the ice box rotates under the drive of the rotating mechanism, the ice outlet of the ice box faces downward, and the ice cubes are discharged through the ice outlet of the ice box.

[0054] The ice-making equipment provided in this application can be an independent ice-making device, such as an embedded ice maker, a tabletop ice maker, or a portable ice maker. It can also be an ice-making device applied to other devices, such as an ice-making device applied to appliances such as refrigerators and water dispensers.

[0055] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. Therefore, any equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of this application shall still fall within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A water tank, characterized in that: include: The housing has a front panel with a handle groove. A handle, hinged to the housing, is rotatable relative to the housing between a first position and a second position; in the first position, the handle is fully located within the handle groove; in the second position, at least a portion of the handle's structure is located outside the handle groove. A pop-out mechanism is installed on the housing and connected to the handle. The pop-out mechanism is used to rotate the handle from the first position to the second position. A locking mechanism is installed on the handle and / or the housing, the locking mechanism being used to lock the handle located in the first position to the housing; An unlocking mechanism includes a trigger button and an electric drive structure. The trigger button is installed on the handle or the housing, and the electric drive structure is installed on the housing. The trigger button is used to activate the electric drive structure, and the electric drive structure is used to unlock the locking mechanism.

2. The water tank as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the handle is provided with a pivot, and the pop-out mechanism includes a torsion spring. The torsion spring is sleeved on the pivot, and the two ends of the torsion spring are respectively connected to the housing and the handle. The torsion spring is used to drive the handle to rotate around the pivot, so that the handle rotates from the first position to the second position.

3. The water tank as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The handle has an inner cavity, the locking mechanism is installed in the inner cavity, the handle has a first through hole, and the housing has a first lock hole; the locking mechanism includes a locking pin assembly, the locking pin assembly includes a locking pin, one end of the locking pin passes through the first through hole and extends into the first lock hole, and the unlocking mechanism is used to drive the locking pin to move along a first direction to disengage from the first lock hole.

4. The water tank as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The locking mechanism further includes a mounting base, and the locking pin assembly further includes a slider and a first reset member. The mounting base is installed in the inner cavity, the slider is slidably mounted on the mounting base, the locking pin is disposed at one end of the slider, and a first reset member is disposed between the slider and the mounting base. The first reset member is used to push the slider so that the locking pin moves toward the first lock hole.

5. The water tank as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The slider is provided with a first inclined surface, and the unlocking mechanism further includes a sliding body. The sliding body is provided with a second inclined surface. The first inclined surface is in contact with the second inclined surface. The electric drive structure is connected to the sliding body. The sliding body moves along a second direction to drive the slider to move along a first direction and cause the locking pin to move away from the first lock hole.

6. The water tank as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The unlocking mechanism also includes a transition section, the electric drive structure is installed below the mounting base, and the electric drive structure is connected to the sliding body through the transition section.

7. The water tank as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The front side plate of the handle is provided with a second through hole, and the sliding body is exposed on one side of the second direction through the second through hole.

8. The water tank as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The number of locking pin assemblies is two. The handle is provided with a first through hole on each side in the first direction. The housing is provided with a first lock hole opposite to each of the first through holes. The two locking pins pass through the corresponding first through holes and extend into the corresponding first lock holes.

9. The water tank as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The two sliders are each provided with a first inclined surface, and the inclination directions of the first inclined surfaces on the two sliders are opposite. The sliding body is provided with a matching second inclined surface corresponding to each of the first inclined surfaces. The sliding body moves along the second direction to drive the two sliders to move in opposite directions, and cause the two locking pins to move away from the first locking hole.

10. An ice-making device, characterized in that: It includes a housing and a water tank as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the housing is provided with a receiving area and the water tank is placed in the receiving area.

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