Refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model relates to domestic appliance technical field especially is refrigerator. The refrigerator includes the box, inductive device and automatic door opening device, is connected with the cabinet door on the box, and the sealing strip is arranged between cabinet door and the box, inductive device is located in the box, and inductive device includes casing, trigger, metal sheet and circuit board, casing and the box connect, trigger and casing swing joint, and with cabinet door abut, metal sheet is connected in trigger one end away from cabinet door, and circuit board is connected with casing, and is arranged with metal sheet spacing, and can be triggered in response to the displacement of metal sheet, automatic door opening device is connected in the box, and is connected with circuit board electricity, and can open cabinet door in response to the trigger of circuit board. Its advantage lies in, through trigger and cabinet door mechanical linkage drive metal sheet displacement, utilize the magnetic field interaction between metal sheet and inductance coil changes the frequency of resonant circuit, to trigger automatic door opening device, and the trigger mode is more accurate and stable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] Built-in refrigerators are usually installed in cabinets, forming a more unified style with the outer surface of the cabinets. In order to ensure the beauty and simplicity of home decoration, handles are usually not installed. Therefore, built-in refrigerators often use automatic door opening.

[0003] Currently, automatic door opening for refrigerators typically comes in two types: push-button and voice-activated. Voice-activated doors require users to remember specific keywords and have a slower response time, while push-button doors usually require a pressure sensor. Sometimes the pressure sensor is not sensitive enough, requiring users to press harder to trigger the opening, and they are also prone to malfunctions, affecting the user experience. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a refrigerator.

[0005] A refrigerator includes: a cabinet body with a door connected to it, the door being rotatably connected to the cabinet body, and a sealing strip pressed between the door and the cabinet body; a sensing device located inside the cabinet body, the sensing device including a housing, a trigger, a metal plate, and a circuit board, the housing being connected to the cabinet body, the trigger being movably connected to the housing and abutting against the door, the metal plate being connected to the end of the trigger away from the door, the circuit board being connected to the housing and spaced apart from the metal plate, and capable of being triggered in response to the displacement of the metal plate; and an automatic door opening device connected to the cabinet body and electrically connected to the circuit board, capable of opening the door in response to a triggering action by the circuit board.

[0006] This setup, through the inclusion of sensors and an automatic door opening mechanism, enables automatic door opening based on user pressure. When the user presses the door, it presses against the sealing strip, causing the door to shift closer to the cabinet. A trigger element, initially positioned and connected to the cabinet via the housing, then contacts and shifts against the door, moving a metal plate. The circuit board responds to this displacement, triggering the automatic door opening mechanism to open the door. This door opening triggering method is more stable than voice control, less prone to false triggers, and does not rely on pressure sensors.

[0007] In one embodiment, the circuit board is provided with an inductor chip and an inductor coil. The inductor chip is electrically connected to the inductor coil and can enable the inductor coil to generate a first magnetic field. The metal sheet is spaced apart from the inductor coil and can generate a second magnetic field in response to the first magnetic field.

[0008] In one embodiment, a capacitor is also provided on the circuit board, the inductor coil is electrically connected to the capacitor and has a resonant frequency, and the inductor chip can be triggered in response to a change in the resonant frequency.

[0009] In one embodiment, the housing is provided with a guide seat, the guide seat has a guide groove, and the trigger is installed in the guide groove.

[0010] In one embodiment, the bottom of the guide groove has a through hole, at least a portion of the trigger passes through the through hole and extends into the housing, and the metal plate is connected to the end of the trigger located inside the housing.

[0011] In one embodiment, an elastic member is provided between the trigger and the bottom of the guide groove, with one end of the elastic member abutting against the trigger and the other end abutting against the bottom of the guide groove.

[0012] In one embodiment, the trigger includes a reduced diameter section and an expanded diameter section, the expanded diameter section being connected to the outer periphery of the reduced diameter section, the expanded diameter section extending in a radially outward direction and engaging with the sidewall of the guide groove with a clearance, and the elastic element abutting against the expanded diameter section.

[0013] In one embodiment, the outer periphery of the expanding section has a flange that extends axially along the trigger member, and a mounting groove is formed between the flange and the reducing section, with the elastic member abutting against the bottom of the mounting groove.

[0014] In one embodiment, the housing includes a cover and a base, the cover and the base cooperating to form a cavity for accommodating the circuit board, the cover and the base being detachably connected.

[0015] In one embodiment, at least one mounting base is provided on both sides of the housing along its length. The mounting base has a mounting hole, and a connector passes through the mounting hole and is connected to the housing.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, this utility model provides an automatic door-opening refrigerator based on the principle of inductive sensing. The mechanical linkage between the trigger and the door drives the metal plate to move. The magnetic field interaction between the metal plate and the inductor coil changes the frequency of the resonant circuit, realizing non-contact high-precision displacement detection. The guiding structure and elastic reset mechanism ensure trigger sensitivity and durability. Overall, it solves the problems of false triggering, triggering difficulties and poor user experience that exist in traditional voice, touch or vibration solutions. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 A perspective view of one embodiment of the sensing device provided by this utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the sensing device provided by this utility model;

[0019] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the circuit board provided by this utility model;

[0020] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the magnetic field of the induction device provided by this utility model;

[0021] Figure 5 The resonant frequency gain curve provided for this utility model;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the refrigerator provided by this utility model.

[0023] The symbols in the diagram represent the following meanings:

[0024] 200. Refrigerator; 201. Cabinet; 202. Door; 100. Induction device; 10. Housing; 11. Guide seat; 111. Guide groove; 112. Perforation; 12. Cover; 13. Base; 14. Chamber; 15. Mounting seat; 151. Mounting hole; 20. Trigger; 21. Elastic element; 22. Reduction section; 23. Expansion section; 231. Flanged edge; 232. Mounting groove; 30. Circuit board; 31. Inductor chip; 33. First magnetic field; 34. Second magnetic field; 36. Inductor coil; 40. Metal sheet. Detailed Implementation

[0025] 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.

[0026] It should be noted that when a mechanism is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another mechanism, it can be directly on the other mechanism or there may be an intervening mechanism. When a mechanism is considered to be "connected to" another mechanism, it can be directly connected to the other mechanism or there may be an intervening mechanism. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application's specification are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0027] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0028] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature and the second feature are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0030] This utility model provides a refrigerator 200, which automatically opens the refrigerator 200 by means of a sensor 100 and displacement caused by the compression of the sealing strip between the cabinet body 201 and the door 202.

[0031] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 as well as Figure 6The refrigerator 200 includes a cabinet 201, a sensor 100, and an automatic door opening device. A door 202 is connected to the cabinet 201 and is rotatably connected to the cabinet 201. A sealing strip is pressed between the door 202 and the cabinet 201. The sensor 100 is located inside the cabinet 201 and includes a housing 10, a trigger 20, a metal plate 40, and a circuit board 30. The housing 10 is connected to the cabinet 201. The trigger 20 is movably connected to the housing 10 and abuts against the door 202. The metal plate 40 is connected to the end of the trigger 20 away from the door 202. The circuit board 30 is connected to the housing 10 and spaced apart from the metal plate 40, and can be triggered in response to the displacement of the metal plate 40. The automatic door opening device is connected to the cabinet 201 and electrically connected to the circuit board 30, and can open the door 202 in response to the triggering of the circuit board 30.

[0032] Thus, by setting up the sensing device 100 and the automatic door opening device, an automatic door opening function based on the user's pressing action on the door is realized. When the user presses the door 202, the door 202 presses against the sealing strip, and the door 202 moves closer to the box body 201 relative to the box body 201. The trigger 20 is connected to the box body 201 through the housing 10, so the position of the trigger 20 initially remains unchanged. The trigger 20 abuts against the door 202 and moves, causing the metal plate 40 to move. The circuit board 30 is triggered in response to the displacement of the metal plate 40, thereby controlling the automatic door opening device to open the door 202. This door opening triggering method is more stable than voice control, less prone to false triggering, and does not require a pressure sensor.

[0033] Specifically, please see Figures 3-5 The circuit board 30 is provided with an inductor chip 31 and an inductor coil 36. The inductor chip 31 is electrically connected to the inductor coil 36 and can enable the inductor coil 36 to generate a first magnetic field 33. The metal sheet 40 is spaced apart from the inductor coil 36 and can generate a second magnetic field 34 in response to the first magnetic field 33.

[0034] Thus, the inductor chip 31 on the circuit board 30 applies an excitation signal to the inductor coil 36 to generate a first magnetic field 33, which causes the metal sheet 40 to generate an eddy current effect. Therefore, a second magnetic field 34 is generated on the metal sheet 40. When the user presses the embedded door 202, the strength of the second magnetic field 34 on the metal sheet 40 will affect the strength of the first magnetic field 33, making the first magnetic field 33 of the inductor coil 36 smaller.

[0035] In one embodiment, a capacitor is also provided on the circuit board 30, and the inductor coil 36 is electrically connected to the capacitor and has a resonant frequency. The inductor chip 31 can be triggered in response to changes in the resonant frequency. Thus, when the circuit board 30 is energized, its inductor coil 36 will generate an eddy current effect in the metal sheet 40. When the user presses the door 202, the metal sheet 40 moves towards the circuit board 30, thereby reducing the magnetic field of the inductor coil 36 due to the eddy current effect. This reduces the inductance of the inductor coil 36, thereby changing the resonant frequency f of the circuit formed by the inductor coil 36 and the capacitor. The circuit board 30 is equipped with a controller. The controller detects this frequency change and determines the user's action of pressing the door. The controller transmits the door-opening signal to the upper control system. The control system controls the push rod motor in the automatic door-opening device to automatically open the door through the drive circuit.

[0036] It should be explained that in this embodiment, when the user presses the door 202, the second magnetic field 34 of the metal sheet 40 affects the first magnetic field 33 of the inductor coil 36, causing the first magnetic field 33 of the inductor coil 36 to decrease, thereby reducing the inductance of the inductor coil 36. The capacitor and the inductor coil 36 constitute an LC resonant circuit, and the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit is given by the formula f = ... It can be seen that when the inductance of the LC circuit decreases, the resonant frequency f of the LC circuit will increase.

[0037] Of course, it is understandable that in other embodiments, the sensing circuit board 30 may have multiple triggering methods for the deformation of the metal sheet 40. For example, the metal sheet 40 may be used as a capacitor plate, and another electrode may be arranged on the circuit board 30 to form a capacitor structure. When the metal sheet 40 deforms due to changes in air pressure, the distance or relative area between it and the electrode on the circuit board 30 changes, resulting in a change in capacitance. The capacitance detection circuit (such as an RC oscillator or a capacitance-to-digital converter) on the circuit board 30 detects the capacitance change, thereby triggering a signal.

[0038] Alternatively, based on another principle, the formula for storing magnetic field energy in an inductor is W = L × I² / 2. When the magnetic field decreases, meaning the inductor's storage capacity W decreases, the user's action of pressing the door can be determined by detecting changes in the current I. This signal is then sent to the control center via the communication port, where the control center controls the push rod motor installed on the housing 201 to open the door.

[0039] Alternatively, a photoelectric sensor can be used to detect the distance between the two, which will not be elaborated here. In this application, the triggering is achieved by the aforementioned change in the induced magnetic field.

[0040] Furthermore, a guide seat 11 is constructed on the housing 10, and a guide groove 111 is formed within the guide seat 11. The trigger element 20 is installed in the guide groove 111. In this way, the guide groove 111 provides a stable linear motion trajectory for the trigger element 20, ensuring that the trigger element 20 can move in a predetermined direction when subjected to pressure from the door 202, thereby accurately transmitting displacement to the metal plate 40. This guiding structure improves the motion accuracy and consistency of the trigger element 20, reduces the risk of jamming or deflection, enhances the durability and reliability of the sensing device 100, and facilitates assembly and maintenance.

[0041] Furthermore, a through hole 112 is provided at the bottom of the guide groove 111. At least a portion of the trigger 20 passes through the through hole 112 and extends into the housing 10. The metal plate 40 is connected to the end of the trigger 20 located inside the housing 10. This allows the metal plate 40 to be directly located inside the housing 10, protected from external environmental influences, while ensuring a stable relative position between the metal plate 40 and the circuit board 30, which is beneficial for the accuracy and consistency of magnetic field sensing. The through hole 112 structure optimizes the movement path of the trigger 20, simplifies the internal component layout, and improves space utilization and assembly efficiency.

[0042] Furthermore, an elastic element 21 is provided between the trigger element 20 and the bottom of the guide groove 111. One end of the elastic element 21 abuts against the trigger element 20, and the other end abuts against the bottom of the guide groove 111. The elastic element 21 provides a restoring force, causing the trigger element 20 to automatically reset after the user stops pressing. This elastic reset mechanism ensures that the sensing device 100 quickly returns to the standby state after each trigger, avoiding jamming or deformation of the trigger element 20, and improving the service life and response reliability of the device.

[0043] Specifically, in this embodiment, the elastic element 21 is set as a spring; in other embodiments, the elastic element 21 may also be set as an elastic rubber or other structure.

[0044] Preferably, the trigger 20 includes a reduced diameter section 22 and an expanded diameter section 23. The expanded diameter section 23 is connected to the outer periphery of the reduced diameter section 22 and extends radially outward, engaging with the sidewall of the guide groove 111 with a clearance fit. The elastic element 21 abuts against the expanded diameter section 23. Thus, the expanded diameter section 23 engages with the sidewall of the guide groove 111 with a clearance fit, and the elastic element 21 abuts against the expanded diameter section 23. The trigger 20 can move smoothly within the guide groove 111. The clearance fit reduces the frictional resistance between the expanded diameter section 23 and the groove wall of the guide groove 111, making displacement transmission smoother. The expanded diameter section 23 provides a stable contact surface with the elastic element 21, ensuring a uniform distribution of elastic force.

[0045] The outer periphery of the expanded diameter section 23 has a flange 231, which extends axially along the trigger member 20. A mounting groove 232 is formed between the flange 231 and the reduced diameter section 22, and the elastic member 21 abuts against the bottom of the mounting groove 232. Thus, the flange 231 and the reduced diameter section 22 form the mounting groove 232, and the elastic member 21 abuts against the bottom of the mounting groove 232. The mounting groove 232 provides precise positioning and support for the elastic member 21, preventing it from shifting or falling off during movement, ensuring the reliability and consistency of the reset function. The flange 231 structure enhances the structural strength of the trigger member 20 and optimizes the fit with the elastic member 21, reducing wear and improving the overall stability and lifespan of the assembly.

[0046] The housing 10 includes a cover 12 and a base 13, which cooperate to form a cavity 14 for housing the circuit board 30. The cover 12 and the base 13 are detachably connected. Designing the housing 10 to include a cover 12 and a base 13, detachably connected to form the cavity 14 for housing the circuit board 30, facilitates the installation, debugging, maintenance, and replacement of the circuit board 30, reducing manufacturing and repair costs. Furthermore, the housing 10 is machined separately for the cover 12 and the base 13, reducing manufacturing difficulty.

[0047] At least one mounting base 15 is provided on each of the two sides along the length of the housing 10. The mounting base 15 has mounting holes 151 through which a connector (not shown in the figure) passes, connecting to the housing 201. This ensures that the sensing device 100 is securely and precisely fixed to the housing 201, guaranteeing the correct abutment position between the trigger 20 and the door 202, and preventing displacement due to vibration or impact. The mounting base 15 provides multi-point support, enhancing overall stability and ensuring reliable operation of the sensing device 100 during long-term use, while also simplifying the installation process.

[0048] Preferably, the connector is configured as a screw structure, passing through the mounting hole 151 and directly fixed to the housing 201. Understandably, in other embodiments, the connector may be omitted, and the housing 10 may be directly welded to the housing 201, achieving stable fixation in the same way.

[0049] The refrigerator 200 can be controlled by a voice module, which is equipped with a controller, a voice receiving module, and a voice parsing module. The voice receiving module receives user commands, and the voice parsing module parses the commands. Based on the parsed commands, the controller controls the refrigerator 200 to perform corresponding operations, thereby realizing intelligent control of the refrigerator 200 and improving the user experience.

[0050] Compared with the prior art, this utility model provides an automatic door-opening refrigerator 200 based on the principle of inductive sensing. The mechanical linkage between the trigger 20 and the door 202 drives the metal plate 40 to move. The magnetic field interaction between the metal plate 40 and the inductor coil 36 changes the frequency of the resonant circuit, realizing non-contact high-precision displacement detection. The guiding structure and elastic reset mechanism ensure trigger sensitivity and durability. Overall, it solves the problems of false triggering, triggering difficulty and poor user experience that exist in traditional voice, touch or vibration solutions.

[0051] 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.

[0052] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: A box body (201) is provided with a box door (202) connected to it. The box door (202) is rotatably connected to the box body (201), and a sealing strip is pressed between the box door (202) and the box body (201). A sensing device (100) is located inside the housing (201). The sensing device (100) includes a housing (10), a trigger (20), a metal plate (40), and a circuit board (30). The housing (10) is connected to the housing (201). The trigger (20) is movably connected to the housing (10) and abuts against the door (202). The metal plate (40) is connected to the end of the trigger (20) away from the door (202). The circuit board (30) is connected to the housing (10) and is spaced apart from the metal plate (40), and can be triggered in response to the displacement of the metal plate (40). An automatic door opening device is connected to the housing (201) and electrically connected to the circuit board (30), and is capable of opening the housing door (202) in response to the triggering of the circuit board (30).

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circuit board (30) is provided with an inductor chip (31) and an inductor coil (36). The inductor chip (31) is electrically connected to the inductor coil (36) and can enable the inductor coil (36) to generate a first magnetic field (33). The metal sheet (40) is spaced apart from the inductor coil (36) and can generate a second magnetic field (34) in response to the first magnetic field (33).

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, A capacitor is also provided on the circuit board (30), the inductor coil (36) is electrically connected to the capacitor and has a resonant frequency, and the inductor chip (31) can be triggered in response to the change of the resonant frequency.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (10) is provided with a guide seat (11), and a guide groove (111) is provided in the guide seat (11). The trigger (20) is installed in the guide groove (111).

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bottom of the guide groove (111) is provided with a through hole (112), at least part of the trigger (20) passes through the through hole (112) and extends into the housing (10), and the metal sheet (40) is connected to one end of the trigger (20) located inside the housing (10).

6. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, An elastic element (21) is provided between the trigger (20) and the bottom of the guide groove (111). One end of the elastic element (21) abuts against the trigger (20), and the other end abuts against the bottom of the guide groove (111).

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The trigger (20) includes a reduced diameter section (22) and an expanded diameter section (23). The expanded diameter section (23) is connected to the outer periphery of the reduced diameter section (22). The expanded diameter section (23) extends radially outward and is in clearance fit with the sidewall of the guide groove (111). The elastic element (21) abuts against the expanded diameter section (23).

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, characterized in that, The outer periphery of the expanded section (23) has a flange (231) which extends along the axial direction of the trigger (20). An installation groove (232) is formed between the flange (231) and the reduced section (22), and the elastic member (21) abuts against the bottom of the installation groove (232).

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (10) includes a cover (12) and a base (13), which cooperate to form a cavity (14) for accommodating the circuit board (30), and the cover (12) and the base (13) are detachably connected.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, characterized in that, At least one mounting base (15) is provided on both sides of the length direction of the housing (10). The mounting base (15) is provided with a mounting hole (151). A connector is passed through the mounting hole (151) and the connector is connected to the box body (201).

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