Refrigerator

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator. The refrigerator comprises a refrigerator body, a door body, and an automatic door opening and closing device. The refrigerator body comprises a refrigeration compartment. The door body is rotatably connected to the refrigerator body, and is configured to open or close the refrigeration compartment. The automatic door opening and closing device comprises a driving mechanism, a mounting frame, a second transmission gear set, an execution mechanism, and a clutch mechanism. The second transmission gear set comprises a second output gear; when a clutch cam rotates to a second position, the clutch cam pushes the mounting frame to drive the second transmission gear set to swing to a third position, so that the second output gear is transmittingly connected to a rocker; when the clutch cam rotates reversely to a first position, the mounting frame drives the second transmission gear set to swing to a fourth position, so that the second output gear is separated from the rocker.

Description

refrigerator

[0001] This application claims the priority of Chinese patent application No. 202410096701.3 filed on January 23, 2024, the priority of Chinese patent application No. 202410095270.9 filed on January 23, 2024, the priority of Chinese patent application No. 202410095164.0 filed on January 23, 2024, the priority of Chinese patent application No. 202410095222.X filed on January 23, 2024, the priority of Chinese patent application No. 202420165242.5 filed on January 23, 2024, the priority of Chinese patent application No. 2024100952 243.1, the priority of the Chinese patent application with application number 202420167642.X filed on January 23, 2024, the priority of the Chinese patent application with application number 202410095287.4 filed on January 23, 2024, the priority of the Chinese patent application with application number 202420165143.7 filed on January 23, 2024, the priority of the Chinese patent application with application number 202420165279.8 filed on January 23, 2024, and the priority of the Chinese patent application with application number 202410096770.4 filed on January 23, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular to a refrigerator. Background Art

[0003] To improve door opening and closing convenience, refrigerators are often equipped with automatic door opening and closing devices that automatically open and close the refrigerator door. These devices typically include a drive mechanism, an actuator, and a clutch mechanism located between the drive and actuator mechanisms. To automatically open or close the door, the drive mechanism rotates a clutch gear, which in turn drives the actuator.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] A refrigerator is provided, comprising a housing, a door, and an automatic door opening and closing device. The housing includes a refrigeration compartment. The door is rotatably connected to the housing and configured to open or close the refrigeration compartment. The automatic door opening and closing device comprises a drive mechanism, a mounting bracket, a second transmission gear set, an actuator, and a clutch mechanism. The drive mechanism comprises a first drive motor and a first transmission gear set. The first transmission gear set is transmission-connected to the first drive motor and comprises a first input gear, a first transmission gear, and a first output gear. The first drive motor is configured to rotate the first input gear, thereby causing the first transmission gear to rotate the first output gear. The mounting bracket is swingably mounted to the housing. The second transmission gear set is mounted to the mounting bracket and comprises a second transmission gear meshing with the first transmission gear set and a second output gear transmission-connected to the second transmission gear. The actuator comprises a rocker lever, which is configured to open or close the door. The clutch mechanism includes a connected second drive motor and a clutch cam, the clutch cam is rotatably mounted on the housing, and the second drive motor is configured to drive the clutch cam to switch between a first position and a second position; wherein, when the second drive motor drives the clutch cam to rotate to the second position, the clutch cam pushes the mounting bracket to drive the second transmission gear set to swing to a third position, so that the second output gear is connected to the rocker arm; when the second drive motor drives the clutch cam to rotate in the opposite direction to the first position, the mounting bracket drives the second transmission gear set to swing to a fourth position, so that the second output gear is separated from the rocker arm. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG1 is a structural diagram of a refrigerator according to some embodiments;

[0007] FIG2 is a structural diagram of a door body and a box body being rotatably connected according to some embodiments;

[0008] FIG3 is a structural diagram of another embodiment of the rotational connection between the door body and the box body;

[0009] FIG4 is a structural diagram of an automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments;

[0010] FIG5 is an exploded view of an automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments;

[0011] FIG6 is a structural diagram of a first housing according to some embodiments;

[0012] FIG7 is a structural diagram of a second housing according to some embodiments;

[0013] FIG8 is a structural diagram of a driving mechanism according to some embodiments;

[0014] FIG9 is a structural diagram showing a push rod extending out of a first housing in an automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments;

[0015] FIG10 is a structural diagram showing a push rod extending out of a first housing in an automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments;

[0016] FIG11 is another structural diagram of the push rod extending out of the first housing in the automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments;

[0017] FIG12 is a structural diagram of a transformer according to some embodiments;

[0018] FIG13 is a structural diagram illustrating a disengaged position of the second tooth structure of the first output gear and the transmission rack according to some embodiments;

[0019] FIG14 is a structural diagram of a push rod reset in an automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments;

[0020] FIG15 is a structural diagram illustrating a first output gear rotated to an engaged position according to some embodiments;

[0021] FIG16 is a structural diagram of a first detection circuit board according to some embodiments;

[0022] FIG17 is a structural diagram of a first output gear according to some embodiments;

[0023] FIG18 is another exploded view of an automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments;

[0024] FIG19 is a structural diagram of a second actuator closing a door according to some embodiments;

[0025] FIG20 is a structural diagram of a second actuator opening a door according to some embodiments;

[0026] FIG21 is a structural diagram showing a case where the third sliding recess is located at the top end of the door body according to some embodiments;

[0027] FIG22 is a structural diagram of an automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments without a second housing;

[0028] FIG23 is an exploded view of an automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments, with the second housing removed;

[0029] FIG24 is a structural diagram of a first clutch mechanism in a first state according to some embodiments;

[0030] FIG25 is another structural diagram of the push rod extending out of the first housing in the automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments;

[0031] FIG26 is a structural diagram of a first clutch mechanism in a second state according to some embodiments;

[0032] FIG27 is a block diagram of a position detection assembly according to some embodiments;

[0033] FIG28 is a flow chart of a method for controlling a refrigerator according to some embodiments;

[0034] FIG29 is another structural diagram of the automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments, wherein the second housing is removed;

[0035] FIG30 is another exploded view of the automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments, with the second housing removed;

[0036] FIG31 is another structural diagram of the first clutch mechanism in the second state according to some embodiments;

[0037] FIG32 is a structural diagram of a rocker opening a door according to some embodiments;

[0038] FIG33 is another structural diagram of the first clutch mechanism in the first state according to some embodiments;

[0039] FIG34 is another structural diagram of the first clutch mechanism in the first state according to some embodiments;

[0040] FIG35 is a structural diagram of a push rod opening a door according to some embodiments;

[0041] FIG36 is another structural diagram of the first clutch mechanism in the second state according to some embodiments;

[0042] FIG37 is a structural diagram of a push rod closing a door according to some embodiments;

[0043] FIG38 is another structural diagram of the automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments, with the second housing removed;

[0044] FIG39 is a structural diagram of a second clutch mechanism according to some embodiments;

[0045] FIG40 is an exploded view of a second clutch mechanism according to some embodiments;

[0046] FIG41 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG38;

[0047] FIG42 is another exploded view of the automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments, with the second housing removed;

[0048] FIG43 is a structural diagram of an auxiliary mounting plate for an automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments;

[0049] FIG44 is another structural diagram of an automatic door opening and closing device according to some embodiments;

[0050] FIG45 is a structural diagram of an angle detection mechanism according to some embodiments;

[0051] FIG46 is an exploded view of an angle detection mechanism according to some embodiments;

[0052] FIG47 is a schematic diagram of a voltage detection circuit according to some embodiments;

[0053] FIG48 is a flowchart of another method for controlling a refrigerator according to some embodiments;

[0054] FIG49 is a flowchart of yet another method for controlling a refrigerator according to some embodiments;

[0055] FIG50 is a flowchart of yet another method for controlling a refrigerator according to some embodiments;

[0056] FIG51 is a flowchart of yet another method for controlling a refrigerator according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe some embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments provided by the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0058] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprise" and its other forms, such as the third person singular form "comprises" and the present participle form "comprising", are to be interpreted as open and inclusive, that is, "including, but not limited to". In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" are intended to indicate that the particular features, structures, materials or characteristics associated with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. The schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, the particular features, structures, materials or characteristics may be included in any one or more embodiments or examples in any appropriate manner.

[0059] In the following, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0060] When describing some embodiments, the expressions "coupled" and "connected" and their derivatives may be used. The term "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. The term "coupled" indicates that two or more components are in direct physical or electrical contact. The term "coupled" or "communicatively coupled" may also refer to two or more components that are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other. The embodiments disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to the contents of this document.

[0061] “At least one of A, B and C” has the same meaning as “at least one of A, B or C” and both include the following combinations of A, B and C: A only, B only, C only, the combination of A and B, the combination of A and C, the combination of B and C, and the combination of A, B and C.

[0062] The use of "adapted to" or "configured to" herein is intended to be open and inclusive language that does not exclude devices adapted or configured to perform additional tasks or steps.

[0063] As used herein, "about," "substantially," or "approximately" includes the stated value and an average value that is within an acceptable range of deviation from the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurements in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system).

[0064] As used herein, "parallel", "perpendicular", and "equal" include the situations described and situations similar to the situations described, and the range of the similar situations is within an acceptable deviation range, wherein the acceptable deviation range is as determined by a person of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurement in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the specific quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "parallel" includes absolute parallelism and approximate parallelism, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate parallelism can be, for example, a deviation within 5°; "perpendicular" includes absolute perpendicularity and approximate perpendicularity, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate perpendicularity can also be, for example, a deviation within 5°. "Equal" includes absolute equality and approximate equality, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate equality can be, for example, that the difference between the two equals is less than or equal to 5% of either one.

[0065] In related technologies, a clutch mechanism typically includes a first clutch gear and a second clutch gear, which are coaxially arranged and abut each other. The first clutch gear is in transmission connection with a drive mechanism, while the second clutch gear is in transmission connection with an actuator. When the door is automatically opened or closed, the drive mechanism rotates the first clutch gear. Static friction between the first and second clutch gears creates a force, which drives the second clutch gear to rotate, thereby driving the actuator.

[0066] When the door encounters an obstacle and generates a large reverse torque, if the reverse torque exceeds the torque range of the clutch mechanism, the reverse torque causes the force between the first clutch gear and the second clutch gear to be greater than the static friction force, causing the first clutch gear and the second clutch gear to rotate relative to each other, disconnecting the drive mechanism from the actuator and stopping the automatic opening or closing of the door. However, the clutch mechanism in the related art has poor versatility and increases the cost of refrigerator components.

[0067] Refrigerators in the related art suffer from a technical problem: the clutch mechanism has a poor versatility, which increases the cost of refrigerator components. The inventors discovered that the reason for this is that the torque range of the clutch mechanism in the related art is fixed and cannot be adjusted. Different refrigerators require clutch mechanisms with different torque ranges, resulting in poor versatility and increased component costs.

[0068] In view of this, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, a refrigerator has a drive mechanism comprising a second mounting bracket and a second transmission gear set, the second mounting bracket being capable of driving the second transmission gear set to swing; an actuator comprising a second actuator including a rocker for opening or closing the door; and a clutch mechanism comprising a second drive motor and a clutch cam. When the second drive motor drives the clutch cam to rotate to a second position, the rotation axis of the clutch cam, the point of contact between the clutch cam and the second mounting bracket, and the rotation axis of the second output gear lie on a first straight line, and the rotation axes of the second mounting bracket and the second output gear lie on a second straight line.

[0069] By setting the angle β between the second straight line and the first straight line to less than 90°, when the door is obstructed and subjected to a reverse torque, the reverse torque exerts a tangential force on the clutch cam, which tends to rotate the clutch cam toward the first position. When this tangential force exceeds the static friction between the clutch cam and the second mounting bracket, the clutch cam disengages from the second mounting bracket, causing the second mounting bracket to drive the second transmission gear set to swing in the opposite direction, disengaging the second output gear from the rocker and stopping automatic door opening and closing. The angle β can be adjusted within a range less than 90° to adjust the applicable torque range of the first clutch mechanism based on actual conditions. In other words, by adjusting the relative positions of the rotation axis of the second transmission gear meshing with the first transmission gear set, the axis of the second output gear, the point of contact between the clutch cam and the second mounting bracket, and the rotation axis of the clutch cam, the applicable torque range of the first clutch mechanism can be adjusted without having to replace the first clutch mechanism, thereby improving the adaptability of the first clutch mechanism and reducing the component costs of the refrigerator.

[0070] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0071] 1 , the refrigerator of the embodiment of the present application includes a housing 010 , which is configured with a refrigeration compartment having an access opening, through which food and other items can be taken in and out of the refrigeration compartment.

[0072] In some embodiments, the refrigerator further includes a door 020, which is rotatably connected to the housing 010 and is used to open or close the access opening. For example, one door 020 may be provided for each refrigeration compartment. Alternatively, as shown in FIG1 , two doors 020 may be provided for each refrigeration compartment.

[0073] In some embodiments, the refrigerator further includes an automatic door opening and closing device 040 , which connects the door body 020 and the cabinet body 010 and is configured to automatically open or close the door body 020 , thereby improving the convenience of opening and closing the door body 020 .

[0074] In some embodiments, the number of automatic door opening and closing devices 040 can be the same as the number of door bodies 020, that is, each door body 020 can be provided with an automatic door opening and closing device 040. Each automatic door opening and closing device 040 can automatically open or close the door body 020 corresponding thereto.

[0075] The door body 020 and the box body 010 can be rotatably connected via a hinge 030 .

[0076] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2 , hinge 030 may be a uniaxial hinge. The uniaxial hinge may include a connecting plate 031 and a hinge shaft 032 connected to connecting plate 031. Connecting plate 031 is connected to the top of housing 010. The top of door body 020 may be provided with a rotation recess 021. Hinge shaft 032 may be inserted into and rotatable within rotation recess 021. When a pulling force or a pushing force is applied to door body 020, rotation recess 021 may rotate relative to hinge shaft 032, causing door body 020 to rotate relative to housing 010, thereby opening or closing the access opening.

[0077] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3 , the hinge 030 can also be a biaxial hinge. A biaxial hinge differs from a uniaxial hinge in that the hinge shafts 032 can be two. The top of the door body 020 can be provided with two first sliding recesses 022 extending along different trajectories. The two hinge shafts 032 slide within the two first sliding recesses 022, respectively. When a pulling or pushing force is applied to the door body 020, one hinge shaft 032 slides within one first sliding recess 022, while the other hinge shaft 032 slides within the other first sliding recess 022, allowing the door body 020 to rotate relative to the case 010, thereby opening or closing the access opening. During the process of opening or closing the access opening, under the action of the two hinge shafts 032 and the two first sliding recesses 022, the rotation axis between the door body 020 and the box body 010 will change, so that the side of the door body 020 will not exceed the side of the box body 010. When the refrigerator is embedded in a wall or a cabinet, it can prevent the door body 020 from interfering with the wall or the cabinet.

[0078] In some embodiments, the hinge 030 may also be a multi-axis hinge with three or more axes, that is, the multi-axis hinge may include three or more hinge axes 032. For details about the multi-axis hinge, please refer to the above description of the biaxial hinge, which will not be repeated here.

[0079] Door body 020 can rotate relative to housing 010 under the action of automatic door opening and closing device 040 to open or close the access opening. For example, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, automatic door opening and closing device 040 can include a drive mechanism 200 and an actuator. Drive mechanism 200 is configured to provide a driving force. The actuator connects drive mechanism 200 and door body 020 and is configured to open or close door body 020 in response to the driving force.

[0080] In some embodiments, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 may further include a housing 100, and the housing 100 may be connected to the box 010. For example, the housing 100 may be installed on the top of the box 010.

[0081] It is understood that the housing 100 can also be installed at other locations within the housing 010. The housing 100 can be configured with a first accommodating cavity, in which at least a portion of the drive mechanism 200 and at least a portion of the actuator can be accommodated and installed. Thus, by providing the housing 100, at least some of the components of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 can be placed within the housing 100, thereby achieving a modular design for the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and improving the convenience of assembling, installing, and maintaining the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0082] In some embodiments, the housing 100 may be a split structure to facilitate installation of at least a portion of the drive mechanism 200, at least a portion of the actuator, or other components within the housing 100. As shown in FIG5 , the housing 100 may include a first housing 110 and a second housing 120 that are detachably connected. The first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are engaged with each other to form a first receiving cavity.

[0083] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the first housing 110 may include a first bottom plate 111 and a first side plate 112. The first bottom plate 111 may be connected to the top of the housing 010. For example, the first bottom plate 111 may be removably connected to the top of the housing 010 via connecting bolts. The first side plate 112 is perpendicular to the first bottom plate 111, surrounds the first bottom plate 111, and is connected to the edge of the first bottom plate 111. The first side plate 112 and the first bottom plate 111 enclose a first sub-accommodation chamber 113 having a first opening.

[0084] The second housing 120 may include a second bottom plate 121 and a second side plate 122. The second side plate 122 is perpendicular to the first bottom plate 111, surrounds the second bottom plate 121, and is connected to the edge of the second bottom plate 121. The second side plate 122 and the first bottom plate 111 enclose a second sub-accommodation cavity 123 having a second opening. When the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are engaged with each other, the second opening of the second sub-accommodation cavity 123 opposes the first opening of the first sub-accommodation cavity 113, forming the first accommodation cavity.

[0085] In some embodiments, the first shell 110 and the second shell 120 can be detachably connected via a snap-fit ​​protrusion and a snap-fit ​​recess.

[0086] For example, the first side panel 112 may be provided with at least one snap-fitting protrusion on the side facing away from the first sub-accommodation cavity 113. The second side panel 122 may be provided with at least one snap-fitting recess on the side located within the second sub-accommodation cavity 123, with the at least one snap-fitting recess corresponding to the at least one snap-fitting protrusion. When the first shell 110 and the second shell 120 are engaged with each other, the snap-fitting recess snaps into the corresponding snap-fitting recess, thereby connecting the first shell 110 and the second shell 120 to each other.

[0087] In this way, the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are detachably connected via the snap-fit ​​protrusion and the snap-fit ​​recess, which can improve the convenience of connecting the first housing 110 and the second housing 120. Furthermore, the snap-fit ​​protrusion and the snap-fit ​​recess can be formed on the first housing 110 and the second housing 120, eliminating the need for additional connecting parts. This reduces the number of components in the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and improves the assembly efficiency of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0088] In some embodiments, the first shell 110 and the second shell 120 may also be detachably connected via connecting bolts.

[0089] As shown in Figures 5 to 7, at least one first connecting column 130 may be provided on one side of the first base plate 111 located in the first sub-accommodation cavity 113, and a first threaded hole 131 may be provided on the side of the first connecting column 130 away from the first base plate 111. The second base plate 121 may be provided with a fourth connecting hole 140. When the first shell 110 and the second shell 120 are engaged with each other, the fourth connecting hole 140 is opposite to the first threaded hole 131. A connecting bolt may be inserted into the fourth connecting hole 140 and threadedly connected to the first threaded hole 131 to detachably connect the first shell 110 and the second shell 120. In this way, the detachable connection through the connecting bolt can improve the connection strength between the first shell 110 and the second shell 120, and can improve the accuracy of the relative position between the first shell 110 and the second shell 120.

[0090] In some embodiments, a first connecting protrusion 114 may be provided on the side of the first side plate 112 facing away from the first bottom plate 111. A second connecting protrusion 124 may be provided on the side of the second side plate 122 facing away from the second bottom plate 121. When the first shell 110 and the second shell 120 are engaged with each other, the first connecting protrusion 114 faces away from the outer surface of the first sub-accommodation cavity 113 and contacts the inner surface of the second connecting protrusion 124 located within the second sub-accommodation cavity 123 to perform preliminary positioning of the first shell 110 and the second shell 120, thereby improving the convenience when connecting the first shell 110 and the second shell 120 and improving the accuracy of the relative position between the first shell 110 and the second shell 120.

[0091] In some embodiments, a wire management plate 115 may be provided on one side of the first bottom plate 111 within the first sub-accommodation chamber 113. The wire management plate 115 is spaced apart from a portion of the first side plate 112 and forms a wiring space with the portion of the first side plate 112. Electrical cables electrically connected to the components of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 can be routed within the wiring space, thereby improving the convenience of wire management during assembly of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0092] It is understandable that the housing 100 may be eliminated, and the components of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 may be installed on the box body 010 .

[0093] At least a portion of the driving mechanism 200 may be disposed within the housing 100 , and the driving mechanism 200 is configured to provide a driving force for the automatic door opening and closing device 040 to open or close the door body 020 .

[0094] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8 , the drive mechanism 200 may include a first drive motor 210 , which may be mounted within the housing 100 . The first drive motor 210 may have a rotatable first output shaft 211 , which is connected to the actuator to provide driving force to the actuator. It is understood that the first drive motor 210 may also be replaced with other components capable of providing driving force, such as a pneumatic motor or a hydraulic motor.

[0095] In some embodiments, the first drive motor 210 can be secured by the first housing 110 and the second housing 120. For example, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, a first accommodating recess 212 and a first accommodating protrusion 213 can be provided on one side of the first base plate 111 within the first sub-accommodating cavity 113. The first accommodating protrusion 213 surrounds the first accommodating recess 212 to form a third sub-accommodating cavity with the first accommodating recess 212. A second accommodating recess 214 and a second accommodating protrusion 215 can be provided on one side of the second base plate 121 within the second sub-accommodating cavity 123. The second accommodating protrusion 215 surrounds the second accommodating recess 214 to form a fourth sub-accommodating cavity with the second accommodating recess 214. When the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are engaged, the first accommodating protrusion 213 and the second accommodating protrusion 215 mate with each other, and the third and fourth sub-accommodating cavities form a second accommodating cavity. The first drive motor 210 can be accommodated and secured within the second accommodating cavity.

[0096] In this way, the first drive motor 210 is fixed by the first shell 110 and the second shell 120, and there is no need to set up an additional fixing structure for the first drive motor 210, which reduces the number of parts of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and improves the assembly efficiency of the automatic door opening and closing device 040; and there is no need to reserve installation space for the additional fixing structure in the shell 100, which improves the space utilization in the shell 100, reduces the volume of the shell 100, and is conducive to the miniaturization of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0097] In some embodiments, a plurality of first receiving grooves 216 may be provided on a side of the first receiving protrusion 213 facing away from the first base plate 111. The plurality of first receiving grooves 216 may be configured to accommodate the first output shaft 211 of the first drive motor 210 and electrical cables electrically connected to the first drive motor 210. This arrangement prevents the first output shaft 211 and electrical cables from interfering with the first receiving protrusion 213 and the second receiving protrusion 215 during installation of the first drive motor 210, thereby preventing damage to the first drive motor 210.

[0098] When installing the first drive motor 210, the first housing 110 can be provided first, and then the first drive motor 210 can be placed so that part of the first drive motor 210 is accommodated in the third sub-accommodation cavity of the first housing 110. The first output shaft 211 and the electrical connection wires are placed in different first accommodation grooves 216. The second housing 120 is then snapped onto the first housing 110. The fourth sub-accommodation cavity of the second housing 120 is covered over the other part of the first drive motor 210. The second accommodation protrusion 215 is aligned with the first accommodation protrusion 213, so that the first drive motor 210 is accommodated in the second accommodation cavity. The first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are then connected, so that the first drive motor 210 is fixed in the second accommodation cavity. The second accommodation cavity can wrap around the first drive motor 210, increasing the contact area between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 and the first drive motor 210, effectively reducing the vibration generated by the first drive motor 210 during operation and improving the operating stability of the first drive motor 210.

[0099] The drive mechanism 200 may further include a transmission assembly that connects the first drive motor 210 and the actuator to transmit driving force to the actuator, enabling the actuator to open or close the door body 020. The transmission assembly allows driving force to be transmitted between the first drive motor 210 and the actuator even when the distance between them is relatively large. This improves the layout flexibility of the first drive motor 210 and the actuator, facilitating structural optimization of the automatic door opening and closing device 040. Furthermore, the transmission assembly can adjust parameters such as the speed, torque, and direction of the driving force to meet the actuator's required driving torque, thereby enabling the actuator to open or close the door body 020.

[0100] In some embodiments, the transmission assembly can be a synchronous belt transmission assembly. For example, the transmission assembly can include a driving synchronous wheel, a driven synchronous wheel, and a synchronous belt. The driving synchronous wheel can be connected to the first output shaft 211 of the first drive motor 210. The driven synchronous wheel is connected to the actuator. The synchronous belt surrounds the driving synchronous wheel and the driven synchronous wheel and engages with the driving synchronous wheel and the driven synchronous wheel. When the first output shaft 211 of the first drive motor 210 rotates, it drives the driving synchronous wheel to rotate, and the driving synchronous wheel drives the synchronous belt to move around the driving synchronous wheel and the driven synchronous wheel, thereby driving the driven synchronous wheel to rotate. The driven synchronous wheel drives the actuator to operate to open or close the door body 020.

[0101] The transmission assembly may further include a reducer having an input hole and a second output shaft, wherein the input hole may be sleeved onto the first output shaft 211. The axis of the second output shaft may be perpendicular to the axis of the input hole. The second output shaft may be plugged into the active synchronous wheel. When the first output shaft 211 of the first drive motor 210 rotates, it drives the second output shaft to rotate, which in turn drives the active synchronous wheel to rotate. In this way, by providing a reducer, parameters such as the speed, torque, and direction of the driving force provided by the first drive motor 210 can be adjusted to meet the actuator's requirements for driving torque.

[0102] In some embodiments, the transmission assembly may also include a worm gear transmission assembly 220. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the worm gear transmission assembly 220 may include a first worm 221 and a first worm wheel 222. The first end of the first worm 221 may be connected to the first output shaft 211 of the first drive motor 210. The first worm wheel 222 may be rotatably mounted in the housing 100. For example, a first rotating shaft 223 may be mounted on one side of the first base plate 111 located in the first sub-accommodation chamber 113, and the first rotating shaft 223 is perpendicular to the first base plate 111. The first worm wheel 222 may be sleeved on the outside of the first rotating shaft 223 and may be rotatable relative to the first rotating shaft 223. The first worm wheel 222 is engaged with the first worm 221 and is connected to the actuator. When the first output shaft 211 of the first drive motor 210 rotates, the first output shaft 211 drives the first worm 221 to rotate, which in turn drives the first worm gear 222 meshing therewith to rotate, and the first worm gear 222 drives the actuator to operate, thereby opening or closing the door 020. The first worm 221 and the first worm gear 222 can reduce the speed of the driving force provided by the first drive motor 210, increase the torque of the driving force, and change the direction of the driving force to meet the driving force requirements of the actuator.

[0103] The transmission assembly may further include a first mounting base 224, which may be connected to the first base plate 111 and spaced apart from the first drive motor 210. For example, the first mounting base 224 may be spaced apart from the first accommodating recess 212 for mounting the first drive motor 210. The second end of the first worm 221 is rotatably connected to the first mounting base 224. When the first output shaft 211 drives the first worm 221 to rotate, the first mounting base 224 can support the second end of the first worm 221, thereby improving the smoothness of the rotation of the first worm 221 and thereby enhancing the transmission stability of the transmission assembly.

[0104] In some embodiments, the transmission assembly may further include a first transmission gear train 230. The first transmission gear train 230 may be mounted on the housing 010 and may be in transmission connection with the first drive motor 210. The first transmission gear train 230 includes a first input gear 231 and a first output gear 232 rotatable under the drive of the first input gear 231. The first input gear 231 may be connected to a first worm gear 222, which in turn may be connected to an actuator. When the first worm gear 222 rotates under the drive of the first drive motor 210, the first worm gear 222 may drive the first input gear 231 to rotate, which in turn drives the first output gear 232 to rotate, which in turn drives the actuator to open or close the door 020.

[0105] Thus, by providing the first transmission gear train 230, the layout flexibility of the first drive motor 210 and the actuator can be improved, thereby improving the space utilization within the housing 100 and facilitating the miniaturization of the automatic door opening and closing device. The first transmission gear train 230 can also adjust parameters such as the speed, torque, and direction of the driving force to meet the actuator's driving force requirements. In addition, the first transmission gear train 230 has high transmission efficiency and transmission precision, which can reduce the driving power requirement of the first drive motor 210, thereby reducing the cost of the first drive motor 210 and, in turn, the component cost of the automatic door opening and closing device 040, while also enhancing transmission stability.

[0106] The first output gear 232 is rotatable under the drive of the first input gear 231. For example, the first input gear 231 and the first output gear 232 can be rotatably mounted in the housing 100 via the same rotating shaft. When the first input gear 231 rotates, the first output gear 232 can be driven to rotate by the rotating shaft. Alternatively, the first output gear 232 and the first input gear 231 can be rotatably mounted in the housing 100 via different rotating shafts, and the first input gear 231 is in transmission connection with the first output gear 232. For example, the first input gear 231 is meshed with the first output gear 232, and when the first input gear 231 rotates, it drives the meshed first output gear 232 to rotate.

[0107] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, at least one transmission gear may also be disposed between the first input gear 231 and the first output gear 232. That is, in addition to the first input gear 231 and the first output gear 232, the first transmission gear train 230 may include at least one transmission gear. The at least one transmission gear meshes with the first input gear 231 and the first output gear 232, respectively, establishing a transmission connection between the first input gear 231 and the first output gear 232 via the at least one transmission gear. Parameters such as the number and position of the transmission gears can be customized based on actual needs.

[0108] In some embodiments, the first worm 221 and the first worm wheel 222 may be eliminated, and the first input gear 231 of the first transmission gear train 230 may be connected to the first output shaft 211 of the first drive motor 210. When the first output shaft 211 rotates, it drives the first transmission gear train 230 to operate, and the first transmission gear train 230 drives the actuator to open or close the door 020.

[0109] At least part of the actuator can be disposed in the housing 100, and the actuator can be connected to the drive mechanism 200 and act on the door body 020. Under the driving force provided by the drive mechanism 200, the actuator can open or close the door body 020, thereby improving the convenience of opening and closing the door body 020.

[0110] In some embodiments, the actuator may be a first actuator 300. For example, as shown in FIG9 , the first actuator 300 may include a push rod 310 that is slidable relative to the housing 010 in a first direction and connected to the drive mechanism 200. The drive mechanism 200 can drive the push rod 310 to slide in the first direction to apply a thrust to the door 020, thereby opening the door 020 and achieving an automatic door opening function.

[0111] In the refrigerator in the related art, the door body 020 in the closed state will be affected by multiple closing forces such as the suction force of the magnetic door seal, the elastic force of the door closer, the clamping force of the flip beam, and the negative pressure generated by the low temperature in the refrigeration room, so that it is necessary to resist a large resistance in the initial stage of opening the door body 020.

[0112] The refrigerator of the embodiment of the present application is provided with a first actuator 300, and the first actuator 300 is provided with a push rod 310. The push rod 310 can slide toward the door body 020 under the drive of the driving mechanism 200, thereby applying a thrust to the door body 020 to overcome the resistance in the initial stage of opening the door body 020, thereby improving the convenience when opening the door body 020.

[0113] It should be noted that the first direction refers to the direction from the housing 010 to the door 020, for example, the direction x shown in FIG9 , hereinafter referred to as the first direction x. When the push rod 310 moves along the first direction x, it can apply a thrust to the door 020 to open the door 020. For example, if the door 020 has a surface (e.g., a front surface) that is away from the housing 010, the first direction x may be perpendicular to the front surface of the door 020 when in the closed state.

[0114] In some embodiments, the push rod 310 is slidably connected to the housing 100 and can slide relative to the housing 100 in a first direction. For example, two sliding protrusions 311 can be provided on one side of the first bottom plate 111 located within the first sub-accommodation chamber 113. Both sliding protrusions 311 can extend in the first direction and be spaced apart perpendicular to the first direction. The two sliding protrusions 311 and the first bottom plate 111 can form a second sliding recess 312. The first side plate 112 can have a first groove 313 facing the door 020, with the first groove 313 opposing the second sliding recess 312. The second side plate 122 can have a second groove 314. When the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are engaged, the first groove 313 and the second groove 314 form a sliding through hole 315. The push rod 310 is inserted into the sliding through hole 315 and slides into the second sliding recess 312. When the driving mechanism 200 applies a driving force to the push rod 310, the push rod 310 can slide relative to the housing 100 and extend through the sliding through hole 315 to apply a thrust to the door body 020, thereby realizing the function of automatically opening the door.

[0115] In some embodiments, the push rod 310 can be cylindrical or rectangular. Compared to a cylindrical structure, when the rectangular structure is disposed within the second sliding recess 312, the push rod 310 with the rectangular structure has a larger contact area with the second sliding recess 312. Furthermore, the two sliding protrusions 311, the first bottom plate 111, or the second bottom plate 121 can limit the push rod 310 with the rectangular structure, preventing the push rod 310 from rotating while sliding within the second sliding recess 312, thereby improving the stability of the push rod 310 when sliding relative to the housing 100.

[0116] When the transmission assembly in the driving mechanism 200 includes the first transmission gear train 230, the push rod 310 can be connected to the first output gear 232 of the first transmission gear train 230. For example, the first actuator 300 can include a transmission rack 316, which can be connected to one side of the push rod 310 extending along the first direction x and meshed with the first output gear 232.

[0117] When the drive mechanism 200 is operating, the first drive motor 210 drives the first transmission gear train 230, causing the first output gear 232 to rotate. This in turn drives the meshing transmission rack 316, causing the push rod 310 to slide relative to the housing 100 in a first direction. This allows the push rod 310 to apply a thrust force to the door body 020, achieving the automatic door opening function. The high transmission efficiency and precision between the first output gear 232 and the transmission rack 316 reduce the power requirements of the drive mechanism 200, thereby reducing the component costs of the automatic door opening and closing device 040. Furthermore, the stability of the transmission is enhanced, thereby improving the smoothness of the push rod 310's sliding relative to the housing 100.

[0118] In some embodiments, the transmission rack 316 and the push rod 310 can be separate structures, and the transmission rack 316 can be connected to the push rod 310 via bolts or the like. For example, the transmission rack 316 and the push rod 310 can be integrally formed. For example, the transmission rack 316 can be formed on the side of the push rod 310 that extends along the first direction x and faces the first transmission gear train 230. This integral structure can enhance the connection strength between the rack structure and the push rod 310, improving the mechanical reliability of the first actuator 300. Furthermore, this integral structure can reduce the number of parts in the first actuator 300, thereby improving the assembly efficiency of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0119] As shown in Figure 9, when the first drive motor 210 is turned on, the first output shaft 211 drives the first worm 221 to rotate, the first worm 221 drives the first worm wheel 222 to rotate counterclockwise, the first worm wheel 222 drives the first input gear 231 to rotate counterclockwise, the first input gear 231 drives the first output gear 232 to rotate clockwise through at least one transmission gear, the first output gear 232 drives the push rod 310 to slide in the second sliding recess 312 along the first direction through the transmission rack 316, and the push rod 310 extends through the sliding through hole 315 to apply thrust to the door body 020, thereby automatically opening the door body 020.

[0120] As shown in Figure 10, when the first drive motor 210 is turned on in reverse, the first output shaft 211 drives the first worm 221 to rotate (reverse rotation), the first worm 221 drives the first worm wheel 222 to rotate clockwise, the first worm wheel 222 drives the first input gear 231 to rotate clockwise, the first input gear 231 drives the first output gear 232 to rotate counterclockwise through at least one transmission gear, and the first output gear 232 drives the push rod 310 to slide in the second sliding recess 312 along the second direction through the transmission rack 316. The second direction is opposite to the first direction, and the push rod 310 is retracted through the sliding through hole 315, that is, the push rod 310 is reset to release the thrust applied to the door body 020, so that the door body 020 can be closed.

[0121] The first actuator 300 may also include a first elastic member 320, which connects the push rod 310 and the housing 100 to apply a force along the second direction to the push rod 310. This force can make the transmission rack 316 connected to the push rod 310 and the first output gear 232 always in single-sided contact, so as to reduce the backlash error generated when the first output gear 232 switches between clockwise rotation and counterclockwise rotation, thereby improving the transmission accuracy between the transmission rack 316 and the first output gear 232, and thus improving the position accuracy of the push rod 310 when sliding.

[0122] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the push rod 310 may be provided with a first connecting portion 321, and the housing 100 may be provided with a second connecting portion 322. The second connecting portion 322 may be located on a side of the housing away from the first connecting portion 321. The first elastic member 320 may be a first tension spring, which may extend in a first direction, with a first end of the first tension spring connected to the first connecting portion 321 and a second end of the first tension spring connected to the second connecting portion 322. When the push rod 310 slides in the first direction and extends from the sliding through hole 315, the distance between the first connecting portion 321 and the second connecting portion 322 increases, and the second connecting portion 322 stretches the first tension spring, causing the first tension spring to deform and generate a tensile force in the second direction.

[0123] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG10 , the push rod 310 may be provided with a third accommodating recess 317 and a first connecting through-hole. The third accommodating recess 317 extends along the length of the push rod 310. The first connecting through-hole is provided at one end of the push rod 310 located within the housing 100 and communicates with the third accommodating recess 317. A first connecting portion 321 may be provided within the third accommodating recess 317. A second connecting portion 322 is connected to the housing, for example, the first base plate 111, and is opposite the first connecting through-hole. With this arrangement, at least a portion of the first tension spring may be disposed within the push rod 310, thereby reducing the internal space of the housing 100 occupied by the first tension spring, improving space utilization within the housing 100, and facilitating miniaturization of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0124] A relief recess 318 can be provided at the bottom of the third accommodating recess 317, near one side of the first connecting through-hole. The second connecting portion 322 passes through the relief recess 318 and connects to the housing 100. When the door 020 is closed, the second connecting portion 322 can be accommodated in the relief recess 318, further reducing the internal space of the housing 100 occupied by the first tension spring, thereby further facilitating the miniaturization of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0125] In some embodiments, the push rod 310 may be provided with a third connecting portion, and the housing 100 may be provided with a fourth connecting portion, the fourth connecting portion being located on a side of the third connecting portion facing the sliding through hole 315. The first elastic member 320 may also be a first compression spring. The first compression spring may extend in a first direction, with a first end of the first compression spring connected to the third connecting portion and a second end of the first compression spring connected to the fourth connecting portion. When the push rod 310 moves in the first direction, the distance between the third connecting portion and the fourth connecting portion decreases, thereby compressing the first compression spring, causing the first compression spring to undergo compression deformation and generate a thrust in the second direction.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the push rod 310 needs to be retracted by controlling the first drive motor 210 to move in the reverse direction. If the first drive motor 210 is not controlled to move in the reverse direction in a timely manner, or if the first drive motor 210 malfunctions, the push rod 310 may not be retracted in a timely manner or may not be retracted at all, thereby preventing the refrigerator door 020 from closing and affecting the normal use of the refrigerator.

[0127] In other embodiments, after the push rod 310 applies thrust to the door body 020, the push rod 310 can be automatically retracted through the first output gear 232 and the first elastic member 320, that is, the push rod 310 is reset, so that the door body 020 can be closed normally.

[0128] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG11 , the first output gear 232 may include a first toothed structure 233 and a second toothed structure 234 arranged along its axial direction. The first toothed structure 233 surrounds the circumference of the first output gear 232 and can mesh with the transmission gear in the first transmission gear train 230. The second toothed structure 234 surrounds a portion of the circumference of the first output gear 232 and meshes with the transmission rack 316. In other words, the first toothed structure 233, which is in transmission connection with the first input gear 231, is a complete gear structure, while the second toothed structure 234, which meshes with the transmission rack 316, is a partial gear structure.

[0129] It should be noted that, as shown in Figures 12 to 15 , the bolded portion of the figures indicates the location of the second toothed structure 234. As shown in Figure 12 , when the first drive motor 210 is turned on, the first transmission gear train 230 operates, and the first input gear 231 drives the first output gear 232 to rotate clockwise via the first toothed structure 233. The second toothed structure 234 of the first output gear 232 drives the meshing transmission rack 316 to slide in the first direction, causing the push rod 310 to extend from the sliding through hole 315 in the first direction, thereby applying a thrust force to the door body 020, thereby opening the door body 020.

[0130] As shown in Figure 13 , after the push rod 310 extends to a predetermined length, the first output gear 232 rotates to a disengaged position, at which point the second toothed structure 234 disengages from the transmission rack 316. As shown in Figure 14 , the first elastic member 320 applies a force in the second direction y to the push rod 310, causing the push rod 310 to slide in the second direction under the action of this force, allowing the push rod 310 to automatically return to the interior of the housing 100, thereby allowing the door 020 to close. As shown in Figure 15 , the first drive motor 210 continues to operate, and the first transmission gear train 230 continues to operate. Driven by the first input gear 231 and the transmission gear, the first output gear 232 continues to rotate clockwise to an engaged position, at which point the second toothed structure 234 engages with the transmission rack 316, facilitating the next automatic door opening.

[0131] It should be noted that the preset length refers to the length of the portion of the push rod 310 extending outside the housing 100, that is, the length of the push rod 310 extending outside the housing 100 when the second toothed structure 234 is disengaged from the transmission rack 316. The preset length can be set according to actual conditions.

[0132] As shown in Figures 12 to 15, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 may further include a first sensor 331 (e.g., a position sensor) and a second sensor 332 (e.g., a position sensor). The first sensor 331 is configured to detect when the first output gear 232 is in the engaged position. The second sensor 332 is configured to detect when the first output gear 232 is in the first position. By providing the first sensor 331 and the second sensor 332, the position of the first output gear 232 can be detected, and the automatic door opening and closing device 040 can be automatically controlled based on the first output gear 232, thereby reducing the difficulty of controlling the automatic door opening and closing device.

[0133] In some embodiments, when the first output gear 232 is in the meshing position, the first sensor 331 is triggered. The first sensor 331 can be configured to detect whether the first output gear 232 is in the meshing position. For example, the first sensor 331 can be triggered when the first output gear 232 is in the meshing position to generate a meshing position signal. By providing the first sensor 331, it is possible to determine whether the first output gear 232 is in the meshing position, thereby determining whether the second toothed structure 234 is meshed with the transmission rack 316, and accordingly controlling the drive mechanism 200 to ensure that the second toothed structure 234 is meshed with the transmission rack 316 before the automatic door opening operation is performed, thereby improving the functional reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0134] In some embodiments, the second sensor 332 is triggered when the first output gear 232 is in the disengaged position. The second sensor 332 can be configured to detect whether the first output gear 232 is in the disengaged position. For example, the second sensor 332 can be triggered when the first output gear 232 is in the disengaged position to generate a disengaged position signal. By providing the second sensor 332, it is possible to determine whether the first output gear 232 is in the disengaged position, thereby determining whether the second toothed structure 234 is separated from the transmission rack 316, and accordingly controlling the drive mechanism 200 to ensure that the portion of the push rod 310 extending outside the housing 100 reaches a preset length, thereby ensuring the opening angle of the door body 020 and improving the functional reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0135] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, the first sensor 331 can be a first reflective photoelectric switch. For example, the second actuator 300 can further include a first detection circuit board 330, which is mounted on the first base plate 111 and located between the first output gear 232 and the first base plate 111. The first reflective photoelectric switch can be connected to the first detection circuit board 330. The first reflective photoelectric switch can be located between the first output gear 232 and the housing 010. A first reflective portion 235 can be provided on the side of the first output gear 232 facing the housing 010, for example, on the side facing the first detection circuit board 330. The first reflective portion 235 can reflect light.

[0136] For example, the first reflective portion 235 can be white or bright, while the remaining area on the side of the first output gear 232 facing the first detection circuit board 330 can be black. As shown in Figure 15 , when the first output gear 232 is in the engaged position, the first reflective portion 235 faces the first reflective photoelectric switch. The detection light emitted by the first reflective photoelectric switch is reflected by the first reflective portion 235 and returns to the first reflective photoelectric switch, thereby generating an engaged position signal.

[0137] The second sensor 332 can be a second reflective photoelectric switch. For example, the second reflective photoelectric switch can be connected to the first detection circuit board 330. The second reflective photoelectric switch can be located between the first output gear 232 and the housing 010. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, when the first output gear 232 is in the disengaged position, the first reflective portion 235 faces the second reflective photoelectric switch. The detection light emitted by the second reflective photoelectric switch is reflected by the first reflective portion 235 and returns to the second reflective photoelectric switch, thereby generating a disengaged position signal.

[0138] It is understandable that the first sensor 331 and the second sensor 332 may also be the first travel switch and the second travel switch, etc., or other sensors capable of detecting the position of the first output gear 232, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0139] It should be noted that the first reflective photoelectric switch and the second reflective photoelectric switch do not need to be in direct contact with the first output gear 232. They can detect the position of the first output gear 232, which is beneficial to optimizing the component layout of the automatic door opening and closing device, thereby facilitating the miniaturization of the automatic door opening and closing device.

[0140] In some embodiments, the refrigerator may further include a controller, which may be coupled to the drive mechanism 200 and capable of sending a control signal to the drive mechanism 200 so that the drive mechanism 200 drives the first actuator 300 to move, thereby realizing the automatic door opening function. The controller may also be coupled to the first sensor 331. After receiving the engagement position signal, the controller may be configured to control the drive mechanism 200 to drive the first actuator 300 to perform the door opening operation to ensure the functional reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040. The controller may also be coupled to the second sensor 332. After receiving the disengagement position signal, the controller may be configured to control the drive mechanism 200 to stop operating to ensure that the portion of the push rod 310 extending outside the housing 100 reaches a preset length, thereby ensuring the opening angle of the door body 020 and improving the functional reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0141] The controller includes a processor. The processor may include a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor (microprocessor), or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and may be configured to perform corresponding operations described in the controller when the processor executes a program stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the controller.

[0142] In some embodiments, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 may also be provided with a clutch mechanism. After the push rod 310 applies a thrust to the door body 020, the push rod 310 can be automatically reset via the clutch mechanism and the first elastic member 320, allowing the door body 020 to close normally. For example, the clutch mechanism can be configured to connect or disconnect the first transmission gear train 230 from the push rod 310. When the clutch mechanism disconnects the first transmission gear train 230 from the push rod 310, the push rod 310 is reset under the action of the first elastic member 320. The specific structure of the clutch mechanism will be described in detail later in the embodiments of this application.

[0143] In some embodiments, the actuator may also be a second actuator 400. For example, as shown in Figures 18 and 19, the second actuator 400 may include a rocker 410. The rocker 410 may be driven by the driving mechanism 200 to rotate relative to the box 010 to open or close the door 020.

[0144] For example, the driving mechanism 200 drives the rocker 410 to rotate, and when the rocker 410 rotates to a preset angle, the door body 020 and the rocker 410 both rotate and move relative to each other under the thrust of the rocker 410, so that the door body 020 and the box body 010 both rotate and move relative to each other.

[0145] When the door is automatically opened or closed by the second actuator 400, the drive mechanism 200 drives the rocker 410 to rotate, which applies a thrust to the door 020. When the rocker 410 rotates to a predetermined angle relative to the door 020, the door 020 and the rocker 410 both rotate and move relative to each other, and the door 020 and the cabinet 010 both rotate and move relative to each other, ensuring that the side of the door 020 does not extend beyond the side of the cabinet 010. This prevents interference between the door 020 and the wall or cabinet when the refrigerator is embedded in the wall or cabinet. Therefore, the second actuator 400 is suitable for refrigerators equipped with dual-axis hinges.

[0146] It should be noted that the preset angle refers to the angle between the rocker 410 and the door body 020, that is, the angle between the door body 020 and the box body 010. The specific value of the preset angle can be set according to actual conditions and will not be repeated here.

[0147] For example, the first end 411 of the rocker can be connected to the top of the box 010 for rotation around a first axis, and the first axis is substantially parallel to the height direction of the box 010. The second end 412 of the rocker can be connected to the top of the door body 020 for rotation around a second axis, and the second end 412 of the rocker is connected to the top of the door body 020 for sliding movement, and the sliding direction is parallel to the surface where the top of the door body 020 is located, and the second axis is parallel to the first axis. The driving mechanism 200 can drive the rocker 410 so that the first end 411 of the rocker rotates relative to the box 010, and the second end 412 of the rocker slides and rotates relative to the door body 020 to open or close the door body 020. It should be noted that the first axis is substantially parallel to the height direction of the box 010, and the height direction of the box 010 is the third direction shown in Figure 18 (as indicated by arrow z).

[0148] As shown in Figure 19, when the door body 020 is closed, the driving mechanism 200 applies a driving force to the rocker 410, so that the first end 411 of the rocker rotates relative to the box body 010 (rotates in the direction indicated by arrow A), and the second end 412 of the rocker slides relative to the door body 020 (slides in the direction indicated by arrow B). The second end 412 of the rocker applies a torque to the door body 020 to rotate the door body 020 toward the box body 010, thereby closing the door body 020.

[0149] As shown in Figure 20, when the door 020 is opened, the drive mechanism 200 applies a reverse driving force to the rocker 410, causing the first end 411 of the rocker to rotate relative to the box 010 (rotate in the direction indicated by arrow C), and the second end 412 of the rocker to slide relative to the door 020 (slide in the direction indicated by arrow D). The second end 412 of the rocker applies a torque to the door 020 to rotate the door 020 away from the box 010, thereby opening the door 020. Compared with the first actuator 300, the second actuator 400 can not only automatically open the door 020, but also automatically close the door 020, adding the function of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and improving the user experience. It should be noted that the direction indicated by arrow A is opposite to the direction indicated by arrow C, and the direction indicated by A is also opposite to the direction indicated by arrow B.

[0150] In addition, in some related technologies, the actuator may further include a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod. The first connecting rod is connected to the driving mechanism 200, and the first end of the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the top of the box body 010, the second end of the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the first end of the second connecting rod, and the second end of the second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the top of the door body 020. The first connecting rod and the second connecting rod constitute a crank-connecting rod mechanism. The driving mechanism 200 drives the first connecting rod, causing the first end of the first connecting rod to rotate relative to the box body 010. The second end of the first connecting rod drives the first end of the second connecting rod to rotate and drive the second connecting rod to move relative to the box body 010, thereby causing the second end of the second connecting rod to rotate relative to the door body 020 and drive the door body 020 to move relative to the box body 010 to open or close the door body 020.

[0151] However, during the process of opening or closing door 020, the crank-connecting rod mechanism, due to its inherent mechanical characteristics, produces a significant variation in the speed and torque of the output torque at its output end, i.e., the second end of the second connecting rod. To ensure uniform movement of door 020 due to these significant speed variations, drive mechanism 200 must be frequency-controlled to adjust the speed, which increases the difficulty of controlling drive mechanism 200. To ensure smooth opening and closing of door 020 due to these significant torque variations, the drive power of drive mechanism 200 must be increased. However, a greater drive power increases the size of drive mechanism 200, which in turn increases the size of automatic door opening and closing device 040, thereby affecting the height of the refrigerator.

[0152] In some embodiments, during the process of opening and closing the door 020, the second end 412 of the rocker arm applies a torque to the door 020 at a speed that is consistent or approximately consistent (e.g., typically with a rate of change of less than 5%). Therefore, when automatically opening or closing the door, there is no need to perform variable frequency control on the drive mechanism 200, which reduces the control difficulty of the drive mechanism 200. Furthermore, there is no need to increase the driving power of the drive mechanism 200, thereby eliminating the need to increase the size of the drive mechanism 200, thereby eliminating the impact on the height of the refrigerator caused by increasing the size of the drive mechanism 200.

[0153] For example, as shown in Figures 18 to 20, the rocker 410 may be in the form of an elongated plate, and a bent structure 413 may be provided on the side of the rocker 410. The bent structure 413 can enhance the strength of the long rocker 410, thereby improving the structural reliability of the rocker 410. It is understood that the rocker 410 may also be in the form of an elongated rod or tube, etc., which will not be described in detail in this embodiment of the present application.

[0154] In some embodiments, the second actuator 400 may further include an actuator gear set 420, which may be mounted on the housing 010. For example, the actuator gear set 420 is in transmission connection with the drive mechanism 200 and fixedly connected to the first end 411 of the rocker. When the drive mechanism 200 is in operation, it drives the actuator gear set 420, which in turn drives the first end 411 of the rocker to rotate relative to the housing 010 to open or close the door 020. The actuator gear set 420 has high transmission efficiency and precision, thereby reducing the driving power requirements of the drive mechanism 200 and thereby reducing the cost of the drive mechanism 200. It also increases the stability of the rocker 410 during operation, thereby improving the mechanical reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0155] The execution gear set 420 may include at least one execution gear. Taking the drive mechanism 200 including the first drive motor 210 and the first transmission gear system 230 connected to the first drive motor 210 as an example, as shown in Figures 18 to 20, the at least one execution gear includes two execution gears, and the two execution gears are respectively a first execution gear 421 and a second execution gear 422. The first execution gear 421 and the second execution gear 422 are rotatably mounted on the box body 010. The first execution gear 421 is in transmission connection with the drive mechanism 200. The second execution gear 422 can be engaged with the first execution gear 421, and the second execution gear 422 can be connected to the first end 411 of the rocker (such as fixed connection or plug-in connection, etc.).

[0156] When the drive mechanism 200 is in operation, it drives the first actuator gear 421 to rotate. The first actuator gear 421 then drives the meshed second actuator gear 422 to rotate. The second actuator gear 422 then drives the rocker 410 to rotate relative to the housing 010. The first actuator gear 421 and the second actuator gear 422 have high transmission efficiency and precision, thereby reducing the driving power required by the drive mechanism 200 and thereby reducing the cost of the drive mechanism 200. Furthermore, the stability of the rocker 410 during operation is increased, thereby improving the reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0157] It is understandable that the execution gear set 420 may also include three or more execution gears, and the number of execution gears in the execution gear set 420 may be specifically set according to actual conditions, which will not be described in detail in the embodiment of the present application.

[0158] For example, the first execution gear 421 and the second execution gear 422 are both rotatably mounted within the housing 100. The first base plate 111 may be provided with a first hole 423. The axis of the first execution gear 421 is perpendicular to the first base plate 111. A first rotating portion is provided on the side of the first execution gear 421 facing the first base plate 111. The first rotating portion is inserted into the first hole 423 and is rotatable within the first hole 423.

[0159] The first base plate 111 may be provided with a second hole 424. The second base plate 121 may be provided with a third hole 425. A second rotating portion 426 and a third rotating portion 427 may be provided on either side of the second execution gear 422, respectively. The second rotating portion 426 is inserted into the second hole 424 and is rotatable within the second hole 424. The third rotating portion 427 is inserted into the third hole 425 and is rotatable within the third hole 425. With this arrangement, the first execution gear 421 can be fixed by the first shell 110 and the second shell 120, eliminating the need to provide a rotating shaft for the second execution gear 422. This reduces the number of components in the automatic door opening and closing device, thereby improving the assembly efficiency of the components in the automatic door opening and closing device.

[0160] The first execution gear 421 is meshed with the first transmission gear train 230. The second execution gear 422 is meshed with the first execution gear 421 and connected to the first end 411 of the rocker. The axis of the second execution gear 422 is the first axis.

[0161] In some embodiments, a fifth connecting portion 428 may be provided on the side of the second execution gear 422 away from the housing 010, i.e., the side of the third rotating portion 427 away from the second rotating portion 426. A fifth connecting hole 414 is provided on the first end 411 of the rocker arm, and the fifth connecting hole 414 is sleeved onto the fifth connecting portion 428. The fifth connecting portion 428 may be a prismatic structure or a square prism, etc.; the fifth connecting hole 414 is a hole that matches the fifth connecting portion 428, such as a polygonal hole or a square hole. The sleeved engagement of the fifth connecting hole 414 with the fifth connecting portion 428 prevents relative rotation between the first end 411 of the rocker arm and the fifth connecting portion 428, thereby preventing relative rotation between the second execution gear 422 and the rocker arm 410, thereby improving synchronization of the rotation of the second execution gear 422 and the rocker arm 410.

[0162] The second end 412 of the rocker can be rotatably connected to the top of the door body 020 around the second axis, and the second end 412 of the rocker is slidably connected to the door body 020, and the sliding direction of the second end 412 of the rocker and the door body 020 is roughly parallel to the surface where the top of the door body 020 is located.

[0163] For example, one of the rocker's second end 412 and the door body 020 can be provided with a third sliding recess 023, extending substantially parallel to the plane of the top of the door body 020. The other can be provided with a sliding post 415, which is slidably disposed within the third sliding recess 023 and is rotatable and slidable relative to the third sliding recess 023. The centerline of the sliding post 415 is the second axis. For example, as shown in FIG21 , the third sliding recess 023 can be provided at the top of the door body 020. The sliding post 415 can be provided at the rocker's second end 412.

[0164] Alternatively, the third sliding recess 023 can be provided at the second end 412 of the rocker, and the sliding post 415 can be provided at the top end of the door body 020. The sliding post 415 is rotatably and slidably connected to the third sliding recess 023, and the sidewalls of the third sliding recess 023 can guide and limit the sliding post 415. This improves the stability and reliability of the sliding post 415 when sliding and rotating within the third sliding recess 023, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the relative movement between the rocker 410 and the door body 020.

[0165] As shown in FIG20 , the door body 020 is away from the side surface of the box body 010 (such as the front surface 024). The angle α between the front surface 024 and the line connecting the first axis and the second axis can be greater than or equal to 0°, and the angle α can be less than or equal to 10°. For example, the angle α can be 10°, 8°, 6°, 4°, 2° or 0°. The second end 412 of the rocker applies a driving force F to the door body 020. The direction of the driving force F is perpendicular to the line L connecting the first axis and the second axis. The component force F1 of the driving force F in the direction perpendicular to the front surface 024 is the main force when opening or closing the door body 020. The component force F1, the driving force F and the angle α meet the following relationship: F1=F×cosα (1);

[0166] As can be seen from equation (1), the larger the value of cosα, the greater the component force F1. When the angle α is set to be less than or equal to 10°, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 can provide a sufficiently large driving torque when opening or closing the door body 020, thereby improving the functional reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0167] In some embodiments, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 may include a clutch mechanism, which is configured to connect or disconnect the driving mechanism 200 and the actuator so that the actuator can be driven by the driving mechanism 200, or driven by other methods such as manual operation, so as to increase the function of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and facilitate operation.

[0168] As shown in Figure 22, the clutch mechanism can be a first clutch mechanism 500. The first clutch mechanism 500 may include a second drive motor 510, which is connected to the housing 010. The first clutch mechanism 500 may include a clutch cam 520, which is rotatably connected to the housing 010 and is also connected to the second drive motor 510. The clutch cam 520 can connect or disconnect the drive mechanism 200 and the actuator under the drive of the second drive motor 510. Since the clutch cam 520 is driven by the second drive motor 510, the clutch cam 520 can be controlled by controlling the second drive motor 510 to control the clutch cam 520, thereby controlling the timing of the drive mechanism 200 and the actuator being connected or disconnected, thereby enabling the automatic door opening and closing device to achieve other functions (such as opening or closing the door, etc.).

[0169] The second drive motor 510 is connected to the housing 010 and has a rotatable second output shaft. The second drive motor 510 is configured to provide a force to the clutch cam 520. For example, the second drive motor 510 can be disposed within the housing 100. As shown in FIG22 , a third accommodating protrusion 511 is provided on a side of the first base plate 111 facing away from the housing 010. The third accommodating protrusion 511 encloses a third accommodating cavity 512, which is connected to the first sub-accommodating cavity 113. The second drive motor 510 can be located within the third accommodating cavity 512. The third accommodating cavity 512 can enclose at least a portion of the second drive motor 510, thereby providing a larger contact area between the third accommodating protrusion 511 and the second drive motor 510, thereby reducing vibration of the second drive motor 510 and improving the stability of the second drive motor 510 during operation.

[0170] A plurality of second accommodating grooves 514 may also be provided on the side of the third accommodating protrusion 511 away from the first base plate 111. The plurality of second accommodating grooves 514 are configured to be provided with a second output shaft and an electrical connection line for electrically connecting to the second drive motor 510. When the second shell 120 is connected to the first shell 110 (such as being interlocked), it can prevent the second shell 120 from interfering with the second output shaft and the electrical connection line, thereby preventing damage to the second drive motor 510, and facilitating the arrangement of components within the first sub-accommodating cavity 113.

[0171] The clutch cam 520 is rotatably connected to the housing 010. As shown in Figure 22, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 also includes a second rotating shaft 521, which is configured to enable relative rotation of the clutch cam 520 and the housing 100. The first clutch mechanism 500 has a first state and a second state. When the first clutch mechanism 500 is in the first state, the clutch cam 520 is driven by the second drive motor 510 to rotate to the first position. When the first clutch mechanism 500 is in the second state, the clutch cam 520 is driven by the second drive motor 510 to rotate to the second position. The clutch cam 520 switches between the first and second positions to connect or disconnect the drive mechanism 200 and the actuator. By controlling the second drive motor 510, the position of the clutch cam 520 can be controlled, thereby controlling the timing of transmission connection or disconnection between the drive mechanism 200 and the actuator, enabling the automatic door opening and closing device 040 to perform different functions, improving the controllability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and facilitating user operation.

[0172] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG22 , the first clutch mechanism 500 may further include a second worm 530 (e.g., a worm) and a second worm wheel 540 (e.g., a worm wheel). The first end of the second worm 530 may be connected to the second output shaft of the second drive motor 510. The second worm wheel 540 is rotationally connected to the housing 010, meshing with the second worm 530, and in transmission connection with the clutch cam 520. When the second drive motor 510 is turned on, the second output shaft drives the second worm 530 to rotate, which in turn drives the second worm wheel 540 to rotate, which in turn drives the clutch cam 520 to rotate, allowing the clutch cam 520 to rotate to the first position or the second position. The second worm 530 and the second worm wheel 540 can reduce the speed of the clutch force provided to the second drive motor 510, increase the torque of the clutch force, and change the direction of the clutch force to meet the clutch force requirements of the drive mechanism 200 and the actuator.

[0173] In some embodiments, the first clutch mechanism 500 may further include a second mounting base 531 (e.g., a mounting base), which may be connected to the first base plate 111. The second mounting base 531 may be spaced apart from the second drive motor 510. For example, the second mounting base 531 may be spaced apart from the third accommodating protrusion 511. The second end of the second worm 530 is rotatably connected to the second mounting base 531. When the second drive motor 510 drives the second worm 530 to rotate, the second mounting base 531 can support the second end of the second worm 530, thereby improving the stability of the second worm 530 during rotation, thereby improving the stability of the clutch cam 520 during rotation.

[0174] In some embodiments, the second worm gear 540 can be in driving connection with the clutch cam 520. For example, the clutch cam 520 can be fixedly connected to the second worm gear 540, and when the second worm gear 540 rotates, the clutch cam 520 can be driven to rotate synchronously.

[0175] Alternatively, the first clutch mechanism 500 may further include a second transmission gear train 550 (e.g., a transmission gear train), which is mounted on the housing 010. For example, as shown in FIG22 , the second transmission gear train 550 may be mounted (e.g., rotatably connected) within the housing 100. By providing the second transmission gear train 550, the second worm gear 540 may drive the second transmission gear train 550 to rotate, thereby causing the second transmission gear train 550 to drive the clutch cam 520 to rotate.

[0176] For example, the second transmission gear train 550 may include a second input gear. The second input gear may be connected to the second worm gear 540 and configured to drive the third output gear 551 to rotate. The third output gear 551 is connected to the clutch cam 520. When the second worm gear 540 rotates under the drive of the second drive motor 510, the second worm gear 540 drives the second input gear to rotate, which in turn drives the third output gear 551 to rotate, which in turn drives the clutch cam 520 to rotate, causing the clutch cam 520 to rotate to the first position or the second position, thereby connecting or disconnecting the drive mechanism 200 from the actuator. The provision of the second transmission gear train 550 increases the layout flexibility of the second drive motor 510 and the clutch cam 520, facilitating miniaturization of the first clutch mechanism 500. The second transmission gear train 550 can also adjust parameters such as the speed, torque, and direction of the clutch force to meet the clutch force requirements of the drive mechanism 200 and the actuator.

[0177] In some embodiments, the third output gear 551 can be driven by the second input gear to rotate. The third output gear 551 and the second input gear can be rotatably mounted in the housing 100 via different shafts, and the second input gear is in transmission connection with the third output gear 551.

[0178] For example, the second input gear and the third output gear 551 may be meshed with each other, and when the second input gear rotates, the meshed third output gear 551 is driven to rotate. Alternatively, at least one transmission gear may be provided between the second input gear and the third output gear 551. In other words, in addition to the second input gear and the third output gear 551, the second transmission gear train 550 may include at least one transmission gear. The at least one transmission gear is meshed with the second input gear and the third output gear 551, respectively, and the second input gear and the third output gear 551 are connected to each other through the at least one transmission gear. The number, position, and parameters of the transmission gears in the second transmission gear train 550 can be set according to actual conditions.

[0179] It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the second worm 530 and the second worm wheel 540 may be eliminated, and the second transmission gear train 550 may be directly connected to the second output shaft of the second drive motor 510. When the second output shaft rotates, it drives the second transmission gear train 550, which in turn drives the clutch cam 520 to rotate, thereby connecting or disconnecting the drive mechanism 200 from the actuator. This reduces the number of components in the automatic door opening and closing device, thereby improving the assembly efficiency of the components in the automatic door opening and closing device.

[0180] For example, the first clutch mechanism 500 may further include a first limiting portion 560, and when the clutch cam 520 rotates to the first position, the first limiting portion 560 abuts against the first limiting portion 560. The first limiting portion 560 can limit the clutch cam 520, thereby improving the position accuracy of the clutch cam 520.

[0181] For example, as shown in Figure 22, the first limiting portion 560 and the second mounting seat 531 can be an integrated structure. Such a configuration can reduce the number of components in the first clutch mechanism 500 and the volume of the first clutch mechanism 500, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the automatic opening and closing door device 040.

[0182] The first clutch mechanism 500 may further include a second limiting portion 570, and when the clutch cam 520 rotates to the second position, it abuts against the second limiting portion 570. The second limiting portion 570 is configured to limit the clutch cam 520, thereby improving the position accuracy of the clutch cam 520.

[0183] The following describes the relevant structure of the first clutch mechanism 500 by taking the example that the driving mechanism 200 includes the first transmission gear train 230 and the actuator is the first actuator 300 .

[0184] As shown in Figures 22 and 23, the drive mechanism 200 may include a first drive motor 210 and a first transmission gear train 230. The second actuator 300 may include a push rod 310, which can slide relative to the housing 010 in a first direction (indicated by arrow x in Figure 22). The push rod 310 is connected to the housing 010 via a first elastic member 320, which can apply a force to the push rod 310 in a second direction (indicated by arrow y in Figure 22).

[0185] The first clutch mechanism 500 may include a second drive motor 510 and a clutch cam 520. The clutch cam 520 is rotatably mounted on the housing 010 and is connected (e.g., in a transmission connection) to the second drive motor 510. The clutch cam 520 may act on the first transmission gear train 230. The clutch cam 520 may be driven by the second drive motor 510 to connect or disconnect the first transmission gear train 230, thereby allowing the push rod 310 to extend under the drive of the first drive motor 210 or to return to its original position under the action of the first elastic member 320.

[0186] With this arrangement, the clutch cam 520 can be controlled by controlling the second drive motor 510, and the extension and reset position of the push rod 310 can be accurately controlled during the process of automatically opening or closing the door body, which is beneficial to increasing the function of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and facilitating operation.

[0187] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG24 , when the first clutch mechanism 500 is in the first state, the second drive motor 510 drives the clutch cam 520 to rotate to the first position, thereby connecting the first transmission gear train 230. As shown in FIG25 , the first drive motor 210 can drive the push rod 310 to slide in the first direction via the first transmission gear train 230, thereby applying a thrust force to the door 020, thereby automatically opening the door 020.

[0188] As shown in Figure 26, when the first clutch mechanism 500 is in the second state, the second drive motor 510 drives the clutch cam 520 to rotate to the second position, so that the first transmission gear system 230 is in the disconnected state, and the push rod 310 can slide along the second direction under the action of the first elastic member 320, so that the push rod 310 is automatically reset, so that the door body 020 can be closed.

[0189] It should be noted that the push rod 310 is automatically reset by the first clutch mechanism 500 and the first elastic member 320. During the process of automatically opening or closing the door body, the rotation position of the clutch cam 520 can also be controlled by controlling the second drive motor 510, thereby switching the first transmission gear system 230 between the connected state and the disconnected state, and then being able to control the timing of extending and resetting the push rod 310, thereby improving the controllability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and helping to increase the function of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0190] In some embodiments, the first transmission gear train 230 may include a first transmission gear set 240. The first transmission gear set 240 is mounted on the housing 010. For example, the first transmission gear set 240 may be mounted in the housing 100. The first transmission gear set 240 is connected to the first drive motor 210 (e.g., in a transmission connection). The first transmission gear 241 may include a first input gear 231 and at least one first transmission gear 241. The first input gear 231 is connected to the first drive motor 210, and the first input gear 231 operates under the driving force provided by the first drive motor 210, and the at least one first transmission gear 241 is in transmission connection with the first input gear 231.

[0191] The first transmission gear train 230 may further include a third transmission gear set 250 and a first mounting bracket 260. The third transmission gear set 250 is mounted on the first mounting bracket 260, which is swingably mounted on the housing 010. The third transmission gear set 250 includes a first output gear 232 and at least one third transmission gear 251. The first output gear 232 meshes with the transmission rack 316 on the push rod 310, and the at least one third transmission gear 251 is in driving connection with the first output gear 232. A clutch cam 520 acts on the first mounting bracket 260 to push the first mounting bracket 260, causing it and the third transmission gear set 250 to swing.

[0192] As shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 , the bold lines in the figures indicate the third transmission gear 251 and a partial structure of the first transmission gear 241 meshing with the third transmission gear 251 .

[0193] As shown in Figure 25, when the clutch cam 520 rotates to the first position, the clutch cam 520 will push the first mounting bracket 260 to swing to the fifth position, so that a first transmission gear 241 of the first transmission gear group 240 and a third transmission gear 251 of the third transmission gear group 250 are engaged, thereby making the first transmission gear system 230 in a connected state.

[0194] As shown in FIG26 , when the clutch cam 520 rotates to the second position, the first mounting bracket 260 can swing to the sixth position to separate a first transmission gear 241 of the first transmission gear 241 and a third transmission gear 251 of the third transmission gear set 250 , thereby placing the first transmission gear system 230 in a disconnected state.

[0195] It should be noted that the fifth position of the first mounting frame 260 is where the first mounting frame 260 drives one of the third transmission gears 251 to engage with one of the first transmission gears 241. The sixth position of the first mounting frame 260 is where the first mounting frame 260 drives one of the third transmission gears 251 to disengage from one of the first transmission gears 241. The third transmission gear set 250 is mounted on the first mounting frame 260, and the first mounting frame 260 is swingably mounted on the housing 010, so that the third transmission gear set 250 and the first mounting frame 260 form an integral structure. When the clutch cam 520 acts on the first mounting frame 260, the third transmission gear set 250 can swing along with the first mounting frame 260, causing the third transmission gear set 250 to engage or disengage with the first transmission gear set 240.

[0196] During the process of the third transmission gear set 250 engaging with or separating from the first transmission gear set 240, the relative position between the third transmission gear 251 and the first output gear 232 in the third transmission gear set 250 will not change. This arrangement improves the structural stability of the third transmission gear set 250 and also improves the structural stability of the first transmission gear system 230, so that the first transmission gear system 230 can transmit smoothly.

[0197] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG23 , the first mounting frame 260 may include a first connecting plate 262 and two first mounting plates 261. The two first mounting plates 261 are arranged opposite each other and spaced apart, with the third transmission gear 251 and the first output gear 232 disposed between the two first mounting plates 261. The first connecting plate 262 is configured to connect the two first mounting plates 261 and is further configured to abut against the clutch cam 520. The provision of two first mounting plates 261 and the first connecting plate 262 enhances the connection strength and stability between the third transmission gear set 250 and the first mounting frame 260, thereby improving the stability of the third transmission gear set 250 during operation.

[0198] In some embodiments, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 further includes a sixth connection hole 263 and a seventh connection hole 264. The sixth connection hole 263 and the seventh connection hole 264 are spaced apart on each first mounting plate 261. The third transmission gear set 250 may include a third rotating shaft 252, both ends of which pass through the third transmission gear 251 and are respectively inserted into the sixth connection holes 263 on the two first mounting plates 261. The sixth connection hole 263 is configured to allow the third rotating shaft 252 to rotate relative to the first mounting plates 261.

[0199] The third transmission gear assembly 250 may further include a fourth rotating shaft 253. Both ends of the fourth rotating shaft 253 pass through the first output gear 232 and are respectively inserted into two seventh connecting holes 264. The seventh connecting holes 264 are configured to allow the first output gear 232 to rotate relative to the first mounting plate 261.

[0200] In some embodiments, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 further includes an eighth connection hole 254 and a second arc portion 255. The eighth connection hole 254 and the second arc portion 255 are disposed on a side of the first bottom plate 111 away from the box body 010.

[0201] For example, the eighth connection hole 254 and the second arc portion 255 may also be provided on one side of the first sub-accommodation cavity 113 , or the eighth connection hole 254 and the second arc portion 255 may also be provided on one side of the second bottom plate 121 located in the second sub-accommodation cavity 123 .

[0202] The second arc portion 255 may be an arc-shaped structure with its center at the center of the eighth connecting hole 254. The third rotating shaft 252 extends through the first mounting plate 261, and one end thereof is disposed within the eighth connecting hole 254, allowing the third rotating shaft 252 to rotate within the eighth connecting hole 254. The fourth rotating shaft 253 extends through the first mounting plate 261, and one end thereof is disposed within the second arc portion 255, allowing the fourth rotating shaft 253 to slide within the second arc portion 255. As shown in Figures 24 and 25, when the clutch cam 520 rotates toward the first position under the drive of the second drive motor 510, the clutch cam 520 pushes the first connecting plate 262, which in turn drives the first mounting plate 261, causing the third rotating shaft 252 to rotate within the eighth connecting hole 254 and the fourth rotating shaft 253 to slide within the second arc portion 255, thereby causing the first mounting frame 260 to drive the third transmission gear set 250 to swing.

[0203] As shown in FIG26 , when the clutch cam 520 rotates toward the second position under the reverse drive of the second drive motor 510, the clutch cam 520 does not push the first connecting plate 262. The first connecting plate 262 can drive the first mounting plate 261, causing the third rotating shaft 252 to rotate (e.g., reversely) within the eighth connecting hole 254 and causing the fourth rotating shaft 253 to slide reversely within the second arc portion 255, thereby causing the first mounting frame 260 to drive the third transmission gear set 250 to swing in the reverse direction. Thus, when the first clutch mechanism 500 switches between the first and second states, the swing center of the first mounting frame 260 coincides with the rotation axis of the first output gear 232. As a result, the first transmission gear 241 is always engaged with the transmission rack 316 during the process of the first mounting frame 260 driving the third transmission gear set 250 to swing, thereby improving the connection reliability between the third transmission gear set 250 and the push rod 310.

[0204] In some embodiments, the first transmission gear train 230 may further include a second elastic member 265, which connects the first mounting bracket 260 and the housing 010. As shown in Figures 24 to 26, a first end of the second elastic member 265 may be connected to one of the first mounting plates 261 of the first mounting bracket 260, and a second end of the second elastic member 265 may be connected to the first bottom plate 111 to apply a first restoring force to the third transmission gear set 250, so that the first mounting bracket 260 can drive the third transmission gear set 250 to swing from the fifth position to the sixth position.

[0205] As shown in Figures 24 and 25 , when the clutch cam 520 is driven by the second drive motor 510 to rotate to the first position, the clutch cam 520 pushes the first mounting bracket 260 and the third transmission gear set 250 to swing to the fifth position, so that the third transmission gear set 250 meshes with the first transmission gear set 240. At this time, the second elastic member 265 is deformed to generate a first restoring force.

[0206] As shown in Figure 26, when the clutch cam 520 rotates toward the second position under the reverse drive of the second drive motor 510, the first mounting bracket 260 and the third transmission gear set 250 automatically swing in the opposite direction to the sixth position under the action of the second restoring force, so that the third transmission gear set 250 is separated from the first transmission gear set 240, and the third transmission gear set 250 is always in contact with the clutch cam 520.

[0207] For example, the second elastic member 265 may be a second tension spring or a second compression spring.

[0208] Taking the clutch cam 520 rotating from the first position to the second position as an example, by setting the second elastic member 265, the first mounting bracket 260 and the third transmission gear set 250 can automatically reset under the action of the second elastic member 265, reducing the reverse driving force required to be provided by the second drive motor 510.

[0209] Furthermore, the second elastic member 265 ensures that the first mounting bracket 260 is always in contact with the clutch cam 520. When the clutch cam 520 rotates, the first mounting bracket 260 drives the third transmission gear set 250 to swing in tandem with the clutch cam 520, thereby improving the response speed of the first transmission gear train 230 when the first clutch mechanism 500 switches between states. The following describes an exemplary embodiment of how the first clutch mechanism 500 is provided to control the connection or disconnection of the first transmission gear train 230 during the automatic door opening or closing process, thereby enabling the automatic door opening and closing device 040 to perform other functions.

[0210] For example, as shown in Figures 24 to 26, the second actuator 300 may further include a position detection assembly 340 configured to measure the position of the push rod 310. The controller may be electrically connected to the position detection assembly 340, the first clutch mechanism 500, and the drive mechanism 200. The controller may be configured to determine whether the push rod 310 has been reset based on the position of the push rod 310 after the first clutch mechanism 500 is in the second state. If the push rod 310 has not been reset, the controller may control the first clutch mechanism 500 to be in the first state, thereby connecting the first transmission gear train 230, and control the drive mechanism 200 to reset the push rod 310.

[0211] For example, in some related technologies, when the automatic door opening and closing device 040 fails due to the failure of the first elastic member 320, or the push rod 310 is stuck and cannot slide relative to the box body 010, resulting in the push rod 310 being unable to automatically reset, that is, when the push rod 310 has a reset failure, the door body 020 cannot be closed, affecting the normal use of the refrigerator.

[0212] The controller can control the first clutch mechanism 500 to be in the first state, so that the first transmission gear train 230 is in the connected state. The controller can then control the first drive motor 210 of the drive mechanism 200 to drive the push rod 310 to reset, thereby allowing the door 020 to close, thereby allowing the refrigerator to be used normally and improving the reliability of the refrigerator.

[0213] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 27, the position detection assembly 340 may include a third sensor 341 (eg, a position sensor) and a fourth sensor 342 (eg, a position sensor). The third sensor 341 and the fourth sensor 342 may be installed on the first side plate 112 of the housing 100 at intervals along the first direction.

[0214] When push rod 310 is not extended, both third sensor 341 and fourth sensor 342 are triggered. Third sensor 341 can generate a third position signal, and fourth sensor 342 can generate a fourth position signal. If the controller can simultaneously obtain the third and fourth position signals, it can determine that push rod 310 is not extended.

[0215] When push rod 310 is extended to a preset length, third sensor 341 is not triggered, while fourth sensor 342 is triggered. Third sensor 341 may not generate a third position signal, while fourth sensor 342 may generate a fourth position signal. If the controller receives the fourth position signal but not the third position signal, it can determine that push rod 310 has extended to the preset length. It should be noted that, because third sensor 341 and fourth sensor 342 are relatively low-cost, providing them can reduce the cost of position detection assembly 340, thereby reducing the component cost of automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0216] In some embodiments, position detection assembly 340 may also be a linear displacement sensor, which may be connected to push rod 310 and electrically connected to the controller. The linear displacement sensor can measure the displacement of push rod 310. The controller can determine whether push rod 310 has been reset based on the displacement of push rod 310. Using a linear displacement sensor allows position detection assembly 340 to be miniaturized, facilitating the arrangement of components within the first accommodating chamber.

[0217] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG27 , the third sensor 341 may include a third reflective photoelectric switch, and the fourth sensor 342 may include a fourth reflective photoelectric switch. The push rod 310 may be provided with a second reflective portion 343 and a third reflective portion 344. The second reflective portion 343 and the third reflective portion 344 may be spaced apart along the first direction, with the distance between the second reflective portion 343 and the third reflective portion 344 being equal to the distance between the third reflective photoelectric switch and the fourth reflective photoelectric switch. The second reflective portion 343 and the third reflective portion 344 are capable of reflecting light.

[0218] For example, the second reflective portion 343 and the third reflective portion 344 can be white or brightly colored, while the remaining areas of the push rod 310 can be black. When the push rod 310 is not extended, the second reflective portion 343 faces the third reflective photoelectric switch, and the third reflective portion 344 faces the fourth reflective photoelectric switch. The detection light emitted by the third reflective photoelectric switch can be reflected by the second reflective portion 343 and return to the third reflective photoelectric switch, thereby generating a third position signal. The detection light emitted by the fourth reflective photoelectric switch can be reflected by the third reflective portion 344 and return to the fourth reflective photoelectric switch, thereby generating a fourth position signal. When the push rod 310 is extended, the second reflective portion 343 moves to face the fourth reflective photoelectric switch. The detection light emitted by the fourth reflective photoelectric switch can be reflected by the second reflective portion 343 and return to the fourth reflective photoelectric switch, thereby generating a fourth position signal.

[0219] It is understood that the third sensor 341 and the fourth sensor 342 may also be a third travel switch and a fourth travel switch, respectively, or other sensors capable of detecting the position of the push rod 310. The third reflective photoelectric switch and the fourth reflective photoelectric switch can detect the position of the push rod 310 without direct contact with the push rod 310, thereby facilitating optimization of the component layout of the automatic door opening and closing device and thereby facilitating miniaturization of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0220] For example, the controller can control the automatic door opening and closing device 040 according to the control method shown in Figure 28. The controller is configured to execute steps S110 to S130. S110: After the first clutch mechanism is in the second state, determine whether the push rod is reset based on the position of the push rod; if so, execute S130; if not, execute S120.

[0221] S120: If the push rod is not reset, control the first clutch mechanism to be in the first state to put the first transmission gear train in the connected state, and control the first drive motor to reset the push rod.

[0222] S130: If the push rod has been reset, control the first clutch mechanism to be in the second state, so that the first transmission gear train is in the disconnected state.

[0223] For example, after receiving the automatic door opening signal, the controller controls the first clutch mechanism 500 to be in the first state and controls the first drive motor 210 to extend the push rod to automatically open the door.

[0224] Upon receiving the automatic door opening signal, the controller can issue a first connection signal to the second drive motor 510 and a first extension signal to the first drive motor 210 of the drive mechanism 200. In response to the first connection signal, the second drive motor 510 switches the first clutch mechanism 500 to the first state. The second drive motor 510 drives the clutch cam 520 to rotate to the first position, thereby connecting the first transmission gear train 230. In response to the first extension signal, the first drive motor 210 drives the first transmission gear train 230, which then slides and extends the push rod 310 in the first direction x. The push rod 310 applies a thrust to the door body 020, enabling automatic door opening.

[0225] In some embodiments, the refrigerator may be provided with an automatic door opening button that issues an automatic door opening signal (e.g., the automatic door opening signal may be generated by a user pressing the automatic door opening button), so that the refrigerator can automatically open its door in response to the automatic door opening signal, thereby improving the human-computer interaction performance of the refrigerator. Alternatively, the automatic door opening signal may be generated in other ways.

[0226] In some embodiments, the controller may control the first drive motor 210 to extend the push rod after controlling the first clutch mechanism 500 to be in the first state for a first preset period of time. For example, the controller may send a first extension signal to the first drive motor 210 after sending a first connection signal to the second drive motor 510 for a first preset period of time. This configuration allows the first clutch mechanism 500 to switch to the first state within the first preset period of time before controlling the first drive motor 210 to operate. This ensures that the first transmission gear train 230 is in the connected state before being driven by the first drive motor 210, thereby improving the reliability of the automatic door opening function.

[0227] When the push rod 310 extends a preset length in the first direction, the controller can control the first drive motor 210 to stop and the first clutch mechanism 500 to enter the second state. For example, when the push rod 310 extends the preset length, the third sensor 341 is not triggered and does not generate a third position signal; the fourth sensor 342 is triggered and generates a fourth position signal. The controller can determine that the push rod 310 has extended the preset length when it receives the fourth position signal but not the third position signal. The controller can then send a first stop signal to the first drive motor 210 and a first disconnect signal to the second drive motor 510. In response to the first stop signal, the first drive motor 210 stops driving the first transmission gear train 230. In response to the first disconnect signal, the second drive motor 510 switches to the second state, driving the clutch cam 520 to rotate to the second position, disengaging the first transmission gear train 230. The push rod 310 can automatically reset under the action of the first elastic member 320.

[0228] In some embodiments, after the controller issues the first disconnection signal, after a second preset time has passed, the push rod 310 may slide in the second direction under the action of the first elastic member 320 , thereby resetting the push rod 310 .

[0229] When push rod 310 is reset, third sensor 341 is triggered to generate a third position signal, and fourth sensor 342 is triggered to generate a fourth position signal. The controller can determine that push rod 310 has automatically reset if both the third position signal and the fourth position signal are simultaneously received within a second preset time period after first clutch mechanism 500 enters the second state, for example, within a second preset time period after the first disconnection signal is issued. It should be noted that the second preset time period refers to the time between push rod 310 extending a preset length and reset. For example, the second preset time period can be less than or equal to 0.2 seconds.

[0230] In some embodiments, the controller can also control the first drive motor 210 to stop and the first clutch mechanism 500 to be in the second state. For example, the controller can send a first stop signal to the first drive motor 210 and simultaneously send a first disconnect signal to the second drive motor 510. This configuration can shorten the time between the push rod 310 extending to a preset length and the push rod 310 automatically returning to its original position, allowing the push rod 310 to be reset in a timely manner.

[0231] Alternatively, the controller may control the first clutch mechanism 500 to enter the second state after the first drive motor 210 stops operating for a third preset time period. For example, the controller may also send a first disconnection signal to the second drive motor 510 after the first stop signal is sent to the first drive motor 210 for a third preset time period. This arrangement allows the first transmission gear train 230 to stop operating within the third preset time period, thereby ensuring that the first clutch mechanism 500 switches the first transmission gear train 230 to the disconnected state after the first transmission gear train 230 stops operating. This prevents the first transmission gear train 230 from being disconnected during operation, potentially causing damage to the gear teeth due to collision, and thus improves the structural reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0232] It should be noted that the third preset time duration is related to the downtime of the first drive motor 210 and the second drive motor 510 , and the third preset time duration can be set according to actual conditions.

[0233] In some embodiments, if the controller does not simultaneously obtain the third position signal and the fourth position signal within a second preset time period after the first clutch mechanism 500 is in the second state, it can determine that the push rod 310 has not been reset, i.e., a reset failure has occurred in the push rod 310. By setting the second preset time period, the controller can eliminate the influence of the normal reset process of the push rod 310 on the determination of whether the push rod 310 has a reset failure, prevent misjudgment, improve the accuracy of determining whether the push rod 310 has a reset failure, and thus improve the functional reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0234] For example, if the controller determines that the push rod 310 has not been reset, it can control the first clutch mechanism 500 to be in the first state, thereby connecting the first transmission gear train 230, and controlling the first drive motor 210 to operate to reset the push rod 310. This configuration can cause the automatic door opening and closing device to switch to a fault operation mode when a reset failure occurs in the push rod 310, thereby resetting the push rod 310, allowing the door body 020 to close, and the refrigerator to be used normally, thereby improving the functional reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0235] For example, upon determining that the push rod 310 has not been reset, the controller may issue a second connection signal to the second drive motor 510 and a first retraction signal to the first drive motor 210. In response to the second connection signal, the second drive motor 510 switches the first clutch mechanism 500 to the first state, and the second drive motor 510 drives the clutch cam 520 to rotate to the first position, thereby connecting the first transmission gear train 230. In response to the first retraction signal, the first drive motor 210 drives the first transmission gear train 230 in reverse, causing the first transmission gear train 230 to slide and retract the push rod 310 in the second direction y, thereby resetting the push rod 310 and allowing the door 020 to close.

[0236] In some embodiments, the controller may control the first drive motor 210 to reset the push rod 310 after the first clutch mechanism 500 has been in the first state for a fourth preset period of time. For example, the controller may send a first retraction signal to the first drive motor 210 after the second connection signal has been sent to the second drive motor 510 for a fourth preset period of time. This configuration allows the first clutch mechanism 500 to switch to the first state within the fourth preset period of time, ensuring that the first transmission gear train 230 is in the connected state before being driven by the first drive motor 210 to reverse direction, thereby improving the reliability of the automatic door opening function.

[0237] It should be noted that the fourth preset time is related to the time when the second drive motor 510 sends the second connection signal and the time when the first drive motor 210 sends the first retraction signal. The fourth preset time can be set according to actual conditions.

[0238] In some embodiments, upon determining that push rod 310 has not been reset, the controller may also issue a fault alarm, which can alert the automatic door opening and closing device 040 to require repair. This configuration can alert the automatic door opening and closing device 040 to the need for repair and quickly locate the cause of any refrigerator malfunction, assisting users and maintenance personnel in confirming the fault and improving the convenience of refrigerator repair. The following describes the structure of the first clutch mechanism 500, taking as an example a drive mechanism 200 including a first transmission gear train 230 and an actuator being a second actuator 400.

[0239] 29 and 30 , the driving mechanism 200 may include a first transmission gear train 230 , and the second actuator 400 may include a rocker 410 , which may open or close the door 020 . The first clutch mechanism 500 acts on the first transmission gear train 230 .

[0240] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG31 , when the first clutch mechanism 500 is in the second state, the first clutch mechanism 500 connects the first transmission gear train 230 to the rocker 410. As shown in FIG32 , the rocker 410 can rotate relative to the housing 010 under the drive of the drive mechanism 200 to open or close the door 020.

[0241] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG33 , when the first clutch mechanism 500 is in the first state, the first clutch mechanism 500 disconnects the first transmission gear train 230 from the rocker 410, thereby releasing the restriction of the drive mechanism 200 on the rocker 410. This allows the rocker 410 to rotate relative to the housing 010 along with the door body 020, thereby allowing the door body 020 to be opened or closed. This configuration enables the automatic door opening and closing device 040 to be compatible with both automatic and manual door opening and closing functions, providing convenience for users.

[0242] In some embodiments, the first transmission gear train 230 may include a first transmission gear set 240. The first transmission gear set 240 may be mounted within the housing 100. The first transmission gear set 240 may include a first input gear 231 and at least one first transmission gear 241. The first input gear 231 is connected to the first drive motor 210 to operate under the driving force provided by the first drive motor 210. The at least one first transmission gear 241 is in transmission connection with the first input gear 231.

[0243] The first transmission gear train 230 also includes a second mounting frame 280 (e.g., a mounting frame). The second mounting frame 280 is swingably mounted on the housing 010. The first transmission gear train 230 also includes a second transmission gear set 270. The second transmission gear set 270 can be mounted on the second mounting frame 280. The second transmission gear set 270 can include a second output gear 271 and at least one second transmission gear 272 transmission-connected to the second output gear 271, one of the at least one second transmission gear 272 meshing with the first transmission gear set 240. The clutch cam 520 can act on the second mounting frame 280 to force the second mounting frame 280 and the second transmission gear set 270 to swing.

[0244] As shown in Figures 31 and 32, when the clutch cam 520 rotates to the second position, the clutch cam 520 pushes the second mounting bracket 280 to swing to the third position, so that the second output gear 271 in the second transmission gear group 270 is connected to the rocker 410 (such as transmission connection), for example, the second output gear 271 is engaged with the first execution gear 421 in the execution gear group 420, so that the first transmission gear system 230 and the rocker 410 are in a connected (transmission connection) state.

[0245] As shown in Figure 33, when the clutch cam 520 rotates to the first position, the second mounting bracket 280 can swing to the fourth position to separate the second output gear 271 from the rocker 410, for example, to separate the second output gear 271 from the first execution gear 421, thereby making the first transmission gear system 230 and the rocker 410 in a disconnected state.

[0246] By mounting the second transmission gear set 270 on the second mounting frame 280, and swingably mounting the second mounting frame 280 on the housing 010, the second transmission gear set 270 and the second mounting frame 280 form an integral structure. When the clutch cam 520 acts on the second mounting frame 280, the second transmission gear set 270 can swing along with the second mounting frame 280, thereby connecting or disconnecting the third transmission gear set 250 from the rocker 410. During this connection or disconnection process, the relative position between the second output gear 271 and the second transmission gear 272 in the second transmission gear set 270 does not change, thereby improving the structural stability of the second transmission gear set 270, thereby improving the structural stability of the first transmission gear train 230 and ensuring smooth transmission of the first transmission gear train 230.

[0247] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG30 , the second mounting frame 280 can include a second connecting plate 282 (e.g., a connecting plate) and two second mounting plates 281 (e.g., two mounting plates). The two second mounting plates 281 are disposed opposite each other and spaced apart, with the second transmission gear 272 and the second output gear 271 disposed between the two second mounting plates 281. The second connecting plate 282 connects the two second mounting plates 281 and is further configured to abut against the clutch cam 520. The provision of two second mounting plates 281 and a second connecting plate 282 enhances the connection strength and stability between the second transmission gear set 270 and the second mounting frame 280, thereby improving the stability of the second transmission gear set 270 during operation.

[0248] In some embodiments, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 further includes a first connecting hole and a second connecting hole 283. The first connecting hole and the second connecting hole 283 are spaced apart on each second mounting plate 281. The second transmission gear set 270 may further include a first rotating member 273 and a second rotating member 274. The two ends of the first rotating member 273 can be respectively inserted into the first connecting holes on the two second mounting plates 281. The second transmission gear 272 is meshed with the first transmission gear set 240 and is sleeved on the first rotating member 273. The two ends of the second rotating member 274 can be respectively inserted into the second connecting holes 283 on the two second mounting plates 281. The second output gear 271 is sleeved on the second rotating member 274.

[0249] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 30 , a third connection hole 275 and a first arc portion 276 may be provided on one side of the box body 010 or the shell 100 located in the first accommodating cavity.

[0250] For example, the third connecting hole 275 and the first arc portion 276 can be arranged on a side of the first bottom plate 111 close to the first sub-accommodation cavity 113, or the third connecting hole 275 and the first arc portion 276 can also be arranged on a side of the second bottom plate 121 close to the second sub-accommodation cavity 123.

[0251] The first arc portion 276 may be an arc-shaped structure with its center at the center of the third connecting hole 275. The first rotating member 273 extends through the second mounting plate 281 and is positioned within the third connecting hole 275 at one end, allowing the first rotating member 273 to rotate within the third connecting hole 275. The second rotating member 274 extends through the second mounting plate 281 and is positioned within the first arc portion 276 at one end, allowing the second rotating member 274 to slide within the first arc portion 276.

[0252] As shown in Figures 31 and 32, when the clutch cam 520 rotates toward the second position under the reverse drive of the second drive motor 510, the clutch cam 520 pushes the second connecting plate 282, and the second connecting plate 282 drives the second mounting plate 281, so that the first rotating member 273 rotates in the third connecting hole 275, and the second rotating member 274 slides in the first arc portion 276, so that the second mounting frame 280 drives the second transmission gear group 270 to swing.

[0253] As shown in Figure 33, when the clutch cam 520 rotates from the second position to the first position under the drive of the second drive motor 510, the clutch cam 520 does not push the second connecting plate 282, and the second connecting plate 282 can drive the second mounting plate 281, so that the first rotating member 273 rotates in the third connecting hole 275 (such as counterclockwise rotation), and the second rotating member 274 slides in the first arc portion 276 (such as sliding in the direction close to the clutch cam 520), so that the second mounting frame 280 drives the second transmission gear group 270 to swing (such as swinging in the direction close to the clutch cam 520).

[0254] From the above description, it can be seen that when the first clutch mechanism 500 switches between the first state and the second state, the swing center of the second mounting frame 280 coincides with the rotation axis of the second transmission gear 272 that is meshed with the first transmission gear set 240, so that in the process of the second mounting frame 280 driving the second transmission gear set 270 to swing, the second transmission gear 272 can always be meshed with the first transmission gear set 240, thereby improving the connection reliability between the first transmission gear set 240 and the third transmission gear set 250.

[0255] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 31 to 33, the first transmission gear train 230 may further include a third elastic member 284 (e.g., an elastic member). The third elastic member 284 connects the second mounting frame 280 and the housing 010. A first end of the third elastic member 284 may be connected to one of the second mounting plates 281 of the second mounting frame 280, and a second end of the third elastic member 284 may be connected to the first bottom plate 111. The third elastic member 284 may apply a second restoring force (e.g., a restoring force) to the second mounting frame 280, so that the second mounting frame 280 drives the second transmission gear set 270 to swing from the third position to the fourth position under the action of the second restoring force.

[0256] As shown in Figures 31 and 32 , when the clutch cam 520 rotates to the second position under the drive of the second drive motor 510 (e.g., reverse drive), the clutch cam 520 pushes the second mounting bracket 280 and the second transmission gear set 270 to swing to the third position, so that the second transmission gear set 270 meshes with the execution gear set 420. At this time, the third elastic member 284 deforms to generate a second restoring force.

[0257] As shown in FIG33 , when the clutch cam 520 rotates toward the first position under the drive of the second drive motor 510, the second mounting bracket 280 and the second transmission gear set 270 swing in the opposite direction to the fourth position under the action of the second restoring force, thereby separating the second transmission gear set 270 from the rocker 410 and ensuring that the second transmission gear set 270 is always in contact with the clutch cam 520. It should be noted that the third return elastic member can be a third tension spring or a third compression spring, which will not be further described in this embodiment of the present application.

[0258] By providing the third elastic member 284, the second mounting frame 280 and the second transmission gear train 270 are automatically reset under the action of the third elastic member 284 when the clutch cam 520 rotates from the third position to the fourth position, thereby reducing the driving force required by the second drive motor 510. Furthermore, the third elastic member 284 ensures that the second mounting frame 280 is always in contact with the clutch cam 520. When the clutch cam 520 rotates, the second mounting frame 280 drives the second transmission gear train 272 to swing along with the clutch cam 520, thereby improving the response speed of the first transmission gear train 230 when the first clutch mechanism 500 switches between states.

[0259] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG32 , when the clutch cam 520 is in the second position, the rotation axis of the clutch cam 520, the point of contact between the clutch cam 520 and the second mounting bracket 280, and the rotation axis of the second output gear 271 can lie on a first straight line L1. The rotation axis of the second transmission gear 272 meshing with the first transmission gear set 240 and the rotation axis of the second output gear 271 lie on a second straight line L2. The second straight line L2 forms an angle β with the first straight line L1.

[0260] For example, the point of action between the clutch cam 520 and the second mounting bracket 280 is located on the axis connecting the second rotating member 274 and the second rotating shaft 521, and the angle between the axis connecting the second rotating member 274 and the second rotating shaft 521 and the axis connecting the second rotating member 274 and the first rotating member 273 is the angle β. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the angle β can be greater than or equal to 90°, for example, 95°, 100°, 105°, 110°, 115°, or 120°.

[0261] During the process of automatically opening or closing the door body 020, when the door body 020 encounters an obstacle, for example, the user manually prevents the door body 020 from opening or closing, the second transmission gear set 270 is subjected to a reverse torque, causing the clutch cam 520 to be subjected to a reverse force f from the second mounting bracket 280. The reverse force f is perpendicular to the second straight line L2, and the component of the reverse force f in the direction perpendicular to the first straight line L1 is the tangential force f1 received by the clutch cam 520.

[0262] When the angle β is greater than or equal to 90°, the tangential force f1 is directed away from the door body 020, causing the clutch cam 520 to rotate clockwise. The second limiting portion 570 also limits the clutch cam 520, limiting the applicable reverse torque range of the first clutch mechanism 500 to the structural strength of the first clutch mechanism 500. In other words, when the door body 020 encounters an obstacle, the clutch cam 520 can remain in the second position, thereby maintaining the second mounting bracket 280 and the second transmission gear set 270 in the third position. This ensures that the second transmission gear set 270 is always in transmission connection with the rocker 410, thereby preventing the obstacle from affecting the automatic door opening and closing function.

[0263] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the angle β may be less than 90°, for example, 85°, 80°, 75°, 70°, 65°, or 60°. When the angle β is less than 90°, the tangential force f1 is directed toward the door body 020, causing the clutch cam 520 to rotate counterclockwise. When the reverse torque applied to the second transmission gear set 270 causes the tangential force f1 to be greater than the static friction between the second bracket and the clutch cam 520, the clutch cam 520 rotates counterclockwise, thereby separating the second transmission gear set 270 from the rocker arm 410.

[0264] In other words, the first clutch mechanism 500 has an applicable torque range. If the reverse torque exceeds the applicable torque range, the first clutch mechanism 500 will decouple the first transmission gear train 230 from the rocker 410. This configuration provides overload protection for the drive mechanism 200 and the rocker 410, preventing damage to them due to overload and improving the structural reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0265] Furthermore, the angle β can be adjusted within a range of less than 90° based on actual conditions to adjust the applicable torque range of the first clutch mechanism 500. In other words, by adjusting the rotation axis of the second transmission gear 272 meshing with the first transmission gear train 240, the axis of the second output gear 271, the point of contact between the clutch cam 520 and the second mounting bracket 280, and the relative position of the rotation axis of the clutch cam 520, the applicable torque range of the first clutch mechanism 500 can be adjusted without replacing the first clutch mechanism 500, thereby improving the applicability of the first clutch mechanism 500 and reducing the component costs of the refrigerator. The following describes the relevant structure of the first clutch mechanism 500 in detail, taking the example of a drive mechanism 200 including the first transmission gear train 230 and an actuator including the first actuator 300 and the second actuator 400.

[0266] As shown in Figures 34 to 37, the actuator may include a first actuator 300 and a second actuator 400 (e.g., actuator 400). The first actuator 300 includes a push rod 310 that is slidable relative to the housing 010 in a first direction x. The push rod 310 is connected to the housing 010 via a first elastic member 320, which applies a force in a second direction y to the push rod 310. The second actuator 400 includes a rocker 410 configured to open or close the door 020.

[0267] The drive mechanism 200 may include a first transmission gear train 230. The first clutch mechanism 500 may include a second drive motor 510 and a clutch cam 520. The clutch cam 520 is rotatably mounted on the housing 010 and connected to the second drive motor 510. The clutch cam 520 can act on the first transmission gear train 230 to connect the first transmission gear train 230 to the push rod 310 and separate the first transmission gear train 230 from the rocker 410; or to connect the first transmission gear train 230 to the rocker 410 and separate the first transmission gear train 230 from the push rod 310.

[0268] As shown in FIG34 , when the first clutch mechanism 500 (e.g., a clutch mechanism) is in a first state, the second drive motor 510 drives the clutch cam 520 to rotate to a first position. The first clutch mechanism 500 connects the first drive motor 210 to the push rod 310 via the first transmission gear train 230, and separates the first drive motor 210 from the rocker 410. As shown in FIG35 , the push rod 310 can be extended in a first direction under the drive of the drive mechanism 200 to apply a thrust force to the door body 020, thereby automatically opening the door body 020.

[0269] As shown in FIG36 , when the first clutch mechanism 500 is in the second state, the first clutch mechanism 500 connects the first drive motor 210 to the rocker arm 410 via the first transmission gear train 230, and disconnects the first drive motor 210 from the push rod 310. As shown in FIG37 , the rocker arm 410 can rotate relative to the housing 010 under the drive of the drive mechanism 200 to continue opening or closing the door 020.

[0270] By setting up the first clutch mechanism 500, the first transmission gear system 230 is connected to the first actuator 300 and the second actuator 400 respectively, so that during the process of automatic opening and closing of the door, the driving mechanism 200 can drive the first actuator 300 and the second actuator 400 respectively, so as to open and close the door body 020 through the mutual cooperation of the first actuator 300 and the second actuator 400, thereby increasing the function of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and making it convenient for users to open and close the door body 020.

[0271] Furthermore, by providing the first clutch mechanism 500, the first actuator 300 and the second actuator 400 can share the same drive mechanism 200, thereby reducing the number of components in the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and lowering the cost of the automatic door opening and closing device 040. Furthermore, compared to using only the first actuator 300 or the second actuator 400 to open or close the door body 020, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 can combine the advantages of both the first actuator 300 and the second actuator 400.

[0272] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG34 , when the door 020 is opened, the second drive motor 510 can drive the clutch cam 520 to rotate to the first position. The clutch cam 520 pushes the first mounting bracket 260, which drives the third transmission gear set 250 to swing to the fifth position, causing the third transmission gear set 250 to mesh with the first transmission gear set 240. The second mounting bracket 280 can drive the second transmission gear set 270 to swing to the fourth position, causing the second transmission gear set 270 to separate from the rocker 410.

[0273] As shown in Figure 35, the first drive motor 210 can drive the push rod 310 to slide along the first direction x through the meshing first transmission gear set 240 and the third transmission gear set 250, thereby pushing open the door body 020 to overcome the resistance in the initial stage of opening the door body 020, and prevent insufficient thrust when the second actuator 400 is used alone in this stage. This arrangement improves the stability of opening the door body 020.

[0274] As shown in FIG36 , the second drive motor 510 can drive the clutch cam 520 to rotate (e.g., rotate in the opposite direction) to the second position. The clutch cam 520 does not apply a thrust to the first mounting bracket 260. The first mounting bracket 260 can drive the third transmission gear set 250 to swing to the sixth position, separating the third transmission gear set 250 from the first transmission gear set 240. The clutch cam 520 pushes the second mounting bracket 280, which drives the second transmission gear set 270 to swing to the third position, thereby connecting the second transmission gear set 270 to the rocker 410. The push rod 310 can be reset in the second direction under the action of the first elastic member 320.

[0275] As shown in Figure 37, the first drive motor 210 can drive the rocker 410 to rotate relative to the box body 010 through the first transmission gear set 240 and the second transmission gear set 270. The rocker 410 drives the door body 020 to rotate away from the box body 010, so as to open the door body 020 and increase the opening angle of the door body 020.

[0276] When closing door 020, clutch cam 520 can remain in the second position, disengaging third transmission gear set 250 from first transmission gear set 240 and engaging second transmission gear set 270 with rocker 410. Drive mechanism 200 can drive rocker 410 to rotate relative to housing 010 (e.g., in the opposite direction) via first transmission gear set 240 and second transmission gear set 270, thereby automatically closing door 020. During the closing process of door 020, there is no significant initial resistance, and therefore, door 020 can be automatically closed by second actuator 400.

[0277] In some embodiments, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 may include a first drive motor 210 and an actuator. The first drive motor 210 is configured to provide a driving force, and the actuator is configured to open or close the door body 020 under the action of the driving force. It should be noted that the actuator can be the push rod 310 in the first actuator 300 or the rocker 410 in the second actuator 400.

[0278] As shown in Figures 38 to 41, in some embodiments, the clutch mechanism in the automatic door opening and closing device 040 can be a second clutch mechanism 600. The second clutch mechanism 600 can include a connecting rod 610, a first friction gear 620, a second friction gear 630, and a pressing member 640. As shown in Figure 40, the connecting rod 610 is fixedly connected to the housing 010, and the first friction gear 620, the second friction gear 630, and the pressing member 640 pass through the connecting rod 610 in sequence and abut against the housing 010.

[0279] The first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 are respectively connected to the first drive motor 210 and the actuator. For example, the first friction gear 620 is connected to the first drive motor 210, and the second friction gear 630 is connected to the actuator, or the first friction gear 620 is connected to the actuator, and the second friction gear 630 is connected to the first drive motor 210. The specific configuration can be adjusted based on actual conditions and will not be further described here.

[0280] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG38 , the second clutch mechanism 600 may include an adjusting drive member 650. The pressing member 640 is in transmission connection with the adjusting drive member 650. Driven by the adjusting drive member 650, the pressing member 640 moves toward the connecting rod 610 to adjust the static friction between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630.

[0281] In some embodiments, the first drive motor 210 and the actuator in the automatic door opening and closing device 040 are respectively connected to the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 in the second clutch mechanism 600. Since the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 abut against each other, there is a static friction torque between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630.

[0282] During the normal opening and closing of door 020, the relative torque exerted by first drive motor 210 and the actuator on first friction gear 620 and second friction gear 630 is less than the static friction torque between first friction gear 620 and second friction gear 630, allowing first friction gear 620 and second friction gear 630 to rotate synchronously. At this time, second clutch mechanism 600 is engaged. The driving force provided by first drive motor 210 can be transmitted to the actuator via second clutch mechanism 600 to open or close door 020.

[0283] In some embodiments, when the door body 020 encounters an obstacle during opening and closing, for example, when the user manually blocks the door body 020 from closing, the relative torque exerted by the first drive motor 210 and the actuator on the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 is greater than the static friction torque between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630, allowing the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 to rotate relative to each other. At this point, the second clutch mechanism 600 is in a disengaged state. The driving force provided by the first drive motor 210 cannot be transmitted to the actuator via the second clutch mechanism 600, causing the door body 020 to stop rotating. This prevents damage to the door body 020, the actuator, and the first drive motor 210 due to excessive load, thereby extending the service life of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0284] In addition, the adjusting drive member 650 can drive the clamping member 640 to move in the length direction of the connecting rod 610, so that the clamping member 640 can adjust the acting force (such as pressure) between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630, thereby being able to adjust the static friction torque between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630, and then being able to adjust the torque range when the second clutch mechanism 600 is in the connected state, thereby improving the applicability of the second clutch mechanism 600 and extending the service life of the second clutch mechanism 600.

[0285] Moreover, when the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 in the second clutch mechanism 600 are severely worn, the static friction torque between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 will become smaller, resulting in the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 rotating relative to each other during the normal opening and closing of the door body 020, so that the driving force of the first drive motor 210 cannot be transmitted to the actuator, resulting in the door body 020 being unable to open or close normally.

[0286] However, since the second clutch mechanism 600 can readjust the contact force between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 by adjusting the driving member 650 to drive the pressing member 640, the door body 020 can be opened or closed normally, and the service life of the second clutch mechanism 600 is extended, and the reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 is improved.

[0287] The second clutch mechanism 600 can be used in an automatic door opening and closing device 040 having a first actuator 300 or a second actuator 400. The following describes the specific structure of the second clutch mechanism 600, taking the second actuator 400, i.e., the rocker 410, as an example. The technical solution for the case where the actuator is the first actuator 300, i.e., the push rod 310, can be found in the following description.

[0288] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 40, the first end of the connecting rod 610 can be connected to the box body 010 (such as a fixed connection). The first end of the connecting rod 610 can be provided with a sixth connecting portion 611. The box body 010 can be provided with a ninth connecting hole, for example, a ninth connecting hole can be provided on the side of the first bottom plate 111 close to the first sub-accommodation cavity 113. The sixth connecting portion 611 is inserted into the ninth connecting hole. It should be noted that the ninth connecting hole is configured to make the sixth connecting portion 611 non-rotatable, that is, the shape of the ninth connecting hole and the shape of the sixth connecting portion 611 can both be non-circular, for example, they can be square or other polygons to prevent the sixth connecting portion 611 from rotating in the ninth connecting hole, thereby improving the connection stability between the connecting rod 610 and the first bottom plate 111.

[0289] The first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 can be sequentially sleeved onto the connecting rod 610. As shown in FIG41 , along the direction from the first end of the connecting rod 610 to the second end thereof, a fourth rotating portion 612 and a threaded connection portion 613 can be sequentially disposed on the outer side of the connecting rod 610. The first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 can be sequentially disposed on the fourth rotating portion 612.

[0290] In some embodiments, the first friction gear 620 can abut against the housing 010. For example, at least a portion of the sixth connection portion 611 is located within the ninth connection hole, and at least a portion of the sixth connection portion 611 can also protrude from the first bottom plate 111. The first friction gear 620 can abut against a side of the sixth connection portion 611 away from the housing 010, and the sixth connection portion 611 can also limit the first friction gear 620.

[0291] In some embodiments, a washer 660 may be provided between the first friction gear 620 and the sixth connecting portion 611. The first friction gear 620 abuts against the sixth connecting portion 611 via the washer 660. The provision of the washer 660 can reduce wear between the first friction gear 620 and the sixth connecting portion 611, thereby extending the service life of the second clutch mechanism 600. For example, the washer 660 may be made of a wear-resistant material such as wear-resistant steel, thereby reducing wear between the first friction gear 620 and the sixth connecting portion 611.

[0292] In some embodiments, the second friction gear 630 abuts against the first friction gear 620, generating a static friction torque between the second friction gear 630 and the first friction gear 620. One of the second friction gear 630 and the first friction gear 620 can be transmission-connected to the first drive motor 210, and the other can be transmission-connected to the actuator.

[0293] 38 and 39 , the first friction gear 620 may be engaged with the actuator gear set 420, such that the first friction gear 620 is in transmission connection with the rocker 410 via the actuator gear set 420. The second friction gear 630 may be engaged with the first transmission gear train 230, such that the second friction gear 630 is in transmission connection with the first drive motor 210 via the first transmission gear train 230.

[0294] In some embodiments, the pressing member 640 may be provided with a second threaded hole 641, and the second threaded hole 641 is connected (eg, threadedly connected) to the threaded connection portion 613. The adjusting driving member 650 is connected to the pressing member 640 to drive the pressing member 640 to rotate.

[0295] For example, when the adjusting driving member 650 drives the pressing member 640 to rotate, since the connecting rod 610 is fixedly connected to the box body 010, and the pressing member 640 and the connecting rod 610 are threadedly connected through the second threaded hole 641 and the threaded connection part 613, the pressing member 640 can move along the length direction of the connecting rod 610 when it rotates relative to the connecting rod 610, thereby adjusting the static friction force between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630, and then adjusting the torque range when the second clutch mechanism 600 is in the connected state, thereby improving the applicability of the second clutch mechanism 600 and extending the service life of the second clutch mechanism 600.

[0296] For example, the adjustment drive member 650 can be a third drive motor. The third drive motor can have a third output shaft. The circumferential side of the clamping member 640 can be provided with a third tooth structure 642. The second clutch mechanism 600 can also include a drive gear 651, which can be connected to the third drive motor. The drive gear 651 can be engaged with the third tooth structure 642. When the third drive motor is turned on, the third drive motor drives the drive gear 651 to rotate, and the drive gear 651 drives the clamping member 640 to rotate relative to the connecting rod 610 through the third tooth structure 642 engaged therewith, so that the clamping member 640 can move along the length direction of the connecting rod 610.

[0297] By setting a driving gear 651 and setting a third tooth structure 642 on the circumferential side of the clamping member 640 to engage with the driving gear 651, transmission is carried out between the third driving motor and the clamping member 640 through the gear transmission structure. Since the gear transmission structure has high transmission efficiency and transmission accuracy, the driving power requirement of the third driving motor can be reduced, thereby reducing the cost of the automatic opening and closing door device 040; and the stability during transmission can be enhanced, thereby improving the mechanical reliability of the second clutch mechanism 600 and extending the service life of the second clutch mechanism 600.

[0298] It should be noted that during the process of adjusting the static friction between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630, since the first friction gear 620, the second friction gear 630, and the pressing member 640 sequentially abut against the housing 010, static friction exists between the first friction gear 620, the second friction gear 630, the pressing member 640, and any two adjacent portions of the housing 010. The displacement of the pressing member 640 relative to the connecting rod 610 can be adjusted by adjusting the drive voltage of the third drive motor. For example, the greater the drive voltage of the third drive motor, the greater the displacement of the pressing member 640 relative to the connecting rod 610.

[0299] It should be noted that the third drive motor can be replaced by a hydraulic motor or a pneumatic motor, etc., which will not be elaborated in this disclosure.

[0300] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 40, the second clutch mechanism 600 may further include a third worm and a third worm wheel 670, and the third worm can be connected to the third drive motor. The third worm wheel 670 is rotationally connected to the housing 010 (or the first base plate 111), and the third worm wheel 670 is engaged with the third worm, and the third worm wheel 670 is connected to the drive gear 651 (such as coaxial connection). The third drive motor drives the drive gear 651 to rotate through the third worm and the third worm wheel 670. The third worm and the third worm wheel 670 can reduce the speed of the driving force provided by the third drive motor, and increase the torque of the driving force, and can change the direction of the driving force to meet the requirement of the second clutch mechanism 600 to the driving force.

[0301] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 40 and 41, a fourth accommodating recess 631 can be provided on the side of the second friction gear 630 facing the pressing member 640. A plug-in portion 643 can be provided on the side of the pressing member 640 near the second friction gear 630. The plug-in portion 643 is located within the fourth accommodating recess 631, and a gap is formed between the plug-in portion 643 and the sidewall of the fourth accommodating recess 631. The second clutch mechanism 600 can also include a bearing (such as a linear bearing 680) installed in the gap. The second friction gear 630 and the pressing member 640 are connected by the linear bearing 680. In this way, the pressing member 640 can prevent the rotation of the second friction gear 630 from interfering with the movement of the second friction gear 630 on the connecting rod 610, improve the stability of the pressing member 640 and the second friction gear 630 during operation, and reduce wear between the second friction gear 630 and the pressing member 640.

[0302] In some related technologies, the drive mechanism 200, actuator, and clutch mechanism include at least one rotating shaft. For example, the drive mechanism 200 includes a first transmission gear train 230, which may include multiple gears (e.g., an input gear, a first output gear 232, a second output gear 271, and at least one transmission gear). Each gear is mounted within the housing 100 via a rotating shaft. Both ends of the rotating shaft are secured to the housing 100. A first rotational connection hole may be provided on the side of the first housing 110 proximate to the second housing 120, and a second rotational connection hole may be provided on the side of the second housing 120 proximate to the first housing 110. The ends of the rotating shaft are typically located within the first and second rotational connection holes, respectively. During assembly of the automatic door opening and closing device 040, the first housing 110 is first provided, the first end of the rotating shaft is then positioned within the first rotational connection hole, the second housing 120 is then fastened to the first housing 110, and the second end of the rotating shaft is positioned within the second rotational connection hole. Since the second shell 120 obstructs the line of sight, the assembler cannot align the second end of the rotating shaft with the second rotating connection hole, thereby increasing the difficulty of assembling the automatic opening and closing door device 040.

[0303] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG42 , the automatic door opening and closing device 040 may include at least one rotating shaft (e.g., a first rotating shaft 223 and a second rotating shaft 521, or other rotating shafts). The first end of the rotating shaft may be connected to the first housing 110. The automatic door opening and closing device 040 may also include an auxiliary mounting plate 150. The auxiliary mounting plate 150 may be located between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120. The auxiliary mounting plate 150 may be provided with at least one second connecting through-hole 151, and the second connecting through-hole 151 may be configured to receive the second end of the rotating shaft. For example, the second connecting through-hole 151 may be provided corresponding to the rotating shaft and disposed on the corresponding rotating shaft, and the auxiliary mounting plate 150 may be connected to the first housing 110.

[0304] During assembly of the automatic door opening and closing device 040, as shown in Figure 42 , the first housing 110 can be installed first, and then the first end of the rotating shaft can be connected to the first housing 110. For example, an eleventh connecting hole can be provided on the side of the first housing 110 near the second housing 120, into which the first end of the rotating shaft can be inserted. As shown in Figure 43 , the auxiliary mounting plate 150 can then be installed, with the second connecting through-hole 151 on the auxiliary mounting plate 150 aligned with and on the rotating shaft, and then the auxiliary mounting plate 150 can be connected to the first housing 110. For example, the auxiliary mounting plate 150 and the first housing 110 can be connected using connecting bolts.

[0305] In some embodiments, a second connecting post 152 may be provided on a side of the first housing 110 near the second housing 120, for example, on a side of the first base plate 111 near the first sub-accommodation chamber 113. The second connecting post 152 may be provided with a third threaded hole 153. For example, the third threaded hole 153 may be provided on a side of the second connecting post 152 away from the first base plate 111. A tenth connecting hole 154 may be provided on the auxiliary mounting plate 150, opposite the third threaded hole 153. A connecting bolt may be inserted into the tenth connecting hole 154 and threadedly engaged with the third threaded hole 153. Connecting the auxiliary mounting plate 150 to the first housing 110 using the connecting bolts can improve the relative position accuracy between the auxiliary mounting plate 150 and the first housing 110, thereby improving the position accuracy of each rotating shaft, which helps enhance the functional reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0306] It is understood that the auxiliary mounting plate 150 and the first housing 110 can also be connected in other ways. As shown in Figure 44, the second housing 120 is connected to the first housing 110. The connection structure between the second housing 120 and the first housing 110 can be referred to the above description and will not be repeated here.

[0307] As can be seen from the above assembly process, the first end of the rotating shaft is secured by the first housing 110, while the second end of the rotating shaft is secured by the auxiliary mounting plate 150. During the installation of the auxiliary mounting plate 150, the assembler can view the rotating shaft through the second connecting hole 151 when aligning the second connecting hole 151 with the rotating shaft. Compared to related art, the visual alignment between the second connecting hole 151 and the rotating shaft is much easier, thereby reducing the difficulty of assembling the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and improving its assembly efficiency.

[0308] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 42 and 43, the auxiliary mounting plate 150 may also be provided with at least one escape window 155. The escape window 155 is configured to accommodate at least a portion of the first transmission gear train 230. For example, at least a portion of at least one of the first mounting bracket 260 and / or the second mounting bracket 280 may be accommodated within the escape window 155. This configuration prevents interference between at least a portion of the first transmission gear train 230 and the auxiliary mounting plate 150, facilitating optimization of the structure of the automatic door opening and closing device 040 and thereby miniaturization of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0309] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 37 and 45, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 may further include an angle detection mechanism 700 configured to measure the door opening angle. It should be noted that the door opening angle refers to the angle between the door 020 and the housing 010. The controller may be electrically connected to the angle measurement assembly, the drive mechanism 200, and the clutch mechanism to control the drive mechanism 200 and the clutch mechanism based on the door opening angle, enabling the automatic door opening and closing device 040 to automatically open or close the door 020, or perform other functions, thereby enhancing the intelligence of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0310] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 45 and 46 , the angle detection mechanism 700 may include a potentiometer 710, which is connected to the housing 010. For example, the angle detection mechanism 700 may further include a second detection circuit board 720, which is fixedly connected to the first base plate 111, and the potentiometer 710 is electrically connected to the second detection circuit board 720. The potentiometer 710 is connected to the housing 010 via the second detection circuit board 720 and the housing 100. The potentiometer 710 is configured to measure the door opening angle.

[0311] For example, the potentiometer 710 may further include a resistor assembly 711 and a brush 712 located within the resistor assembly 711 and rotatable relative to the resistor assembly 711. The brush 712 is configured to be connected to the door 020. When the door 020 is opened or closed, the drive mechanism 200 causes the door 020 to rotate relative to the housing 010, which in turn causes the brush 712 to rotate relative to the resistor assembly 711, thereby changing the resistance value of the potentiometer 710.

[0312] For example, when door 020 is rotationally connected to housing 010 via single-axis hinge 030, brush 712 can be connected to hinge shaft 032 in single-axis hinge 030 to indirectly connect to door 020. When door 020 rotates relative to housing 010, door 020 drives hinge shaft 032 to rotate, thereby driving brush 712 to rotate relative to resistor assembly 711.

[0313] Alternatively, for example, as shown in Figures 19 and 20 , when the actuator is the second actuator 400, the brush 712 can be connected to the rocker 410 in the second actuator 400. The rocker 410 and the door body 020 rotate at the same or approximately the same speed, and the brush 712 can be indirectly connected to the door body 020 via the rocker 410. When the door body 020 rotates relative to the housing 010, the rocker 410 rotates relative to the housing 010, thereby driving the brush 712 to rotate relative to the resistor assembly 711. There is a corresponding relationship between the opening angle of the door body 020 and the resistance value of the potentiometer 710. Therefore, when automatically controlling the automatic door opening and closing device 040, the door opening angle can be determined by the resistance value of the potentiometer 710.

[0314] The following describes the structure of the angle detection mechanism 700 using the second actuator 400 and the technical solution of connecting the potentiometer 710 to the rocker 410 as an example. The technical solution of connecting the potentiometer 710 to other components can be referred to the following description.

[0315] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 45 and 46, the angle detection mechanism 700 may include a detection shaft 740, which is inserted into the brush 712. The angle detection mechanism 700 may also include a detection gear 730, which is sleeved on the detection shaft 740 and meshed with the execution gear set 420. The brush 712 is connected to the rocker 410 through the meshed detection gear 730 and the execution gear set 420. Since the detection gear 730 and the execution gear set 420 have high transmission accuracy, the rotation synchronization of the brush 712 and the rocker 410 can be improved, thereby improving the detection accuracy of the angle detection mechanism 700.

[0316] The controller can determine the door opening angle according to the voltage value of the potentiometer 710. There is a corresponding relationship between the voltage value of the potentiometer 710 and its resistance value. Since there is a corresponding relationship between the resistance value of the potentiometer 710 and the door opening angle, the controller can determine the door opening angle according to the voltage value of the potentiometer 710.

[0317] In some embodiments, the controller can obtain the voltage value of the potentiometer 710 based on a voltage detection circuit. For example, the voltage detection circuit can be formed within the second detection circuit board 720. As shown in Figure 47, the voltage detection circuit may include a detection power supply U0, a fixed resistor R1, and the potentiometer 710, which are connected in series to form a loop. The detection power supply U0 is used to provide power. During the process of opening and closing the door 020, the rocker 410 drives the door 020 to rotate relative to the housing 010, thereby driving the actuator gear set 420 to rotate. The actuator gear set 420 drives the detection gear 730 and the detection shaft 740 to rotate. The detection shaft 740 drives the brush 712 in the potentiometer 710 to rotate relative to the resistor assembly 711, causing the resistance value Rv of the potentiometer 710 to change, which in turn causes the voltage value Ut of the potentiometer 710 to change. Therefore, there is a first preset correspondence between the voltage value Ut of the potentiometer 710 and the door opening angle γ. The first preset correspondence includes multiple preset door opening angles and the voltage value corresponding to each preset door opening angle.

[0318] For example, when the voltage value of the detection power supply U0 is 12V, the resistance value of the fixed resistor R1 is 1000Ω, and the resistance value Rv of the potentiometer 710 is 1~1000Ω, the first preset correspondence between the resistance value Rv of the potentiometer 710, the voltage value Ut of the potentiometer 710 and the door opening angle γ is shown in Table 1.

[0319] Table 1

[0320] When controlling the automatic door opening and closing device 040, a first preset correspondence between a preset voltage value Ut and the door opening angle γ can be used as a reference for determining the position of the door 020. For example, during the automatic door closing process, the controller can obtain the current voltage value of the potentiometer 710. If the current voltage value of the potentiometer 710 is closest to a voltage value Ut in Table 1, the door opening angle γ corresponding to the voltage value Ut is determined to be the current door opening angle. For example, if the current voltage value of the potentiometer 710 is 0V, the door opening angle is determined to be 0° based on the first preset correspondence, thus determining that the door 020 is in the closed state. The controller then controls the drive mechanism 200 to stop.

[0321] However, when potentiometer 710 is installed on housing 010, due to assembly errors or manual errors, potentiometer 710 inevitably experiences an initial angle error. Specifically, when door 020 is closed, the relative angle between brush 712 and resistor assembly 711 in potentiometer 710 is not 0°. This can cause a discrepancy between the current door opening angle determined by the first preset correspondence based on the current voltage value of potentiometer 710 and the actual door opening angle, thereby reducing the control accuracy of automatic door opening and closing device 040 and negatively impacting the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0322] For example, due to an initial angle error in potentiometer 710, the voltage value of potentiometer 710 is 1.20V when door 020 is in the closed state. While controlling automatic door opening and closing device 040 to automatically close, if the controller obtains the current voltage value of potentiometer 710 as 1.20V and determines, based on the first preset correspondence, that the current door opening angle is 30°, it determines that door 020 is not closed and controls drive mechanism 200 to continue operating. However, door 020 is actually already closed, and continued operation of drive mechanism 200 could damage it and shorten the service life of automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0323] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller is configured to obtain a first voltage value of potentiometer 710 when door 020 is in the closed state, and determine a first characteristic voltage value based on the first voltage value. This first characteristic voltage value is used to determine whether door 020 is in the closed state during the process of controlling the automatic door opening and closing device 040 to open or close door 020. This configuration uses the first voltage value when door 020 is actually in the closed state as the first characteristic voltage value, and determines whether door 020 is in the closed state based on the first characteristic voltage value during the automatic door opening and closing control process. This reduces or eliminates the deviation between the door opening angle determined by the controller and the actual door opening angle caused by installation errors of potentiometer 710, improves the accuracy of determining whether door 020 is in the closed state, and thereby improves the control precision of the automatic door opening and closing device 040. Furthermore, during the assembly process of the automatic door opening and closing device 040, installation errors of potentiometer 710 are tolerated, reducing the positional accuracy requirements of potentiometer 710 and improving the assembly efficiency of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0324] In some embodiments, the refrigerator may also be provided with a door closing switch, and the controller may be electrically connected to the door closing switch. The door closing switch is connected to door 020. When door 020 is in the closed state, the door closing switch is triggered, generating a door closing signal. After receiving the door closing signal, the controller obtains the first voltage value of potentiometer 710. By providing the door closing switch, the controller can automatically calibrate the first voltage value of potentiometer 710 in response to the door closing signal generated by the door closing switch to generate a first characteristic voltage value, eliminating the need for manual control and reducing the difficulty of calibration.

[0325] In some embodiments, the controller may obtain the first voltage value of the potentiometer 710 through a voltage detection circuit. For details about the voltage detection circuit, please refer to the above related description, which will not be repeated here.

[0326] In some embodiments, the controller may control the automatic door opening and closing device 040 according to the control method shown in FIG. 48 , and the controller is configured to execute steps S210 and S220 .

[0327] S210 . Obtain a first voltage value of the potentiometer when the door is in a closed state.

[0328] S220: Determine a first characteristic voltage value according to the first voltage value, where the first characteristic voltage value is configured to determine whether the door is in a closed state when the door is automatically opened or closed.

[0329] In some embodiments, the controller may obtain a first preset correspondence. For example, as shown in Table 1, the first preset correspondence includes multiple voltage values. The controller may determine a voltage value closest to the first voltage value in the first preset correspondence and determine the voltage value as the first characteristic voltage value.

[0330] For example, if the first voltage value Ut0 of potentiometer 710 is 1.1V, the voltage value Ut closest to the first voltage value Ut0 according to Table 1 is 1.09V, and 1.09V is determined as the first characteristic voltage value. When subsequently controlling automatic door opening and closing device 040, such as when controlling the automatic opening or closing of door body 020, whether door body 020 is in the closed state can be determined based on the first characteristic voltage value, thereby improving control accuracy.

[0331] In some embodiments, the controller may control the automatic door opening and closing device 040 according to the control method shown in FIG. 49 , and the controller is configured to execute steps S230 to S260 .

[0332] S230: Obtain a first preset corresponding relationship, where the first preset corresponding relationship includes a plurality of preset door opening angles and a voltage value corresponding to each preset door opening angle.

[0333] For example, the controller may obtain a first preset correspondence relationship. As shown in Table 1, the first preset correspondence relationship may include a plurality of preset door opening angles and a voltage value corresponding to each preset door opening angle.

[0334] S240. Determine a first preset door opening angle corresponding to the first characteristic voltage value in the first preset corresponding relationship, and determine a second preset door opening angle based on the first preset door opening angle, where the second preset door opening angle is the sum of the first preset door opening angle and the target angle.

[0335] For example, the controller can determine a first preset door opening angle corresponding to a first characteristic voltage value in a first preset correspondence. For example, the first characteristic voltage value is 1.09V. According to Table 1, the first preset door opening angle corresponding to the first characteristic voltage value is 27°. The controller can then determine a second preset door opening angle corresponding to the target angle.

[0336] For example, the target angle is 117°. The second preset door opening angle is the sum of the first preset door opening angle and the target angle, that is, the second preset angle is 144°.

[0337] S250: Determine a second voltage value corresponding to a second preset door opening angle in the first preset corresponding relationship.

[0338] For example, the controller may determine in the first preset corresponding relationship that when the second preset angle is 144°, the second voltage value is 4.17V.

[0339] S260: Determine the second voltage value as a second characteristic voltage value when the door opening angle is a target angle, wherein the second characteristic voltage value is configured to determine that the door opening angle is the target angle during the process of automatically opening or closing the door.

[0340] The controller determines the second voltage value as the second characteristic voltage value. For example, if the second voltage value is 4.17V, the second characteristic voltage value is 4.17V. When subsequently controlling the automatic door opening and closing device 040, such as when controlling the automatic closing or opening of the door body 020, the controller can determine whether the door body opening angle is at the target angle based on the second characteristic voltage value, thereby improving the control accuracy of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0341] In addition to automatically opening and closing the door 020, the controller can also control the drive mechanism 200 and the clutch mechanism based on the door opening angle, enabling the automatic door opening and closing device 040 to perform other functions. For example, when the angle detection mechanism 700 includes a potentiometer 710 and the clutch mechanism is the second clutch mechanism 600, the controller can automatically control the second clutch mechanism 600.

[0342] In some embodiments, the driving mechanism 200 includes a first driving motor 210 that provides driving force. The actuator includes an actuator that opens or closes the door 020 under the action of the driving force. The angle detection mechanism 700 includes a potentiometer 710 connected to the door 020.

[0343] The controller is electrically connected to the drive mechanism 200, the second clutch mechanism 600, and the angle detection mechanism 700. The controller can be configured to: during the automatic opening and closing process of the door body 020, control the third drive motor to operate at the initial drive voltage, obtain the current voltage value of the potentiometer 710, and determine whether the door body 020 has a switching fault based on the current voltage value. If a fault occurs, the third drive motor is controlled to operate at a target drive voltage, which is greater than the initial drive voltage.

[0344] During the automatic opening and closing of door 020, the controller can determine whether door 020 has experienced a switch failure based on the current voltage value of potentiometer 710. If door 020 experiences a switch failure, the cause may be failure of second clutch mechanism 600. Specifically, failure of second clutch mechanism 600 refers to a decrease in static friction between first friction gear 620 and second friction gear 630 due to wear or other factors, causing relative rotation between the first and second friction gears 620 and 630.

[0345] The controller can control the third drive motor to operate at a target drive voltage. Since the target drive voltage is above the initial drive voltage, the driving force applied by the third drive motor to the clamping member 640 can be increased, so that the clamping member 640 further presses the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630, increasing the static friction force between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630, thereby increasing the friction force between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630, so that the second clutch mechanism 600 is in a transmission state during the automatic opening and closing process of the door body 020. In this way, the service life of the second clutch mechanism 600 is improved, and the functional reliability of the automatic opening and closing door device 040 is improved.

[0346] In some embodiments, the controller may control the automatic door opening and closing device 040 according to the control method shown in FIG. 50 , and the controller is configured to execute steps S310 and S330 .

[0347] S310. During the automatic opening and closing process of the door body, control the third drive motor to operate at the initial drive voltage, obtain the current voltage value of the potentiometer, and determine whether the door body has a switch failure based on the current voltage value; if so, execute S320; if not, execute S330.

[0348] S320 , controlling the third driving motor to operate at a target driving voltage, where the target driving voltage is higher than the initial driving voltage.

[0349] S330: Control the third driving motor to continue operating at the initial driving voltage.

[0350] In some embodiments, during the automatic opening and closing of the door body 020, the controller can control the third drive motor to operate at an initial drive voltage. For example, the operating voltage range of the third drive voltage is 12 to 24 V. The initial drive voltage can be 15 V.

[0351] The controller can obtain the current voltage value of the potentiometer 710 and determine whether a switch failure occurs in the door body 020 based on the current voltage value.

[0352] For example, the controller may obtain a second preset correspondence relationship, which may include multiple preset operating hours and the voltage value of potentiometer 710 corresponding to each preset operating hour. The controller may determine a target voltage value based on the current operating hours in the second preset correspondence relationship. The controller may then obtain the current voltage value of potentiometer 710. If the current voltage value is not equal to the target voltage value, it is determined that a switch failure has occurred in door body 020.

[0353] Determining the target voltage value using the second preset correspondence can increase the calculation speed of the target voltage value and reduce the difficulty of controlling the automatic door opening and closing device. Furthermore, for refrigerators equipped with dual-axis hinges, the relationship between the operating time of the automatic door opening and closing device and the voltage value of potentiometer 710 is not linear. Using the second preset correspondence, the target voltage value of potentiometer 710 can be quickly determined based on the operating time, reducing the difficulty of calculating the target voltage value and, therefore, reducing the difficulty of controlling the automatic door opening and closing device.

[0354] For example, the second preset correspondence can be shown in Table 2. If the current operating time is 3.38 seconds, Table 2 indicates that the target voltage value is 2.77 V. The controller obtains the current voltage value of potentiometer 710 as 2.60 V. The current voltage value is not equal to the target voltage value, and it is determined that a switch fault has occurred in door body 020.

[0355] Table 2

[0356] In some embodiments, if the controller determines that a switch failure has occurred in the door body 020, the controller controls the third drive motor to operate at a target drive voltage, where the target drive voltage is greater than the initial drive voltage. For example, the drive voltage of the third drive motor may range from 12 to 24V, with a rated voltage of 24V. The initial drive voltage of the third drive motor may be 15V, and the target drive voltage may be 16V. If the controller determines that a switch failure has occurred in the door body 020, the controller may control the third drive motor to operate at 16V.

[0357] Since the target driving voltage is above the initial driving voltage, the driving force applied by the third driving motor to the clamping member 640 can be increased, so that the clamping member 640 further presses the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630, increasing the static friction between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630, thereby increasing the friction between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630, so that the second clutch mechanism 600 is in a transmission state during the automatic opening and closing process of the door body 020, preventing the second clutch mechanism 600 from failing, thereby improving the functional reliability of the automatic opening and closing door device 040, and increasing the service life of the second clutch mechanism 600.

[0358] In some embodiments, the controller may control the third drive motor to operate at the target drive voltage in the following manner:

[0359] For example, if a switch failure occurs in the door body 020, N is the number of times the failure occurs. The controller records the number of times the switch failure occurs. Then, the controller can obtain the number of times the current door body 020 automatically opens and closes. If the number of times the current door body 020 automatically opens and closes reaches a first preset number, and N (the number of times the failure occurs) reaches a second preset number, the third drive motor is controlled to operate at a target drive voltage. The first preset number may be greater than the second preset number. With such a setting, the controller can record the number of times the failure occurs during the first preset number of automatic door opening and closing processes. When the switch failure reaches the second preset number, it is determined that the second clutch mechanism 600 has failed, thereby improving the accuracy of determining the failure of the second clutch mechanism 600, thereby improving the functional reliability of the automatic door opening and closing device 040.

[0360] The first preset number and the second preset number can be set according to actual conditions. For example, the first preset number can be 10, and the second preset number can be 2. For example, the controller can be provided with a first counter and a second counter, the first counter being configured to record the number of automatic openings and closings M of the door body 020, and the second counter being configured to record the number of fault occurrences N. When the door is automatically opened and closed, the number of automatic openings and closings of the door body 020 is M+1. When a switch fault occurs in the door body 020, the number of fault occurrences is N+1. When the number of automatic openings and closings M of the door body 020 reaches 10, if the number of fault occurrences reaches 2, the third drive motor is controlled to operate at the target drive voltage; if the number of fault occurrences does not reach 2, the third drive motor is controlled to operate at the initial drive voltage.

[0361] In some embodiments, the controller may control the third drive motor to operate at the target drive voltage in the following manner:

[0362] If the initial drive voltage reaches the preset voltage and does not exceed the rated voltage of the third drive motor, the controller can determine whether the door body 020 is manually obstructed within the time period corresponding to the number of automatic opening and closing times M of the door body 020 reaching the first preset number. For example, the controller can determine the initial moment when the door body 020 is first opened or closed in the first preset number of times, and then determine the end moment when the door body 020 is last opened or closed in the first preset number of times, and determine the time period based on the initial moment and the end moment. Within this time period, if the door body 020 is manually obstructed, the controller can determine the target drive voltage as the initial drive voltage. If the door body 020 is not manually obstructed, the controller can determine the target drive voltage as the first drive voltage, and the first drive voltage can be greater than the initial drive voltage. The preset voltage refers to the voltage when the second clutch mechanism 600 is working stably. For example, the preset voltage can be 15V.

[0363] When the initial drive voltage reaches the preset voltage and does not exceed the rated voltage of the third drive motor, it can be determined that the third drive motor is in a stable operating state. At this point, the controller can determine whether the door body 020 is manually obstructed during the first preset number of automatic door openings and closings. If the door body 020 is manually obstructed, it can be determined that the switch failure is caused by an obstruction during automatic door opening and closing, rather than a failure of the second clutch mechanism 600. In this case, the target drive voltage can be set to the initial drive voltage, meaning that the drive voltage of the third drive motor is not adjusted. If the door body 020 is not manually obstructed, it can be determined that the switch failure is caused by a failure of the second clutch mechanism 600. In this case, the target drive voltage can be set to the first drive voltage, meaning that the drive voltage of the third drive motor is increased. This configuration allows for error correction of the cause of the switch failure, preventing the need to adjust the second clutch mechanism 600 even when the automatic door opening and closing function cannot be achieved due to an obstruction of the door body 020. This prevents damage to the second clutch mechanism 600 and increases its service life.

[0364] In some embodiments, the controller can determine whether the door 020 is manually blocked by:

[0365] The controller may output inquiry information, wherein the inquiry information is configured to obtain confirmation information of whether the door body 020 is manually blocked. If the controller receives the confirmation information, it determines that the door body 020 is manually blocked.

[0366] In some embodiments, the refrigerator further includes a display screen electrically connected to the controller. The controller can display a target interface on the display screen, wherein the target interface includes query information. The refrigerator further includes a first button electrically connected to the controller, and when the first button is pressed, a confirmation message is sent to the controller. The first button can be a virtual button of the target interface.

[0367] For example, the controller can control the display to display a target interface. The target interface includes a query message, such as whether the door 020 has been frequently blocked recently. The target interface also includes a first button and a second button, with the first button being A and the second button being B. If the user presses A, it is determined that the door 020 is manually blocked. If the user presses B, it is determined that the door 020 is not manually blocked. Displaying the query message on the display and obtaining confirmation information by pressing the first button facilitates user operation and improves the interactivity of the refrigerator.

[0368] In some embodiments, the control method may also include: if the initial driving voltage reaches the rated voltage of the third driving motor, the controller issues a maintenance reminder message to remind the user to repair or replace the second clutch mechanism 600, so as to confirm the cause of the failure of the automatic opening and closing door device 040, thereby improving the convenience of maintaining the automatic opening and closing door device 040.

[0369] In some possible implementations of the embodiments of the present application, the controller can control the automatic door opening and closing device 040 according to the control method shown in Figure 51.

[0370] S411. Automatically open or close the door.

[0371] S412, first counter +1.

[0372] It should be noted that the first counter is configured to record the number of times M that the door body 020 is automatically opened and closed.

[0373] S413. Determine whether the voltage change trend of the potentiometer conforms to the preset trend; if so, execute S414; if not, execute S415.

[0374] For example, if the voltage value of potentiometer 710 is 2.44V during the door opening process, the voltage value of potentiometer 710 should be 2.77V after 0.5 seconds. If the actual voltage value of potentiometer 710 does not reach 2.77V after 0.5 seconds, the voltage change trend of potentiometer 710 is considered to be inconsistent with the preset trend. This may be due to: 1. An obstacle encountered during door opening; 2. Wear between the first friction gear 620 and the second friction gear 630 of the second clutch mechanism 600, resulting in reduced friction.

[0375] S414, in line with the preset trend, working normally.

[0376] If the voltage variation trend of the potentiometer 710 is consistent with the preset trend, the automatic door opening and closing device 040 is controlled to open and close the door normally and automatically, and step S411 is repeated.

[0377] S415: If the preset trend is not met, the driving mechanism is powered off.

[0378] It should be noted that if the voltage change trend of the potentiometer 710 does not conform to the preset trend, it is determined that a switch failure occurs in the door body 020, and the control drive mechanism 200 is powered off to control the automatic door opening and closing device 040 to stop automatically opening and closing the door.

[0379] S416, second counter +1.

[0380] For example, the second counter is configured to record the number N of fault occurrences.

[0381] S417. Determine whether the second counter is ≥2 and the first counter is ≥10; if so, execute S418; if not, execute S411. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the second counter is 2, that is, the number of fault occurrences is 2, but the fault may be determined to be a fault caused by manual obstruction, so the value of the second counter can be adjusted according to actual needs. For example, the first counter is 10 and the second counter is 3, or the value of the first counter can be 4 times that of the second counter, that is, the first counter is 4N and the second counter is N, or the value of the first counter can be 3 times that of the second counter, that is, the first counter is 3N and the second counter is N. The first counter and the second counter are no longer limited here.

[0382] S418. If the second counter is ≥2 and the first counter is ≥10, detect the current voltage value U of the potentiometer; if U≤Uset, execute S419; if Uset<U<Urated, execute S422; if U=Urated, execute S427.

[0383] S419, voltage value U+1.

[0384] For example, Uset refers to a set voltage value, that is, a voltage when the second clutch mechanism 600 is working stably. If the current voltage value U of the potentiometer 710 is less than or equal to Uset, the voltage value U is increased by one level.

[0385] For example, the operating voltage of the third drive motor in the second clutch mechanism 600 is 12-24V, with an initial value of 12V and an increase of 1V for each gear.

[0386] S420: The second counter is cleared.

[0387] S421: Clear the first counter.

[0388] S422. Send a signal.

[0389] For example, Urated refers to the rated voltage value of the third drive motor, for example, Urated=24V.

[0390] If the current voltage value U of the potentiometer 710 reaches Uset but does not reach Urated, a signal (such as an inquiry message) is sent to enter the autonomous error correction mode.

[0391] S423. Determine whether the door opening and closing is blocked recently; if so, execute S424; if not, execute S419.

[0392] For example, the inquiry information may be displayed on the touch screen of the refrigerator, and the inquiry information may include whether the door 020 is blocked recently, and buttons A and B. If the user selects button B, it is determined that the door 020 is not blocked recently, and step S419 is executed.

[0393] S424. The current voltage value U remains unchanged.

[0394] For example, if the user selects button A, it is determined that the door body 020 is recently blocked from opening and closing, and it is determined that the reason for the blocking of the door body 020 is that the door opening encounters an obstacle, and the driving voltage of the second clutch is not changed.

[0395] S425: The second counter is cleared.

[0396] S426: The first counter is cleared.

[0397] Repeat step S411.

[0398] For a detailed description of the above steps, please refer to the above implementation method, which will not be repeated in the embodiments of this application.

[0399] Those skilled in the art will understand that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above specific embodiments, and that certain elements of the embodiments may be modified and replaced without departing from the spirit of the present application. The scope of the present application is limited by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising: A cabinet, including a refrigerating compartment; A door body, rotatably connected to the cabinet, and configured to open or close the refrigerating compartment; An automatic door opening and closing device, including: A driving mechanism, including a first driving motor and a first transmission gear set, the first transmission gear set being in transmission connection with the first driving motor, and the first transmission gear set including a first input gear, a first transmission gear and a first output gear; the first driving motor is configured to drive the first input gear to rotate, so that the first transmission gear drives the first output gear to rotate; A mounting bracket, the mounting bracket being swingably mounted on the cabinet; A second transmission gear set, the second transmission gear set being mounted on the mounting bracket, the second transmission gear set including a second transmission gear meshing with the first transmission gear set, and a second output gear in transmission connection with the second transmission gear; An actuating mechanism, including a rocker, the rocker being configured to open or close the door body; A clutch mechanism, including a second driving motor and a clutch cam connected to each other, the clutch cam being rotatably mounted on the cabinet, and the second driving motor being configured to drive the clutch cam to switch between a first position and a second position; wherein, when the second driving motor drives the clutch cam to rotate to the second position, the clutch cam pushes the mounting bracket to drive the second transmission gear set to swing to a third position, so that the second output gear is in transmission connection with the rocker; When the second driving motor drives the clutch cam to rotate reversely to the first position, the mounting bracket drives the second transmission gear set to swing to a fourth position, so that the second output gear is separated from the rocker.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, When the clutch cam is in the second position, the rotation axis of the clutch cam, the acting point between the clutch cam and the first mounting bracket, and the rotation axis of the second output gear are located on a first straight line; The rotation axis of the second transmission gear meshing with the first transmission gear set and the rotation axis of the second output gear are located on a second straight line; The included angle between the second straight line and the first straight line is less than 90°.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The mounting bracket includes: Two mounting plates, the two mounting plates being opposite and spaced apart, and the second transmission gear and the second output gear being arranged between the two mounting plates; and A connecting plate, the connecting plate connecting the two mounting plates, and the connecting plate being configured to abut against the clutch cam.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein, Each of the two mounting plates is provided with spaced first connection holes and second connection holes; The second transmission gear set further includes: A first rotating member, both ends of the first rotating member being inserted into the first connection holes of the two mounting plates respectively; the second transmission gear is sleeved on the first rotating member; and A second rotating member, both ends of the second rotating member being inserted into the corresponding second connection holes of the mounting plates respectively; the second output gear is sleeved on the second rotating member.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein, The cabinet includes: A third connecting hole, with one end of the first rotating member extending out of the mounting plate inserted into the third connecting hole; and A first arc portion, the center of the circle where the first arc portion is located coincides with the center of the third connecting hole; one end of the second rotating member extending out of the first mounting plate is slidably connected to the first arc portion.

6. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The driving mechanism further includes an elastic member, the elastic member connects the mounting frame and the box body to apply a restoring force to the mounting frame, so that the mounting frame drives the second transmission gear set to swing from the third position to the fourth position under the action of the restoring force.

7. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The first clutch mechanism further includes a worm and a worm wheel, the first end of the worm is connected to the second driving motor; the worm wheel is rotatably mounted on the box body, the worm wheel meshes with the worm, and is in transmission connection with the clutch cam.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein, The first clutch mechanism further includes a mounting seat, the mounting seat is spaced from the second driving motor; The second end of the worm is rotatably connected to the mounting seat.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, The first clutch mechanism further includes a transmission gear system, the transmission gear system is mounted on the box body, and the transmission gear system connects the worm wheel and the clutch cam.

10. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The first clutch mechanism further includes a first limiting portion, when the clutch cam rotates to the first position, it abuts against the first limiting portion.

11. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The first clutch mechanism further includes a second limiting portion, when the clutch cam rotates to the second position, it abuts against the second limiting portion.

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