Clutch component, transmission apparatus, cabinet device, and refrigerator

Abstract

The present application discloses a clutch component, a transmission apparatus, a cabinet device, and a refrigerator. The clutch component comprises a driven member and a clutch motor. The driven member comprises an output portion and a mating portion connected to the output portion. The clutch motor comprises a motor body and a rotating shaft at least partially exposed from the motor body. The rotating shaft can move along the axis of rotation of the rotating shaft and has a transmission state in which the rotating shaft engages with the mating portion and a disengaged state in which the rotating shaft is separated from the mating portion. The rotating shaft can be reset to the disengaged state. When the clutch motor outputs power, the rotating shaft extends to the transmission state and drives the driven member to rotate. When the clutch motor stops outputting power, the rotating shaft is reset to the disengaged state, and the driven member can rotate relative to the rotating shaft. The clutch component provided by the present disclosure can be applied to a transmission apparatus, so as to meet the intelligent opening and closing requirements of a refrigerator without interfering with manual opening and closing operations of a user. In addition, the clutch component has a simple structure, which can reduce production costs.

Description

Clutch components, transmission devices, cabinet equipment and refrigerators Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of home appliance technology, and in particular to a clutch component, transmission device, cabinet equipment, and refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of society and the economy and the improvement of people's living standards, refrigerators have gradually become an indispensable household appliance. As intelligent technology continues to expand into the home appliance field, consumers are increasingly demanding ease of use and intelligent features in their appliances. Automatic opening and closing, as a basic function of intelligent refrigerators, is becoming increasingly widespread.

[0003] In related technologies, refrigerators typically use electric drive to achieve automatic opening and closing. However, when using electric drive, a clutch mechanism is still needed to handle manual opening and closing. But the transmission method of traditional clutch mechanisms is complex and the application cost is high, resulting in high production costs for this type of refrigerator.

[0004] Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, this application provides a clutch component, a transmission device, a cabinet device, and a refrigerator. The clutch component can meet the intelligent opening and closing requirements of the refrigerator without interfering with the user's manual opening and closing operation. At the same time, it has a simple structure and can reduce production costs.

[0006] Specifically, this disclosure is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0007] This disclosure provides a clutch component, including a driven member and a clutch motor. The driven member includes an output portion and a mating portion connected to the output portion. The clutch motor includes a motor body and a rotating shaft at least partially exposed outside the motor body. The rotating shaft is movable along its rotation axis and has a transmission state in which it is engaged with the mating portion and a disengaged state in which it is separated from the mating portion. The rotating shaft is capable of returning to the disengaged state. When the clutch motor outputs power, the rotating shaft extends to the transmission state and drives the driven member to rotate. When the clutch motor stops outputting power, the rotating shaft returns to the disengaged state, and the driven member is capable of rotating relative to the rotating shaft.

[0008] The technical solution of this disclosure will be further explained below:

[0009] In one embodiment, the motor body includes a motor housing, a stator fixed in the motor housing, and a rotor that is magnetically excited in conjunction with the stator. The rotor is fixed to a rotating shaft and can extend and retract along the direction of the rotating shaft. The motor housing is provided with a limiting end that restricts the rotor from leaving the motor housing.

[0010] In one embodiment, the motor housing includes a first housing and a second housing adjacent to the first housing. The stator and rotor are disposed in the first housing. The rotating shaft includes a shaft inserted into the second housing. The motor body also includes an electromagnetic coil disposed in the second housing. When the electromagnetic coil is energized, it magnetically repels the shaft to move the rotating shaft to a transmission state.

[0011] In one embodiment, a magnetic yoke is provided between the first housing and the second housing. And / or, both the first housing and the second housing are made of non-magnetic metal.

[0012] In one embodiment, the shaft is provided with a magnet that repels the electromagnetic coil.

[0013] In one embodiment, the clutch component further includes a reset member disposed on at least one of the rotating shaft, the clutch motor, and the driven member, so that the rotating shaft can be reset to the disengaged state.

[0014] In one embodiment, the clutch motor further includes a reduction gearbox, which includes a third housing and a reduction gear set rotatably disposed in the third housing. The rotating shaft includes a motor shaft and an output shaft rotatably disposed in the third housing. One end of the motor shaft is drive-connected to the motor body, and the other end of the motor shaft is drive-connected to the output shaft through the reduction gear set. The reset member is an elastic member and is disposed between the mating part and the output shaft to enable the rotating shaft to reset to the disengaged state.

[0015] In one embodiment, the elastic element includes a conical spring, the output shaft is provided with a mounting groove and a connecting post disposed in the mounting groove, the mating part is provided with an assembly groove corresponding to the mounting groove and a mating post disposed in the assembly groove, and the conical spring is sleeved between the connecting post and the mating post.

[0016] In one embodiment, one of the output shaft and the mating part is provided with a slot, and the other of the output shaft and the mating part is provided with a locking block. When the rotating shaft is in the driving state, the locking block is engaged with the slot. When the rotating shaft is in the disengaged state, the locking block is disengaged from the slot.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a transmission device is provided, including a carrier, a telescopic assembly, and the aforementioned clutch component. The carrier includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to the first end. A clutch motor is disposed at the first end. The telescopic assembly includes a rotating member rotatably disposed on the carrier and a telescopic member cooperating with the rotating member, the rotating member being drively connected to a driven member. In the transmission state, the clutch motor can drive the telescopic member to move towards or away from the second end. In the disengaged state, the clutch motor is disconnected from the telescopic assembly.

[0018] In one embodiment, the transmission device further includes a linkage mechanism and a drive rod. The linkage mechanism includes a first mounting member, a second mounting member, and a linkage assembly disposed between the first and second mounting members. The second mounting member swings relative to the first mounting member via the linkage assembly. The drive rod is connected to a telescopic member, and its second end has a connection notch. The drive rod passes through the connection notch and is movably connected to the linkage mechanism to drive the second mounting member to swing relative to the first mounting member.

[0019] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a housing device is provided, including a housing, a door rotatably connected to the housing, and a transmission device as described in the foregoing embodiments. The housing is connected to a first mounting member, and the door is connected to a second mounting member.

[0020] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a cabinet device is provided, including a cabinet, a drawer, and the aforementioned transmission device. The cabinet has a storage cavity, and the drawer is retractably disposed within the storage cavity. A support member is fixed to the cabinet, and a telescopic member is connected to the drawer to drive the drawer to move relative to the cabinet.

[0021] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerator is provided, including a control device and the aforementioned cabinet device. The control device is communicatively connected to a clutch motor.

[0022] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0023] In use, the clutch component provided in this disclosure has a rotating shaft driven by a clutch motor. The rotating shaft can move along its axis of rotation to connect with the driven component, forming a transmission state. Thus, the clutch motor can drive the rotating shaft and the driven component to rotate synchronously. When the clutch motor no longer outputs torque, the rotating shaft stops rotating and returns to a disengaged state, separating from the driven component. This disconnects the transmission between the rotating shaft and the driven component, allowing the driven component to rotate freely relative to the rotating shaft under external force without needing to drive the clutch motor to rotate synchronously. Therefore, the clutch component provided in this disclosure can achieve the linkage or disengagement of the rotating shaft and the driven component.

[0024] When the clutch component of this disclosure is applied to the transmission device between the refrigerator door and the refrigerator body, the driven member can be used to connect the door assembly. When the rotating shaft and the driven member rotate synchronously, the refrigerator door can be automatically opened and closed using an electric drive. When the rotation shaft and the driven member are disconnected from the transmission, the user can manually open and close the door. The two door opening and closing methods do not interfere with each other. Furthermore, when the user manually opens and closes the door, there is no need for the user to drag the clutch motor to rotate synchronously, reducing the resistance encountered when manually opening and closing the door. This reduces the load on the user when manually opening and closing the door, allowing for effortless opening and closing and improving the user experience.

[0025] The clutch component disclosed herein can also be applied to the automatic opening and closing of a refrigerator's drawers and body. The driven component can be used to connect the drawer assembly, enabling automatic opening and closing of the drawers via electric drive when the rotating shaft and driven component rotate synchronously. When the transmission between the rotating shaft and driven component is disconnected, manual operation of the drawers by the user is possible, which will not be elaborated upon in this disclosure.

[0026] Therefore, the clutch component provided in this disclosure can realize both automated opening and closing of the refrigerator and manual opening and closing operations by the user. At the same time, the transmission structure and transmission method of the clutch component disclosed in this disclosure are simple, and the production cost is low.

[0027] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this disclosure, are used to provide a further understanding of this disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of this disclosure and their descriptions are used to explain this disclosure and do not constitute an undue limitation of this disclosure.

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this disclosure, are used to provide a further understanding of this disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of this disclosure and their descriptions are used to explain this disclosure and do not constitute an undue limitation of this disclosure.

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the clutch component shown in one embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch component shown in Figure 1 along AA (the clutch component is in the disengaged state).

[0034] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the clutch component shown in Figure 2 in the transmission state.

[0035] Figure 4 is an exploded view of the clutch component shown in Figure 1 from one of the perspectives.

[0036] Figure 5 is an exploded view of the clutch assembly shown in Figure 1 from another perspective.

[0037] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the driven component of the clutch assembly provided in this application.

[0038] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the clutch component with the driven member removed as shown in this application.

[0039] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the transmission device provided in this application.

[0040] Figure 9 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the refrigerator drawer and cabinet assembly shown in this application.

[0041] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the drawer shown in Figure 9 when it is opened relative to the box.

[0042] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the transmission device provided in this application.

[0043] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the refrigerator door and body assembly of the refrigerator provided in this application.

[0044] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the transmission device shown in Figure 11 after it is encapsulated by the carrier component.

[0045] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the clutch component according to another embodiment provided in this application.

[0046] Figure 15 is an exploded view of the clutch component shown in Figure 14 from one of the perspectives.

[0047] Figure 16 is an exploded view of the clutch assembly shown in Figure 14 from another perspective.

[0048] Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch component shown in Figure 14 along AA.

[0049] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the clutch structure shown in another embodiment of this application.

[0050] Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 18 along AA (the clutch is in the disengaged state).

[0051] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 19 in the transmission state.

[0052] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of the clutch component according to an embodiment of this application.

[0053] Figure 22 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mating component shown in an embodiment of this application.

[0054] Figure 23 is an exploded view of the clutch shown in Figure 18 from one of the perspectives.

[0055] Figure 24 is an exploded view of the clutch shown in Figure 18 from another perspective.

[0056] Figure 25 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clutch mounting protective housing according to an embodiment of this application.

[0057] Figure 26 is a schematic diagram of the clutch structure shown in Figure 25 after the protective shell has been removed.

[0058] Figure 27 is a schematic diagram of the clutch structure shown in another embodiment of this application.

[0059] Figure 28 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 27 along AA (the clutch is in the disengaged state).

[0060] Figure 29 is a schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 28 in the transmission state.

[0061] Figure 30 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the active component shown in one embodiment.

[0062] Figure 31 is a structural schematic diagram of the active component shown in Figure 30 from another perspective.

[0063] Figure 32 is a schematic diagram of the clutch component in one embodiment.

[0064] Figure 33 is an exploded view of the clutch shown in Figure 27 from one of the perspectives.

[0065] Figure 34 is an exploded view of the clutch shown in Figure 27 from another perspective.

[0066] Figure 35 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a clutch mounting protective housing according to an embodiment.

[0067] Figure 36 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clutch shown in Figure 35 with the protective shell removed.

[0068] Figure 37 is a schematic diagram of the clutch structure shown in one embodiment.

[0069] Figure 38 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 37 along AA.

[0070] Figure 39 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 37 along BB (clutch in disengaged state).

[0071] Figure 40 is a schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 39 in the transmission state.

[0072] Figure 41 is a schematic diagram of the transmission component shown in one embodiment.

[0073] Figure 42 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the clutch and the reset component according to an embodiment.

[0074] Figure 43 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a rotating component according to an embodiment.

[0075] Figure 44 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 37 from other perspectives.

[0076] Figure 45 is an exploded view of the clutch shown in Figure 44 from one of the perspectives.

[0077] Figure 46 is an exploded view of the clutch shown in Figure 44 from another perspective.

[0078] Figure 47 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a clutch mounting protective housing according to an embodiment.

[0079] Figure 48 is a schematic diagram of the clutch structure shown in one embodiment.

[0080] Figure 49 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 48 along AA.

[0081] Figure 50 is a BB cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 48 (clutch in disengaged state).

[0082] Figure 51 is a schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 50 in the transmission state.

[0083] Figure 52 is a schematic diagram of the clutch component in one embodiment.

[0084] Figure 53 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 48 from another perspective.

[0085] Figure 54 is an exploded view of the clutch shown in Figure 53 from one of the perspectives.

[0086] Figure 55 is an exploded view of the clutch shown in Figure 53 from another perspective.

[0087] Figure 56 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a clutch mounting protective housing according to an embodiment.

[0088] Figure 57 is a schematic diagram of the clutch structure shown in one embodiment.

[0089] Figure 58 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 57 in AA (clutch in disengaged state).

[0090] Figure 59 is a schematic diagram of the clutch in the transmission state in Figure 58.

[0091] Figure 60 is an exploded view of the clutch structure shown in Figure 57.

[0092] Figure 61 is a schematic diagram of the clutch structure shown in another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0093] Figure 62 is a sectional view of BB shown in Figure 61.

[0094] Figure 63 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

[0095] Figure 64 is a schematic diagram of the drive device of the refrigerator shown in Figure 63.

[0096] Figure 65 is a schematic diagram of the drive device of the refrigerator shown in Figure 63.

[0097] Figure 66 is a schematic diagram of the drive device of the refrigerator shown in Figure 63.

[0098] Figure 67 is a schematic diagram of the drive device of the refrigerator shown in Figure 63.

[0099] Figure 68 is a cross-sectional view of a drive device according to an embodiment.

[0100] Figure 69 is a schematic diagram of the telescopic mechanism shown in one embodiment.

[0101] Figure 70 is a schematic diagram of the telescopic mechanism according to an embodiment.

[0102] Figure 71 is a schematic diagram of the linkage mechanism shown in one embodiment.

[0103] Figure 72 is a schematic diagram of the linkage mechanism shown in one embodiment.

[0104] Figure 73 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a clutch according to an embodiment.

[0105] Figure 74 is a front view schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 73.

[0106] Figure 75 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 74.

[0107] Figure 76 is a schematic diagram of the drive device of a refrigerator in one embodiment of this application.

[0108] Figure 77 is a schematic diagram of the drive device of a refrigerator in one embodiment of this application.

[0109] Figure 78 is a schematic diagram of the drive device of a refrigerator in one embodiment of this application.

[0110] Figure 79 is a schematic diagram of the drive device of a refrigerator in one embodiment of this application.

[0111] Figure 80 is a schematic diagram of the drive device of a refrigerator in one embodiment of this application.

[0112] Figure 81 is a schematic diagram of the drive device of a refrigerator in one embodiment of this application.

[0113] Figure 82 is a schematic diagram of the linkage mechanism shown in one embodiment.

[0114] Figure 83 is a schematic diagram of the linkage mechanism shown in one embodiment.

[0115] Figure 84 is a cross-sectional view of a drive device according to an embodiment.

[0116] Figure 85 is a structural schematic diagram of a telescopic mechanism according to an embodiment.

[0117] Figure 86 is a schematic diagram of the telescopic mechanism in one embodiment.

[0118] Figure 87 is a schematic diagram of the linkage mechanism shown in one embodiment.

[0119] Figure 88 is a schematic diagram of the linkage mechanism shown in one embodiment.

[0120] Figure 89 is a schematic diagram of the drive device in another embodiment of this application.

[0121] Figure 90 is a schematic diagram of the drive device shown in Figure 89.

[0122] Figure 91 is a cross-sectional view of a drive device according to an embodiment.

[0123] Figure 92 is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the drive device shown in Figure 91.

[0124] Figure 93 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drive device according to an embodiment.

[0125] Figure 94 is a cross-sectional view of a drive device according to an embodiment.

[0126] Figure 95 is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the drive device shown in Figure 94.

[0127] Figure 96 is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the drive device shown in Figure 94.

[0128] Figure 97 is a structural schematic diagram of a telescopic mechanism according to an embodiment.

[0129] Figure 98 is a structural schematic diagram of a telescopic mechanism according to another embodiment.

[0130] Figure 99 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerator shown in this application in the closed state.

[0131] Figure 100 is a schematic diagram of the drive device for the refrigerator shown in this application.

[0132] Figure 101 is a schematic diagram of the drive device shown in Figure 99.

[0133] Figure 102 is a cross-sectional view of a drive device according to an embodiment.

[0134] Figure 103 is a partially enlarged structural diagram of the drive device shown in Figure 102.

[0135] Figure 104 is a schematic diagram of the drive device of the refrigerator shown in this application.

[0136] Figure 105 is a cross-sectional view of a drive device according to an embodiment.

[0137] Figure 106 is a partially enlarged structural diagram of the drive device shown in Figure 105.

[0138] Figure 107 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rotating component and the angle detection assembly shown in one embodiment.

[0139] Figure 108 is a partially enlarged structural diagram of the drive device shown in Figure 105.

[0140] Figure 109 is a flowchart of a control method according to an embodiment.

[0141] Figure 110 is a flowchart of a control method according to an embodiment.

[0142] Figure 111 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

[0143] Figure 112 is a schematic diagram of the drawer structure shown in one embodiment.

[0144] Figure 113 is a schematic diagram of the drawer structure shown in one embodiment.

[0145] Figure 114 is a schematic diagram of the transmission device of the drawer shown in Figure 112.

[0146] Figure 115 is a schematic diagram of the clutch structure of the transmission device shown in Figure 114.

[0147] Figure 116 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the clutch shown in Figure 115.

[0148] Figure 117 is a front view schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 115.

[0149] Figure 118 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 117.

[0150] Figure 119 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 117.

[0151] Figure 120 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 117.

[0152] Figure 121 is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the transmission device shown in Figure 111.

[0153] Figure 122 is a schematic diagram of the transmission device according to another embodiment.

[0154] Figure 123 is a partial structural diagram of the drawer shown in Figure 112.

[0155] Figure 124 is a partial structural diagram of the drawer shown in Figure 112.

[0156] Figure 125 is a partially enlarged structural schematic diagram of the transmission device shown in Figure 121.

[0157] Figure 126 is a partially enlarged structural schematic diagram of the transmission device shown in Figure 121.

[0158] Figure 127 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

[0159] Figure 128 is a schematic diagram of the drive device shown in Figure 127.

[0160] Figure 129 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the drive device shown in Figure 128.

[0161] Figure 130 is a flowchart of a control method according to an embodiment.

[0162] Figure 131 is a flowchart of a control method according to an embodiment.

[0163] Figure 132 is a partial half-section schematic diagram of the drive device shown in Figure 129 along the axial direction of the telescopic component.

[0164] Figure 133 is a flowchart of a control method according to an embodiment.

[0165] Figure 134 is a flowchart of a control method according to an embodiment.

[0166] Figure 135 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerator shown in Figure 127 with the door closed.

[0167] Figure 136 is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the rotating component and the angle detection component according to an embodiment.

[0168] Figure 137 is a schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 129.

[0169] Figure 138 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 137 in AA (clutch in disengaged state).

[0170] Figure 139 is a schematic diagram of the clutch in the transmission state in Figure 138.

[0171] Figure 140 is an exploded view of the clutch structure shown in Figure 137.

[0172] Figure 141 is a schematic diagram of the clutch structure shown in another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0173] Figure 142 is a sectional view of BB shown in Figure 141.

[0174] Figure 143 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drive device according to an embodiment.

[0175] Figure 144 is a schematic diagram of a drawer and cabinet assembly structure according to an embodiment.

[0176] Figure 145 is a schematic diagram of the drawer shown in Figure 144 when it is opened relative to the box.

[0177] Figure 146 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

[0178] Figure 147 is a CC sectional view of the refrigerator shown in Figure 146.

[0179] Figure 148 is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration principle of the refrigerator shown in Figure 146. Detailed Implementation

[0180] The technical solutions in the embodiments (or "implementations") of this application will be clearly and completely described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements.

[0181] If the embodiments of this application contain terms relating to directional indications or positional relationships (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, inside, outside, top, bottom, center, vertical, horizontal, longitudinal, transverse, length, height, counterclockwise, clockwise, axial, radial, circumferential, etc.), such terms are only used to explain the relative positional relationships and movements between components in a specific posture (as shown in the attached figures). If the specific posture changes, the directional indications or positional relationships will also change accordingly. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" used in the embodiments of this application are for descriptive convenience only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0182] With the development of society and the economy and the improvement of people's living standards, refrigerators have gradually become an indispensable household appliance. As refrigerator functions have diversified, there are numerous types and brands available, giving consumers a wide range of choices. Simply improving the cold-keeping characteristics of refrigerators is no longer sufficient to meet people's demands. The intelligence of refrigerators has also become an important factor influencing their competitiveness. Among refrigerators with similar functions or performance, those with higher levels of intelligence are more attractive to consumers.

[0183] Automatic door opening and closing is a fundamental function of refrigerator intelligence, and its application is becoming increasingly widespread. For example, the automatic opening and closing of refrigerator doors is increasingly popular with consumers. Similarly, the automatic opening and closing of refrigerator drawers, making it convenient for users to access items, is also gaining popularity.

[0184] In related technologies, refrigerators typically use electric drive to achieve automatic opening and closing. However, when using electric drive, a clutch mechanism is still needed to handle manual opening and closing. Traditional clutch mechanisms have complex transmission methods and high application costs, leading to higher production costs for these refrigerators. For example, traditional clutch mechanisms are relatively bulky, have complex transmission methods, and are costly to implement. Taking a clutch mechanism that relies on a gear assembly for clutch transmission as an example, this type of clutch mechanism requires multiple transmission gears, and the positional installation of each gear requires high precision to ensure meshing and thus achieve power transmission or disconnection. If any of the transmission gears malfunctions, power transmission cannot be completed, and the clutch mechanism will lose its clutch function. Therefore, the cumbersome internal structure and complex transmission methods of traditional clutch mechanisms result in high production costs. When traditional clutch mechanisms are installed in refrigerators, they also contribute to the high production costs of these refrigerators.

[0185] Therefore, this disclosure provides a clutch component that enables both automated and manual opening and closing of the refrigerator. Simultaneously, during manual opening and closing, it reduces the resistance encountered by the user, allowing for effortless operation and improving the user experience. Furthermore, the clutch component provided by this disclosure simplifies the transmission structure and method, reducing the production cost of the clutch component.

[0186] The clutch component in one embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0187] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a clutch component 40 according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 1 along line AA (clutch component 40 is in the disengaged state). Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 2 in the transmission state. The clutch component 40 provided in this disclosure includes a clutch motor 41 and a driven member 42. The driven member 42 includes an output portion 421 and a mating portion 422 connected to the output portion 421. The clutch motor 41 includes a motor body 411 and a rotating shaft 412 at least partially exposed outside the motor body 411. The rotating shaft 412 is movable along the rotation axis 412 line direction and has a transmission state in which it is in transmission engagement with the mating portion 422 and a disengaged state in which it is separated from the mating portion 422. The rotating shaft 412 can be reset to the disengaged state. When the clutch motor 41 outputs power, the rotating shaft 412 extends to the transmission state and drives the driven member 42 to rotate. When the clutch motor 41 stops outputting power, the rotating shaft 412 returns to the disengaged state, and the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the rotating shaft 412.

[0188] It should be noted that the rotating shaft 412 can be driven to rotate by the clutch motor 41, and the rotating shaft 412 can move along the direction of its rotation axis 412 to connect with the driven member 42 to form a transmission state. In this way, the clutch motor 41 can drive the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42 to rotate synchronously. When the clutch motor 41 no longer outputs torque, the rotating shaft 412 stops rotating and can return to a disengaged state separated from the driven member 42, thereby achieving separation from the driven member 42. In this way, the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42 are disconnected from the transmission, and the driven member 42 can rotate freely relative to the rotating shaft 412 under external force without having to drive the clutch motor 41 to rotate synchronously. Thus, the clutch component 40 provided in this disclosure can realize the linkage or separation of the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42.

[0189] As an example, the axial direction of the rotating shaft 412 can be configured to be along the X direction, and the driven member 42 can be configured as a driven shaft coaxial with the rotating shaft 412 along the X direction. The two ends of the rotating shaft 412 spaced apart along the X direction can be used to connect the clutch motor 41 and the driven member 42, respectively. The two ends of the driven member 42 spaced apart along the X direction are an output part 421 and a mating part 422, respectively. The output part 421 can be used to connect to a door or drawer, and the mating part 422 is used to mate with the rotating shaft 412.

[0190] The driven member 42 is used to connect a movable component that can be driven by the clutch motor 41 or manually driven by the user. For example, when it is necessary to drive the refrigerator drawer to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the refrigerator drawer assembly. Or, when it is necessary to drive the refrigerator door to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the refrigerator door assembly. The movable component can be any part that the user wants to open and close automatically or manually, and the user can select the appropriate movable component according to actual usage needs; this disclosure does not impose any restrictions. When the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42 are connected and fixed to form a transmission state, the clutch motor 41 can drive the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42 to rotate synchronously, realizing the linkage between the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42 to drive the movable component to achieve automatic opening and closing. When the rotating shaft 412 is separated from the driven member 42, the driven member 42 is not subject to the rotation control of the clutch motor 41, and the user can manually open and close the movable component.

[0191] For example, when the clutch component 40 of this disclosure is applied to the transmission device between the refrigerator door and the refrigerator body, the driven member 42 can be used to connect the door assembly. When the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42 rotate synchronously, the refrigerator door can be automatically opened and closed by electric drive. When the rotation shaft 412 and the driven member 42 are disconnected, the user can manually open and close the door. The two door opening and closing methods of the refrigerator do not interfere with each other. At the same time, when the user manually opens and closes the door, the user does not need to drag the clutch motor 41 to rotate synchronously, which reduces the resistance encountered by the user when manually opening and closing the door. This reduces the load on the user when manually opening and closing the door, allowing the user to open and close the door with less effort and improving the user experience.

[0192] The clutch component 40 disclosed herein can also be applied to the automatic opening and closing of a refrigerator drawer and cabinet. The driven member 42 can be used to connect the drawer assembly, enabling automatic opening and closing of the drawers via electric drive when the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42 rotate synchronously. When the transmission between the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42 is disconnected, the drawers can be manually opened and closed by the user; this will not be elaborated upon in this disclosure.

[0193] Therefore, the clutch component 40 provided in this disclosure can realize both automated opening and closing of the refrigerator and manual opening and closing operations by the user. At the same time, the transmission structure and transmission method of the clutch component 40 of this disclosure are simple, and the production cost is low.

[0194] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 1 along line AA (clutch component 40 is in the disengaged state). Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 2 in the transmission state. In one embodiment, to facilitate the clutch motor 41 driving the rotating shaft 412 to rotate, the motor body 411 includes a motor housing 4111, a stator 4112 fixed in the motor housing 4111, and a rotor 4113 magnetically excited and engaged with the stator 4112. The rotor 4113 is fixed in the rotating shaft 412 and can extend and retract along the direction of the rotating shaft 412. The motor housing 4111 is provided with a limiting end to restrict the rotor 4113 from disengaging from the motor housing 4111.

[0195] It should be noted that when the clutch motor 41 starts, a rotating magnetic field is generated in the stator 4112 when current flows through the windings of the stator 4112. When the rotating magnetic field of the stator 4112 passes through the rotor 4113, an induced current is generated in the rotor 4113, causing the rotor 4113 to generate an induced magnetic field that interacts with the rotating magnetic field. Thus, the interaction between the rotating magnetic field of the stator 4112 and the induced magnetic field of the rotor 4113 generates a torque that can drive the rotor 4113 to rotate, enabling the rotor 4113 to drive the rotating shaft 412 to rotate. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 412 is connected to the driven member 42 to form a transmission state, the rotating shaft 412 can drive the driven member 42 to rotate synchronously, realizing the linkage between the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42.

[0196] It should also be noted that the motor housing 4111 is provided with a limiting end to restrict the rotor 4113 from detaching from the motor housing 4111. The limiting end can be the end cap on the left and right sides of the motor housing 4111 in the figure, or it can be a protrusion protruding from the motor housing 4111 to restrict the rotor 4113 from falling off. This application does not impose any restrictions.

[0197] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 1 along axis AA (clutch component 40 is in the disengaged state). Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 2 in the transmission state. In one embodiment, to facilitate the clutch motor 41 driving the rotating shaft 412 to move along the direction of the rotating shaft 412 to connect with the driven member 42 to form a transmission state, the motor housing 4111 includes a first housing 4111a and a second housing 4111b adjacent to the first housing 4111a. The stator 4112 and the rotor 4113 are disposed in the first housing 4111a. The rotating shaft 412 includes a shaft body 4121 inserted into the second housing 4111b. The motor body 411 also includes an electromagnetic coil 4114 disposed in the second housing 4111b. After the electromagnetic coil 4114 is energized, it magnetically repels the shaft body 4121 to move the rotating shaft 412 to the transmission state.

[0198] It should be noted that when the clutch motor 41 starts, the electromagnetic coil 4114 is energized and generates a magnetic field. The magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic coil 4114 generates a magnetic repulsion force between the magnetic field and the shaft 4121 of the rotating shaft 412, thereby pushing the rotating shaft 412 to move in the X direction.

[0199] In Figure 2, since the rotating shaft 412 is in a separated state from the driven member 42, the movement of the driven member 42 in either the counterclockwise or clockwise direction will not interfere with the movement of the rotating shaft 412, and the driven member 42 is not subject to the rotation control of the clutch motor 41. That is, the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the rotating shaft 412, which is convenient for manual operation by the user.

[0200] When the clutch motor 41 starts, the electromagnetic coil 4114 is energized and generates a magnetic field. The magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic coil 4114 generates a magnetic repulsion force between itself and the shaft 4121 of the rotating shaft 412, causing the rotating shaft 412 to move along the X direction under the magnetic repulsion force. It then connects and is fixed with the mating part 422 of the driven member 42, forming the transmission state shown in Figure 3. Thus, through the connection between the rotating shaft 412 and the mating part 422, when the clutch motor 41 drives the rotating shaft 412 to rotate, it can drive the driven member 42 to rotate synchronously, realizing the linkage between the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42.

[0201] In Figure 3, when the clutch motor 41 stops and no longer outputs torque, the rotating shaft 412 stops rotating, the electromagnetic coil 4114 loses power and no longer generates a magnetic field, so that the magnetic repulsion between the rotating shaft 412 and the electromagnetic coil 4114 disappears, and the rotating shaft 412 can move in the opposite direction of X and separate from the mating part 422, thereby resetting to the separated state in Figure 2, realizing the separation of the rotating shaft 412 from the driven member 42, the transmission between the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42 is disconnected, and the driven member 42 can be freely rotated relative to the rotating shaft 412 under external force without dragging the rotating shaft 412 to rotate synchronously.

[0202] Thus, the clutch motor 41 can drive the rotating shaft 412 to move along the rotating shaft 412 direction through the magnetic repulsion force generated by the energization of the electromagnetic coil 4114, without the need for gear assembly transmission to drive the rotating shaft 412. This simplifies the transmission structure and transmission method of the clutch component 40 and reduces the production cost of the clutch component 40. In addition, the clutch component 40 provided in this disclosure drives the rotating shaft 412 to move through the magnetic repulsion force generated by the energization of the electromagnetic coil 4114, which simplifies the transmission structure of the clutch component 40 and reduces its structural size, thereby reducing the installation space occupied by the clutch component 40 after it is installed in the refrigerator.

[0203] Meanwhile, it is understood that by using the first housing 4111a and the second housing 4111b to space the electromagnetic coil 4114 with the stator 4112 and the rotor 4113, this disclosure can avoid interference between the magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic coil 4114 and the magnetic field generated between the stator 4112 and the rotor 4113, thereby ensuring that the clutch motor 41 can both drive the rotating shaft 412 to rotate and drive the rotating shaft 412 to move along the rotating shaft 412 line.

[0204] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in one embodiment, in order to facilitate the generation of magnetic repulsion between the shaft 4121 and the electromagnetic coil 4114, the shaft 4121 is provided with a magnet 4121a that magnetically repulses the electromagnetic coil 4114.

[0205] In one embodiment, to further prevent the magnetic field of the electromagnetic coil 4114 from interfering with the magnetic field between the stator 4112 and the rotor 4113, a magnetic yoke is provided between the first housing 4111a and the second housing 4111b.

[0206] It should be noted that the magnetic yoke is usually made of a material with high magnetic permeability (such as silicon steel), which can effectively conduct magnetic flux and reduce energy loss. Specifically, this disclosure provides a magnetic yoke between the first housing 4111a and the second housing 4111b, which forms a closed magnetic circuit between the stator 4112 and the rotor 4113 within the first housing 4111a. This allows the magnetic field generated by the interaction between the stator 4112 and the rotor 4113 to flow within the first housing 4111a, preventing leakage into the second housing 4111b. Simultaneously, a closed magnetic circuit between the electromagnetic coil 4114 and the shaft 4121 can be formed within the second housing 4111b, allowing the magnetic field generated by the interaction between the electromagnetic coil 4114 and the shaft 4121 to flow within the second housing 4111b, preventing leakage into the first housing 4111a.

[0207] Thus, by placing a magnetic yoke between the first housing 4111a and the second housing 4111b, the magnetic field inside the first housing 4111a and the magnetic field inside the second housing 4111b can be effectively isolated, shielding the interference of the magnetic field inside the first housing 4111a on the magnetic field inside the second housing 4111b, and vice versa, thereby ensuring that the clutch motor 41 drives the rotating shaft 412 to rotate and move. Simultaneously, placing a magnetic yoke between the first housing 4111a and the second housing 4111b can also reduce energy loss caused by changes in the magnetic field.

[0208] In some embodiments, the materials of the first housing 4111a and the second housing 4111b may both be non-magnetic metals, such as copper or aluminum, and this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0209] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, in one embodiment, to facilitate the separation of the rotating shaft 412 from the driven member 42, the clutch component 40 further includes a reset member 43. The reset member 43 is disposed on at least one of the rotating shaft 412, the clutch motor 41, and the driven member 42, so that the rotating shaft 412 can be reset to the separated state. The reset member 43 may be configured as a spring-like elastic element.

[0210] Referring to Figures 2 to 5, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 1 along AA (clutch component 40 is in the disengaged state). Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 2 in the transmission state. Figure 4 is an exploded view of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 1 from one perspective. Figure 5 is an exploded view of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 1 from another perspective. In one embodiment, to facilitate reducing the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 412, the clutch motor 41 further includes a reduction gearbox 413. The reduction gearbox 413 includes a third housing 4131 and a reduction gear set 4132 rotatably disposed in the third housing 4131. The rotating shaft 412 includes a motor shaft 4122 and an output shaft 4123 rotatably disposed in the third housing 4131. One end of the motor shaft 4122 is connected to the motor body 411, and the other end of the motor shaft 4122 is connected to the output shaft 4123 through the reduction gear set 4132. The reset member 43 is an elastic member and is disposed between the mating part 422 and the output shaft 4123 so that the rotating shaft 412 can be reset to the separated state.

[0211] It should be noted that the gearbox 413 can reduce the high speed of the rotating shaft 412 driven by the clutch motor 41, so that the output shaft 4123 of the rotating shaft 412 is connected to the driven member 42 at a lower output speed, in order to adapt to the working requirements of the moving parts components connected to different driven members 42.

[0212] Referring to Figures 2, 3, 6, and 7, in some embodiments, to facilitate the installation of the reset member 43, the elastic member includes a spring. The output shaft 4123 is provided with a mounting groove 4123a and a connecting post 4423b disposed in the mounting groove 4123a. The mating part 422 is provided with an assembly groove 4221 corresponding to the mounting groove 4123a and a mating post 4222 disposed in the assembly groove 4221. The spring is sleeved between the connecting post 4423b and the mating post 4222.

[0213] Thus, when the output shaft 4123 is connected to the mating part 422 to form a transmission state, the output shaft 4123 and the mating part 422 move closer to each other, and the connecting post 4423b and the mating post 4222 also move closer to each other, causing the spring to be compressed and deformed. When the clutch motor 41 stops outputting power, the spring can restore its deformation and push the output shaft 4123 away from the mating part 422, causing the output shaft 4123 to separate from the mating part 422, thereby resetting the rotating shaft 412 to the separated state.

[0214] The spring can be configured as a conical spring, with different radial dimensions at its two ends due to its taper. Thus, the smaller diameter end of the conical spring can be fitted with the connecting post 4423b, and the larger diameter end can be fitted with the mating post 4222. This configuration, by using a conical spring as the elastic element, allows the spring to utilize its elastic restoring force to move the rotating shaft 412 away from the mating part 422 to return to a disengaged state. Simultaneously, the spring's stiffness can be adjusted by changing its taper, ensuring an effective connection between the conical spring, the rotating shaft 412, and the mating part 422. Understandably, due to the shape characteristics of the conical spring, it can also provide a greater compression amount than a conventional cylindrical spring at the same compression height, thereby saving internal installation space in the clutch assembly 40 and improving its structural compactness.

[0215] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the driven member 42 according to one embodiment. Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch component 40 removing the driven member 42 according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, to improve the connection stability between the rotating shaft 412 and the driven member 42, one of the output shaft 4123 and the mating part 422 is provided with a groove 4223, and the other of the output shaft 4123 and the mating part 422 is provided with a locking block 4123c. When the rotating shaft 412 is in the driving state, the locking block 4123c is engaged with the groove 4223. When the rotating shaft 412 is in the disengaged state, the locking block 4123c is disengaged from the groove 4223.

[0216] Taking a configuration where the locking block 4123c is located on the output shaft 4123 and the slot 4223 is located on the mating part 422 as an example, this configuration allows the rotating shaft 412 to move along the X direction under magnetic repulsion when the electromagnetic coil 4114 is energized. The locking block 4123c then engages with the slot 4223, forming a transmission state for the rotating shaft 412. At this time, the engagement between the slot 4223 and the locking block 4123c increases the connection area between the mating part 422 and the output shaft 4123, thereby improving transmission reliability. Furthermore, the locking block 4123c and the slot 4223 can be configured as a clearance fit, so that when the rotating shaft 4122 is separated, the locking block 4123c can easily disengage from the slot 4223, achieving separation of the mating part 422 and the output shaft 4123.

[0217] Referring to Figure 8, which is a schematic diagram of the transmission device according to one embodiment, the X direction in Figure 8 can be the axial direction of the rotating shaft 412, and the Y direction can be the radial direction of the rotating shaft 412. In some embodiments, this disclosure also provides a transmission device 30, including a support member 31, a telescopic assembly 32, and a clutch component 40 of any of the above embodiments. The support member 31 includes a first end 311 and a second end 312 opposite to the first end 311. The clutch motor 41 is disposed at the first end 311, and the telescopic assembly 32 includes a rotating member 321 rotatably disposed on the support member 31 and a telescopic member 322 cooperating with the rotating member 321. The rotating member 321 is drively connected to the driven member 42. In the limited state, the clutch motor 41 can drive the telescopic member 322 to move towards or away from the second end 312. In the disengaged state, the clutch motor 41 is disconnected from the telescopic assembly 32.

[0218] Referring to Figures 9 and 10, Figure 9 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a refrigerator cabinet assembly formed by assembling the drawer and cabinet body according to an embodiment. Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of the drawer shown in Figure 9 open relative to the cabinet body. To better understand the assembly relationship between the cabinet body 20 and the drawer 50, a portion of the structure of the cabinet body 20 has been omitted from Figure 9 of this disclosure, providing a partial illustration of the cabinet assembly. In this embodiment, the cabinet assembly includes the cabinet body 20, the drawer 50, and the transmission device 30 described in the above embodiment. The cabinet body 20 has a storage cavity 21, and the drawer 50 is retractably disposed within the storage cavity 21. A support member 31 is fixed to the cabinet body 20, and a telescopic member 322 is connected to the drawer 50 to drive the drawer 50 to move relative to the cabinet body 20.

[0219] It should be noted that when the transmission device 30 provided in this disclosure is applied to a cabinet device, the transmission device 30 can be installed between the drawer 50 and the cabinet 20 of the refrigerator 1 to realize the automatic opening and closing of the drawer 50 and the manual opening and closing of the drawer 50. The carrier member 31 is fixed to the cabinet 20, and the telescopic member 322 is connected to the drawer 50 to drive the drawer 50 to move relative to the cabinet 20. The first end 311 and the second end 312 of the carrier member 31 can be spaced apart along the direction shown in X in the figure. When the clutch component 40 is in the limited position, the clutch motor 41 is connected to the telescopic component 32, and the clutch motor 41 can drive the telescopic member 322 to move towards or away from the second end 312 to realize the electric drive automatic opening and closing of the drawer 50. When the clutch component 40 is in the disengaged state, the clutch motor 41 is disconnected from the telescopic component 32, and the user can manually open and close the drawer 50 without dragging the clutch motor 41 to rotate. This ensures that the manually operated drawer 50 and the electrically operated drawer 50 do not interfere with each other, thereby reducing the manual load and allowing the user to open and close the drawer 50 with less effort, thus improving the user experience.

[0220] As shown in Figure 8, in some embodiments, to facilitate the conversion of the rotation of the clutch motor 41 into a driving force for the extension and retraction of the drawer 50, the extension assembly 32 may include a rotating member 321 rotatably mounted on the support member 31 and an extension member 322 cooperating with the rotating member 321. The rotating member 321 is connected to the output shaft of the clutch component 40, and the extension member 322 is connected to the drawer 50. When the clutch component 40 is in the limited position, the clutch motor 41 is connected to the extension assembly 32 to drive the extension member 322 to reciprocate along the rotating member 321, thereby driving the drawer 50 to open and close electrically. When the clutch component 40 is disengaged, the clutch motor 41 is disconnected from the telescopic component 32, allowing the user to manually open and close the drawer 50. The drawer 50 can drive the telescopic component 322 to reciprocate along the rotating component 321. However, since the telescopic component 32 and the clutch motor 41 are disconnected due to the clutch component 40, the telescopic component 32 will not transmit motion to the clutch motor 41. Therefore, when the user manually opens and closes the drawer 50, there is no need to drive the clutch motor 41 to rotate, thus reducing the switching resistance.

[0221] As an example, the telescopic component 32 can be configured as a lead screw and nut kinematic pair. The rotating component 321 can be configured as a lead screw, and the telescopic component 322 can be configured as a nut threadedly connected to the lead screw. Through the threaded transmission between the lead screw and the nut, rotation is converted into linear motion, thereby converting the rotation of the clutch motor 41 into a driving force for opening and closing the drawer 50.

[0222] Referring to Figure 11, which is a schematic diagram of the transmission device according to another embodiment, the X direction in Figure 11 can be the axial direction of the rotation shaft 412, and the Y direction can be the radial direction of the rotation shaft 412. In other embodiments, the transmission device 30 further includes a linkage mechanism 33 and a drive rod 34. The linkage mechanism 33 includes a first mounting member 331, a second mounting member 332, and a link assembly 333 disposed between the first mounting member 331 and the second mounting member 332. The second mounting member 332 swings relative to the first mounting member 331 via the link assembly 333. The drive rod 34 is connected to the telescopic member 322, and its second end 312 is provided with a connection notch. The drive rod 34 passes through the connection notch and is movably connected to the linkage mechanism 33 to drive the second mounting member 332 to swing relative to the first mounting member 331.

[0223] Referring to Figure 12, Figure 12 is a structural schematic diagram of a refrigerator cabinet assembly formed by assembling the door and cabinet body according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the cabinet assembly includes a cabinet body 20, a door 10 rotatably connected to the cabinet body, and a transmission device 30 as described in the above embodiment. The cabinet body 20 is connected to a first mounting member 331, and the door 10 is connected to a second mounting member 332.

[0224] It should be noted that when the transmission device 30 provided in this disclosure is applied to a cabinet device, the linkage mechanism 33 can be installed between the cabinet door 10 and the cabinet body 20. The telescopic component 32 drives the drive rod 34 to drive the linkage mechanism 33 to move, thereby realizing the automatic opening and closing of the refrigerator door 10. The cabinet body 20 can be connected to the first mounting member 331, the cabinet door 10 can be connected to the second mounting member 332, and the linkage assembly 333 is connected between the first mounting member 331 and the second mounting member 332 and is driven by the telescopic component 32. The connection notch of the bearing member 31 allows the drive rod 34 to connect to the telescopic component 322. When the clutch component 40 is in the limited position, the clutch motor 41 is connected to the telescopic component 32. The clutch motor 41 can drive the rotating component 321 to move the telescopic component 322. The telescopic component 322 drives the drive rod 34 to move the connecting rod assembly 333, causing the second mounting component 332 to swing relative to the first mounting component 331. This allows the door 10 to be opened or closed relative to the cabinet 20 by the clutch motor 41, realizing the automatic opening and closing of the refrigerator 1. When the clutch component 40 is in the disengaged state, the clutch motor 41 is disconnected from the telescopic component 32. The user can manually open or close the door 10, and the door 10 will not drag the clutch motor 41 to rotate, reducing the manual load and making it easier for the user to open and close the door 10. This also avoids the clutch motor 41's rotation interfering with the user's manual opening and closing of the door.

[0225] Furthermore, to accommodate the rotational installation between the door 10 and the body 20, the connecting rod assembly 333 can be integrated with the hinge assembly between the door 10 and the body 20, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0226] Referring to Figure 13, which is a schematic diagram of the transmission device shown in Figure 11 encapsulated by the carrier, in some embodiments, to ensure the aesthetics of the transmission device 30 after installation in the housing, the carrier 31 can be configured as a shell, and the transmission device 30 can be encapsulated by the carrier 31. On the one hand, the carrier 31 can shield the various structural parts of the transmission device 30, making the transmission device 30 appear neat. On the other hand, it also facilitates the use of the carrier 31 to protect or lubricate the internal structure of the transmission device 30.

[0227] In addition to the clutch component in the above embodiments, this application also provides another clutch component, which will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0228] See Figures 14 to 17. Figure 14 is a schematic structural diagram of the clutch component 40 according to another embodiment provided in this application. Figure 15 is an exploded view of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 14 from one perspective. Figure 16 is an exploded view of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 14 from another perspective. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch component shown in Figure 14 along AA. The clutch component 40 provided in this disclosure includes a driving member 41, a driven member 42, a transmission assembly 43, and a driver 44. The transmission assembly 43 includes a bracket 431, a sun gear 432 rotatably mounted on the bracket 431, and a planetary gear set 433 rotatably mounted on the bracket 431. The bracket 431 has an internal ring gear 4311 that is drively connected to the driven member 42. The sun gear 432 is drively connected to the driving member 41. The planetary gear set 433 includes a rotating member 4331 rotatably mounted relative to the bracket 431 and planetary gears 4332 rotatably mounted on the rotating member 4331. The planetary gears 4332 mesh with the internal ring gear 4311 and the sun gear 432. The driver 44 includes a limiting part 441 that is movable relative to the bracket 431. The limiting part 441 has a limiting state that is engaged with the bracket 431 to prevent rotation and a disengaged state that is separated from the bracket 431. When the limiting part 441 is in the limiting state, the driving member 41 can drive the driven member 42 to rotate via the planetary gear set 433. When the limiting part 441 is in the separated state, the planetary gear set 433 and the ring internal gear 4311 can revolve around the sun gear 432 so that the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the driving member 41.

[0229] It should be noted that the driving element 41 can be driven by the motor 46. The driving element 41 can be configured as a driving shaft extending along the X direction. The two ends of the driving shaft, spaced apart along the X direction, can be connected to the output shaft of the motor 46 and the sun gear 432 respectively, so as to transmit the power of the motor 46 to the sun gear 432, and then transmit the power to the driven element 42 through the planetary gear train. The driving shaft and the output shaft of the motor 46 can be connected by a coupling, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0230] The driven member 42 may be coaxially arranged with the driving member 41 along the X direction to facilitate the transmission of torque from the motor 46. The driven member 42 can be used to connect movable components that can be driven by the motor 46 or manually by the user. For example, when it is necessary to drive the refrigerator drawer to open and close automatically, the movable component may be the refrigerator drawer assembly. Alternatively, when it is necessary to drive the refrigerator door to open and close automatically, the movable component may be the refrigerator door assembly. The movable component may be any part that the user wishes to open or close automatically or manually; the user can select the appropriate movable component according to actual usage needs, and this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0231] The transmission assembly 43 is intermittently connected between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 to realize the linkage and separation of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. When the transmission assembly 43 links the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, the motor 46 can drive the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 to rotate synchronously, thereby driving the movable component to achieve automatic opening and closing. When the transmission assembly 43 separates the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, the driven member 42 is not controlled by the rotation of the motor 46, and the user can manually open and close the movable component.

[0232] By adjusting the rotation and revolution of the planetary gear train, the synchronous rotation and relative rotation between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 can be adjusted. Understandably, the number of planetary gears 4332 can be set to 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, etc., and the user can rotate and set them according to actual needs. This disclosure does not impose any restrictions.

[0233] Specifically, in use, the clutch component 40 provided in this disclosure allows the driving element 41 to be driven by the motor 46 to rotate the sun gear 432. The sun gear 432 then drives the planetary gear 4332 to rotate through gear meshing. At this time, the limiting part 441 of the driver 44 is connected to the bracket 431 to form a limiting state, thus restricting the rotation of the bracket 431, i.e., restricting the rotation of the annular internal gear 4311. Therefore, the planetary gear 4332 can rotate and revolve under the drive of the sun gear 432, thereby driving the rotating element 4331 to rotate. The rotating element 4331 then drives the driven element 42 to rotate, allowing the driven element 42 to rotate together with the driving element 41, thus achieving linkage between the driving element 41 and the driven element 42. When the motor 46 no longer outputs torque, the driving element 41 stops rotating and no longer drives the sun gear 432 to rotate. At this time, the limiting part 441 is separated from the bracket 431 to form a separated state, allowing the bracket 431 to rotate, that is, the annular internal gear 4311 is allowed to rotate. Therefore, when the driven member 42 is rotated by an external force, the driven member 42 can drive the rotating member 4331 to rotate. The rotating member 4331 drives the planetary gear 4332 to revolve around the sun gear 432, and the planetary gear 4332 drives the annular internal gear 4311 to also revolve around the sun gear 432 through gear meshing. This realizes the rotational separation of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 to disconnect the transmission. Therefore, the driven member 42 can rotate freely relative to the driving member 41 under external force without dragging the driving member 41 to rotate synchronously. In this way, the clutch component 40 provided in this disclosure can realize the linkage or separation of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 through a mechanical clutch transmission method.

[0234] When the clutch component 40 of this disclosure is applied to the transmission device between the refrigerator door and the refrigerator body, the mechanical clutch transmission between the driving component 41 and the transmission component enables the refrigerator door to be opened and closed automatically by electric drive or manually by the user, and the two opening and closing methods do not interfere with each other. At the same time, when the user manually opens and closes the door, the user does not need to drive the motor 46 to rotate synchronously, which reduces the resistance encountered by the user when manually opening and closing the door. This reduces the load on the user when manually opening and closing the door, allowing the user to open and close the door with less effort and improving the user experience.

[0235] The clutch component 40 disclosed herein can also be applied to the automatic opening and closing of a refrigerator drawer and cabinet. The driven component 42 can be used to connect the drawer assembly, enabling automatic opening and closing of the drawers via electric drive when the driving component 41 and the driven component 42 rotate synchronously. When the transmission between the driving component 41 and the driven component 42 is disengaged, the drawers can be manually opened and closed by the user; this will not be elaborated upon in this disclosure.

[0236] Therefore, the clutch component 40 disclosed herein operates through a mechanical clutch transmission method, which has a simple structure and low production cost.

[0237] The actuator 44 can be flexibly set according to the motion trajectory required for the limiting part 441 to switch between the limiting state and the separation state. The actuator 44 includes telescopic devices, swing drive devices, etc.

[0238] Referring to Figures 15 and 16, Figure 15 is an exploded view of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 14 from one perspective. Figure 16 is an exploded view of the clutch component 40 shown in Figure 14 from another perspective. In some embodiments, to facilitate the reciprocating telescopic movement of the drive limiting portion 441 relative to the bracket 431, the actuator 44 further includes a telescoping device 442, with the limiting portion 441 fixed to the telescoping end of the telescoping device 442.

[0239] It should be noted that the telescopic device 442 includes, but is not limited to, power devices that directly drive the telescopic movement of the limiting part 441, such as telescopic rollers, telescopic rods, pneumatic rods, hydraulic rods, and linear motors. The telescopic device 442 also includes power mechanisms that indirectly realize the telescopic movement of the limiting part, such as gear and rack assemblies combined with servo motors, screw and nut assemblies combined with servo motors, and flexible transmission assemblies combined with servo motors. Thus, when the telescopic end of the telescopic device 442 extends towards the bracket 431 in the X direction, the limiting part 441 can connect with the bracket 431 to form a limiting state, thereby restricting the rotation of the bracket 431 and realizing the rotation and revolution of the planetary gear 4332, enabling the linkage between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. When the telescopic end of the telescopic device 442 moves away from the bracket 431 in the opposite X direction, the limiting part 441 can disengage from the bracket 431 to form a separated state, thereby allowing the bracket 431 to rotate, realizing the revolution of the ring internal gear 4311 and the planetary gear 4332 around the sun gear 432, so that the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 can be disconnected from the transmission, and the driven member 42 can rotate freely relative to the driving member 41 without dragging the driving member 41 to rotate.

[0240] Furthermore, the driver 44 may also have a swing mechanism connected to the telescopic member 442. The swing mechanism can drive the telescopic member 442 to swing back and forth to adjust the rotational position of the telescopic member 442 relative to the bracket 431. Combined with the extension and retraction of the telescopic end of the telescopic member 442, this enables the telescopic end to connect or separate the limiting part 441 from the bracket 431, switching the limiting state and separation state of the limiting part 441 and the bracket 431, and adjusting the linkage and separation between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. The swing mechanism can be a crank-connecting rod mechanism or a gear transmission mechanism, etc., and this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0241] Referring to Figures 15 and 16, in some embodiments, to protect the gear transmission mechanism, the bracket 431 further includes a cover plate 4312 connected to the annular inner gear 4311 to form a protective space, and the planetary gear set 433 and the sun gear 432 are disposed within the protective space.

[0242] Thus, by placing both the sun gear 432 and the planetary gear 4332 within the protective space, the meshing teeth of the planetary gear train are kept within this space. This effectively prevents dust, dirt, and moisture from entering the gear system, reducing damage and wear on the gears and extending their service life. Simultaneously, encapsulating the gears also reduces noise generated during operation, improving the user's experience when opening and closing the clutch component 40 after it is installed in the refrigerator. Understandably, lubricating grease can also be placed within the protective space to lubricate the transmission structure of the clutch component 40, reducing wear between transmission components and improving the durability of the clutch component 40.

[0243] Furthermore, by encapsulating the planetary gear train through the protective space, the driving component 41 and the driven component 42 can achieve mechanical clutch transmission through the planetary gear train, while the clutch component 40 can also make full use of the internal space of the bracket 431 to integrate and install gears, making the structure of the clutch component 40 fit more tightly and improving the structural compactness of the clutch component 40.

[0244] Referring to Figures 15 and 16, in some embodiments, to facilitate the limiting part 441 in restricting the rotation of the bracket 431, the cover plate 4312 is provided with a mating part 4313. When the limiting part 441 is in the limiting state, it is connected to the mating part 4313; when the limiting part 441 is in the disengaged state, it is separated from the mating part 4313.

[0245] It should be noted that, to facilitate the connection and fixation between the bracket 431 and the limiting part 441, the bracket 431 and the limiting part 441 can be configured as a plug-in fit. As an example, one of the fitting part 4313 and the limiting part 441 has a protrusion, and the other has a recess. In the limiting state of the limiting part 441, the protrusion and the recess are plugged in. Thus, when the limiting part 441 is in the limiting state, the protrusion and the recess can engage with each other, allowing the limiting part 441 to quickly plug into and fix with the bracket 431, thereby restricting the rotation of the bracket 431 and realizing the linkage between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. When the limiting part 441 is in the separated state, the protrusion can also quickly disengage from the recess, thereby releasing the rotation of the bracket 431, realizing the disconnection of the transmission between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, allowing the driven member 42 to rotate flexibly relative to the driving member 41.

[0246] Furthermore, the insertion and engagement of the limiting part 441 and the mating part 4313 through the protrusion and concave portion can increase the contact area between the limiting part 441 and the bracket 431 in the limiting state, thereby better restricting the rotation of the bracket 431 and improving the transmission reliability between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42.

[0247] Referring to Figures 15 and 16, in some embodiments, the mating part 4313 includes at least two baffles, each baffle being spaced apart along the rotation direction of the bracket 431. In the limiting state of the limiting part 441, the limiting part 441 is disposed between two adjacent baffles and can abut against either of the two adjacent baffles to restrict the rotation of the bracket 431.

[0248] It should be noted that when the limiting part 441 is positioned between two adjacent retaining ribs of the bracket 431, regardless of whether the motor 46 is rotating forward or backward, the retaining ribs can interfere with the limiting part 441 in the rotation direction of the bracket 431, thereby limiting the rotation of the bracket 431 and realizing the linkage between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. As an example, the bracket 431 can be configured as a disc, and the retaining ribs can be arranged radially along the disc and spaced circumferentially along the disc.

[0249] Referring to Figure 17, which is a cross-sectional view along AA of the clutch component shown in Figure 14, in one embodiment, the rotating member 4331 includes a turntable, and multiple planetary gears 4332 are provided, with each planetary gear 4332 spaced apart circumferentially along the turntable. Thus, by distributing the planetary gears 4332 spaced circumferentially along the turntable, the rotational load between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 can be distributed among the multiple planetary gears 4332, thereby reducing the load-bearing pressure on a single transmission gear and improving the load-bearing capacity and durability of the transmission assembly 43.

[0250] See Figures 15 to 17. In some embodiments, to facilitate the driving member 41 driving the sun gear 432 to rotate, the clutch member 40 includes a motor 46. The driving member 41 can be connected to the output shaft of the motor 46 to be driven to rotate by the motor 46. Furthermore, the driving member 41 and the output shaft of the motor 46 can be connected via a coupling, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0251] In some embodiments, to facilitate the integrated installation of the motor 46 and the telescopic member 442, the telescopic member 442 and the motor 46 are spaced apart on the mounting member 45. It should be noted that the mounting member 45 can be configured as a housing or a support platform, and the telescopic member 442 and the motor 46 can be mounted on the mounting member 45.

[0252] In addition to the clutch component in the above embodiments, this application also provides another clutch component, which will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0253] Referring to Figures 18 to 20, Figure 18 is a structural schematic diagram of a clutch 40 according to an embodiment. Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch 40 shown in Figure 18 along line AA (clutch 40 in the disengaged state). Figure 20 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch 40 shown in Figure 19 in the transmission state. The clutch 40 provided in this disclosure includes a driving member 41, a driven member 42, and a transmission assembly 44. The transmission assembly 44 includes a mating member 441, a clutch member 442, and an electromagnetic coil 443. The mating member 441 is transmissionally connected to one of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, and the clutch member 442 is transmissionally connected to the other of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. The clutch member 442 is capable of extending and retracting along the rotation axis of the driving member 41 and has a transmission state in which it is transmissionally engaged with the mating member 441 and a disengaged state in which it is disengaged from the mating member 441. The clutch member 442 is capable of resetting to the disengaged state. An electromagnetic coil 443 is sleeved on the outside of the mating member 441. When the electromagnetic coil 443 is energized, it generates a magnetic attraction force that drives the clutch member 442 to engage with the mating member 441. When the clutch member 442 is in the driving state, the driving member 41 can drive the transmission assembly 44 and the driven member 42 to rotate. When the clutch member 442 is in the disengaged state, the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the transmission assembly 44 and the driving member 41.

[0254] It should be noted that the driving component 41 is used to connect to the output shaft of the motor, and the driven component 42 is used to connect to a movable component that can be driven by the motor or manually by the user. For example, when it is necessary to drive the refrigerator drawer to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the refrigerator drawer assembly. Or, when it is necessary to drive the refrigerator door to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the refrigerator door assembly. The movable component can be any part that the user wishes to open or close automatically or manually, and the user can select the appropriate movable component according to actual usage needs; this disclosure does not impose any restrictions.

[0255] The transmission assembly 44 is used to intermittently connect the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. When the transmission assembly 44 connects and fixes the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, the motor can drive the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 to rotate synchronously, thereby driving the movable component to achieve automatic opening and closing. When the transmission assembly 44 separates the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, the driven member 42 is no longer controlled by the motor's rotation, and the user can manually open and close the movable component.

[0256] In this example, with mating component 441 mounted on driving component 41 and clutch component 442 mounted on driven component 42, driving component 41 can be configured as a driving shaft extending along the X direction, and driven component 42 can be configured as a driven shaft coaxially arranged with driving component 41 along the X direction. The two ends of the driving shaft, spaced apart along the X direction, can be used to connect the output shaft of the motor and mating component 441, respectively. When the motor drives driving component 41 to rotate, driving component 41 can drive mating component 441 to rotate together with driving component 41, so that the power of the motor can be transmitted to clutch component 442 when mating component 441 is connected to clutch component 442, and then driven by clutch component 442 to rotate, realizing the linkage between driving component 41 and driven component 42. Driving component 41 and output shaft of the motor can be connected by a coupling; this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0257] Referring to Figures 19 and 20, in order to connect the mating part 441 and the clutch part 442, the mating part 441 can be fitted with an electromagnetic coil 443. The electromagnetic coil 443 generates a magnetic field when energized, so as to attract the clutch part 442 to move by magnetic attraction, and then connect with the mating part 441.

[0258] In Figure 19, since the clutch 442 is in the disengaged state, the driven member 42 can move counterclockwise or clockwise without interfering with the movement of the driving member 41, and the driven member 42 is not subject to the rotation control of the motor. That is, the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the transmission assembly 44 and the driving member 41, which is convenient for manual operation by the user.

[0259] When the driving member 41 is driven to rotate by the motor, the electromagnetic coil 443 is energized and generates a magnetic field, causing the clutch member 442 to move in the opposite direction of X under magnetic attraction, connecting and fixing with the mating member 441 to form the transmission state shown in Figure 20. In this way, through the connection between the clutch member 442 and the mating member 441, the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are linked, that is, the motor can drive the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 to rotate synchronously.

[0260] In Figure 20, when the motor no longer outputs torque, the driving member 41 stops rotating, the electromagnetic coil 443 is de-energized and no longer generates a magnetic field, causing the magnetic attraction between the clutch member 442 and the mating member 441 to disappear. The clutch member 442 can move along the X direction and separate from the mating member 441, thus resetting to the separated state in Figure 2. This achieves the separation of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, discontinuing the transmission between them. The driven member 42 can rotate freely relative to the driving member 41 under external force without needing to drag the driving member 41 to rotate synchronously. Thus, the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure can achieve the linkage or separation of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42.

[0261] Therefore, during use, when the driving member 41 is driven to rotate by the motor, the electromagnetic coil 443 is energized and generates a magnetic field, causing the clutch member 442 to move towards the mating member 441 under magnetic attraction and connect with the mating member 441, thereby realizing the linkage between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. When the motor no longer outputs torque, the driving member 41 stops rotating, the electromagnetic coil 443 is de-energized and no longer generates a magnetic field, causing the magnetic attraction between the clutch member 442 and the mating member 441 to disappear, and the clutch member 442 can return to the disengaged state separated from the mating member 441, thereby realizing the disconnection of the transmission between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, and the driven member 42 can rotate freely relative to the driving member 41 under external force without dragging the driving member 41 to rotate synchronously.

[0262] When the clutch 40 of this disclosure is applied to the transmission device between the refrigerator door and the refrigerator body, the driven member 42 can be used to connect the door assembly. When the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 rotate synchronously, the refrigerator door can be automatically opened and closed using an electric drive. When the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are disconnected, the user can manually operate the door to open and close it. The two door opening and closing methods of the refrigerator do not interfere with each other. Simultaneously, when the user manually opens and closes the door, the user does not need to drag the motor to rotate synchronously, which reduces the resistance encountered when manually opening and closing the door. This reduces the load on the user when manually opening and closing the door, allowing the user to open and close the door with less effort, thus improving the user experience.

[0263] The clutch 40 disclosed herein can also be applied to the automatic opening and closing of a refrigerator drawer and cabinet. The driven member 42 can be used to connect the drawer assembly, enabling automatic opening and closing of the drawers via electric drive when the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 rotate synchronously. When the drive member 41 and the driven member 42 are disconnected, the drawers can be manually opened and closed by the user; this will not be elaborated upon in this disclosure.

[0264] Therefore, the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure can drive the clutch element 442 to move through the magnetic attraction force generated by the energization of the electromagnetic coil 443, without the need for gear assembly to drive the clutch element 442 to move, thereby simplifying the transmission structure and transmission method of the clutch 40 and reducing the production cost of the clutch 40.

[0265] Furthermore, it is understood that the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure drives the clutch element 442 to move by the magnetic attraction force generated by the energization of the electromagnetic coil 443. This simplifies the transmission structure of the clutch 40 and reduces the structural size of the clutch 40, thereby reducing the installation space occupied by the clutch 40 in the refrigerator after it is installed.

[0266] In one embodiment, to facilitate the connection between the mating part 441 and the clutch part 442, the clutch part 442 can be made of a soft magnetic material, and the electromagnetic coil 443 is spirally wound around the outside of the mating part 441. After the electromagnetic coil 443 is energized, the mating part 441 and the clutch part 442 are magnetically attracted to each other.

[0267] It should be noted that soft magnets are easily magnetized and easily demagnetized. When the electromagnetic coil 443 is energized and generates a magnetic field, the clutch 442 can be magnetized to connect with the mating part 441 through magnetic attraction. When the electromagnetic coil 443 is de-energized and no longer generates a magnetic field, the clutch 442 can be demagnetized to separate from the mating part 441. The clutch 442 can be made of various soft magnets such as iron, low-carbon steel, iron-silicon alloy, iron-aluminum alloy, iron-silicon-aluminum alloy, nickel-iron alloy, iron-cobalt alloy, or soft magnetic ferrite; this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0268] Referring to Figure 21, which is a schematic diagram of the clutch 442 according to one embodiment, in one embodiment, to facilitate the installation of the clutch 442 and the driven member 42, the driven member 42 is provided with a first non-cylindrical body 421, and the clutch 442 is provided with a first mating hole 4421. The first non-cylindrical body 421 is in a transmission engagement with the first mating hole 4421, so that the clutch 442 drives the driven member 42 to rotate, and the first non-cylindrical body 421 is in a sliding engagement with the first mating hole 4421 along the rotation direction of the driven member 42.

[0269] It should be noted that when the clutch 442 is disposed on the driven member 42, after the electromagnetic coil 443 is energized, the clutch 442 can be magnetically attracted to slide along the driven member 42 and connect with the mating member 441, forming a transmission state. The clutch 442 and the driven member 42 can be installed by plugging them together, simplifying the installation process. Simultaneously, the plugging of the clutch 442 and the driven member 42 allows the clutch 442 to slide relative to the driven member 42 under magnetic attraction, connecting with the mating member 441 and forming a transmission state. As an example, the first non-cylindrical body 421 can be configured with a clearance fit with the first mating hole 4421 to facilitate the sliding of the clutch 442 relative to the driven member 42.

[0270] Meanwhile, by setting the first non-cylindrical body 421 and the first mating hole 4421, relative rotation between the clutch 442 and the driven member 42 can be avoided during rotation, so that the clutch 442 can transmit the power of the driving member 41 to the driven member 42, realizing synchronous rotation of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. As an example, the first non-cylindrical body 421 can be an elliptical cylinder, and the first mating hole 4421 can be an elliptical hole; or, the first non-cylindrical body 421 can be a prism, and the first mating hole 4421 can be a polygonal hole that mates with the prism. This disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0271] Of course, in other embodiments, the mating member 441 can also be disposed on the driven member 42, and the clutch member 442 can be disposed on the driving member 41. The driving member 41 is provided with a second non-cylindrical body 411, and the clutch member 442 is provided with a second mating hole 4422. The second non-cylindrical body 411 is driven to engage with the second mating hole 4422, so that the driving member 41 drives the clutch member 442 to rotate, and the second non-cylindrical body 411 is slidably engaged with the second mating hole 4422 along the rotation direction of the driving member 41.

[0272] It should be noted that when the mating part 441 is disposed on the driven part 42, after the electromagnetic coil 443 is energized, the clutch part 442 can be magnetically attracted and slide along the driving part 41 to connect with the mating part 441, forming a transmission state. Correspondingly, the second non-cylindrical body 411 can be configured with a clearance fit with the second mating hole 4422 to facilitate the sliding of the clutch part 442 relative to the driving part 41. The second non-cylindrical body 411 can be an elliptical cylinder, and the second mating hole 4422 can be an elliptical hole; or, the second non-cylindrical body 411 can be a prism, and the second mating hole 4422 can be a polygonal hole that mates with the prism. This disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0273] Referring to Figures 21 and 22, Figure 21 is a structural schematic diagram of the mating component 441 shown in one embodiment. Figure 22 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch component 442 shown in one embodiment. In one embodiment, to ensure a stable connection between the mating component 441 and the clutch component 442, one of the mating component 441 and the clutch component 442 is provided with a slot 4423, and the other of the mating component 441 and the clutch component 442 is provided with a locking block 4411. When the clutch component 442 is in the driving state, the locking block 4411 is engaged with the slot 4423. When the clutch component 442 is in the disengaged state, the locking block 4411 is disengaged from the slot 4423.

[0274] With this configuration, in the driving state of the clutch 442, the clutch 442 and the mating part 441 can not only be magnetically attracted together, but also form an insertion engagement with the locking block 4411 through the locking groove 4423, thereby increasing the connection area and improving transmission reliability. Simultaneously, in the disengaged state of the clutch 442, the locking block 4411 can easily disengage from the locking groove 4423, realizing the separation of the mating part 441 from the clutch 442.

[0275] Referring to Figures 23 and 24, Figure 23 is an exploded view of the clutch 40 shown in Figure 18 from one perspective. Figure 24 is an exploded view of the clutch 40 shown in Figure 18 from another perspective. In some embodiments, to facilitate the reset of the clutch 442 to the disengaged state, the transmission assembly 44 further includes a reset member 444, which is disposed on at least one of the clutch 442 and the engagement member 441, enabling the clutch 442 to be reset to the disengaged state.

[0276] In some embodiments, the reset member 444 includes an elastic member, and the clutch member 442 can be elastically reset to a disengaged state by means of the elastic member. As an example, the elastic member includes a spring, the mating member 441 is provided with a mounting groove 4412 and a connecting post 4413 disposed in the mounting groove 4412, the clutch member 442 is provided with an assembly groove 4424 corresponding to the mounting groove 4412 and a mating post 4425 disposed in the assembly groove 4424, and the spring is sleeved between the connecting post 4413 and the mating post 4425.

[0277] Thus, when the clutch 442 and the mating part 441 are connected by magnetic attraction to form a transmission state, the connecting post 4413 and the mating post 4425 can also approach each other, causing the spring to be compressed and deformed. When the magnetic attraction between the clutch 442 and the mating part 441 disappears, the spring can restore its deformation and push the clutch 442 away from the mating part 441, causing the clutch 442 and the mating part 441 to separate, thereby resetting the clutch 442 to the disengaged state.

[0278] The spring can be configured as a conical spring, with different radial dimensions at its two ends due to its taper. Thus, the smaller diameter end of the conical spring can be fitted with the connecting post 4413, and the larger diameter end can be fitted with the mating post 4425. This configuration, by using a conical spring as the elastic element, allows the spring to utilize its elastic restoring force to move the clutch 442 away from the mating part 441 to return to the disengaged state. Simultaneously, the spring's stiffness can be adjusted by changing its taper, ensuring an effective connection between the conical spring, the clutch 442, and the mating part 441. Understandably, due to the shape characteristics of the conical spring, it can also provide a greater compression amount than a conventional cylindrical spring at the same compression height, thereby saving internal installation space in the clutch 40 and improving the compactness of the clutch 40's structure.

[0279] Referring to Figures 25 and 26, Figure 25 is a schematic diagram of a clutch 40 with a protective housing 43 installed according to one embodiment. Figure 26 is a schematic diagram of the clutch 40 shown in Figure 25 without the protective housing 43. In some embodiments, the clutch 40 further includes a protective housing 43, which has a protective cavity in which the driving member 41, the driven member 42, and the transmission assembly 44 are rotatably encapsulated. At least a portion of the driving member 41 and at least a portion of the driven member 42 are exposed outside the protective housing 43.

[0280] For example, the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are respectively connected to the protective housing 43 via bearings 45. Furthermore, at least a portion of the driving member 41 is exposed outside the protective housing 43 to facilitate connection to the motor's output shaft. At least a portion of the driven member 42 is exposed outside the protective housing 43 to facilitate connection to movable components such as door assemblies or drawer assemblies. Thus, the clutch 40 can utilize the protective housing 43 to protect the driving member 41, the driven member 42, and the transmission assembly 44, preventing external particles or other debris from entering the transmission structure and causing the clutch 40 to seize. Simultaneously, lubricating grease can be provided inside the protective cavity to lubricate the transmission structure of the clutch 40, reducing wear between the transmission structures and improving the durability of the clutch 40.

[0281] In addition to the clutch component in the above embodiments, this application also provides another clutch component, which will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0282] Referring to Figures 27 to 29, Figure 27 is a structural schematic diagram of a clutch 40 according to an embodiment. Figure 28 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch 40 shown in Figure 27 along line AA (clutch 40 in the disengaged state). Figure 29 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch 40 shown in Figure 28 in the transmission state. The clutch 40 provided in this disclosure includes a driving member 41, a driven member 42, and a transmission assembly 44. The driven member 42 includes an output portion 421 and a mating portion 422 connected to the output portion 421, and the mating portion 422 is provided with a connecting portion 423. The driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are rotatably disposed, and the driving member 41 is provided with a helical groove 411 extending along the axial direction of the driving member 41. The transmission assembly 44 includes a transmission member 441 movably disposed within the helical groove 411 and a clutch member 442 that is in transmission engagement with the transmission member 441. The clutch member 442 is slidably disposed relative to the driving member 41 along the axial direction of the driving member 41, and has a transmission state connected to the connecting portion 423 and a disengaged state separated from the connecting portion 423. The clutch 442 can be reset to the disengaged state, and the transmission member 441 can rotate with the driving member 41 to move along the helical groove 411, pushing the clutch 442 from the disengaged state to the transmission state. When the clutch 442 is in the transmission state, the driving member 41 can drive the transmission assembly 44 and the driven member 42 to rotate. When the clutch 442 is in the disengaged state, the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the transmission assembly 44 and the driving member 41.

[0283] It should be noted that the driving component 41 is used to connect to the output shaft of the motor, and the driven component 42 is used to connect to a movable component that can be driven by the motor or manually by the user. For example, when it is necessary to drive the drawer 50 of the refrigerator 1 to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the drawer 50 component of the refrigerator 1. Or, when it is necessary to drive the door 10 of the refrigerator 1 to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the door 10 component of the refrigerator 1. The movable component can be any part that the user wants to be able to open and close automatically or manually, and the user can select the appropriate movable component according to actual usage needs. This disclosure does not impose any restrictions.

[0284] The transmission assembly 44 is used to intermittently connect the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. When the transmission assembly 44 connects and fixes the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, the motor can drive the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 to rotate synchronously, thereby driving the movable component to achieve automatic opening and closing. When the transmission assembly 44 separates the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, the driven member 42 is no longer controlled by the motor's rotation, and the user can manually open and close the movable component.

[0285] The driving member 41 can be configured as a driving shaft extending along the X direction. One end of the driving shaft, spaced apart along the X direction, can be connected to the output shaft of the motor. The helical groove 411 can extend along the X direction and be disposed on the driving member 41 to transmit the power of the motor to the transmission member 441, and then transmit the power to the driven member 42 through the transmission assembly 44, so as to facilitate the automatic opening and closing of the movable component. The driving shaft and the output shaft of the motor can be connected by a coupling 36, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0286] To facilitate the transmission of power from the motor to the transmission member 441 by the driving member 41, the transmission member 441 can be configured as a roller capable of moving within the helical groove 411. The roller can be of various shapes, such as ball bearings or needle rollers, as long as it allows the transmission member 441 to move within the helical groove 411 as the driving member 41 rotates. In this way, through the transmission engagement between the transmission member 441 and the driving member 41, the rotation of the driving member 41 can be converted into the axial movement of the transmission member 441 along the driving member 41, thereby driving the clutch member 442 to form a transmission state connected to the connecting part 423 and a disengagement state separated from the connecting part 423.

[0287] The output portion 421 of the driven member 42 is used to connect with the movable component, and the mating portion 422 of the driven member 42 is used to intermittently engage with the driving member 41 via the transmission assembly 44. The driven member 42 can be coaxially arranged with the driving member 41 along the X direction to facilitate the transmission of the motor's rotational force.

[0288] To facilitate the connection between the clutch 442 and the driven member 42, the mating part 422 may be provided with a connecting part 423. When the clutch 442 is pushed by the transmission member 441 to connect with the connecting part 423, the clutch 442 can be fixedly connected to the driven member 42. The clutch 442 can drive the driven member 42 to rotate with the driving member 41, realizing the linkage between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. It is understood that the connecting part 423 includes a groove 424 recessed in the mating part 422. The clutch 442 can be inserted into the groove 424 in the transmission state to make the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 linked. The clutch 442 can be disengaged from the groove 424 in the disengagement state to separate the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. In other embodiments, the connecting part 423 may also include a protrusion protruding from the mating part 422. The clutch 442 can be inserted into the protrusion in the transmission state to make the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 linked. The clutch 442 can be separated from the convex body in the disengaged state so that the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 can be separated, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0289] Referring to Figures 28 and 29, taking the connecting portion 423 as an example where the slot 424 is configured, at least a portion of the clutch 442 is inserted into the slot 424, so that the clutch 442 is in a driving state. For example, the clutch 442 may be provided with a locking block 4423 for engaging with the slot 424 in the driving state.

[0290] In Figure 28, since the clutch 442 is in the disengaged state, the driven member 42 can move counterclockwise or clockwise without interfering with the movement of the driving member 41, and the driven member 42 is not subject to the rotation control of the motor. That is, the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the transmission assembly 44 and the driving member 41, which is convenient for manual operation by the user.

[0291] When the transmission component 441 is driven by the driving component 41 to move along the spiral groove 411, the transmission component 441 can push the clutch component 442 to move in the X direction, so that the clutch component 442 can be inserted into the slot 424 on the driven component 42, thereby fixing the clutch component 442 and the driven component 42, forming the transmission state shown in Figure 29. At this time, the driving component 41 and the driven component 42 in Figure 29 are connected due to the insertion of the clutch component 442 into the slot 424. The motor connected to the driving component 41 can drive the driving component 41 and the driven component 42 to rotate synchronously, that is, the driving component 41 can drive the transmission component 44 and the driven component 42 to rotate.

[0292] In Figure 29, when the motor stops outputting torque, the driving member 41 no longer drives the transmission member 441 to move along the spiral groove 411, and the clutch member 442 can slide to reset, that is, the clutch member 442 moves in the opposite direction of X and separates from the slot 424 of the driven member 42, so that the clutch member 442 can separate from the driven member 42 and reset to form the separation state in Figure 28.

[0293] Therefore, when the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure is in use, the driving member 41 can be driven by a motor to drive the transmission member 441 to rotate. The transmission member 441 rotates with the driving member 41 and moves along the helical groove 411 to push the clutch member 442 to slide relative to the driving member 41 along the axial direction of the driving member 41. This connects and fixes the clutch member 442 to the connecting portion 423 of the driven member 42, forming a transmission state for the clutch member 442. This achieves a fixed connection between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, allowing them to rotate synchronously. When the motor no longer outputs torque, the driving member 41 stops rotating and no longer drives the transmission member 441 to move within the helical groove 411. The clutch member 442 can reset to a state of separation from the connecting portion 423, thus separating the driving member 41 from the driven member 42. The driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are disconnected from the transmission, allowing the driven member 42 to rotate freely relative to the driving member 41 under external force without needing to drag the driving member 41 to rotate synchronously. Thus, the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure can achieve the linkage or separation of the driving element 41 and the driven element 42 through a mechanical clutch transmission method.

[0294] Thus, the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure can achieve the linkage or disengagement of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 through a mechanical clutch transmission method. When the clutch 40 is applied to the transmission device 30 between the refrigerator door 10 and the refrigerator body 20, the driven member 42 can be used to connect the door 10 assembly. When the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 rotate synchronously, the refrigerator door 10 can be automatically opened and closed by electric drive. When the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are disengaged, the user can manually operate the door 10. Therefore, the clutch 40, through a mechanical clutch transmission method, enables the refrigerator door 10 to be opened and closed automatically by electric drive and manually by the user without interference. Simultaneously, when the user manually opens and closes the door 10, the user does not need to drive the motor to rotate synchronously, reducing the resistance encountered when manually opening and closing the door 10. This reduces the load on the user when manually opening and closing the door, allowing the user to open and close the door 10 with less effort, thus improving the user experience.

[0295] Furthermore, the clutch 40 of this disclosure can also be applied to the automatic opening and closing of the refrigerator drawer 50 and the cabinet 20. The driven member 42 can be used to connect the drawer 50 assembly. When the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 rotate synchronously, the refrigerator can automatically open and close the drawer 50 by electric drive. When the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are disconnected from the transmission, the user can manually operate the drawer 50 to open and close. This disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0296] Therefore, the clutch 40 disclosed herein operates through a mechanical clutch transmission method, which has a simple structure and low production cost.

[0297] Referring to Figures 30 and 31, the spiral groove 411 includes a mounting part 4111 and a transmission part 4112 communicating with the mounting part 4111. The transmission member 441 moves from the mounting part 4111 to the transmission part 4112 as the driving member 41 rotates, so as to push the clutch member 442 to the transmission state.

[0298] It should be noted that the mounting part 4111 allows the transmission member 441 to be installed into the spiral groove 411, and the transmission part 4112 is used to limit the distance the transmission member 441 moves along the spiral groove 411, so as to engage with the clutch member 442 to drive the clutch member 442 to move. The mounting part 4111 and the transmission part 4112 can extend along the X direction in the figure. In order to enable the motor 32 to drive the transmission member 441 to push the clutch member 442 to the transmission state in the forward and reverse states respectively, the transmission part 4112 may also include a forward rotation part 4112a and a reverse rotation part 4112b. The mounting part 4111 is connected between the forward rotation part 4112a and the reverse rotation part 4112b, and the rotation directions of the forward rotation part 4112a and the reverse rotation part 4112b are opposite. In the disengaged state of the clutch member 442, the transmission member 441 is in the mounting part 4111. In the driving state of the clutch 442, the transmission member 441 is in either the forward rotation section 4112a or the reverse rotation section 4112b. As an example, the forward rotation section 4112a can be rotated clockwise along the axis of the driving member 41, and the reverse rotation section 4112b can be rotated counterclockwise along the axis of the driving member 41.

[0299] In some embodiments, the transmission part 4112 and the mounting part 4111 are configured with a smooth transition. This allows the clutch 442 to smoothly switch between the transmission state and the disengagement state.

[0300] Referring to Figure 32, to facilitate the installation of the transmission component 441 between the clutch component 442 and the driving component 41, the clutch component 442 may be provided with a mating groove 4421 corresponding to the helical groove 411, and the transmission component 441 is disposed between the helical groove 411 and the mating groove 4421. In this way, the clearance space formed by the mating groove 4421 facilitates the assembly of the transmission component 441 into the helical groove 411, thereby enabling the transmission component 441 to move within the helical groove 411.

[0301] Referring to Figures 28, 29, and 32, to facilitate the movement of the clutch 442 by the transmission member 441, the mating groove 4421 is provided with an abutment wall 4421a. The abutment wall 4421a is disposed between the mounting portion 4111 and the transmission portion 4112 of the spiral groove 411, and the transmission member 441 is disposed between the mounting portion 4111 and the abutment wall 4421a. As the driving member 41 rotates, the transmission member 441 pushes the abutment wall 4421a to move in the direction from the mounting portion 4111 to the transmission portion 4112, thereby pushing the clutch 442 to move and pushing the clutch 442 to the transmission state.

[0302] It should be noted that the abutment wall 4421a can extend along the Y direction in the figure to protrude from the bottom wall of the mating groove 4421. Thus, after the transmission member 441 is installed between the spiral groove 411 and the mating groove 4421, when the transmission member 441 moves within the spiral groove 411, the transmission member 441 abuts against the abutment wall 4421a of the clutch member 442, thereby pushing the abutment portion to move along the mounting portion 4111 of the spiral groove 411 towards the transmission portion 4112 (as shown in the X direction in the figure), and further pushing the clutch member 442 to move.

[0303] To increase the contact area between the abutment wall 4421a and the transmission member 441, and to facilitate the transmission member 441 in pushing the clutch member 442 to move, the abutment wall 4421a is provided with an arc-shaped surface adapted to the shape of the transmission member 441. For example, when the transmission member 441 is configured as a sphere, the arc-shaped surface of the abutment wall 4421a can be configured as a concave surface adapted to the sphere.

[0304] In some embodiments, to facilitate the installation of the clutch element 442 and the driving element 41, the clutch element 442 is further provided with a sliding groove 4422, and a mating groove 4421 can be disposed on the side wall of the sliding groove 4422. The driving element 41 is rotatably disposed within the sliding groove 4422, and the clutch element 442 is slidably disposed relative to the driving element 41. The transmission element 441 is disposed between the helical groove 411 and the mating groove 4421 to drive the clutch element 442 to move as the driving element 41 rotates. In this way, the driving element 41 and the transmission element 441 can be disposed within the sliding groove 4422 of the clutch element 442, so as to realize the mechanical clutch transmission of the clutch 40, and at the same time, it is convenient to make full use of the internal space of the clutch element 442 to integrate and install the driving element 41 and the transmission element 441, making the structure of the clutch 40 more tightly fitted, which is beneficial to improving the structural compactness of the clutch 40. At the same time, this arrangement can also encapsulate and protect the transmission element 441 and the helical groove 411.

[0305] In some embodiments, the driving member 41 includes an input portion 412 and a rotating portion 413 connected to the input portion 412. The rotating portion 413 protrudes from the input portion 412, and a helical groove 411 is provided on the rotating portion 413. The input portion 412 can be used to connect to the output shaft of the motor 32, and the radial dimension of the rotating portion 413 can be larger than the radial dimension of the input portion 412 to avoid affecting the structural strength of the driving member 41 due to the helical groove 411.

[0306] Furthermore, when the driving member 41 is connected to the clutch member 442, the rotating part 413 is rotatably disposed within the slide groove 4422. The rotating part 413 abuts against the bottom wall of the slide groove 4422 when the clutch member 442 is disengaged, and separates from the bottom wall of the slide groove 4422 when the clutch member 442 is in operation. Thus, by cooperating with the bottom wall of the slide groove 4422, axial positioning can be formed between the driving member 41 and the clutch member 442, limiting the reset distance of the clutch member 442 and preventing the clutch member 442 from disengaging from the driving member 41.

[0307] Referring to Figures 33 and 34, in some embodiments, to facilitate the clutch 442 to be reset to the disengaged state, the transmission assembly 44 further includes a reset member 443, which is disposed on at least one of the clutch 442 and the mating part 422, so that the clutch 442 can be reset to the disengaged state.

[0308] In some embodiments, the reset member 443 includes an elastic member, and the clutch member 442 can be elastically reset to a disengaged state by means of the elastic member. As an example, the elastic member includes a spring, the connecting portion 423 is provided with a mounting groove 425 and a connecting post 426 disposed in the mounting groove 425, the clutch member 442 is provided with an assembly groove 4424 corresponding to the mounting groove 425 and a mating post 4425 disposed in the assembly groove 4424, and the spring is sleeved between the connecting post 426 and the mating post 4425.

[0309] Thus, when the transmission component 441 pushes the clutch component 442 to connect with the connecting part 423 to form a transmission state, the connecting post 426 and the mating post 4425 can also approach each other, causing the spring to be compressed and deformed. After the clutch component 442 and the driven component 42 are inserted and fixed, the linkage between the driving component 41 and the driven component 42 can be realized. When the transmission component 441 stops rotating, the transmission component 441 no longer pushes against the clutch component 442, and the spring can restore its deformation to push the clutch component 442 away from the connecting part 423, so that the clutch component 442 and the driven component 42 are separated, thereby resetting the clutch component 442 to the separated state.

[0310] The spring can be configured as a conical spring, with different radial dimensions at its two ends due to its taper. The smaller diameter end of the conical spring can be fitted with the connecting post 426 of the driven member 42, while the larger diameter end can be fitted with the mating post 4425 of the clutch member 442. This configuration, by using a conical spring as the elastic element, allows the spring to utilize its elastic restoring force to move the clutch member 442 away from the driven member 42 to return to the disengaged state. Simultaneously, the spring's stiffness can be adjusted by changing its taper, ensuring an effective connection between the conical spring, the clutch member 442, and the driven member 42. Understandably, due to the shape characteristics of the conical spring, it can also provide a greater compression amount than a conventional cylindrical spring at the same compression height, thereby saving internal installation space in the clutch 40 and improving the structural compactness of the clutch 40.

[0311] In other embodiments, the reset member 443 can also be configured as a magnetic attraction assembly (not shown in the figure), which realizes the reset of the clutch member 442 through the magnetic attraction between the magnetic attraction assemblies. For example, a part of the side wall of the driven member 42 is provided with a first magnetic attraction member, and the side wall of the clutch member 442 is provided with a second magnetic attraction member that cooperates with the first magnetic attraction member. The first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member are separated in the transmission state, and the first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member are attracted in the separated state. Thus, when the transmission member 441 drives the clutch member 442 to move toward the driven member 42, the clutch member 442 can overcome the magnetic force between the first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member and engage with the slot 424, so that the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are connected. When the transmission member 441 no longer drives the clutch member 442 to move, the magnetic attraction between the first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member can drive the clutch member 442 to separate from the driven member 42. Of course, in other embodiments, the magnetic repulsion component can also be used to generate a magnetic repulsion reset force, so that the clutch 442 can be magnetically repulsed and reset to the separated state, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0312] In some embodiments, multiple transmission members 441 may be provided, multiple driving members 41 may be provided, and clutch members 442 may be provided in mating grooves 4421 corresponding to the spiral grooves 411 for the transmission members 441 to be installed. As an example, one, two, three, or four transmission members 441 may be provided, and this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0313] Referring to Figures 35 and 36, in some embodiments, the clutch 40 further includes a protective housing 43. The driving member 41, the driven member 42, and the transmission assembly 44 are rotatably enclosed within the protective housing 43. For example, the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are connected to the protective housing 43 via bearings 45. Furthermore, at least a portion of the driving member 41 is exposed outside the protective housing 43 to facilitate connection to the output shaft of the motor. At least a portion of the driven member 42 is exposed outside the protective housing 43 to facilitate connection to movable components such as the door assembly 10 or the drawer assembly 50. Thus, the clutch 40 can utilize the protective housing 43 to protect the driving member 41, the driven member 42, and the transmission assembly 44, preventing external particles or other debris from entering the transmission structure and causing the clutch 40 to seize. Simultaneously, lubricating grease can be provided inside the protective housing 43 of the clutch 40 to lubricate the transmission structure of the clutch 40, reduce wear between the transmission structures, and improve the durability of the clutch 40.

[0314] In addition to the clutch component in the above embodiments, this application also provides another clutch component, which will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0315] Referring to Figures 37 to 40, Figure 37 is a schematic diagram of the clutch structure according to an embodiment. Figure 38 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 37 along AA. Figure 39 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 38 along BB (clutch in disengaged state). Figure 40 is a schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 39 in the driving state. The clutch 40 provided in this disclosure includes a driving member 41, a driven member 42, and a transmission assembly 44. The driven member 42 includes an output portion 421 and a mating portion 422 that is drivingly connected to the output portion 421. The mating portion 422 is provided with a receiving groove 423 and a connecting portion 424 disposed on the side wall of the receiving groove 423. The transmission assembly 44 includes a transmission member 441 that is drivingly connected to the driving member 41, a clutch member 442 that is drivingly engaged with the transmission member 441, and a rotating member 443 that is rotatably disposed in the receiving groove 423. The rotating member 443 is provided with a guide portion 4431, and the clutch member 442 is slidably engaged with the guide portion 4431. It has a transmission state in which it is engaged with the connecting portion 424, and a disengaged state in which it is separated from the connecting portion 424. The clutch member 442 can be reset to the disengaged state, and the transmission member 441 can rotate relative to the rotating member 443 and rotate with the driving member 41, pushing the clutch member 442 from the disengaged state to the transmission state. When the clutch member 442 is in the transmission state, the driving member 41 can drive the transmission assembly 44 and the driven member 42 to rotate. When the clutch member 442 is in the disengaged state, the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the transmission assembly 44 and the driving member 41.

[0316] It should be noted that the driving component 41 can be connected to the output shaft of the motor, and the driven component 42 is used to connect to a movable component that can be driven by the motor or manually by the user. For example, when it is necessary to drive the refrigerator drawer to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the refrigerator drawer assembly. Or, when it is necessary to drive the refrigerator door to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the refrigerator door assembly. The movable component can be any part that the user wishes to open or close automatically or manually, and the user can select the appropriate movable component according to actual usage needs; this disclosure does not impose any restrictions.

[0317] The transmission assembly 44 is used to intermittently connect the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. When the transmission assembly 44 connects and fixes the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, the motor can drive the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 to rotate synchronously, thereby driving the movable component to open and close automatically. When the transmission assembly 44 separates the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, the driven member 42 is no longer controlled by the motor's rotation, and the user can manually open and close the movable component.

[0318] The driving component 41 can be configured as a driving shaft extending along the X direction. The two ends of the driving shaft, spaced apart along the X direction, are respectively connected to the output shaft of the motor and the transmission component 441 to transmit the motor's power to the transmission component 441, and then to the driven component 42 via the transmission assembly 44, facilitating the automatic opening and closing of the movable components. To facilitate the transmission of the motor's power to the transmission component 441, the driving component 41 and the transmission component 441 can be integrally formed or have an interference fit; this disclosure does not impose any limitations. The driving component 41 and the motor's output shaft can be connected via a coupling 36; this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0319] The output portion 421 of the driven member 42 is used to connect with the moving component, and the mating portion 422 of the driven member 42 is used to mate with the clutch component 442. The driven member 42 can be coaxially arranged with the driving member 41 in the X direction to facilitate the transmission of the motor's rotational force. Simultaneously, the mating portion 422 of the driven member 42 can be provided with a receiving groove 423, and the transmission component 44 can be disposed within the receiving groove 423. This arrangement allows for the full utilization of the internal space of the clutch 40 to integrate the transmission component 44 while achieving mechanical clutch transmission, resulting in a tighter structural fit for the clutch 40 and improving its structural compactness. Furthermore, this arrangement also provides encapsulation and protection for the transmission component 44.

[0320] To achieve mechanical clutch transmission of the clutch 40, the transmission assembly 44 includes a transmission member 441 that is drively connected to the driving member 41, a clutch member 442 that is drively engaged with the transmission member 441, and a rotating member 443 that is rotatably disposed in the receiving groove 423 of the driven member 42. The clutch member 442 may be disposed between the transmission member 441 and the driven member 42.

[0321] In order to facilitate the transmission and engagement of the transmission component 441 and the clutch component 442, the transmission component 441 can be configured as a non-circular structure such as a cam, elliptical cylinder or prism, so that the rotation of the transmission component 441 can drive the clutch component 442 to slide back and forth relative to the rotating component 443, thereby enabling the clutch component 442 to have a transmission state and a disengagement state.

[0322] To facilitate the synchronous rotation of the driven member 42 by the clutch 442 in the transmission state, a connecting portion 424 is provided on the side wall of the receiving groove 423 of the driven member 42. When the clutch 442 moves towards the side wall of the receiving groove 423, the clutch 442 can connect with the connecting portion 424 to fix it to the side wall of the receiving groove 423. As an example, the connecting portion 424 includes a slot recessed in the side wall of the receiving groove 423. The clutch 442 can be inserted into the slot in the transmission state, and the clutch 442 can disengage from the slot in the disengagement state. In other embodiments, the connecting portion 424 may also include a block protruding from the side wall of the receiving groove 423. The clutch 442 can press against or side-press against the block in the transmission state, and the clutch 442 can separate from the block in the disengagement state. This disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0323] Understandably, to facilitate the connection between the clutch 442 and the connecting part 424, the rotating part 443 is provided with a guide part 4431 corresponding to the connecting part 424. The guide part 4431 can be used to guide the clutch 442 to connect or separate from the connecting part 424. As an example, the guide part 4431 includes a guide groove recessed in the rotating part 443. The clutch 442 can be slidably connected to the guide groove. The guide groove and the slot are connected in the transmission state, so that the clutch 442 can slide along the guide groove to be inserted and fixed into the slot.

[0324] Referring to Figures 39 and 40, taking the connecting part 424 as a slot as an example, the clutch 442 can be inserted into the slot to form a transmission state. In Figure 39, since the clutch 442 is in the disengaged state, i.e., disengaged from the slot, the driven member 42 can move counterclockwise or clockwise without interfering with the movement of the driving member 41. That is, the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the transmission assembly 44 and the driving member 41, facilitating manual operation by the user. When the transmission member 441 is driven by the driving member 41 to rotate clockwise as shown in Figure 39, the transmission member 441 can push the clutch 442 out of the disengaged state and switch to the transmission state. That is, when the clutch 442 is engaged with the slot, the clutch 442 switches to the transmission state. At this time, the driving member 41 can drive the transmission assembly 44 and the driven member 42 to rotate, as shown in Figure 40. At this time, the motor drives the driving member 41, and drives the driven member 42 and the transmission assembly 44 to rotate synchronously. When the motor stops outputting torque, the clutch 442 is disengaged from the slot by the reset force and resets to the disengaged state shown in Figure 39.

[0325] Therefore, when the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure is in use, the motor can drive the transmission member 441 to rotate using the driving member 41. The transmission member 441, by rotating, can push the clutch member 442 to slide relative to the rotating member 443, so that the clutch member 442 is connected to the connecting part 424 to form a transmission state, thereby realizing the synchronous rotation of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. When the motor stops rotating, the transmission member 441 no longer pushes against the clutch member 442, and the clutch member 442 can return to the disengaged state from the connecting part 424, thereby realizing the separation of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, and the disengagement of the driven member 42 from the motor. The user can manually open and close the clutch without dragging the motor end to rotate.

[0326] Thus, the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure can achieve the linkage or disengagement of the driving element 41 and the driven element 42 through a mechanical clutch transmission method. Therefore, when the clutch 40 is applied between the door 10 and the body 20 of the refrigerator 1, the refrigerator 1 can be opened and closed automatically by electric drive or manually by the user, and the two opening and closing methods do not interfere with each other. Simultaneously, when the user manually opens and closes the door 10, the user does not need to drive the motor to rotate synchronously, which reduces the resistance encountered when manually opening and closing the door 10. This reduces the load on the user when manually opening and closing the door, allowing the user to open and close the door 10 with less effort, thereby improving the user experience.

[0327] Furthermore, the clutch 40 of this disclosure can also be applied to the automatic opening and closing of the drawer 50 and the cabinet 20 of the refrigerator 1. The driven member can be used to connect the drawer 50 assembly. When the driving member 41 and the driven member rotate synchronously, the refrigerator 1 can automatically open and close the drawer 50 by electric drive. When the driving member 41 and the driven member are disconnected from the transmission, the user can manually operate the drawer 50 to open and close. This disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0328] Therefore, the clutch 40 disclosed herein operates through a mechanical clutch transmission method, which has a simple structure and low production cost.

[0329] Understandably, the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure has a compact structure, occupies little installation space, reduces the space required for installation in equipment such as refrigerator 1, and is aesthetically pleasing.

[0330] Referring to Figure 41, in some embodiments, to facilitate the movement of the clutch 442 by the transmission member 441, the transmission member 441 includes a mounting portion 4411 connected to the driving member 41 and a transmission portion 4412 connected to the mounting portion 4411. The transmission portion 4412 includes a protrusion 4412a connected to the mounting portion 4411 and a recess 4412b adjacent to the protrusion 4412a. When the clutch 442 abuts against the protrusion 4412a, the clutch 442 is in a transmission state. When a portion of the clutch 442 is inserted into the recess 4412b, the clutch 442 is in a disengaged state.

[0331] It should be noted that the mounting part 4411 may be provided with a socket, through which the driving member 41 can be inserted and fixed to the mounting part 4411. The socket may be a non-circular hole, and the end of the driving member 41 inserted into the socket may be shaped to fit the socket, thus preventing relative rotation between the driving member 41 and the mounting part 4411. In some embodiments, the socket may also be a circular hole, and after the driving member 41 is inserted into the circular hole, it may be fixed by means of interference fit, adhesive, or welding to prevent relative rotation between the driving member 41 and the mounting part 4411. This disclosure does not impose any limitations. In some embodiments, the driving member 41 may also be integrally formed with the mounting part 4411.

[0332] The transmission part 4412 is used to cooperate with the clutch 442. The protrusion 4412a is used to push the clutch 442 into the slot on the side wall of the receiving groove 423, so that the clutch 442 is in the transmission state. The recess 4412b is used to allow the clutch 442 to disengage from the slot on the side wall of the receiving groove 423, so that the clutch 442 is in the disengaged state. In order to enable the motor to drive the transmission part 441 to push the clutch 442 to the transmission state in both forward and reverse states, two protrusions 4412a of the transmission part 4412 can be provided, and the two protrusions 4412a are spaced apart on both sides of the recess 4412b.

[0333] In some embodiments, the transition between the protrusion 4312a and the recess 4312b is rounded. This allows the clutch 442 to switch smoothly between the driven and disengaged states.

[0334] Referring to Figure 42, in some embodiments, the clutch 442 may have a protrusion 4421 adapted to the shape of the recess 4412b. When the protrusion 4421 abuts against the protrusion 4412a, the clutch 442 is in a driving state. When the protrusion 4421 is inserted into the recess 4412b, the clutch 442 is in a disengaged state. Thus, when the clutch 442 is in a driving state, the protrusion 4412a of the driving part 4412 can abut against the protrusion 4421 of the clutch 442 to increase the movement distance of the clutch 442, so that the clutch 442 can abut against the bottom wall of the slot, thereby increasing the connection reliability between the clutch 442 and the driven part 42. When the clutch 442 is in the disengaged state, the recess 4412b of the transmission part 4412 can accommodate the protrusion 4421 of the clutch 442, so that the clutch 442 can separate from the bottom wall of the slot, thereby disconnecting the connection with the driven part 42.

[0335] In some embodiments, multiple clutches 442 may be provided, and the transmission member 441 may be provided with transmission parts 4412 corresponding one-to-one with the number of clutches 442, so as to push the clutches 442 to the transmission state respectively, thereby increasing the connection area between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 and improving the reliability of synchronous rotation. As an example, one, two, three or four clutches 442 may be provided, and one transmission member 441 may be provided. One transmission member 441 may have one, two, three or four or more transmission parts 4412 corresponding to the number of clutches 442. This disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0336] Referring to Figure 43, in some embodiments, to facilitate the reciprocating movement of the clutch 442 driven by the transmission member 441, the guide portion 4431 of the rotating member 443 is configured as a guide groove, and the rotating member 443 is also provided with a clearance groove 4432 communicating with the guide groove. The transmission member 441 is slidably disposed within the clearance groove 4432. The driving member 41 drives the transmission member 441 to reciprocate within the clearance groove 4432 to push the clutch 442 to slide along the guide groove.

[0337] As an example, the rotating member 443 can be configured as a disc, and the clearance groove 4432 has a rotating part 4432a at the center of the disc and a sliding part 4432b communicating with the rotating part 4432a. The rotating part 4432a can be circular, and the sliding part 4432b can be fan-shaped. When the transmission member 441 is installed with the rotating member 443, the transmission member 441 can be disposed within the clearance groove 4432. The mounting part 4411 of the transmission member 441 is rotatably disposed within the rotating part 4432a of the clearance groove 4432, and the transmission part 4412 of the transmission member 441 is slidably disposed within the fan-shaped part. Furthermore, the rotating part 4432a of the clearance groove 4432 can have a connecting hole through which the driving member 41 passes, and the driving member 41 is connected to the transmission member 441 through the connecting hole.

[0338] Thus, the driving member 41 can drive the transmission member 441 to swing within the clearance groove 4432, thereby pushing the clutch member 442 to slide along the guide groove. For example, when the output shaft of the motor rotates counterclockwise, the left side wall of the transmission part 4412 abuts against the left side wall of the clearance groove 4432, and the right side protrusion 4412a of the transmission part 4412 can rotate to push the clutch member 442, causing part of the clutch member 442 to slide out along the guide groove into the slot, forming a transmission state. When the output shaft of the motor rotates clockwise, the right side wall of the transmission part 4412 abuts against the right side wall of the clearance groove 4432, and the left side protrusion 4412a of the transmission part 4412 can rotate to push the clutch member 442, causing part of the clutch member 442 to slide out along the guide groove into the slot, forming a transmission state. When the two side walls of the transmission member 441 are not pressed against the two side walls of the clearance groove 4432, the protrusion 4421 of the clutch member 442 can be positioned exactly within the recess 4412b of the transmission part 4412, allowing the clutch member 442 to disengage from the slot and retract into the guide groove, thus forming a separated state. In some embodiments, the length direction of the guide groove can be perpendicular to the axial direction of the driving member 41 to facilitate the insertion or disengagement of the clutch member 442 from the slot.

[0339] Referring to Figures 40, 42 and 43, in some embodiments, to facilitate the clutch 442 to be reset to the disengaged state, the transmission assembly 44 further includes a reset member 444, which is disposed in at least one of the clutch 442, the rotating member 443 and the mating part 422, so that the clutch 442 can be reset to the disengaged state.

[0340] In some embodiments, the reset member 444 includes an elastic member. As an example, the elastic member includes a spring sheet, the clutch member 442 has a first slot 4422, and the rotating member 443 also has a second slot 4433 recessed in the sidewall of the guide groove. The spring sheet is inserted into the first slot 4422 and the second slot 4433 to allow the clutch member 442 to elastically reset to the disengaged state. The second slot 4433 has a bearing surface 4433a and a limiting surface 4433b spaced apart along the length of the guide portion 4431. In the driving state, the spring sheet abuts against the limiting surface 4433b; in the disengaged state, the spring sheet abuts against the bearing surface 4433a.

[0341] It should be noted that the spring can undergo tensile deformation in the transmission state and can recover its deformation in the separation state. In the recovery state, the spring can be flat, so the bearing surface 4433a can be planar to increase the contact area with the spring and support the clutch 442. In the transmission state, the spring undergoes tensile deformation. To prevent breakage during deformation and maintain good recovery force, the limiting surface 4433b is inclined relative to the bearing surface 4433a, and the limiting surface 4433b and the bearing surface 4433a form an acute angle. Alternatively, the limiting surface 4433b can be arc-shaped relative to the bearing surface 4433a. In this way, the spring is in a stretched state in the transmission state, forming an arch, and the convex surface of the arch can press against the limiting surface 4433b.

[0342] Therefore, taking Figure 40 as an example, when the transmission member 441 pushes the clutch member 442 into the slot, the clutch member 442 drives the spring piece to move and undergo tensile deformation, causing the spring piece to form an arch shape. When the transmission member 441 no longer pushes the clutch member 442, the spring piece returns from the arch shape to a flat shape (as shown in Figure 39), and the spring piece can drive the clutch member 442 to disengage from the slot to separate from the driven member 42. Of course, in other embodiments, the elastic element can also be a spring, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0343] In other embodiments, the reset member 444 can also be configured as a magnetic attraction assembly, and the clutch member 442 is reset by the magnetic attraction between the magnetic attraction assemblies. For example, a portion of the sidewall of the guide groove is provided with a first magnetic attraction member, and the sidewall of the clutch member 442 is provided with a second magnetic attraction member that cooperates with the first magnetic attraction member. The first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member are separated in the transmission state, and the first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member are attracted to each other in the separated state. Thus, when the transmission member 441 pushes the clutch member 442 to move and engage with the slot, the clutch member 442 can overcome the magnetic force between the first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member and slide relative to the guide groove. When the transmission member 441 no longer pushes the clutch member 442, the magnetic attraction between the first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member can drive the clutch member 442 to disengage from the slot, thereby separating the driven member 42 and the clutch member 442. Of course, in other embodiments, a magnetic repulsion assembly can also be used to generate a magnetic repulsion reset force, so that the clutch member 442 can be magnetically repulsed and reset to the separated state, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0344] Furthermore, in the transmission and disengagement states of the clutch 40 shown in Figures 39 and 40, the driven member 42 is provided as an example on the outer ring of the driving member 41. In other embodiments, the driving member 41 may also be installed on the outer ring of the driven member 42. This disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0345] In some embodiments, the transmission engagement between the clutch 442 and the mating part 422 can be achieved in various ways, including but not limited to meshing transmission, locking transmission, stop transmission, friction transmission, etc.

[0346] Referring to Figures 44 to 46, in some embodiments, to improve the structural compactness of the clutch 40 and reduce the space occupied by the clutch 40, the rotating member 443 can be rotatably connected to the side wall of the receiving groove 423, and the side of the rotating member 443 facing the bottom wall of the receiving groove 423 is provided with a groove, that is, a part of the groove can be used as a guide groove, and a part of the groove can be used as a clearance groove 4432 communicating with the guide groove. In this way, the transmission member 441 and the clutch member 442 can be installed into the groove respectively, and the driving member 41 can pass through the rotating member 443 to extend into the groove and connect with the transmission member 441. This arrangement can improve the structural compactness of the clutch 40 and protect the transmission member 441 and the clutch member 442 through the groove.

[0347] Referring to Figure 47, in some embodiments, the clutch 40 further includes a protective housing 43, within which the driving member 41, the driven member 42, and the transmission assembly 44 are rotatably encapsulated. For example, the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are connected to the protective housing 43 via bearings 45. Furthermore, at least a portion of the driving member 41 is exposed outside the protective housing 43 to facilitate connection to the motor's output shaft. At least a portion of the driven member 42 is exposed outside the protective housing 43 to facilitate connection to movable components such as the door assembly 10 or the shaft assembly. Thus, the clutch 40 can utilize the protective housing 43 to protect the driving member 41, the driven member 42, and the transmission assembly 44, preventing external particles or other debris from entering the transmission structure and causing the clutch 40 to seize. Simultaneously, lubricating grease can be provided inside the protective housing 43 of the clutch 40 to lubricate the transmission structure of the clutch 40, reduce wear between the transmission structures, and improve the durability of the clutch 40.

[0348] In addition to the clutch component in the above embodiments, this application also provides another clutch component, which will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0349] Referring to Figures 48 to 51, Figure 48 is a structural schematic diagram of a clutch according to an embodiment. Figure 49 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 48 along AA. Figure 50 is a cross-sectional view of the clutch shown in Figure 48 along BB (clutch in disengaged state). Figure 51 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 50 in the transmission state. The clutch 40 provided in this disclosure includes a driving member 41, a driven member 42, and a transmission assembly 44. The driven member 42 includes an output portion 421 and a mating portion 422 connected to the output portion 421. The mating portion 422 has a receiving groove 4221 and a connecting portion 4222 disposed on the side wall of the receiving groove 4221. The driving member 41 has a mounting groove 411 corresponding to the receiving groove 4221 and a transmission body 412 protruding from the mounting groove 411. At least a portion of the side wall of the mounting groove 411 is rotatably inserted into the receiving groove 4221 and avoids the connecting portion 4222. The transmission assembly 44 includes a clutch 441, which is disposed in a mounting groove 411 and engages with the transmission body 412 for transmission. This allows the clutch 441 to have both a transmission state connected to the connecting part 4222 and a disengaged state separated from the connecting part 4222. The clutch 441 can be reset to the disengaged state, and the transmission body 412 can rotate with the driving member 41, pushing the clutch 441 from the disengaged state to the transmission state. When the clutch 441 is in the transmission state, the driving member 41 can drive the transmission assembly 44 and the driven member 42 to rotate. When the clutch 441 is in the disengaged state, the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the transmission assembly 44 and the driving member 41.

[0350] It should be noted that the driving component 41 is used to connect to the output shaft of the motor, and the driven component 42 is used to connect to a movable component that can be driven by the motor or manually by the user. For example, when it is necessary to drive the refrigerator drawer to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the refrigerator drawer assembly. Or, when it is necessary to drive the refrigerator door to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the refrigerator door assembly. The movable component can be any part that the user wishes to open or close automatically or manually, and the user can select the appropriate movable component according to actual usage needs; this disclosure does not impose any restrictions.

[0351] The transmission assembly 44 is used to intermittently connect the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. When the transmission assembly 44 connects and fixes the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, the motor can drive the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 to rotate synchronously, thereby driving the movable component to achieve automatic opening and closing. When the transmission assembly 44 separates the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, the driven member 42 is no longer controlled by the motor's rotation, and the user can manually open and close the movable component.

[0352] The driving component 41 can be configured as a driving shaft extending along the X direction. The two ends of the driving shaft, spaced apart along the X direction, are respectively connected to the output shaft of the motor and the transmission body 412 to transmit the motor's power to the transmission body 412. The power is then transmitted to the driven component 42 via the transmission assembly 44, facilitating the automatic opening and closing of the movable components. As an example, to facilitate the transmission of the motor's power to the transmission body 412, the driving component 41 and the transmission body 412 can be integrally formed or have an interference fit; this disclosure does not impose any limitations. The driving shaft and the motor's output shaft can be connected via a coupling 36; this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0353] The output portion 421 of the driven member 42 is used to connect with the movable component, and the mating portion 422 of the driven member 42 is used to mate with the driving member 41. The driven member 42 can be coaxially arranged with the driving member 41 in the X direction to facilitate the transmission of the motor's rotational force. As an example, to facilitate the installation of the transmission assembly 44, the mating portion 422 of the driven member 42 can be provided with a receiving groove 4221, and the driving member 41 is provided with a mounting groove 411 corresponding to the receiving groove 4221. In this way, the receiving groove 4221 and the mounting groove 411 can mate to form a cavity to accommodate the transmission body 412 and the clutch member 441, which makes it easier to fully utilize the internal space of the clutch 40 to integrate the transmission assembly 44, making the structure of the clutch 40 more tightly fitted and improving the structural compactness of the clutch 40. At the same time, this arrangement can also encapsulate and protect the transmission assembly 44.

[0354] To achieve the linkage and disengagement between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 using the mechanical clutch transmission of the clutch 40, a connecting portion 4222 is provided on the side wall of the receiving groove 4221 of the driven member 42. When the transmission body 412 and the clutch member 441 are engaged in transmission, causing the clutch member 441 to move towards the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, the clutch member 441 can connect with the connecting portion 4222 to fix it to the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, thereby connecting the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 and achieving linkage between them. It is understood that the connecting portion 4222 includes a groove recessed in the side wall of the receiving groove 4221. The clutch member 441 can be engaged with the groove in the transmission state to connect the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. The clutch member 441 can disengage from the groove in the disengagement state to separate the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. In other embodiments, when the connecting portion 4222 is configured as a slot, the slot can also be formed by the side wall of the mounting groove 411 and the bottom wall of the receiving groove 4221 being spaced apart; this disclosure does not impose any limitations. In other embodiments, the connecting portion 4222 may further include a locking block protruding from the side wall of the receiving groove 4221. The clutch member 441 can press against or laterally press against the locking block in the transmission state to connect the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. The clutch member 441 can separate from the locking block in the disengagement state to separate the driving member 41 and the driven member 42; this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0355] To facilitate the transmission and engagement of the transmission body 412 and the clutch 441, the transmission body 412 can be configured as a cam-shaped or elliptical cylinder structure, so that the rotation of the transmission body 412 can drive the clutch 441 to rotate and give the clutch 441 a centrifugal force to move toward the connecting part 4222. That is, the clutch 441 can slide back and forth relative to the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, thereby connecting or separating with the connecting part 4222, so that the clutch 441 has a transmission state and a separation state.

[0356] Referring to Figures 50 and 51, taking the connecting part 4222 as an example of a slot, at least a portion of the clutch 441 is inserted into the slot, so that the clutch 441 is in a driving state.

[0357] In Figure 50, since the clutch 441 is in the disengaged state, the driven member 42 can move counterclockwise or clockwise without interfering with the movement of the driving member 41, and the driven member 42 is not subject to the rotation control of the motor. That is, the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the transmission assembly 44 and the driving member 41, which is convenient for manual operation by the user.

[0358] When the transmission body 412 is driven by the driving member 41 to rotate counterclockwise in Figure 50, the driving member 41 drives the transmission body 412 to rotate counterclockwise together in Figure 50. The clutch member 441 can rotate counterclockwise with the transmission body 412. At the same time, the protruding part of the transmission body 412 also pushes the clutch member 441 to slide, thereby giving the clutch member 441 a centrifugal force to slide towards the side wall of the receiving groove 4221. The direction of the centrifugal force of the upper clutch member 441 in Figure 50 can be shown as the Y direction in the figure, and the direction of the centrifugal force of the lower clutch member 441 in Figure 50 can be shown as the opposite direction of Y in the figure. In this way, when the clutch member 441 moves towards the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, the clutch member 441 can be inserted into the slot, thereby fixing the clutch member 441 and the driven member 42, forming the transmission state shown in Figure 51. At this time, the active component 41 and the driven component 42 in Figure 51 are connected by the clutch component 441 and the slot. The motor connected to the active component 41 can drive the active component 41 and the driven component 42 to rotate synchronously. That is, the active component 41 can drive the transmission component 44 and the driven component 42 to rotate.

[0359] In Figure 51, when the motor stops outputting torque and the transmission body 412 is no longer driven to rotate by the motor, the clutch 441 can slide to reset, that is, the clutch 441 moves away from the side wall of the receiving groove 4221 and separates from the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, so that the clutch 441 can separate from the driven member 42 and reset to form the separation state in Figure 50.

[0360] Therefore, when the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure is in use, the motor can drive the transmission body 412 to rotate using the driving member 41. The transmission body 412 engages with the clutch member 441 through rotation, causing the clutch member 441 to have centrifugal force that moves towards the side wall of the receiving groove 4221. Consequently, the clutch member 441 can connect with the connecting part 4222 to form a transmission state, so that the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are connected and fixed, thereby achieving synchronous rotation of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42. When the motor stops rotating, the clutch member 441 can return to the disengaged state of being separated from the connecting part 4222, thereby separating the driving member 41 from the driven member 42. The driven member 42 can disconnect from the motor, and the user can manually operate the reciprocating motion of the driven member 42 without interfering with the movement of the driving member 41, thus eliminating the need to drag the motor end to rotate and reducing manual load.

[0361] Thus, the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure can achieve the linkage or disengagement of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 through a mechanical clutch transmission method. When the clutch 40 is applied to the transmission device 30 between the refrigerator door 10 and the refrigerator body 20, the driven member 42 can be used to connect the door 10 assembly. When the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 rotate synchronously, the refrigerator door 10 can be automatically opened and closed by electric drive. When the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are disengaged, the user can manually operate the door 10. Therefore, the clutch 40, through a mechanical clutch transmission method, enables the refrigerator door 10 to be opened and closed automatically by electric drive and manually by the user without interference. Simultaneously, when the user manually opens and closes the door 10, the user does not need to drive the motor to rotate synchronously, reducing the resistance encountered when manually opening and closing the door 10. This reduces the load on the user when manually opening and closing the door, allowing the user to open and close the door 10 with less effort, thus improving the user experience.

[0362] Furthermore, the clutch 40 of this disclosure can also be applied to the automatic opening and closing of the refrigerator drawer 50 and the cabinet 20. The driven member 42 can be used to connect the drawer 50 assembly. When the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 rotate synchronously, the refrigerator can automatically open and close the drawer 50 by electric drive. When the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are disconnected from the transmission, the user can manually operate the drawer 50 to open and close. This disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0363] Therefore, the clutch 40 disclosed herein operates through a mechanical clutch transmission method, which has a simple structure and low production cost.

[0364] Referring to Figure 52, in some embodiments, the clutch 441 includes a transmission engagement portion 4414 slidably connected to the bottom wall of the mounting groove 411 and a snap engagement portion 4412 connected to the transmission engagement portion 4414. The snap engagement portion 4412 extends out of the mounting groove 411 along the depth direction of the mounting groove 411, and the snap engagement portion 4412 protrudes out of the transmission engagement portion 4414 along the depth direction of the slot. In the transmission state, the snap engagement portion 4412 is inserted into the slot, and in the disengaged state, the snap engagement portion 4412 is disengaged from the slot.

[0365] It should be noted that the transmission engagement portion 4414 and the snap-fit ​​engagement portion 4412 of the clutch 441 can be arranged along the X direction in the figure. By slidingly connecting the transmission engagement portion 4414 to the bottom wall of the mounting groove 411, the snap-fit ​​engagement portion 4412 can be guided to move towards the side wall of the receiving groove 4221 during the movement of the clutch 441. The snap-fit ​​engagement portion 4412 extends out of the transmission engagement portion 4414 along the X direction, facilitating its placement within the receiving groove 4221 for insertion into the slot. Simultaneously, the snap-fit ​​engagement portion 4412 also protrudes out of the transmission engagement portion 4414 along the Y direction, further facilitating its insertion into the slot.

[0366] Furthermore, by utilizing the height difference between the transmission mating part 4414 and the snap-fit ​​mating part 4412 along the Y direction, when the clutch 441 moves toward the side wall of the receiving groove 4221 to form a transmission state, the thickness of the side wall of the mounting groove 411 can be avoided, so as to prevent the clutch 441 from being unable to be inserted into the slot due to the thickness of the mounting groove 411.

[0367] Referring back to Figure 49, to facilitate the transmission engagement between the transmission body 412 and the clutch 441, the transmission body 412 includes a mounting portion connected to the bottom wall of the mounting groove 411 and a transmission portion connected to the mounting portion. The clutch 441 is provided with a transmission engagement portion 4414 that is slidably connected to the transmission portion. The driving member 41 can drive the mounting portion to rotate the clutch 441, so that the clutch 441 has a centrifugal force that drives the transmission portion to slide relative to the transmission engagement portion 4414, so that the clutch 441 can be inserted into the slot.

[0368] It should be noted that the driving member 41 may be provided with a insertion hole, through which the mounting part can be inserted and fixed to the driving member 41. The insertion hole may be a non-circular hole, and the end of the mounting part inserted into the insertion hole is shaped to fit the insertion hole, thus preventing relative rotation between the driving member 41 and the mounting part. In other embodiments, the insertion hole may also be a circular hole, and after the mounting part is inserted into the circular hole, it can be fixed by interference fit, adhesive, or welding to prevent relative rotation between the driving member 41 and the mounting part. In some embodiments, the driving member 41 may also be integrally formed with the mounting part. This disclosure is not limiting.

[0369] The transmission part is used to drive the clutch 441. The transmission part can be configured as either a convex part or a concave part, and the transmission mating part 4414 can be configured as either a convex part or a concave part. The extension directions of the transmission part and the transmission mating part 4414 are respectively arranged along the depth direction of the slot. As an example, when the transmission part of the transmission body 412 is configured as a convex part, the transmission mating part 4414 of the clutch 441 can be configured as a concave part, and to facilitate the movement of the clutch 441, the convex part and the concave part can be configured as a clearance fit. In this way, the transmission body 412 and the clutch 441 can achieve the transmission body 412 driving the clutch 441 to rotate and the clutch 441 being able to have centrifugal force to move towards the side wall of the receiving groove 4221 through the sliding insertion fit of the convex part and the concave part, thereby realizing the transmission state and disengagement state of the clutch 441.

[0370] Understandably, the mounting part of the transmission body 412 and the transmission part can be integrally formed, and the transmission body 412 can be configured as an elliptical cylinder, a semi-cylinder, or a cam, etc., without limitation in this disclosure.

[0371] In some embodiments, multiple clutches 441 may be provided, and the transmission body 412 may be provided with transmission parts corresponding one-to-one with the number of clutches 441, so as to drive the clutches 441 to the transmission state respectively, thereby increasing the connection area between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 and improving the reliability of synchronous rotation. As an example, one, two, three or four clutches 441 may be provided, and one transmission body 412 may be provided. One transmission body 412 may have one, two, three or four or more transmission parts corresponding to the number of clutches 441. This disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0372] In some embodiments, the mounting portion and the transmission portion are configured to have a smooth transition. In this way, the transmission body 412 can engage with the clutch 441, allowing the clutch 441 to smoothly switch between the transmission state and the disengagement state.

[0373] Referring to Figures 49 to 51, in some embodiments, to facilitate the clutch 441 to be reset to the disengaged state, the transmission assembly 44 further includes a reset member 442. The reset member 442 is disposed on at least one of the side wall of the clutch 441 and the mating part 422 of the mounting groove 411, so that the clutch 441 can be reset to the disengaged state.

[0374] In some embodiments, the reset member 442 includes an elastic member, and the clutch member 441 can be elastically reset to a disengaged state by means of the elastic member. As an example, the elastic member includes a spring, one of the sidewalls of the mounting groove 411 and the clutch member 441 is provided with a protrusion 4415, and the other of the sidewalls of the mounting groove 411 and the clutch member 441 is provided with a groove 4111, and the spring is sleeved on the protrusion 4415 and disposed in the groove 4111.

[0375] It should be noted that the side wall of the clutch 441 may be provided with a protrusion 4415, and the side wall of the mounting groove 411 may be provided with a groove 4111. The spring is sleeved on the protrusion 4415 and disposed in the groove 4111. Thus, when the transmission body 412 causes the clutch 441 to move towards the side wall of the receiving groove 4221 to form a transmission state, the protrusion 4415 also moves towards the groove 4111, and a portion of the protrusion 4415 is allowed to be inserted into the groove 4111, causing the spring to be compressed and deformed. The clutch 441 can realize the connection between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 through the insertion and engagement of the locking part 4412 and the locking groove. When the transmission body 412 stops rotating, the centrifugal force of the clutch 441 is lost, and the spring can restore its deformation, pushing the clutch 441 away from the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, causing the locking part 4412 to disengage from the locking groove, thereby resetting the clutch 441 to the disengaged state.

[0376] In other embodiments, the reset member 442 can also be configured as a magnetic attraction assembly (not shown in the figure), which realizes the reset of the clutch member 441 through the magnetic attraction between the magnetic attraction assemblies. For example, a part of the side wall of the mounting groove 411 is provided with a first magnetic attraction member, and the side wall of the clutch member 441 is provided with a second magnetic attraction member that cooperates with the first magnetic attraction member. The first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member are separated in the transmission state, and the first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member are attracted in the separated state. Thus, when the transmission body 412 drives the clutch member 441 to move towards the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, the clutch member 441 can overcome the magnetic force between the first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member and engage with the slot, so that the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are connected. When the transmission body 412 no longer drives the clutch member 441 to rotate, the magnetic attraction between the first magnetic attraction member and the second magnetic attraction member can drive the clutch member 441 to disengage from the slot, so as to separate the driven member 42 and the clutch member 441. Of course, in other embodiments, the magnetic repulsion component can also be used to generate a magnetic repulsion reset force so that the clutch 441 can be magnetically repulsed and reset to the separated state. This disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0377] Referring to Figures 53 to 55, in some embodiments, to facilitate the linkage between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, at least one limiting block 4223 protrudes from the side wall of the receiving groove 4221. Adjacent limiting blocks 4223 are spaced apart circumferentially along the side wall of the receiving groove 4221. The engaging part 4412 is provided with a limiting engaging block 4413 protruding along the depth direction of the groove. In the driving state, the limiting engaging block 4413 can slide along the groove and abut against the limiting block 4223. In the disengaged state, the limiting engaging block 4413 separates from the limiting block 4223.

[0378] It should be noted that when the transmission body 412 drives the clutch 441 to rotate and the clutch 441 is inserted into the slot, in order to prevent the clutch 441 from rotating relative to the slot, the limiting block 4223 can be provided on the side wall of the receiving groove 4221 and spaced apart circumferentially along the side wall of the receiving groove 4221. Thus, in the transmission state of the clutch 441, when the clutch 441 is inserted into the slot on the side wall of the receiving groove 4221 and rotates, the limiting block 4413 on the side wall of the clutch 441 can abut against the limiting block 4223 in the receiving groove 4221, thereby enabling the clutch 441 to drive the driven member 42 and the driving member 41 to rotate synchronously, thus avoiding relative rotation between the clutch 441 and the driven member 42. The number of limiting blocks 4223 can be set to 1, 2, 3 or 4, etc. The number of limiting mating blocks 4413 provided on the side wall of the clutch 441 corresponds one-to-one with the number of limiting blocks 4223, and there can be a gap between two adjacent limiting blocks 4223 for the limiting mating blocks 4413 to be inserted.

[0379] Furthermore, in the disengaged and driven states of the clutch 40 shown in Figures 50 and 51, this disclosure uses the outer ring of the mounting groove 411 sidewall provided with the sidewall of the receiving groove 4221 as an example. In other embodiments, the sidewall of the mounting groove 411 sidewall may also be provided with the outer ring of the receiving groove 4221 sidewall for mounting. This disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0380] Referring to Figure 56, in some embodiments, the clutch 40 further includes a protective housing 43. The driving member 41, the driven member 42, and the transmission assembly 44 are rotatably enclosed within the protective housing 43. For example, the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are connected to the protective housing 43 via bearings 45. Furthermore, at least a portion of the driving member 41 is exposed outside the protective housing 43 to facilitate connection to the output shaft of the motor. At least a portion of the driven member 42 is exposed outside the protective housing 43 to facilitate connection to movable components such as the door assembly 10 or the drawer assembly 50. Thus, the clutch 40 can utilize the protective housing 43 to protect the driving member 41, the driven member 42, and the transmission assembly 44, preventing external particles or other debris from entering the transmission structure and causing the clutch 40 to seize. Simultaneously, lubricating grease can be provided inside the protective housing of the clutch 40 to lubricate the transmission structure of the clutch 40, reduce wear between the transmission structures, and improve the durability of the clutch 40.

[0381] In addition to the clutch component in the above embodiments, this application also provides another clutch component, which will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0382] Referring to Figures 57 to 60, Figure 57 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch shown in one embodiment. Figure 58 is a cross-sectional view (AA) of the clutch in Figure 57 in the disengaged state. Figure 59 is a structural schematic diagram of the clutch in Figure 58 in the driven state. Figure 60 is an exploded structural schematic diagram of the clutch shown in Figure 57.

[0383] Referring to Figures 57 to 60, in some embodiments, the clutch 40 includes a driving member 41, a driven member 42, and a transmission assembly 43. The driven member 42 includes an output portion 421 and a mating portion 422 fixedly connected to the output portion 421, the mating portion 422 having a receiving groove 4221. The transmission assembly 43 includes a rotating member 433 rotatably disposed within the receiving groove 4221, a clutch member 432 engaging with the transmission member 431, and a transmission member 431 fixedly connected to the driving member 41. The clutch member 432 is movably disposed on the rotating member 433, and has a driving state engaging with the mating portion 422 and a disengaged state separated from the mating portion 422; the clutch member 432 can be reset to the disengaged state. The transmission member 431 can rotate with the driving member 41 relative to the rotating member 433 to push the clutch member 432 into the driving state. When the clutch 432 is in the driving state, the driving member 41 can drive the transmission assembly 43 and the driven member 42 to rotate. When the clutch 432 is in the disengaged state, the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the transmission assembly 43 and the driving member 41.

[0384] In use, the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure allows the driving member 41 to be driven by the motor 32 to rotate the transmission member 431. The rotation of the transmission member 431 pushes the clutch member 432 towards the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, thus fixing the clutch member 432 to the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, forming a transmission state. This connects and fixes the driving member 41 and the driven member 42, allowing them to rotate synchronously. When the driving member 41 no longer drives the transmission member 431, the transmission member 431 no longer pushes against the clutch member 432, and the clutch member 432 returns to the disengaged state, separating the driving member 41 from the driven member 42. At this time, the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 are disconnected from the transmission, and the driven member 42 can rotate freely relative to the driving member 41 under external force without needing to drag the driving member 41 to rotate synchronously. Thus, the clutch 40 provided in this disclosure can achieve the linkage or disengagement of the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 through a mechanical clutch transmission method.

[0385] Therefore, the clutch 40 disclosed herein operates through a mechanical clutch transmission method, which has a simple structure and low production cost.

[0386] Understandably, the clutch 40 structure provided in this disclosure has a compact connection and occupies little installation space, which can reduce the space occupied when installed in equipment such as refrigerator 1, and is conducive to improving the aesthetics of refrigerator 1.

[0387] Understandably, the mating part 422 of the driven member 42 may be provided with a receiving groove 4221, and the transmission assembly 43 may be disposed in the receiving groove 4221, so as to save installation space while realizing mechanical clutch transmission. At the same time, the receiving groove 4221 can cooperate with the rotating member 433 to encapsulate the transmission member 431 and the clutch member 432, so as to protect the transmission member 431 and the clutch member 432.

[0388] It should be noted that the driving component 41 is used to connect to the output shaft of the motor 32, and the driven component 42 is used to connect to a movable component that can be driven by the motor 32 or manually by the user. For example, when it is necessary to drive the drawer 50 of the refrigerator 1 to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the drawer 50 of the refrigerator 1. Or, when it is necessary to drive the door 10 of the refrigerator 1 to open and close automatically, the movable component can be the door 10 of the refrigerator 1. The movable component can be any part that the user wants to open and close automatically or manually, and the user can select the appropriate movable component according to actual usage needs. This application does not impose any restrictions. The transmission component 43 is used to intermittently connect the driving component 41 and the driven component 42. When the transmission component 43 connects and fixes the driving component 41 and the driven component 42, the motor 32 can drive the driving component 41 and the driven component 42 to rotate synchronously to drive the movable component to open and close automatically. When the transmission component 43 separates the driving component 41 and the driven component 42, the driven component 42 is not controlled by the rotation of the motor 32, and the user can manually open and close the movable component.

[0389] Referring to Figures 58 and 59, in Figure 58, since the clutch 432 is in the disengaged state, the driven member 42 can move counterclockwise or clockwise without interfering with the movement of the driving member 41. That is, the driven member 42 can rotate relative to the transmission assembly 43 and the driving member 41, which is convenient for manual operation by the user.

[0390] When the transmission component 431 is driven by the driving component 41 to rotate clockwise as shown in Figure 59, the transmission component 431 can push the clutch component 432 to disengage from the disengaged state and switch to the transmission state. When the clutch component 432 engages with the mating part 422, the clutch component 432 switches to the transmission state. At this time, the driving component 41 can drive the transmission assembly 43 and the driven component 42 to rotate, as shown in Figure 59. At this time, the motor 32 drives the driving component 41, and drives the driven component 42 and the transmission assembly 43 to rotate synchronously.

[0391] When the motor 32 stops outputting torque, the clutch 432 is subjected to a reset force, and the clutch 432 separates from the mating part 422, resetting to the separated state shown in Figure 58.

[0392] As shown in Figure 57, as an example, the driving member 41 can be configured as a driving shaft extending along the X direction. The two ends of the driving shaft, spaced apart along the X direction, are respectively connected to the output shaft of the motor 32 and the transmission member 431, so as to transmit the power of the motor 32 to the transmission member 431, and then transmit the power to the driven member 42 through the transmission assembly 43, so as to facilitate the automatic opening and closing of the movable component. In some embodiments, to facilitate the transmission of the power of the motor 32 to the transmission member 431, the driving shaft and the transmission member 431 can be configured as an integral part or an interference fit.

[0393] In some embodiments, the drive shaft and the output shaft of the motor 32 can be connected by a coupling 36. In this way, the connection between the two is made more flexible by using the coupling 36.

[0394] In some embodiments, the output portion 421 of the follower 42 is used to connect with the movable component, and the mating portion 422 of the follower 42 is used to engage with the clutch 432. The follower 42 may be coaxially arranged with the drive shaft along the X direction to facilitate the transmission of the rotational force of the motor 32.

[0395] It should be noted that there are various ways to achieve the transmission cooperation between the clutch 432 and the mating part 422, including but not limited to meshing transmission, locking transmission, stop transmission, friction transmission, etc.

[0396] As shown in Figure 59, in some embodiments, the transmission member 431 can push against the clutch member 432, causing the clutch member 432 to be frictionally fixed against the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, thereby putting the clutch member 432 in a transmission state. Thus, by frictionally fixing the clutch member 432 against the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, the clutch member 432 engages with the mating part 422, thereby switching the clutch member 432 to the transmission state. Utilizing this friction-fixed transmission method can improve the transmission reliability of the clutch 40 and reduce the transmission accuracy between the transmission member 431 and the clutch member 432.

[0397] In some embodiments, at least one of the outer wall of the clutch 432 and the side wall of the receiving groove 4221 is provided with a friction layer (not shown). In this way, the friction layer can effectively increase the static friction between the clutch 432 and the side wall of the receiving groove 4221, thereby improving the transmission reliability of the clutch 40.

[0398] In some embodiments, the maximum static friction force generated by the frictional fixation between the clutch element 432 and the sidewall of the receiving groove 4221 is equal to the maximum output power of the output section 421. This ensures that the clutch 40 reliably outputs maximum power and prevents the clutch element 432 from engaging with the sidewall of the receiving groove 4221.

[0399] In some embodiments, multiple clutches 432 are spaced apart on the rotating member 433 along the circumferential direction of the transmission member 431. Thus, when the clutches 432 are fixed by friction against the sidewall of the receiving groove 4221, the frictional engagement of the multiple clutches 432 with the mating part 422 can improve the uniformity of force distribution and make the transmission more stable.

[0400] Optionally, in some embodiments, the clutch 432 is slidably engaged with the rotating member 433 and can reciprocate radially along the rotation axis of the driving member 41 to switch between a driving state and a disengaged state. Thus, the distance between the driving state and the disengaged state of the clutch 432 is shorter, and the transmission switching is faster.

[0401] As shown in Figures 58 and 59, in some embodiments, the rotating member 433 is provided with a first limiting groove 4331 to restrict the clutch member 432. In this way, the first limiting groove 4331 can reliably restrict the clutch member 432 within the receiving groove 4221, thereby improving the transmission reliability of the clutch 40.

[0402] Optionally, as shown in FIG60, in some embodiments, the rotating member 433 includes a cover 4332 covering the receiving groove 4221 and at least two protruding ribs 4333 protruding from the cover 4332. The protruding ribs 4333 are inserted into the receiving groove 4221, and adjacent two protruding ribs 4333 are spaced apart to form a first limiting groove 4331. In this way, the cover 4332 is used to shield the receiving cavity to better protect the transmission member 431 and the clutch member 432. The use of the protruding ribs 4333 to form the first limiting groove 4331 is easy to implement. It is convenient to use one rotating member 433 to restrict multiple clutch members 432.

[0403] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the mating part 422 includes a limiting wall 4222 (not shown) disposed in the receiving groove 4221. The limiting wall 4222 is spaced apart from the cover 4332 to restrict the axial movement of the clutch 432 along the driving member 41. In this way, by the mating of the limiting wall 4222 and the cover 4332, the axial movement of the clutch 432 along the driving member 41 is restricted, which can both ensure the accuracy of the movement of the clutch 432 and make the joints of the clutch 40 compact.

[0404] In some embodiments, the transmission member 431 may be configured as a non-circular structure such as a cam, elliptical cylinder or prism, so that the rotation of the transmission member 431 can drive the clutch member 432 to slide back and forth relative to the rotating member 433, thereby enabling the clutch member 432 to have a transmission state and a disengagement state.

[0405] As shown in Figures 58 and 59, in some embodiments, to facilitate the movement of the clutch 432 by the transmission member 431, the transmission member 431 includes a mounting portion 4311 connected to the driving member 41 and a transmission portion 4312 connected to the mounting portion 4311. The rotating member 433 is provided with a mating groove 433a for the transmission portion 4312 to move within the mating groove 433a. The transmission portion 4312 includes a plurality of protrusions 4312a connected to the mounting portion 4311 and a recess 4312b disposed between two adjacent protrusions 4312a, with each recess 4312b corresponding to a clutch 432. When the clutch 432 presses against the protrusions 4312a, the clutch 432 is in a transmission state. When a portion of the clutch 432 is inserted into the recess 4312b, the clutch 432 is in a disengaged state. Thus, when the clutch 432 is in the transmission state, the protrusion 4312a of the transmission part 4312 can press against the protrusion of the clutch 432 to increase the movement distance of the clutch 432, allowing the clutch 432 to press against the bottom wall of the slot 4321, thereby increasing the reliability of the connection between the clutch 432 and the driven member 42. When the clutch 432 is in the disengaged state, the recess 4312b of the transmission part 4312 can accommodate the protrusion of the clutch 432, allowing the clutch 432 to separate from the bottom wall of the slot 4321, thereby disconnecting the connection with the driven member 42.

[0406] Furthermore, it is understandable that by using the mating groove 433a to accommodate the transmission part 4312, it is easier to fully utilize the internal space of the rotating part 433 to integrate the transmission part 4312, making the fit between the rotating part 433 and the transmission part 431 tighter.

[0407] In some embodiments, the transition between the protrusion 4312a and the recess 4312b is rounded. This allows the clutch 432 to switch smoothly between the driven and disengaged states.

[0408] In some embodiments, multiple clutches 432 may be provided, and the transmission member 431 may be provided with transmission parts 4312 corresponding one-to-one with the number of clutches 432, so as to respectively push the clutches 432 to the transmission state, thereby increasing the connection area between the driving member 41 and the driven member 42 and improving the reliability of synchronous rotation. As an example, one, two, three or four clutches 432 may be provided, and one transmission member 431 may be provided. A single transmission member 431 may have one, two, three or four transmission parts 4312 corresponding to the number of clutches 432, and this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0409] As shown in Figures 58 and 60, in some embodiments, the transmission assembly 43 further includes a reset member 434, which is disposed on at least one of the clutch member 432, the rotating member 433 and the mating part 422, so that the clutch member 432 can be reset to the disengaged state.

[0410] In some embodiments, a plurality of clutch elements 432 are circumferentially spaced on the rotating element 433 along the transmission element 431. The reset element 434 includes an elastic ring, and the plurality of clutch elements 432 are elastically tightened onto the transmission element 431 or the rotating element 433 to allow the clutch elements 432 to elastically reset to the disengaged state. Thus, the elastic ring can be used to tighten the plurality of clutch elements 432 onto the transmission element 431 or the rotating element 433, making the structure of the clutch 40 more compact. When the clutch element 432 is in the transmission state, the elastic ring undergoes tensile deformation to generate an elastic reset force, allowing the clutch element 432 to elastically reset to the disengaged state.

[0411] Elastic rings include silicone rings, circular springs, and so on.

[0412] As shown in Figure 60, in some embodiments, the clutch 432 is provided with a slot 4321 for mounting an elastic ring, and at least a portion of the elastic ring is engaged within the slot 4321. Thus, the slot 4321 allows the elastic ring to be mounted and restricts its free movement, improving the reliability of the clutch 432's elastic reset.

[0413] Optionally, in some embodiments, the elastic ring is fully embedded within the slot 4321. In this way, the elastic ring will not interfere with the frictional engagement between the clutch 432 and the magnetic component 4334.

[0414] Optionally, as shown in FIG60, in some embodiments, the sidewall of the receiving groove 4221 is provided with a first clearance groove 4223 to avoid the elastic ring. In this way, by providing the first clearance groove 4223 to avoid the elastic ring, the setting of the elastic ring will not interfere with the frictional fixing engagement between the clutch 432 and the magnetic element 4334.

[0415] As shown in Figure 60, in some embodiments, the rotating member 433 includes a cover 4332 covering the receiving groove 4221 and at least two protrusions 4333 protruding from the cover 4332. The protrusions 4333 are inserted into the receiving groove 4221, and adjacent protrusions 4333 are spaced apart to form a first limiting groove 4331 that restricts the clutch member 432. The protrusions 4333 are provided with a second clearance groove 4333a to avoid the elastic ring. In this way, by providing the second clearance groove 4333a to avoid the elastic ring, the elastic ring can reliably bind the clutch member 432 to the transmission member 431, avoiding random movement and noise.

[0416] Optionally, in some embodiments, the clutch 432 is cylindrical and the slot 4321 is an annular groove.

[0417] In other embodiments, the reset member 434 can also be configured as a magnetic attraction assembly, which uses the magnetic attraction between the magnetic attraction assemblies to reset the clutch member 432 to the disengaged state. For example, the rotating member 433 is provided with a first magnetic attraction member 441 (not shown), and the clutch member 432 is provided with a second magnetic attraction member 441 (not shown) that cooperates with the first magnetic attraction member 441. The first magnetic attraction member 441 and the second magnetic attraction member 441 are separated in the transmission state, and the magnetic reset force generated by the first magnetic attraction member 441 and the second magnetic attraction member 441 enables the clutch member 432 to be magnetically reset to the disengaged state.

[0418] Of course, in other embodiments, the magnetic repulsion component can also be used to generate a magnetic repulsion reset force, so that the clutch 432 can be magnetically repulsed back to the disengaged state.

[0419] Furthermore, in the transmission and disengagement states of the clutch 40 shown in Figures 58 and 59, this disclosure uses the driven member 42 disposed on the outer ring of the driving member 41 as an example. In other embodiments, the driving member 41 may also be disposed on the outer ring of the driven member 42, and this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0420] As shown in Figures 61 and 62, in some embodiments, the clutch 40 further includes a protective housing 44, within which the driving member 41, the driven member 42, and the transmission assembly 43 are rotatably encapsulated. At least a portion of the driving member 41 and at least a portion of the driven member 42 are exposed outside the protective housing 44. Thus, the protective housing 44 protects the driving member 41, the driven member 42, and the transmission assembly 43, preventing external particles and other debris from entering the transmission structure and causing the clutch 40 to seize. It also facilitates lubrication, reduces wear between the transmission structures, and improves the durability of the clutch 40.

[0421] Optionally, as shown in FIG61, in some embodiments, one of the protective shell 44 and the rotating member 433 is provided with a magnetic attracting member 441, and the other is provided with a magnetic member 4334 that magnetically engages with the magnetic attracting member 441. When the clutch member 432 is in the disengaged state, the magnetic attracting member 441 and the magnetic member 4334 magnetically engage to restrict the movement of the rotating member 433 relative to the protective shell 44. This allows the elastic ring to reliably bind the clutch member 432 to the transmission member 431, preventing random movement and noise.

[0422] Optionally, the rotating component 433 is provided with an annular magnetic component 4334, and the protective shell 44 is provided with multiple magnetic components 441.

[0423] Magnetic components include magnets, electromagnets, and magnets that can generate magnetic attraction. Magnetic components can be magnetically attracted to magnetic components, including magnets and iron.

[0424] Referring to Figure 61, one of the mounting parts and the driving component is provided with a shaft (not labeled), and the other is provided with a mating hole (not labeled) for transmission connection with the shaft.

[0425] The shaft includes non-cylindrical shapes, with mating holes that are compatible with them. For example, shafts include elliptical shafts, polygonal shafts, semi-cylindrical shafts, etc., as long as they can realize the transmission connection between the transmission component and the driving component.

[0426] In some embodiments, at least one of the protective housing, the driving member, and the driven member may also be provided with an axial positioning portion to restrict the axial movement of the transmission assembly along the driving member. The axial positioning portion may be a stepped portion protruding from the inner wall of the protective housing, a stepped portion protruding from the driving member, or a stepped portion protruding from the driven member; this disclosure does not impose any limitations.

[0427] In some embodiments, the driving member and the driven member are respectively connected to the protective housing via bearings (not labeled). Furthermore, at least a portion of the driving member is exposed outside the protective housing to facilitate connection to the motor's output shaft. At least a portion of the driven member is exposed outside the protective housing to facilitate connection to moving components such as a door assembly or a shaft assembly.

[0428] In related technologies, a drive device is typically used to achieve automatic opening and closing of the refrigerator door. However, current drive devices are difficult to install, which is detrimental to the user experience. Therefore, this application also provides a drive device 40 that improves the ease of assembling the drive device 40 into the refrigerator 1, thereby enhancing the user experience. To better understand the drive device 40 of this application, the following description uses a refrigerator 1 in which the drive device 40 is applied as an example.

[0429] As shown in Figure 63, in some embodiments, the refrigerator 1 includes a door 10, a cabinet 20, a control device 30, and a drive device 40. The door 10 is connected to the cabinet 20 via the drive device 40. The control device 30 is communicatively connected to the drive device 40 and can control the drive device 40 to open or close the door 10 or the cabinet 20. Thus, the control device 30 controls the drive device 40 to open or close the door 10, thereby achieving automatic door opening and closing. This improves the overall intelligence of the refrigerator 1 and enhances the user experience.

[0430] It should be noted that the drive unit 40 can be installed on the door 10 or on the body 20.

[0431] As shown in Figures 64 to 66, in some embodiments, the drive device 40 includes a linkage mechanism 41 and a telescopic mechanism 42. The linkage mechanism 41 includes a first mounting member 411 fixedly connected to the housing 20, a second mounting member 412 fixedly connected to the door 10, and a linkage assembly 413 disposed between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. The second mounting member 412 can swing relative to the first mounting member 411 via the linkage assembly 413, allowing the drive device 40 to have a closed state (closing the door 10 and opening the housing 20) and an open state (opening the door 10 and opening the housing 20). The telescopic mechanism 42 includes a drive rod 4240 capable of extending and retracting in a set direction. The drive rod 4240 is rotatably connected to the first mounting member 411 to drive the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, allowing the drive device 40 to switch between a closed state and an open state.

[0432] Thus, when the drive unit 40 is installed in the refrigerator 1, the first mounting member 411 of the drive unit 40 is fixedly connected to the cabinet 20, and the second mounting member 412 of the drive unit 40 is fixedly connected to the door 10, thereby installing the drive unit 40 in the refrigerator 1. The second mounting member 412 of the drive unit 40 can swing relative to the first mounting member 411 via the linkage assembly 413, and the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412 are fixedly connected to the cabinet 20 and the door 10 respectively, so that the drive unit 40 has a closed state where the door 10 is closed and the cabinet 20 is open, and an open state where the door 10 is opened and the cabinet 20 is opened. When the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator 1, the drive rod 4240 of the telescopic mechanism 42 can extend or retract in a set direction, and the drive rod 4240 is rotatably connected to the first mounting member 411, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, realizing the automatic opening or closing of the refrigerator 1. The drive unit 40 is fixedly connected to the cabinet 20 and the cabinet door 10 respectively by the first mounting part 411 and the second mounting part 412, so as to assemble the drive unit 40 into the refrigerator 1, thereby improving the assembly convenience of the drive unit 40.

[0433] As shown in Figure 64, in some embodiments, the hinge point between the drive rod 4240 and the first mounting member 411 is as shown in Figure 2. Thus, when the drive device 40 automatically opens or closes the refrigerator 1, the required travel distance of the drive rod 4240 can be reduced, thereby reducing the size of the drive device 40, reducing the space occupied by the drive device 40 in the refrigerator 1, and increasing the speed of automatically opening or closing the refrigerator 1, resulting in a more agile response and improving the user experience of the refrigerator 1. Furthermore, because the drive rod 4240 is connected to the first mounting member 411, when the drive rod 4240 extends or retracts to open or close the refrigerator 1, its force acts on the cabinet 20, which helps improve the reliability of the drive device 40 in opening or closing the refrigerator 1.

[0434] It should be noted that the specific implementation of the power source used to enable the drive rod 4240 to extend and retract in a set direction can be in various ways, including motor 4220 drive, hydraulic drive, and cylinder drive, etc.

[0435] As shown in Figures 64 to 66, in some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism 42 further includes a support member 4210, a motor 4220 disposed on the support member 4210, and a telescopic assembly 4230. The support member 4210 is provided with a connection notch 4213. The telescopic assembly 4230 includes a telescopic member 4232. The motor 4220 is driven to the telescopic assembly 4230 to drive the telescopic member 4232 to move towards or away from the connection notch 4213. A drive rod 4240 is connected to the telescopic member 4232 and is rotatably connected to the first mounting member 411 through the connection notch 4213. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the motor 4220, through its drive connection with the telescopic assembly 4230, drives the telescopic member 4232 to move towards or away from the connection notch 4213, thereby driving the drive rod 4240 to move. The drive rod 4240 passes through the connection notch 4213 and is rotatably connected to the first mounting member 411. The bearing member 4210 is fixedly connected to the door 10 to fix the telescopic mechanism 42 to the door 10, so that the drive rod 4240 can drive the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411 to realize the automatic opening or closing of the door 10.

[0436] It should be noted that the telescopic component 4232 moves toward or away from the connecting notch 4213 in the X direction as shown in Figure 4.

[0437] Understandably, the drive rod 4240 is connected to the telescopic member 4232, and the telescopic member 4232 drives the drive rod 4240 to telescopically move in a set direction by moving toward or away from the connection notch 4213.

[0438] As shown in Figures 64 to 66, in some embodiments, the drive rod 4240 includes a drive end 4242 connected to the telescopic member 4232, a connecting end 4241 connected to the first mounting member 411, and a rod body 4243 disposed between the drive end 4242 and the connecting end 4241. The rod body 4243 is provided with a first clearance groove 401 to avoid the linkage assembly 413 and the second mounting member 412. Thus, when the user automatically opens the cabinet door 10, the drive rod 4240 will extend and retract along a set direction so that the second mounting member 412 can swing relative to the first mounting member 411. Since the drive rod 4240 is movably connected to the first mounting member 411, by providing the first clearance groove 401 in the rod body 4243, when the cabinet door 10 is automatically opened, the drive rod 4240 avoids the linkage assembly 413 and the second mounting member 412 through the first clearance groove 401, thus preventing the drive rod 4240 from interfering with the linkage assembly 413 and the second mounting member 412. When the user closes the refrigerator door 10, the drive rod 4240 avoids the connecting rod assembly 413 and the second mounting piece 412 through the first clearance groove 401, making the drive device 40 very compact after retraction, reducing its space occupation on the refrigerator 1.

[0439] As shown in Figures 66 to 68, in some embodiments, the telescopic assembly 4230 further includes a rotating member 4231 rotatably mounted on the support member 4210, and the rotating member 4231 is connected to the telescopic member 4232 in a transmission engagement. The motor 4220 includes an output end 4221, which is connected to the rotating member 4231 in a transmission engagement to drive the telescopic member 4232 to move closer to or further away from the connection notch 4213. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the motor 4220 drives the rotating member 4231, causing it to rotate and engage with the telescopic member 4232. This causes the telescopic member 4232 of the telescopic assembly 4230 to move closer to or further away from the connection notch 4213. The telescopic member 4232 then moves the drive rod 4240, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, thus automatically opening or closing the door 10.

[0440] It should be noted that the "rotating component 4231 and output end 4221 transmission connection" can be directly connected to achieve a transmission connection, or they can be connected through a transmission mechanism. A direct connection can be a detachable fixed connection or a non-detachable fixed connection, as long as power transmission is achieved. Methods such as socketing, snap-fitting, integral molding, and welding are feasible and can be flexibly selected according to actual application needs. For example, one component may have a non-cylindrical part, and the other component may have a mating hole for transmission with the non-cylindrical part. Non-cylindrical parts include polygonal cylinders, elliptical cylinders, semi-cylindrical parts, etc.

[0441] In one embodiment, the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic component 4230 can be integrally formed with the output end 4221 (such as the output shaft) of the motor 4220, or the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic component 4230 can be rigidly fixed with the output end 4221 (such as the output shaft) of the motor 4220 by a key.

[0442] In embodiments of this application, the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic assembly 4230 and the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 are configured to be detachable. This facilitates maintenance of the drive device 40.

[0443] As shown in Figures 65 to 67, in some embodiments, the carrier 4210 includes a first end 4211 and a second end 4212 opposite to the first end 4211. A motor 4220 is disposed at the first end 4211, and a telescopic component 4230 is disposed between the output end 4221 and the second end 4212. The second end 4212 has a connection notch 4213. Thus, by placing the motor 4220 at the first end 4211 of the carrier 4210 and the telescopic component 4230 between the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 and the second end 4212, the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 can drive the rotating component 4231, allowing the telescopic component 4232 to move towards or away from the connection notch 4213. A connection notch 4213 is provided at the second end 4212, and a drive rod 4240 is connected to the telescopic component 4232, passing through the connection notch 4213 and rotatably connected to the first mounting member 411, thereby enabling the drive device 40 to automatically open or close the refrigerator 1. This arrangement allows the drive unit 40 to have a compact structure, which helps to reduce the overall size of the drive unit 40 and reduce the space it occupies in the refrigerator 1.

[0444] As shown in Figures 66 to 68, in some embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a first lead screw 4233, and the telescopic member 4232 includes a nut 4234 that is threadedly engaged with the first lead screw 4233. The output end 4221 is fixedly connected to the first lead screw 4233, and the first lead screw 4233 can be rotated by the output end 4221. The nut 4234 is slidably connected to the bearing member 4210. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the output end 4221 is fixedly connected to the first lead screw 4233, causing the output end 4221 to drive the first lead screw 4233 to rotate. The telescopic member 4232 includes a nut 4234 that can be threadedly engaged with the first lead screw 4233, and the nut 4234 and the bearing member 4210 are slidably connected, allowing the telescopic member 4232 to move towards or away from the connection notch 4213. The telescopic member 4232 drives the drive rod 4240 to move, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, thus realizing the automatic opening or closing of the refrigerator door 10.

[0445] As shown in Figures 66 to 68, in some embodiments, the drive rod 4240 includes a drive end 4242 connected to the telescopic member 4232, a connecting end 4241 connected to the first mounting member 411, and a rod body 4243 disposed between the drive end 4242 and the connecting end 4241. The rod body 4243 is provided with a second clearance groove 402 to avoid the first lead screw 4233. Thus, when the user automatically opens the cabinet door 10, the nut 4234 will extend and retract along the first lead screw 4233, and the drive rod 4240 is connected to the telescopic member 4232. The drive end 4242 drives the rod 4240 to extend and retract along a set direction, so that the second mounting member 412 can swing relative to the first mounting member 411. The drive rod 4240 is movably connected to the first mounting member 411. By setting the second clearance groove 402 in the rod body 4243, the drive rod 4240 can avoid the first lead screw 4233 through the second clearance groove 402 when the cabinet door 10 is automatically opened or closed, thus avoiding motion interference between the drive rod 4240 and the first lead screw 4233.

[0446] As shown in Figure 69, in some embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a driving gear 4235, and the telescopic member 4232 includes a driven rack 4236 meshing with the driving gear 4235. The driving gear 4235 is fixedly connected to the output end 4221 and can be driven to rotate by the output end 4221. The driven rack 4236 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232, and the driving gear 4235 and the driven rack 4236 mesh and transmit power. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the door 10, the motor 4220 operates, and its output end 4221 drives the driving gear 4235 to rotate. The driven rack 4236 meshes and transmits power with the driving gear 4235, thereby driving the driven gear to reciprocate along the support member 4210. The driven rack 4236 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232, which drives the telescopic member 4232 to move closer to or further away from the connection notch 4213. The telescopic member 4232 drives the drive rod 4240 to move, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, so as to automatically open or close the box door 10.

[0447] As shown in Figure 70, in some other embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a nut 403, the telescopic component 4230 includes a second lead screw 404 that is threadedly engaged with the nut 403, the nut 403 is fixedly connected to the output end 4221 and can be driven to rotate by the output end 4221, the second lead screw 404 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232 and is threadedly engaged with the nut 403, and the bearing member 4210 abuts against the telescopic member 4232 to restrict the rotation of the telescopic member 4232. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the cabinet door 10, the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 is fixedly connected to the nut 403, causing the output end 4221 to drive the nut 403 to rotate. The nut 403 is threadedly engaged with the second lead screw 404, and the second lead screw 404 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232. The bearing member 4210 abuts against the telescopic member 4232, thereby restricting the rotation of the telescopic member 4232. Under the rotation of the nut 403, the telescopic member 4232 can move towards or away from the connection notch 4213. The telescopic member 4232 drives the drive rod 4240 to move, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, thus realizing the automatic opening or closing of the cabinet door 10.

[0448] As shown in Figure 71, in some embodiments, the linkage assembly 413 includes a first connecting arm 4131, a second connecting arm 4132, and a linkage group. A first mounting member 411 is hinged to the first connecting arm 4131, the first connecting arm 4131 is hinged to the second connecting arm 4132 via a pivot, and the second connecting arm 4132 is hinged to the second mounting member 412. The linkage group includes a first connecting rod 4133 and a second connecting rod 4134. The first and second ends of the first connecting rod 4133 are respectively hinged to the first mounting member 411 and the second connecting arm 4132, and the first and second ends of the second connecting rod 4134 are respectively hinged to the first connecting rod 4133 and the second mounting member 412. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator 1, the drive rod 4240 extends or retracts along a set direction. The drive rod 4240 is rotatably connected to the first mounting member 411, causing relative movement between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. During this process, the first connecting arm 4131, the second connecting arm 4132, the first connecting rod 4133, and the second connecting rod 4134 can rotate relative to each other under the force applied by the drive rod 4240. This causes the first connecting arm 4131 and the second connecting arm 4132 to open outward or fold inward between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. At the same time, it causes the first connecting rod 4133 and the second connecting rod 4134 to open outward or fold inward between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412, thereby opening or closing the refrigerator 1.

[0449] As shown in Figure 72, in some embodiments, the linkage assembly 413 further includes an elastic element 4135, a bracket 4136, and a cam 4137. One end of the elastic element 4135 is hinged to the first connecting arm 4131, and the other end is connected to the bracket 4136. The cam 4137 is rotatably connected to the second connecting arm 4132 via a pivot. The bracket 4136 is provided with a roller 4138, and the roller 4138 abuts against the cam 4137, so that the bracket 4136 can move along the contour of the cam 4137. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator 1, the first connecting arm 4131 opens outward or folds inward between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. Under the elastic action of the elastic element 4135, the cam 4137 slides with the roller 4138 to generate a rotational lever arm, causing the bracket 4136 to move along the contour of the cam 4137, thereby realizing the automatic opening or closing of the refrigerator 1. This method can improve the smoothness of refrigerator 1 during the opening or closing process, and enhance the user experience of automatically opening or closing refrigerator 1.

[0450] In some embodiments, the elastic element 4135 includes a spring and a support member, the spring being sleeved on the support member, the support member being hinged to the first connecting arm, and the spring abutting against the bracket 4136.

[0451] As shown in Figures 65, 66, and 73, in some embodiments, the drive device 40 further includes a clutch 43, which has a driving state and a disengaged state. The motor 4220 is driven by the rotating member 4231 through the clutch 43. When the clutch 43 is in the driving state, the motor 4220 drives the rotating member 4231 to rotate, thereby moving the drive rod 4240 through the telescopic member 4232. When the clutch 43 is in the disengaged state, the motor 4220 is disconnected from the telescopic member 4230. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the clutch 43 is in the driving state, and the motor 4220 drives the rotating member 4231 to rotate. The rotating member 4231 is driven by the telescopic member 4232, so that the telescopic member 4232 moves the drive rod 4240, thereby automatically opening or closing the refrigerator 1. When the user chooses to manually open or close the refrigerator 1, the clutch 43 is disengaged, and the motor 4220 is disconnected from the telescopic component 4230, allowing the user to easily open or close the refrigerator 1 manually. By incorporating the clutch 43 into the drive unit 40, the user can choose to open or close the refrigerator 1 automatically or manually, thus improving the user experience.

[0452] As shown in Figures 74 and 75, in some embodiments, the clutch 43 includes a driving member 431 driven by an output end 4221, a driven member 432 driven by a rotating member 4231, and a disengaging member 433 disposed between the driving member 431 and the driven member 432. The driven member 432 includes an output portion 4321 driven by the rotating member 4231 and a mating portion 4322 fixedly connected to the output portion 4321. The driving member 431 is driven by the disengaging member 433 to drive the disengaging member 433 to move relative to the mating portion 4322. When the clutch 43 is in the driving state, the disengaging member 433 is driven by the mating portion 4322. When the clutch 43 is in the disengaged state, the disengaging member 433 is disengaged from the mating portion 4322. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the clutch 43 is in the transmission state, and the clutch element 433 engages with the mating part 4322. The output end 4221 of the motor 4220 is connected to the driving element 431 of the clutch 43, driving the driving element 431 to rotate. The driving element 431 is also connected to the clutch element 433, causing the driving element 431 to drive the clutch element 433. When the clutch 43 is in the transmission state, the clutch element 433 engages with the mating part 4322, thereby driving the mating part 4322. The mating part 4322 then drives the output part 4321 of the driven element 432, and drives the rotating element 4231 to rotate. The rotating element 4231 is connected to the telescopic element 4232, causing the telescopic element 4232 to drive the drive rod 4240 to move, thereby realizing the automatic opening or closing of the refrigerator 1. When the user chooses to manually open or close the refrigerator 1, the clutch 43 is disengaged, and the clutch element 433 is separated from the mating part 4322. This disconnects the driving element 431 from the driven element 432, allowing the user to easily open or close the refrigerator 1 manually.

[0453] This application also provides another driving device 40, which will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0454] As shown in Figures 76 to 83, in some embodiments, the drive device 40 includes a linkage mechanism 41 and a telescopic mechanism 42. The linkage mechanism 41 includes a first mounting member 411 fixedly connected to the housing 20, a second mounting member 412 fixedly connected to the door 10, and a connecting rod assembly 413 disposed between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. The second mounting member 412 can swing relative to the first mounting member 411 via the connecting rod assembly 413, so that the drive device 40 has a closed state (closing the door 10 and opening the housing 20) and an open state (opening the door 10 and opening the housing 20). The connecting rod assembly 413 includes a first connecting arm 4131, a second connecting arm 4132, a first connecting rod 4133, and a second connecting rod 4134. The first mounting member 411 is hinged to the first connecting arm 4131, the first connecting arm 4131 is hinged to the second connecting arm 4132 via a pivot, and the second connecting arm 4132 is hinged to the second mounting member 412. The first and second ends of the first connecting rod 4133 are hinged to the first mounting member 411 and the second connecting arm 4132, respectively. The first and second ends of the second connecting rod 4134 are hinged to the first connecting rod 4133 and the second mounting member 412, respectively. The telescopic mechanism 42 includes a drive rod 4240 capable of telescopically extending in a set direction. The drive rod 4240 is rotatably connected to the first connecting arm 4131. This drives the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, allowing the drive device 40 to switch between a closed state and an open state.

[0455] Thus, when the drive device 40 is installed in the refrigerator 1, the first mounting member 411 of the drive device 40 is fixedly connected to the cabinet 20, and the second mounting member 412 of the drive device 40 is fixedly connected to the door 10, thereby installing the drive device 40 in the refrigerator 1. The second mounting member 412 of the drive device 40 can swing relative to the first mounting member 411 via the connecting rod assembly 413, and the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412 are fixedly connected to the cabinet 20 and the door 10 respectively, so that the drive device 40 has a closed state where the door 10 is closed and the cabinet 20 is open, and an open state where the door 10 is opened and the cabinet 20 is opened. When the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator 1, the drive rod 4240 of the telescopic mechanism 42 can extend or retract in a set direction, and the drive rod 4240 is rotatably connected to the first connecting arm 4131, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, realizing the automatic opening or closing of the refrigerator 1. The drive unit 40 is fixedly connected to the cabinet 20 and the cabinet door 10 respectively by the first mounting part 411 and the second mounting part 412, so as to assemble the drive unit 40 into the refrigerator 1, thereby improving the assembly convenience of the drive unit 40.

[0456] When the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator 1, the drive rod 4240 extends and retracts along a set direction. The drive rod 4240 is rotatably connected to the first connecting arm 4131, causing relative movement between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. During this process, the first connecting arm 4131, the second connecting arm 4132, the first connecting rod 4133, and the second connecting rod 4134 can rotate relative to each other under the force applied by the drive rod 4240. This causes the first connecting arm 4131 and the second connecting arm 4132 to open outward or fold inward between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. At the same time, it causes the first connecting rod 4133 and the second connecting rod 4134 to open outward or fold inward between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412, thereby opening or closing the refrigerator 1.

[0457] As shown in Figure 76, in some embodiments, the drive rod 4240 is hinged to the first connecting arm 4131. Thus, when the drive device 40 automatically opens or closes the refrigerator 1, the force generated by the drive rod 4240 acts directly on the first connecting arm 4131, reducing the force required for the drive rod 4240 to drive the first connecting arm 4131. This reduces the power requirements of the power source of the telescopic mechanism 42, which helps to reduce the manufacturing cost of the drive device 40, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the refrigerator 1.

[0458] As shown in Figures 78, 79, and 82, in some embodiments, the first connecting arm 4131 includes a first rotating part 401 rotatably connected to the second connecting arm 4132 and a second rotating part 402 rotatably connected to the drive rod 4240. The first rotating part 401 and the second rotating part 402 are spaced apart in a direction away from the second connecting arm 4132. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator 1, the drive rod 4240 extends or retracts along a set direction. The drive rod 4240 drives the first connecting arm 4131 to move through the second rotating part 402, and the first connecting arm 4131 drives the second connecting arm 4132 to move through the first rotating part 401. This causes the first connecting arm 4131 and the second connecting arm 4132 to open outward or fold inward between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. At the same time, it causes the first connecting rod 4133 and the second connecting rod 4134 to open outward or fold inward between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412, thereby realizing the automatic opening or closing of the refrigerator 1.

[0459] As shown in Figures 82 and 83, in some embodiments, the first connecting arm 4131 is provided with a protrusion 406 protruding away from the second connecting arm 4132, and the second rotating part 402 is disposed on the protrusion 406, forming a lever arm between the second rotating part 402 and the first rotating part 401. Thus, by providing the protrusion 406 protruding away from the second connecting arm 4132 on the first connecting arm 4131 and disposing of the second rotating part 402 on the protrusion 406, during the process of the drive rod 4240 driving the first connecting arm 4131 and the second connecting arm 4132 via the second rotating part 402, the lever arm formed between the first rotating part 401 and the second rotating part 402 further reduces the force required for the drive rod 4240 to drive the first connecting arm 4131 and the second connecting arm 4132, reducing the power requirements of the power source of the telescopic mechanism 42. This helps to reduce the manufacturing cost of the drive device 40, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the refrigerator 1. In addition, the drive rod 4240 is directly connected to the first connecting arm 4131, which helps to improve the assembly efficiency of the drive device 40.

[0460] As shown in Figure 81, in some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism 42 further includes a connector 4250. One end of the connector 4250 is fixedly connected to the drive rod 4240, and the other end is rotatably connected to the linkage assembly 413 via a pivot. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator 1, and the drive rod 4240 extends or retracts along a set direction, the connector 4250 is fixedly connected to the drive rod 4240, and the other end is rotatably connected to the linkage assembly 413 via a pivot, allowing the drive rod 4240 to be connected to the linkage assembly 413 through the connector 4250. The first connecting arm 4131 and the second connecting arm 4132 are hinged together by a pivot, allowing the drive rod 4240 to drive the first connecting arm 4131 and the second connecting arm 4132 via the pivot. This causes the first connecting arm 4131 and the second connecting arm 4132 to open outward or fold inward between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. Simultaneously, this causes the first connecting rod 4133 and the second connecting rod 4134 to open outward or fold inward between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412, thus automatically opening or closing the refrigerator 1. The drive rod 4240 is indirectly connected to the connecting rod assembly 413 via a connector 4250, which improves the flexibility of the connection between the drive rod 4240 and the connecting rod assembly 413.

[0461] It should be noted that the specific implementation of the power source used to enable the drive rod 4240 to extend and retract in a set direction can be in various ways, including motor 4220 drive, hydraulic drive, and cylinder drive, etc.

[0462] As shown in Figures 78 to 81, in some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism 42 further includes a support member 4210, a motor 4220 disposed on the support member 4210, and a telescopic assembly 4230. The support member 4210 is provided with a connection notch 4213. The telescopic assembly 4230 includes a telescopic member 4232. The motor 4220 is driven to the telescopic assembly 4230 to drive the telescopic member 4232 to move towards or away from the connection notch 4213. A drive rod 4240 is connected to the telescopic member 4232 and is rotatably connected to the first mounting member 411 through the connection notch 4213. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the motor 4220, through its drive connection with the telescopic assembly 4230, drives the telescopic member 4232 to move towards or away from the connection notch 4213, thereby driving the drive rod 4240 to move. The drive rod 4240 passes through the connection notch 4213 and is rotatably connected to the first mounting member 411. The bearing member 4210 is fixedly connected to the door 10 to fix the telescopic mechanism 42 to the door 10, so that the drive rod 4240 can drive the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411 to realize the automatic opening or closing of the door 10.

[0463] It should be noted that the telescopic component 4232 moves toward or away from the connecting notch 4213 in the X direction as shown in Figure 4.

[0464] Understandably, the drive rod 4240 is connected to the telescopic member 4232, and the telescopic member 4232 drives the drive rod 4240 to telescopically move in a set direction by moving toward or away from the connection notch 4213.

[0465] It should be noted that by using the drive rod 4240 to be hinged to the linkage mechanism 41, the force required for the drive rod 4240 to drive the linkage mechanism 41 can be reduced, so that the motor 4220 of the drive device 40 can be selected with a smaller power, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the drive device 40.

[0466] As shown in Figures 78 to 81, in some embodiments, the telescopic assembly 4230 further includes a rotating member 4231 rotatably disposed on the support member 4210, and the rotating member 4231 is connected to the telescopic member 4232 in a transmission engagement. The motor 4220 includes an output end 4221, which is connected to the rotating member 4231 in a transmission engagement to drive the telescopic member 4232 to move toward or away from the connection notch 4213. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the motor 4220 drives the rotating member 4231, causing the rotating member 4231 to rotate and transmit power with the telescopic member 4232, causing the telescopic member 4232 of the telescopic assembly 4230 to move toward or away from the connection notch 4213. The telescopic member 4232 drives the drive rod 4240 to move, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, realizing the automatic opening or closing of the refrigerator door 10.

[0467] It should be noted that the "rotating component 4231 and output end 4221 transmission connection" can be directly connected to achieve a transmission connection, or they can be connected through a transmission mechanism. A direct connection can be a detachable fixed connection or a non-detachable fixed connection, as long as power transmission is achieved. Methods such as socketing, snap-fitting, integral molding, and welding are feasible and can be flexibly selected according to actual application needs. For example, one component may have a non-cylindrical part, and the other component may have a mating hole for transmission with the non-cylindrical part. Non-cylindrical parts include polygonal cylinders, elliptical cylinders, semi-cylindrical parts, etc.

[0468] In one embodiment, the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic component 4230 can be integrally formed with the output end 4221 (such as the output shaft) of the motor 4220, or the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic component 4230 can be rigidly fixed with the output end 4221 (such as the output shaft) of the motor 4220 by a key.

[0469] In embodiments of this application, the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic assembly 4230 and the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 are configured to be detachable. This facilitates maintenance of the drive device 40.

[0470] As shown in Figures 78 to 81, in some embodiments, the carrier 4210 includes a first end 4211 and a second end 4212 opposite to the first end 4211. A motor 4220 is disposed at the first end 4211, and a telescopic component 4230 is disposed between the output end 4221 and the second end 4212. The second end 4212 has a connection notch 4213. Thus, by placing the motor 4220 at the first end 4211 of the carrier 4210 and the telescopic component 4230 between the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 and the second end 4212, the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 can drive the rotating component 4231, allowing the telescopic component 4232 to move towards or away from the connection notch 4213. A connection notch 4213 is provided at the second end 4212, and a drive rod 4240 is connected to the telescopic component 4232, passing through the connection notch 4213 and rotatably connected to the first mounting member 411, thereby enabling the drive device 40 to automatically open or close the refrigerator 1. This arrangement allows the drive unit 40 to have a compact structure, which helps to reduce the overall size of the drive unit 40 and reduce the space it occupies in the refrigerator 1.

[0471] As shown in Figure 84, in some embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a first lead screw 4233, and the telescopic member 4232 includes a nut 4234 that is threadedly engaged with the first lead screw 4233. The output end 4221 is fixedly connected to the first lead screw 4233, and the first lead screw 4233 can be rotated by the output end 4221. The nut 4234 is slidably connected to the bearing member 4210. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the output end 4221 is fixedly connected to the first lead screw 4233, causing the output end 4221 to drive the first lead screw 4233 to rotate. The telescopic member 4232 includes a nut 4234 that can be threadedly engaged with the first lead screw 4233, and the nut 4234 and the bearing member 4210 are slidably connected, allowing the telescopic member 4232 to move towards or away from the connection notch 4213. The telescopic member 4232 drives the drive rod 4240 to move, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, thus realizing the automatic opening or closing of the refrigerator door 10.

[0472] As shown in Figures 80 to 83, in some embodiments, the drive rod 4240 further includes a drive end 4242 connected to the telescopic member 4232, a connecting end 4241 connected to the first connecting arm 4131, and a rod body 4243 disposed between the drive end 4242 and the connecting end 4241. The rod body 4243 is provided with a clearance groove 403 to avoid the first lead screw 4233. Thus, when the user automatically opens the cabinet door 10, the nut 4234 will extend and retract along the first lead screw 4233, and the drive rod 4240 is connected to the telescopic member 4232. The drive end 4242 drives the rod 4240 to extend and retract along a set direction, so that the second mounting member 412 can swing relative to the first mounting member 411. The drive rod 4240 is movably connected to the first mounting member 411. By setting the avoidance groove 403 in the rod body 4243, the drive rod 4240 can avoid the first lead screw 4233 through the avoidance groove 403 when the cabinet door 10 is automatically opened or closed, thus avoiding motion interference between the drive rod 4240 and the first lead screw 4233.

[0473] As shown in Figure 85, in some embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a driving gear 4235, and the telescopic member 4232 includes a driven rack 4236 meshing with the driving gear 4235. The driving gear 4235 is fixedly connected to the output end 4221 and can be driven to rotate by the output end 4221. The driven rack 4236 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232, and the driving gear 4235 and the driven rack 4236 mesh and transmit power. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the door 10, the motor 4220 operates, and its output end 4221 drives the driving gear 4235 to rotate. The driven rack 4236 meshes and transmits power with the driving gear 4235, thereby driving the driven gear to reciprocate along the support member 4210. The driven rack 4236 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232, which drives the telescopic member 4232 to move closer to or further away from the connection notch 4213. The telescopic member 4232 drives the drive rod 4240 to move, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, so as to automatically open or close the box door 10.

[0474] As shown in Figure 86, in some other embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a nut 404, the telescopic component 4230 includes a second lead screw 405 that is threadedly engaged with the nut 404, the nut 404 is fixedly connected to the output end 4221 and can be driven to rotate by the output end 4221, the second lead screw 405 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232, the second lead screw 405 and the nut 404 are threadedly engaged, and the bearing member 4210 abuts against the telescopic member 4232 to restrict the rotation of the telescopic member 4232. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the cabinet door 10, the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 is fixedly connected to the nut 404, causing the output end 4221 to drive the nut 404 to rotate. The nut 404 is threadedly engaged with the second lead screw 405, and the second lead screw 405 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232. The bearing member 4210 abuts against the telescopic member 4232, thereby restricting the rotation of the telescopic member 4232. Under the rotation of the nut 404, the telescopic member 4232 can move towards or away from the connection notch 4213. The telescopic member 4232 drives the drive rod 4240 to move, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, thus realizing the automatic opening or closing of the cabinet door 10.

[0475] As shown in Figures 87 and 88, in some embodiments, the linkage assembly 413 further includes an elastic element 4135, a bracket 4136, and a cam 4137. One end of the elastic element 4135 is hinged to the first connecting arm 4131, and the other end is connected to the bracket 4136. The cam 4137 is rotatably connected to the second connecting arm 4132 via a pivot. The bracket 4136 is provided with a roller 4138, and the roller 4138 abuts against the cam 4137, so that the bracket 4136 can move along the contour of the cam 4137. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator 1, the first connecting arm 4131 opens outward or folds inward between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. Under the elastic action of the elastic element 4135, the cam 4137 slides with the roller 4138 to generate a rotational lever arm, causing the bracket 4136 to move along the contour of the cam 4137, thereby realizing the automatic opening or closing of the refrigerator 1. This method can improve the smoothness of refrigerator 1 during the opening or closing process, and enhance the user experience of automatically opening or closing refrigerator 1.

[0476] In some embodiments, the elastic element 4135 includes a spring and a support member, the spring being sleeved on the support member, the support member being hinged to the first connecting arm 4131, and the spring abutting against the bracket 4136.

[0477] As shown in Figures 77 and 78, in some embodiments, the drive device 40 further includes a clutch 43, which has an engaged state and an disengaged state. The motor 4220 is driven by the rotating member 4231 through the clutch 43. When the clutch 43 is in the engaged state, the motor 4220 drives the rotating member 4231 to rotate, thereby moving the drive rod 4240 through the telescopic member 4232. When the clutch 43 is in the disengaged state, the motor 4220 is disconnected from the telescopic member 4230. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the clutch 43 is in the engaged state, and the motor 4220 drives the rotating member 4231 to rotate. The rotating member 4231 is driven by the telescopic member 4232, causing the telescopic member 4232 to move the drive rod 4240, thereby automatically opening or closing the refrigerator 1. When the user chooses to manually open or close the refrigerator 1, the clutch 43 is in the disengaged state, and the motor 4220 is disconnected from the telescopic member 4232, allowing the user to easily open or close the refrigerator 1 manually. By incorporating a clutch 43 into the drive unit 40, users can choose to open or close the refrigerator 1 automatically or manually, which improves the user experience.

[0478] In related technologies, refrigerator doors can open and close automatically. However, when a sudden power outage occurs, the location data of the refrigerator door cannot be updated, resulting in poor reliability of automatic door opening and closing when power is restored after a power outage, which is detrimental to the user experience. Based on this, this application also provides a telescopic mechanism 42, which can improve the reliability of opening or closing the refrigerator door 10 when power is restored after a power outage, thus improving the user experience of the refrigerator 1. To better understand the telescopic mechanism 42 of this application, a refrigerator 1 using this telescopic mechanism 42 and a drive device 40 will be used for illustration.

[0479] As shown in Figures 89 to 91, in some embodiments, the drive device 40 includes a linkage mechanism 41 and a telescopic mechanism 42. The linkage mechanism 41 includes a first mounting member 411 fixedly connected to the housing 20, a second mounting member 412 fixedly connected to the door 10, and a linkage assembly 413 disposed between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. The second mounting member 412 swings relative to the first mounting member 411 via the linkage assembly 413. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the door 10, the telescopic mechanism 42 of the drive device 40 can drive the second mounting member 412, causing the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411 via the linkage assembly 413, thereby realizing the automatic opening or closing of the door 10.

[0480] It should be noted that the drive unit 40 can be installed on the door 10 or on the body 20.

[0481] As shown in Figures 89 to 91, in some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism 42 includes a support member 4210, a motor 4220, a telescopic assembly 4230, an angle detection assembly 4240, and a first position detection assembly 4250. The support member 4210 includes a first end 4211 and a second end 4212 opposite to the first end 4211. The motor 4220 is disposed at the first end 4211 and includes an output end 4221. The telescopic assembly 4230 is disposed between the output end 4221 and the second end 4212. The telescopic assembly 4230 includes a rotating member 4231 rotatably disposed on the support member 4210 and a telescopic member 4232 that is driven to engage with the rotating member 4231. The rotating member 4231 is driven to the output end 4221 to drive the telescopic member 4232 to move towards or away from the second end 4212. The telescopic member 4232 includes a starting position 401. An angle detection component 4240 is disposed on the support member 4210 and is used to detect the rotation angle of the rotating member 4231. A first position detection component 4250 is disposed on the support member 4210 and is used to detect whether the telescopic member 4232 is in the starting position 401.

[0482] Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the motor 4220 drives the rotating component 4231, causing it to rotate and transmit power with the telescopic component 4232. This causes the telescopic component 4232 of the telescopic assembly 4230 to move towards or away from the second end 4212 of the support member 4210, thereby automatically opening or closing the refrigerator door 10. Furthermore, during the rotation of the rotating component 4231 driven by the motor 4220, the rotation angle of the rotating component 4231 is detected by the angle detection component 4240, allowing for better control of the number of rotations of the rotating component 4231 and thus better control of the stroke of the telescopic component 4232, improving the reliability of automatically opening or closing the refrigerator door 10. A first position detection component 4250 is provided on the support member 4210, which can detect whether the telescopic component 4232 is in the initial position (when the telescopic component 4232 is in the initial position, the refrigerator door 10 is closed). Therefore, the first position detection component 4250 ensures that the refrigerator 1 is in the closed state. That is, with the dual detection of the angle detection component 4240 and the first position detection component 4250, the reliability of the refrigerator 1's automatic door closing can be improved, thus enhancing the user experience.

[0483] It should be noted that the "rotating component 4231 and output end 4221 transmission connection" can be directly connected to achieve a transmission connection, or they can be connected through a transmission mechanism. A direct connection can be a detachable fixed connection or a non-detachable fixed connection, as long as power transmission is achieved. Methods such as socketing, snap-fitting, integral molding, and welding are feasible and can be flexibly selected according to actual application needs. For example, one component may have a non-cylindrical part, and the other component may have a mating hole for transmission with the non-cylindrical part. Non-cylindrical parts include polygonal cylinders, elliptical cylinders, semi-cylindrical parts, etc.

[0484] In one embodiment, the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic component 4230 can be integrally formed with the output end 4221 (such as the output shaft) of the motor 4220, or the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic component 4230 can be rigidly fixed with the output end 4221 (such as the output shaft) of the motor 4220 by a key.

[0485] In embodiments of this application, the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic assembly 4230 and the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 are configured to be detachable. This facilitates maintenance of the drive device 40.

[0486] In related technologies, when the angle detection component 4240 is powered off, the position information stored by the angle detection component 4240 after power is restored is the position information at the time of power failure. If the refrigerator door 10 is moved during the power failure, the position information stored by the angle detection component 4240 will be different from the actual position information of the door 10. This reduces the reliability of automatically opening or closing the door 10 when the power is restored after the power failure, affecting the user's experience.

[0487] As shown in Figure 91, in some embodiments, when the first position detection component 4250 detects that the telescopic member 4232 is in the starting position 401, the signal sent by the first position detection component 4250 can be used to calibrate the angle detection component 4240. Thus, during the opening or closing of the door 10, if the refrigerator 1 or the motor 4220 experiences a power outage, the angle detection component 4240 may be unable to determine the rotation angle of the rotating member 4231, resulting in uncertain position information. Consequently, the motor 4220 may be unable to determine the required stroke to open or close the door 10. Therefore, by setting a first position detection component 4250 on the carrier 4210, when the first position detection component 4250 detects that the telescopic component 4232 is in the starting position 401, the angle detection component 4240 can be calibrated. When the refrigerator 1 is powered off and then powered on again, when the first position detection component 4250 detects that the telescopic component 4232 is in the starting position 401, the first position detection component 4250 will send a signal, and the sent signal can be used to calibrate the angle detection component 4240, thereby redetermining the number of rotations of the motor 4220 to determine the stroke required to open or close the door 10. This method can improve the reliability of opening or closing the door 10 when the refrigerator 1 is powered off and then powered on again, and improve the user experience.

[0488] In some embodiments, the control device 30 is communicatively connected to the drive device 40 and can control the drive device 40 to open or close the housing 20.

[0489] As shown in Figure 91, in some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism 42 further includes a drive rod 4260 connected to the telescopic member 4232. The second end 4212 has a connecting notch 4213. The drive rod 4260 passes through the connecting notch 4213 and is movably connected to the linkage mechanism 41 to drive the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the refrigerator door 10, the motor 4220 drives the rotating member 4231, causing the rotating member 4231 to rotate and transmit power with the telescopic member 4232. This causes the telescopic member 4232 of the telescopic assembly 4230 to move towards or away from the second end 4212 of the bearing member 4210, thereby driving the drive rod 4260 to move. The drive rod 4260 passes through the connecting notch 4213 and is connected to the linkage mechanism 41, thereby driving the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, thus achieving automatic opening or closing of the refrigerator door 10.

[0490] As shown in Figure 91, in some embodiments, when the telescopic member 4232 is in the initial position 401, the cabinet door 10 closes the cabinet body 20. Thus, when the refrigerator 1 is powered on again after a power outage, the door 10 can be manually closed, causing the telescopic member 4232 to return to the initial position 401. At this time, the first position detection component 4250 can detect the telescopic member 4232 and send a signal to calibrate the angle detection component 4240. This calibration of the angle detection component 4240 is simple, requiring only the door 10 to be closed, making it easy to operate and improving the user experience.

[0491] It should be noted that the angle detection component 4240 can be implemented in various ways, including magnetic encoder 4241, photoelectric encoder 4241, etc., as long as it can detect the number of rotations of the rotating part 4231, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0492] As shown in Figures 91 and 92, in some embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a lead screw 4233, and the telescopic member 4232 includes a nut 4234 that is threadedly engaged with the lead screw 4233. The nut 4234 is slidably connected to the bearing member 4210. The lead screw 4233 includes a transmission end 402 that is pulsatorically connected to the output end 4221 and a detection end 403 that is disposed opposite to the transmission end 402. The detection end 403 is disposed near the second end 4212, and the angle detection component 4240 is disposed between the detection end 403 and the second end 4212. Thus, when the motor 4220 operates, the output end 4221 is connected to the transmission end 402 of the lead screw 4233, thereby driving the lead screw 4233 to rotate. The telescopic member 4232 includes a nut 4234 that can cooperate with the lead screw 4233, and the nut 4234 is slidably connected to the bearing member 4210, allowing the telescopic member 4232 to move towards or away from the second end 4212, thereby automatically opening or closing the cabinet door 10. An angle detection component 4240 is positioned between the detection end 403 and the second end 4212 to detect the number of rotations of the lead screw 4233, thereby determining the moving distance of the nut 4234 and thus the travel distance of the cabinet door 10. Furthermore, this arrangement allows the telescopic mechanism 42 to have a compact structure, and the angle detection component 4240 does not interfere with the sliding of the nut 4234. The angle detection component 4240 is located at the end, which also enables the thickness of the telescopic mechanism 42 to be adapted to the thickness of the door 10, making full use of the width space of the door 10.

[0493] As shown in Figures 91 and 92, in some embodiments, the carrier 4210 is provided with a receiving groove 4214 for accommodating the lead screw 4233 and an adjacent mounting groove 4215 along the axial direction of the lead screw 4233. The lead screw 4233 is rotatably disposed in the receiving groove 4214, and the nut 4234 is slidably engaged with the receiving groove 4214. The angle detection assembly 4240 includes an encoder 4241, which is mounted in the mounting groove 4215 and used to detect the rotation angle of the detection end 403. Thus, the lead screw 4233 is disposed within the receiving groove 4214 of the carrier 4210, and an adjacent mounting groove 4215 is provided in the receiving cavity along the axial direction of the lead screw 4233 for mounting the encoder 4241 within the mounting groove 4215 to detect the rotation angle of the lead screw 4233. This arrangement allows the telescopic mechanism 42 to have a compact structure, saving its occupied space.

[0494] It should be noted that the axial direction of the lead screw 4233 is the X direction shown in Figure 4.

[0495] As shown in Figures 91 and 92, in some embodiments, the lead screw 4233 and the inner bottom wall of the receiving groove 4214 form a clearance space 404. The first position detection component 4250 is located in the clearance space 404 and is spaced apart from the lead nut 4234. Thus, by placing the first position detection component 4250 in the clearance space 404 formed by the lead screw 4233 and the inner bottom wall of the receiving groove, the telescopic mechanism 42 can be made compact. Furthermore, the first position detection component 4250 is spaced apart from the lead nut 4234, avoiding interference with the movement of the lead nut 4234.

[0496] As shown in Figures 91 and 92, in some embodiments, the first position detection component 4250 includes a transmitting end 4251 and a receiving end 4253 spaced apart from the transmitting end 4251 to form a mating gap 4252. The nut 4234 has a protrusion 405. When the nut 4234 is in the initial position 401, the protrusion 405 is inserted into the mating gap 4252 to separate the transmitting end 4251 from the receiving end 4253. When the nut 4234 is in a non-initial position 401, the protrusion 405 moves away from the mating gap 4252. Thus, when the refrigerator 1 is powered on again after a power outage, the telescopic member 4232 is moved to engage the protrusion 405 and the mating clearance 4252, allowing the first position detection component 4250 to detect the telescopic member 4232. This sends a signal to calibrate the angle detection component 4240, redetermine the number of rotations of the motor 4220, and determine the stroke required to open or close the door 10. This improves the reliability of opening or closing the door 10 when the refrigerator 1 is powered on again after a power outage, and enhances the user experience.

[0497] As shown in Figures 91 to 94, in some embodiments, the telescopic member 4232 further includes a termination position 406 spaced apart from the starting position 401 along the moving direction of the telescopic member 4232. The telescopic mechanism 42 also includes a second position detection component 4270 disposed on the support member 4210. The second position detection component 4270 is used to detect whether the telescopic member 4232 is at the termination position 406. Thus, when the refrigerator 1 automatically opens the door 10, the second position detection component 4270 can detect whether the telescopic member 4232 is at the termination position 406. When the telescopic member 4232 moves to the termination position 406, the second position detection component 4270 can send a signal to control the motor 4220 to stop working, avoiding opening the door 10 at too large an angle, which could damage the refrigerator 1.

[0498] It should be noted that when the telescopic component 4232 is in the termination position 406, the door 10 opens the box body 20, and this is the position where the door 10 opens to its maximum angle.

[0499] It should be noted that the moving direction of the telescopic component 4232 is the X direction as shown in Figure 4.

[0500] It should be noted that Figure 89 shows a schematic diagram of the telescopic member 4232 in the drive device 40 at the termination position 406, and Figure 90 shows a schematic diagram of the telescopic member 4232 in the drive device 40 at the starting position 401.

[0501] As shown in Figures 91, 94, and 95, in some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism 42 further includes a circuit board 4280. A first position detection component 4250 and a second position detection component 4270 are electrically connected to the circuit board 4280, which is disposed on the support member 4210. Thus, by electrically connecting the first position detection component 4250 and the second position detection component 4270 to the circuit board 4280, the circuit board 4280 can control both components. Furthermore, modularly mounting the first position detection component 4250, the second position detection component 4270, and the circuit board 4280 on the support member 4210 facilitates the replacement and maintenance of these components.

[0502] As shown in Figures 91, 94 to 96, in some embodiments, both the first position detection component 4250 and the second position detection component 4270 include a transmitting end 4251 and a receiving end 4253 spaced apart from the transmitting end 4251 to form a mating gap 4252. The telescopic member 4232 is provided with a protrusion 405. When the telescopic member 4232 is in the starting position 401 or the ending position 406, the protrusion 405 is inserted into the mating gap 4252 to separate the transmitting end 4251 from the receiving end 4253. When the telescopic member 4232 is in a position other than the starting position 401 or the ending position 406, the protrusion 405 is disengaged from the mating gap 4252. In this way, by inserting the protrusion 405 into the mating gap 4252, the transmitting end 4251 and the receiving end 4253 are separated, thereby determining whether the telescopic member 4232 is located at the starting position 401 or the ending position 406. In this way, when the protrusion 405 is inserted into the mating gap 4252, the protrusion 405 and the mating gap 4252 do not come into contact, reducing friction and thus improving the overall lifespan.

[0503] It should be noted that the first position detection component 4250 and the second position detection component 4270 can be implemented in various ways, including pressure sensors, magnetic sensors, photoelectric sensors, infrared sensors, etc.

[0504] It should be noted that the first position detection component 4250 and the second position detection component 4270 can be assembled into a single module, and then modularly assembled into the telescopic component 4230. Alternatively, they can be assembled separately into the telescopic component 4230 and then assembled into a single module with the telescopic component 4230. This facilitates the modular assembly of the drive device 40 and improves assembly efficiency.

[0505] It should be noted that the telescopic component 4232 can be driven to reciprocate along the support component 4210 by the motor 4220 in either a direct or indirect manner. For example, the telescopic component 4232 can be directly driven to reciprocate along the support component 4210 by the telescopic motor 4220, or it can be indirectly driven to reciprocate along the support component 4210 by a power source and transmission mechanism. The key is to achieve the goal of driving the telescopic component 4232 to reciprocate along the support component 4210.

[0506] As shown in Figure 97, in some embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a driving gear 4235, and the telescopic member 4232 includes a driven rack 4236 meshing with the driving gear 4235. The driving gear 4235 is fixedly connected to the output end 4221 and can be driven to rotate by the output end 4221. The driven rack 4236 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232, and the driving gear 4235 and the driven rack 4236 mesh and transmit power. Thus, when the door 10 is automatically opened or closed, the motor 4220 operates, and its output end 4221 drives the driving gear 4235 to rotate. The driven rack 4236 meshes and transmits power with the driving gear 4235, thereby driving the driven gear to reciprocate along the support member 4210. The driven rack 4236 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232, which drives the telescopic member 4232 to reciprocate along the bearing member 4210 to realize the automatic opening or closing of the box door 10.

[0507] As shown in Figure 98, in some other embodiments, the rotating member 4231 includes a nut 407, the telescopic component 4230 includes a second lead screw 408 that is threadedly engaged with the nut 407, the nut 407 is fixedly connected to the output end 4221 and can be rotated by the output end 4221, the second lead screw 408 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232, the second lead screw 408 is threadedly engaged with the nut 407, and the bearing member 4210 abuts against the telescopic member 4232 to restrict the rotation of the telescopic member 4232. Thus, when the cabinet door 10 is automatically opened or closed, the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 is fixedly connected to the nut 407, so that the output end 4221 drives the nut 407 to rotate. The nut 407 is threadedly connected to the second lead screw 408, and the second lead screw 408 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 4232. The bearing member 4210 abuts against the telescopic member 4232 to restrict the rotation of the telescopic member 4232, so that the telescopic member 4232 can reciprocate along the bearing member 4210 under the rotation of the nut 407, thereby realizing the automatic opening or closing of the cabinet door 10.

[0508] In related technologies, users typically control the automatic opening and closing of refrigerator doors using electronic devices, touchscreen devices, and control panels. While this achieves automatic door opening and closing, the operation is relatively complex, resulting in a poor user experience for the elderly and children. Furthermore, opening the refrigerator door is difficult when both hands are full. Therefore, this application also provides a control method for the refrigerator door 10. The refrigerator 1 utilizes this control method, enabling simple opening of the refrigerator 1 and improving the user experience.

[0509] To better understand the control method of this application, a refrigerator 1 using this control method is used for illustration. As shown in Figure 2, when the door 10 is closed, when the user presses the door 10, the elastic seal deforms elastically, and the door 10 can rotate slightly, causing it to rotate in direction a, allowing the user to open the door 10 by pressing. When the door is open, it rotates in direction b to open the door.

[0510] As shown in Figures 99 to 110, in some embodiments, the linkage mechanism 41 includes a first mounting member 411 fixedly connected to the housing 20, a second mounting member 412 fixedly connected to the door 10, and a linkage assembly 413 disposed between the first mounting member 411 and the second mounting member 412. The second mounting member 412 swings relative to the first mounting member 411 via the linkage assembly 413. The telescopic assembly 4230 also includes a drive rod 4260 connected to the telescopic member 4232. The drive rod 4260 is movably connected to the linkage mechanism 41 to drive the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411, thereby opening or closing the door 10. Thus, when the user automatically opens or closes the door 10, the telescopic member 4232 can drive the second mounting member 412, causing the second mounting member 412 to swing relative to the first mounting member 411 via the linkage assembly 413, thereby automatically opening or closing the door 10.

[0511] As shown in Figure 102, in some embodiments, the rotating member 4231 rotates in a first rotation direction to drive the door 10 to rotate in the closing direction. The driving device 40 also includes an angle detection component 4240, which is used to detect the rotation information of the rotating member 4231, including the rotation angle and rotation direction. Thus, the angle detection component 4240 can detect the rotation angle and rotation direction of the rotating member 4231, thereby determining whether the door 10 is open or closed, and determining the stroke of the door 10.

[0512] As shown in Figure 101, in some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism 42 further includes a support member 4210, which includes a first end 4211 and a second end 4212 disposed opposite to the first end 4211. A motor 4220 is disposed at the first end 4211, and the motor 4220 includes an output end 4221. A telescopic component 4230 is disposed between the output end 4221 and the second end 4212, and a rotating component 4231 is drivenly connected to the output end 4221 to drive the telescopic component 4232 to move toward or away from the second end 4212. An angle detection component 4240 is disposed on the support member 4210.

[0513] It should be noted that the "rotating component 4231 and motor 4220 transmission connection" can be directly connected to achieve a transmission connection, or they can be connected through a transmission mechanism. A direct connection can be a detachable fixed connection or a non-detachable fixed connection, as long as power transmission is achieved. Methods such as socketing, snap-fitting, integral molding, and welding are feasible in traditional technologies and can be flexibly selected according to actual application needs. For example, one component may have a non-cylindrical part, and the other component may have a mating hole for transmission with the non-cylindrical part. Non-cylindrical parts include polygonal cylinders, elliptical cylinders, semi-cylindrical parts, etc.

[0514] In one embodiment, the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic component 4230 can be integrally formed with the output end 4221 (such as the output shaft) of the motor 4220, or the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic component 4230 can be rigidly fixed with the output end 4221 (such as the output shaft) of the motor 4220 by a key.

[0515] In embodiments of this application, the rotating part 4231 of the telescopic assembly 4230 and the output end 4221 of the motor 4220 are configured to be detachable. This facilitates maintenance of the drive device 40.

[0516] The control device 30 includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the following control method.

[0517] As shown in Figure 109, the control methods include:

[0518] Obtain the status information of door 10.

[0519] When the door 10 is closed according to the status information of the door 10, the rotation information of the rotating component 4231 is detected by the angle detection component 4240.

[0520] When the rotation information indicates that the rotating component 4231 is rotating in the first rotation direction, the angle detection component 4240 detects the first angle information of the rotation of the rotating component 4231 in the first rotation direction.

[0521] The first angle value is obtained based on the first angle information. When the first angle value is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the control motor 4220 is started to drive the rotating part 4231 to rotate in the opposite direction of the first rotation direction so that the box door 10 rotates in the opening direction.

[0522] Thus, during use, the refrigerator 1 employing the above control method acquires the status information of the door 10. When the door 10 is found to be closed according to the status information, the angle detection component 4240 detects whether the rotating member 4231 is rotating in the first rotation direction. If the rotating member 4231 rotates in the first rotation direction, the angle detection component 4240 detects the first angle information of the rotating member 4231 rotating in the first rotation direction to obtain the first angle value. When the first angle value is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the control motor 4220 is started to drive the rotating member 4231 to rotate in the opposite direction of the first rotation direction, thereby rotating the door 10 in the opening direction to open the door 10. Thus, when the user wants to open the door 10, when the door 10 is closed, pressing the door 10 utilizes the elastic sealing member 11 provided with the door 10 that seals with the cabinet body 20, causing the door 10 to continue rotating in the closing direction, thereby driving the rotating member 4231 to rotate in the first rotation direction. The angle detection component 4240 can obtain the first angle information of the rotation of the rotating component 4231 to obtain the first angle value, that is, the angle at which the door 10 rotates in the closing direction. When the rotation angle of the door 10 is greater than the preset angle, the motor 4220 is started to automatically open the door 10. When the door 10 is closed, the user can open the refrigerator 10 by pressing the door 10 to rotate it by a certain angle. This method of opening the door 10 is simple and improves the user experience.

[0523] Understandably, when the rotating member 4231 rotates in the first rotation direction, it can drive the telescopic member 4232 to rotate the box door 10 in the closing direction, thereby closing the box door 10. When the rotating member 4231 rotates in the opposite direction of the first rotation direction, it can drive the telescopic member 4232 to rotate the box door 10 in the opening direction, thereby opening the box door 10.

[0524] It should be noted that the first rotation direction is direction c as shown in Figure 3.

[0525] It should be noted that there are many ways to obtain the status information of the door 10 to determine that the door 10 is in a closed state, such as the device for detecting the opening and closing of the door in a traditional refrigerator, the vision detection device, etc.

[0526] It should be noted that the control device 30 includes the controller built into the refrigerator 1. For example, control devices such as MCU (microcontroller unit), PLC (programmable logic controller), computer or single-chip microcomputer can be used to link the start and stop of the motor through the controller built into the refrigerator 1. This application does not impose any restrictions.

[0527] A processor typically controls the overall operation of a refrigerator, such as refrigeration, automatic door opening and closing, data communication, automatic drawer opening or closing, and outputting control commands. A processor may include one or more processors to execute instructions to complete all or part of the steps described above. Furthermore, a processor may include one or more modules to facilitate interaction between the processor and other components. For example, a processor may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between multimedia components and the processor.

[0528] The memory is configured to store various types of data to support the operation of the refrigerator 1. Examples of this data include instructions for any application or method configured to operate on the refrigerator 1, contact data, phone book data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. The memory can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0529] It should be noted that the angle detection component 4240 can be implemented in various ways, including incremental encoder 4241, absolute encoder 4241, or magnetic encoder 4241, etc.

[0530] In one example, the angle detection component 4240 is an incremental encoder 4241. The incremental encoder 4241 has at least two pulse feedback channels. By reading the pulse feedback sequence and number, the rotation angle and rotation direction of the rotating component 4231 can be determined, thereby determining the movement direction and distance of the door 10 opening or closing.

[0531] In another example, the angle detection component 4240 is a magnetic encoder 4241. This encoder 4241 can detect the angle of the current position of the rotating component 4231. Taking a magnetic angle sensor as an example, the detection value is 0 degrees to 360 degrees. When the number of rotations of the rotating component 4231 is greater than 1 rotation, the rotation angle of the rotating component 4231 is calculated by cumulative calculation. For example, assuming the angle increases when moving in the opening direction and decreases when moving in the closing direction, when the angle is detected to be continuously increasing and the angle switches from a large value to a small value (e.g., the first detection value is 350 degrees and the second detection value is 10 degrees), the total rotation angle is recorded as 360 degrees + 10 degrees, which is 370 degrees. At the same time, the rotation angle of the rotating component 4231 can be converted into the opening angle of the door 10, thereby determining the direction and distance of the opening or closing movement of the door 10.

[0532] In some embodiments, after obtaining the first angle value based on the first angle information, the control method further includes:

[0533] When the first angle value is less than the first threshold, the motor 4220 is in a stopped state.

[0534] Thus, when the door 10 is closed, if the angle at which the user presses the door 10 to rotate further in the closing direction does not meet the set value—that is, when the first angle at which the rotating component 4231 rotates in the first rotation direction due to pressing the door 10 is less than the first threshold—then the motor 4220 is stopped, meaning the door 10 is not opened. This method avoids accidental pressing of the door 10 causing it to open automatically, thus improving the user experience.

[0535] It should be noted that the first threshold can be flexibly set according to the user's needs to meet more different scenarios.

[0536] Understandably, the setting of the first threshold is affected by the elastic seal 11. The first threshold is related to the compressibility of the elastic seal 11. For example, if the elastic seal 11 is easier to compress, the first threshold is set relatively high; if the elastic seal 11 is harder to compress, the first threshold is set relatively low.

[0537] For example, the first threshold can be selected within the range of 0.2° to 3°. This includes, but is not limited to, 0.2°, 0.5°, 0.8°, 1°, 2°, 3°, etc.

[0538] In one example, the first threshold is set to 0.5°. Thus, when the door 10 is closed, the angle detection component 4240 detects the first angle information of the rotating component 4231 rotating in the first rotation direction to obtain the first angle value. When the first angle value is greater than or equal to 0.5°, the control motor 4220 starts to drive the rotating component 4231 to rotate in the opposite direction of the first rotation direction, thereby rotating the door 10 in the opening direction to open the door 10. When the user presses the door 10 and the first angle value of the rotating component 4231 rotating in the first rotation direction is less than 0.5°, the motor 4220 stops, meaning the door 10 is not opened. This method can prevent accidental pressing of the door 10 from causing it to open automatically, thus improving the user experience.

[0539] In one example, the first threshold is set to 1°. Thus, when the door 10 is closed, the angle detection component 4240 detects the first angle information of the rotating component 4231 rotating in the first rotation direction to obtain the first angle value. When the first angle value is greater than or equal to 1°, the control motor 4220 starts to drive the rotating component 4231 to rotate in the opposite direction of the first rotation direction, thereby rotating the door 10 in the opening direction to open the door 10. When the user presses the door 10 and the first angle value of the rotating component 4231 rotating in the first rotation direction is less than 1°, the motor 4220 stops, meaning the door 10 is not opened. This method can prevent accidental pressing of the door 10 from causing it to open automatically, thus improving the user experience.

[0540] In some embodiments, the closed state includes the door 10 being in a first initial position, and when the door 10 is in the first initial position, the rotating member 4231 is in a second initial position. The process of obtaining the first angle value through the first angle information includes:

[0541] When the rotating component 4231 is in the second initial position, the angle of the rotating component 4231 detected by the angle detection component 4240 is set as the initial angle.

[0542] The rotation angle detected by the angle detection component 4240 when the rotating component 4231 rotates from the second initial position to the first rotation direction and then to the stop position is set as the termination angle.

[0543] The first angle value is obtained by subtracting the initial angle from the termination angle.

[0544] Thus, the angle detection component 4240 detects the angle of the rotating component 4231 when it is in the second initial position, which is the initial angle. Then, the angle detection component 4240 detects the angle at which the rotating component 4231 rotates from the second initial position to the first rotation direction and reaches the stop position, which is the termination angle. Subtracting the initial angle from the termination angle yields the first angle value, which is the rotation angle of the rotating component 4231, and thus the rotation angle of the door 10. This method of obtaining the first angle value is simple and easy to implement.

[0545] It should be noted that, as shown in Figure 107, when the rotating component is at position d, it is in the second initial position. When the rotating component is at position e, it is in the stopped position. The angle detection component 4240 can detect the rotation angle of the rotating component 4231 when it rotates from position d to position e in the first rotation direction, which is also the termination angle.

[0546] In some embodiments, when the door 10 closes the box body 20 and is stationary, the door 10 is in a first initial position.

[0547] It should be noted that, as shown in Figure 99, the door 10 is in the first initial position, that is, the position of the door 10 when it is stationary after being normally closed. Alternatively, it is the position of the door 10 when it is stationary after being closed and not affected by external forces.

[0548] It should be noted that, as shown in Figure 101, the rotating component 4231 is in the second initial position. As shown in Figure 7, the rotating component 4231 is in the stop position.

[0549] In some embodiments, before the motor 4220 is started, the control method further includes:

[0550] The recovery time of the rotating component 4231 from the stop position to the second initial position is less than the second threshold.

[0551] Start the 4220 control motor.

[0552] Thus, when a user leans against the door 10 for support, a certain force is applied to the door 10, causing it to rotate in the closing direction. During this process, the duration of this rotation is longer than the duration of the user pressing the door to open it. Therefore, if the user is leaning against the door 10, the recovery time of the rotating component 4231 from its stop position to its second initial position is necessarily longer than the recovery time of the user pressing the door to open it. Therefore, by setting a second threshold, when the recovery time of the rotating component 4231 from its stop position to its second initial position is less than the second threshold, it can be determined that the user is pressing the door to open it, thereby controlling the motor 4220 to start and automatically open the door 10.

[0553] Understandably, the setting of the second threshold is affected by the elastic seal 11 and the user's reaction time when pressing the door 10. The second threshold can be set according to the compression of the elastic seal 11 when the door 10 is pressed and the user's reaction time.

[0554] Understandably, the range of the second threshold is between the recovery time when the user leans against the door 10 and the recovery time when the user presses the door 10 to open it.

[0555] For example, the second threshold includes selection within a range of 0.2s to 5s. This includes, but is not limited to, 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, etc.

[0556] In one example, the second threshold is set to 1 second. Thus, when the recovery time of the rotating component 4231 from the stop position to the second initial position is less than 1 second, it can be determined that the user is pressing the door 10 to open the door, thereby controlling the motor 4220 to start so as to automatically open the door 10.

[0557] In one example, the second threshold is set to 3 seconds. Thus, when the recovery time of the rotating component 4231 from the stop position to the second initial position is less than 3 seconds, it can be determined that the user is pressing the door 10 to open the door, thereby controlling the motor 4220 to start and automatically open the door 10.

[0558] In some embodiments, the control method further includes:

[0559] When the recovery time is greater than or equal to the second threshold

[0560] The 4220 motor is not controlled to start.

[0561] Thus, when a user leans against the door 10 for support, a certain force is applied to the door 10, causing it to rotate in the closing direction. During this process, the duration of this rotation is longer than the duration of the user pressing the door to open it. Therefore, if the user is leaning against the door 10, the recovery time of the rotating component 4231 from the stop position to the second initial position is necessarily longer than the recovery time of the user pressing the door to open it. Therefore, by setting a second threshold, when the recovery time of the rotating component 4231 from the stop position to the second initial position is greater than or equal to the second threshold, it can be determined that the user is leaning against the door 10, thereby controlling the motor 4220 to stop and prevent the door 10 from opening.

[0562] As shown in Figure 102, in some embodiments, the telescopic member 4232 includes a starting position 401 and a termination position 406 spaced apart from the starting position 401 along the moving direction of the telescopic member 4232. The refrigerator 1 also includes a position detection component for detecting the position information of the telescopic member 4232. The position detection component includes a first position detection component 4250 and a second position detection component 4270. The first position detection component 4250 is disposed on the support member 4210 and is used to detect whether the telescopic member 4232 is at the starting position 401. The second position detection component 4270 is disposed on the support member 4210 and is used to detect whether the telescopic member 4232 is at the termination position 406. Thus, by disposing of the first position detection component 4250 on the support member 4210, the first position detection component 4250 can detect whether the telescopic member 4232 is at the starting position 401 (when the telescopic member 4232 is at the starting position 401, the refrigerator door 10 is in a closed state). Therefore, the first position detection element 4250 ensures that the refrigerator 1 is in the closed position. When the telescopic element 4232 moves to the end position 406, the second position detection element 4270 can send a signal to control the motor 4220 to stop working, so as to avoid damaging the refrigerator 1 by opening the door 10 too wide.

[0563] It should be noted that the moving direction of the telescopic component 4232 is the X direction as shown in Figure 4.

[0564] It should be noted that Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the telescopic member 4232 in the drive device 40 at the termination position 406, and Figure 100 shows a schematic diagram of the telescopic member 4232 in the drive device 40 at the starting position 401.

[0565] In some embodiments, the process of obtaining the status information of the door 10 includes:

[0566] Obtain the first detection information from the location detection component;

[0567] According to the first detection information, when the telescopic component 4232 is in the starting position 401, the door 10 is in the closed state.

[0568] Thus, when the door 10 is closed, the telescopic member 4232, driven by the rotating member 4231, can drive the door 10 to close the box body 20. When the door 10 is in the closed state, the telescopic member 4232 is at the starting position 401. The position detection component can detect the position information of the telescopic member 4232. During the process of obtaining the state information of the door 10, the position detection component obtains the first detection information. When the first detection information indicates that the telescopic member 4232 is at the starting position 401, it can be determined that the door 10 is in the closed state. This improves the reliability of determining whether the door 10 is in the closed state and enhances the user experience.

[0569] In related technologies, when the refrigerator 1 is initially powered on, powered on again after a power outage, in the closed position, or when the motor stalls, the position information stored by the angle detection component 4240 will differ from the actual position information of the door 10. This will reduce the reliability of automatically opening or closing the door 10 and affect the user experience. Therefore, the angle detection component 4240 needs to be calibrated.

[0570] As shown in Figure 102, in some embodiments, when the first position detection element 4250 detects that the telescopic member 4232 is in the starting position 401, the signal sent by the first position detection element 4250 can be used to calibrate the angle detection component 4240. Thus, by providing the first position detection element 4250 on the carrier 4210, when the first position detection element 4250 detects that the telescopic member is in the starting position 401, it can calibrate the angle detection component 4240. During the initial power-on of the refrigerator 1, power-on after a power outage, when the refrigerator 1 is in the closed position, and after a motor stall, when the first position detection element 4250 detects that the telescopic member 4232 is in the starting position 401, the first position detection element 4250 will send a signal, and this signal can be used to calibrate the angle detection component 4240, thereby redetermining the number of rotations of the motor 4220 to determine the stroke required to open or close the door 10. This method can improve the reliability of opening or closing the door 10 when the refrigerator 1 is powered on again after a power outage, improving the user experience.

[0571] In some embodiments, the control method further includes:

[0572] Enter calibration mode for door 10 and acquire the first detection information from the position detection component.

[0573] When the telescopic component 4232 is in the starting position 401 according to the first detection information, the rotation angle of the rotating component 4231 detected by the angle detection component 4240 is set as the initial closing angle of the door 10.

[0574] Based on the initial closing angle of the door 10 and the second detection information obtained by the angle detection component 4240, the door 10 is controlled to rotate. Thus, when the refrigerator 1 enters calibration mode, the position detection component obtains the first detection information of the telescopic member 4232, and determines whether the telescopic member 4232 is in the initial position 401. When the telescopic member 4232 is in the initial position 401, the rotation angle of the rotating member 4231 detected by the angle detection component 4240 is set as the initial closing angle of the door 10. This calibrates the rotation angle of the refrigerator 1 detected by the angle detection component 4240 when the telescopic member 4232 is in the initial state, i.e., when the refrigerator 1 is closed, thereby calibrating the actual rotation angle of the refrigerator 1 with the angle detected by the angle detection component 4240. This improves the accuracy of automatically opening or closing the refrigerator 1.

[0575] There are various ways to calibrate the opening and closing angles of the cabinet door 10. In some implementations, a zero-point detection sensor can be used. When the telescopic member 4232 moves to a set position, that is, when the cabinet door 10 is opened to a certain angle, the zero-point detection sensor records the angle of the cabinet door 10 when the telescopic member 4232 moves to this set position.

[0576] For example: When the refrigerator door 10 is closed, a zero-point detection sensor is set at the position corresponding to the telescopic component 4232. When the telescopic component 4232 moves to this po...

Claims

1. A clutch component, characterized in that, include: The driven member includes an output portion and a mating portion connected to the output portion; as well as A clutch motor includes a motor body and a rotating shaft that is at least partially exposed outside the motor body. The rotating shaft is movable along the rotation axis of the rotating shaft and has a transmission state in which it is engaged with the mating part and a disengaged state in which it is separated from the mating part. The rotating shaft is capable of returning to the disengaged state. When the clutch motor outputs power, the rotating shaft extends to the transmission state and drives the driven member to rotate; When the clutch motor stops outputting power, the rotating shaft returns to the disengaged state, and the driven member can rotate relative to the rotating shaft.

2. The clutch component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motor body includes a motor housing, a stator fixed in the motor housing, and a rotor that is magnetically excited in conjunction with the stator. The rotor is fixed in the rotation axis and can extend and retract along the rotation axis. The motor housing is provided with a limiting end that restricts the rotor from leaving the motor housing.

3. The clutch component according to claim 2, characterized in that, The motor housing includes a first housing and a second housing adjacent to the first housing. The stator and the rotor are disposed in the first housing. The rotating shaft includes a shaft inserted into the second housing. The motor body also includes an electromagnetic coil disposed in the second housing. When the electromagnetic coil is energized, it magnetically repels the shaft to move the rotating shaft to the transmission state.

4. The clutch component according to claim 3, characterized in that, A magnetic yoke is provided between the first housing and the second housing; And / or, both the first housing and the second housing are made of non-magnetic metal.

5. The clutch component according to claim 3, characterized in that, The shaft is equipped with a magnet that repels the electromagnetic coil.

6. The clutch component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clutch component further includes a reset member, which is disposed on at least one of the rotating shaft, the clutch motor, and the driven member, so that the rotating shaft can be reset to the disengaged state.

7. The clutch component according to claim 6, characterized in that, The clutch motor also includes a reduction gearbox, which includes a third housing and a reduction gear set rotatably disposed in the third housing. The rotating shaft includes a motor shaft and an output shaft rotatably disposed in the third housing. One end of the motor shaft is connected to the motor body, and the other end of the motor shaft is connected to the output shaft through the reduction gear set. The reset element is an elastic element and is disposed between the mating part and the output shaft so that the rotating shaft can be reset to the separated state.

8. The clutch component according to claim 7, characterized in that, The elastic element includes a conical spring, the output shaft is provided with a mounting groove and a connecting post disposed in the mounting groove, the mating part is provided with an assembly groove corresponding to the mounting groove and a mating post disposed in the assembly groove, and the conical spring is sleeved between the connecting post and the mating post.

9. The clutch component according to claim 7, characterized in that, One of the output shaft and the mating part is provided with a slot, and the other of the output shaft and the mating part is provided with a locking block; When the rotating shaft is in the transmission state, the locking block is engaged with the locking slot; When the rotating shaft is in the disengaged state, the locking block separates from the locking slot.

10. A transmission device, characterized in that, Includes a carrier, a telescopic assembly, and a clutch component as described in any one of claims 1 to 9; The carrier includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to the first end; The clutch motor is located at the first end; The telescopic assembly includes a rotating member rotatably disposed on the bearing member and a telescopic member cooperating with the rotating member, wherein the rotating member is connected to the driven member in a transmission manner; In the transmission state, the clutch motor can drive the telescopic member to move toward or away from the second end; In the disengaged state, the clutch motor is disconnected from the telescopic assembly.

11. The transmission device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The transmission device further includes a linkage mechanism and a drive rod; the linkage mechanism includes a first mounting member, a second mounting member, and a linkage assembly disposed between the first mounting member and the second mounting member, wherein the second mounting member swings relative to the first mounting member via the linkage assembly; The drive rod is connected to the telescopic member, and the second end is provided with a connection notch. The drive rod passes through the connection notch and is movably connected to the linkage mechanism to drive the second mounting member to swing relative to the first mounting member.

12. A box-type device, characterized in that, It includes a housing, a door rotatably connected to the housing, and the transmission device as described in claim 11; the housing is connected to the first mounting member, and the door is connected to the second mounting member.

13. A box-type device, characterized in that, The device includes a box, a drawer, and the transmission device as described in claim 10. The box has a storage cavity, the drawer is telescopically disposed in the storage cavity, the support member is fixed to the box, and the telescopic member is connected to the drawer to drive the drawer to move relative to the box.

14. A refrigerator, characterized in that, It includes a control device and the enclosure equipment as described in claim 12 or 13; the control device is communicatively connected to the clutch motor.

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