WO2017032150A1

WO2017032150A1 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2017032150A1
Application number: PCT/CN2016/086186
Authority: WO
Inventors: 陶海波; 聂圣源; 王轲; 刘建如
Original assignee: 青岛海尔特种电冰箱有限公司; 青岛海尔股份有限公司
Priority date: 2015-08-26
Filing date: 2016-06-17
Publication date: 2017-03-02
Also published as: EP3343144A1; CN105042989B; CN105042989A; US20180031299A1; EP3343144B1; EP3343144A4

Abstract

A refrigerator (100), comprising storage compartments (11, 12), cold air passages (30, 32) used for providing cold air and a top portion air passage (40). The top portion air passage (40) is arranged at a top wall of a storage compartment (11) and provided with a rear end air inlet (41), a front end air inlet (42) and a downwardly opening mixed flow air outlet (43). The top portion air passage (40) is arranged to: receive, via the rear end air inlet (41), cold air blown out from a cold air passage (30), receive, via the front end air inlet (42), return air returned from the storage compartment (11), and cause, via the mixed flow air outlet (43), the cold air and the return air to flow into the storage compartment (11) in a mixed manner. The refrigerator (100) is provided with the top portion air passage (40), thereby enabling the cold air to be first mixed with the higher temperature return air within the storage compartment (11), then blown into the storage compartment (11). The refrigerator (100) accelerates the uniform distribution of the cold/temperature within the storage compartment (11), implements rapid cooling and uniform cooling, and has a high cooling efficiency.

Description

refrigerator

Technical field

The invention relates to the field of refrigeration and refrigeration technology, and in particular to a refrigerator.

Background technique

Air-cooled refrigerators are essential household appliances for keeping food fresh, prolonging food storage time and improving food safety. However, in the existing air-cooled refrigerator, the air supply duct is generally disposed at the rear of the storage compartment of the refrigerator, and the air is blown out and then sinks, resulting in a warmer temperature in the front part of the storage compartment and a colder temperature in the rear part. The temperature is not uniform. In addition, the front part of the storage compartment is closer to the door body, which is prone to heat leakage, resulting in a higher temperature in the front part of the storage compartment, which is disadvantageous for preserving food. How to make the temperature distribution in the storage compartment of the refrigerator uniform is an urgent problem to be solved in improving the refrigeration effect of the refrigerator.

Summary of the invention

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to overcome at least one of the deficiencies of existing refrigerators and to provide a novel refrigerator which is capable of uniform temperature distribution in a storage compartment and high in refrigeration efficiency.

To this end, the present invention provides a refrigerator including a storage compartment and a cold air duct for providing cold air. Specifically, the refrigerator further includes: a top air duct disposed at a top wall of the storage compartment, having a rear air inlet, a front air inlet, and a mixed air outlet opening downward, and the top air duct is configured Receiving cold air blown from the cold air duct through the rear air inlet, receiving return air returning from the storage compartment through the front air inlet, and passing the air outlet through the air outlet The cold air and the return air are mixed into the storage compartment.

Optionally, the cold air duct is in communication with a rear space of the storage compartment to provide cold air to the storage compartment.

Optionally, the refrigerator further includes a cooling chamber formed with an air supply opening to the cold air duct;

a cooler disposed in the cooling chamber to cool a gas flowing therethrough;

a blower fan disposed at the air supply port; and

a return air duct communicating with a lower space of the storage compartment and the cooling chamber such that part or all of the gas in the storage compartment enters the cooling compartment via the return air duct and is The cooler enters the cold air duct after cooling.

Optionally, the refrigerator further includes: another storage compartment disposed below the storage compartment, and the cooling compartment is formed behind the another storage compartment; another cold air duct Connecting the air supply port and the other storage compartment; another return air duct connecting the other storage compartment and the cooling compartment.

Optionally, the refrigerator further includes: a movable blower cover disposed outside the air blowing port, and configured to provide an opening for the cooling gas to flow to the cold air duct when the air blowing port is closed.

Optionally, the refrigerator further includes a damper configured to controlly turn on or off the cold air duct.

Optionally, the refrigerator further includes:

The top fan is configured to blow the cold air and the return air from the mixed outflow vent to the storage compartment.

Optionally, the refrigerator further includes a top air duct cover installed on a lower surface of the top wall of the storage compartment to form the top air duct.

Optionally, the top air duct cover comprises:

a web portion extending obliquely upward from a rear end thereof to a front end thereof, wherein a through hole is opened therein; and

The air outlet portion extends downward from the edge of the through hole, and the lower end end opening is the mixed out air outlet, and the fan is installed in the air outlet portion.

Optionally, the refrigerator further includes: a cold air duct cover plate installed on a front surface of the rear wall of the storage compartment to form the cold air duct; and the plurality of cold air duct cover plates are opened a cold air vent to provide cold air to the storage compartment and/or the top air duct.

Since the refrigerator of the present invention has a top air passage, the cold air can be first mixed with the return air having a higher indoor temperature in the storage room, and then blown into the storage room to accelerate the uniform distribution of the cooling amount/temperature in the storage room. It achieves fast cooling, uniform cooling, and high cooling efficiency. In addition, the increase of the top air passage causes the refrigeration air passage circulation inside the storage compartment to change from the original single cycle to the multi-cycle process, thereby achieving a more uniform temperature inside the storage compartment.

Further, since the cold air duct in the refrigerator of the present invention can directly supply cold air to the storage room, the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator is remarkably improved.

The above as well as other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the <

DRAWINGS

Some specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below by way of example, and not limitation. The same reference numbers in the drawings identify the same or similar parts. Those skilled in the art should understand that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the figure:

1 is a schematic structural view of a refrigerator in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a schematic structural view of a refrigerator in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a schematic structural view of a refrigerator in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

detailed description

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the present invention provides a refrigerator 100. The refrigerator 100 generally includes a storage compartment 11 for storing food, a cold air duct 30 for providing cold air, and a door body 20 that closes the storage compartment 11. In particular, the refrigerator 100 may also include a top air duct 40. The top The air duct 40 is disposed on the top wall of the storage compartment 11 and has a rear air inlet 41, a front air inlet 42 and a mixed air outlet 43 with the opening downward, and the top air duct 40 is configured to pass through the rear air inlet 41. The cold air blown from the cold air duct 30 is received, the return air returning from the storage compartment 11 is received via the front air inlet 42 , and the cold air and the return air are mixed into the storage compartment 11 via the mixed air outlet 43 . To speed up the cooling rate in the storage compartment 11. Specifically, when the refrigerator 100 is in operation, the top air duct 40 may mix the cold air from the cold air duct 30 with the return air having a higher temperature at the door body 20 adjacent to the storage compartment 11 therein. And it is basically blown from the top to the bottom into the storage compartment 11, so that the temperature of the storage compartment 11 is more uniform.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the refrigerator 100 may further include a top fan 50 disposed at the mixed outflow vent 43 configured to mix the cold air and the return air from the mixed outflow vent 43 to the storage compartment 11 to improve Air supply efficiency. The top fan 50 can be an axial fan. In some alternative embodiments of the invention, a fan may also be provided at each air inlet of the top duct 40 to cause the fan to blow airflow into the top duct 40. In still other alternative embodiments of the invention, each of the air inlets may also receive airflow directly from other air ducts.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the refrigerator 100 may further include a top duct cover 44 mounted to the lower surface of the top wall of the storage compartment 11 to form the top duct 40. Specifically, the top duct cover 44 may be mounted to the lower surface of the top wall of the storage compartment 11 and include a web portion 441 and an air outlet portion 442 on which the through holes are formed. The web portion 441 extends obliquely upward from its rear end to its front end, and its angle with the horizontal plane may be 5° to 30°. The air outlet portion 442 extends downward from the edge of the through hole on the web portion 441, and the lower end portion thereof is a mixed outflow port 43. The through hole on the web portion 441 may be located at a central position of the web, and the air outlet portion 442 may extend downward from the edge of the through hole on the web portion 441 in a direction perpendicular to the web portion 441. In order to tilt the mixed outflow port 43 slightly forward, the low temperature environment at the door body 20 of the refrigerator 100 can be ensured. The top fan 50 can be installed in the air outlet portion 442. In some alternative embodiments of the invention, the top duct cover 44 may also be mounted to the upper surface of the top wall of the storage compartment 11 to form the top duct 40. Alternatively, the top air duct 40 is formed directly in the top wall of the storage compartment 11.

Further, the refrigerator 100 in the embodiment of the present invention may further include two end cover plates, and each end cover plate is provided with an air inlet. Two end covers can be mounted to the ends of the top duct cover 44, respectively.

2 is a schematic structural view of a refrigerator 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, in the refrigerator 100 in this embodiment, the cold air duct 30 is also in communication with the rear space of the storage compartment 11 to supply cold air to the storage compartment 11. Specifically, in some embodiments, the refrigerator 100 may further include a cold air duct cover plate installed on a front wall front surface of the storage compartment 11 to form a cold air duct 30. A plurality of cold air outlets 31 are opened in the cold air duct cover to provide cold air to the storage compartment 11 and/or the top air duct 40. For example, the surface of the plurality of cold air outlets 31 where the partial cold air outlets 31 are located is in contact with the end surface of the top air duct 40 where the rear air inlets 41 are located, so that the cold air enters the top air ducts 40. Alternatively, the surface where the partial cold air outlet 31 is located has a predetermined gap with the end surface of the top air inlet 40 where the rear air inlet 41 is located, so that cold air enters the top air passage 40. The partial air outlets and the rear air inlets 41 of the top air duct 40 are located in the storage compartment 11. Multiple cold The remaining cold air outlets 31 in the wind outlets 31 can be used to provide cold air into the storage compartment 11. In some alternative embodiments, the cold air duct cover may be installed on the rear wall rear surface of the storage compartment 11 to form the cold air duct 30, and the rear wall of the storage compartment 11 is provided with a plurality of cold air outlets. Tuyere 31.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the refrigerator 100 may further include a cooling chamber 13, a cooler 60, a blower fan 70, and a return air duct. The cooling chamber 13 is formed with a blower opening to the cold air duct 30. A cooler 60 is disposed in the cooling chamber 13 to cool the gas flowing therethrough. The cooler 60 can be an evaporator of a compression refrigeration system. The blower fan 70 is disposed at the air supply port. The return air duct can communicate with the lower space of the storage compartment 11 and the cooling chamber 13 so that part or all of the gas in the storage compartment 11 enters the cooling chamber 13 via the return air duct and is cooled by the cooler 60 to enter the cold air. Wind tunnel 30.

In some embodiments of the present invention, in order to facilitate picking up and dropping of articles, the refrigerator 100 in this embodiment may further include a drawer 90 in which articles 92 such as beef may be placed. The drawer 90 is operatively inserted into the storage compartment 11 or pulled outwardly from the storage compartment 11, i.e., the drawer 90 is mounted in the storage compartment 11. Preferably, the lower portion of the front wall and the lower portion of the rear wall of the drawer 90 have ventilation holes 91 so that the airflow flowing out of the mixed outflow port 43 exchanges heat with the articles 92 in the drawer 90 and flows out of the drawer 90 from the ventilation holes 91 in the drawer 90. . Further, the airflow flowing out of the vent hole 91 at the front end of the drawer 90 can be returned to the front end air inlet 42 of the top air duct 40 to participate in the circulation. Airflow from the vents 91 at the rear end of the drawer 90 can enter the return air duct to participate in the cycle.

The refrigerator 100 in the embodiment of the present invention may further include another storage compartment 12 which may be disposed below the storage compartment 11. For example, the storage compartment 11 may be a refrigerating compartment and the other storage compartment 12 may be a freezing compartment. Further, a quick freezing chamber may be provided between the storage compartment 11 and another storage compartment 12. The cooling chamber 13 may be formed behind the other storage compartment 12. The refrigerator 100 further has another cold air duct 32 that communicates the air supply port and the other storage compartment 12, and another air storage duct 12 that communicates with the other storage compartment 12 and the cooling chamber 13.

In some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, the refrigerator 100 may further include a damper 81 and a movable blower cover 82. The damper 81 is configured to controlly turn on or off the cold air duct 30. The movable blower cover 82 is disposed outside the air supply opening, and is configured to provide an opening for the cooling gas to flow to the cold air duct 30 when the air supply opening is closed; that is, when the movable blower cover 82 closes the air supply opening Another cold air duct 30 communicating with the other storage compartment 12 can be closed to keep the cold air duct 30 unblocked.

The refrigerator 100 of the embodiment of the present invention can have various working modes during operation, for example, the storage compartment 11 has a separate working mode: the movable blower cover 82 is in a closed state, the damper 81 is in an open state, and the blower fan 70 is operated. The top fan 50 does not operate, allowing the storage compartment 11 to work alone. The other storage compartment 12 has a separate working mode: the movable blower cover 82 is in an open state, the damper 81 is in a closed state, the blower fan 70 is in operation, and the top blower 50 is inoperative, so that another storage compartment 12 can be separated. jobs. The common working mode: the movable blower cover 82 is in an open state, the damper 81 is in an open state, the blower fan 70 is in operation, and the top blower 50 is inoperative, so that the two storage compartments 11 can work together. Fast cooling mode: movable The blower cover 82 is in the closed state, the damper 81 is in the open state, the blower fan 70 is in operation, and the top blower 50 is operated to rapidly cool the interior of the storage compartment 11, as shown in Fig. 1, the arrow in the figure indicates the flow direction of the airflow. . In order to prevent the temperature in the other storage compartment 12 from rising too high, the rapid cooling mode automatically exits the mode after a certain period of time. Another common working mode: the movable blower cover 82 is in an open state, the damper 81 is in an open state, and the blower fan 70 and the top blower 50 are both operable, so that the two storage compartments 11 work together, as shown in FIG. The arrows in the figure indicate the flow direction of the airflow.

In this regard, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the <RTIgt;the</RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; The content directly determines or derives many other variations or modifications consistent with the principles of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be understood and construed as covering all such other modifications or modifications.

Claims

A refrigerator includes a storage compartment and a cold air duct for providing cold air, and further comprising:

a top air duct, disposed at a top wall of the storage compartment, having a rear air inlet, a front air inlet, and a mixed air outlet opening downward, and the top air duct is configured to: enter through the rear end The tuyere receives cold air blown from the cold air duct, receives return air returning from the storage compartment through the front air inlet, and mixes the cold air and the return air via the mixed air outlet The ground flows into the storage compartment.
A refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein

The cold air duct communicates with a rear space of the storage compartment to provide cold air to the storage compartment.
The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cooling chamber is formed with an air supply opening to the cold air duct;

a cooler disposed in the cooling chamber to cool a gas flowing therethrough;

a blower fan disposed at the air supply port; and

a return air duct communicating with a lower space of the storage compartment and the cooling chamber such that part or all of the gas in the storage compartment enters the cooling compartment via the return air duct and is The cooler enters the cold air duct after cooling.
The refrigerator according to claim 3, further comprising:

Another storage compartment is disposed below the storage compartment, and the cooling compartment is formed behind the other storage compartment;

Another cold air duct connecting the air supply opening and the other storage compartment;

Another return air duct connects the other storage compartment and the cooling compartment.
The refrigerator according to claim 3, further comprising:

The movable blower cover is disposed outside the air blowing port, and is disposed to provide an opening portion through which the cooling gas flows to the cold air duct when the air blowing port is closed.
The refrigerator according to claim 3, further comprising:

A damper configured to controllably turn on or off the cold air duct.
The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising:

The top fan is configured to blow the cold air and the return air from the mixed outflow vent to the storage compartment.
The refrigerator according to claim 7, further comprising:

A top air duct cover is mounted on a lower surface of the top wall of the storage compartment to form the top air duct.
The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the top duct cover comprises:

a web portion extending obliquely upward from a rear end thereof to a front end thereof, wherein a through hole is opened therein; and

The air outlet portion extends downward from the edge of the through hole, and the lower end end opening is the mixed out air outlet, and the fan is installed in the air outlet portion.
The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cold air duct cover plate is mounted on the front surface of the rear wall of the storage compartment to form the cold air duct; and the cold air duct cover is provided with a plurality of cold air outlets for the storage The air chamber and/or the top air duct provide cold air.