Patent ID: 12247777

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A refrigerator and a glass door thereof according to embodiments of the present invention are described with reference toFIG.1toFIG.7. The orientations or positional relationships indicated by “front”, “rear”, “up”, “down”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, “transverse” and the like are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. Such terms are intended merely for the ease and brevity of description of the present invention without indicating or implying that the apparatuses or components mentioned must have specified orientations or must be constructed and manipulated in the specified orientations, and therefore shall not be construed as any limitation on the present invention.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a glass door applied to a refrigerator. The glass door is installed on a refrigerator body or a door body of the refrigerator to open and close a corresponding storage chamber.

FIG.1is a schematic structural diagram of a glass door applied to a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, andFIG.2is a schematic exploded view of the glass door shown inFIG.1. As shown inFIG.1andFIG.2, the glass door300applied to a refrigerator according to this embodiment of the present invention may generally include a glass plate body310and an outer frame320. The glass plate body310is shaped as a flat plate and constitutes a main body part of the glass door300. The glass plate body310may be made of vacuum glass so as to improve a heat insulation property thereof.

The outer frame320is configured to be hinged to a refrigerator body or a door body of the refrigerator. As shown inFIG.1, upper and lower ends of the outer frame320are each provided with a hinge shaft323to realize being hinged to the refrigerator body or the door body. The outer frame320extends along an edge of the glass plate body310and is fixedly connected to the edge of the glass plate body310. In other words, the outer frame320covers only part of the edge of the glass plate body310, so that a main part of the glass plate body310is not shielded, thus making good use of its advantage of transparency. The outer frame320covers part of the edge of the glass plate body310. That is, the remaining edge of the glass plate body310is exposed outside.

In this embodiment of the present invention, in comparison with a traditional door body, the glass door300is thinner, and more beautiful in appearance. In addition, according to this embodiment of the present invention, the outer frame320is not a complete square frame, but is of a half-frame structure that covers only part of the edge of the glass plate body310. On the premise of guaranteeing a connection strength, the outer frame320is enabled to be smaller in total length, lighter in weight, cheaper in cost, and more unique in appearance. The existing glass door bodies of some furniture or other products are generally a totally-sealed outer frame structure, so that all edges of glass are covered, which lacks novelty. However, this embodiment of the present invention breaks through the constraint of such a design habit and creates a totally new glass door design concept.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.1andFIG.2, the outer frame320includes a vertical frame321and two transverse frames322that are bent and extend from two ends of the vertical frame321in a length direction (the overall outer frame320is in a “U” shape with an opening toward an open side of the glass door300), so as to cover a vertical side of the glass plate body310and some sections of two transverse sides connected to the vertical side. Such shape of the outer frame320facilitates arrangement of a hinging structure, and also meets a strength requirement of the outer frame320. With such shape, the outer frame320has the simplest structure and the lightest weight, thus more material costs are reduced.

Further, a ratio of a length of each transverse frame322to a length of the transverse side of the glass door300body may be ⅖ to ⅗, so as to realize optimal combination of strength and portability.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.1andFIG.2, the outer frame320may be provided with a clamping slot328with an opening toward the edge of the glass plate body310to fixedly clamp the edge of the glass plate body310, thereby realizing fixed connection of the outer frame320and the glass plate body310. Such fixation manner realizes a simple structure and a quite firm connection. Certainly, in some alternative embodiments, the two may be connected in other manners, for example, in an adhesion manner.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.1andFIG.2, a section, that is not covered by the transverse frame322, of one transverse side of the glass plate body310may include a handle portion311protruding along a vertical direction. For example, the handle portion311(a position indicated by a dotted box inFIG.1is the handle portion311) protruding downwards is formed in a right section of a lower edge of the glass plate body310. In this embodiment, the handle portion311is formed based on the shape of the glass plate body310without additionally arranging a handle made of plastic or another material on the surface of the glass, thus the glass plate body310has a simpler overall structure.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides a refrigerator, including the glass door300according to any one of the above embodiments. A structure of the refrigerator is not additionally limited in this embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator can perform refrigeration through a vapor compression refrigeration circulation system, a semiconductor refrigeration system, or other ways. According to differences of refrigeration temperatures, chambers inside the refrigerator may be divided into a refrigeration chamber, a freezing chamber and a variable-temperature chamber. For example, a temperature in the refrigeration chamber is generally controlled between 2° C. and 10° C., preferably between 4° C. and 7° C. A temperature in the freezing chamber is generally controlled between −22° C. and −14° C. A temperature in the variable-temperature chamber may be adjusted between −18° C. and 8° C. so as to realize a temperature variation effect. Different types of objects should be stored at different optimal storage temperatures, and also should be stored in different storage chambers. For example, fruit and vegetable foods are suitable for being stored in a refrigeration chamber, while meat foods are suitable for being stored in a freezing chamber.

The glass door300provided by the present invention is especially applicable to a composite door type refrigerator.FIG.3is a schematic diagram of an assembling structure for a door body and a glass door300in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, andFIG.4is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator in a cooling cycle mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown inFIG.3andFIG.4, the refrigerator is a composite door refrigeration, and specifically the refrigerator includes a refrigerator body100, a door body200and a glass door300. A front side of the refrigerator body100is opened to define a first chamber101. The door body200is installed on the refrigerator body100to open and close the first chamber101, and the door body200defines a second chamber201with an opened front side. The glass door300is installed on the door body200to open and close the second chamber201. The first chamber101of this embodiment of the present invention is preferably a refrigeration chamber. The front side of the door body200may be provided with a sealing strip400to seal between the door body and a rear surface of the glass door300. The front side of the door body200may be further provided with a magnet500for attracting another magnet on the glass door300, so that the glass door300is closed more tightly, and thus leakage of cold air is reduced.

The door body200may be rotatably installed on the refrigerator body100at the front side of the refrigerator body100; the front side of the door body200is opened to define the second chamber201, and the glass door300is rotatably installed on the door body200at the front side of the door body200. When the door body200is opened, a user stores or gets objects in the first chamber101. When the door body200is closed and the glass door300is opened, a user can store or get objects in the second chamber201.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, the second chamber201is opened and closed through the glass door300. The glass door300is lighter and thinner, and therefore the second chamber201is easier to open and close by a user. In addition, the overall door body (including the door body200and the glass door300) of the composite door type refrigerator is not too thick or too heavy, making it easier to open and close the overall door body. Moreover, the outer frame320of the glass door300used is of a half-frame structure, so that a user can have a wider view and can observe more details inside the second chamber201, and thus the product grade is increased.

FIG.5is an enlarged view of a location A inFIG.4;FIG.6is a schematic diagram of a state of the refrigerator shown inFIG.4in a dew removal mode;FIG.7is an enlarged view of a location B inFIG.6; and an air direction is indicated by an arrow in each figure.

In an existing composite door type refrigerator, the problem of condensation on the inner wall of the chamber (the second chamber201in the present invention) of the door body often occurs. The inventors have realized that the rear wall211of the door body200is close to the first chamber101, and can transfer heat with the air in the first chamber101via heat conduction. Therefore. the temperature at the front surface of the rear wall211is lower than the temperature at the other wall surfaces of the second chamber201, and it is easier to generate dew.

On the basis of the above concept, in this embodiment of the present invention, the door body200is specially designed, and dew removal is specially performed for the front surface of the rear wall211of the second chamber201. Specifically, the rear wall211of the door body200is provided with an air supply port212and an air return port214that are both in communication with the first chamber101and the second chamber201. In addition, the rear wall211of the door body200is in a hollow shape, inside which a dew removal air duct215in communication with the first chamber101is defined. That is, a hollow space of the rear wall211forms the dew removal air duct215. The front surface of the rear wall211is backwards provided with a plurality of dew removal holes2154in communication with the second chamber201and the dew removal air duct215. The refrigerator is configured to be: in a cooling cycle mode in which the air in the first chamber101enters the second chamber201via the air supply port212and then returns to the first chamber101via the air return port214, so as to refrigerate the second chamber201with the cold air in the first chamber101, as shown inFIG.4andFIG.5. Alternatively, the refrigerator runs in a dew removal mode in which the air in the first chamber101enters the dew removal air duct215, so that part of an air flow flows to the front surface of the rear wall211via the dew removal holes2154to remove dew formed on the front surface of the rear wall, as shown inFIG.6andFIG.7.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator is usually in the aforementioned cooling cycle mode. However, when a lot of dew appears on the front surface of the rear wall211of the door body200due to introduction of wet air as the door is opened and closed or storage of a high-humidity object, the refrigerator may be controlled to run in the aforementioned dew removal mode, so that the air in the first chamber101enters the dew removal air duct215inside the rear wall211of the door body200, and thus part of the air flow flows to the front surface of the rear wall211via the dew removal holes2154. The air in the dew removal air duct215must have a lower relative humidity than the original air flow at the front surface of the rear wall211of the door body200(the air close to the dew must have a quite high relative humidity). Therefore, introduction of low-humidity air in the dew removal air duct215can promote evaporation of the dew to complete a dew removal process. After dew is removed, the refrigerator can be controlled to switch to the cooling cycle mode.

The timing for switching the cooling cycle mode to the dew removal mode may be automatically controlled by the refrigerator, for example, a running mode of the refrigerator is periodically switched or automatically switched according to a detection result of a humidity sensor. Alternatively, the running mode of the refrigerator may be manually controlled, for example, the running mode of the refrigerator may be manually controlled when a user needs to remove dew or needs to stop removing dew.

When the refrigerator provided by this embodiment of the present invention runs in the dew removal mode, a traditional way of electrically heating the rear wall211or introducing hot air is not adopted. Instead, cold air in the first chamber101is used to remove dew, and a dew removal process has no influences on normal refrigeration of the second chamber201, realizing a quite ingenious structural design.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.4andFIG.6, the dew removal air duct215may include an inlet2151and an outlet2152that are in communication with the first chamber101, so that an air path circulation is formed between the dew removal air duct215and the first chamber101. Thus, the air flow for removing dew is prevented from being accumulated in the dew removal air duct215and near the dew removal holes2154, so as not to affect a dew removal effect. In addition, the refrigerator is further configured to make the inlet2151and the outlet2152in a closed state and an open state respectively when in the cooling cycle mode; and make the inlet2151and the outlet2152both in an open state when in the dew removal mode. In other words, when the refrigerator runs in the cooling cycle mode, only the inlet2151of the dew removal air duct215needs to be closed. When the refrigerator runs in the dew removal mode, the inlet2151of the dew removal air duct215is opened. Since the opening and closing of the dew removal air duct215have been controlled by opening and closing the inlet2151and the outlet2152thereof, the outlet2152of the dew removal air duct215needs not to be controlled. Under the two modes, the outlet2152of the dew removal air duct215is in a normally open state and needs not to be controlled, so as to simplify the structure and control of the refrigerator.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.4andFIG.6, the inlet2151of the dew removal air duct215may be in communication with the air supply port212by penetrating through a sidewall of the air supply port212. That is, the dew removal air duct215is in communication with the first chamber101via the air supply port212, and there is no need to form another opening in the rear wall211. Also, the outlet2152of the dew removal air duct215may be in communication with the air return port214by penetrating through a sidewall of the air return port214. That is, the dew removal air duct215is in communication with the first chamber101via the air return port214, and there is no need to form another opening in the rear wall211. The structure designed in this way is quite ingenious, and a perforated structure of the rear wall211of the door body200is simplified, so that only the air supply port212and the air return port214need to be directly formed in the rear surface of the rear wall211of the door body200.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.4andFIG.6, the air supply port212and the air return port214are located at a top and a bottom of the rear wall211, respectively. When the refrigerator runs in the cooling cycle mode, after cold air flows from the air supply port212into the second chamber201, the cold air sinks due to a relatively large density and flows down to sequentially refrigerate regions at all heights of the second chamber201, and the air flows back to the first chamber101via the air return port214at the bottom of the second chamber201after its temperature rises gradually. In this way, smoother air path circulation is formed, which improves a refrigeration effect of the second chamber201. When the refrigerator runs in the dew removal mode, cold air enters the dew removal air duct215from the top of the dew removal air duct215, which is more favorable for downward flowing of the cold air, achieves better flowing in the dew removal air duct215and accelerates a dew removal process.

As shown inFIG.5andFIG.7, the refrigerator may further include a damper216, where the damper216is installed at the air supply port212, and is configured to controllably move to a cooling state (as shown inFIG.5) in which the inlet2151is closed and the air supply port212is turned on, or move to a dew removal state (as shown inFIG.7) in which the inlet2151is opened and the air supply port212is closed. This embodiment makes effective use of the advantage of communication between the inlet2151and the air supply port212, and the air supply port212and the inlet2151are controlled by one damper216at the same time, simplifying air input and output control and achieving an ingenious design.

Specifically, as shown inFIG.5andFIG.7, one end of the damper216is rotatably installed at a front edge of the inlet2151, so that the damper216can rotate to the cooling state (as shown inFIG.5) or the dew removal state (as shown inFIG.7). In this embodiment of the present invention, complex movement mechanism and control logic are not needed, and the running mode of the refrigerator can be switched by controlling rotation of one damper216, greatly simplifying the structure and control.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.4andFIG.7, the refrigerator further includes a fan230, where the fan230is located at the air supply port212to promote the air in the first chamber101to flow to the air supply port212, thus accelerating cooling circulation. Certainly, for a solution in which the inlet2151is in communication with the air supply port212, the fan230is also configured to promote the air in the first chamber101to flow to the dew removal air duct215.

The inventors have realized that being closer to the air supply port212means more dew being generated at the rear wall211of the door body200; and being closer to the air return port214means less dew being generated. Therefore, in this embodiment of the present invention, the arrangement density of the dew removal holes2154is specially designed. In a direction from the air supply port212to the air return port214, the arrangement density of the dew removal holes2154is gradually reduced to fit with a variation trend of condensation degrees at different locations of the rear wall211of the door body200and reduce excessive meaningless holes. Holes may be distributed in the overall front surface of the rear wall211of the door body200so as to realize complete dew removal, or may be distributed in part of the front surface of the rear wall211. The dew removal holes2154may have a percentage of opening of 30% to 80%. The dew removal holes2154may be arranged in matrix or in other forms. The dew removal holes2154may be circular, oval, square or in other shapes. Preferably, the dew removal holes2154are lathy holes whose length direction is parallel to the airflow direction of the dew removal air duct215. Such structure facilitates destroying integrity of dewdrops and accelerates diffusion and evaporation of the dewdrops.

In conclusion, it should be learned by those skilled in the art that although various exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications consistent with the principles of the present invention may be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be construed and considered as covering all these other variations or modifications.