REFRIGERATOR

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2024/122261, filed on Sep. 29, 2024, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410841700.7, filed on Jun. 26, 2024, Chinese Patent Application No. 202421485063.6, filed on Jun. 26, 2024, and Chinese Patent Application No. 202421485556.X, filed on Jun. 26, 2024. The entire disclosures of the above-identified applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, and more particularly to a refrigerator.

BACKGROUND

A refrigerator is a device for long-term preservation and storage of food, keeping food fresh at low temperatures to ensure daily dietary health. It has become an essential household appliance in people's lives. With the continuous improvement of living standards, people often add ice cubes to beverages to achieve a refreshing taste. Since a refrigerator itself creates a low-temperature environment suitable for food preservation by lowering the temperature, the low-temperature environment inside the refrigerator is conducive to the production and storage of ice cubes. Therefore, the market demand for refrigerators equipped with ice makers is steadily increasing.

SUMMARY

There is provided a refrigerator according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The technical solution is as below:

In one aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a refrigerator, comprising:

• • a cabinet, comprising a cabinet shell and an inner liner, where the inner liner is disposed in the cabinet shell, and a refrigerating compartment is provided inside the inner liner;
  • a door body, connected to the cabinet to open or close the refrigerating compartment; and
  • an ice maker, disposed in the refrigerating compartment, where the ice maker comprises water injection units, frames and ice trays; the water injection units are connected to the inner liner, the frames are mounted on the corresponding water injection units, the ice trays are mounted in the corresponding frames, and the water injection units are configured to inject water into the ice trays;

at least two water injection units are provided, and each of the water injection units comprises an end cover and a water injection pipe; the end covers are sequentially arranged on the inner liner, and adjacent end covers are detachably connected, and the water injection pipes are connected to the end covers in a one-to-one correspondence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the refrigerator in FIG. 1 with a portion of a cabinet hidden.

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an ice maker in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded schematic structural diagram of the ice maker in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of the ice maker in FIG. 3 with water injection units and a portion of mounting frames hidden.

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an end cover in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an exploded schematic structural diagram of a water injection pipe in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a locking block in FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a mounting frame in FIG. 4.

FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view of area A in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of the locking block from another angle.

FIG. 12 is an exploded schematic structural diagram of the locking blocks and the mounting frames in one embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged view of area B in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an ice maker with a portion removed in one embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a partially enlarged view of area C in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a schematic structural diagram of the ice maker with the end cover hidden.

FIG. 17 is a partially enlarged view of area D in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a schematic structural diagram of the water injection pipes connected to the end covers in one embodiment.

FIG. 19 is an exploded schematic structural diagram of the ice maker in one embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a schematic structural diagram of ice trays and mounting frames in one embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

To make the above objectives, features, and advantages of the present application more apparent and comprehensible, specific embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to facilitate a thorough understanding of the present application. However, the present application may be practiced in ways other than those specifically described herein. Those skilled in the art may make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present application, and thus the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

In the description of the present application, it should be understood that orientation or position relationships indicated by terms such as “center”, “longitudinal”, “transverse”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “up”, “down”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, “clockwise”, “anticlockwise”, “axial”, “radial” and “circumferential” are based on orientations or position relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are merely for the convenience of description of the present application and simplification of the description, rather than indicating or implying that the apparatuses or elements referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be construed as limiting the present application.

In addition, the terms “first” and “second” are used solely for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Accordingly, the features defined as “first” or “second” may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present application, the term “plurality” means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise expressly and specifically limited.

In the present application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms “install,” “connect,” “couple,” “fix,” and the like should be interpreted broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they may refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they may refer to direct connections or indirect connections via intermediate media; or they may refer to internal communication between or interaction of two elements, unless otherwise expressly limited. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present application may be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art depending on specific circumstances.

In the present application, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the first feature being “above” or “below” the second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being not in direct contact via an intermediate medium. In addition, the first feature being “above”, “over”, and “on” the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the level of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature being “below”, “under” or “beneath” the second feature includes the case where the first feature is directly or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the level of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature.

It should be noted that when an element is described as being “fixed to” or “disposed on” another element, it may be directly fixed to another element or there may be an intermediate element therebetween. When an element is described as being “connected to” another element, it may be directly connected to another element, or there may be an intermediate element therebetween. The terms “vertical,” “horizontal,” “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible embodiments.

It should be noted that, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, and FIG. 5, in the embodiments of the present application, the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction intersect. For ease of description, the first direction is defined as the X-axis direction, and the second direction is defined as the Y-axis direction. In the present embodiment, the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are coplanar and perpendicular to each other, and the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other. Further, in the present application, the term “parallel” includes not only absolutely parallel situations but also generally parallel situations as commonly understood in engineering, such as where “parallel” refers to a state in which the angle between a line and another line, between a line and a plane, or between a plane and another plane is from −1° to 1°; similarly, “perpendicular” includes not only absolutely perpendicular situations but also generally perpendicular situations as commonly understood in engineering, such as where “perpendicular” refers to a state in which the angle between a line and another line, between a line and a plane, or between a plane and another plane is from 89° to 91°. Equal distances or equal angles include not only absolutely equal situations but also generally equal situations as commonly understood in engineering, i.e., a certain tolerance is allowed, such as a tolerance range of −1% to 1%.

A refrigerator 100 provided in the embodiments of the present application may have various forms of implementations. The present application provides several exemplary embodiments to illustrate a specific structure of the refrigerator 100, but these are not intended to limit the present application.

In an exemplary embodiment, the refrigerator 100 in this embodiment includes a cabinet 10.

The directions described herein are based on the direction in which a user faces the refrigerator 100. Left and right sides are defined according to the user's orientation facing the refrigerator 100. The side of the refrigerator 100 facing the user during use is defined as a front side, the opposite side as a rear side, and upper and lower sides are defined according to the general normal working position of the refrigerator 100.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cabinet 10 is used to form the overall appearance of the refrigerator 100. The cabinet 10 is roughly in the shape of a rectangular frame. A top of the cabinet 10 and a bottom of the cabinet 10 serve as opposite ends, and a direction from the top of the cabinet 10 to the bottom of the cabinet 10 is a height direction of the cabinet 10. A left side of the cabinet 10 and a right side of the cabinet 10 serve as opposite sides, and a direction from the left side of the cabinet 10 to the right side of the cabinet 10 is a width direction of the cabinet 10. A front side of the cabinet 10 and a rear side of the cabinet 10 serve as opposite sides, and a direction from the front side of the cabinet 10 to the rear side of the cabinet 10 is a thickness direction of the cabinet 10; where the first direction is the width direction of the cabinet 10, and the second direction is the height direction of the cabinet 10.

The cabinet 10 includes a cabinet shell 11 and an inner liner 12. The inner liner 12 is disposed in the cabinet shell 11, and an installation space is formed between the two for installing other components of the refrigerator 100 and forming a foamed thermal insulation layer. The inner liner 12 may include a refrigerating inner liner and a freezing inner liner. The refrigerating inner liner and the freezing inner liner may each be divided into a plurality of storage compartments for storing different foods or household items. Each of the storage compartments may be separated by a glass shelf or by a storage box. In some embodiments, the cabinet 10 may include a plurality of refrigerating inner liners and freezing inner liners. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the cabinet 10 may include 2 freezing inner liners.

A refrigerating compartment 15 is provided inside the inner liner 12, and the refrigerating compartment 15 is used for storing goods, and may also be used for storing foods or daily supplies. The refrigerating compartment 15 is provided with a compartment opening, and the compartment opening is oriented toward the front side of the cabinet 10. The refrigerating compartment 15 may be at a refrigerating temperature environment, a freezing temperature environment, or a normal temperature environment.

In some embodiments, the refrigerator 100 further includes a door body 20 disposed at the compartment opening of the cabinet 10. The door body 20 is disposed in the shape of a straight plate on the front side of the cabinet 10 and is connected to the cabinet 10 in an openable and closable manner to open or close the refrigerating compartment 15.

The refrigerator 100 further includes a refrigeration system (not shown) and an air supply system (not shown). The refrigeration system and the air supply system are electrically connected to a power supply assembly. The power supply assembly is configured to supply power to components of the refrigeration system and the air supply system, thereby ensuring normal operation of the refrigeration system and the air supply system.

The refrigeration system is installed inside the cabinet 10 and is configured to supply cold air to the refrigerating compartment 15. The refrigeration system generally refers to a closed system including components such as a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, a dryer filter, an air return pipe, a throttling device, and a refrigerant. Each of the components is distributed at different positions in the cabinet 10 according to structural characteristics to meet the requirements of the corresponding functions thereof. The working process of the refrigeration system mainly includes a compression process, a condensation process, a throttling process, and an evaporation process. The compression process is as follows: After a power cord of the refrigerator 100 is plugged in and when contacts of a thermostat are electrically connected, the compressor starts to work. The low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant from the evaporator is sucked into the compressor, compressed into a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas by the compressor, and then discharged into the condenser. The condensation process is as follows: The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas exchanges heat with the external environment via the condenser and is condensed into a high-temperature and high-pressure liquid. The throttling process is as follows: The condensed high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant liquid flows through the drying filter to remove moisture and impurities, and then enters the throttling device; the throttling device performs throttling and pressure reduction, and the refrigerant turns into a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid. The evaporation process is as follows: The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid enters the evaporator, starts to absorb heat and vaporize, lowering the temperature of the evaporator and surroundings to achieve refrigeration, and turning the refrigerant into low-temperature and low-pressure vapor. The refrigerant exiting the evaporator then returns to the compressor, and the above process is repeated. Through state changes of the refrigerant, energy conversion is achieved, transferring the heat inside the refrigerator 100 to the air outside the cabinet, and thereby realizing refrigeration cycles of the refrigerator 100.

The air supply system is installed in the cabinet 10 and is configured to provide power for the flow of cold air; the air supply system generally includes a fan and an air supply duct defined within the cabinet 10. In some embodiments, an air inlet end of the air supply duct is disposed close to the fan, and an air outlet end of the air supply duct is disposed away from the fan. In other embodiments, the air outlet end of the air supply duct is disposed close to the fan, and the air inlet end of the air supply duct is disposed away from the fan. The cabinet 10 further defines an air duct chamber, which is in communication with both the air supply duct and the refrigerating compartment 15, so that the air supply duct is in communication with the refrigerating compartment 15 via the air duct chamber. It should be noted that the inner liner 12 is provided with an air outlet, which is configured to communicate the air duct chamber with the refrigerating compartment 15. The fan operates to enable cold air generated by the refrigeration system to flow through the air supply duct into the air duct chamber, and then pass through the air outlet into the refrigerating compartment 15 so as to cool the refrigerating compartment 15. It should also be noted that, in some embodiments, the air outlet is disposed on a side wall of the inner liner 12 opposite to the opening of the refrigerating compartment 15, or on a side wall of the inner liner 12 adjacent to the opening of the refrigerating compartment 15.

In some embodiments, the refrigerator 100 further includes an ice maker 30. The ice maker 30 is configured to produce ice cubes. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the ice maker 30 is disposed in the refrigerating compartment 15. The ice maker 30 includes water injection units 31. The water injection units 31 are connected to the inner liner 12. The inner liner 12 may be a freezing inner liner, which provides a storage space for frozen food. The inner liner 12 has an opening, and the water injection units 31 are embedded in the opening and close the opening.

A plurality of water injection units 31 may be provided. Each of the water injection units 31 includes an end cover 311 and a water injection pipe 312. That is, for the ice maker 30, at least two end covers 311 are provided, and at least two water injection pipes 312 are also provided. The end covers 311 are sequentially arranged on the inner liner 12, and adjacent end covers 311 are detachably connected; the number of water injection pipes 312 is the same as that of the end covers 311, and the water injection pipes 312 are connected to the end covers 311 in a one-to-one correspondence. By modularizing and standardizing the water injection units 31, a corresponding number of end covers 311 can be selectively assembled based on different types of refrigerators or different customer requirements, that is, a corresponding number of water injection pipes 312 are selected at the same time. The water injection pipes 312 can correspond to ice trays of different specifications, thereby meeting different ice-making requirements. During the manufacturing of different types of refrigerators, the end covers 311 of the water injection units (31) of different specifications are structurally interchangeable, ensuring unified mass production and thereby reducing production costs.

In some embodiments, the ice maker 30 is mounted on the inner liner 12, and the refrigerating compartment 15 provides a freezing temperature environment. The low-temperature environment of the refrigerating compartment 15 is thereby utilized to freeze water in the ice trays 33 into ice cubes.

In another embodiment, the ice maker 30 may also be mounted on the door body 20. When the ice maker 30 is mounted on the door body 20, ice cubes inside the ice maker 30 can be removed without opening the door body 20, making it more convenient to use and enhancing user experience.

In another embodiment, the ice maker 30 may also be disposed in the refrigerating compartment 15 that provides a refrigerating temperature environment or a normal temperature environment. In this case, the water in the ice trays 33 cannot rely on the temperature environment in the refrigerating compartment 15 to condense into ice. Therefore, it is necessary to install a condenser tube on the ice tray 33. The condenser tube lowers the temperature of the ice tray 33, thereby causing the water inside the ice tray 33 to freeze.

In some embodiments, the ice maker 30 further includes a frame 32 and an ice tray 33. The frame 32 is mounted on the water injection unit 31, the ice tray 33 is hinged in the frame 32, and the water injection unit 31 is configured to inject water into the ice tray 33. A plurality of frames 32 and a plurality of ice trays 33 may be provided. Each water injection unit 31 is correspondingly provided with one frame 32 and one ice tray 33.

In one embodiment, the end cover 311 is fixedly connected to the inner liner 12, and the end cover 311 is configured to fix the water injection pipe 312 onto the inner liner 12. The frame 32 is detachably connected to the end cover 311, and the frame 32 is suspended in the refrigerating compartment 15 via the end cover 311, which serves as a bearing component of the ice maker 30. During the assembly process, the end cover 311 is connected to the inner liner 12, and then fixed at a designated position on the inner liner 12 by a foaming process, and then the frame 32 of the ice maker 30 is detachably suspended on the end cover 311, thus enabling the ice maker 30 to be installed in the refrigerating compartment 15.

In some embodiments, adjacent sides of two adjacent end covers 311 are detachably connected, and the detachable connection may be a snap-fit connection, plug-in structure, or other connection means. For example, the side of one of the two adjacent end covers 311 is provided with a hook portion, and the side of the other end cover 311 is provided with a snap-fit portion, and a clamping groove is formed on the snap-fit portion. The hook portion and the snap-fit portion are engaged with each other to achieve a detachable connection.

As shown in FIG. 6, the end cover 311 includes a connecting portion 3111, a snap-fit portion 3112, an abutting portion 3113, and a hook portion 3114. The connecting portion 3111 is connected to the inner liner 12 and is generally in the shape of a straight plate. The snap-fit portion 3112 and the abutting portion 3113 are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the connecting portion 3111. The snap-fit portion 3112 is in the shape of a straight plate and extends in the second direction, and an extension plane where the snap-fit portion 3112 is located is perpendicular to an extension plane of the connecting portion 3111. The abutting portion 3113 is in the shape of a straight plate and is disposed on the side of the connecting portion 3111 away from the snap-fit portion 3112. The abutting portion 3113 is parallel to the snap-fit portion 3112. The hook portion 3114 extends from the end of the abutting portion 3113 away from the connecting portion 3111 toward a direction approaching the connecting portion 30 3111. The hook portion 3114 is configured to hook the snap-fit portion 3112 of an adjacent end cover 311. That is, the detachable connection between two adjacent end covers 311 is achieved by inserting the snap-fit portion 3112 of one end cover 311 between the abutting portion 3113 and the hook portion 3114 of the other end cover 311. The snap-fit portion 3112 and the abutting portion 3113 of the two adjacent end covers 311 abut against each other, and the hook portion 3114 is hooked onto the snap-fit portion 3112, thereby connecting the two adjacent end covers 311. In this embodiment, the hook portion 3114 is configured in an L-shaped structure. One end of the hook portion 3114 is connected to the abutting portion 3113, and the other end of the hook portion 3114 extends toward the connecting portion 3111.

In some embodiments, the snap-fit portion 3112 is provided with fixing holes 3115. The fixing holes 3115 are configured in the shape of a groove on the side of the snap-fit portion 3112 away from the connecting portion 3111. The fixing holes 3115 may also be configured in the shape of a through hole and penetrate through the snap-fit portion 3112 in the first direction. The abutting portion 3113 is provided with fixing blocks 3116. The fixing blocks 3116 are disposed in the shape of a protrusion on the side of the abutting portion 3113 away from the connecting portion 3111. The positions of the fixing holes 3115 and the positions of the fixing blocks 3116 correspond to each other. When two adjacent end covers 311 are connected, the fixing blocks 3116 of one end cover 311 are inserted into the corresponding fixing holes 3115 of the other end cover 311, thereby securing the snap-fit portion 3112 between the abutting portion 3113 and the hook portion 3114, achieving snap-fit fixation between the two adjacent end covers 311 and making assembly and disassembly more convenient.

In some embodiments, a plurality of fixing holes 3115 are provided on the same end cover 311, and the fixing holes 3115 are spaced apart along the snap-fit portion 3112; the number of the fixing blocks 3116 is the same as the number of the fixing holes 3115. The fixing blocks and the fixing holes are in a one-to-one correspondence. By providing the plurality of fixing holes 3115 and the fixing blocks 3116, the reliability of the connection between two adjacent end covers 311 is improved.

In some embodiments, the number of hook portions 3114 is twice the number of fixing blocks 3116, and the hook portions 3114 are disposed opposite each other on both sides of the fixing blocks 3116, thereby ensuring that when two adjacent end covers 311 are snap-fitted, the hook portions 3114 apply balanced pressure on both sides of the fixing holes 3115 on the snap-fit portion 3112, thereby ensuring the reliability of the fixing blocks 3116 being inserted into the fixing holes 3115.

During actual use, for processing avoidance or installation avoidance, both the snap-fit portion 3112 and the abutting portion 3113 may be provided with disconnected grooves. There is no restriction here on whether the snap-fit portion 3112 and the abutting portion 3113 are in the form of uninterrupted plate-like structures. It is only necessary to ensure that when two adjacent end covers 311 are joined, the snap-fit portion 3112 and the abutting portion 3113 abut against each other, and the fixing blocks 3116 on the abutting portion 3113 are inserted into the corresponding fixing holes 3115 on the snap-fit portion 3112 for snap-fitting and fixing.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4, each of the frames 32 includes a mounting frame 321 and locking blocks 322. A plurality of frames 32 are provided. The mounting frames 321 are sequentially spaced apart on an inner wall of the inner liner 12. The locking blocks 322 are disposed between two adjacent mounting frames 321 to fix the two adjacent mounting frames 321.

As shown in FIG. 9, each of the mounting frames 321 is provided with bayonets 3213 and sockets 3214. As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 11, each of the locking blocks 322 includes a base portion 3221, a snap-locking portion 3222, and a plug portion 3223. Both the snap-locking portion 3222 and the plug portion 3223 are connected to the base portion 3221. The snap-locking portion 3222 is engaged with the corresponding bayonet 3213 in the first direction, and the plug portion 3223 is inserted into the corresponding socket 3214 in the second direction. By configuring the frame 32 as a modular structure, the interior of the mounting frame 321 is used for installing the ice tray 33, providing a space for water to freeze into ice cubes. A plurality of mounting frames 321 are provided, forming a plurality of ice-making units. The number of mounting frames 321 to be assembled can be selected as needed, thereby controlling the number of ice-making units, eliminating the need to manufacture mounting frames 321 of various specifications, and thus reducing processing costs.

In some embodiments, the mounting frame 321 is suspended in the refrigerating compartment 15, generally in the shape of a hollow rectangle. As shown in FIG. 4, a top of the mounting frame 321 is connected to the connecting portion 3111 of the end cover 311, and the opening of the mounting frame 321 faces downward to facilitate the discharge of ice cubes, which fall under the self-weight into an ice storage box 13 below the mounting frame 321 for unified collection. In this embodiment, the mounting frame 321 is fixedly connected to the end cover 311 by screws.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5, an outer side of the mounting frame 321 is provided with bosses 3211. The bosses 3211 are disposed on outer side walls at the bottom of the mounting frame 321. The bosses 3211 are of a strip shape and are disposed opposite each other on both sides of the mounting frame 321 in the first direction, so that when the mounting frames 321 are arranged side by side, a space is formed between two adjacent mounting frames 321 by the bosses 3211 for the installation of the locking blocks 322. In this embodiment, a mounting surface 3211a parallel to a top surface of the mounting frame 321 is formed on each of the bosses 3211. The sockets 3214 are provided on the mounting surface 3211a of the boss 3211, so that the sockets 3214 are formed in the second direction. The bayonets 3213 are provided on the side walls of the mounting frame 321 in the first direction.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 11, the base portion 3221 of the locking block 322 is generally in the shape of a square block. When the locking blocks 322 are connected to the mounting frame 321, the base portions 3221 abut against the bosses 3211, and the bosses 3211 provide positioning support for the base portions 3221, ensuring the reliability of the connection between the locking blocks 322 and the mounting frame 321.

The plug portion 3223 and the snap-locking portion 3222 are disposed on both sides of the base portion 3221 in the second direction. During installation of the locking block 322, as shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, the locking block 322 is inserted in the second direction between two adjacent mounting frames 321, so that the plug portion 3223 is inserted into the socket 3214 on the boss 3211, and the snap-locking portion 3222 is engaged with the bayonet 3213 on the side wall, thereby fixing the two adjacent mounting frames 321 by means of the locking block 322. During removal of the locking block 322, the lock block 322 is simply pulled out in the second direction. The assembly and disassembly of the locking block 322 are simple, which improves disassembly and assembly efficiency. In this embodiment, each locking block 322 is provided with two staggered snap-locking portions 3222 and two staggered plug portions 3223. The snap-locking portions 3222 and the plug portions 3223 are disposed opposite each other on both sides of the base portion 3221 in the first direction, ensuring that the locking block 322 simultaneously secures the adjacent mounting frames 321 on both sides.

When two adjacent mounting frames 321 are connected, one snap-locking portion 3222 is connected to one mounting frame 321, and the other snap-locking portion 3222 is connected to the other adjacent mounting frame. Similarly, one plug portion 3223 is connected to one mounting frame 321, and the other plug portion 3223 is connected to the other adjacent mounting frame, thereby connecting the two adjacent mounting frames 321 via the locking blocks 322.

As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 11, each of the snap-locking portions 3222 includes an elastic piece 32221 and a clamping block 32222. The elastic piece 32221 extends in the shape of a straight plate in the second direction and is connected to the base portion 3221. The clamping block 32222 protrudes from one side of the elastic piece 32221 in the first direction and is inserted into the bayonet 3213. The elastic piece 32221 elastically presses the clamping block 32222 into the bayonet 3213, thereby achieving engagement between the snap-locking portion 3222 and the bayonet 3213. During installation, after the locking block 322 is inserted to a preset depth, i.e., when the base portion 3221 abuts against the boss 3211, the clamping block 32222 will be inserted into the corresponding bayonet 3213 to achieve engagement and fixation. During disassembly, the elastic piece 32221 is pressed to cause the clamping block 32222 to disengage from the bayonet 3213, allowing the locking block 322 to be pulled out. The overall disassembly and assembly process is simple and convenient.

The snap-locking portion 3222 further includes a rib block 32223. The rib block 32223 is triangular and is disposed on the side of the elastic piece 32221 facing away from the clamping block 32222. The rib block 32223 is connected to both the base portion 3221 and the elastic piece 32221 and is used to improve the reliability of the connection between the base portion 3221 and the elastic piece 32221, thereby preventing fractures caused by load concentration at the joint between the elastic piece 32221 and the base portion 3221 during repeated pressing of the elastic piece 32221, and prolonging the service life of the locking block 322.

The plug portion 3223 extends in the shape of a straight plate in the second direction and is disposed on the side of the base portion 3221 away from the elastic piece 32221. During installation, when the base portion 3221 abuts against the boss 3211, the plug portion 3223 is inserted into the corresponding socket 3214 on the boss 3211. By inserting the plug portion 3223 into the socket 3214 in the second direction, the base portion 3221 abuts against the boss 3211. The self-weight of the locking block 322 helps to stably insert the plug portion 3223 into the socket 3214, thereby improving the reliability of the connection between the locking block 322 and the mounting frame 321. This achieves the constraint and fixation of the locking block 322 to the mounting frame 321 in a plane perpendicular to the second direction. By inserting the clamping block 32222 into the bayonet 3213 in the first direction, the mounting frame 321 is constrained and fixed via the locking block 322 on a plane perpendicular to the first direction. Through the cooperation of the plug portion 3223 and the snap-locking portion 3222, the mounting frame 321 is fixed via the locking block 322 in both horizontal and vertical directions.

In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the plug portion 3223 gradually decreases from the base portion 3221 toward a direction away from the base portion 3221. The cross-sectional direction of the plug portion 3223 is a plane perpendicular to the second direction. By gradually decreasing the cross-sectional area of the plug portion 3223, the plug portion 3223 can be more easily inserted into the socket 3214, thereby improving the installation efficiency of the locking block 322.

By arranging the plug portion 3223 and the snap-locking portion 3222 on both sides of the base portion, during disassembly, the elastic piece 32221 is pressed to cause the clamping block 32222 to disengage from the bayonet 3213, and then the locking block 322 is pulled upward and removed. During assembly, the locking block 322 is directly inserted downward into the bayonet. The assembly and disassembly operations are simple, thereby improving disassembly and assembly efficiency.

With reference to FIG. 8 and FIG. 13, the locking block 322 further includes a positioning portion 3224. The positioning portion 3224 is connected to the base portion 3221 and is disposed on the side of the base portion 3221 close to the snap-locking portion 3222. The mounting frame 321 is provided with positioning posts 3212. The positioning posts 3212 protrude from an upper surface of the mounting frame 321. The positioning posts 3212 are cylindrical. In another embodiment, the positioning posts 3212 may also be in the shape of a protrusion. Each of the positioning posts 3212 passes through the corresponding positioning portions 3224 in the second direction. Through the cooperation of the positioning post 3212 and the positioning portion 3224, the installation position of the locking block 322 can be quickly located, thereby improving the installation efficiency of the locking block 322. At the same time, by means of a connection method in which the positioning post 3212 passes through the positioning portion 3224, the mounting frame 321 can be constrained and fixed via the locking block 322 in the plane perpendicular to the second direction. Furthermore, the mounting frame 321 is fixed via the positioning portion 3224 and the plug portion 3223 together, thereby improving the reliability of the fixation of the mounting frame 321 via the locking block 322.

As shown in FIG. 8, the positioning portion 3224 includes an extension block 32241 and a connecting block 32242. The extension block 32241 extends in a strip shape in the second direction. The extension block 32241 is connected to the base portion 3221. The connecting block 32242 extends in a strip shape in the first direction, and is disposed on the side of the extension block 32241 away from the base portion 3221. The positioning portion 3224 is T-shaped. Positioning holes 32245 are provided at both ends of the connecting block 32242. The positioning holes 32245 at both ends respectively allow the positioning posts 3212 on two adjacent mounting frames 321 to pass through in the second direction, so as to connect the two adjacent mounting frames 321 via the positioning portion 3224.

In one embodiment, two extension blocks 32241 are provided and located on both sides of the connecting block 32242 facing the elastic piece 32221, respectively, forming two support legs of the connecting block 32242. The two extension blocks 32241 are spaced apart from each other, providing appropriate space for the insertion of the positioning post 3212, facilitating the cooperation between the positioning hole 32245 and the positioning post 3212, and preventing interference between the positioning post 3212 and the extension block 32241.

The snap-locking portion 3222 and the positioning portion 3224 are both connected to the base portion 3221. The snap-locking portion 3222 is engaged with the bayonet 3213 in the first direction, and the positioning post 3212 is inserted into the positioning portion 3224 in the second direction. In some embodiments, the locking block 322 may be fixedly connected to the mounting frame 321 by a combination of the positioning portion 3224 and the snap-locking portion 3222. The locking block 322 may also be fixedly connected to the mounting frame 321 by a combination of the plug portion 3223 and the snap-locking portion 3222. By means of the two combination methods, the mounting frame 321 can be constrained and fixed via the locking block 322 in multiple directions, so as to ensure the reliability of the connection between two adjacent mounting frames 321 via the locking block 322.

In the above embodiments, the locking block 322 achieves a detachable connection between two mounting frames 321. In other embodiments, snap-fit connections, latch connections, and other methods may also be used.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the frame 32 is further provided with a water injection hole 3215, and the water injection pipe 312 is provided with a water outlet end. The water injection hole 3215 is arranged corresponding to the water outlet end of the water injection pipe 312, and the water injection pipe 312 injects water into the ice tray 33 via the water injection hole 3215. The ice tray 33 is disposed in the mounting frame 321, and the ice tray 33 is rotatably connected to the mounting frame 321. After the water in the ice tray 33 freezes into ice cubes, the ice cubes are allowed to freely fall into the ice storage box 13 below for collection by rotating the ice tray 33. In this embodiment, the number of ice trays 33 is the same as the number of mounting frames 321. Each mounting frame 321 is correspondingly provided with a water injection hole 3215, i.e., the mounting frame 321 and the water injection pipe 312 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, an overflow cover 3216 is disposed on the frame 32. The overflow cover 3216 is disposed around a periphery of the water injection hole 3215 and covers an outer side of the water outlet end. The overflow cover 3216 is used to guide the water flow in the water injection pipe 312 into the ice tray 33. By providing the overflow cover 3216, all water discharged from the water outlet end is guided into the ice tray 33, while splashing water droplets are blocked by the overflow cover 3216, preventing water from splashing onto the frame 32. This further prevents the water injection hole 3215 from being blocked due to icing on the frame 32, thereby ensuring the efficiency and stability of water injection. In this embodiment, the water injection hole 3215 of the frame 32 is generally rectangular and is provided at the top of the frame 32, so that water flows from top to bottom into the ice tray 33, resulting in higher water injection efficiency.

As shown in FIG. 10, the overflow cover 3216 is generally U-shaped and is disposed at the periphery of the water injection hole 3215. An opening of the overflow cover 3216 faces the water injection pipe 312 to ensure that the water flow discharged from the water injection pipe 312 comes into contact with the overflow cover 3216 and, under the guidance of the overflow cover 3216, is entirely directed into the ice tray 33 below. In this embodiment, the overflow cover 3216 includes side plates 32161 and a connecting plate 32162. The side plates 32161 are disposed opposite each other on both sides of the water injection pipe 312, and the connecting plate 32162 is disposed between the side plates 32161 on both sides. The connecting plate 32162 is disposed on the side of the water injection hole 3215 away from the water injection pipe 312. The connecting plate 32162 mainly comes into contact with the water flow discharged from the water injection pipe 312 and is used to guide the water flow into the ice tray 33. The side plates 32161 on both sides of the connecting plate 32162 are used to block splashing water during the contact process between the connecting plate 32162 and the water flow, thereby preventing water from splashing onto the frame 32.

With reference to FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, the connecting plate 32162 includes a first guide portion 32165 and a second guide portion 32166. The first guide portion 32165 is in the shape of a straight plate and is connected to the frame 32. The first guide portion 32165 extends obliquely from the frame 32 toward the water injection pipe 312 and gradually approaches the water injection hole 3215. The second guide portion 32166 is in the shape of a straight plate and is disposed on the side of the first guide portion 32165 away from the frame 32. The second guide portion 32166 extends obliquely from the first guide portion 32165 toward the water injection hole 3215 and is located above an outlet end of the water injection pipe 312. In this embodiment, the water injection pipe 312 is in the shape of a straight pipe, and the angle between the central axis of the water injection pipe 312 and the first guide portion 32165 is greater than the angle between the central axis of the water injection pipe 312 and the second guide portion 32166. By providing a larger angle between the first guide portion 32165 and the water injection pipe 312, the impact of the water flow is reduced as the water flow comes into contact with the first guide portion 32165, thereby enhancing the guiding effect of the first guide portion 32165 on the water flow. By providing a smaller angle between the second guide portion 32166 and the water injection pipe 312, the gap between the second guide portion 32166 and the water injection pipe 312 is reduced, thereby improving the blocking effect on splashing water.

In some embodiments, the overflow cover 3216 may be integrally formed with the mounting frame 321. By configuring the overflow cover 3216 and the mounting frame 321 as an integral component, during installation, it is only necessary to fix the mounting frame 321, thereby improving assembly efficiency. Additionally, configuring the overflow cover 3216 and the mounting frame 321 as an integral component can prevent water leakage at the joint between the overflow cover 3216 and the mounting frame 321, thus avoiding icing of the mounting frame 321 due to water seepage. Furthermore, configuring the overflow cover 3216 and the mounting frame 321 as an integral component can effectively increase the load-bearing strength between the overflow cover 3216 and the mounting frame 321, thereby improving the reliability of water flow guidance and splash blocking.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, the water injection pipe 312 includes an inner pipe 3121 and an outer pipe 3122. The inner pipe 3121 is a hollow circular tube, with a water outlet end provided on the inner pipe 3121. The water outlet end of the inner pipe 3121 is used to inject water into the ice tray 33. The outer pipe 3122 is a hollow circular tube and is disposed around the outside of the inner pipe 3121. A gap is provided between the outer pipe 3122 and the inner pipe 3121 to reduce the heat conduction efficiency of the water injection pipe 312, thereby preventing the water flow from freezing and clogging due to the influence of the low-temperature environment as the water flows through the inner pipe 3121.

In one embodiment, to clearly show the relationship between the water injection pipe 312 and the overflow cover 3216, the end cover 311 is hidden in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17. As shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, the outlet end of the inner pipe 3121 of the water injection pipe 312 faces the connecting plate 32162. Through the blocking effect of the connecting plate 32162, the impact force of the water flow at the outlet end is reduced, and water splashing is prevented.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the water injection pipe 312 further includes a heating element 3123. The heating element 3123 is annular and is disposed between the inner pipe 3121 and the outer pipe 3122. The heating element 3123 is used to heat the inner pipe 3121, thereby preventing the water flow from freezing in the inner pipe 3121 and ensuring the stability of water injection from the inner pipe 3121 into the ice tray 33. As shown in FIG. 4, the outer pipe 3122 is connected to the end cover 311, and the inner pipe 3121 and the heating element 3123 pass through the end cover 311 and extend toward a direction close to the water injection hole 3215. By passing the inner pipe 3121 through the end cover 311, it is ensured that the inner pipe 3121 injects water into the ice tray 33. By passing the heating element 3123 through the end cover 311, it is ensured that at least part of the heating element 3123 is disposed between the end cover 311 and the frame 32, so that the heat generated by the heating element 3123 is transferred to the overflow cover 3216, thereby preventing freezing of the water flow at the overflow cover 3216 and improving the stability of water injection.

As shown in FIG. 4, a positioning sleeve 3117 that cooperates with the water injection pipe 312 is disposed on the end cover 311. The positioning sleeve 3117 is fixed to the end cover 311. An outer wall of the outer pipe 3122 of the water injection pipe 312 may be provided with threads, and an inner wall of the positioning sleeve 3117 may also be provided with threads. The water outlet end of the water injection pipe 312 is inserted into the positioning sleeve 3117 and fixedly connected via the threads. The positioning sleeve 3117 can not only realize the positioning of the water injection pipe 312, but also realize the connection and fixation between the water injection pipe 312 and the end cover 311. As shown in FIG. 18, after the end cover 311 is connected and fixed to the inner liner 12, the end cover 311 closes an opening formed in the inner liner 12, and the water injection pipe 312 is inserted into the positioning sleeve 3117, thereby realizing the connection between the water injection pipe 312 and the end cover 311.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4, a stop ring 31221 is further disposed on the outer pipe 3122 of the water injection pipe 312. An outer diameter of the stop ring 31221 is greater than an outer diameter of the positioning sleeve 3117. When the water injection pipe 312 is inserted into the positioning sleeve, an insertion length of the water injection pipe 312 is limited, thereby controlling the insertion length of the water injection pipe 312 into the positioning sleeve 3117 and preventing excessive insertion of the water injection pipe 312.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, the ice tray 33 may be installed in the mounting frame 321 in a hinged manner. In other embodiments, the ice tray 33 may also be connected to the mounting frame 321 by means of a snap-fit or connector.

The ice tray 33 includes a plurality of ice cells 331 spaced apart from each other, and the shape of the ice cells 331 may be designed according to actual application or customer requirements, for example, may be rectangular, square, elliptical, etc. The size specifications of the ice cells 331 may also be designed according to actual application or customer requirements, which is not further limited herein. A control component 333, such as a motor or other drive component, may control the rotation of a rotating shaft 332 to pour the formed ice cubes into the ice storage box 13.

In one embodiment, the ice tray 33 may further include an ice probe 334 for detecting whether the ice storage box 13 below is full of ice. If the ice storage box 13 is not full, the control component 333 may control the rotation of the rotating shaft 332 to release the ice.

For different types of refrigerators, ice cells of different specifications may be selected. The ice cells of different specifications may be adapted to the same end cover and the same mounting frame. For different types of refrigerators, the end cover and the mounting frame may be produced uniformly, and then the end cover and the mounting frame may be assembled according to the type. In this way, when different types of refrigerators are produced, it is not necessary to manufacture different end covers and mounting frames by opening new molds, thereby reducing the number of mold openings for end covers and mounting frames and lowering production costs.

The present application also discloses a refrigerator 100, as shown in FIG. 1, including a cabinet 10, a door body 20 and an ice maker 30. The cabinet 10 includes a cabinet shell 11 and an inner liner 12. The inner liner 12 is disposed in the cabinet shell 11, and a refrigerating compartment 15 is provided inside the inner liner 12. The door body 20 is connected to the cabinet 10 to open or close the refrigerating compartment 15. The ice maker 30 is disposed in the refrigerating compartment 15. The ice maker 30 includes water injection units 31, frames 32 and ice trays 33. The water injection units 31 are connected to the inner liner 12, the frames 32 are mounted on the corresponding water injection units 31, the ice trays 33 are hinged in the corresponding frames 32, and the water injection units 31 are configured to inject water into the ice trays 33. Each of the frames 32 includes a mounting frame 321 and a locking block 322. Each of the water injection units 31 includes an end cover 311 and a water injection pipe 312. The number of the end covers 311, the number of the water injection pipes 312 and the number of the ice trays 33 are all the same as the number of the mounting frames 321. The end covers 311, the water injection pipes 312, the mounting frames 321 and the ice trays 33 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. By arranging the end covers 311, the water injection pipes 312, the mounting frames 321 and the ice trays 33 in a one-to-one correspondence, the overall ice maker 30 is modularized, i.e., one end cover 311, one water injection pipe 312, one mounting frame 321 and one ice tray 33 can form a set of ice-making module. The number of ice-making modules may be adjusted through an assembly method. By arranging a plurality of assemblable ice-making modules, various ice-making requirements can be met, and subsequent maintenance work is facilitated. The ice-making operations of the ice-making modules do not interfere with each other, and if one ice-making module malfunctions, it will not affect the normal operation of other ice-making modules, thus ensuring the stability of ice-making operations.

In summary, the embodiment of the present application provides a refrigerator 100, which has the following beneficial effects:

The plurality of end covers 311 are provided and detachably connected and fixed to each other, with the water injection pipes 312 and the end covers 311 connected in a one-to-one correspondence, thus realizing a modular structural design of the water injection units 31. When different numbers of water injection pipes 312 are required, only the corresponding number of end covers 311 need to be assembled, enabling the end covers 311 to be interchangeable among the water injection units 31 of different specifications. This allows factories to uniformly mass-produce end covers 311 with uniform specifications and structures, thereby reducing production costs.

The plurality of mounting frames 321 are provided and detachably fixed to each other via the locking blocks 322, thus realizing a modular structural design of the frames 32. When different numbers and/or specifications of ice trays 33 are required, the corresponding number of mounting frames 321 can be assembled, enabling the mounting frames 321 to be interchangeable among base frames of different specifications, thereby reducing production costs. Furthermore, the modular structure of the frame 32 and the modular structure of the end cover 311 cooperate, enabling arbitrary adjustment of the combination and matching between the water injection pipes 312 and the ice trays 33, thereby meeting the usage requirements of different users and improving the adaptability of the ice maker 30.

By snap-fitting the snap-locking portions 3222 with buckles in the first direction, the plug portions 3223 are inserted into the corresponding sockets 3214 in the second direction. Through multi-directional combined fixing structures, the mounting frames 321 can be fixed via the locking blocks 322 in multiple directions, thereby improving the reliability of fixation between two adjacent mounting frames 321. The positioning posts 3212 and the positioning portions 3224 are provided to realize fast positioning of the installation positions of the locking blocks 322, improving the assembly efficiency between the mounting frames 321. Moreover, the structure in which the positioning posts 3212 pass through the corresponding positioning portions 3224 can further improve the reliability of fixation between two adjacent mounting frames 321.

By providing the bosses 3211 on the outer side walls at the bottom of the mounting frames 321, when the locking blocks 322 are inserted between two adjacent mounting frames 321, the plug portions 3223 are inserted into the corresponding sockets 3214 on the bosses 3211, so that the base portion 3221 abuts against the bosses 3211. The weight of the locking blocks 322 helps to stably insert the plug portions 3223 into the corresponding sockets 3214, thereby improving the reliability of the connection between the locking blocks 322 and the mounting frames 321. Moreover, by arranging the plug portion 3223 and the snap-locking portion 3222 on both sides of the base portion 3221, respectively, during disassembly, the elastic piece 32221 is pressed to cause the clamping block 32222 to disengage from the bayonet 3213, and then the locking block 322 is pulled upward and removed. During assembly, the locking block 322 is simply inserted downward directly into the bayonet. The disassembly and assembly operations are simple, improving the disassembly and assembly efficiency.

The overflow cover 3216 is disposed at the periphery of the water injection hole 3215 and covers the outer side of the water outlet end, the overflow cover 3216 guides the injected water flow, ensuring that the water flow is directed into the ice tray 33 and blocking splashing water, thus preventing water from the water injection pipe 312 from splashing onto the frame 32 as the water is injected into the ice tray 33, eliminating icing problems on the frame 32, and ensuring the efficiency and stability of water injection.

Since the connecting plate 32162 of the overflow cover 3216 includes the first guide portion 32165 and the second guide portion 32166, the angle between the first guide portion 32165 and the water injection pipe 312 is greater than the angle between the second guide portion 32166 and the water injection pipe 312, the first guide portion 32165 guides the water flow at a larger angle to reduce the impulse of the water flow and ensure that the water is better directed into the ice tray 33. At the same time, by providing a smaller angle between the second guide portion 32166 and the water injection pipe 312, the gap between the overflow cover 3216 and the water injection pipe 312 is reduced, which can effectively block splashing water, thereby improving the splash-blocking effect of the overflow cover 3216.

The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered within the scope described in this specification.

The above embodiments merely represent several implementations of the present application. The descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It is to be noted that several variations and modifications may also be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the conception of the present application, which all fall within the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the patent of the present application shall be subject to the appended claims.