Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10684058-B2
Application number	US-201615547773-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Aug 26, 2015
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

The invention provides a refrigerator, comprising a top air passage provided at a top wall of the storage compartment and connected with the refrigeration air passage to receive refrigeration air therefrom; an air guiding pipe comprising an air inlet end connected with the top air passage, an air outlet end for supplying air to the storage compartment, and an air outlet opening downwards; and a first air supply device configured to cause air flow to enter the air guiding pipe via the top air passage, such that the refrigeration air flowing into the top air passage from the refrigeration air passage is blown downwards in a concentrated manner via the air guiding pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a storage compartment;
a refrigeration air passage configured to supply refrigeration air;
a top air passage provided at a top wall of the storage compartment and connected with the refrigeration air passage to receive refrigeration air therefrom;
an air guiding pipe comprising an air inlet end connected with the top air passage and an air outlet end for supplying air to the storage compartment, wherein the air guiding pipe is bent downwards to the air outlet end after horizontally extending for a predetermined length from the air inlet end to form an air outlet opening downwards; and
a first air supply device configured to cause air flow to enter the air guiding pipe via the top air passage, such that the refrigeration air flowing into the top air passage from the refrigeration air passage is blown downwards in a manner of concentratively cooling via the air guiding pipe;
wherein the top air passage, which extends longitudinally, is longitudinally arranged in a corner at the top of the storage compartment, a rear end of the top air passage is formed with an air inlet communicating with the refrigeration air passage, a horizontal portion of the air guiding pipe extends transversely, the refrigeration air passage is arranged at a rear wall of the storage compartment, and comprises at least one first air outlet communicating with the storage compartment and a second air outlet communicating with the top air passage, the refrigeration air passage also comprises a first branch and a second branch, the refrigerator also comprises an air passage switching device configured to controllably close or open the first branch and/or the second branch, the air passage switching device comprising a first air door and a second air door, the at least one first air outlet is provided on the first branch, the second air outlet is provided on the second branch, and the second air door is arranged at the air inlets of the first branch and the second branch to close the second branch when opening the first branch and close the first branch when opening the second branch;
the first air door is arranged at the air inlet of the general refrigeration air passage, the refrigerator further comprises a cooling chamber and a movable air supply hood provided at an outer side of the air outlet of the cooling chamber, the refrigerator has multiple working modes, the multiple working modes comprise the following working modes: an independent working mode of the storage compartment, an independent working mode of the cooling chamber, a joint working mode and an accurate refrigeration mode, in the independent working mode of the storage compartment, the movable air supply hood is closed, the first air door is opened, the second air door is connected with the first branch, the second air supply device works while the first air supply device does not work; in the independent working mode of the another storage compartment, the movable air supply hood is opened, the first air door is closed, the second air supply device works while the first air supply device does not work; in the joint working mode, the movable air supply hood is opened, the first air door is opened, the second air door is connected with the first branch, the second air supply device works while the first air supply device does not work; in the accurate refrigeration mode, the movable air supply hood is closed, the first air door is opened, the second air door is connected with the second branch, and both the second air supply device and the first air supply device work.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising: a second air supply device configured to cause the refrigeration air to enter the refrigeration air passage.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
an air inlet of the air inlet end of the air guiding pipe communicates and is connected with an air outlet of the top air passage, and the first air supply device is arranged inside the top air passage and/or the air guiding pipe; or
an air inlet of the first air supply device communicates and is connected with the air outlet of the top air passage, and an air outlet of the first air supply device communicates and is connected with the air inlet of the air inlet end of the air guiding pipe.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first air supply device is a centrifugal blower or a centrifugal impeller provided at the air outlet of the top air passage.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first air supply device is configured to suck the refrigeration air entering the top air passage from an upper part of the top air passage, and horizontally blow at least part of the refrigeration air to the air guiding pipe.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein a front end of the top air passage is formed with an air outlet for supplying air to the air guiding pipe.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein an air outlet of the air guiding pipe faces a vertical downside direction, and is provided at the transverse center of the storage compartment.

8. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein:
the refrigeration air passage comprises a general refrigeration air passage, and the first branch and the second branch respectively communicate with the general refrigeration air passage.

Assignees

• Qingdao haier refrigerator co ltd
• Qingdao Haier Joint Stock Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tao Haibo
• Qi Feifei
• Ji Lisheng
• Liu Jianru

Classifications

• F25D2317/0666

  from the freezer · CPC title

• F25D2317/0651

  through the bottom · CPC title

• F25D2400/30

  Quick freezing · CPC title

• F25D2317/0665

  from the top · CPC title

• F25D17/065 Primary

  with compartments at different temperatures · CPC title