CN116659138A

CN116659138A - Refrigerator with a refrigerator body

Info

Publication number: CN116659138A
Application number: CN202210145945.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 张伟娟; 薛原; 董山东; 窦立建
Original assignee: Qingdao Haier Refrigerator Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd
Current assignee: Qingdao Haier Refrigerator Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-02-17
Filing date: 2022-02-17
Publication date: 2023-08-29

Abstract

The invention provides a refrigerator. Wherein the refrigerator comprises: the box body is internally limited with a storage space; the heating pipeline is arranged on the inner side of the top surface of the box body, and water is stored in the heating pipeline; and the semiconductor heating sheet is arranged below the heating pipeline and is configured to controllably heat water in the heating pipeline so as to heat food placed above the top surface of the box body. The refrigerator disclosed by the invention can be used for heating food placed on the top surface of the refrigerator body, so that the using function of the refrigerator is effectively expanded, and the refrigerator not only can be used for refrigerating and freezing food materials, but also can be used for heating the food; the semiconductor heating sheet directly converts energy by electric energy, so that noise is effectively avoided, and the use experience of a user is improved.

Description

Refrigerator with a refrigerator body

Technical Field

The invention relates to the field of household appliances, in particular to a refrigerator.

Background

Along with the increasing development of society and the continuous improvement of living standard of people, the living rhythm of people is faster and faster, and many foods can be purchased and stored at one time. In order to secure the storage effect of foods, a refrigerator has become one of home appliances indispensable in the daily life of people.

However, the current refrigerator generally only can realize the functions of refrigerating and freezing food materials, and the frozen food materials taken out from the refrigerating space of the refrigerator by a user often need to be defrosted by other household appliances, such as a microwave oven, the defrosting process is complicated, or the refrigerator is placed at normal temperature for defrosting, the defrosting effect is not good enough when the defrosting time is long, and the next cooking of the user is influenced. In addition, after the user cooks the food material, the cooked food tends to cool down due to being placed in the environment, affecting the user's eating experience.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of heating food placed on a top surface of a cabinet.

A further object of the invention is to realize thawing of frozen food materials and heat preservation of cooked food, and improve the use experience of a user in the cooking process.

In particular, the present invention provides a refrigerator including: the box body is internally limited with a storage space; the heating pipeline is arranged on the inner side of the top surface of the box body, and water is stored in the heating pipeline; and the semiconductor heating sheet is arranged below the heating pipeline and is configured to controllably heat water in the heating pipeline so as to heat food placed above the top surface of the box body.

Optionally, the heating conduit covers the entire top surface of the tank.

Optionally, the heating pipelines are uniformly distributed on the top surface of the box body.

Optionally, the refrigerator further includes: and the water pump is connected with the heating pipeline and is configured to be controlled to be opened so as to enable water in the heating pipeline to circulate.

Optionally, the refrigerator further includes: the temperature sensor is arranged at the top surface of the box body and is configured to detect the temperature of the top surface of the box body.

Optionally, the water pump and the semiconductor heating sheet are configured to be turned on when the top surface temperature is equal to or less than a first preset temperature.

Optionally, the water pump and the semiconductor heating sheet are further configured to be turned off when the top surface temperature is equal to or higher than a second preset temperature, wherein the second preset temperature is higher than the first preset temperature.

Alternatively, the semiconductor heat-producing sheet is composed of semiconductor elements of two different materials and is configured such that when an electric current is passed therethrough, heat moves from one end to the other, so that both ends are formed as cold and hot ends, respectively.

Optionally, the hot end is proximate to the heating conduit and the cold end is configured to provide cooling to the storage space.

Optionally, the top surface of the box body is made of a heat conducting material.

The refrigerator of the present invention includes: the box body is internally limited with a storage space; the heating pipeline is arranged on the inner side of the top surface of the box body, and water is stored in the heating pipeline; the semiconductor heating sheet is arranged below the heating pipeline and is configured to heat water in the heating pipeline in a controlled manner, so that food placed above the top surface of the box body is heated; the semiconductor heating sheet directly converts energy by electric energy, so that noise is effectively avoided, and the use experience of a user is improved.

Further, the refrigerator of the invention, the heating pipeline covers the whole top surface of the refrigerator body, and the heating pipeline is uniformly distributed on the top surface of the refrigerator body, the refrigerator further comprises: a water pump connected to the heating pipe and configured to be controlled to be turned on to circulate water in the heating pipe; the temperature sensor is arranged at the top surface of the box body and is configured to detect the temperature of the top surface of the box body, and the water pump and the semiconductor heating sheet are configured to be started when the temperature of the top surface is smaller than or equal to a first preset temperature; the water pump drives water to circularly flow in the heating pipeline when the temperature of the top surface is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, so that all water can be effectively and repeatedly heated by the semiconductor heating sheet, the specific setting mode of the heating pipeline also enables food placed on the top surface of the box to be heated more uniformly, thawing of frozen food materials and heat preservation of cooked food can be realized, and the use experience of a user cooking process is improved.

The above, as well as additional objectives, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Some specific embodiments of the invention will be described in detail hereinafter by way of example and not by way of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts or portions. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

fig. 1 is a schematic view of a structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 3 is a schematic view showing the structure of a semiconductor heating sheet in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The embodiment provides the refrigerator, which can heat the food placed on the top surface of the refrigerator body, so that the using function of the refrigerator is effectively expanded, the refrigerator can not only refrigerate and freeze food materials, but also realize the heating function of the food; the semiconductor heating sheet directly converts energy by electric energy, so that noise is effectively avoided, and the use experience of a user is improved. Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the refrigerator 100 of the present embodiment may generally include: a case 110, a heating pipe 130, and a semiconductor heating sheet 140.

Wherein the interior of the case 110 may define a storage space 111. The heating pipe 130 may be disposed inside the top surface of the case 110, and store water therein. The semiconductor heating sheet 140 may be disposed under the heating pipe 130 and configured to controllably heat water inside the heating pipe 130, thereby heating food placed above the top surface of the case 110. That is, the refrigerator 100 of the embodiment can heat the food placed on the top surface of the refrigerator body 110 through the semiconductor heating sheet 140, so that the use function of the refrigerator 100 is effectively expanded, and the refrigerator 100 can not only refrigerate and freeze food materials, but also realize the heating function of the food; the semiconductor heating sheet 140 directly converts energy from electric energy, so that noise is effectively avoided, and the use experience of a user is improved.

It should be noted that, the height of the conventional vertical refrigerator is often high, so that a longitudinal storage space is realized. The refrigerator 100 of the present embodiment may be shorter in height, and the width and length are extended, thereby realizing the lateral storage space 111. The refrigerator 100 of the present embodiment is shorter in height, thereby facilitating the user to take and place articles on the top surface of the case 110. In fact, the refrigerator 100 of the present embodiment may be similar in size and layout design to the shape of a dining cabinet in daily life, and is highly suitable for placing articles on the top surface of the cabinet 110. That is, the refrigerator 100 of the present embodiment may be used instead of a dining cabinet, and placed beside a dining table to some extent.

In a specific embodiment, the number and configuration of the storage spaces 111 may be configured according to requirements. The storage space 111 may be configured as a refrigerating space, a freezing space, a temperature change space, or a fresh-keeping space, depending on the purpose. Each storage space 111 may be divided into a plurality of storage areas by a partition plate, and stores articles using racks or drawers. For example, the refrigerator 100 shown in fig. 1 may have a storage space 111 provided inside a cabinet 110 and divided into three storage areas from top to bottom by racks. The storage space 111 may be provided as a refrigerating space or a freezing space to cool or freeze food materials. In other embodiments, a plurality of storage spaces 111 may be disposed inside the case 110 to respectively implement different functions.

The refrigerator 100 of the present embodiment may further include: the door 120 is pivotally disposed on the front surface of the case 110 for a user to open and close the storage space 111. The door 120 may be disposed corresponding to the storage spaces 111, that is, each storage space 111 corresponds to one or more doors 120. The door 120 may be pivoted or opened in a drawer, and in case that the drawer is opened, a sliding rail may be provided at the bottom of the drawer to increase the smoothness of the pull-out and reduce noise.

In a preferred embodiment, the heating pipe 130 covers the entire top surface of the case 110. That is, in case that the water in the heating pipe 130 is heated by the semiconductor heating sheet 140, the temperature of the entire top surface of the case 110 is raised, and food can be heated by being placed at any position of the top surface of the case 110. By the arrangement, the heating area of the top surface of the box body 110 can be increased, so that a large number of foods can be heated at the same time, and the situation that after one food is heated, the other food is heated again, so that the previously heated food is cooled again can be avoided. And, the heating pipes 130 may be uniformly distributed on the top surface of the case 110. The heating pipeline 130 is evenly distributed on the top surface of the box body 110, so that the top surface of the box body 110 is heated evenly, and food above the box body can be heated evenly, thereby effectively improving the heating effect.

In addition, in other embodiments, a heating area may be provided on the top surface of the case 110, and the heating pipe 130 is provided only under the heating area, so that when the semiconductor heating sheet 140 heats the water in the heating pipe 130, only the temperature of the top surface of the heating area is raised, and only the food placed in the heating area is heated. This reduces the heating area, but separates a portion of the unheated area for placement of the unheated items.

It should be emphasized that the semiconductor heating sheet 140 is used to heat the water in the heating pipe 130 in this embodiment, thereby raising the temperature of the top surface of the case 110 and indirectly heating the food placed on the top surface of the case 110. The heater is not arranged at the top of the case 110 to directly heat the food, because the refrigerator 100 can realize multifunctional integration of refrigeration, freezing and heating, and the heating mode of the food is mild, so that the food can not be quickly heated or directly cooked at high temperature, but only can be heated slowly, and thus the cooked food can be kept warm, or the food to be thawed can be thawed.

As shown in fig. 2, the refrigerator 100 of the present embodiment may further include a water pump 150 and a temperature sensor 160. Wherein the water pump 150 may be connected to the heating pipe 130 and configured to be controllably turned on to circulate water in the heating pipe 130. The temperature sensor 160 may be disposed at the top surface of the case 110 and configured to detect the temperature of the top surface of the case 110. The water pump 150 drives the water in the heating pipeline 130 to circulate, so that the water can be effectively heated when flowing above the semiconductor heating sheet 140, and the water can be repeatedly heated by the semiconductor heating sheet 140 continuously, thereby further improving the heating effect.

The temperature sensor 160 may be an infrared sensor or a thermistor sensor, or may be provided in other types as well. The temperature sensor 160 in this embodiment can ensure that the temperature of the top surface can be accurately measured even at a distance from the top surface of the case 110. In a specific embodiment, the water pump 150 and the semiconductor heating sheet 140 may be configured to be turned on when the top surface temperature is equal to or less than a first preset temperature. The water pump 150 and the semiconductor heating sheet 140 may also be configured to be turned off when the top surface temperature is equal to or higher than a second preset temperature, which is higher than the first preset temperature.

That is, when the temperature sensor 160 detects that the temperature of the top surface is equal to or less than the first preset temperature, the water pump 150 and the semiconductor heating sheet 140 may be controlled to be turned on, so that the semiconductor heating sheet 140 can repeatedly heat the water circulating in the heating pipe 130. When the temperature sensor 160 detects that the temperature of the top surface is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, the water pump 150 and the semiconductor heating sheet 140 can be controlled to be turned off, so that the semiconductor heating sheet 140 stops heating the water in the heating pipeline 130, and the water pump 150 does not drive the water to circulate any more, thereby effectively saving energy.

In a preferred embodiment, a switch (not shown) may be provided on the top surface of the case 110, and a heating command may be obtained through the switch, thereby controlling the opened and closed states of the water pump 150 and the semiconductor heating sheet 140 according to the preset conditions described above. The switch may be a touch button or a touch screen, and the user may operate the touch button or the touch screen to reach a heating command for heating food placed on the top surface of the case 110. Preferably, the switch may be a touch screen, and the user may set the first preset temperature and the second preset temperature through the touch screen to meet heating requirements of different foods.

For example, if it is only necessary to keep the cooked food warm, the first preset temperature and the second preset temperature may be set lower, so that the heating time is ensured to be shorter, and the total amount of heating is smaller. If the frozen food material taken out of the frozen space needs to be thawed, the first preset temperature and the second preset temperature can be set higher, so that the heating time is longer, and the total heating amount is larger. In either case, however, it is necessary to satisfy the condition that the second preset temperature is greater than the first preset temperature.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a structure of a semiconductor heating sheet 140 in the refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The semiconductor heating sheet 140 is composed of semiconductor elements of two different materials, and may be configured such that when an electric current is passed therethrough, heat is moved from one end to the other, so that both ends are formed as a cold end 142 and a hot end 141, respectively. In one embodiment, the semiconductor heat plate 140 may be formed by combining an N-type semiconductor material and a P-type semiconductor material, and when a current is passed through the N-type semiconductor material and the P-type semiconductor material, heat is transferred between the two ends, and the heat is transferred from one end to the other end, so that a temperature difference is generated to form the cold end 142 and the hot end 141.

It should be noted that the hot end 141 is close to the heating pipeline 130, so that the water in the heating pipeline 130 can be heated by the hot end 141. The cold end 142 may be configured to provide cooling to the storage space 111. That is, in case that the semiconductor heating sheet 140 is turned on, the cold end 142 thereof may provide cold energy, the hot end 141 thereof may heat the water in the heating pipe 130, and one component performs both functions of providing cold energy and heating.

In general, the semiconductor heating sheet 140 has the following advantages and features in technical applications: the device does not need any refrigerant, can continuously work, does not have a pollution source, does not have a rotating part, does not generate a rotary effect, does not have a sliding part, is a solid piece, and has no vibration, no noise, long service life and easy installation during working. The semiconductor heating sheet 140 has two functions, namely, cooling and heating, and has high heating efficiency, and is always more than 1, so that a single semiconductor heating sheet 140 can replace a separate heating system and a separate refrigerating system.

The semiconductor heating sheet 140 is a current transduction sheet, and can realize high-precision temperature control through control of input current, and in addition, the temperature detection and control means can easily realize remote control, program control and computer control, so that an automatic control system is conveniently formed. The thermal inertia of the semiconductor heating sheet 140 is very small, the refrigerating and heating time is very short, and the semiconductor heating sheet 140 can reach the maximum temperature difference when the hot end 141 dissipates heat and the cold end 142 is electrified for less than one minute under the condition of no load.

The heating power of the single semiconductor heating sheet 140 is very small, but the single semiconductor heating sheet is combined into a pile, and if the pile is combined into a heating system by a series-parallel connection method of the same pile, the power can be very large, so that the heating power can be in the range of a few milliwatts to a last ten thousand watts. The temperature difference range of the semiconductor heating sheet 140 can be realized from the positive temperature of 90 ℃ to the negative temperature of 130 ℃, so that the hot end 141 can realize different temperature heating of the heating pipeline 130 to meet different heating requirements of foods placed on the top surface.

As shown in fig. 2, a heating chamber 112 may be further defined in the case 110 and disposed above the storage space 111. Wherein the heating line 130, the semiconductor heating sheet 140, the water pump 150, and the temperature sensor 160 may be disposed in the heating bin 112. In practice, the case 110 includes a housing, an inner container and an insulation layer, the inner container defines the storage space 111, and the insulation layer is disposed between the housing and the inner container, for isolating external heat and avoiding leakage of cold energy of the storage space 111. The top surface of the case 110 mentioned above actually refers to the top surface of the housing.

The heating pipeline 130 can be arranged between the shell and the liner, and the heat insulation layer can isolate the heat of the hot end 141 from influencing the temperature of the storage space 111, and also isolate the cold energy of the storage space 111 from influencing the heating effect. In a preferred embodiment, the top surface of the case 110 may be made of a heat conductive material, so that when the semiconductor heating sheet 140 heats the water in the heating pipeline 130, the temperature of the top surface may be raised more quickly, and thus the food placed on the top surface of the case 110 may be heated more quickly, thereby effectively improving the heating efficiency and the use experience of the user.

The refrigerator 100 may further include a compression refrigeration system (not shown) configured to provide cooling to the storage space 111. That is, the storage space 111 may be simultaneously supplied with cold by the compression refrigeration system and the cold end 142 of the semiconductor heating sheet 140 while the semiconductor heating sheet 140 is in operation. In addition, the refrigerating efficiency of the semiconductor heating sheet 140 is low, so that the original refrigerating process of the compression refrigerating system is not affected, and unnecessary energy waste is avoided. When the semiconductor heating sheet 140 works, the heating function is mainly realized by using the hot end 141 thereof, and meanwhile, in order to avoid the waste of the cold energy generated by the cold end 142, the cold energy is timely provided to the storage space 111, so that the cold energy generated by the cold end 142 can be effectively utilized. When the semiconductor heating sheet 140 is closed, the storage space 111 may be supplied with cooling only by the compression refrigeration system. The semiconductor heating sheet 140 is turned off, and it may be meant that the semiconductor heating sheet 140 is not actually energized; the semiconductor heating sheet 140 is turned on or operated, and may actually be energized toward the semiconductor heating sheet 140.

It should be noted that, the cooling capacity provided by the compression refrigeration system 140 to the various types of storage spaces 111 is different, so that the temperatures in the various types of storage spaces 111 are also different. Wherein the temperature in the refrigerated space is generally between 2 ℃ and 10 ℃, preferably between 4 ℃ and 7 ℃. The temperature in the refrigerated space is generally in the range of-22 ℃ to-14 ℃. The optimal storage temperatures for different types of articles are not the same, and thus the storage spaces 111 suitable for storage are not the same. For example, fruits and vegetables are suitable for storage in a refrigerated space or a fresh-keeping space, and meat is suitable for storage in a frozen space. Specifically, the compression refrigeration system may include: a compressor, a condenser, a capillary tube, and an evaporator. The interior of the case 110 may further define a press bin 113 disposed below the storage space 111, and a compressor may be disposed in the press bin 113.

The refrigerator 100 may further include a fan 143 disposed in the air duct of the storage space 111 and configured to transfer cooling power generated from the cold end 142 of the semiconductor heating sheet 140 to the storage space 111. It should be noted that the cold end 142 is disposed near one side of the storage space 111 to facilitate reducing the temperature of the storage space 111. Specifically, an air supply port may be provided at a position of the air duct corresponding to the fan 143 to supply cool air to the storage space 111; the storage space 111 may also be provided with a return air port to return the air at an elevated temperature to the cold end 142 of the semiconductor heat patch 140, thus creating an air circulation.

In summary, the refrigerator 100 of the present embodiment includes: a case 110 having a storage space 111 defined therein; a heating pipe 130 provided at an inner side of the top surface of the tank 110, the inside of which stores water; and a semiconductor heating sheet 140 disposed below the heating pipeline 130 and configured to controllably heat water inside the heating pipeline 130, thereby heating food placed above the top surface of the case 110, by providing a refrigerator 100 capable of heating food placed on the top surface of the case 110, the usage functions of the refrigerator 100 are effectively expanded, so that the refrigerator 100 can not only cool and freeze food materials, but also realize the heating function of food; the semiconductor heating sheet 140 directly converts energy from electric energy, so that noise is effectively avoided, and the use experience of a user is improved.

Further, in the refrigerator 100 of the present embodiment, the heating pipeline 130 covers the entire top surface of the refrigerator body 110, and the heating pipeline 130 is uniformly distributed on the top surface of the refrigerator body 110, and the refrigerator 100 further includes: a water pump 150 connected to the heating pipe 130 and configured to be controlled to be turned on to circulate water in the heating pipe 130; a temperature sensor 160 disposed at the top surface of the case 110 and configured to detect the top surface temperature of the case 110, the water pump 150 and the semiconductor heating sheet 140 being configured to be turned on when the top surface temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature; when the top surface temperature is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, the water pump 150 drives water to circulate in the heating pipeline 130, so that all the water can be effectively and repeatedly heated by the semiconductor heating sheet 140, the specific setting mode of the heating pipeline 130 also enables food placed on the top surface of the box body 110 to be heated more uniformly, thawing of frozen food and heat preservation of cooked food can be realized, and the use experience of the whole cooking process of a user is improved.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that, unless specifically stated otherwise, terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", etc. used to indicate an azimuth or a positional relationship in the embodiments of the present invention are based on the actual use state of the refrigerator 100, and these terms are merely for convenience of description and understanding of the technical solution of the present invention, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component to be referred to must have a specific azimuth, and thus should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

Unless specifically stated or limited otherwise, the terms "mounted," "connected," "secured" and the like should be construed broadly, as they may be fixed, removable, or integral, for example; can be mechanically or electrically connected; either directly or indirectly, through intermediaries, or both, may be in communication with each other or in interaction with each other, unless expressly defined otherwise. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand the specific meaning of the terms described above in the present invention as the case may be.

In the description of the present embodiment, a description referring to the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples," etc., means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

By now it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while a number of exemplary embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein in detail, many other variations or modifications of the invention consistent with the principles of the invention may be directly ascertained or inferred from the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be understood and deemed to cover all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

the box body is internally limited with a storage space;

the heating pipeline is arranged on the inner side of the top surface of the box body, and water is stored in the heating pipeline; and

the semiconductor heating sheet is arranged below the heating pipeline and is configured to controllably heat water in the heating pipeline so as to heat food placed above the top surface of the box body.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein,

the heating pipeline covers the whole top surface of the box body.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein,

the heating pipelines are uniformly distributed on the top surface of the box body.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising:

and the water pump is connected with the heating pipeline and is configured to be controlled to be started so as to enable water in the heating pipeline to circularly flow.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, further comprising:

the temperature sensor is arranged at the top surface of the box body and is configured to detect the temperature of the top surface of the box body.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein,

the water pump and the semiconductor heating sheet are configured to be turned on when the top surface temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein,

the water pump and the semiconductor heating sheet are further configured to be turned off when the top surface temperature is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature, wherein the second preset temperature is greater than the first preset temperature.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein,

the semiconductor heating sheet is composed of semiconductor elements of two different materials and is configured such that when an electric current is passed therethrough, heat is moved from one end to the other, so that both ends are formed as a cold end and a hot end, respectively.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein,

the hot end is proximate to the heating conduit and the cold end is configured to provide cooling to the storage space.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein,

the top surface of the box body is made of heat conducting materials.