NZ753991B2 - Refrigerator - Google Patents
Refrigerator Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- NZ753991B2 NZ753991B2 NZ753991A NZ75399117A NZ753991B2 NZ 753991 B2 NZ753991 B2 NZ 753991B2 NZ 753991 A NZ753991 A NZ 753991A NZ 75399117 A NZ75399117 A NZ 75399117A NZ 753991 B2 NZ753991 B2 NZ 753991B2
- Authority
- NZ
- New Zealand
- Prior art keywords
- air
- oxygen
- freshness
- space
- keeping
- Prior art date
Links
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 155
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 155
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 155
- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 150
- 239000012528 membrane Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 115
- 238000004378 air conditioning Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 76
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 75
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 claims description 92
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 235000013305 food Nutrition 0.000 abstract description 38
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 18
- 238000013016 damping Methods 0.000 description 11
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 10
- 230000006870 function Effects 0.000 description 5
- 239000012510 hollow fiber Substances 0.000 description 5
- CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon dioxide Chemical compound O=C=O CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000029058 respiratory gaseous exchange Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000004103 aerobic respiration Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000004099 anaerobic respiration Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000002950 deficient Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000002035 prolonged effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 3
- 244000298697 Actinidia deliciosa Species 0.000 description 2
- 235000009436 Actinidia deliciosa Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N Argon Chemical compound [Ar] XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 241000972773 Aulopiformes Species 0.000 description 2
- 240000007124 Brassica oleracea Species 0.000 description 2
- 235000003899 Brassica oleracea var acephala Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 235000011299 Brassica oleracea var botrytis Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 235000011301 Brassica oleracea var capitata Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 235000017647 Brassica oleracea var italica Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 235000001169 Brassica oleracea var oleracea Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 240000003259 Brassica oleracea var. botrytis Species 0.000 description 2
- 235000016623 Fragaria vesca Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 240000009088 Fragaria x ananassa Species 0.000 description 2
- 235000011363 Fragaria x ananassa Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 240000000599 Lentinula edodes Species 0.000 description 2
- 235000001715 Lentinula edodes Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 244000183278 Nephelium litchi Species 0.000 description 2
- 235000015742 Nephelium litchi Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- MWUXSHHQAYIFBG-UHFFFAOYSA-N Nitric oxide Chemical compound O=[N] MWUXSHHQAYIFBG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 244000088415 Raphanus sativus Species 0.000 description 2
- 235000006140 Raphanus sativus var sativus Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 241000219094 Vitaceae Species 0.000 description 2
- 229910002092 carbon dioxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000001569 carbon dioxide Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000007710 freezing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000008014 freezing Effects 0.000 description 2
- 235000021021 grapes Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000001307 helium Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910052734 helium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- SWQJXJOGLNCZEY-UHFFFAOYSA-N helium atom Chemical compound [He] SWQJXJOGLNCZEY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000003647 oxidation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000007254 oxidation reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005057 refrigeration Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000001105 regulatory effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 235000019515 salmon Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 235000013311 vegetables Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000002918 waste heat Substances 0.000 description 2
- MGWGWNFMUOTEHG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 4-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)-1,3-thiazol-2-amine Chemical compound CC1=CC(C)=CC(C=2N=C(N)SC=2)=C1 MGWGWNFMUOTEHG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- UGFAIRIUMAVXCW-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon monoxide Chemical compound [O+]#[C-] UGFAIRIUMAVXCW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 244000241257 Cucumis melo Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000015510 Cucumis melo subsp melo Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- RWSOTUBLDIXVET-UHFFFAOYSA-N Dihydrogen sulfide Chemical compound S RWSOTUBLDIXVET-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- CBENFWSGALASAD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ozone Chemical compound [O-][O+]=O CBENFWSGALASAD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000009471 action Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002390 adhesive tape Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052786 argon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003851 biochemical process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000033228 biological regulation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910002091 carbon monoxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000009792 diffusion process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004090 dissolution Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000013399 edible fruits Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000003792 electrolyte Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000002474 experimental method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000001257 hydrogen Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052739 hydrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 125000004435 hydrogen atom Chemical class [H]* 0.000 description 1
- 229910000037 hydrogen sulfide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000006872 improvement Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052743 krypton Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- DNNSSWSSYDEUBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N krypton atom Chemical compound [Kr] DNNSSWSSYDEUBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000013372 meat Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000813 microbial effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052754 neon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- GKAOGPIIYCISHV-UHFFFAOYSA-N neon atom Chemical compound [Ne] GKAOGPIIYCISHV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- JCXJVPUVTGWSNB-UHFFFAOYSA-N nitrogen dioxide Inorganic materials O=[N]=O JCXJVPUVTGWSNB-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 235000016709 nutrition Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000035764 nutrition Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005192 partition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000035790 physiological processes and functions Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004321 preservation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001902 propagating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052704 radon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- SYUHGPGVQRZVTB-UHFFFAOYSA-N radon atom Chemical compound [Rn] SYUHGPGVQRZVTB-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012945 sealing adhesive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000019640 taste Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Chemical compound O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000037303 wrinkles Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052724 xenon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- FHNFHKCVQCLJFQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N xenon atom Chemical compound [Xe] FHNFHKCVQCLJFQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01D—SEPARATION
- B01D2256/00—Main component in the product gas stream after treatment
- B01D2256/10—Nitrogen
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01D—SEPARATION
- B01D2257/00—Components to be removed
- B01D2257/10—Single element gases other than halogens
- B01D2257/104—Oxygen
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01D—SEPARATION
- B01D2259/00—Type of treatment
- B01D2259/45—Gas separation or purification devices adapted for specific applications
- B01D2259/4525—Gas separation or purification devices adapted for specific applications for storage and dispensing systems
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01D—SEPARATION
- B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
- B01D53/22—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by diffusion
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01D—SEPARATION
- B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
- B01D53/22—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by diffusion
- B01D53/228—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by diffusion characterised by specific membranes
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
- C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
- C01B13/00—Oxygen; Ozone; Oxides or hydroxides in general
- C01B13/02—Preparation of oxygen
- C01B13/0229—Purification or separation processes
- C01B13/0248—Physical processing only
- C01B13/0251—Physical processing only by making use of membranes
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D11/00—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D17/00—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces
- F25D17/04—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection
- F25D17/042—Air treating means within refrigerated spaces
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D17/00—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces
- F25D17/04—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection
- F25D17/06—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection by forced circulation
- F25D17/062—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection by forced circulation in household refrigerators
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D19/00—Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D2317/00—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- F25D2317/04—Treating air flowing to refrigeration compartments
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D2317/00—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- F25D2317/06—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D25/00—Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled
- F25D25/02—Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled by shelves
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D25/00—Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled
- F25D25/02—Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled by shelves
- F25D25/024—Slidable shelves
- F25D25/025—Drawers
Abstract
refrigerator (100) comprises a refrigerator body (10) comprising a food storage space (102) and a compressor chamber (103). A food storage container (11) is disposed in the food storage space (102), and a freshness keeping space is defined in the food storage container (11). The refrigerator (100) further comprises an air-regulating membrane component (30) configured to pass, through an air-regulating membrane, more oxygen than nitrogen in an air flow in the surrounding space of the air-regulating membrane component (30), to enter an oxygen-enriched air collection chamber; and an air pump component (40). An inlet end of an air pump (41) communicates, in a controlled manner, and via a pipe (51) and a pipe switching mechanism (52), with the oxygen-enriched air collection chamber, to pump and discharge the air out of the oxygen-enriched air collection chamber and the freshness keeping space, such that the ratio of the nitrogen content and the oxygen content in the fresh-keeping space is greater than 78/21. The storage container is a sealed drawer which defines the freshness keeping space and comprises an accommodating chamber which is communicated with the freshness keeping space and is arranged inside a top wall of the drawer. The accommodating chamber has at least one first vent hole and at least one second vent hole communicating with the freshness keeping space and the air conditioning membrane is arranged above a second vent hole. further comprises an air-regulating membrane component (30) configured to pass, through an air-regulating membrane, more oxygen than nitrogen in an air flow in the surrounding space of the air-regulating membrane component (30), to enter an oxygen-enriched air collection chamber; and an air pump component (40). An inlet end of an air pump (41) communicates, in a controlled manner, and via a pipe (51) and a pipe switching mechanism (52), with the oxygen-enriched air collection chamber, to pump and discharge the air out of the oxygen-enriched air collection chamber and the freshness keeping space, such that the ratio of the nitrogen content and the oxygen content in the fresh-keeping space is greater than 78/21. The storage container is a sealed drawer which defines the freshness keeping space and comprises an accommodating chamber which is communicated with the freshness keeping space and is arranged inside a top wall of the drawer. The accommodating chamber has at least one first vent hole and at least one second vent hole communicating with the freshness keeping space and the air conditioning membrane is arranged above a second vent hole.
Description
REFRIGERATOR
This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201611111630.1
filed on December 02, 2016 and entitled “Refrigerator”, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the field of article storage, and more particularly, to
a refrigerator.
BACKGROUND
With the development of society and the improvement of people's living standards,
as well as the ever-increasingly faster pace of people's life, people often put a large number
of articles they buy in a variety of refrigerators. However, for leafy vegetables and melons and
fruits, the low temperature in a storage space of the refrigerator will not only cause wrinkles
and marks on skins of these food, but also affect their original tastes and nutrition.
In the freshness-keeping technology for refrigerators, oxygen is closely related to
the oxidation and respiration of food in the refrigerators. The slower the food breathes, the
lower the oxidation of the food and the longer the freshness-keeping time. The reduction in
the content of oxygen in air has a significant effect on freshness-keeping of food. At present,
in order to reduce the content of oxygen in the refrigerator, vacuum freshness-keeping or an
additional deoxidation device is generally used in the prior art to perform low oxygen
freshness-keeping. However, the operation of vacuum freshness-keeping is usually
cumbersome and inconvenient to use. The deoxidation device usually makes use of
electrolyte or the like for deoxidation, and is relatively complicated and does not present an
obvious deoxidation effect.
The air-conditioning freshness-keeping technology refers generally to a technique
for prolonging the storage life of a food by regulating a gas atmosphere (gas composition
ratio or gas pressure) of an enclosed space in which stored articles are located, with the
basic principle being as follows: in a certain enclosed space, a gas atmosphere different from
normal air components is obtained by various regulation methods to suppress physiological
and biochemical processes and microbial activities leading to spoilage of the stored articles
(generally, food). In particular, in the present application, the air-conditioning freshness-
keeping in question will be specifically directed to an air-conditioning freshness-keeping
technology that regulates the proportions of gas components.
It is known to those skilled in the art that normal air components include (in
percentage by volume, hereinafter the same): about 78% of nitrogen, about 21% of oxygen,
about 0.939% of rare gas (helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon), 0.031% of carbon
dioxide, and 0.03% of other gases and impurities (e.g., ozone, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide,
and water vapor). In the field of air-conditioning freshness-keeping, a nitrogen-rich and
oxygen-poor freshness-keeping gas atmosphere is obtained generally by filling an enclosed
space with a nitrogen-rich gas to reduce the oxygen content. Here, it is known to those skilled
in the art that the nitrogen-rich gas refers to a gas having a nitrogen content exceeding the
content of nitrogen in the normal air, for example, the content of nitrogen in the nitrogen-rich
gas may be 95% to 99% or even higher; and the nitrogen-rich and oxygen-poor freshness-
keeping gas atmosphere refers to a gas atmosphere in which the nitrogen content exceeds
the content of nitrogen in the normal air and the oxygen content is lower than the content of
oxygen in the normal air.
However, nitrogen generating equipment traditionally used for air-conditioning
freshness-keeping is bulky and costly, resulting in that this technology is basically limited to
use in various large-scale professional storehouses (the storage capacity is generally at least
tons or more), and is not applicable to families or individual users.
SUMMARY
An objective of the present invention is to provide a simple air-conditioning
freshness-keeping refrigerator.
A further objective of the present invention is to improve a storage effect of articles
in the refrigerator.
In particular, the present invention provides a refrigerator, comprising a refrigerator
body, a door body, an air-conditioning membrane assembly and an air pump assembly,
wherein the refrigerator body defines a storage space and a compressor chamber therein, a
storage container is arranged in the storage space, and a freshness-keeping space is defined
inside the storage container; the door body is arranged on the front surface of the refrigerator
body to close the storage space; the air-conditioning membrane assembly is mounted to the
storage container, and the surrounding space of the air-conditioning membrane assembly is
communicated with the freshness-keeping space, the air-conditioning membrane assembly
comprises at least one air-conditioning membrane and an oxygen-rich gas collection
chamber, and is configured to allow more oxygen than nitrogen in airflow in the surrounding
space of the air-conditioning membrane assembly to pass through the air-conditioning
membrane and enter the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber ; and the air pump assembly is
arranged inside the compressor chamber, the air pump assembly comprises an air pump,
wherein an inlet end of the air pump is communicated with the oxygen-rich gas collection
chamber in a controlled manner via a pipeline and a pipeline switching mechanism, for
pumping gas in the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber to the outside of the freshness-
keeping space, such that a ratio of the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to
the content of oxygen in the freshness-keeping space is greater than 78/21, wherein the sum
of the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space and the content of oxygen in the
freshness-keeping space is greater than or equal to 83%.
Optionally, the ratio of the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to
the content of oxygen in the freshness-keeping space is greater than or equal to 4.26, and
less than or equal to 49.
Optionally, the air-conditioning membrane assembly is an oxygen-rich membrane
assembly, wherein at least one air-conditioning membrane is configured as at least one
oxygen-rich membrane.
Optionally, the oxygen-rich membrane assembly further comprises a support frame
having a first surface and a second surface parallel to each other, wherein a plurality of
airflow passages which extends on the first surface and the second surface respectively and
penetrates through the support frame to communicate the first surface and the second
surface is formed on the support frame; the plurality of airflow passages jointly forms the
oxygen-rich gas collection chamber; and the at least one oxygen-rich membrane is
configured as two planar oxygen-rich membranes which are respectively laid on the first
surface and the second surface of the support frame.
Optionally, the storage container is a sealed drawer which defines the freshness-
keeping space.
Optionally, the refrigerator body comprises a cabinet defining a storage space
therein.
Optionally, the sealed drawer comprises a drawer cylinder which has a forward
opening, is fixed to the cabinet and defines a freshness-keeping space therein; and a drawer
body slidably mounted in the drawer cylinder, so as to be operatively withdrawn from and
inserted into the drawer cylinder via the forward opening of the drawer cylinder.
Optionally, a plurality of air pressure balance holes is formed in the drawer cylinder
to communicate the storage space to the freshness-keeping space.
Optionally, an accommodating chamber which is communicated with the
freshness-keeping space is arranged inside a top wall of the drawer cylinder to accommodate
the air-conditioning membrane assembly, and at least one first vent hole and at least one
second vent hole spaced apart from the at least one first vent hole are respectively formed in
a wall surface between the accommodating chamber in the top wall of the drawer cylinder
and the freshness-keeping space, to communicate the accommodating chamber and the
freshness-keeping space at different positions respectively; the refrigerator further comprises
a fan arranged in the accommodating chamber, to drive gas in the freshness-keeping space
to flow through the at least one first vent hole, the accommodating chamber and the at least
one second vent hole in sequence and then return to the freshness-keeping space.
Optionally, the air pump assembly further comprises a mounting base plate
mounted to the bottom surface of the compressor chamber through a plurality of damping
foot pads; and a sealed case mounted to the mounting base plate, the air pump being
mounted in the sealed case.
In the refrigerator according to the embodiments of the present invention, the air-
conditioning membrane assembly allows more oxygen than nitrogen in the freshness-keeping
space to pass through the air-conditioning membrane and enter the oxygen-rich gas
collection chamber , and the gas in the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber is pumped out of
the freshness-keeping space through the air pump, such that the ratio of the content of
nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the freshness-keeping
space is greater than 78/21. Therefore, a gas atmosphere which is rich in nitrogen and
deficient in oxygen to facilitate the freshness-keeping of food may be obtained in the
freshness-keeping space, the storage effect of the food may be improved, and the use
experience of the user may be promoted.
Further, in the refrigerator according to the embodiments of the present invention,
the ratio of the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in
the freshness-keeping space is greater than or equal to 4.26, and less than or equal to 49,
such that the ratio of the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of
oxygen in the freshness-keeping space is in the above-mentioned range, which can
effectively reduce the aerobic respiration intensity of the food while ensuring the basic
respiration function, and avoid the anaerobic respiration of the food. Therefore, the shelf life
of the food is prolonged. Moreover, the air pump assembly is arranged in the compressor
chamber, without occupying other places additionally. Therefore, the volume of the
refrigerator will not be additionally increased, and the structure of the refrigerator can be
made compact.
The above and other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention
will be understood by those skilled in the art more clearly according to the detailed description
of the specific embodiments of the present invention below with reference to the
accompanied drawings.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a
refrigerator, comprising:
a refrigerator body, a door body, an air-conditioning membrane assembly and an
air pump assembly, wherein the refrigerator body defines a storage space and a
compressor chamber therein, a storage container is arranged in the storage space, and
a freshness-keeping space is defined inside the storage container;
the storage space is configured as a refrigerating space and the door body is
pivotally arranged on the front surface of the refrigerator body to close the storage
space;
the air-conditioning membrane assembly is mounted to the storage container, and the
surrounding space of the air-conditioning membrane assembly is communicated with
the freshness-keeping space, the air-conditioning membrane assembly comprises at
least one air-conditioning membrane and an oxygen-rich gas collection chamber, and is
configured to allow more oxygen than nitrogen in airflow in the surrounding space of
the air-conditioning membrane assembly to pass through the air-conditioning
membrane and enter the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber;
the air pump assembly is arranged inside the compressor chamber, the air pump
assembly comprises an air pump, wherein an inlet end of the air pump is
communicated with the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber in a controlled manner via
a pipeline and a pipeline switching mechanism, for pumping gas in the oxygen-rich gas
collection chamber to the outside of the freshness-keeping space, such that a ratio of
the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the
freshness-keeping space is greater than 78/21, wherein the sum of the content of
nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space and the content of oxygen in the freshness-
keeping space is greater than or equal to 83%;
the storage container is a sealed drawer which defines the freshness-keeping
space, the sealed drawer comprises:
a drawer cylinder which has a forward opening; and
a drawer body slidably mounted in the drawer cylinder, so as to be operatively
withdrawn and inserted from and into the drawer cylinder via the forward opening of the
drawer cylinder;
an accommodating chamber which is communicated with the freshness-keeping
space is arranged inside a top wall of the drawer cylinder to accommodate the air-
conditioning membrane assembly, and
at least one first vent hole and at least one second vent hole spaced apart from the at
least one first vent hole are respectively formed in a wall surface between the
accommodating chamber in the top wall of the drawer cylinder and the freshness-
keeping space, to communicate the accommodating chamber to the freshness-keeping
space at different positions respectively, the air-conditioning membrane assembly is
arranged above the second vent hole, each of an air-conditioning membrane of the air-
conditioning membrane assembly is parallel to the top wall of the drawer cylinder, the
first vent hole is formed in the front part of the top wall, and the second vent hole is
formed in the rear part of the top wall, the drawer cylinder is provided with a recessed
portion, a cover plate portion detachably covers the recessed portion to form the
accommodating chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below in
detail in an exemplary rather than restrictive manner with reference to the accompanying
drawings. The same reference signs in the accompanying drawings represent the same or
similar components or parts. Those skilled in the art should understand that the drawings
may not be necessarily drawn according to the scales. In the drawings:
is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
is a partially schematic structural diagram of the refrigerator according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
is a schematic structural diagram of the structure shown in from
another perspective.
is a schematic structural diagram of a sealed drawer in the refrigerator
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
is a schematic exploded view of the sealed drawer shown in
is a schematic structure diagram in which the sealed drawer is connected
with an air pump in the refrigerator according to a further embodiment of the present
invention.
is a schematic structural diagram of an air-conditioning membrane assembly
in the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
is a schematic exploded view of the air-conditioning membrane assembly
shown in
is a schematic structural diagram of a support frame in the air-conditioning
membrane assembly shown in
is a schematic structural diagram of the support frame in the air-
conditioning membrane assembly shown in as observed from another perspective.
is a schematic structural diagram of an air pump assembly in the
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
This embodiment provides a refrigerator, which can achieve an air-conditioning
freshness-keeping function by regulating a ratio of the content of oxygen in a freshness-
keeping space to the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space. is a
schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present
invention. is a partially schematic structural diagram of the refrigerator 100 according
to an embodiment of the present invention. is a schematic structural diagram of the
structure shown in from another perspective. is a schematic structural diagram
of a sealed drawer 11 in the refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present
invention. is a schematic exploded view of the sealed drawer 11 shown in is a schematic structural diagram in which the sealed drawer 11 is connected with an air
pump 41 in the refrigerator according to a further embodiment of the present invention. As
shown in to the refrigerator 100 may generally comprise a refrigerator body 10,
a door body, an air-conditioning membrane assembly 30 and an air pump assembly 40.
The refrigerator body 10 defines a storage space 102 and a compressor chamber
103 therein. The number and structure of the storage space 102 may be configured as
needed. shows a case where a first space, a second space and a third space are
arranged vertically in sequence. The storage spaces may be configured as a refrigerating
space, a freezing space, a temperature changing space or a freshness-keeping space
according to different purposes. Each storage space may be divided into a plurality of storage
areas by partition plates, and articles may be stored using shelves or drawers. A storage
container is arranged in the storage space of this embodiment, and defines the freshness-
keeping space therein. As shown in the storage container may be a sealed drawer 11
that defines the freshness-keeping space. In some alternative embodiments, said freshness-
keeping space may also be defined by a sealed case, a sealed can, a sealed box, or the like.
The door body is arranged on the front surface of the refrigerator body 10 to close
the storage space 102. The door body may correspond to the storage space, that is, each
storage space corresponds to one or more door bodies. The number of the storage spaces or
door bodies and the functions of the storage spaces may be actually selected according to
specific conditions. The refrigerator 100 of this embodiment is provided with a first door body
21, a second door body 22 and a third door body 23 respectively corresponding to the first
space, the second space and the third space which are arranged vertically in sequence. The
door body may be pivotally arranged on the front surface of the refrigerator body, or may be
opened as well in a drawer form to realize a drawer type storage space. The drawer type
storage space is often provided with metal slides to ensure gentle opening and closing of the
drawer and to reduce the noise. The first space of the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment
may be opened in a pivoting manner. The second space and the third space may be opened
in a drawer form respectively.
An air-conditioning membrane assembly 30 is provided with at least one air-
conditioning membrane and an oxygen-rich gas collection chamber, and configured to allow
more oxygen than nitrogen in airflow in the surrounding space of the air-conditioning
membrane assembly to pass through the air-conditioning membrane and enter the oxygen-
rich gas collection chamber. The air-conditioning membrane assembly 30 is mounted to the
storage container, and the surrounding space of the air-conditioning membrane assembly is
communicated with the freshness-keeping space. In this embodiment, the air-conditioning
membrane assembly 30 may be mounted to the sealed drawer 11.
The air pump assembly 40 is arranged in the compressor chamber 103 and
comprises an air pump 41. Since the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber is arranged in the
sealed drawer 11, and shows a schematic diagram in which the air pump 41 is
connected with the sealed drawer 11, the air pump 41 is substantially communicated with the
oxygen-rich gas collection chamber arranged in the sealed drawer 11. An inlet end of the air
pump 41 is communicated with the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber in a controlled
manner via a pipeline 51 and a pipeline switching mechanism 52 to pump gas in the oxygen-
rich gas collection chamber to the outside of the freshness-keeping space, such that a ratio of
the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the
freshness-keeping space is greater than 78/21, wherein the sum of the content of nitrogen in
the freshness-keeping space and the content of oxygen in the freshness-keeping space is
greater than or equal to 83%. Those skilled in the art should recognize that the sum of the
content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space and the content of oxygen in the
freshness-keeping space should be smaller than or equal to 100%. Since more oxygen than
nitrogen enters the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber through the air-conditioning
membrane, a gas in the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber is generally an oxygen-rich gas.
The gas is then exhausted out of the freshness-keeping space to reduce the content of
oxygen in the freshness-keeping space, such that the ratio of the nitrogen content to the
oxygen content is greater than 78/21.
The refrigerator 100 further comprises a gas sensor arranged in the freshness-
keeping space to monitor the content of nitrogen and the content of oxygen in the freshness-
keeping space. In addition, the air pump assembly 40 is further configured to drive the
pipeline switching mechanism 52 to communicate the pipeline from the inlet end of the air
pump 41 to the freshness-keeping space when the ratio of the content of nitrogen in the
freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the freshness-keeping space is less
than equal to 78/21, and control the air pump 41 to operate to pump the gas in the oxygen-
rich gas collection chamber to the outside of the freshness-keeping space, such that the ratio
of the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the
freshness-keeping space is greater than 78/21. According to different kinds of food, the ratio
of the nitrogen content to the oxygen content may be refined on the basis of being greater
than 78/21, such that the gas atmosphere in the freshness-keeping space can meet the
freshness-keeping needs of different kinds of food. In some embodiments, if the ratio of the
content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the freshness-
keeping space is greater than 78/21, the pipeline switching mechanism 52 may close the
pipeline from the inlet end of the air pump 41 to the freshness-keeping space, and the air
pump 41 stops operating as well.
The air, as original intake air in the freshness-keeping space, has a ratio of the
nitrogen content to the oxygen content of about 78/21. In this embodiment, an oxygen-rich
gas in the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber in the freshness-keeping space is exhausted
through the air-conditioning membrane assembly 30 and the air pump 40, such that the ratio
of the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the
freshness-keeping space is greater than 78/21. In some other embodiments, the ratio of the
content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the freshness-
keeping space may be increased by filling the freshness-keeping space with nitrogen, such
that the ratio of the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of
oxygen in the freshness-keeping space is greater than 78/21. It should be noted that the use
of normal air as the original intake air in this embodiment is not intended to limit the present
invention. In some other embodiments, gas components in the freshness-keeping space may
be different from those of the normal air, but it is also possible to increase the ratio of the
content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the freshness-
keeping space by pumping an oxygen-rich gas by the air-conditioning membrane assembly
and the air pump 40, and by filling the freshness-keeping space with nitrogen.
In a preferred embodiment, the ratio of the content of nitrogen in the freshness-
keeping space to the content of oxygen in the freshness-keeping space is greater than or
equal to 4.26, and less than or equal to 49. For example, when the sum of the nitrogen
content and the oxygen content is not greater than 100%, the content of nitrogen in the
freshness-keeping space is in a range of 81% to 98%. When the oxygen content is in a range
of 2% to 19%, it is a general suitable range for air-conditioning freshness-keeping of various
foods. Moreover, other gases other than nitrogen and oxygen in the freshness-keeping space
have no oxidability to avoid affecting the storage effect of the food.
The freshness-keeping requirements is not met completely merely by adjusting the
nitrogen-rich and oxygen-poor gas atmosphere, and the proportional relationship between
the nitrogen content and the oxygen content is also crucial. In this embodiment, the ratio of
the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the
freshness-keeping space is greater than or equal to 4.26, and less than or equal to 49, which
can effectively reduce the aerobic respiration intensity of the food in the freshness-keeping
space. In the meantime, the oxygen content is not too low, which can ensure the basic
respiration function, and avoid the anaerobic respiration of the food. Therefore, the
freshness-keeping effect of the food is ensured, and the shelf life of the food is prolonged.
The inventor has found upon a plurality of experiments that the freshness-keeping
lives of various foods will be different depending on the difference in the ratio of the content
of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the freshness-keeping
space, in the case of other storage conditions being the same. A specific example will be
introduced in the following: in the case where normal air contains about 78% of nitrogen and
about 21% of oxygen, a ratio of the nitrogen content to the oxygen content is about 78/21. In
the case where the ratio of the nitrogen content to the oxygen content is 78/21, under certain
other storage conditions, the freshness-keeping time of an apple is 12 days; the freshness-
keeping time of grapes is 4 days; the freshness-keeping time of a baby cabbage is 13 days;
the freshness-keeping time of broccoli is 14 days; the freshness-keeping time of a radish is
days; the freshness-keeping time of fresh lentinus edodes is 4 days; the freshness-
keeping time of lychee is 7 days; the freshness-keeping time of a kiwifruit is 8 days; the
freshness-keeping time of a strawberry is 4 day; and the freshness-keeping time of salmon is
3 days. While when the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space is 85% and the
content of oxygen in the freshness-keeping space is 15% (i.e., a ratio of the nitrogen content
to the oxygen content is 85/15), in the case of other storage conditions being the same, the
freshness-keeping time of an apple is 50 days; the freshness-keeping time of grapes is 18
days; the freshness-keeping time of a baby cabbage is 36 days; the freshness-keeping time
of broccoli is 40 days; the freshness-keeping time of a radish is 90 days; the freshness-
keeping time of fresh lentinus edodes is 15 days; the freshness-keeping time of lychee is 27
days; the freshness-keeping time of a kiwifruit is 37 days; the freshness-keeping time of a
strawberry is 21 days; and the freshness-keeping time of salmon is 30 days.
As can be seen from the above specific example, in the case where the ratio of the
nitrogen content to the oxygen content is 85/15, the freshness-keeping time of various foods
far exceeds the case where the ratio of the nitrogen content to the oxygen content is 78/21.
In the meantime, it is possible to assist in improving the freshness-keeping effect of the food
by keeping the temperature in the freshness-keeping space within a certain range. Different
food may correspond to different suitable storage temperatures. For example, a refrigerating
temperature of vegetables is generally 2°C to 8°C, a refrigerating temperature of cold fresh
meat is generally -2°C to 1°C, and a freezing temperature of various foods is generally -22°C
to -14°C. The freshness-keeping effects of various food may be improved effectively by
enabling the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to be in a range of 81% to
98% and the content of oxygen in the freshness-keeping space to be in a range of 2% to
19%, and by keeping the temperature in the freshness-keeping space in a suitable storage
temperature range for various food. It should be noted that the specific values of the above
freshness-keeping time and storage temperature are merely exemplary, and are not intended
to limit the present invention.
As shown in the refrigerator body 10 may comprise a cabinet 101 defining
the freshness-keeping space 102 therein. As shown in the sealed drawer 11
comprises a drawer cylinder 12 which has a forward opening, is fixed to the cabinet 101 and
defines the freshness-keeping space therein; and a drawer body 13 slidably mounted in the
drawer cylinder 12, so as to be operatively withdrawn from and inserted into the drawer
cylinder via the forward opening of the drawer cylinder 12. The drawer cylinder 12 may be
arranged on the lower part of the cabinet. In other embodiments, the drawer cylinder 12 may
be arranged on the middle part or the upper part of the cabinet as well. In this embodiment,
the cabinet 101 and the drawer cylinder 12 may be formed integrally, or may be formed
separately and then mounted together.
A plurality of air pressure balance holes may be formed in the drawer cylinder 12 to
communicate the storage space 102 to the freshness-keeping space. Each of the air
pressure balance holes may be a hole of a millimeter order. For example, each of the air
pressure balance holes may have a diameter of 0.1 mm to 3 mm. It is possible to balance
pressures inside and outside the freshness-keeping space by providing a plurality of air
pressure balance holes. The arrangement of the plurality of air pressure balance holes may
not cause the gas in the freshness-keeping space to flow towards a larger storage space (or
flow slightly or even negligibly if any), without affecting the preservation of food in the
freshness-keeping space. In other embodiments, the air pressure balance holes may not be
formed in the drawer cylinder 12. Even so, there is still a large amount of gas in the
freshness-keeping space, e.g., a large amount of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space.
Therefore, a user may open the drawer body 13, without requiring strenuous effort, such that
much labor is saved compared to the existing vacuum storage compartment.
The air-conditioning membrane assembly 30 is mounted to the storage container,
and the surrounding space of the air-conditioning membrane assembly 30 is communicated
with the freshness-keeping space. In this embodiment, the air-conditioning membrane
assembly 30 may be mounted to the sealed drawer 11. As shown in the air-
conditioning membrane assembly 30 may be arranged on the drawer cylinder 12, and
preferably arranged on the top wall of the drawer cylinder 12. Specifically, an accommodating
chamber 12 which is communicated with the freshness-keeping space is arranged inside a
top wall of the drawer cylinder 12 to accommodate the air-conditioning membrane assembly
. At least one first vent hole 122 and at least one second vent hole 123 spaced apart from
the at least one first vent hole 122 are respectively formed in a wall surface between the
accommodating chamber 121 in the top wall of the drawer cylinder 12 and the freshness-
keeping space, to communicate the accommodating chamber 121 to the freshness-keeping
space at different positions respectively. The first vent hole 122 and the second vent hole 123
are both small holes, and may be plural in number. In some alternative embodiments, the
inside of the top wall of the drawer cylinder 12 has a recessed groove. The air-conditioning
membrane assembly 30 is arranged in the recessed groove of the top wall of the drawer
cylinder 12.
In some embodiments of the present invention, in order to promote the flow of the
gas in the freshness-keeping space and the gas in the accommodating chamber 121, the
refrigerator 100 may further include a fan 60 arranged in the accommodating chamber 121, to
drive the gas in the freshness-keeping space to flow through the at least one first vent hole
122, the accommodating chamber 121 and the at least one second vent hole123 in sequence
and then return to the freshness-keeping space. The fan 60 is preferably a centrifugal fan
arranged at the first vent hole 122 in the accommodating chamber 121. That is, the
centrifugal fan is located above the at least one first vent hole 122, and keeps an axis of
rotation vertically downward. An air inlet of the centrifugal fan directly faces the first vent hole
122. An air outlet of the centrifugal fan may face the air-conditioning membrane assembly 30.
The air-conditioning membrane assembly 30 is arranged above the at least one second vent
hole 123, such that each of the air-conditioning membranes of the air-conditioning membrane
assembly 30 is parallel to the top wall of the drawer cylinder 12. At least one first vent hole
122 is formed in the front part of the top wall, and at least one second vent hole 123 is formed
in the rear part of the top wall. That is, the centrifugal fan is arranged in the front part of the
accommodating chamber 121, and the air-conditioning membrane assembly 30 is arranged
at the rear part of the accommodating chamber 121.
Further, the top wall of the drawer cylinder 12 comprises a lower plate portion 124
and a cover plate portion 125. A recessed portion is formed in a partial area of the lower plate
portion 124. The cover plate portion 125 detachably covers the recessed portion to form the
accommodating chamber 121. In order to facilitate the manufacture of the drawer cylinder 12,
the lower plate portion 124 may be integrally formed with the side wall, the bottom wall, and
the rear wall of the drawer cylinder 12.
is a schematic structural diagram of the air-conditioning membrane assembly
in the refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. is a
schematic exploded view of the air-conditioning membrane assembly shown in
is a schematic structural diagram of a support frame in the air-conditioning membrane
assembly shown in is a schematic structural diagram of the support frame in
the air-conditioning membrane assembly shown in as observed from another
perspective. In the present embodiment, the air-conditioning membrane is an oxygen-rich
membrane, and the air-conditioning membrane assembly 30 may be an oxygen-rich
membrane assembly 31. The oxygen-rich membrane assembly 31 of this embodiment may
generally comprise a support frame 32 and an oxygen-rich membrane 33 arranged on the
support frame 32.
In the embodiment of the present invention, the oxygen-rich membrane 33 is
permeable to all gases, except that different gases have different degrees of permeation. Gas
permeation through the oxygen-rich membrane 33 is a complex process. The permeation
mechanism of this process generally resides in that gas molecules are first adsorbed to the
surface of the oxygen-rich membrane 33 and dissolved, then diffused in the oxygen-rich
membrane 33, and finally desorbed from the other side of the oxygen-rich membrane 33. The
oxygen-rich membrane separation technique realizes gas separation depending on the
difference in dissolution and diffusion coefficients of different gases in the oxygen-rich
membrane 33. When mixed gas is subjected to a certain driving force (pressure difference or
pressure ratio in both sides of the oxygen-rich membrane 33), gases, such as oxygen,
hydrogen, helium, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and the like which have relatively high
permeation rates penetrate through the oxygen-rich membrane 33, and are then enriched on
the permeation side of the oxygen-rich membrane 33. However, gases, such as nitrogen,
carbon monoxide and the like which have relatively low permeation rates are retained on the
retention side of the oxygen-rich membrane 33 and are then enriched. Therefore, the
purpose of separation of the mixed gas is achieved.
The support frame 32 has a first surface 321 and a second surface 322 parallel to
each other. A plurality of airflow passages 323 which extends on the first surface 321 and the
second surface322 respectively and penetrates through the support frame 32 to
communicate the first surface 321 to the second surface 322 are formed on the support
frame 32. The plurality of airflow passages 323 jointly forms the oxygen-rich gas collection
chamber. At least one oxygen-rich membrane 33 may be arranged in the present
embodiment. Preferably, two planar oxygen-rich membranes may be arranged, and are laid
on the first surface 321 and the second surface 322 of the support frame 32 respectively.
When the pressure inside the oxygen-rich membrane 33 is lower than the pressure outside
thereof, the oxygen-rich membrane 33 may allow oxygen in air outside thereof to pass
through the oxygen-rich membrane 33 into the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber, to form
an oxygen-rich gas, such that the air outside the oxygen-rich membrane becomes a nitrogen-
rich gas.
In some embodiments, the support frame 32 comprises a suction hole 324 that is
communicated with at least one of the plurality of airflow passages 323, to allow the oxygen-
rich gas in the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber to be sucked out by the air pump 41. As
the oxygen-rich gas in the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber is sucked out, the oxygen-rich
gas collection chamber is in a negative pressure state. Therefore, oxygen in air outside the
oxygen-rich membrane assembly 31 will continue to pass through the oxygen-rich membrane
33 into the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber, such that the air outside the oxygen-rich
membrane assembly 31 forms a nitrogen-rich atmosphere. In some embodiments, the
plurality of airflow passages 323 formed inside the support frame 32 may be a plurality of
cavities that is communicated with the suction hole 324.
In some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, for further ease of installation, it
is possible to pre-fasten the oxygen-rich membrane 33 in a mounting groove 327 of the
support frame 32 by using a circle of double-sided adhesive tape 325, and then fill a loop slot
328 of the support frame 32 with a circle of sealing adhesive 326, such that the oxygen-rich
membrane 33 is mounted in the mounting groove 327 of the support frame 32 in a sealed
manner.
The inlet end of the air pump 41 is communicated with the oxygen-rich gas
collection chamber in the freshness-keeping space via the pipeline 51 and the pipeline
switching mechanism 52, and concretely, may be communicated with the suction hole 324.
The air pump 41 is configured to suck air outwards through the suction hole 324, such that
the pressure in the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber is lower than the pressure of the
freshness-keeping space. That is to say, as the air pump 41 sucks air outwards, the air in the
freshness-keeping space may flow to the oxygen-rich membrane assembly. Under the action
of the oxygen-rich membrane assembly, some or all of oxygen in the air in the freshness-
keeping space enters the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber and is then exhausted out of
the freshness-keeping space through the pipeline 51 and the air pump 41, such that a gas
atmosphere which is rich in nitrogen and deficient in oxygen to facilitate the freshness-
keeping of food is obtained in the freshness-keeping space.
The oxygen-rich membrane assembly allows oxygen in air to preferentially pass
through the oxygen-rich membrane to obtain oxygen under the driving of a pressure
difference by using the difference in permeation rates of various gas components in air that
pass through the oxygen-rich membrane. In some other embodiments, the air-conditioning
membrane may also be a hollow fiber membrane. The air-conditioning membrane assembly
is a hollow fiber membrane assembly. The hollow fiber membrane assembly allows oxygen
molecules to preferentially penetrate through the hollow fiber membrane to obtain oxygen
since the oxygen molecules are smaller than nitrogen molecules, by using the difference in
permeation rates of various gas components in the air that pass through the hollow fiber
membrane.
is a schematic exploded view of an air pump assembly 40 in the
refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in , in
some embodiments of the present invention, the air pump assembly 40 may further comprise
a mounting base plate 42 and a sealed case 43. The mounting base plate 42 may be
mounted to the bottom surface of the compressor chamber 103 through a plurality of
damping foot pads 44. The sealed case 43 is mounted to the mounting base plate 42. The air
pump 41 is mounted in the sealed case 43. That is, the air pump 41 may be arranged inside
the sealed case 43, and the sealed case 43 may be mounted in the compressor chamber 103
through the mounting base plate 42. When the air pump 41 is in operation, the sealed case
43 may greatly prevent noise and/or waste heat from propagating outwards. Further, in order
to improve the damping and noise reduction effects, a plurality of damping foot pads 44
(which may be made of rubber) may also be mounted on the mounting base plate 42. The
number of the damping foot pads 44 may be preferably four. The four damping foot pads 44
are mounted in foot pad mounting holes formed in four corners of the mounting base plate
In some embodiments of the present invention, a mounting frame is arranged
inside the sealed case 43. The mounting frame is connected to the inner wall of the sealed
case 43 by a plurality of damping blocks. The air pump 41 is fixed inside the mounting frame,
so as to reduce the vibration and noise when the air pump 41 is in operation. Specifically, the
bottom of the mounting frame is provided with two damping blocks which is sleeved on
positioning posts on the bottom surface of the sealed case 43. One circular damping block is
arranged on each of two opposite sides of the mounting frame, and is clamped in a clamping
slot of the corresponding side wall of the sealed case 43. One damping block is fixed to each
of the other two opposite sides of the mounting frame. The air pump 41 may be located
between the respective damping blocks in the sealed case 43 and fastened to the mounting
frame by screws.
A refrigeration system of the refrigerator 100 may be a refrigeration cycle system
composed of a compressor, a condenser, a throttle device, an evaporator, and the like. The
compressor is mounted in the compressor chamber 103. The evaporator is configured to
supply a cooling capacity directly or indirectly into the storage space 102. For example, when
the refrigerator is a household compression type directly-cooled refrigerator, the evaporator
may be arranged on the outside or inside of the rear wall surface of the cabinet. When the
refrigerator is a household compression type air-cooled refrigerator, the refrigerator 10 further
has an evaporator chamber inside. The evaporator chamber is communicated with the
storage space 102 through an air passage system. In addition, an evaporator is arranged
inside the evaporator chamber. A fan is arranged at an outlet of the evaporator chamber to
perform circulation cooling for the storage space 102.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the air pump 41 is arranged at one
end of the compressor chamber 103, and the compressor may be arranged at the other end
of the compressor chamber 103, such that the air pump 41 is away from the compressor,
thereby reducing nose superposition and waste heat superposition. For example, the air
pump 41 may be arranged at one end, adjacent to the pivoting side of the door body, of the
compressor chamber 103. When the refrigerator is a side-by-side refrigerator, the air pump
41 may be arranged at either end of the compressor chamber 103. In still other embodiments
of the present invention, the air pump 41 is arranged adjacent to the compressor. The air
pump 41 is arranged at one end of the compressor chamber 103, and located between the
compressor and the side wall of the compressor chamber 103. The air pump 41 is arranged
in the compressor chamber 103, and can fully make use of the space in the compressor
chamber, without occupying other places additionally, such that the volume of the refrigerator
may not be additionally increased, and the structure of the refrigerator can be made compact.
In the refrigerator 100 according to this embodiment, the air-conditioning
membrane assembly allows more oxygen than the nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space
to pass through the air-conditioning membrane and enter the oxygen-rich gas collection
chamber , and the gas in the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber is pumped out of the
freshness-keeping space through the air pump 41, such that the ratio of the content of
nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the freshness-keeping
space is greater than 78/21. Therefore, a gas atmosphere which is rich in nitrogen and
deficient in oxygen to facilitate the freshness-keeping of food may be obtained in the
freshness-keeping space, the storage effect of the food may be improved, and the use
experience of the user may be promoted.
Further, in the refrigerator 100 according to this embodiment, the ratio of the
content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the freshness-
keeping space is greater than or equal to 4.26, and less than or equal to 49, such that the
ratio of the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the
freshness-keeping space is in the above-mentioned range, which can effectively reduce the
aerobic respiration intensity of the food while ensuring the basic respiration function, and
avoid the anaerobic respiration of the food. Therefore, the shelf life of the food is prolonged.
Moreover, the air pump assembly 40 is arranged in the compressor chamber, without
occupying other places additionally. Therefore, the volume of the refrigerator will not be
additionally increased, and the structure of the refrigerator can be made compact.
Thus, those skilled in the art should recognize that although multiple exemplary
embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described in detail, many
other variations or modifications according with the principle of the present invention may
also be determined directly or derived from the content disclosed by the present invention,
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the scope of the
present invention should be understood and deemed to include these and other variations or
modifications.
Claims (1)
1. A refrigerator, comprising: a refrigerator body, a door body, an air-conditioning membrane assembly and an air pump assembly, wherein the refrigerator body defines a storage space and a compressor chamber therein, a storage container is arranged in the storage space, and a freshness-keeping space is defined inside the storage container; the storage space is configured as a refrigerating space and the door body is pivotally arranged on the front surface of the refrigerator body to close the storage space; the air-conditioning membrane assembly is mounted to the storage container, and the surrounding space of the air-conditioning membrane assembly is communicated with the freshness-keeping space, the air-conditioning membrane assembly comprises at least one air-conditioning membrane and an oxygen-rich gas collection chamber, and is configured to allow more oxygen than nitrogen in airflow in the surrounding space of the air-conditioning membrane assembly to pass through the air-conditioning membrane and enter the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber; the air pump assembly is arranged inside the compressor chamber, the air pump assembly comprises an air pump, wherein an inlet end of the air pump is communicated with the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber in a controlled manner via a pipeline and a pipeline switching mechanism, for pumping gas in the oxygen-rich gas collection chamber to the outside of the freshness-keeping space, such that a ratio of the content of nitrogen in the freshness-keeping space to the content of oxygen in the freshness- keeping space is greater than
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
CN201611111630.1A CN107044752B (en) | 2016-12-02 | 2016-12-02 | Refrigerator with a door |
CN201611111630.1 | 2016-12-02 | ||
PCT/CN2017/113360 WO2018099373A1 (en) | 2016-12-02 | 2017-11-28 | Refrigerator |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
NZ753991A NZ753991A (en) | 2020-12-18 |
NZ753991B2 true NZ753991B2 (en) | 2021-03-19 |
Family
ID=
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