AIR VOLUME ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR REFRIGERATOR

• US 20190323757A1
• Filed: 12/21/2017
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qingdao Haier Joint Stock Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Qingdao Haier Joint Stock Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: SHI, HONGHAI, YANG, DONGYA
• Granted Patent: US 10,935,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/0251 with on-off operation
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/112 of evaporator fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/045 Air flow control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/065 with compartments at different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/065 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/067 characterised by air ducts

Abstract

An air volume adjustment device for a refrigerator comprises a fan, a baffle, an operating knob and a potentiometer. The baffle is disposed between a first air inlet cavity of a first compartment and a second air inlet cavity of a second compartment. The baffle is capable of moving among a plurality of positions to adjust the volume of air entering the first air inlet cavity and the second air inlet cavity. The operating knob and the potentiometer are connected to the front side and the rear side of the baffle respectively. The potentiometer is connected to a controller. The operating knob operably drives the baffle to move. The potentiometer transmits an electrical signal corresponding to a position of the baffle to the controller. The controller controls a rotational speed of the fan or controls the compressor to be started up or shut down.

Claims

1. An air volume adjustment device for a refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator comprises a refrigerator body, a compressor and an evaporator, wherein:

a first compartment and a second compartment are defined in the refrigerator body;

a first air inlet cavity communicated with the first compartment and a second air inlet cavity communicated with the second compartment are disposed behind the first compartment and the second compartment respectively;

the compressor is disposed on the bottom of the refrigerator body;

the evaporator is disposed in an evaporator cavity of the refrigerator body and is capable of supplying cold to the first compartment and the second compartment;

the air volume adjustment device is disposed behind the first compartment and the second compartment, and comprises a fan and a baffle;

the baffle is disposed between the first air inlet cavity and the second air inlet cavity;

the fan is capable of introducing cold air from the evaporator into the first air inlet cavity and the second air inlet cavity;

the baffle is capable of moving among a plurality of positions to adjust the volume of air entering the first air inlet cavity and the second air inlet cavity;

the refrigerator further comprises a controller connected to the compressor and the air volume adjustment device; and

the air volume adjustment device is characterized by further comprising an operating knob and a potentiometer which are connected to the front side and the rear side of the baffle respectively;

the operating knob is disposed inside one of the first compartment and the second compartment;

the potentiometer is connected to the controller;

the operating knob operably drives the baffle to move;

the potentiometer transmits an electrical signal corresponding to a position of the baffle to the controller; and

the controller controls a rotational speed of the fan or controls the compressor to be started up or shut down.

2. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the operating knob is configured as a rotary knob which drives the baffle to rotate among the plurality of positions.

3. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the first compartment is configured as a refrigerating compartment;

the second compartment is configured as a freezing compartment; and

the air volume adjustment device is disposed behind the freezing compartment.

4. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 3, wherein the refrigerator body further comprises a front cover plate disposed on the back of the freezing compartment and a rear cover plate connected to the front cover plate;

and the first air inlet cavity and the second air inlet cavity are disposed between the front cover plate and the rear cover plate.

5. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 4, wherein the potentiometer is mounted on the rear cover plate.

6. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 3, wherein the operating knob is capable of driving the baffle to move among at least three positions, such that the refrigerator can be switched among at least three modes;

in the first position, the volume of air entering the refrigerating compartment is approximately equal to that entering the freezing compartment, and the refrigerator operates in a conventional mode;

in the second position, the volume of air entering the refrigerating compartment is less than that entering the freezing compartment, and the refrigerator operates in a fast-cooling mode; and

in the third position, the volume of air entering the refrigerating compartment is greater than that entering the freezing compartment, and the refrigerator operates in a freezing-to-refrigerating mode.

7. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 6, wherein in the fast-cooling mode, the controller controls the rotational speed of the fan to be increased by 10% compared to the conventional mode;

and in the freezing-to-refrigerating mode, the controller controls the rotational speed of the fan to be reduced by 10% compared to the conventional mode.

8. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 4, wherein the air volume adjustment device further comprises a columnar body which penetrates through the front cover plate and the rear cover plate;

the baffle is fixed on the columnar body; and

the operating knob and the potentiometer are connected to two ends of the columnar body respectively.

9. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 4, wherein a rear plate of the freezing compartment is disposed on the front part of the front cover plate;

and a freezing air duct which is communicated with the freezing compartment is disposed between the front cover plate and the rear plate of the freezing compartment.

10. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 9, wherein a foam thermal-insulating layer is disposed between the front cover plate and the rear plate of the freezing compartment;

and the freezing air duct is positioned between the front cover plate and the foam thermal-insulating layer.