Device having multiple air flow paths and refrigerator having same

Abstract

A device having multiple air flow paths for a refrigerator, comprising: a housing provided with at least one air inlet and a plurality of air outlets; an adjustment member having a rotation disk member and rotatably provided in the housing about an axis of the rotation disk member to completely shield, partially shield or completely expose each air outlet when being at different rotation positions, so as to regulate respective air discharging areas of the plurality of air outlets; a motor provided at a radially outer side of the rotation disk member; and a transmission mechanism configured to transfer a rotation motion outputted by the motor to the adjustment member at a reduced speed.

1 . A device having multiple air flow paths for a refrigerator, comprising:
 a housing provided with at least one air inlet and a plurality of air outlets;   an adjustment member having a rotation disk member and rotatably provided in the housing about an axis of the rotation disk member to completely shield, partially shield or completely expose each air outlet when being at different rotation positions, so as to regulate respective air discharging areas of the plurality of air outlets;   a motor provided at a radially outer side of the rotation disk member; and   a transmission mechanism configured to transfer a rotation motion outputted by the motor to the adjustment member at a reduced speed.   
     
     
         2 . The device having multiple air flow paths according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises:
 a base whose circumferential edge consists of a first edge section and a second edge section, the first edge section being in a shape of a circular arc coaxial with the rotation disk member;   a first circumferential wall section which extends from the first edge section of the base to one side of the base and in which the plurality of air outlets are formed; and   the adjustment member further comprises one or more shielding portions arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotation disk member at intervals, wherein each shielding portion extends out from one surface of the rotation disk member, and at least part of the outer surface of each shielding portion is arranged coaxially with the inner surface of the first circumferential wall section, such that the one or more shielding portions completely shield, partially shield or completely expose each air outlet when being at different rotation positions.   
     
     
         3 . The device having multiple air flow paths according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the at least one air inlet refers to one air inlet, and two ends of the first circumferential wall section in the circumferential direction of the base define the air inlet; or   the housing further comprises a second circumferential wall section that extends out from the second edge section of the base to the one side of the base, the at least one air inlet being formed in the second circumferential wall section.   
     
     
         4 . The device having multiple air flow paths according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the housing further comprises a distributor cover which covers one end, away from the base, of the first circumferential wall section.   
     
     
         5 . The device having multiple air flow paths according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the transmission mechanism is a gear transmission mechanism.   
     
     
         6 . The device having multiple air flow paths according to  claim 5 , wherein the transmission mechanism comprises:
 a gear mounted on an output shaft of the motor;   a gear ring engaged with the gear; wherein:   the gear ring comprises an annular rib which extends out from the other surface of the rotation disk member and is coaxial with the rotation disk member, and a plurality of teeth which extend out from the outer circumferential surface of the annular rib and are arranged in the circumferential direction of the annular rib at intervals; or   the gear ring is independent and is fixed to the other surface of the rotation disk member coaxially with the rotation disk member.   
     
     
         7 . The device having multiple air flow paths according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 an annular groove is formed in the inner surface of the base, the gear ring being mounted in the annular groove.   
     
     
         8 . The device having multiple air flow paths according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the rotation disk member is ring-shaped; and   the annular groove is a stepped groove configured to accommodate the rotation disk member.   
     
     
         9 . The device having multiple air flow paths according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the rotation disk member is ring-shaped;   the housing further comprises: a plurality of hooks which are uniformly distributed on the inner surface of the base in the circumferential direction of the base and are located in a center ring hole defined by the rotation disk member, wherein the rotation disk member and the gear ring are clamped between a hook portion of each hook and the bottom surface of the annular groove.   
     
     
         10 . The device having multiple air flow paths according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the housing further comprises a motor accommodation portion provided on the outer surface of the first circumferential wall section, an accommodating cavity for accommodating the gear and the motor being defined in the motor accommodation portion.   
     
     
         11 . The device having multiple air flow paths according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the number of the air outlets is three, which are sequentially arranged in the circumferential direction of the base at intervals;   the number of the shielding portions is two, the two shielding portions being a first shielding portion and a second shielding portion respectively, wherein:   the first shielding portion is configured to completely shield one of the air outlets;   the second shielding portion is configured to completely shield two of the air outlets; and   a gap between the first shielding portion and the second shielding portion is configured to expose one of the air outlets.   
     
     
         12 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 an air passage assembly in which an air inlet passage and a plurality of air outlet passages are defined, wherein each air outlet passage is provided with one or more refrigeration air outlets, and the plurality of air outlet passages are configured to enable air flow flowing out of the air passage assembly to enter a plurality of storage compartments of the refrigerator respectively, or enable air flow flowing out of the air passage assembly to enter one storage compartment of the refrigerator respectively from a plurality of positions on a compartment wall of the storage compartment; and   a device having multiple air flow paths comprising a housing provided with at least one air inlet and a plurality of air outlets; an adjustment member having a rotation disk member and rotatably provided in the housing about an axis of the rotation disk member to completely shield, partially shield or completely expose each air outlet when being at different rotation positions, so as to regulate respective air discharging areas of the plurality of air outlets; a motor provided at a radially outer side of the rotation disk member; and a transmission mechanism configured to transfer a rotation motion outputted by the motor to the adjustment member at a reduced speed, wherein the device having multiple air flow paths is provided in the air passage assembly, at least one air inlet of the device having multiple air flow paths is communicated with the air inlet passage, and the plurality of air outlets of the device having multiple air flow paths are communicated with the plurality of air outlet passages respectively.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the housing comprises:
 a base whose circumferential edge consists of a first edge section and a second edge section, the first edge section being in a shape of a circular arc coaxial with the rotation disk member; and   a first circumferential wall section which extends from the first edge section of the base to one side of the base and in which the plurality of air outlets are formed; and   the adjustment member further comprises one or more shielding portions arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotation disk member at intervals, wherein each shielding portion extends out from one surface of the rotation disk member, and at least part of the outer surface of each shielding portion is arranged coaxially with the inner surface of the first circumferential wall section, such that the one or more shielding portions completely shield, partially shield or completely expose each air outlet when being at different rotation positions.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one air inlet refers to one air inlet, and two ends of the first circumferential wall section in the circumferential direction of the base define the air inlet; or
 the housing further comprises a second circumferential wall section that extends out from the second edge section of the base to the one side of the base, the at least one air inlet being formed in the second circumferential wall section.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the housing further comprises a distributor cover which covers one end, away from the base, of the first circumferential wall section. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the transmission mechanism is a gear transmission mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein the transmission mechanism comprises:
 a gear mounted on an output shaft of the motor;   a gear ring engaged with the gear; wherein:   the gear ring comprises an annular rib which extends out from the other surface of the rotation disk member and is coaxial with the rotation disk member, and a plurality of teeth which extend out from the outer circumferential surface of the annular rib and are arranged in the circumferential direction of the annular rib at intervals; or   the gear ring is independent and is fixed to the other surface of the rotation disk member coaxially with the rotation disk member.   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 17 , wherein an annular groove is formed in the inner surface of the base, the gear ring being mounted in the annular groove. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator according to  claim 18 , wherein the rotation disk member is ring-shaped; and
 the annular groove is a stepped groove configured to accommodate the rotation disk member.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator according to  claim 18 , wherein the rotation disk member is ring-shaped;
 the housing further comprises: a plurality of hooks which are uniformly distributed on the inner surface of the base in the circumferential direction of the base and are located in a center ring hole defined by the rotation disk member, wherein the rotation disk member and the gear ring are clamped between a hook portion of each hook and the bottom surface of the annular groove.