Moisture permeable device, refrigerator and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

A manufacturing method for a moisture permeable device suitable for use in a refrigerator where the device includes a corresponding first surface (110) and second surface (111); at least parts of the first surface (110) and the second surface (111) of the moisture permeable device define a hollow cavity (301); through-holes are provided at regions of the first surface (110) and the second surface (111) of the moisture permeable device defining the cavity (301); and regenerated cellulose is accommodated in the cavity (301) includes the steps of pouring a regenerated cellulose slurry with a tackifier added thereto into the cavity (301) to form a moisture permeable film, thus allowing omission of an assembling procedure and a non-woven support.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method of a moisture permeable device, wherein said moisture permeable device comprises a first surface and a second surface corresponding to each other, at least parts of said first surface and said second surface define a hollow cavity, through-holes are provided at regions of said first surface and second surface defining the hollow cavity, and said first surface, said second surface and said hollow cavity of the moisture permeable device are integrally formed by injection moulding, said method comprising the steps of: adding a tackifier into a regenerated fibre slurry; pouring the regenerated fibre slurry into the hollow cavity; and squeezing, drying, and smoothing the first and the second surfaces.

2. The manufacturing method of the moisture permeable device according to claim 1, wherein said tackifier is high-gluten starch.

3. The manufacturing method of the moisture permeable device according to claim 1, wherein in the step of pouring the regenerated fibre slurry into the hollow cavity, the moisture permeable device is immersed in the regenerated fibre slurry to enable the regenerated fibre slurry to be naturally poured into the hollow cavity.

4. The manufacturing method of the moisture permeable device according to claim 1, wherein in the step of pouring the regenerated fibre slurry into the hollow cavity, the regenerated fibre slurry is pressure-injected into the hollow cavity by a syringe.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a structural schematic view of a refrigerator fruit and vegetable box comprising a moisture permeable device of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a cover body of the fruit and vegetable box in FIG. 1 along a D-D direction;

(3) FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the moisture permeable device of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 4 is a top view of a further embodiment of the moisture permeable device of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a manufacturing method of the moisture permeable device of the present invention; and

(6) FIG. 6 is schematic view of an embodiment of the manufacturing method of the moisture permeable device of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) The present invention will be described below in detail in combination with the particular embodiments shown in the drawings. However, these embodiments do not limited to the present invention, the changes in terms of the structure, the method or the function made by a person skilled in the art according to these embodiments are all included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

(8) The terms expressing locations and directions described in the present invention are all made with reference to a refrigerator door, the end close to the door being a front end, and the end away from the door being a rear end.

(9) In the embodiments of the present invention, the moisture permeable device of the present invention is specifically illustrated with a fruit and vegetable box as an example. However, it should be noted that the technical spirit involved in the embodiments described below can be alternatively used in holding containers in other forms, exemplarily, a drawer for example.

(10) With reference to FIG. 1, a fruit and vegetable box 1 comprises a box body 10 defined by a bottom plate, a front wall, a rear wall, a left side wall and a right side wall, and a cover body 11 above the box body 10.

(11) With reference to FIG. 2, the cover body 11 is integrally formed by injection moulding and comprises an upper surface 110 and a lower surface 111. The upper surface 110 faces the exterior of the fruit and vegetable box 1, and the lower surface 111 faces the interior of the fruit and vegetable box 1. At least parts of the upper surface 110 and the lower surface 111 define a hollow cavity 301. The space between the upper and lower surfaces is configured in such a way to accommodate a moisture permeable material and carry a moisture permeable film.

(12) The inner walls 301a and 301b of the cavity 301 are rough surfaces so as to increase the static friction force between the plastic member and the moisture permeable material.

(13) In the embodiment as shown in the FIG. 2, there is one cavity 301. Optionally, there are a plurality of relatively independent cavities 301.

(14) With reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4 in conjunction, through-holes are provided at regions of the upper surface 110 and the lower surface 111 defining the cavity 301, so as to perform the air-water exchange between the moisture permeable material and the external surrounding.

(15) Preferably, there are a plurality of through-holes, which are arranged on the upper surface 110 and the lower surface 111 in a repeating manner. The through-hole may have a cross section in a circular or polygonal shape for example. The arrangement combination rules of the through-holes are not limited as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and may also be arranged in a meshed or swirling pattern, for example. A grid structure constituted by the through-holes has the function of a support to support the regenerated cellulose in the cavity 301 to form a film and avoid the damage or contamination of the regenerated cellulose film due to the contact with an article.

(16) The main raw material of the moisture permeable film is regenerated fibre, and the pretreatment of regenerated fibre mainly includes slimy crushing, slurry storing, fine grinding, mixing, and diluting and slushing, so as to manufacture a regenerated fibre slurry. The conditions of the pretreatment are the same as those in a paper-making process, which will not be repeatedly described herein.

(17) The regenerated fibre slurry is poured into the cavity 301, and dried to form a moisture permeable film. With reference to the FIG. 5, the pouring method comprises the steps of:

(18) S101, adding a tackifier into a regenerated fibre slurry. The tackifier may be high gluten starch or another colloid to increase the adhesion between the regenerated fibre and the plastic member;

(19) S102, pouring the regenerated fibre slurry into the cavity 301.

(20) S103, squeezing, drying, and smoothing the surface.

(21) In a specific embodiment, S102 includes:

(22) immersing the cover body 11 into a tank containing the regenerated fibre slurry, so that the slurry is naturally poured into the cavity 301 via the through-holes and/or an opening located on a side wall 112 of the cover body;

(23) In a specific preferred embodiment, S102 includes:

(24) pressure-injecting the regenerated fibre slurry into the cavity 301 by means of a syringe.

(25) With reference to FIG. 6, preferably, during the pressure injection, a base plate 12 is used to cover at least one hollow-out surface of the cavity 301 so as to prevent the injected slurry from overflowing out from the through-holes of the surface. The base plate 12 is removed alter the regenerated fibre layer is dried and shaped.

(26) It shall be explained that, although the structure and manufacturing method of the moisture permeable device of the present invention are described herein with the cover body 11 as an example, it should be understood that the moisture permeable device may be provided on at least any one surface of the holding container. Preferably, the moisture permeable device is provided on the surface of the holding container closest to a cool air outlet of the refrigerator so as to achieve the optimal anti-condensation and moisture permeable performance.

(27) Compared with the moisture permeable film combined with the holding container by means of a movable structure in the prior art (such as an insertion or snap-fitting structure), in the moisture permeable device of the present invention, the plastic member is a part of the holding container, and the regenerated fibre is directly combined with the plastic member. The plastic member is formed by one-step die sinking and injection molding, thereby omitting an assembly procedure, improving the integrity of the moisture permeable device, and achieving the better tightness. Moreover, the plastic member functions as a framework for the moisture permeable film, and substitutes for the existing technique of using non-woven fabric as a support for the moisture permeable film. The plastic member may also be another hard material, such as metal.

(28) It should be understood that, although the description is given according to the embodiments, but each embodiment does not only comprise an independent technical solution, this narrative manner of the description is only for clarity, and for a person skilled in the art, the description shall be regarded as a whole, and the technical solution in each of the embodiments can also be properly combined to form other implementations that can be understood by a person skilled in the art.

(29) The detailed descriptions set forth above are merely specific descriptions directed to the feasible embodiments of the present invention, and they are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention; any equivalent embodiment or alteration of the present invention, made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention, shall be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.