Bent Pipe Retention Members to Maintain Bending Angle in Refrigerators

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Solution Overview

Problem

Bent pipes used in refrigeration systems, particularly in semiconductor refrigerators, are prone to deformation due to external forces during manufacture, transportation, and installation, leading to inconsistent bending angles and reduced rigidity, which affects the flow and phase-change heat exchange of refrigerants.

Innovation Solution

A bent pipe design featuring retention members with high elastic modulus, such as carbon steel or alloy steel, are successively welded to the bent portions to maintain constant bending angles and enhance rigidity, ensuring reliable refrigerant flow and phase-change heat exchange by preventing deformation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the bent pipe is subjected to external forces during manufacture, transportation and installation, then the pipe structure is flexible and easy to install, but the bent portions deform and the bending angle changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of installationVSAvoidbending angle precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The bent pipe is divided into multiple sections with retention members positioned at specific intervals. Each retention member acts as an independent support point that segments the pipe structure, preventing deformation at critical bent portions while allowing flexibility in other sections for easier installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Retention members are introduced as intermediary elements between the bent pipe sections. These retention members serve as mediators that maintain the geometric relationship between adjacent bent portions, ensuring the bending angle remains constant while allowing the pipe to be flexible enough for installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If retention members are welded to the bent portions, then the rigidity and bending angle stability are improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepipe rigidityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Retention members are strategically positioned only at critical bent portions where deformation is most likely to occur, rather than uniformly along the entire pipe. This localized approach enhances rigidity where needed while minimizing the overall complexity and number of additional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of reinforcing the entire pipe structure, retention members are applied partially at key locations. This partial action provides sufficient rigidity improvement to prevent bending angle changes without requiring complete structural reinforcement, thus avoiding excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3220092B1Bent pipe and a semiconductor refrigeration refrigerator with bent pipe
Publication Date: 2024.04.24 HAIER SMART HOME CO LTD
  • EP3220092B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3220092B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3220092B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A bent pipe (10) and a semiconductor refrigeration refrigerator with the bent pipe (10). The bent pipe (10) is used for allowing fluid to flow in the bent pipe (10), and comprises a plurality of bent parts (11); a plurality of connecting pipe sections (12), each of the connecting pipe sections being connected to every two adjacent bent parts (11); and position fixing pieces (14) that are sequentially fixed on bent parts (11), at a same side, of the bent pipe (10) at different positions along the length directions of the position fixing pieces (14). Because of the position fixing pieces (14) in the bent pipe (10) and the semiconductor refrigeration refrigerator, at least some pipe sections of the bent pipe (10) can be kept in a bent shape, so that the bent angle of the bent pipe (10) is kept unchanged, and therefore refrigerating fluid in the semiconductor refrigeration refrigerator can flow reliably in the bent pipe (10) to be effectively evaporated or condensed.