Branched Refrigerator Air Supply with Rotatable Baffles for Uniform Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air-cooled refrigerators face challenges in maintaining balanced temperature distribution within storage chambers due to random airflow circulation, leading to overcooling or insufficient refrigeration in some areas, which affects the freshness and efficiency of food storage.
Innovation Solution
A branched air supply device with rotatable baffles and a transmission mechanism, allowing for precise control of air outlet areas and flow rates through multiple air supply ports, ensuring uniform cold air distribution according to the refrigeration needs of different storage chambers and positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cold air flows randomly through the air duct without control, then the structure is simple, but the temperature distribution in the storage chamber becomes unbalanced
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply device is segmented into multiple air supply ports (first air supply port, second air supply port, etc.) that can independently control airflow to different storage chambers. Each port has its own baffle and transmission assembly, allowing separate control of airflow direction and volume to achieve balanced temperature distribution across different chambers.
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs rotatable baffles that can dynamically adjust their positions to control airflow direction and volume. The transmission assemblies convert rotational motion of the baffles into adjustable airflow paths, enabling dynamic adaptation of cold air distribution according to different storage requirements without changing the overall system structure.
2Temperature
If multiple storage spaces are separated by storage devices, then storage space optimization is achieved, but parts of the storage spaces may be overcooled or have insufficient refrigerating capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply device serves multiple functions through a unified structure: it distributes cold air to multiple storage chambers simultaneously, controls airflow direction for each chamber, and adjusts flow volume independently for each port. This multi-functional design ensures proper refrigerating capacity distribution across all storage spaces while maintaining operational simplicity through centralized control mechanisms.
3Productivity
If the airflow circulation is not controlled accurately, then the device structure is simple, but the operating efficiency of the refrigerator is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission assemblies act as intermediary mechanisms between the driving force and the baffles. These assemblies include transmission mechanisms that convert and transmit rotational motion to precisely control baffle positions, thereby accurately regulating airflow direction and volume to multiple storage chambers, which improves operating efficiency without requiring direct complex control of each baffle individually.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances the freshness-maintaining performance and operating efficiency of refrigerators by providing accurate and adjustable airflow distribution, preventing air leakage, and allowing for a compact and integral structure design.
Implementation Method 1
each of the first transmission mechanisms being configured to transmit a rotational motion of the corresponding rotating member to one of the baffles so that the baffle is at rest or rotates
Implementation Method 2
the second transmission mechanism being configured to transmit one motion, output by the driving source, to the plurality of rotating members so that each of the rotating members is at rest or rotates
Implementation Method 3
each of the baffles being rotatably arranged at one of the air supply ports so as to adjust an air outlet area of the corresponding air supply port by rotating to different rotating positions
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Provided is a branched air supply device (400) and a refrigerator (10). The branched air supply device (400) comprises: a shell (410) having a peripheral wall portion (412), with the peripheral wall portion (412) being provided with a plurality of air supply ports (411); a plurality of baffles (420), with each of the baffles (420) being rotatably mounted at one of the air supply ports (411); a plurality of transmission assemblies, with each of the transmission assemblies being provided with a rotating member (430) and a first transmission mechanism, and each of the first transmission mechanisms being configured to transmit a rotational motion of a corresponding rotating member (430) to one of the baffles (420), so that the baffle (420) is at rest or rotates; and a driving device having a driving source (450) and a second transmission mechanism, with the second transmission mechanism being configured to transmit one motion, output by the driving source (450), to the plurality of rotating members (430), so that each of the rotating members (430) is at rest or rotates. The device can uniformly and conveniently adjust the flow path and flow rate of cold air, and rationally distributes the cold air, thus enhancing the freshness-maintaining performance and operating efficiency of the refrigerator (10). Moreover, the device has the advantages of simple control, convenient adjustment, a fast adjustment speed, and a high adjustment accuracy.