Branching Airflow Structure for Uniform Refrigerator Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-cooled refrigerators have complex and costly control systems for airflow circulation, leading to uneven refrigeration and freshness preservation across storage compartments, particularly in multi-path air supply structures.
Innovation Solution
A branching air supply device with a simple structure featuring movable baffle plates and a linkage device that allows for intermittent movement to block or conduct airflow passages, enabling uniform regulation of cold air distribution according to refrigerating capacity requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple dampers are used to control multi-path air supply in different storage compartments, then the refrigerating capacity can be regulated for each compartment, but the device complexity and volume increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple independent damper control systems are merged into a single integrated branching air supply device. The housing contains multiple airflow passages that are controlled by a unified structure, eliminating the need for separate dampers in each air duct and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining multi-compartment control capability
Solution Approach 2:
The branching air supply device serves multiple functions through a single structure: it distributes cold air to multiple storage compartments simultaneously, regulates airflow to each compartment, and provides a compact control mechanism. This multi-functional design replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate control devices
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex air duct systems with multiple dampers are installed to achieve multi-path air supply control, then each storage compartment can receive regulated cold air, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple control functions into a single manufactured component - the housing with integrated airflow passages. This consolidation reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured, assembled, and controlled separately, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining full airflow control capability across multiple compartments
3Device complexity
If cold air enters storage compartments without control from a single location, then the air supply system is simple, but some storage spaces become overcooled while others suffer from insufficient refrigeration
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply system is segmented into multiple independent airflow passages within the housing, each leading to different storage compartments. This segmentation allows cold air to be distributed to multiple locations simultaneously, preventing overcooling in any single area while ensuring adequate refrigeration throughout, all within a compact integrated structure
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a branching air supply device and a refrigerator with the branching air supply device. The branching air supply device comprises a housing, a plurality of airflow passages provided in parallel being defined in the housing; a plurality of baffle plates, each baffle plate being movably mounted to the housing and being configured to perform complete blocking, partial conducting or complete conducting of one airflow passage in different positions; and a linkage device movably mounted to the housing and configured to move each of the baffle plates intermittently when the linkage device moves. The branching air supply device and the refrigerator can perform uniform adjustment for cooling air, according to cold requirements for different storage compartments or cold requirements for different positions of one storage compartment.