Cold storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

In refrigerators with multiple sliding doors, simply supplying cooled air from the refrigeration compartment to the sliding doors is insufficient to effectively suppress condensation on the doors.

Innovation Solution

The refrigerator incorporates an air blow port in the machine compartment that directs relatively warm air towards the outer surfaces of the sliding doors, thereby reducing condensation. Additionally, the compressor is positioned closer to the inner sliding door to ensure warmer air is supplied to it, and the recorder is placed closer to the outer sliding door to minimize blockage of airflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If air from the refrigeration compartment is supplied to the sliding door, then condensation suppression is improved, but the suppression effect is insufficient when multiple sliding doors are present

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecondensation on sliding doorVSAvoidcondensation suppression effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the air supply system into multiple independent blow ports, with each blow port dedicated to a specific sliding door. This segmentation ensures that each door receives sufficient warm air independently, resolving the insufficiency of a single air source when multiple doors are present

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent positions blow ports at specific locations (upper part of machine compartment, closer to each sliding door) to deliver warm air locally where condensation occurs. This localized air supply optimizes the temperature distribution at each door surface, enhancing condensation suppression effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 configuration effectively suppresses condensation on both the outer and inner sliding doors by ensuring a consistent flow of warmer air across their surfaces, enhancing the operational efficiency of the refrigerator.

Implementation Method 1

the moisture in the outside air, i.e., the air surrounding the outer surface of the door may condense, and cause condensation on the outer surface of the door

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Implementation Method 2

a machine compartment located on the lower side of the storage compartment for the purpose of preventing the condensation at the outer surface of the glass door

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat generation: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP4000468B1Cold storage
Publication Date: 2025.04.16 PHC CORP
  • EP4000468B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4000468B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4000468B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This cold storage is provided with: a first sliding door that opens/closes a cold chamber; a second sliding door that opens/closes the cold chamber, and is positioned between the cold chamber and the first sliding door when the cold chamber is fully open; a compressor disposed at a position that becomes closer to the closed end of the second sliding door than the closed end of the first sliding door when the cold chamber is fully closed; a fan that generates air flow passing the surroundings of the compressor; and a housing that accommodates the compressor, and has formed therein a blow port for blowing out the air flow toward the first sliding door and the second sliding door.