A domestic cooling device with spacer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional domestic cooling devices with condensers on the rear wall face efficiency issues due to inadequate spacing, leading to reduced heat transfer by natural convection, and existing spacer solutions are either rigid, difficult to implement, or not suitable for all configurations.
Innovation Solution
A modular spacer system with a post and hinged limb mechanism that can be secured to the rear wall, allowing for easy conversion between parking and spacing positions, ensuring a predetermined distance from the outer wall for efficient heat transfer, featuring a locking member and corrugated sections for enhanced stability and contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a rigid spacer is fixed to the rear wall to maintain predetermined distance, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but device complexity and ease of manufacture deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is designed with a hinged limb that can rotate between a parking position (parallel to rear wall) and a spacing position (perpendicular to rear wall). This dynamic mechanism allows the spacer to be compact during packaging/transport and easily deployable to the required spacing position, eliminating the need for complex fixed rigid structures while maintaining the predetermined distance for heat transfer efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer is divided into multiple components: a post fixed to the rear wall, a hinged limb that rotates, and a locking member. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the post provides mounting, the hinged limb provides adjustable spacing, and the locking member secures the position. This modular approach simplifies manufacturing and installation compared to a single complex rigid structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If the spacer is designed to be removable and modular, then ease of manufacture and packaging is improved, but reliability of maintaining spacing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The post is pre-fixed to the rear wall during manufacturing, providing a stable mounting base. The hinged limb is designed with a locking member that, when engaged, preliminarily secures the limb in the spacing position before use. This preliminary action ensures that when the spacer is deployed, the predetermined spacing position is reliably maintained without requiring complex permanent fixtures.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking member is designed to automatically engage with the post when the hinged limb is rotated to the spacing position, creating a self-securing mechanism. This self-service feature ensures reliable spacing maintenance without requiring additional tools or complex assembly procedures, making the removable modular design both easy to manufacture and reliable in use.
3Ease of operation
If the spacer uses a simple hinged mechanism, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hinged limb is designed with an asymmetric profile where one end (first end) is thicker than the other end (second end). This asymmetric design creates a natural stop position when the limb rotates to be perpendicular to the rear wall, as the thicker first end contacts the blocking section on the post. This geometric constraint provides inherent positioning precision without requiring high-precision manufacturing tolerances on the hinge components themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness parameter of the hinged limb is strategically varied along its length, with the first end being thicker than the second end. This parameter change creates a mechanical stop that defines the spacing position. By controlling this single dimensional parameter, the design achieves reliable positioning while maintaining ease of operation and reducing the need for complex precision manufacturing across multiple components.
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
The spacer system maintains energy efficiency by ensuring sufficient spacing for effective heat transfer while facilitating easy packaging and preventing the cooling cabinet from approaching the outer wall excessively, thus enhancing the overall performance of domestic cooling devices.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling cabinets with such condensers should be positioned so as to have a distance with an outer wall and thus a space has to be provided between the rear wall and the outer wall. Said space provides heat transfer by means of natural convection from the condenser.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Invention relates to a domestic cooling device comprises a rear wall (140); a condenser (400) provided at the rear wall (140); at least one spacer (300) provided at the rear wall (140) and movable to a spacing position in which a free end (344) of the spacer (300) is in contact with to the outer wall (500) and defining a gap. The spacer (300) is further movable to a parking position in which distance of the free end (344) in transverse direction at the gap is substantially equal or smaller than height of the condenser (400).