Cooling-freezing apparatus comprising a device which facilitates opening of a door

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cooling-freezing apparatuses face challenges with negative pressure buildup due to moisture accumulation, leading to difficulty in opening doors and covers, and existing solutions like demisturizing units reduce space and require frequent regeneration without clear indicators for user notification.

Innovation Solution

A pressure equalising device with a removable molecular sieve container, placed externally above the condenser, facilitates faster pressure equalisation and allows for easy regeneration and visual indication of drying agent saturation, without reducing the apparatus's volume or thermal insulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a drying agent is placed inside the apparatus or in the connecting cavity, then moisture entering the apparatus is reduced, but the available space is substantially reduced and thermal insulation is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemoisture preventionVSAvoidavailable space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The drying agent is extracted from the interior of the cooling-freezing apparatus and placed in an external pressure equalising device. This extraction resolves the contradiction by maintaining the moisture prevention function while eliminating the space occupation problem inside the apparatus, allowing full utilization of the interior volume for storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

An external pressure equalising device acts as an intermediary between the apparatus interior and the external environment. This intermediary contains the drying agent and manages pressure equalisation without compromising the interior space or thermal insulation of the main apparatus.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a drying agent is placed inside the apparatus or in the connecting cavity, then moisture entering the apparatus is reduced, but replacing or regenerating the drying agent becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemoisture preventionVSAvoiddrying agent replacement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure equalising device is designed as a separate, removable module that can be easily detached from the apparatus. This segmentation allows the drying agent to be replaced or regenerated by simply removing the external device, eliminating the difficulty of accessing and replacing drying agents located inside the apparatus or cavity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

By extracting the drying agent into an external removable device, the system enables easy maintenance. The drying agent can be replaced without disassembling the apparatus or accessing internal cavities, significantly improving ease of repair and maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If mechanical systems or connecting cavities are used to facilitate door opening, then pressure equalisation is improved, but white frost accumulation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor openingVSAvoidwhite frost accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure equalising function is extracted from the door assembly and relocated to an external device. This eliminates the need for mechanical systems in the door that would create frost accumulation problems, while still achieving the desired pressure equalisation for easy door opening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The external pressure equalising device acts as an intermediary that manages pressure differences without requiring direct connection to the door mechanism. This intermediary approach prevents frost accumulation on door surfaces while still facilitating easy door opening through pressure management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If a drying agent is placed in the connecting cavity, then moisture entering the apparatus is reduced, but the local thermal insulation is reduced and useful volume is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemoisture preventionVSAvoidthermal insulation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The drying agent is extracted from the connecting cavity and placed in an external device. This extraction resolves the thermal insulation problem by eliminating the cavity disruption, while maintaining the moisture prevention function. The full thermal insulation of the apparatus is preserved.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The external pressure equalising device serves as an intermediary that performs the drying function without compromising the thermal insulation integrity of the apparatus. The connecting cavity remains intact and fully insulating, while the intermediary external device handles moisture management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Enables cost-effective and simple regeneration of the drying agent, improves door and cover accessibility, and reduces frost accumulation, while maintaining the apparatus's insulation and volume, and can be retrofitted into older models.

Implementation Method 1

a drying agent 9 is arranged inside the pressure equalising device 7, in a form of a molecular sieve for instance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

a cooling system is provided, such as a compressor cooling system or an absorption cooling system or similar. The temperature of the goods and the air in said thermally insulated compartment changes due to the periodic operation of the cooling system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Implementation Method 3

A condenser 6 know per se is arranged along the back wall 5, at the outer side and in the bottom area thereof

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentEP3199895B1Cooling-freezing apparatus comprising a device which facilitates opening of a door
Publication Date: 2020.05.27 GORENJE GOSPODINJSKI APARATI D D
  • EP3199895B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3199895B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention refers to a cooling-freezing apparatus comprising at least one thermally insulated compartment for receiving goods that can be closed by a door or a cover, and particularly to a pressure equalising device with the cooling-freezing apparatus or said compartment. It is provided for according to the present invention that at least on one wall or at least in one wall of a case (3) or door (4) is arranged a device (7) for equalising pressure in a compartment (2) and, respectively, in a cooling-freezing apparatus (1), wherein a drying agent (9) is arranged inside the pressure equalising device (7).