Refrigerator Compartment Cover Insulation to Prevent Condensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cooling devices with separate compartments for fresh food and freezer, condensation occurs on the cover facing the fresh food compartment due to gaps between insulation materials and the cover surface, leading to increased labor, costs, and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
The cover is entirely clad with polyurethane material, which expands and solidifies to fit the shape of the surface, eliminating gaps and providing effective insulation between cold and hot air zones, thus preventing condensation without the need for a heater.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If styrofoam material is applied on the inner wall of the cover, then insulation is provided, but gaps remain between the insulation material and cover surface causing condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the insulation material from pre-formed rigid styrofoam pieces to liquid polyurethane foam that can be poured and molded. This parameter change allows the insulation material to adapt to the cover's surface geometry, eliminating gaps while maintaining insulation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of polyurethane from liquid to solid state. The liquid polyurethane is poured into the mold, expands to fill all gaps and contours, then solidifies to form a seamless insulating layer that perfectly adheres to the cover surface.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If styrofoam material and heater are disposed on the cover to prevent condensation, then condensation is prevented, but labor and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the heater component from the system. By using liquid polyurethane that expands and solidifies to form a gap-free insulating layer, the solution prevents condensation through improved insulation alone, making the additional heating element unnecessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses polyurethane foam as a composite insulation material that combines the insulating properties of foam with the adhesive properties of liquid polymers. This creates a single integrated solution that both insulates and seals, replacing the need for separate insulation material and heater components.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If styrofoam material and heater are used on the cover, then condensation is prevented, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heater component entirely from the system. The liquid polyurethane insulation provides sufficient thermal insulation when applied without gaps, eliminating the need for active heating to prevent condensation and thereby reducing energy consumption.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If thick spacer is used in damper cover, then condensation is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the insulation material from rigid pre-formed spacers to liquid polyurethane foam. This allows the insulation to conform to complex geometries and fill irregular spaces uniformly, providing effective condensation prevention without requiring thick, bulky spacer structures.
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 effectively insulates the cover, reducing energy consumption, labor, and costs by ensuring seamless adhesion of the insulation material, thereby preventing condensation on the fresh food compartment side.
Implementation Method 1
polyurethane material, which expands and solidifies to fit the shape of the surface
Implementation Method 2
The polyurethane material, due to its feature, takes the shape of the mould and hence the shape of the cover (6) surface by expanding and solidifying inside the mould and adheres to the surface of the cover facing the air channel without any gaps therebetween.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The cooling device (1) of the present invention comprises a freezer compartment (2) wherein foods to be frozen are placed, a fresh food compartment (3), kept at a higher temperature compared to the freezer compartment (2), wherein foodstuffs to be cooled are emplaced, at least one evaporator (4) for cooling the air circulated in the compartments (2, 3), one or more fans (5) for blowing the air cooled by the evaporator (4) into the compartments (2, 3), and a cover (6) mounted on the fresh food compartment (3) after the fresh food and freezer compartments (3 and 2) are formed, whereto the user can intervene from inside the fresh food compartment (3), safeguarding the elements of temperature, preferably as the damper thermostat and an adjustment element as the shutter.