Refrigerator Dispenser Light Guide Layout for Dry PCB Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerator dispensers face challenges in keeping light sources and electronics dry around water, requiring aesthetic, compact, and easy-to-install solutions while ensuring the light source is not visible when the door is closed.
Innovation Solution
A dispenser design featuring a housing assembly with a fascia and spout, a printed circuit board hidden behind the fascia, and light guides that illuminate the dispensing area, with LEDs positioned to emit light downward from the fascia, keeping electronics isolated from liquids and providing aesthetic appeal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a light source is placed near the dispenser, then the user can properly position a container near the dispenser under low light conditions, but the light source and associated electronics must be kept dry despite the presence of water in and around the dispenser
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser housing is divided into separate compartments: a dry electronics compartment containing the light source and circuit board, and a wet dispensing area. This segmentation allows the light source to illuminate the dispenser area while being physically isolated from water exposure through partitions and sealed boundaries between compartments.
Solution Approach 2:
A translucent partition or barrier is introduced as an intermediary between the light source and the dispensed liquid. This partition allows light to pass through to illuminate the dispenser area while preventing direct contact between the light source/electronics and water, solving both illumination and protection requirements.
2Illumination intensity
If the light source is visible when the refrigerator door is closed, then the dispenser is illuminated, but it is important that the light source be aesthetically pleasing
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure incorporates aesthetically designed elements such as curved surfaces, integrated lighting channels, and coordinated color schemes that make the visible portions of the dispenser visually appealing. The light source itself is positioned or shielded so that only its functional effect (illumination) is visible, not the raw bulb or LED, while the housing structure around it provides aesthetic quality.
Solution Approach 2:
A translucent housing or diffuser is positioned between the light source and the external environment. This intermediary allows light to pass through to illuminate the dispenser area while obscuring the actual light source from direct view, creating a softer, more aesthetically pleasing appearance when the door is closed.
3Ease of manufacture
If the light source is compact and simple to install, then the dispenser is easier to manufacture, but the light source must be isolated from dispensed liquids while providing adequate illumination
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is designed with pre-formed segmented compartments for electronics and dispensing areas. The light source is installed in the dry compartment with built-in sealing features and mounting structures that provide liquid isolation as an integrated part of the housing design, simplifying installation while maintaining protection.
Solution Approach 2:
A pre-assembled light module or kit is provided that includes the light source, housing, and sealing components as a complete unit. This modular approach allows for simple installation by plugging in a pre-tested assembly that already has liquid isolation built in, reducing manufacturing complexity and installation time while ensuring reliable protection.
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 solution effectively isolates light sources and electronics from dispensed liquids, maintains aesthetic appeal, and simplifies installation, ensuring the light source is not visible when the door is closed while providing adequate illumination.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of light guides are located adjacent to the plurality of light sources and configured to be illuminated by the plurality of light sources. The plurality of light guides provides illumination to the dispensing area.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator dispenser includes a housing assembly having a fascia and a spout, the spout being located so that a dispensed substance passes through the spout when the dispenser is activated. The dispenser also includes a printed circuit board coupled to the housing assembly and a plurality of light sources coupled to the printed circuit board. A plurality of light guides is located adjacent to the plurality of light sources, the plurality of light guides being configured to be illuminated by the plurality of light sources. A rear wall, bottom wall and sidewalls of the dispenser define a dispensing area, and the plurality of light guides provides illumination to the dispensing area.