Refrigerator Door Ice-Making Chamber With Leak-Limiting Air Ducts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators with ice-making chambers face challenges in accessibility, cooling air leakage, space utilization, and ice-making efficiency, particularly when the ice-making chamber is integrated within the main compartment or on the door, leading to inefficiencies and increased complexity.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring an ice-making chamber on the front surface of the door with an auxiliary door for easy access, a separate cooling air duct system to prevent leakage, and independent cooling chambers for the ice-making and storage compartments, utilizing a thermoelement to enhance cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the ice-making chamber is integrated within the main compartment or on the door, then space utilization is improved, but accessibility to the ice-making chamber becomes difficult requiring the main door to be opened
Solution Approach 1:
The door is segmented into two functional parts: the main door for accessing the storage compartment and an auxiliary door for accessing the ice-making chamber. This segmentation allows independent access to the ice-making chamber without opening the main door, resolving the contradiction between space utilization and accessibility.
2Ease of operation
If the ice-making chamber is accessed by opening the main door, then accessibility is improved, but cooling air leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is divided into a main door and an auxiliary door, allowing users to access the ice-making chamber by opening only the smaller auxiliary door while keeping the main door closed. This segmentation minimizes the opening area, thereby reducing cooling air leakage and energy loss.
3Loss of energy
If the storage compartment and ice-making chamber are separated, then cooling air flow between them is blocked preventing leakage, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door is divided into a main door and an auxiliary door, creating separate access paths for the storage compartment and ice-making chamber. This segmentation physically blocks cooling air flow between the two chambers, preventing leakage and energy loss while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
4Productivity
If a cooling air duct system is added to connect the cooling chamber and ice-making chamber, then ice-making efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling air duct system is integrated with the existing door structure, merging the cooling function with the door assembly. The cooling chamber is positioned within the door, and cooling air ducts are routed through the door structure, combining multiple functions (cooling, air supply, structural support) into a unified system that improves ice-making efficiency without proportionally increasing complexity.
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 design allows for easy access to the ice-making chamber without opening the main door, prevents cooling air leakage, improves space utilization, and enhances ice-making efficiency by maintaining independent temperature and humidity control for the ice-making chamber.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling air duct configured to connect the ice-making chamber and the cooling chamber to supply the cooling air generated by the cooler to the ice-making chamber
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a thermoelement to enhance cooling efficiency
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerator (1) that includes a main body (10), a wall and a storage compartment. The refrigerator further includes a door (30) rotatably coupled to the main body configured to open and close the storage compartment. The door includes an ice-making chamber (40) formed in a front surface of the door. The refrigerator also includes a cooling chamber (60) that includes a cooler is provided inside the wall and configured to generate cooling air. The refrigerator also includes a cooling air duct (70) configured to connect the ice-making chamber and the cooling chamber to supply the cooling air generated by the cooler to the ice-making chamber.