Door-Mounted Ice Maker With Cold Air Duct for Odor-Free Storage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice-making devices in refrigerators reduce storage capacity and allow food odors to permeate ice due to their installation within the freezing chamber, affecting storage efficiency and hygiene.
Innovation Solution
An ice-making device is installed on the backside of the refrigerator door, utilizing a cold air duct to supply cold air directly to the ice maker, which is covered to minimize odor transfer and includes an ice bank for efficient ice storage and dispensing, maintaining storage capacity and hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the ice maker is installed in the freezing chamber to extend from side to side, then the ice making function is provided, but the storage capacity of the freezing chamber is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker is extracted from the freezing chamber and relocated to the backside of the door. This separation removes the ice-making components (ice maker, motor casing, ice bank) from the freezing chamber interior, thereby restoring the storage capacity while maintaining the ice-making function through the relocated device and cold air duct system
2Device complexity
If the ice maker is installed in the freezing chamber to make ice using circulating cold air, then the ice making process is simplified, but food odors permeate the ice
Solution Approach 1:
A cold air duct is introduced as an intermediary component to transport cold air from the freezing chamber to the ice maker located on the door backside. This intermediary system allows the ice maker to receive cold air without being directly exposed to food odors in the freezing chamber, thus preventing odor contamination while maintaining the ice-making process
Solution Approach 2:
The ice maker is extracted from the freezing chamber environment and positioned on the door backside, separating it from the source of food odors. This spatial extraction prevents direct contact between the ice-making process and odor-contaminated air, solving the contamination problem while the cold air duct provides the necessary cooling
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 configuration maximizes storage capacity while preventing food odors from contaminating the ice, ensuring efficient and hygienic ice production and dispensing.
Implementation Method 1
a cold air duct provided in one side of the storage space and supplying the ice maker with a portion of cold air supplied to the storage space
Implementation Method 2
The lower part of the heat exchange chamber 21 is provided with an evaporator (not shown) for generating cold air
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a main body having a storage space and a door selectively opening or closing the storage space. The ice-making device includes an ice maker installed on a backside of the door for making ice; a cold air duct provided in one side of the storage space and supplying the ice maker with a portion of cold air supplied to the storage space; an ice maker cover detachably installed on the backside of the door to selectively open or close the ice maker; and an ice bank detachably installed on the backside of the door below the ice maker, the ice bank storing ice made in the ice maker and transferring it to a dispenser provided on the door.