Door-Mounted Ice Maker with Cold Air Duct for Odor Isolation
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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 with a cold air duct providing cold air, minimizing the impact on storage capacity and odor transfer by directing cold air directly to the ice maker through a guided system, preventing food odors from permeating the ice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the ice maker is installed on the rear side of the freezing chamber to extend from side to side, then the ice-making function is achieved, but the storage capacity of the freezing chamber is reduced due to the volume occupied by the ice maker, motor casing, and ice bank
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker is extracted from the interior of the freezing chamber and installed on the rear side of the door. This removes the ice-making components from the storage space, eliminating the volume conflict while maintaining the ice-making function. The motor casing and ice bank are also relocated to the door assembly, further preserving storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice maker is relocated from the three-dimensional interior space of the freezing chamber to the two-dimensional plane of the door rear side. This dimensional transition allows the ice-making components to utilize door space rather than competing for valuable storage volume within the chamber.
2Productivity
If the ice maker is installed in the freezing chamber to make ice using circulating cold air, then ice production is enabled, but food odors permeate the ice during the ice-making process
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker is extracted from the freezing chamber environment where food odors are present and relocated to the door assembly. This physical separation removes the ice-making process from the odor-prone environment while maintaining access to cold air through dedicated ducting.
Solution Approach 2:
A cold air duct is introduced as an intermediary component to deliver cold air from the freezing chamber to the ice maker on the door. This controlled air delivery system provides the necessary cold air for ice production while preventing direct exposure to food odors in the chamber.
3Ease of operation
If the motor casing and ice bank are provided in the freezing chamber to transfer ice to the dispenser, then ice transfer functionality is achieved, but the storage capacity is further reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The motor casing and ice bank are extracted from the freezing chamber and integrated into the door assembly. This relocation maintains the ice transfer functionality to the dispenser while eliminating the volume these components occupy within the storage space.
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 and maintains ice hygiene by isolating the ice-making process from food odors, ensuring efficient ice production while maintaining ample storage space.
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
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a main body having a storage chamber, a door provided to the main body, including an outer door and a door liner. The door liner includes support steps, a liner plate, and a seating step that define an installation space. An ice maker is located at least partially in the installation space. A cold air duct is provided in one side of the storage chamber to supply the ice maker with cold air. An ice maker cover is provided having a cold air inlet on a top portion thereof and a viewing window on a lower portion thereof. The viewing window allows the ice maker to be seen from outside of the ice maker cover. An ice bank is removably located below the ice maker to transfer ice received from the ice maker to a dispenser.