Door Ice Maker Cooling Layout With Frost Drainage

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional refrigerators with ice machines on the door require a duct for cold air transfer, reducing internal capacity, energy efficiency, and increasing ice-making time due to indirect cooling, and are prone to frost buildup leading to malfunction.

Innovation Solution

A refrigerator design without a duct for cold air transfer, using a direct cooling scheme with a compressor, condenser, and expansion valve on the door, and a defrost water collection method that heats the ice tray to remove frost and discharge it through a dedicated pipe.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a duct for cold air transfer is installed to supply cold air from freezing compartment to ice-making compartment, then ice making function is enabled, but internal capacity is reduced and structure becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice making functionVSAvoidinternal capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The ice-making compartment is integrated directly into the door structure, merging the cold air supply function with the door body. This eliminates the need for separate ducts while maintaining ice-making capability, thereby preserving internal capacity and simplifying the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cold air supply system is extracted from the main body and relocated to the door structure. By positioning the ice-making compartment within the door, the system eliminates redundant ductwork and insulation structures, reducing structural complexity while maintaining functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a duct for cold air transfer is installed, then cold air can be supplied to ice-making compartment, but energy efficiency is reduced due to cold air discharge when door is open

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecold air supplyVSAvoidenergy efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The ice-making compartment is merged with the door structure, so that when the door is opened, the ice-making compartment is exposed to ambient air along with the rest of the door. This eliminates the energy loss associated with dedicated cold air ducts that would otherwise discharge cold air to the exterior when the door opens.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If indirect cooling scheme through duct is used, then ice making is achieved, but ice-making time is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice making capabilityVSAvoidice-making time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The cold air supply path is shortened by extracting the ice-making compartment from the main body and placing it in the door. This direct positioning reduces the thermal resistance and distance for heat transfer, enabling more efficient cooling and faster ice production compared to indirect duct-based systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of operation

If ice machine is disposed on door, then user convenience is improved for ice removal, but frost buildup occurs leading to malfunction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice removal convenienceVSAvoidoperation reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A heater is introduced as an intermediary element to melt accumulated frost on the ice-making compartment. This mediator component periodically removes frost buildup, preventing malfunctions while maintaining the convenient door-mounted ice machine configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 design simplifies the structure, maximizes internal capacity, enhances energy efficiency, reduces ice-making time, and effectively removes frost, ensuring reliable operation.

Implementation Method 1

a refrigerant pipe coupled the compressor, the condenser, and the expansion valve, and configured to cool the ice tray by conduction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConduction (thermal): Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a heater disposed at a peripheral portion of the ice tray

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

a drain duct disposed under the ice tray and configured to collect defrost water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS10132552B2Refrigerator having refrigeration system and ice maker within door and drain duct from ice maker to dispenser excess water tray

Publication Date: 2018.11.20 DONGBU DAEWOO ELECTRONCIS CORP

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a refrigerator comprising an ice machine, the refrigerator comprising: a main body, a door, a dispenser disposed on a front surface of the door, a compressor, a condenser and an expansion valve on the door, an ice tray disposed in the ice-making compartment, a refrigerant pipe configured to connect the compressor, the condenser, and the expansion valve, a heater disposed at a peripheral portion of the ice tray, a drain duct disposed under the ice tray, and a defrost water discharge pipe configured to couple the drain duct and the excess water tray.