Refrigerator Door Ice Maker Layout to Prevent Odor Transfer
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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 and an insulating material to prevent freezing, along with an ice bank for storage and dispensing, which maintains storage capacity and prevents odor transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the ice maker is installed in the freezing chamber to make ice using circulating cold air, then the ice making function is achieved, but the storage capacity of the freezing chamber is reduced and food odors permeate the ice
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker is extracted from the freezing chamber and reinstalled on the backside of the door. This removes the ice-making components (ice maker, motor casing, ice bank) from the freezing chamber volume, thereby increasing storage capacity while maintaining the ice-making function through a separate installation location
2Adaptability or versatility
If the ice maker is installed in the freezing chamber, then the ice making function is achieved, but food odors permeate the ice during the ice making process
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker is extracted from the freezing chamber environment and relocated to the door backside. This physical separation removes the ice-making process from the food storage environment, preventing odor permeation while maintaining ice-making capability through dedicated cold air supply via the cold air duct
Solution Approach 2:
A cold air duct is introduced as an intermediary component to supply cold air from the freezing chamber to the ice maker on the door backside. This mediator enables the ice-making process to occur outside the freezing chamber while still utilizing cold air from the chamber, thus preventing direct contact between food odors and the ice-making process
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, prevents odor transfer, improves product durability, and maintains cleanliness by efficiently using the refrigerator space and minimizing odor contamination during ice production.
Implementation Method 1
a cold air duct provided at one side of the storage space so as to supply the ice maker with a portion of cold air supplied to the storage space
Implementation Method 2
an insulating material is provided in the cold air duct so as to prevent the inside of the cold air duct from being frozen by the cold air supplied to the ice maker
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an ice-making device for a refrigerator. An ice- making device for a refrigerator according to the present invention comprises an ice maker 161 for making ice, which is provided on a backside of a door 131 of the refrigerator; and an ice maker cover 171 for selectively opening or closing the ice maker 161. Fixing recesses 173 are formed to be open downwardly on outsides of both sides of the ice maker cover 171, and receive fixing protrusions 135a provided at corresponding positions on opposite sides of a pair of support steps 135 that protrude rearward from both side ends of the backside of the door 131 by a predetermined length and are formed to be elongated in an up and down direction. Play prevention steps 179 are provided at lower ends of both sides of the ice maker cover 171 and are seated on play prevention ribs 135c provided to be elongated in a horizontal direction at corresponding positions of the opposite sides of the support steps 135 below the fixing protrusions 135a. According to the present invention, there are advantages in that a storage capacity of a refrigerator can be used to the full extent, smell of food can be prevented from permeating ice in a process of making ice, and it is possible to prevent the ice maker cover from playing.