Door-Mounted Ice Maker Assembly to Preserve Freezer Storage Capacity
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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
The ice-making device is configured with an ice maker and ice bank installed on the backside of the freezing chamber door, utilizing a cold air duct to supply cold air directly to the ice maker, minimizing odor transfer and maximizing storage space by separating the ice-making process from the main freezing chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the ice maker, motor casing, and ice bank are installed inside the freezing chamber, then the ice-making function is achieved, but the storage capacity of the freezing chamber is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker assembly (including ice maker, motor casing, and ice bank) is extracted from the interior of the freezing chamber and repositioned to the rear side of the freezing chamber door. This extraction eliminates the volume occupation within the storage space, resolving the contradiction between achieving ice-making function and maintaining storage capacity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the ice maker is installed inside the freezing chamber and uses circulating cold air, then ice production is enabled, but food odors permeate the ice
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two separate air circulation paths: one for the freezing chamber and another dedicated path for the ice maker through the cold air duct. This segmentation isolates the ice-making environment from food odors while maintaining independent ice production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A dedicated cold air duct acts as an intermediary channel, delivering cold air directly from the evaporator to the ice maker without the air mixing with food-stored areas. This intermediary pathway prevents odor contamination while enabling continuous ice production.
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 maintains the refrigerator's storage capacity and prevents food odors from contaminating the ice, ensuring efficient and hygienic ice production.
Implementation Method 1
a cold air duct 141 communicating with the cold air discharge hole 123A and supplied with a portion of the cold air discharged through the cold air discharge hole 123A
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides an ice-making device for a refrigerator, including a main body having a storage space; and a door selectively opening or closing the storage space. The ice-making device comprises an ice maker installed on a backside of the door and making ice; and a seating member installed in a space, which is defined by the backside of the door, side surfaces of a pair of support steps facing each other and a seating step, the support steps being formed to protrude rearward from both side ends of the backside of the door by a predetermined length and to extend vertically, the seating step being formed to extend from side to side in such a manner that a portion of the backside of the door between the support steps protrudes rearward by a predetermined length, the seating member being provided with an installation space in which the ice maker is installed. An ice maker cover is detachably installed on the backside of the door to selectively open or close the ice maker, an ice bank is detachably installed in the installation space below the ice make, the ice bank storing ice made in the ice maker and transferring it to a dispenser provided on the door, wherein in a state where the ice bank is installed in the installation space, the upper end circumference of the ice bank spaced apart by a predetermined distance from the underside of the ice maker and the lower end circumference of the ice maker cover.