Door-Mounted Ice Maker Layout to Preserve Freezer Space
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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 installed on the backside of the refrigerator door, featuring an ice maker, detachable ice bank, and cold air duct with insulating material, which supplies cold air efficiently while preventing odor transfer and enhancing durability.
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, motor casing, and ice bank are extracted from the freezing chamber and installed on the backside of the door. This separates the ice-making components from the food storage space, thereby resolving the contradiction by maintaining ice-making functionality while preserving the full storage capacity of the freezing chamber.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the ice maker is installed inside the freezing chamber, then the ice-making function is achieved, but food odors permeate the ice
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker is extracted from the freezing chamber and relocated to the backside of the door. This physical separation prevents food odors from permeating the ice while maintaining the ice-making function, as the ice maker is no longer in direct contact with stored food items.
Solution Approach 2:
A dedicated cold air duct system acts as an intermediary, supplying cold air from the freezing chamber to the ice maker located on the door backside. This mediator enables the ice maker to receive necessary cold air without being exposed to food odors, thus preventing odor permeation while maintaining ice-making capability.
3Volume of stationary object
If the ice maker is relocated to the backside of the door, then the storage capacity is maximized, but the ice maker requires dedicated cold air supply
Solution Approach 1:
The cold air duct serving the ice maker on the door backside is designed to also supply cold air to the freezing chamber interior. This multi-functional duct system resolves the contradiction by providing dedicated cold air supply to the relocated ice maker while simultaneously maintaining the cooling function of the freezing chamber, thereby avoiding excessive system complexity.
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 during ice production, improves product durability, and maintains refrigerator cleanliness by efficiently using cold air and separating ice storage from food odors.
Implementation Method 1
a cold air duct 141 extending in the fore and aft direction on a ceiling of the storage space so as to supply the ice maker (161) with a portion of cold air supplied to the storage space
Implementation Method 2
an insulating material 149 provided in the cold air duct 141 so as to prevent the inside of the cold air duct 141 from being frozen by the cold air supplied to the ice maker (161)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides a refrigerator, comprising a main body having a storage space; and a door provided on the main body for selectively opening or closing the storage space of the refrigerator; an ice maker for making ice, the ice maker being provided on the backside of the door; an ice bank detachably installed on the backside of the door below the ice maker so as to store ice made in the ice maker, the ice bank having an ice-releasing means for transferring the ice to a dispenser provided on the door and an ice-crushing means for crushing the ice; a driving connector provided at one side of the backside of the door and rotated by a driving means for providing a driving force for use in operating the ice-releasing means and the ice-crushing means; and an interlocking connector provided at one side of a backside of the ice bank and rotated in cooperation with the rotation of the driving connector so as to transmit the driving force of the driving means to the ice-releasing means and the ice-crushing means, wherein a pair of interlocking protrusions protruding from the backside of the door are provided on the driving connector, and a pair of interlocking ribs respectively engaged with the interlocking protrusions are provided on the interlocking connector, whereby upon rotation of the driving connector, the interlocking connector is rotated by the interlocking protrusions and the interlocking ribs that are engaged with each other.