Refrigerator Door Seal Venting for Easy Opening Under Pressure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Refrigeration devices with large volumes and foam layers face difficulties in opening due to pressure differences, leading to inefficient sealing and energy consumption, and existing ventilation paths lack effective sealing performance.

Innovation Solution

A refrigeration device design featuring a door seal with a groove on the door liner and a claw member that snaps into the groove, allowing for an air passage to form when an upward external force is applied, balancing internal and external pressures and facilitating easy door opening while maintaining sealing when closed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the door body is tightly sealed to the shell to prevent cool air leakage, then sealing performance is improved, but the door body becomes difficult to open due to pressure difference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidease of door opening
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The door seal structure is segmented into a fixed portion (claw member) and a movable portion (airbag member), allowing different regions to perform different functions: sealing when closed and venting when opened

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The door seal transitions from a static sealing structure to a dynamic one where the airbag member can move relative to the door liner, changing from a sealed state to a vented state based on door position

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the door body is opened easily by knocking clearance to balance pressure, then ease of operation is improved, but sealing performance deteriorates due to poor sealing of ventilation path

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of door openingVSAvoidsealing performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The airbag member acts as an intermediary element that provides a controlled ventilation path through the door seal structure, allowing pressure equalization while maintaining the integrity of the sealing system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The door seal structure automatically provides ventilation when needed (when door is opened) without requiring external intervention or complex control mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

Enables easy opening of the door without compromising sealing performance, balancing internal and external pressures, and simplifies manufacturing and costs.

Implementation Method 1

there may result in a certain pressure difference between an inside and an outside of the freezer and a better sealing performance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure difference: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3006869B1Refrigeration device
Publication Date: 2018.06.06 HEFEI HUALING CO LTD
  • EP3006869B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3006869B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3006869B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Disclosed is a refrigeration device, comprising: a box body (1), the top of which is open; a door body (2) used for opening and closing the box body, which door body is pivotally connected to the top of the box body, the door body comprising a door liner (21), an upwards concave groove (211) being formed on a lower surface of the door liner, and the groove being adjacent to the outer edge of the lower surface of the door liner and surrounding same; and a door seal (3), the upper part of which is snap-fitted in the groove, when the door body is closed, the lower part of the door seal and the top of the box body are sealed in a butting mode, wherein an air passage (4) is formed between the door seal and the groove when the door body receives an upward external force. In the refrigeration device, the upper part of the door seal is snap-fitted in the door liner and can generate a relative displacement relative to the door liner to form the air passage, such that the outside air enters the box body, so that air pressures inside and outside the box body are balanced. In this way, a door is easy to open without affecting the sealing between the door body and the box body when the door body is closed again.