Refrigerator Drawer Sealing Mechanism for Easy Pull-Out Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator drawer sealing apparatuses are difficult to operate due to exposed components that can become locked or stuck, leading to issues with drawing out and pushing in the drawer, and they fail to maintain a sealed state effectively, causing vegetables and fruits to dry out prematurely.
Innovation Solution
A drawer sealing apparatus with hooks that rotate between sealing and release positions, driven by a manipulation handle and elastic members, allowing for easy operation and internal component protection, along with a sealing member to maintain a sealed state and reduce internal pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If components of the drawer sealing apparatus are exposed to the outside of the drawer, then the sealing function can be maintained, but the drawer becomes difficult to draw out and push in, and foreign materials may cause components to lock
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing apparatus components (hooks, operation bars, coupling parts) are nested within the drawer body structure. The hooks are received in coupling parts formed in the drawer, and operation bars are positioned within the drawer interior, preventing exposure to external foreign materials while maintaining the sealing function through internal engagement mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The problematic exposed components are extracted from the external environment and repositioned internally within the drawer. The sealing components that were previously exposed to the outside are now contained within the drawer structure, eliminating the risk of foreign material interference while preserving the sealing capability through internal mechanical engagement.
2Reliability
If the drawer sealing apparatus uses rotatable hooks to maintain sealed state, then sealing reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple operable components
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sealing functions are merged into a integrated apparatus where hooks, operation bars, and coupling parts work together as a unified system. The hooks engage with coupling parts, and operation bars connect the manipulation handle to the hooks, combining several sealing and operating functions into a single coordinated mechanism that maintains reliability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing apparatus components serve multiple functions: the hooks provide both sealing engagement and mechanical coupling, the operation bars transmit force while guiding movement, and the coupling parts serve as both reception points for hooks and structural elements of the drawer. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
3Reliability
If the drawer is pushed in to maintain sealed state, then sealing is improved, but the drawer cannot be accessed for storage and retrieval operations
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing apparatus transitions dynamically between sealed and accessible states. The rotatable hooks can rotate between an engaged position (maintaining seal) and a disengaged position (allowing access). The manipulation handle enables users to trigger this dynamic transition, allowing the drawer to switch between sealed storage mode and accessible retrieval mode as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The drawer sealing system operates in periodic cycles of sealing and accessing. The hooks are engaged to maintain seal during storage periods, then periodically disengaged through manipulation handle operation to allow access for storage or retrieval, then re-engaged to restore sealing. This periodic action between sealed and accessible states provides both reliability and adaptability.
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 convenient operation of the drawer by preventing locking and maintaining a sealed state, enhancing user experience and extending the storage duration of vegetables and fruits by maintaining a controlled environment.
Implementation Method 1
a hook spring (201) to apply an elastic force for rotating the hook (191) to the sealing position
Implementation Method 2
a sealing member (170) disposed on a contact area between the drawer (160) and the case (140)
Implementation Method 3
a pump (150) to reduce an internal pressure of the case (140) below an atmospheric pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a refrigerator main body, a case forming a storage space with a front surface open, a drawer received in the case to be drawn out, a sealing apparatus having hooks disposed on the drawer and rotatable between a sealing position of maintaining a sealed state with being engaged with the case and a release position of releasing the engaged state with the case, and hook springs applying an elastic force to the hooks to be rotated to the sealing position, a manipulation handle rotatably disposed on the drawer and rotating the hooks to the release position when being pulled, and an operation bar to transfer a driving force of the manipulation handle to the hooks. Accordingly, reception and sealing of the drawer may be simultaneously realized and unsealing and drawing-out of the drawer may also be simultaneously realized.