Foamed Refrigerator Mullion With Hinge Support for Vacuum Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling appliances face challenges in maintaining effective thermal insulation and structural support for doors, particularly in vacuum insulated structures, where stresses from door operation can lead to deformation and loss of vacuum pressure.
Innovation Solution
A multi-component insulation structure featuring a rigid perimeter wall with hinge supports integrated within the mullion, which directs rotational and downward forces away from vacuum insulated structures, combined with injection molded trim breakers to maintain a hermetic seal and separate refrigerating compartments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If door hinge supports are integrated into vacuum insulated structures, then door operation is enabled, but stress and deformation occur on the vacuum insulated structure
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge support function is segmented from the vacuum insulated structure and relocated to the mullion. The mullion becomes a separate structural component that carries the hinge load, while the vacuum insulated structure maintains its integrity for thermal insulation. This segmentation allows door operation without compromising the vacuum insulated structure's strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The mullion acts as an intermediary component between the door and the vacuum insulated structure. It receives the door hinge loads and transfers them to the appliance frame, preventing these forces from being applied directly to the vacuum insulated structure. This mediator role resolves the conflict between enabling door operation and maintaining structural integrity.
2Strength
If mullion provides structural support for door, then vacuum insulated structure is protected from stress, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mullion combines multiple functions into a single component: it provides structural support for the door hinge, serves as a thermal barrier, and acts as a structural element of the appliance body. By merging these functions, the patent reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby managing complexity while achieving structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The mullion is designed as a multi-functional element that simultaneously provides mechanical support, thermal insulation, and structural definition for the appliance interior. This universality allows a single component to address multiple requirements, reducing overall system complexity despite the added structural capability.
3Reliability
If trim breaker is injection molded to seal vacuum compartments, then hermetic seal is achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional mechanical assembly of separate sealing components is replaced by injection molding, which forms the trim breaker and seal as an integrated piece. This substitution of manufacturing method reduces the need for precise mechanical assembly while maintaining hermetic seal integrity through the molding process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The trim breaker is formed using composite material technology through injection molding, combining structural rigidity with sealing capability in a single component. This allows the seal to achieve high reliability without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances, as the composite nature of the molded part provides both strength and sealability.
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 enhances thermal insulation by minimizing stress on vacuum insulated structures, maintaining vacuum pressure and structural integrity while allowing for efficient door operation without compromising insulation performance.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum insulated material disposed between a first-structure inner liner and a first-structure outer wrapper
Implementation Method 2
an injection molded first-structure trim breaker that forms a hermetic seal between the first-structure inner liner and the first-structure outer wrapper
Implementation Method 3
which directs rotational and downward forces away from vacuum insulated structures
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
An insulation system for an appliance includes a first vacuum insulated structure having a first set of sidewalls that define a first refrigerating compartment, a second vacuum insulated structure having a second set of sidewalls that define a second refrigerating compartment and a medial insulation structure having a rigid perimeter wall. The rigid perimeter wall includes a front portion that defines at least one hinge support adapted to support an appliance door. The rigid perimeter wall defines an insulating cavity that is filled with an insulating material. The first vacuum insulated structure engages a first edge of the perimeter wall and the second vacuum insulated structure engages a second edge of the perimeter wall.