Food storage container with a specifically shaped flap of a ventilation device and domestic refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food storage containers in household refrigeration appliances face issues with the design of pivotable flaps, which protrude upwards when open, requiring additional space and potentially colliding with other components, due to their planar design and pivot axis location.
Innovation Solution
A food storage container with a ventilation device featuring a pivotable flap actuated by a rotary element, where the flap is designed with a triangular cross-section and a pivot axis oriented in the width direction, allowing for a stable and intuitive operation without protruding upwards, and a coupling rail for secure mounting, enabling a compact and user-friendly design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a planar flap with pivot axis inside the cover is used, then the ventilation device can be integrated into the lid, but the flap protrudes upwards when open requiring additional space and potentially colliding with other components
Solution Approach 1:
The flap is changed from a planar two-dimensional structure to a three-dimensional structure with triangular cross-section. This dimensional change allows the flap to rotate around its longitudinal axis while maintaining a compact profile that does not protrude significantly in the height direction, thereby reducing the space required when the flap is in the open position.
Solution Approach 2:
The flap is designed with asymmetric geometry - a triangular cross-section rather than a symmetric planar shape. This asymmetric design, combined with the longitudinal pivot axis, allows the flap to achieve its ventilation function while maintaining a low profile that minimizes interference with other components in the vertical direction.
2Device complexity
If a planar flap with pivot axis inside the cover is used, then the ventilation device can be integrated into the lid, but the flap may collide with other components when open
Solution Approach 1:
By transitioning from a planar flap to a three-dimensional flap with triangular cross-section and changing the pivot axis orientation to longitudinal, the flap's movement path is confined to a smaller vertical envelope. This dimensional redesign eliminates the protruding behavior that caused collisions with other components while maintaining integration within the lid structure.
3Ease of operation
If a rotary element is used to actuate the flap, then the operating concept becomes simple and intuitive, but space is required for the actuating mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary actuating element is merged with the flap structure itself, where the flap's longitudinal axis serves as the pivot axis for the rotary element. This integration eliminates the need for separate actuating mechanisms and reduces the overall space required, while maintaining the simple rotational motion that provides an intuitive operating concept.
Data Source
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AI summary
One aspect of the invention relates to a food storage container (8) for a household refrigerator (1), comprising a tray (10) for receiving the food, a separate lid (9) which can be placed on the tray (10) to close it, and a ventilation device (12) which allows air exchange between the environment and the interior (13) of the food storage container (8), wherein the ventilation device (12) has a pivotable flap (14) which, in an open position, exposes a ventilation opening (51) and, in the closed position, closes the ventilation opening (51), wherein the ventilation device (12) has an actuating element for actuating the flap (14), wherein the actuating element is a rotary element (20) which is rotatably mounted about a pivot axis (A), and wherein, depending on the rotational movement of the rotary element (20), a pivoting movement of the flap (14) is generated.One aspect also concerns a household refrigeration appliance (1).