Freshness Container Vacuum Piston for Wire-Free Refrigerators

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing household refrigeration appliances with fresh storage containers require expensive and space-consuming electric pumps for generating negative pressure, which are prone to functional issues and increase assembly costs due to the need for extensive wiring and temperature control.

Innovation Solution

A mechanically operating vacuum generation unit is integrated into the fresh storage container, utilizing a piston actuating element that moves relative to the container to create reduced air pressure, eliminating the need for electrical components and simplifying the design for a more compact and robust structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an electrically operated pump is used to generate negative pressure in the fresh storage container, then the vacuum generation function is achieved, but the device complexity, cost, and space requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevacuum generation reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the electrically operated pump with a mechanically operated vacuum generation unit that uses manual actuation through a piston mechanism. This substitution eliminates the need for electrical components, wiring, and power supply systems while maintaining the vacuum generation function through pure mechanical means.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes all electrical components (pump, wiring, power supply) from the fresh storage container system. The vacuum generation function is achieved through a standalone mechanical piston unit that operates independently without any electrical infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If an electrically operated pump is installed in the fresh storage container, then negative pressure can be generated, but the installation space and wiring requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevacuum generation capabilityVSAvoidinstallation space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The electrically operated pump is replaced with a compact mechanically operated piston unit. This mechanical system eliminates the need for electrical wiring channels, power supply connections, and associated control components, significantly reducing the space required for installation within the fresh storage container.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If the actuating element must be manually moved to generate negative pressure, then the structure is simpler, but the ease of operation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidoperation convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical vacuum generation unit is designed to be automatically actuated through the normal operation of the fresh storage container. The piston mechanism is triggered by the user's natural actions of opening or closing the container, eliminating the need for separate manual vacuum generation steps while maintaining structural simplicity.

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

This solution allows for efficient and automatic generation of negative pressure within the fresh storage container, reducing assembly costs and improving functional reliability while eliminating the need for electrical wiring and energy supply, resulting in a more compact and user-friendly design.

Implementation Method 1

a piston which can be moved relative to the fresh storage container and can thus in particular only be actuated mechanically, and depending on the movement of this piston air can be sucked out of the fresh storage container to set the reduced air pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical compression and expansion: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP3201544B1Domestic refrigerator with a freshness-preserving container
Publication Date: 2019.02.06 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP3201544B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3201544B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3201544B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a freshness-preserving container (8) for food, having a shell (10) with a cover (9) which can be sealingly placed on the shell (10). The freshness-preserving container (8) has a mechanically operating low-pressure generating unit (12) with which an air pressure that is reduced compared to the surrounding area outside of the freshness-preserving container (8) can be adjusted in the freshness-preserving container (8). The low-pressure generating unit (12) has an actuating element (14) which can be moved relative to the freshness-preserving container (8), and air can be suctioned out of the freshness-preserving container (8) dependent on the movement of the actuating element (14). The invention also relates to a domestic refrigerator (1) comprising a freshness-preserving container (8).