Refrigerator Door Liquid Dispenser With Auto Fill and Stale Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators lack an efficient mechanism for automatically filling and monitoring the liquid level in containers, such as water pitchers, within the fresh food compartment, which can lead to stale liquid if not used promptly.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration system with a liquid dispenser on the interior door surface, equipped with sensors to detect the presence and level of liquid in a container, and a control mechanism to regulate dispensing based on sensed properties, including a timer to alert for stale liquid conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual monitoring and filling of liquid containers is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and convenience deteriorate due to requiring user intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects when a container is placed on the shelf, monitors liquid levels, and dispenses additional liquid without user intervention. The sensor detects container presence and liquid level, the control system processes this information, and the dispenser automatically refills the container to the appropriate level, making the system serve itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The system proactively monitors liquid levels and initiates dispensing before the container becomes completely empty. The sensor continuously detects liquid level, and when it reaches a predetermined threshold, the control system automatically activates the dispenser to refill the container, preventing the harmful condition of stale liquid.
2Productivity
If automatic dispensing is implemented, then productivity and convenience are improved, but device complexity increases due to adding sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor automatically detects container presence and liquid level, eliminating the need for manual monitoring. The control system autonomously decides when dispensing is needed based on sensor input, and activates the dispenser mechanism, creating a self-managing system that improves productivity without requiring user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor provides continuous feedback about container presence and liquid level to the control system. This feedback loop enables the system to automatically adjust dispensing operations, ensuring liquid is replenished only when needed, thereby improving productivity while managing complexity through intelligent control.
3Ease of operation
If liquid is dispensed continuously, then convenience is improved, but loss of substance increases due to potential overfilling and waste
Solution Approach 1:
The system dispenses liquid partially, only to the extent needed to reach the predetermined optimal level. The sensor detects when the liquid level reaches this threshold and automatically stops dispensing, preventing overfilling and waste while maintaining convenience through automatic operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor provides real-time feedback on liquid level during dispensing, enabling the control system to stop dispensing at the precise moment the optimal level is reached. This feedback mechanism prevents overfilling and substance loss while maintaining the convenience of automatic dispensing.
4Reliability
If no monitoring system is used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to inability to detect stale liquid conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively monitors liquid levels and detects when liquid has been stagnant for extended periods. By continuously tracking container presence and liquid level, the system can identify stale liquid conditions before they become problematic, maintaining reliability through early detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor provides continuous feedback on container presence and liquid level, enabling the control system to monitor for stale liquid conditions. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect when liquid has not been refreshed in a predetermined time period, thereby maintaining reliability through automated monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a fresh food compartment and a door pivotally mounted to the cabinet and including an interior surface in communication with the fresh food compartment when the door is closed. A liquid dispenser is arranged on the interior surface of the door, and a container is supported on the door and configured to receive liquid from the liquid dispenser. A sensor is configured to sense a property of the container, and a control is in communication with the sensor. The control is configured to regulate dispensing of liquid into the container based upon the sensed property of the container. In one example, the sensor is resiliently biased into contact with the container to sense a property of the container. In another example, the control indicates a stale liquid condition if a timer expires before the container has been removed from the door.