Refrigerator Door Conduit Feedthrough for Serviceable Water Tanks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigeration appliance doors with integrated water dispensers face challenges in accessing and maintaining the water tank due to its placement within the insulating cavity, making it difficult to remove stubborn dirt or replace the tank after the door is assembled.
Innovation Solution
The design features a transfer element with bores that allow the water tank to be mounted externally, enabling the water tank to be accessed and maintained by routing the pipes through a hinge and a bore in the transfer element, allowing for assembly of the first pipe before the shells are joined, reducing thermal bridges, and enabling easy replacement or cleaning of the tank and hoses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the water tank is mounted inside the cavity of the door, then the door structure is compact and integrated, but the water tank becomes inaccessible for repair and cleaning purposes after assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The door is divided into two separate shells (first shell and second shell) with a cavity between them, allowing the water tank to be mounted on the inner surface of the first shell while maintaining structural integration. This segmentation enables access to the water tank through the cavity space without compromising the overall door structure.
2Ease of repair
If the water tank is mounted on the inside of the door, then it is accessible for maintenance, but the piping must cross the door through shells creating thermal bridges
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer element acts as an intermediary component that provides a dedicated pathway for the first pipeline to pass from the first shell to the second shell. This intermediary structure allows the pipeline to be securely fastened at the transfer element while minimizing thermal bridge formation compared to piping that directly crosses the insulating cavity.
3Reliability
If the pipeline is completely assembled to the first shell before assembly, then the connection is secure, but the water tank cannot be accessed after the cavity is filled with foam
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is segmented into outer and inner shells with a cavity, allowing the water tank to be mounted on the inner shell surface rather than completely enclosed. This segmentation maintains secure pipeline connections while preserving access to the water tank through the cavity space.
Solution Approach 2:
The water tank is positioned on the inner surface of the first shell, utilizing the cavity space as an additional dimension for access. This dimensional arrangement allows maintenance personnel to reach the water tank from the cavity side without disassembling the entire door structure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a longer pipeline is used to connect through openings when assembled, then the pipeline can accommodate assembly variations, but it forms unnecessary thermal bridges
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer element serves as an intermediary that provides a fixed, precise mounting point for the pipeline. This eliminates the need for excessive pipeline length to accommodate assembly variations, as the transfer element ensures accurate alignment and positioning, thereby reducing unnecessary thermal bridge formation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The door (1) has an outer shell (8) formed with a recess (7). An inner shell (9) is connected with the outer shell to define a cavity. A pipeline (21) is extended between through-holes of the outer and inner shells through the cavity. A transfer element (19) is fixed at the recess. An end surface of the transfer element rests against the inner shell. A hole of the transfer element overlapping with the through-hole of the inner shell is extended through the end surface of the transfer element. An end of the pipeline is received in the hole by the through-hole of the outer shell.