Refrigerator Sliding Door Drive for Heavy Drawer Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drawer type doors in refrigerators require significant manual force to open and close, especially when heavy items are stored, and can be difficult to manage due to their size and placement, leading to unbalanced and inconvenient operation.
Innovation Solution
An automatic door opening/closing apparatus is introduced, featuring a drive device, input part, sensing part, and controller that allows the door to be operated without manual force, with a connecting rod unit and rack gear mechanism to ensure balanced movement, and includes a power cable guide to prevent damage during operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If a drawer type door and storage basket are made large to increase storage capacity, then storage capacity is improved, but the force required to open or close the door increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical door opening mechanism (relying on user force) with an automatic door opening apparatus that uses a motor-driven gear unit and rack gear system. This substitution eliminates the need for manual force to overcome the weight of large storage baskets, resolving the contradiction between large storage capacity and high opening force requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (automatic door opening apparatus with motor, gear unit, and rack gear) between the user and the heavy door system. This intermediary provides the necessary mechanical advantage and automated control to move the heavy door and storage basket assembly without requiring the user to directly apply large forces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the handle of the drawer type door is positioned higher or lower than the user's shoulder to accommodate large door sizes, then door size adaptability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual handle operation with an automatic door opening apparatus that senses the closed state of the door and automatically activates the motor-driven mechanism to open the door. This eliminates the need for users to physically grasp and pull handles at inconvenient positions, resolving the contradiction between accommodating large door sizes and maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The door opening system performs self-service by automatically detecting when the door is closed (via the sensing part) and autonomously activating the drive mechanism to open the door. This removes the need for human intervention in the physically demanding task of opening heavy doors, regardless of handle position.
3Force
If existing door opening apparatuses are used to balance interior and exterior pressure, then initial opening force is reduced, but sufficient force remains required when heavy items are placed in the storage basket
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pressure-balancing mechanism (which only addresses initial opening force) with a fully automated motor-driven door opening system. This substitution provides continuous powered assistance throughout the entire door opening process, not just at the initial stage, enabling easy operation even when heavy items are in the storage basket.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an automated intermediary system (motor, gear unit, rack gear) that provides sustained mechanical assistance throughout door opening. This intermediary continuously compensates for the weight of heavy items in the storage basket, unlike pressure-balancing mechanisms that only help with initial opening force.
4Ease of operation
If an automatic door opening/closing apparatus is implemented to eliminate manual force, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the door opening system into distinct functional modules: a drive device with motor, a transmission mechanism with gear unit and rack gear, a connecting rod unit to coordinate dual sliding devices, and a sensing part. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system manageability despite the increased complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an automated intermediary system that mediates between the user's opening request and the heavy door mechanism. While this increases device complexity, it provides substantial benefits in ease of operation, particularly for large doors with heavy storage baskets. The intermediary automatically manages the complex coordination of dual sliding devices and power transmission.
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
The apparatus enables seamless automatic opening and closing of the door, eliminating the need for manual force and balancing the opening/closing operation, enhancing user convenience and reducing the effort required to manage heavy storage baskets.
Implementation Method 1
a drive device coupled to the sliding door to automatically open or close the sliding door
Implementation Method 2
The sliding door may include a rack gear corresponding to the gear unit, so as to be moved forward or rearward by rotation of the gear unit
Implementation Method 3
a sensing part to sense an open or closed state of the sliding door
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic door opening/closing apparatus automatically opening and closing a door without applying any manual force to the door, and a refrigerator having the automatic door opening/closing apparatus. The automatic door opening/closing apparatus devised to automatically open or close a sliding door that is mounted, in a drawer manner, to a refrigerator body, includes a drive device coupled to the sliding door to automatically open or close the sliding door with respect to the refrigerator body, an input part to receive an user input and to operate the drive device based on the user input, a sensing part to sense an open or closed state of the sliding door, and a controller to operate the drive device based on signals from the input part and signals from the sensing part.