Refrigerator Water Filter Grill Door for Easier Cartridge Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional placement of water filter cartridges and manifolds in the fresh food compartment of refrigerators reduces usable storage space and makes filter changes inconvenient, as they occupy valuable space and require access through the compartments, leading to potential water leakage and messy cleanup.
Innovation Solution
The water filter cartridge and manifold are relocated to a hingedly connected grill door outside the fresh food compartment, allowing easy access and filter changes without opening the compartments, with flexible tubing accommodating the movement and minimizing water escape during replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the water filter cartridge and manifold are placed in the fresh food compartment, then the water filtering function is achieved, but the usable storage space of the fresh food compartment is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The water filter cartridge and manifold are extracted from the fresh food compartment and relocated to the grill door. This extraction eliminates the space occupation within the fresh food compartment while maintaining the water filtering function through the relocated components.
2Reliability
If the water filter cartridge is placed in the fresh food compartment, then the water filtering function is achieved, but the access and replacement of the filter cartridge becomes inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The grill door serves as an intermediary location between the user and the water filter cartridge. By placing the cartridge on the externally accessible grill door rather than inside the compartment, the door acts as a mediator that provides convenient access while maintaining the filtering system's functionality.
3Ease of repair
If the water filter cartridge is accessed through the fresh food compartment, then the filter can be replaced, but water leakage and messy cleanup may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The water filter cartridge and manifold are extracted from the enclosed fresh food compartment and positioned on the external grill door. This relocation allows filter replacement to occur in an accessible external location, preventing water leakage from occurring inside the compartment and eliminating the need for messy cleanup within the fresh food storage area.
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 provides more usable storage space, easier filter access, and cleaner changes by moving the water filter and manifold to a grill door, reducing the need to open compartments and minimizing water leakage during filter replacements.
Implementation Method 1
The fluid coupling includes tubing having at least a portion comprising flexible tubing
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a refrigerator having a cabinet including at least one access area having an open face and a grill door for selectively closing the open face of the access area. The refrigerator can also include a water using accessory provided on the cabinet. The grill door can be selectively retained to the cabinet wherein a manifold is fixed relative to the grill door and fluidly couples the water using accessory to a water supply. A water treatment cartridge can be removably coupled to a casing such that when the cartridge is coupled to the manifold, the cartridge treats the water from the water supply for use by the water using accessory. The manifold can be located on the grill door such that the mounting of the cartridge to the manifold moves the cartridge from within the access area to outside of the access area as the grill door moves from a closed position to an opened position, respectively.