Glass Refrigerator Door Structure With Insulated Hollow Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household refrigeration appliance doors with glass fronts lack sufficient thermal insulation, making them unsuitable for low-temperature applications like refrigerators and freezers, and existing solutions are complex and costly to produce.
Innovation Solution
A door structure featuring a front glass panel that serves as a structural component, integrated with a hollow frame and thermally insulating material-filled gap, allowing for enhanced thermal insulation and stability without requiring complex tooling or mold adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a glass front panel is used in the appliance door, then the aesthetic appearance and modern design are improved, but the thermal insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-layer glass panel structure where multiple glass layers are nested within each other, with insulating material filled in the cavities between layers. This nesting approach maintains the aesthetic glass appearance while creating thermal insulation barriers, effectively resolving the contradiction between aesthetic appearance and thermal insulation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines glass panels with therm insulating materials (such as foam or air gaps) to create a composite door structure. The glass provides aesthetic appearance while the insulating materials provide thermal resistance, achieving both aesthetic appeal and energy efficiency in the appliance door.
2Shape
If traditional door structures with glass panels are used, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the structural stability and security deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses nested multi-layer glass panels with internal support structures and insulating material filling, creating a reinforced composite structure. This nesting provides both aesthetic appearance and enhanced structural stability, as the multiple layers and internal supports work together to strengthen the door while maintaining the glass aesthetic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure combining glass panels with reinforcing elements (such as metal frames, support ribs, or adhesive bonding layers) and insulating materials. This composite approach maintains the aesthetic glass appearance while significantly improving structural stability and security through the additional reinforcing components.
3Loss of energy
If complex door structures with multiple components are used, then the thermal insulation and stability are improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into integrated components: the glass panels serve both aesthetic and structural purposes, the insulating material provides both thermal insulation and structural support, and the bonding layers simultaneously attach components and provide sealing. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies manufacturing while maintaining thermal insulation and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs components with multiple functions: the glass panels provide aesthetic appearance, structural support, and can incorporate display or control features; the insulating material provides thermal insulation and structural reinforcement; the profile elements provide structural support, sealing, and mounting functions. This multi-functionality reduces overall complexity by eliminating the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
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 solution provides a stable and thermally insulated appliance door suitable for low temperatures, with the glass panel contributing to dimensional stability and allowing for modern control and display integration, while being easier and less costly to produce.
Implementation Method 1
The door structure as such is internally hollow or at least largely hollow and can be filled with a thermally insulating material, in particular foamed
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Appliance door (2), in particular door of a (household) refrigerating appliance, having a door structure (4) with a front-side glass plate (6) and a back plate (8) of another material arranged at a distance (D) from the latter by an intermediate space (H), wherein the front-side glass plate (6) forms a structural component of the door structure (4).