Refrigerator Door Side-Mounted Control Unit for Flexible Front Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators have design limitations due to the placement of control units on the front surface of doors, restricting aesthetic options and increasing production costs because the cover must be larger than the control unit to fully enclose it.
Innovation Solution
The control unit is installed through a recessed area on the side end of the door, with a cover that matches the control unit's size, and is hidden from view, allowing for various door designs without increasing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the control unit is installed on the front surface of the door, then the control unit is easily accessible and visible, but the design of the front surface is restricted and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit is extracted from the front surface installation location and relocated to the side end of the door. The reception part is provided at the side end to receive the control unit, allowing the front surface to be freely designed without the control unit obstructing the aesthetic appearance while maintaining ease of operation through the side access.
Solution Approach 2:
The installation location of the control unit is changed from the two-dimensional front surface to the side end of the door, utilizing a different spatial dimension. This relocation allows the front surface to achieve various designs while the control unit remains accessible from the side.
2Reliability
If the cover is made larger than the control unit to fully cover it, then the control unit is fully enclosed and protected, but the production cost of the door increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed with differentiated coverage: the front surface cover does not need to fully enclose the control unit since the control unit is relocated to the side end. The cover only needs to cover the necessary areas, reducing material usage while maintaining adequate protection for the control unit through the reception part structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a refrigerator including a main body provided with a storage chamber; a door to respectively open and close the storage chamber; a control unit installed the door to select an operation; a reception part provided in the door to receive the control unit; and an installation hole provided on a side end of the door to cause the control unit to be inserted into the reception part. The control unit is installed through the side end of the door, which is deviated from a user's line of sight.