Refrigerator Hinge Manifold for Door Icemaker Fluid Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator designs lack a safe, compact, and cost-effective method for circulating a working medium to and from the icemaker, particularly in 'bottom freezer' types where the icemaker is located in the fresh food compartment, requiring an efficient temperature control system.
Innovation Solution
A hinge assembly with a body and hinge manifold that includes a supply conduit for delivering a working medium to the icemaker and a return conduit for returning it, integrated into the refrigerator's mullion and access door, allowing for a concealed and efficient circulation of the medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the icemaker is disposed in the access door of the fresh food compartment, then the ice delivery convenience is improved, but the complexity of the working medium circulation system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is merged with the working medium circulation system by integrating supply and return conduits directly into the hinge structure. This combination eliminates the need for separate circulation components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the icemaker's convenient location in the access door.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly serves multiple functions: it provides the mechanical hinge function for the access door while simultaneously serving as the working medium circulation pathway. The hinge body and manifold act as both structural support and fluid conduits, reducing the number of separate components needed.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate conduits are used for working medium circulation, then the circulation path is clear and maintainable, but the device occupies more space and appears less aesthetically pleasing
Solution Approach 1:
The supply and return conduits are nested within the hinge assembly structure itself. The hinge body and manifold contain the circulation passages, effectively hiding the conduits within the existing structural components rather than adding separate external piping.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge manifold provides a flexible routing path for the working medium within the constrained space of the hinge assembly, allowing the circulation system to adapt to the available space while maintaining proper flow paths.
3Shape
If the working medium circulation system is made compact and concealed, then the aesthetic appeal is improved, but the reliability of the circulation system may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the circulation system with the hinge assembly, the conduits are concealed within the structural components, improving aesthetics while maintaining reliability through the use of robust, integrated construction rather than delicate separate parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge manifold provides smooth, curved pathways for the working medium, eliminating sharp angles and stress concentration points that could compromise reliability, while the integrated design maintains a clean, concealed appearance.
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 safe, compact, and cost-effective method for circulating the working medium, maintaining the icemaker at a temperature below the freezing point, enhancing the operational efficiency and aesthetic appeal of the refrigerator.
Implementation Method 1
The hinge manifold has a first supply conduit for supplying a working medium to an icemaker disposed in the access door and a first return conduit for returning the working medium from the icemaker
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge assembly and a refrigerator using the assembly are disclosed. The assembly rotatably mounts an access door for a compartment of the refrigerator to part of refrigerator that defines the compartment. The hinge assembly has a body coupled to the part and a hinge manifold supported by the body and slidably received in the access door. The manifold has a first supply conduit for supplying a working medium to an icemaker disposed in the access door and a first return conduit for returning the working medium from the icemaker. The hinge assembly can be manufactured as a separate module to be assembled with the refrigerator or retrofit into an existing refrigerator.