Refrigerator Door Ice Maker Coupling for Hidden Motor Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with icemakers and ice buckets at the door lack sufficient capacity, have complex structures, and pose safety risks due to exposed driving components when the door is opened.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design where the ice bucket with a feeding unit is positioned at the door, featuring a coupling device that transmits driving force from a motor in the main body to the feeding unit, allowing for easy connection and disconnection, and concealing the couplers to improve aesthetics and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the driving motor is mounted on the door to drive the feeding unit, then the ice bucket capacity can be increased, but the door structure becomes complex and the driving components are exposed when the door is opened creating safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two separate modules: the driving motor and driving coupler are mounted on the main body, while the feeding unit and driven coupler are mounted on the door. This segmentation allows the ice bucket capacity to be increased by mounting it on the door without complicating the door structure, as the heavy driving components remain on the main body.
Solution Approach 2:
A coupling device consisting of a driving coupler and a driven coupler acts as an intermediary to transmit driving force from the main body to the door-mounted feeding unit. When the door is closed, the couplers engage to transmit power; when the door is opened, they automatically disengage. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need for complex door-mounted motors while maintaining safety by hiding driving components.
2Ease of operation
If the driving motor is mounted on the door, then the feeding unit can be driven directly, but the connection and disconnection of driving components becomes complex and safety risks increase due to exposed components
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is designed to dynamically engage and disengage based on door position. The elastic deformation of the pressurized part allows automatic connection when the door is closed and automatic disconnection when the door is opened. This dynamic behavior ensures smooth feeding operation while eliminating safety risks by keeping driving components hidden during door opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device performs self-connection and self-disconnection based on the door's opening and closing actions. The elastic pressurized part automatically engages with the driving coupler when the door closes and disengages when the door opens, without requiring manual intervention. This self-service mechanism simplifies operation and ensures safety by automatically hiding components during door opening.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the driving motor is mounted on the main body with a coupling device, then safety and aesthetics are improved by hiding components, but the connection and disconnection mechanism must be simple and reliable
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device utilizes elastic deformation as a key parameter change mechanism. The pressurized part is designed to elastically deform under compression, enabling automatic engagement with the driving coupler when the door closes and automatic disengagement when the door opens. This parameter-based approach creates a simple yet reliable connection mechanism that hides driving components for safety while maintaining operational simplicity.
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 design enhances ice bucket capacity, simplifies the ice feeding operation, facilitates motor repair, and improves the external appearance by hiding the driving components, reducing the risk of user injury.
Implementation Method 1
a coupling device including a driving coupler provided at the main body and a driven coupler provided at the door and connected to each other when the door is closed and disconnected from each other when the door is opened
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator including an icemaker and an ice bucket provided at a door, a feeding unit to feed ice cubes stored in the ice bucket, a driving motor provided at a main body to drive the feeding unit, and a coupling device to transmit driving force from the driving motor to the feeding unit. When the door is closed, the driving motor is connected to the feeding unit. When the door is opened, the driving motor is disconnected from the feeding unit. Accordingly, the door has a simple structure, the ice bucket has an increased capacity, repair or replacement of the driving motor is easily achieved. The coupling device includes a first coupling unit and a second coupling unit which is engaged with the first coupling unit to receive driving force. The coupling device is configured to hide the coupling units when the door is opened.