Refrigerator Inner Cabinet Corner Forming for Flush Outer Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing refrigerator designs suffer from a significant level difference between the inner and outer cabinets due to the radius of the inner cabinet's corners, which compromises the exterior quality when coupled with the outer cabinet.
Innovation Solution
The inner cabinet's corners are formed with a smaller radius by forcibly elongating a predetermined portion during the manufacturing process using vacuum-forming of a resin-based sheet, ensuring the corners have a thickness of 1.5 mm or less and a radius of 1.5 mm or less, thereby aligning with the outer cabinet's corner radius.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the inner cabinet is manufactured by vacuum-forming a resin-based sheet with thickness of 3.5 mm to 5.0 mm, then the structural strength is improved, but the corner radius becomes 3.0 mm or more causing level difference with outer cabinet
Solution Approach 1:
The inner cabinet is divided into two distinct regions: a main body portion made from vacuum-formed resin sheet with thickness 3.5-5.0mm for structural strength, and a corner portion with thickness 1.5mm or less created by forcibly elongating the resin material during vacuum-forming. This segmentation allows each region to have optimized properties - the main body provides strength while the thin corner portion achieves small radius (3.0mm or less) to minimize level difference with the outer cabinet.
Solution Approach 2:
Different thickness characteristics are applied to different locations of the inner cabinet. The corner portions have locally reduced thickness (1.5mm or less) compared to the main body (3.5-5.0mm), creating local quality variation that enables small corner radius without compromising overall structural strength. This local quality adjustment directly addresses the level difference problem at the cabinet joints.
2Shape
If the corner thickness is reduced to 1.5 mm or less to minimize level difference, then the exterior quality is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is pre-designed with protruding portions positioned at the corner regions before the vacuum-forming process begins. During vacuum-forming, these protruding portions automatically force the resin sheet to elongate and thin out at the corners, creating the desired thin corner portions (1.5mm or less) and small corner radius (3.0mm or less) in a single integrated step. This preliminary mold design eliminates the need for separate thinning operations or post-processing, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity despite the specialized geometry required.
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 approach minimizes the level difference between the inner and outer cabinets, enhancing the exterior quality by creating a more seamless and aesthetically pleasing joint.
Implementation Method 1
The inner cabinet is manufactured by vacuum-forming a resin-based sheet having a thickness of 3.5 mm to 5.0 mm
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a refrigerator in which a level difference between an inner cabinet and an outer cabinet is improved in coupling the inner cabinet with the outer cabinet by forming a corner of the inner cabinet located at a portion coupled with the outer cabinet to have a smaller radius. The refrigerator includes an inner cabinet in which a storage chamber is formed. The refrigerator also includes an outer cabinet coupled with an outside of the inner cabinet and configured to form an exterior. The refrigerator further includes an insulating material filling between the inner cabinet and the outer cabinet. The inner cabinet includes a storage portion configured to form the storage chamber. The inner cabinet also includes an edge portion configured to extend in a vertical direction toward the outside of the storage portion from a front surface edge of the storage portion and exposed to the outside. The inner cabinet further includes a contact portion configured to extend in a vertical direction toward a rear direction from the edge portion and in contact with the outer cabinet when coupling with the outer cabinet. The inner cabinet includes a seating portion disposed in a rear direction of a front surface portion of the outer cabinet in contact with the contact portion and in parallel with the edge portion. The contact portion extends in a rear direction more than an end of the seating portion adjacent to the contact portion from the edge portion.