One-Piece Refrigerator Inner Liner with Wrapped Freezer Evaporator
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complex manufacturing process of refrigerating apparatuses with a freezer compartment above or below the refrigerator compartment requires a lengthy and intricate assembly of multiple inner liner parts, particularly due to the precise placement and structural weakness of the wound box evaporator, which complicates the coupling operation and increases the risk of damage.
Innovation Solution
A method involving two distinct forming steps for a polymeric inner liner, interspersed with the mounting of a freezer evaporator portion, allows for the creation of a one-piece inner liner, where the evaporator is wound around the freezer compartment shell using a precursor element, with connection elements and interposing materials to secure it, reducing the complexity and risk of damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wound box evaporator is used to achieve even heat transfer in the freezer compartment, then the freezing efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and time increase due to precise placement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is pre-assembled into a wound box configuration before being installed in the freezer compartment. This preliminary preparation allows for standardized manufacturing and simplifies the final installation process, reducing on-site manufacturing complexity while maintaining the even heat transfer efficiency of the wound box design
2Manufacturing precision
If the evaporator pipe is wound around the freezer cell part to achieve four-star evaporator arrangement, then the heat transfer uniformity is improved, but the manufacturing time increases due to multiple forming and assembling steps
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator pipe is integrated with the freezer cell part by winding it around the cell structure during the molding process. This merging of the evaporator installation with the existing cell part manufacturing eliminates separate assembly steps, maintaining the uniform heat transfer of the four-star arrangement while significantly reducing overall manufacturing time
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple inner liner parts are assembled to define the refrigerator and freezer compartments, then the structural flexibility is improved, but the assembly time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inner liner is divided into modular parts that can be assembled together. Each module is pre-formed with specific functions, allowing for flexible configuration adaptation while reducing on-site assembly complexity and time through standardized connection interfaces
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 simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces the risk of damage during assembly, and results in a faster and more reliable production of refrigerating apparatuses with a seamless one-piece inner liner, enhancing manufacturing efficiency and aesthetic appearance.
Implementation Method 1
forming a freezer delimiting shell in a precursor element of the inner liner... forming a refrigerator delimiting shell in the precursor element adjacent to the freezer delimiting shell
Implementation Method 2
a freezer evaporator portion (e.g., a pipe) of the refrigerating system is provided in such a way to surround the freezer compartment, achieving an even heat transfer in the freezer compartment
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a refrigerating apparatus includes providing an inner liner defining a refrigerator compartment for storing goods to be cooled and a freezer compartment for storing goods to be frozen, the inner liner being provided as a one-piece component part. In one solution, the step of providing the inner liner includes forming a freezer delimiting shell in a precursor element of the inner liner, providing an evaporator portion around the freezer delimiting shell, and forming a refrigerator delimiting shell in the precursor element adjacent to the freezer delimiting shell with the evaporator portion.