Insulating Housing Connector Layout to Reduce Thermal Bridging
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing heat-insulating housings for refrigeration appliances face reduced insulating effectiveness due to the deep penetration of plug connectors and cable outlets, which create thermal bridges and increase energy consumption, especially when the connectors extend into the insulating material and come into contact with the outer skin.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves orienting the plug connector obliquely to the surface normal and using a connector holder with a tubular piece and connecting flange to minimize penetration depth and prevent contact with the outer skin, while ensuring secure anchoring and sealing, allowing for conventional connectors to be used without adaptation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the plug connector is mounted perpendicular to the outer skin surface, then the connector can be securely anchored and easily assembled, but the penetration depth into the insulating compound increases, creating thermal bridges and reducing insulating effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mounting orientation of the plug connector from perpendicular (normal) to oblique relative to the outer skin surface. This dimensional change in orientation reduces the penetration depth of the connector into the insulating compound, thereby minimizing thermal bridges and reducing energy loss while maintaining secure anchoring through the connector holder design.
2Strength
If the connector penetrates deeply into the insulating compound to ensure secure mounting, then the connector is firmly anchored, but the insulating capacity of the housing is significantly reduced due to increased thermal conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a connector holder as an intermediary component between the plug connector and the outer skin. This holder provides secure anchoring for the connector while minimizing the penetration depth into the insulating compound, thus maintaining both mounting security and insulating capacity. The holder acts as a mediator that resolves the conflict between secure mounting and thermal insulation.
3Ease of operation
If the cable outlet is positioned on the rear side of the connector, then the cable can exit the connector, but the cable penetrates even deeper into the insulating material and may contact the opposite surface, increasing thermal conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
By orienting the connector obliquely rather than perpendicularly, the cable outlet position is optimized to reduce the penetration depth of both the connector and the cable into the insulating compound. This dimensional change in orientation prevents the cable from contacting the opposite surface while maintaining ease of cable routing.
4Ease of manufacture
If an opening is made in the outer skin to mount the connector, then the connector can be installed, but the insulating effect is reduced and the structural integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent minimizes the size and impact of the opening in the outer skin by using a compact connector holder design that requires only a small mounting opening. The local quality of the opening is optimized to be just sufficient for connector installation while preserving the overall insulating effect and structural integrity of the housing.
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 configuration reduces the penetration depth of the connector and cable outlet, enhancing the insulating capacity of the housing even with a thin insulating compound layer, thereby minimizing thermal conductivity and energy consumption while simplifying assembly and reducing stress on the insulating foam.
Implementation Method 1
an insulating compound surrounded by the outer skin
Implementation Method 2
Particularly in the case of an electric wire, the heat conductivity is high due to the metal used therein
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
An insulating housing for a refrigerator comprises a fixed outer skin (1, 2), an insulating mass surrounded by the outer skin (1, 2) and a plug connection (8) mounted in an opening (7) of the outer skin (1), said plug connection held in the opening (7) with a plug direction that is at an angle relative to the normal (N) of the surface of the outer skin (1).