Knock-Activated Refrigerator Door Transparency to Reduce Cold Air Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional refrigerators lose significant cold air when the door is opened, making it inconvenient for users to find items and increasing energy consumption, as the door is typically opaque and requires full opening to access the interior.

Innovation Solution

A refrigerator with a door that can be selectively converted into a see-through mode using a lighting device activated by a user's knock input, allowing the interior to be visible without opening the door, utilizing a sensor to detect sound waves and maintain thermal insulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the door is made opaque to maintain thermal insulation and aesthetic appeal, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but user convenience deteriorates as the interior becomes invisible and the door must be opened to find items

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecold air lossVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The door panel's optical property is made dynamic through the lighting device. When the lighting device is off, the door remains opaque for thermal insulation. When activated by knock detection, the door becomes transparent allowing users to see the interior without opening the door, thus reducing cold air loss while improving user convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A lighting device is introduced as an intermediary between the user and the refrigerator interior. The lighting device, when activated, allows visual access to the interior through the opaque door panel, serving as a mediator that provides information about the interior contents without requiring physical access through door opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the door is opened to view the interior, then user convenience is improved as items can be seen and accessed, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates due to cold air loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterior visibilityVSAvoidcold air loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The optical parameter (transparency) of the door panel is changed by activating the lighting device. This parameter change allows the door to transition from an opaque state (good for thermal insulation) to a transparent state (good for interior visibility), enabling the system to optimize both thermal insulation and user convenience as needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If a touch panel is used for input detection, then user interface functionality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinput detection capabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The complex electronic touch panel system is replaced with a simple acoustic sensor (microphone) that detects knock sounds. This mechanical/acoustic detection method provides the necessary input detection capability while significantly reducing device complexity and cost compared to electronic touch panel systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

A simple, inexpensive microphone is used instead of an expensive touch panel. The microphone is a low-cost component that effectively detects user knock input, providing the necessary functionality without the high cost and complexity of touch panel technology.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 solution reduces energy consumption by minimizing cold air loss, enhances user convenience by allowing interior visibility without opening the door, and simplifies the structure by eliminating expensive touch panels while maintaining thermal insulation and aesthetic appeal.

Implementation Method 1

a sensor for detecting sound waves, which are generated by the application of a knock input to the door and are transmitted through the front panel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound wave detection: Sound

Implementation Method 2

controlling the lighting device to allow light to be transmitted through the panel assembly, thus making the storage compartment visible from outside the door through the opening

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Implementation Method 3

a panel assembly including a front panel disposed on the front surface thereof

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS10088225B2Refrigerator

Publication Date: 2018.10.02 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

A refrigerator equipped with a door that becomes transparent as necessary to make the interior thereof visible is disclosed. The refrigerator includes a cabinet having a storage compartment defined therein, a lighting device for illuminating the interior of the storage compartment, a door, which is hingedly coupled to the cabinet to open and close the storage compartment, and has an opening and a panel assembly including a front panel disposed on the front surface thereof, a sensor for detecting sound waves, which are generated by a knock input applied to the door and are transmitted through the front panel, and a controller for controlling the lighting device to allow light to be transmitted through the panel assembly, thus making the storage compartment visible from outside the door through the opening when a predetermined knock input is detected.