Lift-Up Refrigerator Drawer Control to Prevent Door Collision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators with lower drawer mechanisms often require users to bend over to access contents, leading to inconvenience and potential injury, especially when the drawer collides with upper doors or fails to close properly due to braking issues.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a lifting unit and control method that automatically opens, closes, and raises the lower drawer using a driving unit and manipulation units, preventing collisions with upper doors by reopening the drawer when it detects closure during elevation and ensuring smooth operation through sensors and motors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a lifting mechanism is used to raise the storage bin, then user accessibility is improved, but collision with upper door occurs when drawer is closed
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the drawer's closing state and lifting unit's position, detecting when the drawer is being closed. When closure is detected during elevation, the system automatically reopens the drawer to prevent collision, creating a feedback loop that prevents harmful effects
Solution Approach 2:
The system proactively detects the drawer closing action before collision occurs and preemptively reopens the drawer. This preliminary action prevents the harmful collision from happening in the first place, rather than reacting after the fact
2Reliability
If braking is applied to prevent collision, then safety is improved, but drawer cannot be closed when user forcibly pushes it
Solution Approach 1:
The braking system is designed to be dynamic rather than static - it can be selectively applied or released based on real-time conditions. When the user forcibly pushes the drawer to close it, the control unit detects this action and releases the brake, allowing the drawer to close despite the potential collision risk, balancing safety with user convenience
3Volume of moving object
If lower drawer is disposed in lower portion of refrigerator, then space utilization is improved, but user convenience deteriorates due to bending requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service by automatically opening and closing the drawer, and automatically raising and lowering the storage bin. This eliminates the need for user physical effort to access the lower drawer, allowing the drawer to be positioned in the space-optimal lower location while maintaining user convenience through automation
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a control method therefor. A refrigerator may include: a cabinet; a drawer provided to move in and out of the lower storage space and opening and closing the lower storage space; a lifting unit provided inside the drawer and elevated up and down; an opening/closing motor providing power for opening and closing the drawer; a lifting motor connected to the lifting unit and providing power for elevating the lifting unit; and a controller to reopen the drawer when the closing of the drawer is detected while the lifting unit is being elevated or the elevation of the lifting unit is completed.