Metal Refrigerator Door Display With Sealed Through-Hole Panel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with hidden display units often use tempered glass or transparent resin for aesthetic appeal, but these materials lack the strength and luxurious feel of metal, and do not effectively prevent foreign substances from entering through holes used for displaying information.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator with a metal front panel featuring through holes formed by etching or laser drilling, filled with a UV resin filler to prevent foreign substances and enhance aesthetic appeal, while a display unit is hidden internally to project information through these holes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If tempered glass or transparent resin is used for the front panel, then aesthetic appeal is improved, but strength and luxurious feel deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining metal front panel with adiabatic material filling. The metal panel provides strength and luxurious feel, while the adiabatic material provides insulation. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties rather than relying on a single material to satisfy all requirements.
2Loss of information
If through holes are formed in the front panel for display, then information display capability is improved, but prevention of foreign substances entering deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adiabatic material acts as an intermediary substance that fills the through holes and prevents foreign substances from entering the internal space. At the same time, it allows light to pass through for display functionality. This mediator resolves the contradiction by providing both protection and transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The adiabatic material forms a flexible sealing layer within the through holes that maintains the protective function while allowing optical transmission. This thin film approach enables the holes to remain sealed against foreign substances while maintaining display capability.
3Strength
If metal front panel is used, then strength and luxurious appearance are improved, but prevention of foreign substances through holes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines metal front panel with adiabatic material filling to create a composite structure. The metal provides strength and luxurious appearance, while the adiabatic material fills the through holes to prevent foreign substance entry. This composite solution resolves the contradiction by assigning different functions to different materials within the same structure.
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
The metal front panel provides strength and a luxurious appearance, while the UV resin filler ensures the through holes remain sealed, maintaining the internal space's integrity and enhancing the refrigerator's aesthetic appeal by allowing information to be displayed through the holes without compromising insulation.
Implementation Method 1
an adiabatic material foamed in the foaming space so as to insulate the storage compartments
Implementation Method 2
filled with a UV resin filler to prevent foreign substances
Data Source
AI summary
A door of a refrigerator includes a front panel formed of a metal material, a display unit including a display portion which is disposed at a rear side of the front panel and on which operating information of the refrigerator is displayed when the display portion becomes bright or dark, and a plurality of through holes formed in a region of the front panel corresponding to the display portion. Although the display unit is hidden inside the door, information displayed on the display unit can be seen to a user through the plurality of through holes.