Refrigerator including multiple storage compartments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators often have inefficient storage compartments and user inconvenience due to separate doors for freezer and refrigerator compartments, which can complicate access and aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
A design where a first door with a storing device creates a second storage compartment within it, allowing access through a second door that can be opened independently, enhancing storage efficiency and unity in appearance by sharing surfaces and reducing load on coupling parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a storing device is coupled to the first door to create a second storage compartment, then storage efficiency and user convenience are improved, but the coupling parts experience increased stress and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The first door is segmented into two independently operable parts: the main first door and a nested second door. This segmentation allows the storing device to be accessed through the smaller second door without requiring the entire first door assembly to bear the full operational stress, distributing mechanical loads more effectively across separate hinge and coupling mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The second door and second storage compartment are nested within the structure of the first door assembly. The second door is positioned such that its front surface is coplanar with the first door when closed, creating a nested configuration where the smaller storage compartment is integrated into the larger door structure without compromising the overall strength distribution.
2Ease of operation
If the second storage compartment is accessible when the first door is closed, then user convenience is improved, but the door structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is divided into two functional segments: the first door providing access to the first storage compartment, and the second door providing independent access to the second storage compartment. This segmentation enables the second door to be opened and closed independently while the first door remains closed, allowing users to access frequently used items in the second compartment without exposing the entire refrigerator interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The second door is nested within the first door structure, with the storing device coupled to the first door to form the second storage compartment. The nested configuration allows the second door to operate within the spatial envelope of the first door, providing independent access functionality while maintaining a unified external appearance when both doors are closed.
3Shape
If the front surface of the second door is coplanar with the first door, then appearance unity is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The second door is nested within the first door assembly such that when both doors are closed, the front surface of the second door is coplanar with the front surface of the first door. This nested arrangement provides inherent alignment guidance through the coupling structure between the storing device and the first door, reducing the need for post-assembly adjustments while achieving a unified flush appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism between the storing device and the first door incorporates localized alignment features and mounting structures that ensure the second door's front surface aligns coplanarly with the first door. These local quality enhancements at critical coupling points facilitate precise positioning during assembly while maintaining overall manufacturing feasibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet that defines a first storage compartment; a first door that is opened or closed to allow or prevent access to an interior of the first storage compartment; a storing device coupled to the first door to define a second storage compartment, wherein, when the first door is closed, the second storage compartment is disposed in the first storage compartment; and a second door connected to the first door and configured to be opened or closed to allow or prevent access to an interior of the second storage compartment, wherein the interior of the second storage compartment is accessible when the first door is closed and the second door is opened, wherein the first door includes a plurality of first coupling parts to which the storing device is coupled, wherein the storing device includes: a frame; and a basket installed on the frame, wherein each of the frame and the basket includes at least one second coupling part interacting with at least one of the plurality of first coupling parts, wherein a front surface of the second door is positioned to be generally coplanar with at least a portion of a front surface of the first door.