Refrigeration appliance containing a retaining device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigeration appliances face issues with leakage of insulation members due to inadequate design of the condensed water channel in existing retaining devices, leading to potential water leaks into the inner space of the appliance.
Innovation Solution
A retaining device with a leak-proof structured base plate and an external sealing part that partially or completely encircles the base plate, featuring attaching means, connection extensions, and adhesive members to prevent leaks, along with a deepening form of the base plate to collect and direct condensed water effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the base plate is designed with a condensed water channel for collecting and discharging condensed water, then the discharge function is improved, but the structure becomes more complex and potential leakage points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate is segmented into functional zones: a condensed water collection region with a channel for water discharge, and a sealing region with an external sealing part. This segmentation allows the discharge function to be optimized separately from the sealing function, reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining both capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
An external sealing part is introduced as an intermediary element between the base plate and the insulation member. This sealing part acts as a mediator that prevents leakage without requiring the base plate itself to be overly complex, thus resolving the contradiction between discharge efficiency and structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If the base plate arrangement is deeper to prevent insulation member leakage, then sealing reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The external sealing part functions as a flexible sealing element that can adapt to the base plate structure without requiring a deeply complex rigid structure. This thin film or shell approach provides effective leakage prevention while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing depth in the vertical dimension to prevent leakage, the solution introduces a new dimensional element - the external sealing part that encircles the base plate from the outside. This lateral sealing approach achieves reliability without increasing structural complexity in the vertical dimension.
3Reliability
If an external sealing part is added to encircle the base plate, then leakage prevention is improved, but the device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The external sealing part is designed to be integrally formed with the base plate in one piece, merging two components into one. This combining approach provides the leakage prevention benefits of an external sealing part without increasing the number of separate components, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and component count.
4Reliability
If the sealing part is attached to the base plate with attaching means, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing part and base plate are manufactured as a single integrated piece, eliminating the need for separate attaching means. This merging of components simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining secure attachment and sealing reliability, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration appliance contains a heat-insulated body, a first wall delimiting an inner space of the appliance, an evaporator assembly having an evaporator and extending in a horizontal direction of the first wall, and a retaining device configured to be connected to the evaporator. The retaining device has a base plate for collecting and discharging condensed water at a lower side of the evaporator. The retaining device further has an external sealing part attached to the base plate and arranged to at least partially encircle the base plate from outside.