Refrigerator Barrier Foaming Design for Integrated Heat Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators face challenges in achieving effective heat insulation and strength for barriers dividing storage chambers, particularly when the depth of the storage chamber exceeds its height, leading to gaps between chambers and increased material and investment costs due to separate manufacturing and foaming processes.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design that integrates foamed heat insulation between the outer and inner cases and a barrier within the storage space, using communication paths and stair parts to ensure the foamed material adheres closely, eliminating gaps and enhancing insulation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the depth of the storage chamber is increased to provide larger volume, then the storage capacity is improved, but the resin sheet may tear during vacuum molding due to excessive swelling and thinning
Solution Approach 1:
The storage chamber is divided into multiple sections using barriers. Instead of molding one large deep chamber that causes resin sheet tearing, the space is segmented into smaller compartments, allowing adequate material thickness while achieving the required total storage volume.
Solution Approach 2:
Barriers are placed inside the storage chamber to create divided spaces. The barriers act as nested structures within the main chamber, enabling volume expansion without compromising the integrity of the outer resin sheet.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a barrier is separately manufactured and installed to divide storage chambers, then the storage chambers are divided, but gaps are generated between storage chambers and additional filling process is required
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier manufacturing process is merged with the inner case molding process. Barriers are molded integrally with the inner case as a single piece, eliminating the need for separate barrier installation and subsequent gap-filling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner case serves multiple functions: it provides the storage chamber structure and simultaneously integrates the barriers as part of its molded structure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate barrier components and installation steps.
3Reliability
If foaming is carried out twice (once for space between inner case and outer case, and once for space between inner case and barrier), then complete insulation is achieved, but material costs and investment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The foaming process is merged into a single operation. By integrating barriers with the inner case, the foaming liquid can fill both the space between inner case and outer case, and the space between inner case and barrier simultaneously, eliminating the need for a second foaming process.
Solution Approach 2:
The single foaming process serves multiple insulation purposes: it insulates the space between inner case and outer case, and simultaneously insulates the spaces between inner case and barriers, achieving complete insulation through one operation.
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 design achieves improved heat insulation efficiency, reduces power consumption, stabilizes temperatures, and lowers costs by eliminating the need for separate barrier installation, while maintaining strength and allowing for various storage chamber sizes and volumes.
Implementation Method 1
a foamed heat insulating material filling the inside of the barrier by causing a foaming liquid, injected through filling holes provided on a rear surface of the outer case, to pass through the second communication parts and the first communication parts and then foaming the foaming liquid within the barrier
Implementation Method 2
a foamed heat insulating material filling a space between the outer case and the inner case, and a foamed heat insulating material filling the inside of the barrier
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
Disclosed is a refrigerator an outer case, an inner case including storage spaces integrally manufactured so as to have a first set value, a barrier disposed within the storage space to vertically divide the storage space into a plurality of storage chambers so that the heights of openings of the respective storage chambers have a second set value and a third set value, and including first communication parts on the side surfaces of the barrier, second communication parts formed on the inner case, and a foamed heat insulating material filling the inside of the barrier by causing a foaming liquid, injected from the outer case, to pass through the second communication parts and the first communication parts and then foaming the foaming liquid within the barrier, wherein the first set value is 1.5 times or more at least one of the second set value and the third set value.