Refrigerator Door Basket Assembly With Bidirectional Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional refrigerator door baskets are limited to forward movement only, making it inconvenient to access or store food at the rear of the door, requiring the rear door to be opened.

Innovation Solution

The refrigerator door basket is designed to be bidirectionally drawn out, allowing access and storage at both the front and rear of the internal door, with a dual-door system where the second door can be opened independently to facilitate forward or rearward basket movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the door basket is designed to move only forward, then the structure is simple, but the accessibility to food at the rear of the door is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility to foodVSAvoidbasket movement mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The basket movement mechanism is designed to be dynamic rather than fixed, allowing the basket to move in multiple directions (forward and backward) based on operational needs. The guide rails and support structures enable flexible bidirectional movement, transforming the static single-direction mechanism into a dynamic multi-directional system that adapts to different access requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The door assembly is segmented into multiple functional components: the door body, the basket, the guide rails, and the support structures. This segmentation allows the basket to be independently movable while the door remains stable, enabling complex bidirectional movement functionality without requiring the entire door structure to be redesigned.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the rear door must be opened to access food in the basket, then the basket structure is simple, but the convenience of use is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconvenience of food accessVSAvoidtime to access food
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The basket is positioned and configured in advance within the door structure, with guide rails and support mechanisms pre-installed. This preliminary arrangement allows the basket to be easily accessible through simple forward and backward movements without requiring the user to perform the complex action of opening the rear door, thus saving time and improving convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The bidirectional basket mechanism acts as an intermediary between the user and the food storage space. Instead of requiring direct access through opening the rear door, the user interacts with the basket through the door's front side, and the basket mechanism mediates the access by moving the basket forward or backward to present food items for retrieval or storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the basket can move bidirectionally, then the accessibility and convenience are improved, but the structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebasket movement flexibilityVSAvoiddoor assembly structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The door assembly structure is designed with multi-functionality in mind. The guide rails and support structures serve multiple purposes: they guide the basket's bidirectional movement, provide structural support for the door, and enable both forward and backward accessibility. This universal design allows a single structural framework to handle multiple functions without requiring separate mechanisms for each direction of movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide rails, support structures, and basket movement mechanisms are merged into an integrated assembly rather than being separate components. This merging reduces the overall structural complexity by consolidating multiple functions into a unified design, where the same structural elements facilitate both forward and backward basket movement while maintaining door integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3564605B1refrigerator
Publication Date: 2024.02.14 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3564605B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3564605B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3564605B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention provides a refrigerator, comprising a cabinet (10) configured to form a storage space (10a); a first door (211) coupled to a front surface of the cabinet (10) to selectively open and close the storage space (10a), and having an opening (212a) formed therein; a case(41) provided at a rear surface of the first door (211) and configured to form an accommodation space (213) therein; a second door (212) coupled to a front surface of the first door (211) and configured to selectively open and close the opening (212a) of the first door (211); a first hinge (231) configured to rotatably couple the first door (211) to the cabinet (10); a second hinge (232) configured to rotatably couple the second door (212) to the first door (211); and a basket assembly slidably coupled to the first door (211) in a front-to-rear direction of the first door (211).