Refrigerator Liquid Dispenser With Adjustable Fill Level Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid dispensers on refrigerators lack user convenience, as they do not allow for adjustable liquid ejection levels and can splash, and are not independently functional or easily maintainable, potentially causing damage to the refrigerator's main board during malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
An automatic liquid dispenser with a liquid dispensing module, display module, and controller that measures and displays the liquid level, allowing users to set the ejection level visually, includes a receptacle arranger to prevent splashing, and operates independently of the refrigerator's main board, enabling maintenance and assembly independence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a liquid dispenser is mounted on a refrigerator door, then liquid can be dispensed without opening the door, but the dispenser cannot be independently maintained or repaired without affecting the refrigerator
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is separated from the refrigerator main body through an independent mounting structure on the door, allowing the dispenser to be removed, maintained, or repaired without affecting the refrigerator's core functions. The door acts as an independent carrier that can be detached from both the refrigerator and dispenser.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser system is extracted from the integrated refrigerator structure and mounted independently on the door. This extraction allows the dispenser to function as a separate module that can be serviced independently while maintaining its operational benefit of dispensing liquid without opening the refrigerator door.
2Device complexity
If the dispenser is integrated with the refrigerator main board, then control is centralized, but malfunction of the dispenser can damage the refrigerator's main board
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser control system is extracted from the refrigerator's main board and implemented as a separate control module within the dispenser unit. This separation ensures that electrical faults, liquid leakage, or malfunctions in the dispenser cannot damage the refrigerator's main board, while the dispenser remains controllable through its own independent circuitry.
Solution Approach 2:
An independent control module serves as an intermediary between the user interface and the liquid dispensing mechanism. This intermediary control system is electrically isolated from the refrigerator's main board, providing a safety barrier that prevents fault propagation while maintaining coordinated operation of the dispenser functions.
3Device complexity
If the liquid ejection level is fixed, then the dispenser structure is simple, but users cannot adjust the liquid amount to their needs
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid ejection level is made dynamically adjustable through a control system that allows users to select different dispensing amounts. The system includes adjustable parameters such as dispensing volume, speed, and duration, enabling adaptation to different user needs while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure through electronic control.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser incorporates adjustable parameters including liquid ejection volume, flow rate, and dispensing time. These parameters can be modified through user input or preset modes, allowing the same hardware structure to provide variable liquid amounts without requiring multiple physical configurations or complex mechanical adjustments.
4Device complexity
If the receptacle is not precisely positioned, then the accommodator structure is simple, but liquid can splash outside the receptacle
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle arranger performs preliminary positioning of the receptacle before liquid dispensing begins. This preliminary action ensures the receptacle is correctly aligned with the nozzle and positioned to receive the full liquid stream, preventing splashing without requiring a complex accommodator structure. The arrangement occurs automatically as part of the dispensing sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex mechanical positioning system with multiple moving parts, the patent employs a simpler mechanism such as a movable guide wall or adjustable support surface that passively directs and positions the receptacle. This mechanical substitution reduces structural complexity while achieving precise positioning to prevent liquid splashing.
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic liquid dispenser and a refrigerator with the same is disclosed wherein a level of liquid to be ejected into a receptacle can be established, and a display module is mounted to thereby enhance a user convenience, and wherein the automatic liquid dispenser is mounted on the refrigerator to allow being independently driven and manufactured.