Refrigerator Door Organizer With Inclined Can Holder and Ice Chute
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bottom mount refrigerators lack an ice dispenser in the fresh food compartment due to space constraints from the ice chute in the freezer door, and existing designs do not accommodate individual container storage efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A fresh food compartment door with integrated ice dispenser and vertically aligned openings, including a lower lip or cradle to support containers in an inclined orientation, utilizing space typically occupied by the ice chute, allowing for the storage of individual cans, bottles, and other containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an ice dispenser is added to the fresh food compartment door of a bottom mount refrigerator, then user convenience is improved, but the door requires additional space that conflicts with the ice chute structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the ice dispenser and beverage container holder in the vertical dimension of the door, utilizing the height of the door rather than consuming horizontal door surface area. The openings are vertically aligned to accommodate containers while maintaining dispenser functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The door structure serves multiple functions: it houses the ice dispenser mechanism, provides vertically aligned openings for beverage container storage, and maintains the ice chute pathway. This multi-functionality resolves the space conflict by integrating rather than adding separate systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the door structure is modified to include both ice dispenser and container holder, then functionality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ice dispenser mechanism with the beverage container holder into a single integrated door assembly. The openings for container storage are positioned adjacent to and integrated with the dispenser mechanism, allowing both functions to coexist in a unified structure rather than separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The door structure is modified locally at specific positions to accommodate the dispenser and container openings, rather than redesigning the entire door. The primary and secondary liners are selectively configured at the door location to provide the necessary openings while maintaining the rest of the door structure unchanged.
3Adaptability or versatility
If vertically aligned openings are formed in the door liner, then container storage is enabled, but the liner manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door liner is divided into a primary liner and a secondary liner, with the openings formed in the secondary liner that attaches to the primary liner. This segmentation allows the openings to be added as a separate component rather than requiring complex modifications to the primary liner manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary liner acts as an intermediary component between the primary liner and the beverage containers. It provides the vertically aligned openings and container support structures while attaching to the existing primary liner, thereby enabling container storage without directly modifying the primary liner's core manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator is provided with a fresh food compartment and a door for the fresh food compartment having an organizer with a plurality of openings formed in the door for holding individual food and beverage containers. The openings include a cradle for supporting a sidewall of each container so as to hold the container in an inclined orientation. The openings are vertically aligned adjacent the ice dispenser chute of the door.