Drawer in a refrigerator door

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional refrigerators face issues with accessibility and energy efficiency due to the configuration of fresh food compartments, where items behind others on shelves are hard to see and retrieve, leading to waste, and opening the entire compartment door results in cold air escape, compromising thermal efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A drawer assembly with a front panel and handle that can be extended or retracted through an opening in the refrigerator door, providing a separate, accessible storage space for food items while minimizing cold air loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the entire fresh food compartment door is opened to retrieve a food item, then the food item becomes accessible, but cold air escapes from the compartment resulting in energy loss

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveAccessibility of food itemsVSAvoidCold air loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The fresh food compartment door is segmented into a main door structure and a separate drawer assembly that can be independently extended. The drawer assembly includes a container that can be pulled out through an opening in the door, allowing users to access food items without opening the entire door. This segmentation enables selective access to only the portion of storage needed, minimizing cold air loss while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If food items are arranged in a front to rear manner on shelves, then storage capacity is maximized, but food items placed behind other items become difficult to see and retrieve

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveStorage capacityVSAvoidAccessibility of food items

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The drawer assembly provides a dynamic storage solution where the container can be extended outward through an opening in the door. This dynamic extension brings rear food items forward into view and easy reach, eliminating the need to dig through front items. The drawer mechanism transforms the static front-to-rear arrangement into an accessible extended platform, maintaining high storage capacity while dramatically improving retrieval ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of energy

If a drawer assembly is extended through an opening in the door, then selective access to food items is enabled without opening the entire compartment, but the door structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveCold air loss reductionVSAvoidDoor structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drawer assembly is nested within the door structure, with the container forming part of the drawer assembly that can be extended through an opening. The front panel with handle is integrated into the door's exterior, creating a unified appearance. This nesting approach allows the complex drawer mechanism to be housed within the existing door framework, minimizing additional structural complexity while achieving energy conservation through selective access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS11774172B2Drawer in a refrigerator door

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 ELECTROLUX CONSUMER PROD INC

AI summary

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet and a storage compartment with a drawer assembly disposed therein. One or more storage compartment doors are pivotally coupled to the cabinet to restrict or gain access to the storage compartment. At least one of the doors defines an opening that is shaped and dimensioned to enable the drawer assembly to be extended and retracted through the opening.