Refrigerator Door Ice-Maker Assembly With Cold-Air Duct Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice-making devices in refrigerators reduce storage capacity and allow food odors to permeate ice due to their installation within the freezing chamber, affecting storage efficiency and hygiene.
Innovation Solution
An ice-making device installed on the backside of the refrigerator door with a cold air duct and insulating material to supply cold air efficiently, minimizing odor transfer and optimizing storage space, featuring an ice maker, ice bank, and dispenser on the door for improved hygiene and capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the ice maker is installed in the freezing chamber to make ice using circulating cold air, then the ice making function is achieved, but the storage capacity of the freezing chamber is reduced and food odors can permeate the ice
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker is extracted from the freezing chamber and relocated to the door assembly. The door assembly includes a door liner with an ice maker cavity that houses the ice maker, separating the ice making function from the food storage space. This extraction eliminates the conflict between ice maker volume and storage capacity while preventing odor contamination of ice.
2Ease of manufacture
If the ice maker is installed in the freezing chamber, then the ice making function is achieved, but food odors from stored food can permeate the ice during the ice making process
Solution Approach 1:
The ice maker is extracted from the freezing chamber environment and relocated to the door assembly. This physical separation creates an isolated ice making environment that is not exposed to food odors from the freezing chamber, thereby preventing odor permeation while maintaining the ice making function.
Solution Approach 2:
The door assembly acts as an intermediary structure that houses the ice maker in a separate environment. The door liner with its dedicated ice maker cavity serves as an intermediary space that isolates the ice making process from the freezing chamber's food storage environment, preventing harmful odor transfer.
3Ease of manufacture
If the motor casing and ice bank are provided in the freezing chamber to transfer ice to the dispenser, then the ice transfer function is achieved, but the storage capacity is further reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The motor casing and ice bank are extracted from the freezing chamber and relocated to the door assembly. The door liner includes a motor cavity for the feed motor and an ice bank cavity for the ice bank, positioning all ice transfer components outside the food storage space. This extraction maintains the ice transfer function while maximizing storage capacity.
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
Enhances storage capacity, prevents food odor permeation, and maintains cleanliness by efficiently using the refrigerator space and ensuring hygienic ice production.
Implementation Method 1
a cold air duct provided at one side of the storage space so as to supply the ice maker with a portion of cold air supplied to the storage space
Implementation Method 2
an insulating material provided in the cold air duct so as to prevent the inside of the cold air duct from being frozen by the cold air supplied to the ice maker
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Disclosed is a refrigerator comprising a pair of support steps (135) protruding rearward and vertically extending at side ends of a backside of a door (131). A seating step (136) protrudes rearward in a length that is longer than the support steps (135) and has a communication hole (136A). A seating member (151) on the backside of the door defines an installation space (151S) and includes a front plate (153) defining a front surface of the installation space (151S), the front plate (153) configured to be brought into contact with the backside of the door (131) between the pair of support steps (135) and a bottom plate (157) defining a bottom surface of the installation space (151S), the bottom plate (157) configured to be brought into contact with a top side of the seating step (136) and having a communication hole (157A) which communicates with the communication hole (136A). An ice maker cover (171) is detachably installed in an upper part of the installation space (151S) and has a viewing window (177) formed of a transparent material. An ice maker (161) is positioned in the ice maker cover (171) and fastened to the front plate (153). An ice bank (181) is detachably installed to the installation space (151S) below the ice maker (161), the ice bank (181) having an ice feeding opening (183) and a viewing window (187) formed of a transparent material. An upper end circumference of the ice bank (181) is spaced apart from an underside of the ice maker (161) and a lower end circumference of the ice maker cover (171), in a state where the ice maker, the ice bank, and the ice maker cover are installed in the installation space (151S).