Refrigerator Door Ice Maker With Ducted Cooling and Sub-PCB Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing refrigerator designs face challenges with the placement of ice makers and ice banks, requiring additional components and complex wiring, which increase production costs and reduce storage space, and make it inconvenient for users to access ice without opening the freezer door.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an ice making chamber and dispenser into the refrigerating chamber door, with a sub-PCB for controlling the ice making unit and dispenser, and using cold air ducts to supply cold air from the freezing chamber, eliminating the need for a separate evaporator and fan in the ice making chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ice maker is mounted in the freezing chamber door, then the ice making function is provided, but the user must open the freezing chamber door and bend over to access the ice, reducing ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the refrigerator into functional zones by placing the ice maker in the refrigerating chamber door rather than the freezing chamber door. This segmentation allows the ice making function to be separated from the freezing storage function, enabling users to access ice from the upper refrigerating chamber door without opening the lower freezing chamber door, thus improving ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If the ice maker and ice bank are mounted on the refrigerating chamber door, then the user can access ice conveniently, but additional components (separate evaporator and fan) are required, increasing device complexity and production cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the ice making function with the existing refrigerating chamber door structure. The ice maker utilizes the cold air supply system already present in the refrigerating chamber, eliminating the need for separate evaporators and fans. This combining approach allows convenient ice access while avoiding additional components, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional components are added to the refrigerating chamber door for ice making, then the ice making function is provided, but the storage space of the refrigerating chamber door is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the ice maker unit is integrated within the refrigerating chamber door assembly. The ice maker, ice bank, and related components are nested into the door structure itself, utilizing the door's internal space rather than adding external components. This nesting approach provides ice making functionality while minimizing the impact on storage space.
4Extent of automation
If multiple electric wires are connected from the main PCB to electric components in the door, then the ice maker and dispenser can be controlled, but the wiring complexity increases and workability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control function from the main PCB and relocates it to a sub-PCB mounted directly on the refrigerating chamber door. This extraction reduces the number of wire connections required from the main PCB, as the sub-PCB handles local control of the ice maker and dispenser. The simplified wiring structure improves manufacturing workability while maintaining control automation through the sub-PCB.
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
This design allows users to access ice without opening the refrigerating chamber door, reduces the complexity and cost of components, and optimizes storage space by integrating the ice making functionality directly into the refrigerating chamber door, enhancing user convenience and reducing wiring complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a cold air duct configured to guide a portion of the cold air produced by the cooling system from the freezing chamber to the ice making chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator has a freezing chamber at the bottom, and a refrigerating chamber over the freezing chamber. The refrigerator includes an ice making unit and an ice dispenser mounted in a refrigerating chamber door that allows ice to be dispensed without opening the door. A sub-PCB is mounted in the refrigerating chamber door for controlling operations of the ice making unit and the dispenser. A cold air supply duct supplies cold air from a cold air supply unit to the ice making unit.