Refrigerator Door Icemaker Layout for Foam Filling and Splash Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing refrigerators, the installation of an icemaker unit leads to issues such as incomplete filling of foaming liquid, reduced insulation efficiency, potential breakage of the inner case, and water splashing during door operation, which affects cooling performance and operational reliability.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator door design that includes a tube guide with spacing members to facilitate even foaming liquid filling, a fixing unit to secure the icemaker, and a splash-preventing guide part to redirect splashed water back into the icemaker unit, enhancing insulation efficiency and preventing water from freezing on other parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the icemaker unit is directly attached to the inner lateral side of the ice making room, then the installation is simple, but the foaming liquid filling is incomplete and insulation efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ice making room is divided into two separate spaces: an inner ice making room where the icemaker is attached, and an outer ice making room that is filled with foaming liquid for insulation. This segmentation allows the icemaker to be easily installed while ensuring complete and even foaming liquid filling in the insulation space, resolving the contradiction between installation simplicity and insulation efficiency.
2Device complexity
If the tube guide is attached closely to the backside of the outer case, then the structure is compact, but the foaming liquid flow is interrupted and filling is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The tube guide is repositioned from the backside of the outer case to the front side of the outer case. This dimensional relocation eliminates the interference with foaming liquid flow in the insulation space, allowing complete and even filling while maintaining structural compactness through optimized spatial arrangement.
3Volume of moving object
If the icemaker is provided inside the cold storage room door, then the space utilization is improved, but water splashes occur during door operation
Solution Approach 1:
A guide part is introduced as an intermediary component between the icemaker and the ice making room door. This guide part prevents water from splashing out during door opening/closing operations by directing water flow, thereby maintaining the space utilization benefits while eliminating the harmful water splashing effect.
4Ease of manufacture
If the inner case rigidity is insufficient, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the inner case breaks when the icemaker is fixed to it
Solution Approach 1:
The icemaker is extracted from direct attachment to the inner case and repositioned to attach to the outer case instead. This extraction eliminates the strength requirements for the inner case, allowing use of lower-cost materials while maintaining structural integrity through the outer case's support.
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
The design ensures even foaming liquid distribution for improved insulation, prevents inner case breakage, and effectively recirculates splashed water, enhancing overall refrigerator performance and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a space between the inner case and the outer case is charged with a foaming liquid
Implementation Method 2
the guide part is configured to guide the splashed water into the ice making receptacle
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator door is provided. The refrigerator door has an outer case forming a shape of the refrigerator door, an inner case provided within the outer case to configure a backside of the refrigerator door wherein a space between the inner case and the outer case is charged with a foaming liquid, an ice making unit provided to one side of the inner case to make ice, a fixing unit provided to the space charged with the foaming liquid between the inner case and the outer case and fixing the ice making unit to the refrigerator door, and a dispenser provided to one side of the outer case to discharge the ice supplied by the ice making unit.