Improved door for display units, in particular for refrigerators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display refrigerators at points of sale face challenges in adequately illuminating products, especially in the rear sections, due to insufficient natural light, and prior solutions using neon lights inside the unit pose safety risks and occupy valuable space.
Innovation Solution
A door with a double-glazing unit and LEDs mounted on a support inside the door frame's sectional shape, outside the glazing unit, providing efficient lighting with reduced safety risks and space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If neon lights are installed inside the refrigerator to illuminate products, then the lighting effect is improved, but safety risks increase due to high voltage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the voltage parameter from high voltage (neon lights) to low voltage (LEDs), eliminating safety risks while maintaining lighting effectiveness. The LEDs operate at safe low voltages, removing the need for complex insulation and safety防护措施 required by neon lighting systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the neon lighting system with an LED lighting system. LEDs are solid-state devices that convert electrical energy directly to light without the gas discharge mechanism of neon lights, eliminating the need for high voltage and associated safety hazards while providing sufficient illumination.
2Illumination intensity
If neon lights are installed inside the refrigerator, then the lighting effect is improved, but the usable area decreases due to space occupied by the lighting system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lighting system from the interior space of the refrigerator and relocates it to the door structure. The LEDs are mounted on the inner surface of the door, allowing light to illuminate products without occupying valuable storage space inside the refrigerator compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the lighting system from the horizontal interior space to the vertical door surface, utilizing the door's inner surface area rather than compromising the storage volume. This dimensional relocation allows the lighting function to be achieved without reducing the usable storage area.
3Volume of moving object
If LEDs are fitted inside the double-glazing unit, then the construction is compact, but the manufacturing complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the LEDs from the double-glazing unit structure and relocates them to the door frame. This separation simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing the double-glazing unit to be produced independently without the complexity of integrating LED mounting structures, while the door frame can be separately equipped with LEDs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the lighting system from the glazing unit, placing LEDs in the door frame rather than integrating them into the multi-layer glazing structure. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured and assembled independently, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.
4Volume of moving object
If LEDs are fitted inside the double-glazing unit, then the construction is compact, but maintenance becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the LEDs from the sealed double-glazing unit and relocates them to the accessible door frame. This extraction allows maintenance personnel to easily access and replace LEDs without disassembling the glazing unit, significantly improving maintainability while the LEDs remain integrated into the door structure.
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 solution enhances product visibility, reduces production and maintenance costs, and minimizes safety hazards while using low-voltage LEDs, ensuring safer and more energy-efficient lighting.
Implementation Method 1
a series of luminous elements, in particular LEDs, suitable to lighten the inner part of the refrigerator
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
This invention proposes a door (3) for display units (1), such as refrigerators or the like, of the kind used in points of sale, consisting of a double-glazing unit (4) made of transparent material and a series of luminous elements (6), in particular LEDs, suitable to lighten the inner part of the refrigerator (1) on which the door (3) is fitted, in such a way as to enable the user to easily view the displayed products. In particular, supporting structure (5) of the double-glazing unit (4) is made of a sectional shape having at least a part made of transparent material, and the said lighting means (6) consist of a plurality of LEDs placed between the said double-glazing unit (4) and the said transparent side wall of the section.