Refrigerator and method for controlling same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators with auto closing functions require excessive force to open due to strong gasket and magnetic forces, leading to unintended door openings and safety issues, and existing solutions for automatic door opening lack user intention detection and may malfunction.
Innovation Solution
A control system that uses sensors to detect user intention by monitoring approach duration and location, with a notification device to confirm user intent, allowing automatic door opening without manual button or sensor interaction, and preventing malfunctions by preset timing and door switch feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the closely attaching force of the gasket is increased to prevent cold air leakage, then the sealing performance is improved, but the force required to open the door increases
Solution Approach 1:
A door opening device acts as an intermediary mechanism between the user and the door. When activated, it provides additional force to overcome the strong gasket attachment, allowing the door to open easily without compromising the strong sealing when closed. The device includes a driving unit that generates opening force and a transmission unit that transfers this force to the door.
2Ease of operation
If automatic door opening function is added to reduce user effort, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of unintended door opening increases
Solution Approach 1:
Before the door opens automatically, the system performs preliminary actions including detecting user approach, determining intent to open, and providing notification to the user. This sequence ensures that the door only opens when the user actually intends it to, preventing accidental openings while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from sensors to detect user approach and from notification device to confirm user intent. The control unit processes this feedback information to determine whether to activate the door opening device, ensuring the door opens only when appropriate and preventing unintended openings.
3Ease of operation
If sensor-based automatic opening is implemented to detect user intent, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system serves multiple functions: detecting user approach, determining user intent to open, and providing feedback to the control unit. By making the sensing system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby managing complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
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
Reduces user effort for opening doors while maintaining auto closing functionality, ensures doors open only when intended, and prevents unintended openings, enhancing safety and energy efficiency without additional configurations.
Implementation Method 1
the gasket may be provided as a rubber magnet, and a magnet may be provided in the gasket
Implementation Method 2
the auto closing function means a function of automatically closing the door of the refrigerator when the door of the refrigerator is slightly opened by using the closely attaching force of the gasket, magnetic force, and elastic force of a spring
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a refrigerator and, more specifically, a refrigerator which enables a user to easily open a door thereof. The present invention relates to a refrigerator and method for controlling the same, which can prevent a door thereof from opening by itself due to a malfunction. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerator may comprise: a cabinet having a storage chamber; a door for closing or opening the storage chamber; a sensor provided to sense whether a user is within or out of a sensing distance, to enable discrimination between sensing-on and sensing-off; a door opening device provided to automatically open the door; and a control unit for determining an operation condition of the door opening device on the basis of a time interval from the sensing-on to the sensing-off and a duration for which the sensing-on continues in the sensor, so as to control the operation of the door opening device.