Refrigerator and control method thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators lack an efficient method to automatically detect the position and angle of doors and control their opening and closing speeds, leading to inefficient operation and potential user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator system with a door opening and closing assembly that includes a drive motor, final gear, and door position sensor, where a magnet interacts with the sensor to detect rotation angles and a processor controls the motor to adjust opening and closing speeds based on detected angles and user presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a door opening and closing assembly with drive motor and position sensor is added, then door position detection precision and opening/closing speed control are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical position detection mechanisms with a magnetic field-based sensor system. A magnet is attached to the door and a position sensor (such as a Hall sensor or magnetic encoder) is installed on the housing to detect the magnet's position, thereby determining door angle and position without requiring complex mechanical linkages or switches.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive motor serves multiple functions: it acts as both the actuator for opening/closing the door and as a position reference through its encoder. The same motor that provides the driving force also generates position feedback signals, eliminating the need for separate position sensing mechanisms in some configurations.
2Ease of operation
If automatic door opening and closing control is implemented, then user convenience is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door opening and closing operation is performed periodically or on-demand rather than continuously. The system activates the drive motor only when door opening or closing is required, using sensors to detect user presence or manual interaction triggers, thereby avoiding continuous energy consumption while maintaining convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The position sensor provides real-time feedback on door position and movement state to the control system. This feedback enables the controller to adjust motor power output dynamically, reducing energy consumption by applying only the necessary force to move the door, and by detecting when the door has reached its target position to prevent over-travel and wasted energy.
3Productivity
If door opening and closing speed is controlled based on detected angle, then operational efficiency is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door opening and closing speed is dynamically adjusted based on the detected door angle position. The control system varies the motor speed profile throughout the door's travel range, providing higher speed when the door is partially open/closed and reducing speed near the fully open or closed positions to prevent impact and ensure precise positioning, thereby improving operational efficiency through adaptive speed control.
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
Enables precise control of door opening and closing speeds, improving operational efficiency and user convenience by automatically adjusting door movements based on detected angles and user proximity.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet provided to interact with the door position sensor and formed in an annular shape to be accommodated in the final gear
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator and a control method thereof. The refrigerator includes a housing, a door configured to be rotatably coupled to the housing by including a hinge shaft and a hinge gear fixed to the hinge shaft, and a door opening and closing device provided at one end of the door to control opening and closing of the door. The door opening and closing device includes a drive motor, a final gear configured to receive power from the drive motor and transmit the power to the hinge shaft, the final gear arranged at one end of the door opening and closing device to interlock with the hinge gear, and a door position sensor arranged on one side of the final gear to detect a rotation angle of the final gear.