Refrigerator Inner Door Reinforcement for Full Door Guard Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with subsidiary doors can only access some of the door guards at the rear surface of the main door without opening the main door, limiting access to all door guards.
Innovation Solution
The design includes an inner door with a constant distance between inside walls forming an opening, reinforced by members that connect the frames to prevent distortion, allowing access to all door guards by opening only the subsidiary door without opening the main door.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a subsidiary door is provided on the main door to enable access to door guards, then access to door guards is improved, but the size of the subsidiary door is limited and can only access some of the door guards
Solution Approach 1:
The opening is divided into multiple sections corresponding to different door guards, with each section accessible through the subsidiary door. The inside walls are segmented to support multiple door guards vertically arranged, allowing selective access to each guard through the same subsidiary door opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The door guards are arranged in a vertical dimension rather than horizontal arrangement. This allows multiple door guards to be accessed through a single subsidiary door opening by moving vertically within the opening space, effectively increasing access capability without increasing the horizontal footprint of the subsidiary door.
2Ease of operation
If the inner door opening is made large to access all door guards, then access to all door guards is improved, but the inner door may become distorted
Solution Approach 1:
The opening structure is segmented with inside walls that are supported by reinforcing members. These reinforcing members divide the large opening into smaller structural sections, maintaining shape stability while still providing adequate access space for all door guards through the unified opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner door structure combines the inner panel, outer panel, inside walls, and reinforcing members into a composite structure. The reinforcing members act as structural supports within the composite construction, enabling the opening to maintain its shape while providing sufficient access space.
3Stability of the object's composition
If reinforcing members are added to prevent inner door distortion, then structural stability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing members are integrated with the inside walls and door guard support structures. Rather than being separate components requiring additional assembly steps, the reinforcing members are combined with the structural elements they support, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The inside walls serve multiple functions: they form the opening structure, support the door guards, and provide attachment points for reinforcing members. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies manufacturing by consolidating structural elements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerator including a storage compartment, an inner door having an opening in a size corresponding to the storage compartment, a plurality of door guards provided at the opening, and an outer door to open/close the opening, the refrigerator further including a plurality of reinforcing members to prevent the inner door having the opening from being distorted.