Refrigerator Door-Within-Door Storage Design for Space Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators often lack efficient storage solutions and user convenience, with existing designs not optimizing the use of space within the doors to improve storing efficiency and appearance.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a first door with a second door that rotates in the same direction, allowing for easy access to a large storage compartment, with baskets that can be removed through the first door for easy food placement and retrieval, and a coupling system that reduces load on the frame and baskets, maintaining stability and unity in appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a second door is added to the first door to create additional storage compartment, then storing efficiency and user convenience are improved, but the device complexity and structural load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The second door is nested within the first door, creating a door-within-a-door configuration. The second door assembly including the second storage compartment is integrated into the structure of the first door, allowing dual functionality without requiring separate independent structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The first door is segmented into functional zones by introducing the second door. The first door structure is divided to accommodate the second door assembly, creating distinct storage compartments (first and second storage compartments) that can be independently accessed or used together.
2Productivity
If a second door is added to create additional storage compartment, then storing efficiency is improved, but the load on frame and coupling parts increases causing potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling parts are designed with load-distributing features that preliminarily prepare the structure to handle the additional weight. The frame structure is reinforced at key locations where the second door assembly attaches, preventing structural failure before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
Coupling parts serve as intermediary elements between the second door assembly and the first door structure. These coupling parts distribute the load from the second door and its contents across multiple attachment points on the first door and frame, preventing concentration of stress that could cause damage.
3Ease of operation
If the second door is made to rotate in the same direction as the first door, then user convenience is improved, but the hinge mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanisms for the first door and second door are merged into a coordinated system. The second door hinge is integrated with the first door hinge assembly, allowing both doors to share common hinge components and rotate in the same direction while maintaining independent operability.
4Shape
If the second door has the same left and right length as the first door, then appearance unity is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The second door is designed with homogeneous dimensions matching the first door's left and right lengths. This creates visual symmetry and unity in the refrigerator door assembly. The coupling mechanism allows the second door to be positioned at multiple locations along the first door while maintaining consistent external dimensions for aesthetic purposes.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
The present invention provides a refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet that defines a first storage compartment; a first door that is opened or closed to allow or prevent access to an interior of the first storage compartment; a storing device coupled to the first door to define a second storage compartment, wherein, when the first door is closed, the second storage compartment is disposed in the first storage compartment; and a second door connected to the first door and configured to be opened or closed to allow or prevent access to an interior of the second storage compartment, wherein the interior of the second storage compartment is accessible when the first door is closed and the second door is opened, wherein the first door includes a plurality of first coupling parts to which the storing device is coupled, wherein the storing device includes: a frame; and a basket installed on the frame, wherein each of the frame and the basket includes at least one second coupling part interacting with at least one of the plurality of first coupling parts, wherein a front surface of the second door is positioned to be generally coplanar with at least a portion of a front surface of the first door.