Refrigerator Drain Closure with Self-Locking Cap for Reliable Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigeration appliances face challenges in reliably sealing the water drain to prevent air exchange and ensure effective condensation removal from the refrigerated goods container, with existing solutions often requiring precise overlap and additional assembly steps or materials.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration appliance with a drain closure system featuring a closure body with water-conducting grooves and a cap that snaps into a latching structure on the drain pipe, providing a secure and form-fitting connection to maintain a consistent overlap and prevent axial movement, allowing for easy assembly without additional joining means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cap is placed over the overflow edge of the drain pipe to seal the water drain, then air exchange between the cooling chamber and environment is prevented, but the overlap between the cap and overflow edge must be precisely controlled to ensure reliable sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The locking structure on the drain pipe automatically engages with the cap during assembly, causing the cap to self-align and self-position relative to the overflow edge. This self-positioning mechanism eliminates the need for precise manual alignment or complex external alignment fixtures, while ensuring consistent overlap and reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the need for precise mechanical alignment and external joining means (such as adhesives or fasteners) with a self-locking mechanical feature integrated into the drain pipe structure. The locking structure's geometry and elasticity provide automatic positioning and secure attachment, simplifying the assembly process while maintaining sealing reliability.
2Reliability
If additional joining means such as adhesives or complex alignment mechanisms are used to secure the cap, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The locking structure integrates multiple functions into a single component: it provides both the sealing interface (through the cap overlap with the overflow edge) and the securing mechanism (through the locking engagement). This merging of sealing and fastening functions into one integrated structure eliminates the need for separate adhesives, fasteners, or alignment mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking structure is designed to automatically perform both alignment and securing functions during a single assembly operation. The cap self-aligns with the overflow edge and self-secures through the locking engagement without requiring external tools, adhesives, or complex alignment procedures, thereby simplifying assembly while ensuring reliable sealing.
3Reliability
If the cap is secured with additional joining means, then axial movement and condensation leakage are prevented, but ease of assembly is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The locking structure enables the cap to self-secure to the drain pipe through automatic engagement during assembly. This self-securing action prevents axial movement and ensures condensation leakage prevention without requiring additional joining means or complex assembly steps, thereby maintaining ease of assembly while achieving reliable prevention of condensation leakage.
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
The solution ensures a reliable and secure fixation of the drain closure, preventing air exchange and condensation leakage, while simplifying the assembly process and eliminating the need for additional adhesives or complex alignment, thus enhancing the operational efficiency and durability of the refrigeration appliance.
Implementation Method 1
at least one locking structure which engages in the groove of the closure body on an inner surface of a drain pipe connected to the drain opening of the refrigerated goods container
Implementation Method 2
water-conducting grooves on an outer circumferential surface which extend as elongated grooves from a first end of the closure body towards a second end of the closure body
Implementation Method 3
a cap which is arranged at the first end of the closure body and which projects laterally beyond the overflow edge
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a refrigeration appliance, in particular a domestic refrigeration appliance, comprising: a refrigerated-goods container which is intended for accommodating refrigerated goods and has a drain opening that is surrounded by an overflow edge and that is intended for draining water from the refrigerated-goods container; a drain pipe which is connected to the drain opening of the refrigerated-goods container and is intended for conducting the water out of the refrigerated-goods container, at least one latching structure being formed on a line-cross-section-defining inner face of the drain pipe, which structure projects from the inner face; and a drain closure having: a closure body which is introduced through the drain opening of the refrigerated-goods container into the drain pipe and has water-conducting channels on an outer circumferential face; a cap which is situated on a first end of the closure body, protrudes laterally beyond the overflow edge and has a circumferential projection overlapping the overflow edge; and a groove which is formed in the region of a second end of the closure body and into which the latching structure of the drain pipe is latched.