refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator designs with drawer-type doors often expose elevating mechanisms, leading to safety concerns, poor appearance, and difficulties in service and cleaning due to the instability and potential deformation of the basket during elevation.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design where the drawer door is elevatable, with a support member and elevation assembly integrated into the door and drawer parts, allowing for stable and convenient operation while keeping the elevating components concealed, improving assemblability and serviceability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the drawer-type door is disposed in the lower region of the refrigerator, then the storage space utilization is improved, but the user convenience deteriorates because the user has to turn its back to take out basket or foods
Solution Approach 1:
The drawer-type door is made dynamically elevatable rather than fixed, allowing it to rise to a convenient height for user access while maintaining its lower position for storage optimization. The elevation mechanism enables the door to adapt its position based on operational needs.
2Ease of operation
If the constituents for elevating on the door side are disposed in an exposed state, then the elevation function is achieved, but the appearance and safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The elevation constituents are nested within the door structure itself, with the elevating mechanism housed inside the door panel. This conceals the mechanical components while maintaining the elevation capability, improving both safety and appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The elevation mechanism is merged with the door structure, integrating the constituents into the door rather than exposing them as separate external components. This combination eliminates safety hazards from exposed parts while preserving functionality.
3Ease of operation
If the entire basket is elevated during operation of the elevation structure, then the accessibility is improved, but the stability deteriorates due to eccentric load
Solution Approach 1:
The elevation function is extracted from the entire basket system and applied only to the door portion containing the basket. This allows selective elevation of the door with the basket, separating the elevation action from the entire basket assembly and improving stability during operation.
4Ease of operation
If the entire basket for elevation is withdrawn to the outside of the refrigerator body, then the accessibility is improved, but the door structure stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The door is segmented into an elevatable portion containing the basket and a non-elevatable portion remaining in the refrigerator body. This segmentation allows the basket-containing door section to be withdrawn and elevated independently, improving accessibility while maintaining the stability of the main door structure.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Provided is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a cabinet in which an upper storage space and a lower storage space are defined; a door assembly opening and closing the lower storage space; and a drawer assembly provided behind the door assembly and inserted and withdrawn together with the door assembly by a guide rail; a first device provided in the drawer assembly to elevate a food or a container within the drawer assembly; a second device provided in the door assembly, and including a motor assembly to provide power for an operation of the first device; a power transmission member to transmit the rotation force of the second device to the first device and having one end connected to an elevation device and the other end extending up to a front surface of the drawer assembly; and a connection device detachably connected to the power transmission member so that power of the second device is transmitted to the first device, wherein at least a portion of the connection device is exposed to a rear surface of the door assembly so that a user manipulates the connection device, and when the user manipulates the connection device, the connection device operates to be separated from the power transmission member.