refrigerator
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator designs with drawer-type doors face issues such as exposed lifting mechanisms leading to safety concerns, poor appearance, noise, reduced storage capacity, and instability due to eccentric loads when elevating heavy bins, which complicates operation and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an electric device for elevation within the front panel door and a mechanical device for the drawer outside the door, featuring a screw assembly with a motor, guide member, and lever system to elevate the drawer part, ensuring stability and minimizing noise, while keeping components hidden for improved aesthetics and serviceability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lifting mechanism is disposed inside the refrigerator, then safety and appearance are improved, but storage capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting mechanism is nested within the drawer part structure, with the driving part integrated into the drawer part rather than being a separate external component. This allows the mechanism to be concealed within the existing structural volume, improving safety and appearance without significantly reducing storage capacity.
2Shape
If the lifting mechanism is disposed inside the refrigerator, then appearance is improved, but serviceability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting mechanism is designed as a separable module that can be detached from the drawer part. The connection between the driving part and the lifting mechanism allows for easy separation, enabling maintenance and repair without requiring complete disassembly of the drawer part or refrigerator structure.
3Force
If the motor size is increased to provide sufficient force for elevation, then lifting capability is improved, but internal volume loss and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces a direct-drive motor system with a mechanical transmission system comprising a screw assembly and lever mechanism. This substitution allows for the use of a smaller motor while achieving the required lifting force through mechanical advantage, thereby reducing internal volume loss and noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting mechanism uses a screw assembly that converts rotational motion to linear motion through periodic threading engagement. This periodic mechanical action amplifies the force output from the motor, enabling sufficient lifting capability with a compact motor size.
4Device complexity
If the lifting mechanism supports one side of the bin bottom, then structure simplicity is improved, but stability deteriorates due to eccentric load
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting mechanism is positioned asymmetrically within the drawer part structure, with the driving part located at one side but the lifting force distributed through a lever mechanism that engages with the bin at multiple points. This asymmetric design allows for simplified structure while maintaining stability by preventing eccentric load through proper force distribution.
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
This configuration enhances user convenience, maintains storage capacity, reduces noise, and ensures stable operation by preventing eccentric loads, thus addressing the limitations of previous designs.
Implementation Method 1
a motor assembly (60) configured to provide power to the elevation device
Implementation Method 2
a screw assembly connected to the motor assembly, in which the screw assembly includes a rotation gear that is configured to rotate about a gear shaft, and a rotation of the rotation gear about the gear shaft is configured to generate a movement of the rotation gear in a vertical and horizontal direction
Implementation Method 3
a guide member disposed at a side of the screw assembly and configured to guide the movement of the rotation gear in the vertical and horizontal directions
Implementation Method 4
a lever that has a first end portion connected to the gear shaft of the rotation gear and that is configured to rotate about a lever rotation shaft at a second end portion of the lever as the rotation gear moves along the guide member
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a cabinet (10), a front panel door part, a drawer part (32), a driving device (40) located in the front panel door part, and an elevation device (80) located in the drawer part (32). The elevation device (80) includes a lifting assembly (84) including rods (841, 844) that elevate an object in the drawer part relative to the drawer part. The driving device (40) includes a motor assembly (60) that provides power to the elevation device (80), a screw assembly (50) connected to the motor assembly (60), a guide member (41) disposed at a side of the screw assembly (50) and configured to guide movement of a rotation gear (43) of the screw assembly (50), and a lever (42) connected to the rotation gear (43) and configured to, as the lever (42) rotates about the lever rotation shaft based on the rotation gear (43) moving along the guide member (42), apply force that causes the rods (841, 844) to rotate about rod rotation shafts (841a) to elevate the elevation device (80).