Refrigerator drawer and refrigerator having the same

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional refrigerator drawers often detach from their supporting members when pulled out, limiting their forward movement and compromising stability, which restricts the usable storage space and increases the risk of the drawer falling.

Innovation Solution

A refrigerator drawer design that incorporates a guide member with ribs and a securing mechanism, allowing the storage box to move forwardly while being secured to the supporting member, using rollers and stoppers to manage motion and prevent falling, with additional guiding slots and securing members for enhanced stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the drawer is pulled out to increase extracting distance, then the usable storage space is improved, but the drawer may detach from the supporting member causing instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextracting distanceVSAvoidstability
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The drawer system is divided into three main components: the storage box, the guide member attached to the storage box, and the supporting member fixed to the cabinet. The guide member is further segmented into a body portion and a protruding portion with guiding slots. This segmentation allows the storage box to move forward independently while the guide member maintains connection with the supporting member through rollers, solving the contradiction by separating the moving function from the stabilizing function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide member acts as an intermediary between the storage box and the supporting member. It includes rollers that engage with the supporting member to prevent detachment, while simultaneously allowing the storage box to move forward. The guiding slots in the guide member provide a controlled path for movement, ensuring stability is maintained even as extracting distance increases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the drawer is allowed to detach forwardly, then ease of operation is improved, but the drawer may fall down compromising stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrawer movementVSAvoiddrawer stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from a static fixed connection to a dynamic controlled movement system. The guide member with its guiding slots and rollers enables the drawer to move dynamically when needed while maintaining controlled engagement with the supporting member. This dynamic design allows easy operation during movement while preventing complete detachment and falling, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the guide member motion is limited, then stability is improved, but the forward movement distance is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidforward movement distance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The solution adds a vertical dimension to the connection system. The guide member extends downward with guiding slots that receive rollers from the supporting member, creating a vertical engagement that prevents detachment. This vertical dimension allows the storage box to move forward horizontally without compromising the connection stability, effectively resolving the contradiction between limited motion and movement distance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2292998B1Refrigerator drawer and refrigerator having the same
Publication Date: 2019.09.04 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2292998B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2292998B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2292998B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A refrigerator drawer and a refrigerator having the same are disclosed. The refrigerator drawer includes a storage box (50) forwardly movable in a storage chamber (11) provided in a cabinet (10); and a supporting member (300) provided in the storage chamber (11) to support the storage box (50); a guide member (100) provided between the supporting member (300) and the storage box (50), the guide member (100) secured to the storage box (500), with relatively-movable with respect to the storage box (50) and the supporting member (300), wherein the guide member (100) is movably connected to the storage box (50) and the guide member (100) comprises at least one guiding slot configured to guide the relative-motion with the storage box (50).