Refrigerator Drawer Frame and Guide Layout for Stable Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large refrigerators, the rear-mounted components on the door interfere with shelves or drawers, requiring deep hand entry and making it difficult to access food, leading to structural issues like deformation of the receiving frame due to uneven load distribution and reduced storage capacity.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a drawer guide system where the drawer is supported by a cantilever and a frame that moves in conjunction with the door, separating load support and movement structures, with a side plate extending between the inner and outer cabinets to enhance stability and reduce visible frame exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the front end of the food storage unit is located at a place spaced apart from the front of the main body to prevent interference with door-mounted components, then interference is avoided, but the user must put hand deeply into the storage compartment to access food
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the food storage unit movable rather than fixed. The storage unit can be pulled out from the storage compartment to a convenient access position and then pushed back when not in use. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by allowing the storage unit to be spaced apart from the door-mounted components during normal operation while still being easily accessible when needed.
2Strength
If the receiving frame structure is designed to withstand concentrated loads from the drawer and food, then structural strength is improved, but the structure becomes complicated and volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the load-bearing function into two separate components: the drawer guide structure supports the weight of the drawer, while the receiving frame only needs to guide the movement of the drawer. This segmentation allows the receiving frame to have a simpler, less voluminous structure while still maintaining sufficient strength through the collaborative support system.
3Ease of operation
If the link is connected to the bottom surface of the receiving frame to move the drawer, then the drawer can be moved forward and backward, but bending moment or shearing force acts on the receiving frame causing deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing the movement function from the receiving frame. Instead of connecting the link to the receiving frame, the movement function is extracted and assigned to the drawer guide structure. The receiving frame retains only its guiding function, which eliminates the bending moments and shearing forces that would cause deformation, while the drawer can still be moved forward and backward through the guide structure.
4Ease of operation
If the receiving frame supports the entire load of the drawer and food, then the drawer can be moved, but the capacity of the storage compartment is reduced due to the receiving frame
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the load support function (assigned to the drawer guide structure) from the movement guidance function (assigned to the receiving frame). This allows the receiving frame to be minimized in size since it only needs to provide guidance, not support the entire load. Consequently, the storage compartment capacity is maximized while drawer movement capability is preserved through the guide structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator with a drawer provided in a storage compartment formed on a cabinet and which accommodates stored goods, the drawer being movably supported by a drawer guide disposed in the storage compartment. A frame which is movable in the front/back directions by a frame guide, and a door opening and closing the storage compartment may be connected with the frame by a link. The frame may have a base part which is disposed on the lower side of the drawer and is connected with the link. The side plate includes a vertical part which is vertical with respect to the base part. A cross section formed by horizontally cutting the vertical part may be formed so as to be elongated along the moving direction of the drawer. The vertical part may be connected with the drawer so as to enable the drawer to move integrally with the frame.