Storage drawer assembly for a refrigerator appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Storage drawers in refrigerator appliances are difficult to access due to space constraints caused by hinged doors, leading to user frustration and inefficiency in opening and closing lids, which can impact appliance performance.
Innovation Solution
A storage drawer assembly with a moveable lid that can transition between a shut and tucked position, featuring a locking mechanism that automatically closes the lid when the refrigerator doors are closed, using mechanical or electrical triggers to engage the latch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lid is manually opened and closed during every interaction, then the storage drawer is accessible, but user time and effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically closing the lid when the refrigerator door is closed, eliminating the need for manual lid closure after each interaction. This preliminary automatic action resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of access while eliminating the time-consuming manual close operation.
2Ease of operation
If the lid remains in the tucked position for easy access, then the storage compartment is accessible, but the door cannot properly close
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically returning the lid to the shut position before door closure is attempted. This ensures the door can properly close while maintaining accessibility when needed, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability of door closure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the user to manually move the lid back for door closure, the system inverts the approach by having the door closure action itself trigger the lid return to shut position. This inversion resolves the contradiction by making the lid position adaptive to door state rather than requiring user intervention.
3Ease of operation
If the lid is automatically closed when the door closes, then manual interaction is reduced, but the lid may not be in the desired position for next use
Solution Approach 1:
The system inverts the traditional approach by having the lid automatically return to shut position in response to door closure, rather than requiring user action. This inversion provides adaptability by making lid position responsive to door state, resolving the contradiction between reduced manual interaction and position flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamics by making the lid position adaptive and responsive to door state changes. The lid can be in tucked position during use, then automatically returns to shut position when door closes, providing dynamic adaptability that resolves the contradiction between automatic operation and position flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator appliance may define a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction and may include a cabinet that may define a chilled chamber, a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet, the door may be rotatable between an open position and a closed position, and a storage drawer assembly positioned within the chilled chamber. The storage drawer assembly may include a drawer positioned within the cabinet that may define a storage compartment. The storage drawer assembly may include a side support. The storage drawer assembly may include a lid moveably mated to the side support. The lid may be moveable between a shut position and a tucked position. The storage drawer assembly may include a locking assembly that may include a latch disposed at the side support in selective engagement with the lid in the tucked position to selectively lock the lid in the tucked position.