Lifting mechanism for refrigerator drawer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator designs with drawer-type doors often have exposed lifting mechanisms that compromise safety, aesthetics, and storage efficiency, and may not provide sufficient force for elevating heavy objects, leading to instability and noise issues.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design where the electric device for elevation is integrated within the door part, featuring a mechanical mechanism in the drawer part with a motor assembly, screw units, and a lever system, along with an elevation detection device to ensure complete ascension or descension, preventing exposure and enhancing serviceability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the lifting mechanism is disposed inside the refrigerator, then safety and aesthetics are improved by hiding the mechanism, but storage capacity is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting mechanism is nested within the door structure itself, with the driving part integrated into the door body and the support assembly positioned within the drawer part. This nesting approach hides the mechanism from external view, improving safety and aesthetics, while utilizing the door's internal space rather than encroaching on the refrigerator's storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting mechanism utilizes the vertical dimension within the door structure, positioning the driving part in the door body and the support assembly in the drawer part. This dimensional arrangement allows the mechanism to operate within the existing door thickness without reducing the horizontal storage capacity of the refrigerator.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the lifting mechanism is disposed inside the refrigerator, then safety and aesthetics are improved by hiding the mechanism, but serviceability deteriorates requiring door separation
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting mechanism is segmented into two main parts: the driving part integrated into the door body and the support assembly positioned in the drawer part. This segmentation allows the support assembly to be accessed and serviced by simply removing the drawer, while the driving part remains protected within the door structure, balancing safety with serviceability.
3Force
If a motor of the driving part increases in size to provide sufficient force for elevation, then elevation capability is improved, but internal volume loss and noise become larger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces a direct-drive motor system with a mechanical transmission system consisting of a screw unit and screw holder. This mechanical substitution allows for force amplification through mechanical advantage, enabling sufficient elevation force to be generated with a smaller motor, thereby reducing internal volume requirements and noise levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The screw mechanism changes the mechanical parameters by converting rotational motion into linear motion with force multiplication. This parameter transformation allows a small motor to generate sufficient elevation force through the mechanical advantage provided by the screw thread geometry.
4Ease of operation
If the driving part pushes one end of the support assembly, then elevation is achieved, but deflected load and instability occur due to eccentric load
Solution Approach 1:
The support assembly is designed with an asymmetric structure where one end is positioned closer to the door than the other. This asymmetric positioning, combined with the screw mechanism, allows the load to be distributed more effectively, reducing deflected load and improving stability during elevation operations.
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 design improves safety, aesthetics, and storage efficiency by hiding the lifting mechanism, providing stable and convenient elevation of heavy objects, and reducing noise, while ensuring accurate operation detection to prevent malfunctions.
Implementation Method 1
a motor assembly; a screw unit including a screw that rotates by the motor assembly and a screw holder elevated along the screw
Implementation Method 2
a lever configured to connect the screw holder to the elevation device, the lever rotating by the elevation of the screw holder
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a storage chamber, a drawer door, a rail that slidably couples the drawer door to the cabinet, a driving device provided in the door part, an elevation device provided in the drawer part to vertically ascend or descend at least a portion of the drawer part, and an elevation detection device. The drawer door includes a drawer part configured to be inserted into and withdrawn out of the storage chamber and a door part coupled to the drawer part and configured to open and close the storage chamber. The driving device includes a motor assembly, a screw assembly having a screw and a screw holder, and a lever that couples the screw holder to the elevation device and is configured to be rotated based on the movement of the screw holder along the screw.