Refrigerator Drawer Rack Gear Assembly for Maximum Opening Distance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator drawer systems face limitations in opening distance due to guide rack design, leading to incomplete opening, potential damage from item weight, and unwanted movement during storage or retrieval, causing user discomfort and reliability issues.
Innovation Solution
A rack gear assembly with a linkage system that allows sequential engagement of rack members with the pinion, ensuring complete drawer opening and preventing unwanted closure, featuring a movement guiding groove and confining module to maintain precise engagement and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the guide rack is installed within the cabinet without protruding outward, then the cabinet structure remains compact, but the drawer opening distance is limited and cannot be completely opened
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rack is extended outward from the cabinet in the lateral dimension rather than occupying internal space, allowing the drawer to travel a greater distance along the rack's length while maintaining compact cabinet internal dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The guide rack structure is divided into segments: a fixed portion mounted on the cabinet and an extendable portion that protrudes outward, allowing independent optimization of cabinet internal space and drawer opening distance
2Extent of automation
If the storage room sits on the guide rack and moves, then the drawer can be opened automatically, but the center portion of the storage room deforms downward due to item weight causing imprecise engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The linkage mechanism dynamically adjusts the connection between the storage room and guide rack during movement, compensating for deformation caused by item weight and maintaining precise engagement throughout the opening sequence
Solution Approach 2:
The linkage mechanism acts as an intermediary between the storage room and guide rack, absorbing the effects of storage room deformation and ensuring continuous precise engagement with the pinion during drawer opening
3Device complexity
If the drawer is provided in the lower portion of the cabinet, then the cabinet structure is simplified, but the user must bend over at the waist creating user discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The storage room is equipped with automatic opening capability through the linkage mechanism and pinion system, allowing the drawer to open and close automatically without requiring manual effort from the user, thereby maintaining simple cabinet structure while improving ease of operation
4Strength
If the pinion and guide rack are spaced apart due to storage room deformation, then the drawer can accommodate item weight, but the gear teeth do not engage exactly causing collision and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The linkage mechanism provides continuous feedback adjustment during drawer opening, detecting and compensating for spacing variations between the pinion and guide rack caused by storage room deformation, ensuring precise gear tooth engagement throughout the movement
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
The solution maximizes drawer opening distance for easy item access, prevents operational malfunctions, and maintains precise engagement to prevent damage and noise, enhancing user convenience and refrigerator reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a rack and the pinion are installed at each of the drawer and the storage chamber in the cabinet opposed to the drawer such that the drawer is automatically moved forward and backward
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a refrigerator including a rack gear assembly provided on a lower surface of a drawer, wherein the rack gear assembly has a first rack member and a second rack member sequentially moved forward such that an opening distance of the drawer is maximized, and a wing end of the second rack member and a blocking part of a bottom of a storage chamber are provided such that exact engagement of a rack gear with a pinion is maintained during opening of the drawer. In addition, while the drawer is opened, an unwanted movement of the drawer in a closing direction thereof is prevented.