Refrigerator Evaporator Hook-and-Insert Assembly for Gap Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional refrigerator evaporator assembly is inefficient due to screwing processes and variable gaps between the evaporator and cooling room, which affects air flow and heat exchange performance.

Innovation Solution

A combining member system that hooks and inserts the evaporator onto the cooling room's side, eliminating the need for screws and maintaining a constant gap, facilitating easier assembly and improved heat exchange by using a first combining member for vertical hooking and a second combining member for perpendicular insertion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional screwing process is used to assemble evaporator, then assembly is possible, but assembly efficiency is low and gaps between evaporator and cooling room vary

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly efficiencyVSAvoidgap consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The combining member is divided into two distinct parts: a first combining member with a hooking portion for vertical attachment, and a second combining member with an inserting portion for horizontal positioning. This segmentation allows each part to perform a specific function, enabling quick assembly while maintaining consistent gaps between the evaporator and cooling room.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The combining member acts as an intermediary component between the evaporator and the cooling room. It includes a hooking portion that attaches to the evaporator and an inserting portion that fits into the cooling room, thereby mediating the connection and ensuring proper positioning with consistent gaps without requiring direct screwing between the evaporator and cooling room.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If screwing process is used, then evaporator can be fixed, but assembly process becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveevaporator fixationVSAvoidassembly process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of screwing the evaporator directly into the cooling room (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by using a combining member that hooks onto the evaporator first, then inserts into the cooling room. This reversal simplifies the assembly process while maintaining reliable fixation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The screwing process is extracted and replaced by a hooking and inserting mechanism. The combining member is designed with a hooking portion that engages with the evaporator and an inserting portion that fits into the cooling room, eliminating the need for screws and simplifying the assembly process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If evaporator is assembled with variable gaps, then assembly is easier, but heat exchange performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly easeVSAvoidgap uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The combining member is designed with specific geometric parameters: the hooking portion has a predetermined shape that fits onto the evaporator, and the inserting portion has a complementary shape that fits into the cooling room. These parameter changes ensure that the evaporator is positioned at a constant distance from the cooling room, maintaining uniform gaps while simplifying assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of manufacture

If conventional assembly method is used, then evaporator can be installed, but air flow and heat exchange are affected by variable gaps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidheat exchange performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The combining member is pre-designed with a hooking portion and an inserting portion that automatically position the evaporator at the correct location and orientation. When assembled, the hooking portion attaches to the evaporator and the inserting portion fits into the cooling room, preliminarily establishing the correct position and ensuring uniform gaps before final installation, thereby maintaining reliable heat exchange performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Simplifies the assembly process and enhances heat exchange performance by ensuring consistent air flow and gap maintenance between the evaporator and cooling room.

Implementation Method 1

an evaporator arranged on a side of the cooling room for generating cold air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentUS10408527B2Refrigerator

Publication Date: 2019.09.10 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A refrigerator includes a first combining member arranged on a side of a cooling room such that the side of the cooling room and a side of a evaporator are hooked with each other in a first direction and a second combining member arranged on the side of the cooling room, the other side of the evaporator is inserted into the second combining member in a second direction, which is different from the first direction, to combine the other side of the evaporator and the one side of the cooling room. Assembly performance is improved with a combining member that facilitates an evaporator to be combined onto an inner side of a cooling room, and heat exchanging performance is improved by the combining member enabling the evaporator to be combined onto a side of the cooling member with a gap.