Refrigerator Having Improved Ice-Making Unit Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with ice-making units have inefficient use of space in the storage compartment, leading to reduced capacity and non-uniform ice discharge due to the horizontal orientation of ice storage containers and the placement of ice shredders and movers, which affects the amount and distribution of ice supplied to the dispenser.
Innovation Solution
The refrigerator features an ice storage container with a rear wall surface inclined at an angle of 20° to 60°, a shaking lever, an ice mover with a spiral blade, and a discharging lever to optimize space usage, enhance capacity, and ensure uniform ice discharge by using the inclined design to facilitate efficient ice movement and shredding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the ice storage container is disposed horizontally in the front-rear direction, then the ice storage container can be provided in the storage compartment, but the spatial efficiency of the storage compartment decreases and the capacity of the ice storage container is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the orientation of the ice storage container from horizontal (front-rear direction) to vertical (up-down direction), utilizing the vertical dimension of the storage compartment. This dimensional change allows the container to fit into unused vertical space, thereby increasing both the capacity of the ice storage container and the spatial efficiency of the storage compartment simultaneously.
2Ease of operation
If the ice storage container is disposed horizontally, then the ice storage unit can be provided, but the ice is not provided uniformly due to non-uniform discharge
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the container orientation from horizontal to vertical, the discharge characteristics improve. The vertical orientation combined with the ice outlet at the lower end enables more uniform ice discharge under gravitational influence, addressing the uniformity issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an inclined bottom surface in the ice storage container, creating a gravitational equipotential gradient that directs ice uniformly toward the outlet. This inclined surface ensures that ice cubes experience consistent gravitational force directed toward the discharge point, improving discharge uniformity.
3Volume of moving object
If the ice storage container is vertically provided to increase capacity, then the capacity increases, but the shredded ice piles up in the outlet path
Solution Approach 1:
The inclined bottom surface creates a gravitational gradient that prevents ice pileup by directing all ice cubes toward the outlet. The inclination angle is optimized to ensure that shredded ice, which has irregular shapes and smaller sizes, can still flow smoothly without piling up, while maintaining the vertical orientation for increased capacity.
4Ease of operation
If the ice outlet is provided in the lateral side of the ice storage container, then the ice can be discharged, but the amount of ice discharged is not uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the ice outlet at the lower end of the vertically oriented container and incorporates an inclined bottom surface. This configuration creates a gravitational equipotential field that uniformly directs ice toward the outlet, ensuring uniform discharge amounts. The outlet position is strategically placed to maximize gravitational influence on ice flow.
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 configuration improves spatial efficiency, increases the ice storage container capacity, and ensures a uniform amount of ice is supplied to the dispenser, preventing ice pileup and enhancing the overall performance of the ice-making system.
Implementation Method 1
an ice outlet, which is provided in a rear wall surface of the ice storage container, is downwardly inclined to the storage compartment
Implementation Method 2
an ice mover having a spiral blade, which rotates to move the ice cubes stored in the ice storage container to the ice outlet
Implementation Method 3
a shaking lever bent from the rotating shaft and extending inside of the ice storage container, and shaking the ice cubes stored in the ice storage container
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Provided is a refrigerator including a main body cabinet (1) forming a storage compartment; a door (4,5) operable to open and close the storage compartment; an ice tray (30) provided in the door (4) and capable of making ice cubes; and an ice storage container (40) receiving the ice cubes made by the ice tray (30), and having an ice outlet (43) formed in a lower part thereof and a rear wall surface (41) forming an angle of inclination with respect to a level surface.