Refrigerator Ice Transfer Chute Layout for Door Ice Storage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators face challenges in efficiently making and storing ice, which increases power consumption and reduces storage space due to the need for continuous cool air supply to the ice making compartment, leading to increased power consumption and reduced accommodation space.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an ice maker in the freezing compartment and an ice transfer device with an ice chute that transfers ice to an ice bank on the door, optimizing ice storage and reducing the need for continuous cool air supply by using an angled ice chute and lifters to manage ice transfer efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an ice making compartment is provided in the refrigerating compartment door, then ice can be made and stored, but the volume of the refrigerating compartment door is increased and accommodation space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ice making compartment is extracted from the refrigerating compartment door and relocated to the freezing compartment. This separation allows the refrigerating compartment door to maintain its original volume and accommodation space while the ice making function is preserved in the freezing compartment where space is more abundant.
2Productivity
If cool air is continuously supplied to the ice making compartment, then ice can be made efficiently, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ice making compartment is merged with the freezing compartment, allowing both ice making and food freezing to share the same thermal environment. This eliminates the need for separate cool air supply systems and reduces overall power consumption while maintaining efficient ice production.
Solution Approach 2:
The freezing compartment serves multiple functions: it freezes food items and simultaneously makes ice. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated ice making equipment and continuous cool air supply, thereby lowering power consumption while maintaining ice production capability.
3Productivity
If the ice chute extends at a steep angle from the housing, then ice transfer is efficient, but ice may be damaged during transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The ice chute is designed with a curved surface instead of a steep straight angle. This curvature allows ice to roll smoothly during transfer, reducing impact forces and preventing damage while maintaining efficient transfer speed from the freezing compartment to the refrigerating compartment door.
4Device complexity
If the ice chute inlet is positioned at the bottom of the housing, then ice transfer is simple, but ice may accumulate in the housing
Solution Approach 1:
The ice chute inlet is positioned at the side wall of the housing rather than at the bottom, changing the spatial dimension of ice entry. This side-positioned inlet allows ice to be directed into the chute more effectively, preventing accumulation in the housing while maintaining a simple transfer mechanism without complex additional components.
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 solution enhances ice making efficiency, reduces power consumption, and increases storage capacity by allowing ice production in the freezing compartment, improving cooling efficiency and saving energy while preventing ice damage during transfer.
Implementation Method 1
an inlet end of the ice chute is located at a point that is spaced upward from a bottom surface of the housing and the ice chute extends, from the inlet end, upward from a horizontal plane at an angle
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, a refrigerating compartment door, an ice maker disposed in the freezing compartment, and an ice bank disposed on the door. The refrigerator also includes an ice transfer device configured to transfer ice made by the ice maker to the ice bank through an ice chute. The ice transfer device includes a housing and a transfer member configured to transfer ice from the housing into the ice chute. An inlet end of the ice chute is located at a point that is spaced upward from a bottom surface of the housing and extends upward from a horizontal plane at an angle that is less than an angle between the horizontal plane and a tangent that passes through an outer circumferential surface of the housing at a lower end of the inlet end of the ice chute.