Refrigerator Inner Liner Forming With Pre-Mounted Components

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for constructing refrigerator appliances are time-consuming due to the need to mount components to the inner liner after thermoforming, and they suffer from insulation leaks through gaps between components and the liner, requiring extensive taping or gap filling.

Innovation Solution

A method involving mounting interior components to a mold body, applying a liner material, and then removing the inner liner, which allows components to be pre-mounted before liner formation, reducing construction time and eliminating gaps by applying insulation directly between the liner and outer casing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If components are mounted to the inner liner after thermoforming, then the inner liner can be formed first, but the construction time increases and gaps occur between components and the liner

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinner liner formationVSAvoidconstruction time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Components are mounted to the mold body before the liner material is applied and thermoformed. This preliminary mounting action allows components to be positioned and secured in advance, eliminating the need for post-formation mounting operations and reducing overall construction time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The conventional sequence is inverted: instead of forming the liner first and then mounting components, components are mounted first to the mold body, and then the liner material is applied over them during thermoforming. This reversal eliminates gaps between components and the liner while reducing construction time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Stability of the object's composition

If components are mounted to the inner liner after thermoforming, then the inner liner structure is complete, but insulation leaks occur through gaps requiring taping or gap filling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinner liner structureVSAvoidinsulation integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Components are pre-mounted to the mold body with positioning features that ensure they will be fully encapsulated by the liner material. This preliminary positioning prevents gaps from forming, ensuring insulation integrity without requiring post-assembly taping or gap filling operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The problem of gap formation is eliminated by extracting components from the post-formation mounting process and relocating them to the pre-formation mounting stage on the mold body, where they can be fully encapsulated by the liner material during thermoforming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If components are mounted after liner formation, then the liner can be thermoformed freely, but the mounting process becomes time consuming and complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliner thermoforming freedomVSAvoidmounting process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Components are pre-mounted to the mold body using simple attachment methods before the liner material is applied. This eliminates complex post-formation mounting operations while maintaining liner thermoforming freedom, as the liner is formed over the already-positioned components in a single continuous process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The component mounting process and liner thermoforming process are merged into a single integrated operation. Components are mounted to the mold body, and then the liner material is applied and thermoformed over them in one continuous sequence, eliminating the need for separate mounting operations and reducing overall process complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 approach reduces construction time and eliminates the need for gap filling, enhancing the efficiency and insulation integrity of refrigerator appliance assembly.

Implementation Method 1

applying a liner material to the mold body and removing an inner liner of the refrigerator appliance from the mold body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCuring:

Data Source

PatentUS9505150B2Method for constructing a refrigerator appliance

Publication Date: 2016.11.29 HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

A method for constructing a refrigerator appliance is provided. The method includes mounting a plurality of interior components of the refrigerator appliance to a mold body, applying a liner material to the mold body and removing an inner liner of the refrigerator appliance from the mold body. The method can assist with limiting mounting of components of the refrigerator appliance to the inner liner after formation of the inner liner.