Refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with moving baskets face challenges in supporting the weight of the baskets without damaging the door structure or reducing storage space, especially when the rail for guiding movement is visibly exposed and may compromise the door's appearance and functionality.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a moving basket system with an embedded rail in the door dike, where the rail is fully integrated and covered by a rail cover bracket, allowing the basket to move vertically without protruding, and using a supporter with rollers and a lever mechanism for adjustable positioning, supported by a spring and interlocking parts for secure operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rail is provided to guide the movement of the basket, then the basket can move vertically along the door, but the rail becomes visibly exposed and compromises the door's appearance
Solution Approach 1:
A rail cover bracket is introduced as an intermediary component that covers the exposed rail. The rail cover bracket is disposed at the door and covers the rail, allowing the basket to move along the rail while the rail remains hidden, thus maintaining the door's appearance while enabling basket movement.
2Shape
If the rail is embedded in the door structure, then the appearance is improved, but the installation complexity and potential damage to door structure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate modular components: the rail, the rail cover bracket, and the basket assembly. The rail is disposed independently within the door structure, the rail cover bracket is a separate component that covers the rail, and the basket assembly moves along the rail. This segmentation allows for easier installation and maintenance while maintaining aesthetic appearance.
3Strength
If the moving frame supports the basket weight, then load bearing is improved, but the door structure may be damaged by the concentrated load
Solution Approach 1:
The rail acts as an intermediary load-bearing element between the basket and the door structure. The moving frame is coupled to the rail through a supporter, allowing the basket weight to be transferred to the rail, which is then distributed to the door structure through the rail's mounting points. This distributes the concentrated load over a larger area, preventing damage to the door structure while maintaining load-bearing capacity.
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 design enhances the usability of the moving basket by maintaining the door's appearance and functionality while providing efficient vertical movement and load support, minimizing damage to the door structure and optimizing storage space.
Implementation Method 1
The outer parts of the rollers include an elastic material, and rollers are configured to elastically deform based on the rollers moving along the roller guide, and elastically restore at the roller openings to be partially inserted into the roller openings.
Implementation Method 2
A spring may be disposed between the operation unit and the lever, the spring being configured to return the operation unit and the lever to an original position.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator may include a cabinet disposed at a storage compartment, a door configured to open and close the storage compartment, a basket configured to accommodate goods, a moving frame coupled to a lower part of the basket, the moving frame being configured to support the basket, and to move vertically at the door in an integrated manner with the basket, a rail disposed at the door, and a supporter disposed between the moving frame and the rail to support the moving frame with respect to the rail.