Refrigerator Nested Container Design to Reduce Cool Air Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators face challenges in user convenience and power consumption due to frequent door openings and the need for separate doors for main and subsidiary storage chambers, leading to cool air loss and increased energy usage.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a cabinet with a rotatable container and a unique hinge mechanism that allows the container to be accessed without opening the main door, using a second hinge member with interconnected links to maintain insulation and reduce door thickness, thereby minimizing cool air leakage and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a separate door is provided for the subsidiary storage chamber, then the user can access the subsidiary storage chamber independently, but the door thickness becomes insufficient and cool air loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container defining the subsidiary storage chamber is nested within the first storage area and can be rotated independently by a second hinge member, allowing access to the subsidiary storage chamber without opening the main door. This nested configuration enables the container to function as an independent access unit while maintaining the integrity of the main door insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage system is segmented into a main first storage area and a separate container defining a second storage area. The container can be rotated independently by the second hinge member, allowing users to access the subsidiary storage chamber without opening the main door. This segmentation enables independent access while preserving the thermal insulation of the main door.
2Device complexity
If the door thickness is reduced to accommodate the hinge mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The second hinge member is installed on the cabinet rather than on the door, shifting the hinge mechanism from the door plane to the cabinet structure. This dimensional relocation allows the door to maintain its full thickness for optimal insulation while still enabling rotation of the container through the cabinet-mounted hinge mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The cabinet serves as an intermediary structure that hosts the second hinge member, mediating between the door and the container. By installing the hinge on the cabinet rather than the door, the system achieves the desired rotational functionality while preserving the door's thermal insulation properties.
3Reliability
If a defrost heater is installed, then the reliability of the storage chamber is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The defrost heater component is extracted and removed from the system. The patent achieves reliable storage chamber function through the insulated door structure and sealed gasket configuration, eliminating the need for active heating systems and thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining storage reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage chamber maintains its thermal integrity through the insulated door and gasket seal, which self-regulate temperature without requiring active defrosting mechanisms. The system relies on passive thermal management through proper insulation rather than active heating, reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a refrigerator including a cabinet defining a first storage area to store food, a door connected to the cabinet by first hinge members, so as to be rotatable about a first rotary shaft located at the front portion of the cabinet, and opening and closing the first storage area, a gasket provided on the door, and a container defining a second storage area received in the first storage area and being rotatable by a second hinge member installed on the cabinet.