French-Door Refrigerator Pillar Linkage for Drawer Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dual door type refrigerators with a single storage compartment face user inconvenience due to protruding structures for guiding pillar rotation, which reduce storage capacity and require different drawer widths, and cause interference with baskets and drawers.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a first and second door with a link device system that rotates a pillar without protruding into the storage compartment, allowing for the same drawer widths and increased storage capacity by eliminating the need for protruding structures, and enabling the basket to have an angled corner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a protruding configuration is used to guide pillar rotation, then the pillar rotation is guided, but the storage capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pillar rotation guidance function from the storage compartment interior and relocates it to the door structure. The guide groove is formed on the door surface rather than protruding into the storage compartment, thus separating the guidance function from the storage space and eliminating the volume loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the pillar rotation guidance mechanism from a three-dimensional protruding structure into a two-dimensional surface feature on the door. By forming the guide groove on the door surface and having the pillar rotate along this groove, the mechanism achieves its guidance function without occupying storage compartment volume.
2Reliability
If the pillar is unfolded away from the door, then the sealing is improved, but the drawer path is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic pillar mechanism that automatically adjusts its position based on door opening/closing state. When the door is closed, the pillar unfolds to provide sealing contact. When the door is opened, the pillar folds back to clear the drawer path. This dynamic behavior resolves the conflict between sealing and drawer accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a spring mechanism to automatically fold the pillar back before the drawer needs to move. The spring stores energy during door closing (when pillar unfolds) and releases it during door opening (when pillar folds), ensuring the pillar is in the correct position in advance of drawer operation.
3Ease of operation
If the basket corner is curved to avoid pillar contact, then the pillar interference is prevented, but the storage capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the dynamic pillar mechanism to clear the interference zone during door rotation. Since the pillar automatically folds back when the door is opened, the basket can maintain sharp corners for maximum storage capacity without risking contact with the pillar during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the pillar from the interference zone by folding it back during door opening. This extracts the potential collision hazard from the system, allowing the basket to have optimal sharp-cornered geometry without the need for space-wasting curved corners.
4Ease of operation
If different drawer widths are provided, then the pillar path clearance is ensured, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic pillar mechanism that automatically adjusts its position based on door opening/closing state. When the door is closed, the pillar unfolds to provide sealing contact. When the door is opened, the pillar folds back to clear the drawer path. This dynamic behavior resolves the conflict between sealing and drawer accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes both drawers capable of having the same width by using the dynamic pillar mechanism. The pillar's automatic retraction during door opening creates sufficient clearance for both drawers to use identical dimensions, enabling standardized drawer manufacturing while maintaining proper operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a cabinet having a storage compartment, a first door pivotably installed to the cabinet, the first door being configured to open or close one side of the storage compartment, a second door pivotably installed to the cabinet, the second door being configured to open or close a remaining side of the storage compartment, the second door having a pillar configured to be rotated so as to come into contact with the first door, a first link device provided outside of the storage compartment, the first link device being operated in contact with the first door and the second door at a top of the cabinet, and a second link device configured to be operated by the first link device, the second link device serving to rotate the pillar.