Refrigerator Pressure Equalization Structure for Easy Door Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators with direct cooling systems face difficulties in opening the door due to pressure differences between the inside and outside, especially when they do not have a defrosting operation, and existing pressure difference removal structures are complex to assemble and maintain.
Innovation Solution
A pressure adjustment device that passes through the inner and outer cases of the refrigerator, comprising a connecting tube, a main tube, and an opening/closing unit, which communicates the inside and outside of the refrigerator to equalize pressure when the door is opened, facilitating door opening and preventing cold air leakage when closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pressure difference removing structure is disposed in a machinery room or refrigerator main body, then the pressure difference between inside and outside of the refrigerator can be removed, but the assembling becomes complicated and repair service becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure adjustment device is segmented into separate components: a connecting tube passing through the cabinet wall, a main tube coupled from the outside, and an opening/closing unit disposed within the main tube. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured and assembled independently, simplifying the overall assembly process while maintaining the pressure equalization function.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening/closing unit is extracted from the internal machinery room and placed within the main tube that extends to the outside of the cabinet. This extraction makes the pressure adjustment mechanism accessible from the exterior, enabling easy maintenance and repair without disassembling the refrigerator's internal components.
2Reliability
If the defrosted water discharge passage is used as the passage for connecting the inside and outside of the refrigerator, then the pressure difference can be removed, but it requires a defrosting operation structure which complicates the system
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting tube is designed with universal functionality to serve both as a structural element passing through the cabinet wall and as a pressure equalization passage. By integrating these functions into a single component, the system avoids the need for separate defrosting operation structures while maintaining effective pressure difference removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure equalization function is extracted from the defrosted water discharge system and implemented through a dedicated connecting tube and main tube assembly. This separation eliminates the dependency on defrosting operation structures, simplifying the overall system while preserving the pressure balance capability.
3Device complexity
If a direct cooling-type refrigerator without defrosting operation is used, then the structure is simplified, but it becomes difficult to remove the pressure difference between inside and outside
Solution Approach 1:
The opening/closing unit is designed to automatically respond to pressure differences and door opening/closing actions. When the door opens, the pressure difference causes the opening/closing unit to activate, allowing air passage through the main tube to equalize pressure. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external defrosting operation structures, maintaining structural simplicity while ensuring reliable pressure difference removal in direct cooling-type refrigerators.
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
The solution simplifies the assembly and maintenance of the pressure difference removal system, enhances door opening ease, and prevents frost formation on the outer case through thermal insulation, improving the overall operational efficiency and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
an inside of the refrigerator communicates with an outside thereof through the pressure adjustment device so as to remove a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerator when the door is opened
Implementation Method 2
a thermal insulator disposed in a space between the inner case and the outer case
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a pressure adjustment device that passes through an inner case and an outer case such that the inside and outside of the refrigerator communicate with each other, and the pressure adjustment device is opened and closed according to opening and closing of a door so as to remove a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerator, thereby facilitating opening of the door.