refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators face challenges in maintaining main body stiffness and uniform temperature distribution due to reduced insulation thickness, leading to deformation and compromised insulation performance, while also needing improved space utilization and fire safety for electronic components.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a refrigerator design that includes a reinforcement structure using a steel reinforcement plate in the electronic box and an improved cool air duct with a metal front panel and blowing fan mounting unit to maintain uniform temperature and reduce deformation, along with a heat dissipation pipe to prevent dew formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the thickness of insulation is reduced to increase inner capacity, then the inner volume of the main body is increased, but the main body stiffness is weakened and deformation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines plastic inner casing, steel outer casing, and insulation material into a composite structure. The steel reinforcement plate integrated into the plastic inner casing creates a composite component that provides both the necessary stiffness and the required inner volume, resolving the contradiction between reduced insulation thickness and maintained structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The main body is divided into distinct functional components: plastic inner casing, steel outer casing, insulation layer, and steel reinforcement plate. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the reinforcement plate provides structural support while the insulation provides thermal isolation, enabling inner capacity increase without compromising stiffness.
2Volume of stationary object
If the thickness of insulation is reduced to increase inner capacity, then the inner volume of the main body is increased, but deformation of the main body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure of plastic inner casing with integrated steel reinforcement plate maintains the outer shape stability while allowing reduced insulation thickness. The steel reinforcement plate specifically counteracts the deformation that would otherwise occur when insulation thickness is reduced, preserving the main body geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The steel reinforcement plate is strategically positioned in specific areas of the plastic inner casing where deformation is most likely to occur. This localized reinforcement provides shape stability exactly where needed, allowing the overall insulation thickness to be reduced while maintaining structural integrity in critical areas.
3Volume of stationary object
If the thickness of insulation is reduced, then the inner capacity is increased, but insulation performance is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining plastic inner casing, steel outer casing, and insulation material. This multi-material approach allows for optimized thermal performance even with reduced insulation thickness, as the steel components provide additional thermal barrier properties while maintaining structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The steel reinforcement plate serves dual functions: structural reinforcement and additional thermal insulation. By adding this dimensional element to the wall structure, the patent compensates for the reduced insulation thickness in the radial direction, maintaining insulation performance while increasing inner capacity.
4Volume of stationary object
If the thickness of insulation is reduced, then the inner capacity is increased, but the stiffness of inner casing and outer casing is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic inner casing is combined with steel reinforcement plate to create a composite structure with enhanced stiffness. This composite material approach allows the casing to maintain its rigidity and structural stability even when the insulation thickness is reduced, resolving the contradiction between increased inner capacity and maintained casing stiffness.
Solution Approach 2:
The casing system is segmented into plastic inner casing, steel reinforcement plate, and steel outer casing. This segmentation allows the steel reinforcement plate to specifically address the stiffness requirement, while the plastic inner casing provides the necessary inner volume, enabling reduced insulation thickness without compromising overall structural stability.
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 stiffness of the refrigerator, maintains uniform temperature distribution, reduces deformation, and improves energy efficiency while ensuring fire safety and efficient heat dissipation.
Implementation Method 1
The insulation is foamed between the inner casing and the outer casing of the main body so as to prevent leakage of cool air from the storage chamber
Implementation Method 2
the main body is thermally contracted. The inner casing may be generally formed of a plastic material, and the outer casing may be generally formed of steel. The degree of thermal contraction of the plastic material may be higher than that of the steel material by about 5 times or higher
Data Source
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AI summary
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator configured to improve main body stiffness, which is decreased as thickness of an insulation material is reduced to increase inner capacity of the main body, using a reinforcement structure, resulting in reduction of deformation of the main body. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator in which an electronic box including various electronic constituent elements needed to control the operation of the refrigerator is disposed in a hinge cover provided in a forward direction of an upper part of the main body, resulting in improved space utilization (or space occupancy). Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator in which a reinforcement plate formed of steel is contained in the electronic box, such that, although a fire breaks out in constituent elements contained in the electronic box, the refrigerator can prevent the fire from spreading to the outside of the electronic box using the steel reinforcement plate.