refrigerator
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators do not efficiently provide users with information about food stored in multiple containers without increasing the number of parts and components, leading to higher manufacturing costs and potential interference from heating elements.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design with antenna units and NFC tags in each storage container, connected via a single reader unit, allowing wireless communication and information display without exposing the antenna units, using a ferrite sheet to block radio interference from the heater, and a salinity sensor to measure food properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a sensor device is provided in each storage container to detect food state, then information on food can be acquired, but the number of parts increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple antenna units are merged into a single reader unit through cable connections, allowing one reader unit to communicate with multiple sensor devices. This reduces the number of independent communication devices needed while maintaining the ability to acquire information from multiple storage containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The single reader unit is designed to universally communicate with multiple antenna units and sensor devices through standardized cable connections, enabling one device to perform the function of multiple independent readers while reducing overall system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If antenna units are exposed in the storage compartment to communicate with sensor devices, then wireless communication is enabled, but radio interference from the heater affects communication reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The ferrite sheet acts as an intermediary material placed between the heater and antenna units. It selectively blocks radio frequency interference from the heater while allowing the antenna units to maintain their wireless communication function, thus protecting communication reliability without sacrificing ease of operation.
3Reliability
If multiple reader units are provided to communicate with sensor devices in each storage container, then communication reliability is improved, but the number of parts and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple antenna units that would otherwise require separate reader units are merged into a single reader unit through cable connections. This allows one reader unit to serve multiple storage containers, maintaining communication reliability across the system while reducing the total number of reader units needed.
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
Enables users to access information about food without opening containers, reduces part costs, and stabilizes data transmission by blocking radio interference from the heater, ensuring reliable communication and reduced manufacturing expenses.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor unit may include an NFC tag. The plurality of antenna units may respectively perform wireless communication with the sensor units adjacent thereto.
Implementation Method 2
A ferrite sheet is arranged between the heater and the antenna unit. The ferrite sheet may be arranged to fully cover an upper side of the heater while forming one plane.
Implementation Method 3
The refrigerator further comprises a heater for providing heat to increase a temperature of the storage compartment.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A refrigerator of the present invention comprises a cabinet having a storage compartment provided with a bottom surface; a plurality of food storage containers received in the storage compartment and mounted at an upper side of the bottom surface; each sensor unit respectively installed on lower surfaces of the plurality of food storage containers; a plurality of antenna units provided on the bottom surface of the storage compartment to respectively correspond to each sensor unit; and one reader unit to which signals transmitted from the plurality of antenna units are transferred, wherein the bottom surface partitions a lower external appearance of the storage compartment, and the sensor unit includes a salinity sensor for measuring salinity inside the food storage container and transmitting the measured salinity to the antenna units.