Refrigerator Stacking Support Module with Adjustable Guide Lever
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Solution Overview
Problem
Stacked small refrigerators tend to tilt or move when the upper unit is installed on a lower unit, and there is a need for a support system that allows for easy coupling and air circulation between the units without exposing the gap between them.
Innovation Solution
A support module with a main plate, leg, guide plate, and guide lever system that adjusts the inclination of the upper refrigerator and allows air to enter the gap between units, featuring a caster system for vertical movement and air flow management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the upper refrigerator is installed on top of the lower refrigerator, then the vertical stacking is achieved, but tilting and movement occur due to instability
Solution Approach 1:
The support module incorporates a guide lever that can vertically move along the guide plate, allowing the system to dynamically adjust to inclination changes. When the upper refrigerator tilts, the guide lever moves vertically to compensate, maintaining stable support rather than relying on a fixed rigid structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The support module changes the vertical position parameter of the guide lever along the guide plate to adapt to different inclination angles. By adjusting the vertical position of the guide lever, the system compensates for tilting and maintains proper stacking stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a support module is added to prevent tilting, then stability is improved, but the complexity of the stacking structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support module is divided into distinct functional components: a main plate for mounting, a guide plate for providing the vertical movement path, and a guide lever for active compensation. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while keeping the overall structure manageable and understandable.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide lever acts as an intermediary element between the fixed guide plate and the upper refrigerator. It mediates the inclination forces by moving vertically along the guide plate, providing a simple mechanical solution that prevents tilting without requiring complex active control systems.
3Shape
If the space between upper and lower refrigerators is covered, then aesthetics are improved, but air circulation is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The front cover is designed with air passage holes that allow air to flow through the cover and into the space between the upper and lower refrigerators. This porous design maintains the aesthetic appearance of a covered space while ensuring proper air circulation for heat dissipation and temperature consistency.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes a first refrigerator, a second refrigerator stackable on an upper side of the first refrigerator and including a caster disposed on a rear lower side thereof, and a support module disposed between the first refrigerator and the second refrigerator to allow the second refrigerator to be stacked on an upper side of the first refrigerator, wherein the support module includes a main plate coupled to an upper wall of the first refrigerator, a leg disposed on a front side of the main plate to support a front lower side of the second refrigerator, a guide plate coupled to a rear side of the main plate, and a guide lever vertically movably coupled to the guide plate so as to support the caster to move vertically.