Refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerator designs with guide bars at the upper ends of storage container side walls reduce the effective space of the storage compartment, leading to wasted space, which needs to be minimized.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates guide bars at the lower ends of the storage container side walls with rail units installed on the bottom surface of the storage compartment, using foam insulation material for self-insertion without a separate coupling member to support the rail units, allowing for efficient space utilization and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If guide bars are installed at the upper ends of storage container side walls, then the storage container structure is simplified, but the effective space of the storage compartment decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional location of guide bars from the upper ends to the lower ends of the storage container side walls. This inversion allows the guide bars to be positioned in the previously wasted lower space, thereby utilizing dead space and increasing the effective storage volume without complicating the container structure.
2Volume of moving object
If rail units are installed on the bottom surface of the storage compartment, then the wasted space is reduced, but the assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rail units are designed with self-aligning features including positioning protrusions that fit into corresponding recesses on the bottom surface. This self-aligning mechanism allows the rail units to be automatically positioned during assembly, reducing the need for complex alignment procedures and specialized installation tools, thereby minimizing assembly complexity while enabling installation on the bottom surface to reduce wasted space.
3Device complexity
If foam insulation material is used to fix the support member, then the number of coupling members is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is equipped with pre-formed positioning protrusions that are precisely manufactured during the molding process. These protrusions are designed to fit into corresponding recesses with predetermined tolerances, establishing precise alignment before the foam insulation material is applied. This preliminary precision positioning ensures that the subsequent foam filling process does not compromise alignment, thereby reducing the number of coupling members needed while maintaining adequate manufacturing precision.
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 configuration reduces wasted space in the storage compartment by optimizing the placement of guide bars and rail units, enhancing the structural alignment and assembly process while maintaining effective support for sliding storage containers.
Implementation Method 1
a foam insulation material blown into a space between the inner case and the outer case
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a storage container configured to slide into and out of a storage compartment and a rail unit configured to guide movement of the storage container and a support member disposed in the storage compartment to support the rail unit and coupled to a bottom side of an inner case. Guide bars that guide movement of the storage containers are installed at lower ends of the storage container. Roller units are installed at the bottom surface of the storage compartment by using the foam insulation material blown into the space between the inner case and the outer case.