refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators do not allow users to check the contents inside without opening the door, leading to unnecessary cooling air leakage and inconvenience, and using transparent materials compromises insulation and appearance.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator with a selectively transparent sub-door and a lighting unit that can be operated by the user, allowing visibility inside while maintaining insulation and appearance, and a display unit that can be detached for easy installation and moisture protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the refrigerator door is made transparent to allow viewing of contents, then visibility of inside contents is improved, but insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The door is divided into multiple sections: opaque portions for insulation and a selectively transparent portion for viewing. This segmentation allows different parts of the door to serve different functions - the opaque portions maintain thermal insulation while the transparent portion enables visibility when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent portion of the door can dynamically change its transparency state between transparent and opaque based on user needs. This dynamic property allows the door to provide visibility on demand while maintaining insulation performance when viewing is not required.
2Loss of information
If the entire refrigerator door is opened to check contents, then visibility of inside contents is improved, but cooling air leakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The viewing function is extracted from the door opening operation. Instead of requiring the door to be opened to see contents, a separate transparent portion on the closed door provides viewing capability. This extraction eliminates the need to open the door for checking contents, thereby preventing cooling air leakage.
3Loss of energy
If a separate accommodation space is provided at the door to minimize door opening, then cooling air leakage is reduced, but accessibility to check contents becomes inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent portion acts as an intermediary that enables viewing of contents without physical access through door opening. This intermediary provides a new pathway for obtaining information about contents - visual inspection through the transparent portion - eliminating the need to open the door or access separate accommodation spaces.
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 check contents without opening the door, minimizing cooling air leakage and maintaining insulation and appearance, while providing a flexible and user-friendly display solution.
Implementation Method 1
a lighting unit provided inside the refrigerator and turned on according to the operating detection of the detection device when the sub-door is closed to make the panel assembly appear transparent
Implementation Method 2
A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet forming a storage space, a main door opening and closing the storage space, and having an opening part communicated with the storage space and a sub-door rotatably mounted on the main door and opening and closing the opening part, and the refrigerator includes a panel assembly provided in the sub-door and selectively viewing an inside of the opening part
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet (10) forming a storage space, a main door (40) opening and closing at least a portion of the storage space and having an opening part (403) communicated with the storage space, and a sub-door (50) rotatably mounted on the main door (40) and opening and closing the opening part (403), a panel assembly (54) provided in the sub-door (50), and allowing selectively viewing an inside of the opening part (403) by a user; a detection device (82) for detecting a user's operation; a lighting unit (85) provided inside the refrigerator, and turned on according to the operating detection of the detection device (82) while the door (100) is closed to make the panel assembly (54) appear transparent; and a display unit (60) provided inside the refrigerator corresponding to the panel assembly (54) and being visible when the lighting unit (85) is turned on to display an operation state of the refrigerator (10), wherein display installing protrusions (435) are formed at both inner side surfaces of the opening part (403), and wherein display guides (634) are formed at both of left and right side surfaces of the display unit (60) and coupled to the display installing protrusions (435), wherein when the lighting unit (85) and the display unit (60) are turned on, an interior of the storage space and the operation state of the refrigerator are visible through the panel assembly from an outside of the refrigerator.