Refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators require opening the door to confirm the storage of food, leading to unnecessary leakage of cool air and increased door opening times, especially when the stored position is unknown.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator with a selectively transparent door that allows users to see inside without opening it, featuring a transparent display assembly with a light guide plate and display light, which can be made opaque or display a screen, and is designed to prevent damage from door impacts and long-term use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the refrigerator door is made transparent to allow users to see inside, then users can verify stored food without opening the door, but the door structure becomes more complex and vulnerable to damage from impacts and long-term use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing a light guide plate stopper that protrudes between the end of the light guide plate and the display light. This stopper prevents the display light from coming into contact with the light guide plate end, cushioning against potential damage before it occurs during door operation or impacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by positioning the light guide plate stopper in advance to prevent contact between the display light and light guide plate end. This preliminary positioning ensures that even during door opening/closing operations or external impacts, the components cannot come into contact and cause damage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the light guide plate is made movable to adjust positioning, then installation flexibility is improved, but the risk of contact with display light and component damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by providing the light guide plate stopper that actively prevents the harmful contact between the light guide plate end and display light. The stopper creates a physical barrier that counteracts the potential harmful movement before contact can occur.
3Ease of operation
If the transparent display assembly is added to the door, then users can see inside the refrigerator, but the door structure becomes more complex and PCB/cable management becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies taking out by extracting the PCB and cable from the transparent display assembly and disposing them separately in the door. This separation simplifies the transparent display assembly structure while maintaining the visibility function, and allows independent management of electrical components.
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 verify stored food without opening the door, reducing cool air leakage and door opening frequency, while maintaining stable light guide plate support and preventing damage to display components.
Implementation Method 1
a display light disposed outside the light guide plate to emit light to an end of the light guide plate
Implementation Method 2
a light guide plate spaced apart from the display to brighten up the display
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a door, and a transparent display assembly covering an opening of the door through which an inside of the refrigerator is visible. The transparent display assembly includes a front panel, a rear panel defining, a display disposed between the front and second panels, a light guide plate spaced apart from the display, a spacer disposed between the front panel and the light guide plate and configured to maintain a predetermined distance between the light guide plate and the display, a display light configured to emit light to the light guide plate, and a light guide plate stopper disposed between an end of the light guide plate and the display light and configured to prevent the display light from contacting the end of the light guide plate by protruding toward the light guide plate further than the display light.