Refrigerator comprising vacuum space
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators require thick insulating materials to achieve effective heat insulation, which increases the appliance's size, contradicting the trend of making refrigerators more compact while maintaining a larger storage volume.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a vacuum space between the outer and inner cases, supported by a reinforcing structure and a porous material to prevent heat radiation and conduction, with a getter to absorb gases, allowing for enhanced heat insulation without the need for thick insulating materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If thick insulating material is used to achieve effective heat insulation, then heat insulation performance is improved, but the refrigerator size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the insulating medium from solid (insulating material) to vacuum (gas removal), fundamentally altering the heat transfer mechanism. This parameter change enables superior heat insulation performance without requiring thick walls, as vacuum provides the highest thermal resistance possible.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the gas molecules from the insulating space between inner and outer cases, creating a vacuum environment. By removing the heat transfer medium (gas), the system achieves excellent heat insulation without needing thick solid insulating materials, thus reducing the overall refrigerator size.
2Loss of energy
If vacuum space is formed to enhance heat insulation and reduce size, then heat insulation performance is improved and refrigerator size is reduced, but structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the vacuum space into multiple smaller vacuum chambers separated by partition walls. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain structural integrity while preserving the vacuum insulation effect, as the partition walls provide structural support without compromising the vacuum environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining the vacuum space with strategically placed reinforcing ribs and partition walls. This composite structure integrates the thermal insulation function (vacuum) with the structural support function (ribs and partitions), achieving both heat insulation performance and structural strength simultaneously.
3Volume of stationary object
If vacuum space is formed to reduce refrigerator size while maintaining storage space, then compactness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates vacuum maintenance features (getter, sealing structures) during the initial manufacturing and assembly process. By preparing the vacuum space and installing maintenance components beforehand, the system ensures long-term vacuum stability without requiring complex operational interventions, thus balancing manufacturing complexity with operational simplicity.
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 design achieves superior heat insulation compared to conventional methods, enabling a compact refrigerator with a maintained storage space and reduced external size, as the vacuum space's effectiveness is independent of its thickness.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum space provided between the inner case and the outer case sealed to maintain a vacuum state for heat insulating between the inner case and the outer case
Implementation Method 2
heat insulating between the inner case and the outer case
Implementation Method 3
a porous material arranged in the vacuum space for preventing at least one of heat radiation, and heat conduction caused by gas between the inner case and the outer case from taking place
Implementation Method 4
a getter arranged in the vacuum space for absorbing gas from the vacuum space
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
This invention relates to refrigerators, and more particularly to a refrigerator in which a vacuum space (130) is formed between an outer case (120) and an inner case (110) of a body (1) thereof for enhancing a heat insulating function. The refrigerator includes a body (1) having a storage space (111) for storing a predetermined storage object, wherein the body (1) includes an inner case (110) having the storage space (111), an outer case (120) having an inside surface spaced a predetermined gap from an outside surface of the inner case (110) to house the inner case (110), and a vacuum space (130) provided between the inner case (110) and the outer case (120) sealed to maintain a vacuum state for heat insulating between the inner case (110) and the outer case (120).