Refrigerator Ventilation Door with Mechanical Guideway Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator ventilation systems are complex, costly, and energy-consuming due to the need for electric air doors to control cooling air flow rates, lacking simplicity and energy efficiency in adjustment mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A ventilation door device with a simple structure that adjusts ventilation area by shifting a door plate using an obliquely disposed guideway and guide post, allowing manual adjustment without electrical energy consumption, featuring rectangular openings and protruding guideways for reduced mass and labor-saving operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an electric air door is used to control cooling air flow rate, then the adjustment accuracy and controllability are improved, but the device complexity, cost, and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electric air door with a mechanical adjustment system consisting of an adjustable baffle plate guided by guide posts and guideways. This mechanical system achieves accurate flow rate control through physical positioning of the baffle plate at different angles, eliminating the need for electric motors, sensors, and control electronics while maintaining adjustment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses simple, inexpensive mechanical components such as metal baffle plates, guide posts, and guideways instead of expensive electric actuators. These mechanical parts are durable and can be manually adjusted without requiring power supplies, control systems, or maintenance of electrical components, significantly reducing both initial cost and operational complexity.
2Ease of operation
If an electric air door is used to control cooling air flow rate, then the controllability is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanical adjustment system where users directly manipulate the baffle plate position to control air flow. The system requires no external power source, control electronics, or energy-consuming actuators. The guide posts and guideways provide self-contained mechanical guidance that maintains positional stability without energy input, achieving complete energy independence for the flow control function.
3Volume of moving object
If the door plate is recessed inwardly to form the guideway, then the structure is compact, but the door plate thickness increases and mass increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of recessing the guideway into the door plate (which would require thicker material), the patent inverts the design by protruding the guideway structure outward from the door plate surface. This inversion allows the use of thinner door plate material while maintaining the necessary guideway structure for mechanical guidance, thereby reducing the overall mass of the moving door assembly.
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
The solution provides accurate, reliable, and energy-efficient control of ventilation area, reducing operational complexity and costs while enhancing user convenience in temperature adjustment within refrigerator compartments.
Implementation Method 1
the guideway is disposed obliquely on the door plate. The guide post drives the door plate to shift in a direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the adjustment member when the adjustment member moves
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerator (10), and ventilation door device (100) thereof. The ventilation door device (100) comprises: a bottom frame (110) provided with a ventilation opening (112); a door plate (120) disposed abutting the bottom frame (110), configured to shift in a parallel plane of the bottom frame (110) so as to adjust an area of the ventilation opening (112), and having, at a side opposite to the bottom frame (110), a guideway (122) forming a predetermined angle with respect to the shifting direction of the door plate (120); and an adjustment member (130) having a guide post (132) protruding toward the guideway (122), wherein the guide post (132) is movably inserted in the guideway (122), and upon moving of the adjustment member (130) in a direction perpendicular to the shifting direction of the door plate (120), the guide post (132) drives the door plate (120) to shift. The refrigerator (10) comprises storage compartments (101, 102, 103) and an air channel (300) and the ventilation door device (100) configured to deliver cooling air to the storage compartments (101, 102, 103). The bottom frame (110) is disposed in the air channel (300), and the cooling air flow rate of the air channel (300) is adjusted by adjusting the ventilation area of the ventilation opening (112).