Insulated Refrigerator Viewing Door for Item Visibility

Solution Overview

Problem

Refrigerators face challenges in allowing users to identify stored items without opening the door, leading to potential temperature increases and increased power consumption due to the loss of cool air.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a deposition-treated glass member in the refrigerator door that allows light to pass through, along with a transparent plate and insulating gas, enabling users to see inside the refrigerator while maintaining insulation, and a light-emitting part to illuminate the storage compartment, allowing item location without opening the door.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the door is made opaque for insulation, then heat insulation performance is improved, but visibility of stored items deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat loss through doorVSAvoidvisibility of stored items

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The door is divided into multiple sections: opaque insulating portions and a transparent viewing window portion. This segmentation allows different parts of the door to serve different functions - the majority maintains insulation while a specific segment provides visibility without requiring the entire door to be transparent.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The door structure transitions from uniform opacity to having localized transparency. The viewing window portion is specifically positioned and sized to provide necessary visibility while minimizing impact on overall insulation. The light emitting part is also localized to illuminate only the storage compartment area visible through the window.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of information

If the door is opened to see stored items, then visibility of stored items is improved, but cool air loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of stored itemsVSAvoidcool air loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The viewing window with light emitting part and display unit provides visibility and information about stored items before the door is opened. Users can identify item locations and receive notifications about expired or soon-to-expire items through the display, enabling them to make decisions about what to retrieve without opening the door, thus preventing unnecessary cool air loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The viewing window acts as an intermediary that provides visual access to the storage compartment without requiring physical access by opening the door. The display unit serves as another intermediary, conveying information about stored items (such as expiration dates and storage status) without exposing the interior to ambient air.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If a transparent door is used for visibility, then visibility of stored items is improved, but insulation performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of stored itemsVSAvoidheat transfer through door

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The door is divided into multiple sections: opaque insulating portions and a transparent viewing window portion. This segmentation allows different parts of the door to serve different functions - the majority maintains insulation while a specific segment provides visibility without requiring the entire door to be transparent.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The door structure transitions from uniform opacity to having localized transparency. The viewing window portion is specifically positioned and sized to provide necessary visibility while minimizing impact on overall insulation. The light emitting part is also localized to illuminate only the storage compartment area visible through the window.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 perceive stored items without opening the door, reducing power consumption and maintaining insulation performance by allowing light to pass through while minimizing heat exchange.

Implementation Method 1

Gas for insulation is injected in a space formed between the glass member and the transparent plate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

a deposition treated layer formed on a rear surface of the glass member to allow light to partially pass through the glass member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Data Source

PatentUS9510696B2Refrigerator and method for controlling the same

Publication Date: 2016.12.06 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

Provided is a refrigerator, which includes a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, and a door assembly. The freezing compartment is adjacent to the refrigerating compartment. The door assembly selectively opens the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment. The door assembly includes a glass member defining a frontal exterior thereof and allowing an inside of the refrigerating compartment or the freezing compartment to be seen therethrough when the door assembly is closed, a deposition treated layer formed on a rear surface of the glass member to allow light to partially pass through the glass member, and a transparent plate spaced a predetermined distance from the glass member. Gas for insulation is injected in a space formed between the glass member and the transparent plate, and the space is sealed.