refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators often require continuous supply of cooled water to both the ice maker and dispenser, leading to inefficiencies, especially when large amounts of water are dispensed, and lack the ability to selectively dispense purified water or control the amount of water dispensed.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design that includes a filter device for purifying external water, a water tank for cooling the purified water, and valves to selectively control the flow of cooled and purified water to the dispenser, allowing for user-defined amounts of purified water to be dispensed and branching the purified water supply to both the dispenser and ice maker.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cooled water is continuously supplied to both the ice maker and dispenser, then the ice maker can function properly, but the dispenser cannot dispense purified water or control the amount of water dispensed
Solution Approach 1:
The water supply system is segmented into separate pathways: one for cooled water to the ice maker and another for purified water to the dispenser. This allows independent control of each function while maintaining system simplicity through modular valve placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The water tank serves multiple functions by receiving purified water from the filter and then distributing it to both the ice maker (as cooled water) and the dispenser (as purified water), making a single component perform multiple roles in the water management system.
2Ease of operation
If a large amount of water is dispensed through the dispenser, then user convenience is improved, but cooling performance is reduced or dispensing becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the large-volume purified water dispensing function from the cooling function by providing dedicated pathways. The dispenser can draw purified water directly without depleting the cooled water supply, allowing large dispensing amounts while maintaining cooling performance for the ice maker.
3Reliability
If purified water is supplied directly to the ice maker, then water from freezing is prevented, but the dispenser loses the ability to dispense cooled water
Solution Approach 1:
The valve system segments the water supply to direct purified water specifically to the ice maker while maintaining separate access for the dispenser to obtain cooled water. This segmentation ensures the ice maker receives appropriate water quality without compromising dispenser functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically routes water flow based on operational needs, allowing the ice maker to receive purified water when needed while the dispenser can access cooled water, with the control system adapting the flow distribution according to user selections.
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 efficient and selective dispensing of cooled and purified water, preventing water from freezing in the ice maker and allowing users to control the amount of water dispensed, improving user convenience and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a water tank (50) for cooling the purified water
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A refrigerator (10) comprising: a cabinet in which a freezing compartment (12) and a refrigerating compartment (13) are defined; a freezing compartment door (14) that opens and closes the freezing compartment (12); a refrigerating compartment door (15) that opens and closes the refrigerating compartment (13); a dispenser (20) located in the freezing compartment door (14) to dispense ice, cooled water, and purified water; a water supply passage connected to an external water supply source (1); a water supply valve (612) configured to open and close the water supply passage; a filter device (40) installed in the refrigerating compartment (13) to purify supplied water when the water supply valve (612) is opened; a water tank (50) configured to receive the purified water from the filter device (40); a cooled water valve (632) configured to adjust a flow of the cooled water discharged from the water tank (50); a cooled water passage (63) configured to guide the cooled water passing through the cooled water valve (632) to the freezing compartment door (14), the cooled water passage (63) passing through a hinge of the freezing compartment door (14); a purified water passage (62) branched at a rear end of the filter device (40), the purified water passage (62) being connected to a purified water valve (622) disposed in a recessed cavity of the freezing compartment door (14); an ice making passage (64) branched together with the purified water passage (62) at a rear end of the purified water valve (622); an ice making device (30) disposed in the freezing compartment door (14) to receive the purified water from the ice making passage (64); a connection member (662) disposed in the freezing compartment door (14) and at which the cooled water passage (63) and the purified water passage (62) are combined with each other; and a dispensing passage (66) connected to the connection member (662) to dispense the cooled water and the purified water.