refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
The water level sensor unit in refrigerators, used to sense the water level in a water tank for icemakers, often malfunctions due to repeated mounting and demounting, leading to instability and measurement errors, especially near the boundary lines.
Innovation Solution
Securing the water level sensor unit to the inside of a case that overlaps the lower surface of the water tank, with an inclined upper surface to minimize positional changes and reduce residual water errors, and using a pump holder bracket with a damper to reduce noise and vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the water level sensor unit is movable by an elastic pressing method such as a spring, then the water level sensor unit can sense the water level on the lateral surface of the water tank, but the elasticity of the spring might change or malfunction due to repeated mounting and demounting of the water tank
Solution Approach 1:
The water level sensor unit is separated from the water tank structure and integrated into the case instead. This segmentation allows the sensor unit to remain stationary while the water tank is removed or installed, eliminating the repeated mechanical stress on the spring mechanism that caused reliability issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The case serves as an intermediary structure that houses the water level sensor unit. Instead of the sensor being directly attached to or interacting with the water tank through elastic pressing, the case provides a stable mounting position for the sensor, isolating it from the mechanical stresses of tank removal and installation.
2Measurement precision
If the water level is measured on the lateral surface of the water tank, then the water level can be detected, but there could be a malfunction in which a water level measurement error of the water level sensor unit occurs near a boundary line between a lower end of the water level sensor unit and the water
Solution Approach 1:
The water level sensor unit is repositioned from measuring on the lateral surface to measuring from the bottom surface of the water tank. This dimensional change allows the sensor to detect water level from underneath, avoiding the boundary line measurement errors that occur on the lateral surface where the sensor edge may not be properly positioned.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the water tank is repeatedly mounted and demounted, then the user can directly fill water in the water tank, but the elasticity of the spring moving the water level sensor unit might change or malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism is extracted from the water level sensor unit design. By removing the elastic pressing method and replacing it with a fixed mounting position in the case, the design eliminates the component subject to repeated stress while maintaining the water filling functionality through the removable water tank.
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
Enhances operational stability of the water level sensor unit, reduces assembly damage, minimizes noise and vibration, and prevents pump lifting by buoyancy, while maintaining accurate water level detection.
Implementation Method 1
a water level sensor unit (300) secured to a case (200) to overlap with a lower surface of a water tank (100...configured to detect a water level inside the water tank (100)
Implementation Method 2
a pump holder bracket with a damper to reduce noise and vibration
Implementation Method 3
an upper surface inclined toward a front surface of the water tank...reduce residual water errors
Implementation Method 4
prevent a pump inserted in a holder bracket from being lifted by buoyancy of molding liquid
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A refrigerator according to the present disclosure may have a water sensor unit secured to a case to overlap with a lower surface of a water tank, so that the water level sensor unit may maintain a constant position and operational stability may be increased, regardless of whether the water tank is mounted or demounted, and the upper surface of the water level sensor unit is inclined toward the front surface of the water level sensor unit, thereby reducing an operational error due to residual water.