Refrigerator Door Water Tank Layout for Easy Filling and Mounting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with detachable water storage vessels face difficulties in mounting and water injection due to the placement of the second passage within the water storage vessel, making it inconvenient to supply water to the ice making apparatus or dispenser.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a water storage vessel with a compactly disposed pump and valve inside the door housing, along with a passage changing apparatus using check valves instead of a 3-way valve, allows for convenient water supply and mounting of the water storage vessel, enhancing space utilization and aesthetic appeal while reducing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the second passage is disposed inside the water storage vessel, then the water supply path is integrated, but the mounting of the water storage vessel becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The water supply system is divided into separate components: the water storage vessel body and the passage components (first passage, second passage, pump, valve). The first passage is integrated into the vessel body, while the second passage, pump, and valve are disposed separately in the door housing, eliminating the need to embed complex passages inside the removable vessel.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump and valve are extracted from the water storage vessel and relocated to the door housing. This extraction simplifies the vessel structure, making it easier to mount and detach, while the pump and valve operate from their new location in the door housing to control water flow through the passages.
2Device complexity
If the second passage passes through the injection hole of the water storage vessel, then the passage structure is simplified, but water injection becomes difficult when the vessel is mounted
Solution Approach 1:
The injection hole is separated from the passage system. The first passage is formed in the bottom surface of the water storage vessel, while the injection hole is provided in the side surface, allowing water to be injected from the side without interfering with the passage structure or requiring the vessel to be detached.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump acts as an intermediary component that receives water from the injection hole and delivers it through the first passage to the second passage. This intermediary function allows the injection hole and passage system to be spatially separated while maintaining functional connectivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a 3-way valve is used for passage control, then the valve function is comprehensive, but the device size and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The passage control function is segmented into two separate components: a pump that controls water flow direction and a valve that controls water supply timing. This segmentation replaces the need for a complex 3-way valve with simpler, more compact components that achieve the same functional outcomes.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a single complex 3-way valve to perform multiple functions, the system uses a pump with directional control and a separate valve, effectively copying and distributing the control functions across multiple simpler components that are easier to manufacture and install.
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 design facilitates easy water injection and mounting of the water storage vessel, improving convenience and reducing production costs by using check valves for passage control, resulting in a more compact and aesthetically pleasing refrigerator.
Implementation Method 1
a pump configured to pump the water of the water storage vessel so that the water flows to the second passage
Implementation Method 2
a valve installed at an intersection of the second passage and configured to change a passage
Implementation Method 3
configured to supply the water in a water storage vessel to an ice making apparatus or a dispenser by using a plurality of check valves
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a water storage vessel configured to be mounted to the door of the refrigerator, a supply passage configured to connect the storage space of the water storage vessel to an ice making apparatus and dispenser to supply the water in the water storage vessel to the ice making apparatus and the dispenser, a valve installed at an intersection of the supply passage and configured to perform a passage conversion, and a pump configured to pump the water in the water storage vessel so that the water flows to the supply passage, wherein the water storage vessel is provided with a water storage vessel lever capable of changing the position of at least one portion of the supply passage so that the at least one portion of the supply passage is connected to/disconnected from a remaining portion of the supply passage.