Refrigerator

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing refrigerators require moving foods not intended for thawing from the high-frequency heating chamber when thawing is desired, leading to inefficiencies and potential food preservation issues.

Innovation Solution

A refrigerator with a cooling/heating chamber divided into a heating zone for thawing and a non-heating zone, utilizing oscillation electrodes and an oscillating unit to apply AC voltage, allowing selective heating without relocating unwanted foods.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If a single high-frequency heating chamber is used as a freezing chamber, then space utilization is improved, but selective heating requires moving foods which increases operation complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefreezing chamber spaceVSAvoidfood relocation requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The freezing chamber is segmented into a heating zone and a non-heating zone using a partition wall. The heating zone contains oscillation electrodes for dielectric heating, while the non-heating zone remains unaffected. This allows selective heating of specific foods without moving other foods stored in the continuous space of the freezing chamber.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the freezing chamber are given different thermal properties. The heating zone is equipped with oscillation electrodes that generate high-frequency electric fields for localized heating, while the non-heating zone maintains normal freezing conditions. This enables spatially selective heating without affecting the entire chamber.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Speed

If the entire cooling/heating chamber is heated for thawing, then thawing speed is improved, but foods not intended for thawing are affected which reduces food preservation quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethawing speedVSAvoidfood preservation quality

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The chamber is divided into heating and non-heating zones using a partition wall. Only the heating zone containing foods to be thawed is subjected to high-frequency electric field heating, while the non-heating zone maintains freezing temperatures for foods that should remain frozen. This selective heating preserves food quality by avoiding unintended temperature changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The oscillation electrodes are positioned to generate electric fields only in the heating zone. This creates localized heating effect on specific foods while leaving other areas unaffected, enabling controlled thawing that maintains preservation quality of non-target foods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If AC voltage is applied to oscillation electrodes for zone heating, then selective heating capability is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveselective heating capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of heating the entire chamber, only the necessary heating zone is activated using oscillation electrodes. This partial action approach applies energy only where needed for selective heating, reducing overall energy consumption compared to full-chamber heating while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces conventional thermal conduction heating with dielectric heating using high-frequency electric fields. This substitution enables more efficient and targeted energy delivery to specific foods in the heating zone, improving selective heating capability while potentially reducing total energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 thawing of desired foods within the cooling/heating chamber without disturbing other foods, maintaining the frozen state of non-intended items and reducing frost generation.

Implementation Method 1

an oscillation electrode and a counter electrode that are arranged so as to face each other with the heating zone in between, and an oscillating unit that applies an AC voltage to between the oscillation electrode and the counter electrode during execution of a zone heating operation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDielectric heating: Dielectric Heating

Data Source

PatentUS11933537B2Refrigerator

Publication Date: 2024.03.19 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

A refrigerator includes a cooling/heating chamber capable of cooling and heating foods. The cooling/heating chamber is divided into a heating zone that is a space where foods to be heated are placed, and a non-heating zone that is a space continuous with the heating zone where foods not to be heated are placed. The refrigerator further includes an oscillation electrode and a counter electrode that are arranged so as to face each other with the heating zone in between, and an oscillating unit that applies an AC voltage to between the oscillation electrode and the counter electrode.