Rigid Ice Box Frame for Refrigerator Door Component Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice box designs for refrigeration appliances are complex and challenging to install due to the use of molded, non-rigid thermoformed liners, making it difficult to attach various components such as ice makers and storage bins securely and efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration appliance with an ice box frame formed from injection molded plastic, which is more rigid than the thermoformed liner, allowing for secure attachment of ice makers, storage bins, and auger motors directly to the door, enabling versatile and simplified design and installation across different models.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a molded thermoformed liner is used for the door interior, then the door maintains flexibility and ease of manufacturing, but the liner lacks sufficient rigidity to securely attach ice makers and storage bins
Solution Approach 1:
The door interior is segmented into two distinct structural layers: a flexible molded thermoformed liner for the base structure and a rigid plastic frame for component mounting. This segmentation allows each layer to fulfill its specific function - the liner provides flexibility and ease of manufacturing while the frame provides rigid attachment points for ice makers and storage bins
Solution Approach 2:
The door interior uses a composite structure combining two different plastic materials with different rigidity properties. The molded liner material provides flexibility and formability, while the injection-molded frame material provides rigidity and structural support for secure component attachment
2Ease of manufacture
If customized designs are employed to fit complex items into molded liners, then component fit is optimized, but the manufacturing process becomes challenging and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid plastic frame is pre-formed with integrated mounting structures, attachment points, and dimensional features that precisely accommodate ice makers, storage bins, and auger motors. This preliminary action of creating a pre-configured rigid framework eliminates the need for complex custom fitting and reduces installation time significantly
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid plastic frame acts as an intermediary component between the flexible molded liner and the ice making components. It provides a stable, pre-configured mounting platform that simplifies the attachment process, serving as a mediator that translates the flexible liner's ease of installation into secure component mounting capability
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration appliance includes a refrigerated cabinet with a cooled storage compartment, a door movable between a closed position closing the cooled storage compartment and an opened position allowing access to an interior of the cooled storage compartment, the door having an outer panel and a thermoformed liner attached to an inside of the outer panel, and an ice box frame attached to the thermoformed liner, the ice box frame being formed of injection molded plastic more rigid than the thermoformed liner and defining an ice compartment therein. At least one of an ice maker, an ice storage bin, and a motor for driving an ice storage bin auger is located in the ice compartment and attached to the door via the ice box frame. A related refrigeration appliance is also disclosed.