Rotatable Refrigerator Mullion for Sealing and Full Door Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
French door refrigerators face challenges with movable mullions becoming misaligned, which impairs sealing engagement and inhibits door opening or closing, limiting the size of items that can be stored and affecting accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable mullion system with a pivot member and biasing element, such as a clip spring or coil spring, that retains the mullion in two positions, allowing it to articulate between a closed and open position, ensuring proper sealing and easy access without obstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a stationary mullion is used in French door refrigerators, then sealing engagement is maintained, but the size of items that can be stored is limited and accessibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mullion is made movable rather than stationary, allowing it to transition between a first position (blocking the opening) and a second position (not blocking the opening). This dynamic capability enables the mullion to maintain sealing engagement when needed while allowing full access when the door is opened, resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and storage accessibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a movable mullion is used to improve accessibility, then storage capacity and access are enhanced, but the mullion may become misaligned and impair sealing engagement or inhibit door operation
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing element provides continuous feedback force to the mullion, automatically returning it to the correct position (either first or second position) after the door is opened or closed. This feedback mechanism prevents misalignment and ensures reliable sealing engagement and door operation, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and operational reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing element enables the mullion to self-correct its position automatically without user intervention. As the door moves during opening or closing, the biasing element naturally guides the mullion to its proper position, ensuring consistent sealing and operation while maintaining the accessibility benefits of a movable design.
3Weight of moving object
If French doors are used to reduce hinge weight load, then door weight is reduced and accessibility is improved, but additional seals and complex mullion arrangements are required
Solution Approach 1:
The movable mullion with biasing element serves multiple functions: it provides sealing engagement between doors, allows full accessibility when the door is opened, and automatically maintains proper alignment through the biasing mechanism. This multi-functional design reduces the need for additional separate sealing components, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and system complexity.
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 articulating mullion system maintains effective sealing, prevents air leakage, and allows for easier door operation, enhancing storage capacity and accessibility while maintaining the benefits of French door configurations.
Implementation Method 1
The hinge includes a pivot member and a biasing element configured to retain the mullion in the first position and the second position
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a chamber and a door coupled to the cabinet. The door is rotatable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the chamber. The refrigerator appliance also includes a mullion rotatably coupled to the door via a hinge. The mullion is rotatable between a first position and a second position. The hinge includes a pivot member and a biasing element configured to retain the mullion in the first position and the second position.