Rotatable Ice-Bucket Coupler for Impact-Free Refrigerator Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing coupling mechanism between the driving and driven couplers in refrigerators with automatic icemakers often results in collision and failure to connect due to interfering positions, leading to potential damage and requiring disassembly and reassembly of the ice bucket.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a connecting member that can idle within a predetermined angle range, allowing smooth connection regardless of the couplers' positions, along with a supporting member and fixing member to facilitate the transfer of driving force, and a driven coupler with elastic members and slide members to ensure proper alignment and force transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the driving coupler and driven coupler are connected with wings and ribs in fixed positions, then the power transmission structure is simple, but the connection fails when components are at interfering positions causing impact and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the driven coupler rotatable relative to the transfer member within a predetermined angle range. This dynamic adjustment allows the ribs to align properly with the wings of the driving coupler during connection, preventing impact and failure while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an additional degree of freedom by allowing rotational movement in the angular dimension. The driven coupler can rotate within a predetermined angle range to accommodate misalignment between wings and ribs, transforming a potentially harmful collision into a smooth alignment process.
2Ease of operation
If the driven coupler is fixed to the transfer member, then the power transmission is direct, but the connection process causes impact when wings and ribs are at interfering positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing a buffer mechanism through the rotatable driven coupler. Before the wings and ribs make contact, the driven coupler can rotate to align the ribs with the wings, preventing impact and damage during the connection process.
Solution Approach 2:
The driven coupler acts as an intermediary between the transfer member and the driving coupler. It mediates the connection process by allowing rotational adjustment, so that the ribs can align with the wings without direct impact, protecting both components from damage.
3Reliability
If the ice bucket is demounted and remounted to connect couplers, then the couplers can be connected properly, but the operation becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the driven coupler to automatically adjust its angular position during the mounting process. The rotatable design allows the couplers to align and connect automatically when the ice bucket is mounted, eliminating the need for demounting and remounting operations.
4Reliability
If the driven coupler is made rotatable within a predetermined angle range, then the connection reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the driven coupler rotatable relative to the transfer member within a predetermined angle range. This dynamic adjustment allows the ribs to align properly with the wings of the driving coupler during connection, preventing impact and failure while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a driving coupler to transmit a driving force and a connecting member to transmit the driving force of the driving coupler to a transfer member. The connecting member is rotated when interference with the driving coupler occurs in a process of connecting with the driving coupler and idles within a predetermined angle range regardless of the transfer member. With this constitution, even when ice cubes are loaded by the transfer member, the connecting member may be smoothly rotated. Thus, the driving coupler and the connecting member may be smoothly connected without an impact.