Segmented Inner Case Assembly for Large-Sized Refrigerators
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of manufacturing large-sized refrigerators without the need for additional forming facilities, ensuring an excellent front surface exterior design, and improving assembly and processing efficiency, particularly in coupling and disposing hot lines independently for separate compartments.
Innovation Solution
A coupling assembly is disposed on the rear surfaces of separable inner cases, allowing for the assembly of large-sized refrigerators without additional forming facilities, reducing the assembly line on the front surfaces, and simplifying the integration of hot lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the entire inner case is integrally formed for a large-sized refrigerator, then the front surface exterior design is excellent, but a new vacuum forming facility such as a bigger mold is required, leading to investment in an additional facility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the inner case into multiple separate cases (first case and second case) that are formed using existing vacuum forming facilities. These separate cases are then coupled together using coupling assemblies to form the complete large-sized refrigerator interior, eliminating the need for a single large vacuum forming facility while maintaining an excellent front surface exterior design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the inner case is divided into a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, then the functional requirements are met, but the positions of the hot lines need to be adjusted and arranged such that they are fixed at the same time, causing difficulty in disposing the hot lines and deterioration in processing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hot lines into separate hot lines for the refrigerator compartment and freezer compartment, with each hot line being disposed on its corresponding separate case. This allows each hot line to be independently positioned and fixed during assembly, eliminating the complexity of coordinating multiple hot line positions simultaneously and significantly improving processing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-positioning and fixing each hot line on its respective separate case before the final assembly. This preliminary fixation simplifies the overall assembly process, as each hot line is already in its correct position when the cases are coupled together, eliminating the need for complex coordination during final assembly.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the hot lines are disposed on the front surface of the inner case, then the dew point prevention is achieved, but an additional cover member covering the hot lines needs to be disposed additionally on the front surface of the inner case
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the function of the cover member with the separate cases themselves. The cases are designed to inherently cover and protect the hot lines disposed on their surfaces, eliminating the need for additional separate cover members. This integration maintains dew point prevention functionality while reducing overall device 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
This approach enables efficient assembly of large-sized refrigerators with an excellent front surface exterior design by reducing the need for additional components and facilities, improving processing efficiency, and hiding visible component boundaries.
Implementation Method 1
The inside of the vacuum case is vacuumed, and a portion of the heated resin sheet is drawn into the vacuum case
Implementation Method 2
A resin sheet for forming is heated to be readily deformed
Implementation Method 3
high-pressure air is blown into the vacuum case to contact the resin sheet with the mold
Implementation Method 4
refrigerants passing through the hot line supply heat to the surface of the cabinet of the refrigerator to maintain the temperature of the surface of the cabinet of the refrigerator at the dew point or greater
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
In a refrigerator of the present disclosure, a first inner case and a second inner case are respectively formed in a separable manner and then coupled to a coupling assembly, manufacturing a large-sized refrigerator without an additional forming facility.