Refrigerator Inner Container Segmentation for Easier Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inner containers for household refrigeration appliances are complex to manufacture and integrate functional units like ventilation grilles, lighting, and sensors due to their one-piece design, making it difficult to produce containers of varying dimensions and affecting the overall appearance and ease of connection of components.
Innovation Solution
A modular design featuring separate container parts and a functional component with a U-profile cross-section, allowing for easy integration of functional units and simplifying the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for slides and undercuts, enabling the production of containers with different dimensions using the same parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If inner containers are manufactured as one-piece designs using deep drawing, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases and adaptability to different dimensions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The inner container is divided into a container body and a separate functional component. The container body is manufactured using deep drawing for structural integrity, while the functional component is separately manufactured and then integrated. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the container body maintains strength through monolithic construction, while the functional component can be easily manufactured with various features like ventilation grilles, lighting, and sensors.
2Adaptability or versatility
If inner containers are manufactured with specific widths and heights tailored to each dimension, then adaptability to different appliance sizes is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container body is designed as a universal component that can be used across different refrigerator models with varying dimensions. The separate functional component is attached to the container body to provide model-specific features. This allows the same container body design to be universally applied while accommodating different appliance sizes and configurations through the interchangeable functional component.
3Ease of operation
If functional units are distributed in different places within the inner container, then functional requirements are met, but overall appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional units including ventilation grilles, lighting devices, temperature sensors, and other accessories are integrated into a single functional component. This functional component is then attached to the container body, consolidating all functional elements in one organized location. This merging improves the overall appearance by creating a clean, unified design while still meeting all functional requirements through the integrated component.
4Ease of operation
If cutouts are created in the rear of the inner container through subsequent mechanical processing, then ventilation and cooling system requirements are met, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The functional component is pre-manufactured with all necessary cutouts, openings, and features for ventilation and cooling systems integrated into its design. This functional component is then attached to the container body, eliminating the need for subsequent mechanical processing of the container body itself. The preliminary incorporation of all required features into the functional component simplifies the overall manufacturing process.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an inner container (1) for a household refrigeration appliance, with walls (4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) of the inner container (1) delimiting a receiving space (2) for food. The inner container (1) comprises at least one container part (5, 6), through which at least one wall (4, 10, 12, 14) delimiting the receiving space (2) is formed. The at least one container part (5, 6) adjoins an additional, separate functional component (7) with an edge (24), which comprises at least one functional unit (27, 39, 40) that can be used to operate the household refrigeration appliance. The invention also relates to a household refrigeration appliance with such an inner container (1).