Slimline ice compartment having side-by-side ice maker and ice bucket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerator ice compartments are bulky, consuming excessive vertical space in the fresh food compartment, limiting design flexibility and ergonomic placement of ice and water dispensers.
Innovation Solution
A slimline ice compartment design featuring a side-by-side arrangement of the ice maker and ice bucket within the refrigerator, optimized for reduced vertical height and enhanced ice production efficiency, utilizing a U-shaped or L-shaped insulated housing with a front cover and open gasket for air exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the ice compartment uses a traditional over-under arrangement with the ice maker on top and ice bucket underneath, then the ice making and storage function is achieved, but the vertical height is excessive and consumes too much volume in the fresh food compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a vertical over-under arrangement to a horizontal side-by-side arrangement of the ice maker and ice bucket within the ice compartment. This dimensional change reduces the vertical height requirement while maintaining all ice making and storage functions, allowing for better space utilization and ergonomic dispenser placement in the fresh food compartment
2Adaptability or versatility
If the ice compartment is made taller to accommodate traditional arrangements, then the ice maker and ice bucket can be properly positioned, but it limits design to taller doors only and reduces fresh food storage volume
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging the ice maker and ice bucket side-by-side horizontally rather than vertically, the ice compartment fits within smaller vertical spaces, making it adaptable to various door configurations including models with more than one drawer or two doors, while preserving maximum fresh food storage volume
Solution Approach 2:
The slimline ice compartment design with horizontal arrangement creates a universal solution that can be installed in multiple refrigerator configurations (different door types, drawer configurations) without requiring excessive vertical space, making the design versatile across different product lines
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 slimline design minimizes space usage in the fresh food compartment, allowing for faster ice production and improved ergonomic placement of dispensers, accommodating various refrigerator configurations without compromising storage volume.
Implementation Method 1
an open gasket with a labyrinth disposed between the front cover and the ice compartment
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator including a fresh food compartment; a freezer compartment; an ice compartment disposed in at least one of the fresh food compartment or the freezer compartment; an ice maker disposed in the ice compartment; and an ice bucket for storing ice, the ice bucket being disposed in the ice compartment. The ice maker and the ice bucket are arranged side-by-side in a horizontal direction within the ice compartment.