Refrigerator Ice Bin Cover Plate for Spherical Ice Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional refrigerators with ice makers face challenges in efficiently storing and managing spherical ice, leading to space inefficiency and potential ice fall during bin extension or retraction, and lack effective solutions for minimizing contact between ice cubes.

Innovation Solution

A refrigerator design featuring an ice maker that produces spherical ice and an extendable/retractable ice bin with a cover plate to prevent ice fall, while optimizing storage space and minimizing contact between ice cubes, using a cover plate with ventilation holes to maintain air flow and reinforce the structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the ice bin is extended or retracted to improve accessibility, then ease of operation is improved, but spherical ice may fall out due to lack of shielding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice bin accessibilityVSAvoidice retention

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A cover plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the ice-maker and the ice bin opening. The cover plate extends downward to shield the opening, preventing spherical ice from falling out during bin extension or retraction, while maintaining accessibility benefits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of moving object

If the ice-maker and ice bin are integrated to optimize space, then volume efficiency is improved, but structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage space efficiencyVSAvoidice-maker bin integration

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ice-maker and ice bin are merged into an integrated assembly where the ice bin is positioned directly below the ice-maker. The cover plate is designed to extend from the ice-maker's rear face to shield the bin opening, creating a compact unified structure that optimizes vertical space while maintaining functional separation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The solution transitions from horizontal space utilization to vertical space utilization. The ice bin extends in the vertical direction below the ice-maker, and the cover plate extends downward from the rear face to provide shielding, effectively using the vertical dimension to resolve space efficiency requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the cover plate is made solid to prevent ice fall, then reliability is improved, but air flow is blocked causing ice breakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice retentionVSAvoidice breakage from poor air flow

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cover plate is designed with ventilation holes that provide porosity. These holes allow cold air to flow through the cover plate to the ice bin, preventing ice breakage while the overall structure maintains shielding to prevent ice fall. The ventilation holes create a porous structure that simultaneously achieves both retention and air flow requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Data Source

PatentUS11480377B2Refrigerator

Publication Date: 2022.10.25 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

Provided is a refrigerator including a cabinet having a freezing compartment defined therein, an ice-maker mounted in the freezing compartment, wherein the ice-maker makes spherical ice and removes the made spherical ice downwards, an ice bin disposed below the ice-maker, and retractable and extendable in a front and rear direction, wherein the removed ice is stored in the ice bin, and a cover plate extending downward from a rear face of the ice-maker, wherein the cover plate shields a space between the ice bin and the ice-maker.