Switchable Refrigerator Door Display for Interior Viewing Without Heat Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators face energy loss and reduced cooling efficiency due to frequent door openings, and existing solutions compromise insulation when attempting to provide visibility into the interior.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator with a display that can convert between transparent and opaque modes, using cholesteric liquid crystals or photonic crystals, allowing for internal visibility without opening the door, and enabling text or image input when opaque, while maintaining insulation with a vacuum-insulated panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the door of the refrigerator is made transparent to allow viewing of the interior, then visibility into the refrigerator is improved, but insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a liquid crystal display that can dynamically change its transparency state between transparent and opaque modes. This dynamic property allows the door to adapt its optical characteristics based on operational requirements, enabling visibility when needed while maintaining insulation when the display is opaque.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid crystal display changes its optical parameter (transparency) in response to applied voltage. When voltage is applied, the liquid crystal molecules reorient, changing the display from transparent to opaque state, thereby altering the optical and thermal properties of the door without physical modification.
2Loss of information
If the door is opened frequently to check the interior state, then visibility into the refrigerator is improved, but energy loss increases due to temperature difference
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid crystal display acts as an intermediary that provides visual access to the refrigerator interior without requiring physical door opening. Users can view the interior contents through the transparent display, eliminating the need to open the door for checking items, thereby preventing energy loss from temperature exchange.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical action of opening the door with an optical information transmission system. Instead of physically opening the door to see inside, users obtain visual information through the transparent display, substituting a mechanical operation with an optical field-based information delivery mechanism.
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 solution allows for internal monitoring without energy loss, maintains insulation, and enables user input of information, improving user interaction and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an insulation member disposed on a rear surface of the display, wherein the insulation member comprises a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate, and a space between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate is in a vacuum state
Implementation Method 2
cholesteric liquid crystals, which are filled between the first electrode and the second electrode and of which states vary according to an electric field applied to the cholesteric liquid crystals
Implementation Method 3
photonic crystals, which are filled between the first electrode and the second electrode and of which states vary according to an electric field applied to the photonic crystals
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a body including a storage chamber; a door (103) that is coupled to the body so as to open/close the storage chamber; a display (110) that is disposed in at least one region of the door (103) and is configured to be converted between a transparent mode and a display mode; and a controller (120) that controls the display (110) to display at least one among a text, an image, and color when the display is in the display mode.