Refrigerator Vegetable Drawer Vacuum Sealing With Dew Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vegetable containers in refrigerators face challenges in maintaining a low vacuum state and effectively discharging dew, which can lead to moisture accumulation and reduced freshness of stored vegetables.
Innovation Solution
A vegetable container design featuring a case with a hermetically sealing drawer, a discharge port, and an opening and closing valve that creates a low vacuum state and guides dew to a water collection area, allowing for easy discharge of water through a guide channel system and an elastic spring mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hermetically sealed drawer is used to maintain low vacuum state, then freshness of vegetables is improved, but dew accumulation occurs inside the container
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful dew from the sealed container interior by providing a discharge port that allows dew to be removed while maintaining the hermetic seal for freshness preservation. The opening and closing valve selectively opens to extract dew and closes to maintain the sealed environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening and closing valve acts as an intermediary mechanism between the sealed container interior and the exterior environment. It mediates between the need for hermetic sealing (to maintain freshness) and the need for dew discharge, opening only when necessary to allow dew removal while maintaining the low vacuum state.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a discharge port is provided to remove dew, then dew discharge is enabled, but the low vacuum state cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The opening and closing valve is designed to be dynamic rather than static, automatically opening to allow dew discharge and then closing to restore and maintain the low vacuum state. This dynamic behavior allows the system to temporarily breach the seal for dew removal while quickly restoring the hermetic condition.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve mechanism is designed to automatically open and close based on the presence of dew, without requiring external intervention. The elastic spring and gravity work together to self-regulate the valve operation, opening when dew needs discharge and automatically closing afterward to maintain the vacuum state.
3Extent of automation
If an opening and closing valve is used to control discharge port, then automatic dew discharge is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve mechanism is designed to be self-actuating using passive mechanical elements (elastic spring and gravity) rather than active control systems. The valve automatically opens when dew accumulates and closes afterward, eliminating the need for sensors, motors, or complex control circuits while achieving automatic operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve operation utilizes elastic spring force and gravitational force to control the opening and closing actions. The elastic spring provides the closing force while gravity assists in the opening motion, creating a simple pneumatic-mechanical system that achieves automation without complex electronics.
4Productivity
If guide channels are added to direct dew to discharge port, then dew discharge efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide channels are segmented into multiple pathways (first guide channel, second guide channel, third guide channel) that direct dew from different locations within the container to the discharge port. This segmentation allows efficient dew collection from various areas while keeping each individual channel simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide channels are integrated directly into the container body structure rather than being separate components. The channels are formed as part of the container's molded structure, combining the storage function with the dew guidance function, which simplifies manufacturing by eliminating additional parts and assembly steps.
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 design maintains a low vacuum state within the container, prevents dew visibility, and allows for automatic discharge of water when the drawer is opened, enhancing the freshness and aesthetic appeal of stored vegetables.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic spring provided in the discharge port to apply elastic force to movement of the opening and closing valve
Implementation Method 2
a negative pressure part to form vacuum in the case
Implementation Method 3
a drawer to hermetically seal an interior of the case
Implementation Method 4
a discharge port formed through a bottom surface of the case to discharge water from the case
Data Source
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AI summary
A vegetable container (100) for refrigerators and a refrigerator having the same are disclosed. The vegetable container (100) includes a case (110) having an opening formed at a front thereof, the case (110) being provided with a receiving space to receive objects to be stored defined therein, a drawer (120) to hermetically seal an interior of the case (110), a discharge port (180) formed through a bottom surface of the case to discharge water from the case (110), a negative pressure part to form over-vacuum in the case (110), and an opening and closing valve (170) to open and close the discharge port (180).