Dave's Ideas

Energy-Saving Refrigerators That Seal When Open.

May 16, 2010

This one sort of came out of nowhere. I had an idea to create a fridge that was partitioned and compartmentalized for a work space. I felt this layout would benefit a large group having to share a fridge. I also thought having many smaller doors would be more efficient than one or two large swing arm doors. It is the model pictured on the right:

Then I realized there was a way to seal the fridge when open to keep all the cold air inside. This is accomplished by having the drawer/compartment lined with a seal on the back that will become flush with the inside of the fridge housing, like this:

That got me to thinking…can this be applied to a domestic model you’d find in any kitchen? People like the big swing arm doors, so I came up with one that also seals shut when open:

I felt the layout would still benefit from having many compartments. So to prevent wasted space, the best layout would be a hexagon shape, with drawer compartments flanked by doors. If I could re-do this, I’d make the drawer section wide enough to fit a pizza.

(There is supposed to be a water/ice dispenser middle top)

A few drawbacks, the fully-opened swing arm doors could infringe upon today’s standard cabinet layouts. Also, this fridge would be wider and not as deep, which conflicts with existing fridge dimensions. Also, if people don’t know off-hand where everything is stored, that would result in the opening of many doors, which may negate the intended savings in energy. However, it might also deter strangers from raiding the fridge!

Another advantage: with many compartments, you could probably put locks on them for child-proofing. Or roommate proofing.

I do believe this would greatly increase energy efficiency overall.

Entry filed under: Appliances, Electronics. Tags: Environment, Food, Home, Technology.