Adjustable Door Locking Assembly for Cold Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator compartment door locking mechanisms face challenges in adjustability, particularly in accommodating manufacturing and installation tolerances, and ensuring secure operation across various door settings without unintended position changes.
Innovation Solution
A locking group design where the anchor section of the base component can be adjusted in different assembly positions relative to the actuating axis, allowing the bolt section to change its radial lead, thereby compensating for horizontal movements and ensuring secure engagement with the locking plate, and incorporating features like spring-loaded traps for enhanced functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the locking component is fixed in position in the base, then the structure is simple and reliable, but the door cannot be adjusted horizontally to accommodate manufacturing and installation tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The locking component is designed to be movable within the base along the radial direction of the actuation axis, transitioning from a static fixed position to a dynamic adjustable position. This allows the locking component to adapt to different horizontal door positions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking assembly is divided into separable components: the base, the locking component, and the retaining element. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of the locking component's position within the base without affecting other parts, enabling horizontal adjustment while keeping each component structurally simple.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the anchor section is made radially displaceable to enable adjustment, then the door can be repositioned horizontally, but the locking mechanism may become unintentionally dislodged
Solution Approach 1:
The locking component's position is made dynamically adjustable during installation but stable during operation. The retaining element engages with the anchor section to lock it in the desired position, preventing unintentional displacement while allowing intentional repositioning when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
A retaining element acts as an intermediary between the anchor section and the base, providing form-locking engagement. This intermediary component ensures the locking component remains securely positioned once adjusted, preventing accidental dislodgement while maintaining adjustability capability.
3Reliability
If the locking component is pulled out or pushed in to compensate for door movement, then secure engagement with the strike plate is maintained, but additional adjustment operations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The locking component is designed to automatically engage and disengage from the strike plate through its radial movement capability. When the door moves horizontally, the locking component self-adjusts its position within the base to maintain proper engagement, reducing the need for manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking component's radial displacement capability allows it to dynamically respond to door position changes. This dynamic adjustment maintains reliable engagement with the strike plate while the retaining element ensures the component stays in its adjusted position without requiring continuous manual correction.
Data Source
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AI summary
A locking assembly for the door of a temperature-controlled room, in particular a cold storage room, is described and illustrated. It comprises an operating handle, a bolt component having an anchor section and a bolt section, an operating axis connecting the bolt component to the operating handle, a base in which the bolt component with its anchor section is mounted and against which the bolt section projects radially relative to the operating axis, and a strike plate engaged by the bolt section of the bolt component in a locked position. The operating handle allows the bolt component to be moved from its locked position, engaging the strike plate, to an open position without engagement with the strike plate by means of the operating axis. The anchor section of the bolt component can assume different mounting positions in the base.in particular, it is radially displaceable in the base with respect to the actuation axis, and the radial projection of the bolt section relative to the base varies depending on the mounting position of the anchor section.