Build-In Alcove Door Hinge Design for Thin Tile-Covered Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional build-in alcove doors require a thickness of at least 1 centimeter to accommodate hinges, limiting space utilization and causing jamming issues due to the thickness, and conventional hinge mounting methods cannot absorb the forces required when the door is covered with wall tiles.
Innovation Solution
The hinge line is positioned in front of the panel's first side, using a hinge plate and pin configuration that allows the door to pivot without thickness constraints, with the hinge plate mounted against the side wall, enabling a thin door and efficient space use, and the hinge pin is arranged on the panel's peripheral flange, allowing for adjustable mounting and force absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional cabinet door hinges are used to mount the door in the frame, then the door can be pivoted from the first position to the second position, but the door must be thicker than 1 centimetre to provide sufficient grip for screws or parts of the hinge, which reduces space utilization in the build-in alcove
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge line is positioned in front of the first side of the panel, extending through the finishing layer. This spatial repositioning allows the hinge mechanism to operate in a different dimensional arrangement, enabling thin doors to pivot without requiring excessive thickness for hinge mounting, thus resolving the contradiction between door thickness and pivoting capability
Solution Approach 2:
A hinge plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the door panel and the frame. The hinge plate is mounted against the side wall of the frame, providing a stable mounting surface for the hinge pin while allowing the door panel itself to remain thin. This mediator enables sufficient grip for screws in the hinge plate without requiring the door panel to be thick
2Volume of moving object
If the door is made thinner to maximize space utilization, then more space of the build-in alcove can be utilized, but the door becomes jammed against the side walls of the frame while pivoting from the first position to the second position
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge plate serves as a mediator that is mounted against the side wall of the frame, providing a stable pivot point that prevents the thin door from jamming against the frame walls during rotation. The hinge pin mounted in the hinge plate creates a controlled rotation axis that guides the door movement, eliminating jamming issues
Solution Approach 2:
By positioning the hinge line in front of the panel's first side and extending through the finishing layer, the pivot axis is relocated to a position where it does not interfere with the door's clearance during rotation. This dimensional repositioning allows thin doors to pivot smoothly without contacting the frame side walls
3Ease of manufacture
If the door is covered with wall tiles to match the surrounding wall finishing, then the door becomes less visible, but conventional hinge mounting methods cannot absorb the forces required
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge plate acts as an intermediary structure that is mounted against the side wall of the frame, providing a robust mounting surface capable of absorbing forces. This separate mounting structure allows the door surface to be fully covered with wall tiles for visual integration, while the hinge plate behind provides the necessary structural strength for hinge attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mounting system is segmented into separate components: the hinge plate mounted against the frame side wall and the hinge pin providing the pivot function. This segmentation allows the mounting structure to be optimized for force absorption independently from the door surface finishing, enabling full tiling coverage while maintaining structural integrity
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a build-in alcove for mounting in a wall, which build-in alcove comprises: - a frame of a number of side walls arranged against each other, wherein at least one edge of each side wall lies in a common plane and these edges define an access opening for the frame; - a door arranged in the access opening and pivotally connected to the side walls of the frame, so that the door can swing between a first position, in which the access opening is closed, and a second position, in which the access opening is left clear; wherein the door comprises a panel with a first side and an opposite second side, wherein a finishing layer such as a tile layer can be arranged on the first side, and wherein at least two hinges are arranged between the second side and the side walls of the frame, wherein the pivot axes of the at least two hinges lie mutually in line and form a hinge line extending in front of and parallel to the first side of the panel.