Appliance Door Hinge Assembly With Stable Partial-Open Positions
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of hinges for electrical household appliance doors is complex and time-consuming due to the need for preloading and inserting elastic elements, which increases costs and operational difficulty.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a hinge with a link rod and box-shaped members connected by a lever, featuring a primary helical spring for opening resistance and a secondary spring for stable partial-open positions, simplifying assembly by eliminating the need for elastic elements in one hinge type, and using curved portions on the link rod for limit stops, ensuring safety and economies of scale.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If elastic elements are inserted into hinge components in a preloaded condition, then the hinge operates effectively, but the assembly process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is divided into two separate parts: a first part fixed to the oven structure and a second part fixed to the door edge. This segmentation allows each part to be assembled and tested independently, eliminating the need for complex preloaded elastic element insertion during final assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic elements are extracted from the hinge assembly process entirely. Instead of being inserted into the hinge mechanism, the invention uses the weight of the door itself combined with simplified elastic opposition to achieve the desired opening resistance, thereby removing the complex assembly step of inserting preloaded elastic elements into hinge components.
2Force
If elastic elements are preloaded and inserted into hinge components, then effective door opening resistance is achieved, but assembly costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex preloaded elastic element insertion process is extracted and replaced with a simpler mechanism where elastic elements provide opposition force without requiring precise preloading during assembly. The door's weight works in conjunction with simplified elastic opposition to achieve effective opening resistance at lower manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs simpler, less expensive elastic elements that do not require precise preloading and complex assembly procedures. These simplified elastic components achieve sufficient performance at lower cost, making the overall hinge assembly more economically viable.
3Ease of operation
If two separate hinge parts are used with elastic elements, then door tilt opening is achieved, but the assembly process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is segmented into two separate parts that can be independently assembled to the oven structure and door respectively. This segmentation, combined with the elimination of preloaded elastic element insertion, allows for faster assembly while maintaining the door's tilt opening capability through the coordinated action of the two hinge parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge parts are designed to be pre-assembled and pre-tested separately before final installation. The first part is pre-fixed to the oven structure and the second part to the door edge, allowing for preliminary assembly verification without the time-consuming step of inserting preloaded elastic elements during final assembly.
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
This design reduces assembly complexity and costs while maintaining efficient door operation, ensuring safety compliance and operational efficiency by simplifying the assembly process and integrating limit stops into the link rod, allowing for effective door movement and stable positions without requiring elastic elements in all hinges.
Implementation Method 1
One or more elastic elements are interposed between the two hinge parts. When the oven door is tilted away from the closed position, the elastic elements first oppose the movement which detaches the door from the oven mounting frame and then, instead, they oppose the subsequent rotational movement of the door
Implementation Method 2
During the second part of its opening movement, the door, under the combined action of its weight, which tends to pull it downwards, and of the elastic elements, which oppose this downward pulling action, is thus made to turn gradually
Data Source
AI summary
A door or wing for electrical household appliances comprises a pivoting element (30) and two hinges (40, 50) mounted along one perimetric side of the pivoting element (30) to join the pivoting element (30) to a frame (2) and make it movable relative to the latter between a closed position and an open position, each of the two hinges (40, 50) comprising a first member and a second, box-shaped member and a lever for connecting the first and second members.