Articulated Drawer Sealing Surface for Larger Appliance Volume
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Solution Overview
Problem
Appliance drawers often have insufficient capacity when manufactured to match adjacent cabinetry, resulting in inadequate drawer volume despite matching drawer faces.
Innovation Solution
An articulated sealing surface, or transom, is pivotally mounted to the drawer, bridging the gap between the drawer face and the opening, allowing the drawer opening to be larger than the face while maintaining a seal when closed, thereby increasing drawer volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the drawer face is manufactured to match the size and shape of cabinet drawers, then the drawer face alignment with cabinetry is improved, but the drawer volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the drawer in the depth dimension (front-to-back) beyond what would be permitted if the drawer face matched cabinet dimensions. By allowing the drawer body to protrude past the cabinet front face, the design gains additional volume while maintaining a decorative face that matches cabinet aesthetics. This dimensional extension resolves the contradiction between matching appearance and maximizing storage capacity.
2Volume of stationary object
If the drawer opening is made larger to increase drawer volume, then the drawer capacity is improved, but the sealing effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is segmented into multiple components: a gasket on the drawer face, a transom bridging the gap between the drawer face and opening, and a seal on the transom that contacts the cabinet frame. This segmentation allows the drawer opening to be larger than the drawer face while maintaining sealing effectiveness through the distributed sealing elements that bridge the gap and contact the frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The transom acts as an intermediary element between the drawer face and the cabinet opening. It bridges the gap created by the smaller drawer face, providing a sealing surface that contacts the cabinet frame while allowing the drawer body to extend deeper into the opening for increased volume. The transom mediates between the need for a larger opening and the need for effective sealing.
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 solution provides an appliance drawer with increased volume while maintaining alignment with adjacent cabinetry, enhancing usability by allowing a larger opening while ensuring a secure seal.
Implementation Method 1
Generally these seals are magnetic or compression seals that are affixed to the back face of the door or drawer so that the seal contacts the frame or housing of the appliance when the door or drawer is closed.
Data Source
AI summary
An appliance including a housing have an opening, a drawer having a front side and a back side, the drawer being configured for insertion into the opening, a drawer face coupled to the front side, the drawer face having a gasket circumscribing the drawer face and at least one dimension of the drawer face is smaller than a respective dimension of the opening so as to form a gap between the drawer face and the opening on at least one side of the drawer face, and a transom pivotally mounted to the drawer, the transom being configured to substantially bridge the gap between the drawer face and the opening and sealingly engage the gasket when the drawer is in a closed position.