Built-in module for a domestic appliance and method for installing a domestic appliance in a furniture body
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of household appliances using slide-in doors is often costly and difficult due to the need for precise adjustment with the furniture body, and the swinging door can restrict user movement and appearance when not in use.
Innovation Solution
An installation module with a housing device featuring door compartments and a door support unit that allows for easy alignment and movement of furniture fronts, enabling complete coverage of appliances when not in use, with the option for motorized operation and safety features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a swing door is used to conceal the household appliance, then the appliance is visually hidden when not in use, but the door protrudes into the room and restricts user access and freedom of movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static swing door into a dynamic slide-in door that can move between two positions: protruding outward to conceal the appliance, and retracting inward to allow access. This dynamic movement resolves the contradiction by allowing the door to adapt its position based on whether concealment or access is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of rotating the door on a hinge (circular motion in one dimension), the patent guides the door to slide linearly into a recess in the furniture body (movement in another dimension). This dimensional change allows the door to disappear into the furniture structure, eliminating the protrusion problem while maintaining concealment functionality.
2Ease of operation
If a slide-in door is used to allow access to the appliance, then user freedom of movement is improved, but complex adjustments and coupling are required during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the door assembly into separate components: the door panel itself, the sliding mechanism, and the coupling element that connects to the appliance. This segmentation allows each component to be installed and adjusted independently, reducing the overall installation complexity compared to a fully integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a coupling element as an intermediary component that simplifies the connection between the slide-in door and the appliance. This mediator handles the complex coupling requirements, making the installation process more manageable by providing a standardized interface between the door mechanism and the appliance.
3Area of stationary object
If the furniture front is attached as a swing door, then complete coverage of the appliance is achieved, but the protruding door creates visual unappeal and restricts movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the door to nest within a recess in the furniture body when in the retracted position. This nesting arrangement allows the door to provide complete coverage when closed while disappearing into the furniture structure when opened, eliminating visual unappeal and movement restrictions without sacrificing coverage area.
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
A built-in module (1) for installing a household appliance (100) in a furniture carcass (200), comprising a housing unit (2) with two walls (3, 4, 5, 6) which define a receiving space (7) for the household appliance (100), wherein an outer dimension (8, 9) of the housing unit (2) is adapted to an inner dimension (201, 202) of an opening (203) of the furniture carcass (200). One wall (3, 4) of the housing unit (2) is designed as a door compartment (10) with a forward-facing opening (11), wherein a movable door support unit (12) for receiving a furniture front (300) is arranged in the door compartment (10). In the method for installing a household appliance in a furniture carcass with such a built-in module, the following steps are carried out in a suitable sequence: inserting the built-in module into a furniture carcass and inserting a household appliance into the built-in module.