Cable Drawer Slide Synchronizer to Prevent Refrigerator Drawer Racking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pull-out drawers in refrigerators are prone to misalignment and 'racking' due to off-center pulling forces, which can lead to binding and improper sealing, and existing solutions like rack and pinion systems reduce usable space and are noisy.

Innovation Solution

A drawer slide synchronizer system using cables and bearings to synchronize the motion of drawer slides, ensuring they extend and retract at a common rate without occupying significant space and minimizing noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rack and pinion system is used to synchronize drawer slides, then racking is minimized, but usable compartment volume is reduced and noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrawer alignmentVSAvoidusable compartment volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the shaft component from the rack and pinion system, replacing it with cable-based synchronization. This removes the space-consuming mechanical shaft while maintaining the drawer alignment function through cable tensioning mechanisms that synchronize slide movement without requiring central compartment space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical rack and pinion system with a cable-based synchronization system. This substitution eliminates the noisy mechanical gear engagement while maintaining synchronization functionality through cable tensioning, thereby reducing both noise and space requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If a rack and pinion system is used to synchronize drawer slides, then racking is minimized, but noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrawer alignmentVSAvoidnoise

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the noisy mechanical rack and pinion engagement with a cable-based synchronization system. The cable tensioning mechanism provides silent operation while maintaining drawer alignment, eliminating the harmful noise factor associated with traditional mechanical synchronization systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Volume of stationary object

If conventional pull-out drawers are used without synchronization, then space is maximized, but misalignment and binding occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusable compartment volumeVSAvoiddrawer movement

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces cable tensioning mechanisms as intermediaries between the drawer slides. These cables act as mediators that synchronize the movement of opposite slides, preventing misalignment and binding while occupying minimal space compared to traditional mechanical synchronization systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10165859B2Refrigerator appliance with a drawer slide synchronizer

Publication Date: 2019.01.01 HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

A refrigerator appliance includes a drawer slide synchronizer with a first cable and a second cable. A first bearing is mounted to a first one of a pair of drawer slides, and a second bearing is mounted to a second one of the pair of drawer slides. The first and second cables contact the first bearing, and the first and second cables also contact the second bearing.