A cooling device comprising an automatic door opening device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic door opening devices in cooling devices often result in damage to the pushing members, doors, or gaskets when the door is closed hastily, leading to inefficiencies and energy losses due to compromised sealing performance.
Innovation Solution
A contact detection system using magnets, magnetic sensors, or alternative sensors (inductive, capacitive, button, or time of flight) monitors the contact between the pushing member and the door, ensuring the pushing member returns to a resting position when no contact is detected, preventing damage during closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pushing member remains outside the body to prevent door closing during the predetermined period, then the door can be kept open for the required time, but the pushing member and door may collide and cause damage when the door is closed hastily
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit activates the actuating member in advance to move the pushing member to a retracted position within the body before the door closing action occurs, preventing collision damage while maintaining the door opening function
Solution Approach 2:
The contact detection system continuously monitors whether the pushing member is in contact with the door and provides feedback to the control unit, which adjusts the pushing member position accordingly to avoid damage during door closing
2Ease of operation
If the pushing member extends outside the body to assist door opening, then the magnetic force on the gasket is overcome, but the automatic door opening device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic door opening device is integrated into the body structure, with the pushing member movable between the body and door, combining the door opening assistance function with the body structure to reduce overall device complexity
3Ease of operation
If the door is opened automatically and remains open for a predetermined period, then the user can perform actions without overcoming magnetic force, but energy losses increase due to compromised sealing when door or gasket is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The pushing member is retracted to a safe position within the body before door closing occurs, preventing collision damage that would compromise the gasket and sealing, thereby preventing energy losses while maintaining the convenient door opening function
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
Prevents damage to the pushing members and doors, maintaining sealing performance and energy efficiency by ensuring the pushing member remains retracted during closure, thus extending the lifespan of the automatic door opening device and reducing energy losses.
Implementation Method 1
The magnet creates a magnetic field with a strength that can be detected by the magnetic sensor only when the pushing member is in contact with the door
Implementation Method 2
at least one magnetic sensor that is in communication with the control unit and that is arranged on the door and/or the pushing member onto whichever the magnet is not fixed. The magnet creates a magnetic field with a strength that can be detected by the magnetic sensor
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
This invention relates to a cooling device (1) comprising one or more than one body (2) defining a volume (V) wherein the items to be cooled are placed; one or more than one door (3) that is attached to one of the edges of the body (2), that prevents the heat transfer between the volume (V) defined in the body (2) and the outer environment when closed and that enables the volume (V) defined in the body (2) to be accessed by the user; at least one automatic door opening device (5) that is arranged on the body (2) and that has at least one actuating member, at least one control unit controlling the actuating member at least according to the program stored therein, and at least one pushing member (4) that is positioned in a resting position wherein the pushing member (4) does not extend out of the body (2) so as to contact the door (3) when the door (3) is in the closed position and that exerts force on the door (3) by means of the force applied directly by the actuating member or through the power transmission elements so as to move from the resting position towards a forward position wherein the pushing member (4) extends between the body (2) and the door (3); and at least one door opening sensor (6) that is arranged on the door (3) and that transmits to the control unit the information that the user intends to open the door (3).