Decorative Panel Adjustment Mechanism for Built-In Appliance Doors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing built-in household appliances face difficulties in precisely and easily adjusting decorative panels on doors, leading to increased maintenance time and labor due to complex adjustment mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of two mutually perpendicular positioning screws and a third rotational axis screw allows for independent movement of the decorative panel in multiple directions, facilitated by a rail-shaped guide and transmitters, enabling precise adjustment without compromising the appliance's aesthetic integration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If adjustment mechanisms are provided to enable precise adjustment of the decorative panel, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustment precisionVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustment mechanism is divided into two independent adjustment mechanisms, each responsible for one degree of freedom. Each mechanism contains positioning screws that independently control movement in specific directions, allowing precise adjustment without requiring a complex integrated system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second adjustment mechanism is disposed inside the first adjustment mechanism, with the second positioning screw positioned within the structure of the first mechanism. This nested arrangement reduces overall device complexity by sharing structural elements while maintaining independent adjustment capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Manufacturing precision

If complex adjustment mechanisms are used to achieve precise positioning, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidadjustment ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustment operation is segmented into two independent tasks, each controlled by a dedicated mechanism with its own positioning screws. The maintenance personnel can adjust each degree of freedom separately using clearly defined screw directions, making the operation intuitive and easier to perform despite achieving precise positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If adjustment mechanisms are provided to enable precise adjustment, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustment precisionVSAvoidmaintenance time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the adjustment function into two independent mechanisms with clearly defined screw directions, the maintenance personnel can quickly understand which screw controls which movement direction, eliminating the need for trial-and-error adjustments and reducing overall maintenance time while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment mechanisms are pre-configured with positioning screws whose rotational axes are aligned with the movement directions they control. This preliminary design arrangement allows the maintenance personnel to immediately understand the adjustment logic without needing to study complex mechanisms, enabling faster adjustment operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2854599B1A built-in household appliance comprising a decorative panel
Publication Date: 2016.12.14 ARCELIK AS
  • EP2854599B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2854599B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2854599B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a built-in household appliance (1) comprising a body (2) placed into the furniture, a door (3) providing access into the body (2), a decorative panel (4) mounted on the outer surface of the door (3), at least two adjustment mechanisms (6, 106) fixed on the door (3), providing the decorative panel (4) to be moved with respect to the door (3) by being rotated around its axis and having two positioning screws (5, 105) for the two mutually perpendicular directions, and wherein one of the adjustment mechanisms (6, 106) has a third positioning screw (205), of which the rotational axis extends in the direction the decorative panel (4) is moved.