Door for a refrigerating appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigeration appliance door side flanks are prone to undesirable deformation during the foaming process of insulation material, making it challenging to use thinner and lighter metal sheets without compromising stability, as existing solutions like cambered metal sheets are impractical for this area.
Innovation Solution
The integration of an angled web within the outer panel that forms a recessed groove on the side flanks, which also serves as a door handle, provides reinforcement and stability, allowing for the use of thinner metal sheets by creating a stiffening effect through a folded joint between the side flank and the outer panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cambered metal sheets are used for side flanks, then rigidity is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The side flank is segmented into multiple planar sections connected by folds, creating a stepped configuration. This segmentation provides rigidity through the multi-level structure without requiring complex cambered surfaces, thus resolving the contradiction between strength and manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional cambered surface to a three-dimensional stepped structure with multiple planes at different heights. This dimensional change provides rigidity through vertical differentiation rather than surface curvature, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining structural strength
2Weight of moving object
If thinner metal sheets are used for outer shell, then weight is reduced, but deformability increases during foaming
Solution Approach 1:
Reinforcement elements are pre-formed as integral parts of the outer panel before the foaming process. These pre-formed ribs and folds create a stiffened structure that resists deformation during insulation material expansion, enabling the use of thinner sheets without sacrificing stability
Solution Approach 2:
The outer panel combines thin metal sheets with integrated reinforcement structures (ribs, folds, and stiffening elements) to create a composite structure. This composite design provides the rigidity of thick material while maintaining the weight advantages of thin sheets
3Stability of the object's composition
If reinforcement structures are added to side flanks, then deformability is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement structures are merged with the outer panel to form an integral one-piece construction. The stiffening ribs, folds, and side flank structures are all formed from a single metal sheet through folding and shaping, eliminating the need for separate reinforcement components and reducing overall structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The outer panel itself provides reinforcement through its own geometry - folds, ribs, and stepped configurations are formed directly from the panel material. The structure reinforces itself without requiring additional external elements, maintaining simplicity while achieving dimensional stability
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
This design reduces deformability of the side flanks, enabling the use of thinner metal sheets while maintaining stability and offering design flexibility with different materials and cross-sectional profiles, and ensures foam-tight closure during insulation.
Implementation Method 1
an outer shell which is foamed with insulation material
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~7
Figure 8
AI summary
The invention relates to a door for a refrigerating appliance, said door comprising an outer envelope foamed with an insulating material and comprising an outer plate (1) covering an outer side of the door and at least some of the lateral flanks (3) of the door in such a way as to form one piece. A lateral edge (5-11) of the outer plate is reinforced by at least one section (6, 7, 18, 20) bent away from the lateral flank (3) towards the inside of the door, at a distance from the outer side and the inner side of the door.