Appliance Door Handle Cable Mechanism for Simple Pivot Return

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional door handle mechanisms for household appliances are complex and component-intensive, making them prone to malfunction and difficult to assemble, while also lacking a simple and reliable way to pivot the handle relative to the door base.

Innovation Solution

A door handle mechanism using a single-run cable coupled with a return spring, where one end of the spring is fixed to the handle and the other to the door base, allowing for a compact and reliable pivoting motion without the need for a double tension wire guide, ensuring the handle automatically returns to its initial position when closed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a double tension wire guide is used to pivot the handle, then the handle can be easily gripped in both closed and open positions, but the mechanism becomes complex and component-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandle accessibilityVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the complex double tension wire guide mechanism from the door assembly, replacing it with a simplified single-run cable system that achieves the same handle positioning function with fewer components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the functions of multiple tensioning wires and guides into a single integrated cable-run mechanism, merging the complexity of multiple components into one unified system that maintains handle accessibility while reducing overall mechanism complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a double tension wire guide is used for handle pivoting, then the handle movement can be controlled, but the assembly becomes prone to malfunction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanism reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the double tension wire guide system that causes reliability issues, replacing it with a simpler single cable mechanism that has fewer potential failure points and is less prone to malfunction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The return spring in the patent provides automatic self-service functionality, ensuring the handle returns to its initial position without requiring complex tensioning mechanisms, thereby improving reliability through a self-regulating system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If a single-run cable with return spring is used, then the mechanism is simplified and more reliable, but the handle must automatically return to initial position

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanism simplicityVSAvoidhandle positioning control
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The return spring is pre-loaded and positioned in advance to automatically return the handle to its initial position, performing the positioning action beforehand rather than requiring active control during operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The handle positioning system serves itself through the return spring mechanism, which automatically returns the handle to its initial position without requiring external control, simplifying the mechanism while maintaining operational control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 solution simplifies the door handle mechanism, reducing complexity and the risk of malfunction, while providing a stable and precise motion control, ensuring the handle is securely held in its non-pivoted position when closed and easily gripped in the open position.

Implementation Method 1

a return spring (25), which is firmly connected to a first end (26) on the handle side... The return spring (25) is prestressed at least in an open end position of the door and in a pivoting position of the handle part that accompanies it

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic potential energy: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2581666B1Door for a domestic appliance, domestic appliance with a door and method for moving a handle of a door of a domestic appliance
Publication Date: 2016.04.27 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP2581666B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2581666B1 patent drawingFigure 3~6
  • EP2581666B1 patent drawingFigure 7~10

AI summary

The invention relates to a door (4) for a household appliance (1), with a plate-like base part (7) on which a handle (6) with a movable handle part (6a) is arranged, and a coupling device (21) which is connected to the handle part (6a) and by means of which the handle part (6a) can be pivoted relative to the base part (7) depending on the movement of the door (4), the coupling device (21) comprising a single-run cable (22) which on the handle part has a first end (26) of a return spring (25) is coupled, wherein the return spring (25) is arranged with a second end (27) outside of the handle part. The invention also relates to a household appliance (1) and a method for moving a handle (6) of a door (4).