Door Hinge Assembly with Positioning Member for Faster Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clothing treatment apparatuses, such as drum washing machines, face low assembly efficiency and poor connection stability due to small installation holes and limited space, leading to loosening of fasteners and compromised airtightness, which affects operational safety.
Innovation Solution
A door hinge assembly with a positioning member, including L-shaped positioning ribs and claws, that aligns and secures the hinge plate and reinforcement plate to the cabinet or door, improving assembly efficiency and connection stability even when fasteners loosen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If fastening screws are used to install the hinge plate through small installation holes, then the hinge plate can be fixed to the cabinet, but the assembly process is time-consuming and laborious due to limited installation space and small hole size
Solution Approach 1:
A positioning member is introduced as an intermediary component between the hinge plate and the cabinet. This positioning member includes positioning protrusions that fit into positioning recesses, enabling precise alignment and simplified installation without requiring manual alignment of small holes, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of installation and assembly efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning member is pre-installed on the cabinet before the hinge plate is attached. This preliminary positioning action creates ready-made alignment features (positioning protrusions and recesses) that guide the hinge plate installation, eliminating the time-consuming alignment process and improving assembly efficiency while maintaining ease of installation
2Reliability
If fastening screws are used to secure the hinge plate, then the connection is initially stable, but the fasteners are prone to loosening after prolonged door opening and closing
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning member acts as a mediator that distributes mechanical stresses away from the fastening screws. By providing rigid positioning protrusions that bear the primary load of alignment and positioning, the fasteners are relieved of stress concentration, preventing loosening over time and extending the service life of the connection while maintaining initial stability
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning member with its precisely fitted protrusions and recesses provides beforehand cushioning against the loosening forces generated during door operation. The rigid positioning structure anticipates and counteracts the cyclic stresses that would otherwise cause fastener loosening, ensuring long-term connection stability
3Ease of manufacture
If the hinge plate is installed using conventional fastening methods, then the door can be attached to the cabinet, but the airtightness between the door and cabinet deteriorates due to fastener loosening
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning member serves as a stable intermediary that maintains the precise spatial relationship between the hinge plate and cabinet throughout the product lifecycle. By preventing fastener loosening through its load-distributing positioning protrusions, it ensures the door remains properly sealed to the cabinet, eliminating air leakage while keeping the assembly process simple
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning member is pre-installed with precise tolerances to establish the correct positioning and airtight configuration before the hinge plate is attached. This preliminary action ensures that even if fasteners loosen later, the positioning protrusions maintain the seal integrity, preventing air leakage while preserving ease of assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A door hinge assembly includes a hinge plate and a mounting shaft. The hinge plate includes a mounting plate, a reinforcing plate, and a connecting hook. The reinforcing plate and the connecting hook are each assembled on the mounting plate. The connecting hook is pivotally connected to the mounting shaft. The door hinge assembly further includes a positioning member, and the positioning member is configured to be capable of positioning the mounting plate and/or the reinforcing plate to a cabinet or a door. By providing the positioning member capable of positioning the hinge plate to the cabinet or the door, when the hinge plate is mounted, the hinge plate may first be positioned to the cabinet or the door by the positioning member, and then the hinge plate is tightened by a fastener, so that the assembly efficiency of the door hinge assembly may be increased.