Door Hook Spring Assembly to Prevent Handle Loosening
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing door hook assemblies in washing machines and dishwashers often experience loosening of the door handle due to the lack of sufficient elastic restoring force, especially when the door is closed or when the opening size is smaller, leading to disengagement of the door handle from the door hook.
Innovation Solution
A door hook assembly with a spring structure comprising spiral portions, leg portions, and an arm portion that provides additional elastic deformation and restoring force, ensuring the door handle remains securely attached even when the door hook rotates outward.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a dual-twisting spring with a Π-shape crossbeam is used to hoop the door hook, then the door hook can be pivotally coupled to the spring structure, but the door handle disengages from the door hook when the door is closed and is not subject to spring force, resulting in loosening of the door handle
Solution Approach 1:
The spring structure is divided into multiple functional segments: the Π-shape crossbeam segment for pivotal coupling, the arm portion segment for maintaining engagement, and the spiral portion segment for providing elastic restoring force. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently, ensuring the door handle remains reliably attached while maintaining operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm portion extends from the crossbeam in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the crossbeam and door hook, creating a three-dimensional structure. This dimensional extension allows the spring to maintain engagement with the door handle in a direction that prevents loosening during door closure, while the spiral portion provides restoring force in a different dimensional plane.
2Volume of moving object
If the opening on the front panel is smaller in size, then the door assembly can be more compact, but the outward pressing force on the door hook by the opening makes the door handle and door hook disengage to a certain degree, resulting in loosening of the door handle
Solution Approach 1:
The spring structure has different local qualities: the crossbeam provides rigid support for pivotal coupling, the arm portion provides localized engagement maintenance with the door handle, and the spiral portion provides elastic restoring force. This local differentiation allows the spring to effectively counteract the outward pressing force in smaller door assemblies while maintaining overall compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm portion is pre-positioned to extend from the crossbeam in a direction that anticipates the outward pressing force during door closure. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the door is closed in a compact configuration, the arm portion is already in place to prevent disengagement and loosening of the door handle.
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
The enhanced spring structure prevents the loosening of the door handle by maintaining an elastic restoring force that keeps the door handle engaged with the door hook, even when the door is closed or during outward rotation, thus preventing the door handle from falling off or becoming loose.
Implementation Method 1
when said spiral portion and the leg portions at its two ends have been deformed elastically about its axis O by an external force, the arm portion formed by bending one of said leg portions can still provide elastic deformation independently, so as to provide an extra elastic restoring force
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
A door hook assembly (1) and a washing device using the same, said door hook assembly (1) comprises a door hook (2), a spring structure (3) and a pivot (4) connecting said door hook (2) and said spring structure (3), said door hook (2) is rotatable about said pivot (4), said spring structure (3) comprises a spiral portion (5), each of the two ends of said spiral portion (5) has a leg portion (6,7) extending tangentially from the circumference thereof, and there is a certain angle alpha formed between the projections of the extending directions of the two leg portions (6,7) on a plane S perpendicular to said pivot (4); one of said leg portions (6) is bent to form an arm portion extending therefrom, and there is a certain angle beta formed between the projections of the extending direction of said arm portion (8) and the opposite direction of the extending direction of said leg portion on the plane S. By way of this door hook assembly (1), when said spiral portion (5) and the leg portion at its two ends have been deformed elastically about its axis O by an external force, the arm portion (8) formed by bending one of said leg portions (6) can still provide elastic deformation independently, so as to provide an extra elastic restoring force.