Door Latch Collar Design for Tool-Free Appliance Mounting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional door latches for domestic electrical appliances are complex and costly to produce, with laborious mounting processes that require additional positioning aids or auxiliary members to secure the latch module to the mounting wall.
Innovation Solution
A door latch design featuring collar portions with offset lateral walls and support surfaces that allow for simple installation without additional positioning holes, utilizing a tilted mechanism to ensure secure attachment and reduced play between the latch module and mounting wall, eliminating the need for auxiliary members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the collar is pushed through the mounting opening in a tilted manner, then the latch assembly group can be installed without additional positioning holes, but the neck region must be narrower than the mounting opening which increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is divided into two separate collar portions (first and second collar portions) that are arranged opposite one another. This segmentation allows each collar portion to be independently configured with lateral walls having different sub-portions, enabling the latch module to be pushed through the mounting opening without requiring the neck region to be narrower than the opening, thus simplifying the overall structure while maintaining ease of installation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If positioning nubs are added to the latch module, then the latch module cannot slide along the mounting wall, but the construction becomes more complicated and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning function is merged into the lateral walls of the collar portions. The lateral walls have first and second sub-portions at different positions, where the first sub-portion engages with the mounting wall to prevent sliding, while the second sub-portion allows the collar to be pushed through the mounting opening. This integration eliminates the need for separate positioning nubs, reducing construction complexity while maintaining positioning stability.
3Reliability
If the collar projects beyond the mounting opening edges, then the latch module can be securely attached, but the mounting operation becomes more laborious requiring tilting
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral walls are designed with dynamic sub-portions that can be sequentially engaged during installation. The first sub-portion of the lateral wall engages with the mounting wall to provide secure attachment, while the second sub-portion is configured to allow the collar to be pushed through the mounting opening without tilting. This dynamic configuration maintains attachment security while simplifying the mounting operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A latch module has an insertion mouth for receiving a closing member on closing of a door of a domestic appliance. Two collar portions which project away from one another are formed on both sides of the insertion mouth. Beneath a first of the collar portions there is formed a first recess, and beneath the second of the collar portions there is formed a second recess, which in some exemplary embodiments has two steps, where a first, less deep step is formed by a first lateral wall sub-portion and a second, deeper step is formed by a second lateral wall sub-portion.