Door-Mounted Icemaker Utility Routing for Closed-Loop Disconnection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing utility routing methods for door-mounted appliances, such as icemakers, often rely on the confined space of the door hinge, making it difficult to disconnect and reconnect utilities without disrupting closed-loop systems, especially when doors are removed for installation or relocation.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a routing harness that maintains closed-loop conveyance of operating mediums, like cooling fluid, between a cabinet and a door-mounted icemaker, allowing for the icemaker to be unmounted without disconnecting the utility lines, using a configuration that supports the icemaker's weight and facilitates easy reattachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If utilities are routed through the door hinge to support door-mounted operations, then the door can receive necessary utilities (water lines, wires), but the confined hinge space makes disconnection difficult and disrupts closed-loop systems
Solution Approach 1:
The utility routing is extracted from the door hinge area and relocated to the door edge. The routing harness extends from the cabinet along the door edge to the apparatus, eliminating the need to route utilities through the confined hinge space. This allows the hinge to remain simple while utilities are conveyed through a dedicated harness that can be independently managed.
Solution Approach 2:
The utility routing system is segmented into modular components: a routing harness with separate water lines and electrical wires, a connector assembly at the cabinet end, and corresponding interfaces at the apparatus end. This segmentation allows individual components to be disconnected and reconnected independently, simplifying door removal and reinstallation procedures.
2Ease of manufacture
If the door is removed from the cabinet, then installation and relocation become easier, but closed-loop systems must be disconnected causing loss of contents and increased complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The routing harness is designed as a flexible, dynamic component that can extend and retract as the door moves between open and closed positions. The harness includes sufficient length and flexibility to accommodate door movement while maintaining continuous utility supply, eliminating the need to disconnect closed-loop systems during door removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The routing harness acts as an intermediary between the cabinet and the door-mounted apparatus. It provides a dedicated pathway for utilities that remains attached to the cabinet while allowing the door to be freely removed and reattached. The harness includes connectors that maintain sealed connections for closed-loop systems throughout the door removal process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If more utilities are routed to the door, then more operations can be supported at the door, but the confined hinge space becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The utility routing transitions from a two-dimensional constraint within the hinge area to a three-dimensional pathway along the door edge. The routing harness extends outward from the cabinet along the door's peripheral edge, utilizing the door's external surface area rather than the confined hinge space, thereby accommodating multiple utility lines without spatial conflict.
Data Source
AI summary
Utility routing for door-mounted operations are disclosed. An appliance may include a cabinet and one or more doors connected to the cabinet. An apparatus may have a mounted position on the door. An operation apparatus may be enabled, supported, or otherwise made operable in part by closed-looped conveyance of one or more operating mediums. The apparatus has an unmounted position wherein the apparatus is separated from the door while maintaining the closed-loop conveyance of the one or more operating mediums.