Household Appliance Door Opening Aid Using Pressure Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliances face challenges in accurately detecting door movement due to pressure fluctuations within refrigeration appliances, making it complex to activate a door opening aid effectively.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a pressure sensing facility that detects the pressure difference between the interior and ambient pressures, using a differential pressure sensor or capacitive pressure sensors, and applying a drive force to the door based on this difference to assist in opening, with adjustable threshold values and time periods for activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If pressure sensing is used to detect door movement, then door opening aid can be activated automatically, but pressure fluctuations cause false detection
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts the threshold value for pressure difference detection based on ambient temperature. As temperature changes cause natural pressure fluctuations, the threshold adjusts accordingly to distinguish actual door movement from temperature-induced pressure changes, maintaining reliable detection across varying operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter from a fixed pressure threshold to a dynamic threshold that varies with temperature. The control unit modifies the threshold value according to ambient temperature readings, allowing the system to accommodate natural pressure fluctuations while maintaining sensitivity to actual door movement.
2Shape
If a front panel is attached to the household appliance, then visual matching to furniture is improved, but activation element access becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical button-pressing interface with a contactless activation method using pressure sensing. The activation element can be a button, touch surface, or other interface that detects pressure changes through the front panel without requiring physical access or opening the panel, thus maintaining visual appearance while enabling easy operation.
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 allows for precise and efficient activation of the door opening aid, improving the usability of household appliances by reliably detecting pressure changes and applying the necessary drive force to assist in opening the door.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensing facility for detecting a pressure difference between an interior pressure in the interior of the inner container and an ambient pressure outside the inner container
Data Source
AI summary
A household appliance includes an interior compartment, a door for closing the interior compartment and a drive facility for assisting with opening the door. The household appliance further includes a pressure sensing facility for detecting or sensing a difference between an interior pressure inside the interior compartment and an ambient pressure outside the interior compartment. The drive facility is configured to apply a driving force to the door as a function of the difference between the pressures.