Drawer Refrigerator Cable Housing for Door Sliding Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator designs fail to adequately protect electric wire cables connected to control panels on drawer-type doors from damage during sliding insertion and drawing, leading to potential interference and damage.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an electric wire cable housing system with a guide part, support planes, and a push member to manage the cable's length and prevent exposure, coupled with a detection unit for door states, ensures the cable remains secure and undamaged during door operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the drawer type door is made movable for access, then convenience of operation is improved, but the electric wire cable is exposed to damage from interference with surroundings
Solution Approach 1:
The electric wire cable is nested within the electric wire cable housing that is integrated into the sliding frame structure. The housing contains the cable along the entire sliding path, protecting it from external interference while the door moves in and out.
Solution Approach 2:
The electric wire cable housing acts as an intermediary protective structure between the vulnerable cable and the harmful external environment. The housing absorbs mechanical stresses and prevents direct contact between the cable and surrounding objects during door operation.
2Length of moving object
If the electric wire cable is made long enough to accommodate full door movement, then mobility is improved, but the cable becomes exposed and vulnerable to interference
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is nested within the housing structure that moves with the door. This allows the cable to be sufficiently long to accommodate full door movement while remaining protected inside the housing, eliminating exposure to external interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable management problem is solved by transitioning from a free-space cable arrangement to a confined dimensional space within the housing. The cable is routed through a dedicated channel in the housing, converting an unprotected linear path into a protected three-dimensional pathway.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cable is fixed securely to prevent movement, then cable stability is improved, but the door movement mechanism is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The cable arrangement is made dynamic through the bent portion that can flex and deform as the door moves. The cable is secured at endpoints but allowed to change shape in the middle section, enabling both stability and movement compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable's physical parameters (shape, curvature, position) are allowed to change during door movement while its endpoints remain fixed. The bent portion acts as a flexible element that changes its geometric parameters to accommodate door position changes without compromising overall cable stability.
4Ease of operation
If the control panel is provided at the drawer type door for convenience, then ease of operation is improved, but the electric wire cable connected to it becomes vulnerable to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The cable connecting the control panel is nested within the housing structure that moves with the door assembly. This protects the cable while maintaining the control panel's accessibility on the door for user operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves as an intermediary protective barrier between the control panel cable and the external environment. This allows the control panel to remain accessible on the door while the cable connecting it is protected from damage during door movement.
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerator includes a fixed frame (70) in which an electric wire cable (50) drawn from one sidewall (33) of a storage chamber (20,30) is disposed to form a loop, a sliding frame (60) slidably coupled to the fixed frame (70), and an electric wire cable housing (90) fixed to the sliding frame (60) to surround a portion of the electric wire cable (50). The electric wire cable (50) is prevented from being damaged upon insertion and drawing of a drawer type door (41).