Foam protective shell for refrigerator connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connector assemblies for wall installations fail to effectively prevent insulation foam from entering the connector body, leading to foam solidification around wires, which complicates maintenance and wire replacement, and existing solutions are either difficult to assemble or have complex geometries that do not completely prevent foam penetration.
Innovation Solution
A connector assembly with a protective shell that includes a flange extending from the wall to cover the cut-out hole, a lead-through channel with inclined internal flaps to route cables in a meandering manner, and latching elements to secure the shell, preventing foam entry and ensuring easy maintenance access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If conventional connector assemblies are used without protective shells, then installation is simple, but insulation foam enters the connector body and solidifies around wires, making maintenance impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The protective shell is divided into a body portion and a cover portion that can be separated. The body portion contains the connector elements while the cover portion seals it. This segmentation allows the shell to prevent foam entry during installation, then be opened for maintenance, and reclosed afterward, resolving the contradiction between foam protection and maintenance accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective shell is installed on the connector body before the insulation foam is applied. This preliminary protective action prevents foam from entering the connector body during the foaming process, ensuring that maintenance will remain possible in the future while solving the immediate foam prevention need.
2Reliability
If complex sealing systems like tapes or adhesives are used, then foam penetration is prevented, but assembly and installation become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged into the protective shell structure itself through integral sealing lips and sealing surfaces that are molded as part of the shell body and cover. This eliminates the need for separate tapes or adhesives, providing reliable foam prevention while maintaining simple assembly through a single snap-fit or latch operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective shell incorporates flexible sealing lips made of elastomeric material that can deform to conform to the connector body and wall opening. This flexibility ensures reliable sealing against foam penetration while allowing simple assembly without complex fastening mechanisms.
3Reliability
If complex geometries with multiple chambers are used, then foam penetration is reduced, but the device becomes difficult to manufacture and adapt
Solution Approach 1:
The protective shell is designed as a universal component that can accommodate different connector types and wall configurations. The shell body and cover are configured to seal around various connector geometries, and the mounting flange can adapt to different wall types, providing reliable foam prevention across multiple applications without requiring complex or application-specific geometries.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector assembly for installation on a wall includes a main connector body introduced into a cut-out hole of the wall and a protective shell positioned on an inner side of the wall. The protective shell protects the main connector body from an insulation foam entering the main connector body when foamed in place. The protective shell has a front portion, a receptacle formed at the front portion and receiving a second end of the main connector body, a flange extending from and surrounding the receptacle, and a lead-through channel formed at a back portion of the protective shell. The flange is attached on the inner side of the wall and covers the cut-out hole. The lead-through channel has an internal flap routing a cable through the back portion in a meandering manner. The internal flap is inclined with respect to the lead-through channel.