French-Door Refrigerator Swing Partition Guide With Force Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional door opening/closing mechanism in refrigerators often results in usability issues, particularly when trying to open the first door while the second door is open, as the swing partitioning body can be grasped incorrectly, leading to interference and potential breakage of the protruding or guide portions when excessive force is applied.
Innovation Solution
The mechanism features a biased protruding portion and guide portion that evacuate in the shaft direction upon collision with a force greater than a predetermined value, allowing the first door to be opened by grasping the swing partitioning body at its closing position, and an inclined surface contact to facilitate smooth opening and closing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the swing partitioning body is used as a handle to open the first door, then the user can open the door without using the handle, but the protruding portion hooks on the guide portion causing inability to open and potential breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The guide portion is designed to move from a fixed position to a movable position along the guide groove when a predetermined force is applied. This dynamic behavior allows the protruding portion to pass through the guide portion during normal door opening, preventing hooking and breakage while maintaining the ability to use the swing partitioning body as an alternative handle.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide portion changes its positional parameter along the guide groove based on the applied force. Under normal conditions, it remains stationary to guide the protruding portion. When excessive force is applied, it moves along the groove to allow the protruding portion to pass through, thereby changing the mechanical constraint parameter and preventing damage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the protruding portion is guided by the guide portion to prevent interference, then the swing partitioning body can be used for opening, but the user may incorrectly grasp the swing partitioning body when opening the second door
Solution Approach 1:
The guide mechanism is designed to prevent the harmful action of incorrect grasping before it occurs. When the user incorrectly tries to open the second door by pulling the swing partitioning body, the protruding portion hooks on the guide portion, preventing the door from opening and providing tactile feedback that this is not the correct operation method.
Data Source
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AI summary
A door opening/closing mechanism includes: a first door and a second door that cover both sides with respect to a center of an opening portion of an apparatus main body and are rotatably supported respectively at both end portions of the opening portion; a swing partitioning body that is swingably disposed at an open end of the first door; and a guide mechanism that guides swingably the swing partitioning body and is disposed at a closing position to protrude from a side end surface of the first door at a closing time of the first door, and is disposed on a plane substantially flush with the side end surface of the first door at an opening time of the first door; wherein the guide mechanism includes a protruding portion disposed on one of the apparatus main body and the swing partitioning body and a guide portion that is disposed on other one of the apparatus main body and the swing partitioning body to guide the protruding portion; and the one of the protruding portion and the guide portion is biased in a shaft direction, and evacuates in the shaft direction upon colliding with the other one with force greater than a predetermined value when the first door the swing partitioning body of which is disposed at the closing position is opened.