Electric household appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric household appliances require different models based on their position in a room, leading to the need for new appliances when furniture arrangements change, due to fixed door hinge positions that do not accommodate both left and right-sided installations without structural modifications.
Innovation Solution
An electric household appliance with a coupling device featuring interchangeable hinge and retaining devices that can be easily switched between sides, using sliding elements and reinforcing structures to securely attach an outer panel to the appliance casing, allowing for adaptable door placement without altering the appliance's structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the appliance is equipped with fixed hinge position on one side, then the door can be securely attached to the casing, but the appliance cannot be adapted when furniture arrangement changes requiring opposite side hinge position
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is designed with interchangeable hinge and retaining devices that can be positioned on either the first or second side of the casing. The seat structure with slots and sliding elements allows the same coupling device to universally accommodate both left-sided and right-sided door configurations, making the appliance adaptable to different furniture arrangements without requiring separate models.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the appliance requires different models for left and right sided installations, then each configuration can be optimized, but users must buy new appliances when furniture changes
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device incorporates movable and adjustable components including sliding elements within slots, allowing the hinge and retaining devices to be repositioned between sides. This dynamic design enables users to adapt the appliance to changing furniture arrangements without purchasing new appliances, eliminating the time loss associated with acquiring replacement units.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the door is securely fixed to prevent rotation, then the panel remains stable, but the coupling device becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is segmented into distinct functional components: hinge devices for pivotal attachment, retaining devices for positional stability, seats with slots for positioning, and sliding elements for adjustment. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall simplicity. The modular design prevents panel rotation through the coordinated action of these segmented elements without requiring an overly complex integrated mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electric household appliance (1) comprising a casing (2) with a wall (3), a coupling device for coupling an outer panel (6) to said wall (3), said wall comprising a first side (4) and a second side (5), said coupling device comprising: a hinge device (20) for fixing in a pivotal manner the outer panel (6) to the wall (3) of the casing (2), and a retaining device (10) for holding the outer panel (6) in a position facing the wall (3) of the casing (2) in order to conceal at least partially the wall (3), said appliance further comprising at least one seat (30) provided in each of the first side (4) and the second side (5) of the wall (3), each of said seats (30) being configured for receiving at least partially the hinge device (20) and the retaining device (10), so that the hinge device (20) and the retaining device (10) are interchangeable from the first side to the second side and viceversa.