Integrated Catch and Lock Mechanism for Appliance Door Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional household appliance door assemblies require additional time and complexity due to the need for precise alignment and separate hardware installations for both releasable closure and locking mechanisms, leading to increased assembly time and part complexity.
Innovation Solution
A unitary body integrated with the door frame, featuring a lock projection and aperture, which serves both as a catch mechanism and locking mechanism, allowing for a single component to handle both functions, reducing the number of parts and assembly time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate hardware installations are used for closure and locking mechanisms, then reliable door retention is achieved, but assembly time and part complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the closure mechanism (catch and latch) and locking mechanism (lock projection and locking member) into a single integrated door assembly structure. The unitary body integrates multiple functions including the catch mechanism with movable cam, lock projection, and aperture, eliminating the need for separate hardware installations while maintaining reliable door retention through coordinated operation of integrated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The unitary body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for the door frame, houses the catch mechanism for releasable closure, contains the lock projection for locking, and includes the aperture for latch engagement. This multi-functional design reduces part complexity while ensuring reliable operation of both closure and locking functions.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate hardware installations are used for closure and locking mechanisms, then proper alignment is achieved, but assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the catch mechanism, lock projection, and aperture into a single unitary body that is pre-aligned during manufacturing, the patent eliminates the need for field alignment of separate components. The unitary structure ensures proper spatial relationships between all locking and closure elements, reducing assembly time while maintaining alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The unitary body is manufactured with all critical alignment features (catch position, lock projection orientation, aperture location) pre-established during factory production. This preliminary action of pre-aligning all components before delivery eliminates time-consuming alignment procedures during installation, while ensuring manufacturing precision is maintained.
Data Source
AI summary
A door assembly for an appliance includes a door frame configured to mount to a cabinet of the appliance and movable between an open position and a closed position. A catch mechanism can be provided within the door frame and configured to receive a latch projecting from the cabinet when the door frame is in the closed position.