Latch Mounting on Front Panel Back Surface for Accurate Door Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking apparatuses face challenges in accurately detecting the opening of the door, which is crucial to prevent harmful high-frequency emissions, especially in microwave ovens, due to deviations in assembly and dimensional issues affecting the latch's operation.
Innovation Solution
A latch is coupled to the back surface of the front panel of the outer housing, with a cover member concealing the coupling mechanism, ensuring precise detection of the door's opening and closing state, and a concave latch housing design for accurate engagement with the front panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the latch is coupled to the front panel using a coupling member, then the latch can be installed, but the coupling member protrudes from the outer surface making it visible and affecting appearance
Solution Approach 1:
A cover member is introduced as an intermediary component that conceals the protruding coupling member. The cover member is coupled to the front panel and covers the coupling member, making it invisible from the outside while still allowing the latch to be properly installed and function.
2Device complexity
If the latch housing is flat, then the structure is simple, but the latch cannot accurately engage with the front panel due to assembly deviations
Solution Approach 1:
The latch housing is designed with a concave portion at the specific location where it engages with the front panel. This localized structural modification allows the latch to accommodate assembly deviations and dimensional variations, ensuring accurate engagement without making the entire housing complex.
3Device complexity
If the door detection is inaccurate, then the structure is simple, but high-frequency radiation can leak when the door is opened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex sensor-based detection systems with a mechanical detection mechanism. The detecting member mechanically interacts with the door or door assembly to directly sense the open/closed state, providing reliable detection without requiring complex electronic systems.
4Manufacturing precision
If the latch position requires adjustment after assembly, then positioning can be optimized, but manufacturing time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The latch housing is pre-designed with a concave portion that automatically compensates for positioning requirements during assembly. This preliminary structural design eliminates the need for post-assembly adjustment, allowing the latch to be correctly positioned simply by coupling it to the front panel.
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking apparatus includes an outer housing including a front panel and a back panel opposite to each other, the front panel including a back surface facing the back panel, an inner housing which is within the outer housing and in which a cooking room of the cooking apparatus is defined, a door which is rotatably coupled to the outer housing at the front panel of the outer housing, and opens and closes the cooking room, and a latch which is coupled to the outer housing at the back surface of the front panel and detects opening and closing of the door.