Movable Door Assembly for Refrigerator Sealing Without Flipping Beam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators with side-by-side doors suffer from cold air leakage due to gaps between door leaves, which affect appearance and functionality, and previous solutions like flipping beams or partition plates either hinder smooth operation or reduce storage flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A door assembly with a first and second door body that can move relative to each other, allowing seamless transitions between sealing and avoidance positions, driven by motors or electromagnets, and enhanced with insulation and sealing mechanisms to maintain temperature and aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a seam of 4mm to 10mm is designed between door leaves to avoid movement interference, then door operation is ensured, but cold air leakage occurs and appearance is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The second door body is designed to be movable relative to the first door body, switching between sealing position and avoidance position. During door operation, the second door body moves to the avoidance position to prevent interference, while during closing state it moves to the sealing position to eliminate gaps and prevent cold air leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The door leaf is divided into two separate door bodies (first door body and second door body) that can move independently relative to each other. This segmentation allows the second door body to perform its specific function of moving between sealing and avoidance positions without affecting the overall door structure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a flipping beam structure is added to prevent cold air leakage, then sealing effect is improved, but door cannot close smoothly due to collision with another door body
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a fixed flipping beam that causes collision, the second door body is designed to dynamically move to an avoidance position during door operation. This dynamic adjustment eliminates the collision problem while maintaining the sealing function when the second door body is in the sealing position.
Solution Approach 2:
The second door body moves to the avoidance position in advance before the door closing operation begins, preventing potential collision with another door body. This preliminary action ensures smooth door operation while the sealing function is preserved when needed.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a door seal is provided at door seam to prevent cold air leakage, then sealing effect is improved, but sealing performance is poor relying only on door seal fit
Solution Approach 1:
The second door body dynamically moves to the sealing position to work together with the door seal, creating a dual sealing mechanism. This dynamic positioning ensures the door seal achieves optimal sealing performance by combining the fit of the door seal with the precise positioning of the second door body.
4Reliability
If a partition plate is used to divide compartment and improve door seal fitting, then sealing performance is improved, but effective volume ratio is reduced and storage flexibility is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The second door body serves as a movable sealing element that eliminates the need for a fixed partition plate. By moving between sealing and avoidance positions, it provides reliable sealing performance while maintaining the full interior volume and storage flexibility of the refrigerator compartments.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The door assembly effectively eliminates gaps between door leaves, ensuring smooth operation, improved insulation, and maintaining storage flexibility without compromising interior space division.
Implementation Method 1
the drive member includes a first electromagnet provided on the first door body and/or the second door body
Implementation Method 2
the first electromagnet includes a power-on state in which a magnetic field is generated in the first electromagnet
Implementation Method 3
a first elastic reset member connected between the second door body and the first door body
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to the field of refrigeration, and provides door assembly and refrigeration equipment. The door assembly includes: a door leaf, including a first door body and a second door body, where the first door body is configured to be rotatably connected to an installation part, and the second door body is configured to move toward an opening side or a hinged side of the first door body with respect to the first door body to switch between a sealing position and an avoidance position; the door leaf is configured to switch between a closing state in which the second door body is in the sealing position and an opening state; the second door body is in the avoidance position when the door leaf is switched between the closing state and the opening state. When the door leaf is in a closing state, the second door body is in the sealing position to ensure the sealing effect of the door leaf. When the door leaf needs to be opened or closed, the second door body is in the avoidance position to prevent the movement of the door leaf from being interfered. When the door assembly is applied to a refrigerator, the dependence of a traditional refrigerator on a flipping beam can be changed, and the defect of inflexible division of storage space of a box body can be avoided.