Refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators with multi-joint hinges face issues such as doors sagging under weight, manufacturing tolerances causing installation problems, and inability to integrate into cabinets due to protruding side walls, preventing a secure seal and precise positioning.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator with a multi-joint hinge system featuring an adjustable mounting element and an adjustment device that allows for precise positioning and compensation for manufacturing tolerances, enabling integration into cabinets and ensuring a reliable seal by allowing translational and rotational movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a multi-joint hinge is used to support the door, then the door can perform translational forward movement and be integrated into a furniture unit, but the door sags during pivoting movement due to considerable weight
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge system incorporates an adjustment mechanism that allows dynamic adaptation of the mounting element's position. The adjustment element can be rotated to change the angular position of the mounting element relative to the appliance body, enabling the hinge to compensate for door sagging and maintain proper door alignment throughout its operational life.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting element's angular position parameter can be changed through rotation of the adjustment element. This allows modification of the hinge geometry to compensate for weight-induced sagging, maintaining the door's stable composition despite the considerable weight it must support.
2Device complexity
If a fixed multi-joint hinge is used, then the structure is simple, but manufacturing tolerances cause installation problems and prevent precise positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge transitions from a completely fixed structure to one with a dynamic adjustment capability. The mounting element can be rotated to a specific angular position using the adjustment element, allowing installation personnel to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and achieve precise door positioning without significantly increasing overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism is pre-built into the hinge assembly during manufacturing, but the actual positioning adjustment is performed during installation. This preliminary preparation of the adjustment mechanism allows for easy compensation of tolerances at the installation stage without requiring complex post-installation modifications.
3Productivity
If the door is mounted without adjustment capability, then installation is quick, but the door cannot be integrated into a cabinet due to protruding side walls preventing secure seal
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting element's angular position can be dynamically adjusted during installation to account for variations in cabinet dimensions and door positions. This allows the hinge to adapt to different cabinet configurations, enabling proper integration and secure sealing without requiring a completely different hinge design for each installation scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the angular position parameter of the mounting element through rotation of the adjustment element, the hinge can accommodate variations in cabinet and door dimensions. This parameter adjustment enables the door to be properly positioned for cabinet integration while maintaining a secure seal, despite the additional adjustment step required during installation.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A refrigerator (50, 50') comprises an appliance body (51, 51') and at least one door (55, 56) which is mounted pivotably on the appliance body (51, 51') and which is held, by means of at least one multi-joint hinge (1), in such a way that it is pivotable between a closed position and a maximum opening position, and which in the closed position bears against the appliance body (51, 51') by means of at least one seal (57), wherein the at least one multi-joint hinge (1) has an assembly element (2) that is held on the appliance body (51, 51') and a hinge part (3) that is secured to the door (55, 56), these being held pivotably on one another by means of a joint mechanism having multiple levers (4, 5, 6, 7) connected in articulated fashion, wherein an adjustment device is provided on the assembly element (2), which adjustment device has a securing part (24) secured to the appliance body (51, 51') and an adjustment element (20), by means of which the position of the assembly element (2) relative to the securing part (24) can be adjusted in at least one spatial direction.