Panel assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Metal panel frame assemblies in home appliances often feature sharp corners due to welding, which degrade the aesthetic appeal and pose a risk of injury, while existing solutions do not adequately address these issues.
Innovation Solution
A panel assembly design featuring a frame panel with a corner member that includes an insertion member to fill gaps between surfaces and a fixing member to secure it, eliminating the need for welding and enhancing the aesthetic appearance by using a synthetic resin material for the corner member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If welding is used to join junctions of metal plate surfaces, then structural strength is improved, but sharp corners are formed and aesthetic impression is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The metal plate is divided into multiple surfaces that are bent and joined, with corner members inserted at junctions to segment the sharp corners into separate components, allowing each surface to be optimized independently while maintaining overall structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
Corner members serve as intermediary components between metal plate surfaces, filling gaps and covering sharp corners formed by welding, thereby mediating between the structural requirement for welding and the aesthetic requirement for smooth corners
2Stability of the object's composition
If welding is used to join metal plate surfaces, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct steps: bending metal plate surfaces to form rough three-dimensional structure, joining by welding for structural integrity, and then inserting corner members to finish the joints, allowing each process to be optimized independently
Solution Approach 2:
Corner members are prepared in advance with predetermined shapes and sizes that match the specific junction requirements, allowing them to be pre-manufactured and then simply inserted into the welded joints, separating the complexity of corner preparation from the main assembly process
3Shape
If corner members are added to fill gaps between surfaces, then aesthetic impression is improved, but device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The corner member integrates multiple functions into a single component: it fills the gap between metal plate surfaces, covers the welded joint, provides a smooth curved surface for aesthetics, and can include fixing protrusions for attachment, thereby merging structural and aesthetic requirements into one element
Solution Approach 2:
The outer surface of the corner member is formed to be homogeneous with the adjacent metal plate surfaces, matching their color, texture, and curvature, making the corner member visually integrated and reducing the perceived complexity of the assembly
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3A
Figure 3B~4
AI summary
A panel assembly includes a frame panel including a front surface, an upper surface, a side surface, and a rear surface and is formed as a single sheet of a metal plate, and a corner member disposed in a gap formed between the upper surface of the frame panel and the side surface of the frame panel, wherein the corner member includes: an insertion member inserted into the gap to fill the gap, and a fixing member integrally formed with the insertion member and coupled to the rear surface of the frame panel to fix the corner member to the frame panel.