French Door Pivoting Bar Mechanism for Gap Sealing Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In French door refrigerators, the rotating bar used to seal the gap between the pair of doors cannot rotate to seal the gap when the door without the rotating bar is opened or closed, limiting the ability to withdraw containers of identical sizes from both sides, as the rotating bar remains in a fixed position, interfering with container access.
Innovation Solution
A guide device is implemented that includes a moveable member, a rotating unit, and a guide unit to induce the rotating bar to rotate based on the opening and closing of the second door, allowing the rotating bar to change positions between parallel and perpendicular to seal or unseal the gap between the doors, ensuring symmetrical container sizes can be used.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rotating bar is installed on one door to seal the gap between the pair of doors, then the gap sealing function is improved, but the ability to withdraw containers of identical sizes from both sides is worsened when the other door is opened
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating bar is made dynamically adjustable through a guide device that includes a movable member, rotating unit, and guide unit. When the second door opens, the movable member moves linearly, causing the rotating bar to rotate from a parallel position (sealing the gap) to a perpendicular position (clearing the container withdrawal path). This dynamic repositioning resolves the contradiction by adapting the bar's position based on door operation state.
Solution Approach 2:
A guide device acts as an intermediary mechanism between the door operation and the rotating bar. The guide device includes a movable member connected to the second door, a rotating unit that converts linear motion to rotational motion, and a guide unit that directs the rotating bar's movement. This intermediary system automatically coordinates the rotating bar's position with the door's opening/closing state, eliminating the need for manual intervention and ensuring both sealing and accessibility requirements are met.
2Reliability
If the rotating bar remains parallel to the doors to seal the gap, then the gap sealing function is improved, but the interference with container access on the side without the rotating bar worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating bar transitions from a static sealing position to a dynamic position that adapts to door operations. When the second door is closed, the bar remains parallel to seal the gap. When the second door opens, the bar rotates to perpendicular, allowing symmetric container sizes on both sides. This dynamic behavior enables the system to maintain both sealing reliability and container size adaptability under different operating conditions.
3Ease of operation
If a guide device is added to induce the rotating bar to rotate, then the container accessibility is improved, but the device complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The guide device operates autonomously using the mechanical motion of the second door itself as the driving force. The movable member is connected to the door's opening/closing motion, and through the rotating unit and guide unit, this motion automatically repositions the rotating bar without requiring external actuators, motors, or control systems. This self-service mechanism reduces device complexity while achieving the desired accessibility improvement.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a refrigerator which allows a pivoting bar to pivot to seal a gap between a pair of doors regardless of whether the door at which the pivoting bar is not installed between the pair of doors is open or closed. The refrigerator includes a guide device which induces the pivoting bar to pivot. Here, the guide device includes a rack that is moved forward and backward linearly depending on opening and closing of the second door and includes a second magnet built therein, a pinion gear engaged with the rack and pivoting when the rack is moved linearly, and a guide unit which includes a guide groove guiding a guide protrusion and is engaged with the pinion gear to move linearly in a direction opposite to that of the rack to allow the pivoting bar to pivot when the pinion gear pivots.