Domestic appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household refrigeration appliances face challenges in achieving a low level of complexity, stability, and load-bearing capacity while minimizing costs and assembly effort, particularly in the design of hinges and support elements.
Innovation Solution
A household appliance device with a non-threaded support element, designed as a cover panel, is attached to the appliance housing to support the hinge, providing a direct force path and enhancing stability, fatigue strength, and load-bearing capacity, while reducing complexity and assembly effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a threaded support element (adjusting screw) is used to support the hinge, then the load-bearing capacity can be increased, but the device complexity and assembly effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the threading function from the support element, creating a non-threaded design. The support element is simplified to a basic structural component that provides load-bearing capacity through its geometry and material properties alone, eliminating the need for threads and adjusting screws while maintaining sufficient strength to support the hinge and door weight
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the support element with the appliance housing structure, integrating the load-bearing function directly into the housing design. The support element becomes an inherent part of the housing rather than a separate adjustable component, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining load-bearing capacity
2Strength
If multiple separate components (hinge, support element, adjusting screw) are used, then the load-bearing capacity and adjustability are improved, but the assembly effort and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into fewer components. The non-threaded support element integrates the load-bearing support function with the structural housing element, eliminating the need for separate adjusting screws and reducing the number of parts that need to be manufactured, stored, and assembled
Solution Approach 2:
The support element is designed to serve multiple functions: providing load-bearing support, maintaining structural integrity, and enabling hinge attachment. This multi-functional design reduces the total component count and simplifies both manufacturing and assembly processes while maintaining adequate load-bearing capacity
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple cuboid stand is used for support, then the manufacturing costs are reduced, but the appearance and enclosure quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality requirements to different parts of the support element. The visible portions are designed with aesthetic considerations (smooth surfaces, appropriate dimensions, integration with housing appearance), while the structural portions maintain simple geometries optimized for manufacturing. This local differentiation allows the same component to satisfy both appearance requirements and cost-effective manufacturing
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
In order to reduce complexity, a household appliance device, in particular a refrigeration appliance device, is proposed, with at least one household appliance hinge (10a - 10e), which is intended to be fastened to at least one household appliance housing wall (12a - 12e), and with at least one support element ( 14a - 14e), which is intended to introduce a force acting on the at least one domestic appliance hinge (10a - 10e) in an assembled state at least partially into a standing surface (16a - 16e).