Refrigerator Auxiliary Door Hinge Design for Increased Opening Angle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with auxiliary doors have limited maximum opening angles due to fixed pivoting shaft positions, making it difficult to securely couple hinges and resulting in reduced door thickness and limited access to auxiliary storage compartments.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a second hinge bracket with a pivoting shaft positioned more forward on the main door, allowing for increased opening angles and secure coupling to thinner auxiliary doors, along with a vacuum insulation space using open cell polyurethane foam for enhanced insulation and reduced thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the pivoting shaft position is fixed in conventional designs, then the hinge coupling is simplified, but the maximum opening angle is limited and door thickness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge bracket is designed to pivot relative to the main door during door opening, transforming the static hinge connection into a dynamic one. This allows the auxiliary door to achieve a 135-degree opening angle while the hinge coupling mechanism adapts its position, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge system is divided into multiple components: a hinge bracket fixed to the cabinet, a hinge arm connected to both the hinge bracket and the auxiliary door. This segmentation allows independent movement of each component, enabling the auxiliary door to open to 135 degrees while maintaining secure coupling through the multi-part hinge structure
2Volume of stationary object
If the door thickness is reduced to increase storage space, then the storage capacity is improved, but the insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly uses composite construction with the auxiliary door, main door, and vacuum insulation space working together. The vacuum insulation space (0-10mm) between the auxiliary door and main door provides high insulation performance even when the overall door thickness is reduced, allowing increased storage capacity while maintaining energy efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
A vacuum environment is created in the insulation space between the auxiliary door and main door. This vacuum atmosphere eliminates convection and significantly reduces conduction, providing superior insulation performance with minimal thickness, thus resolving the contradiction between storage capacity and insulation performance
3Reliability
If the auxiliary door thickness is reduced for secure hinge coupling, then the hinge attachment is improved, but the door strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge attachment problem is solved by adding a spatial dimension - the hinge bracket is positioned at a distance from the auxiliary door edge, creating a moment arm that provides secure attachment. The hinge arm connects the bracket to the door, distributing forces across multiple points and maintaining door strength while enabling reliable hinge coupling
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
This configuration enables auxiliary doors to open up to 135 degrees, providing greater access and maintaining high insulation performance even with thinner doors, while ensuring secure fastening and improved storage capacity.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum insulation space using open cell polyurethane foam for enhanced insulation
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a refrigerator including a cabinet (100) having a storage compartment provided therein, a main door (140) pivotably mounted at the cabinet (100) for opening and closing the storage compartment, an auxiliary storage compartment (200) mounted at a rear of the main door (140), and an auxiliary door (120) pivotably mounted over a front of the main door (140) for opening and closing the auxiliary storage compartment (200). A first upper hinge bracket (160) may be fixed to an upper end of the cabinet (100), the first upper hinge bracket (160) including a rotation shaft (164) that is coupled to an upper portion of the main door (140). A second upper hinge bracket (220) may be fixed to an upper portion of the auxiliary door (120), the second upper hinge bracket (220) including a rotation shaft (234) that is coupled to the upper portion of the main door (140). The rotation shaft (224) of the second upper hinge bracket (220) may be positioned more forward than the rotation shaft (164) of the first upper hinge bracket (160).