Refrigerator Cable-Bushing Box for Foam-Tight Machine Chambers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing household refrigeration appliances face issues with reliably sealed line routing into the machine room, particularly due to the introduction of thermally insulating foam material during production, which can compromise the tightness and integrity of the chamber.

Innovation Solution

A household refrigeration appliance design featuring a line bushing box with a receptacle and integrally connected lid, positioned outside the machine room, ensures reliable closure and tightness even when thermally insulating material is introduced, using a film hinge for smooth operation and a one-piece design with a circumferential rib and latching element for enhanced positional fixation and sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a chamber with slotted walls is used for line routing, then lines can be routed into the machine room, but the tightness and sealing are compromised when foam material is introduced during production

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveline routingVSAvoidtightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The boundary wall is segmented into modular components: a receptacle for receiving lines, a detachable lid for closing, and a box structure. This segmentation allows the lid to be separately closed and sealed, preventing foam material from compromising the seal while maintaining ease of line routing during manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The box acts as an intermediary structure between the line routing function and the sealing requirement. It provides a dedicated receptacle and lid assembly that mediates between the need to route lines and the need to maintain tightness, isolating the sealing interface from the foam material introduction process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of energy

If foam material is introduced into the intermediate space during production, then thermal insulation is achieved, but the chamber tightness and sealing are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal insulationVSAvoidchamber tightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lid is extracted as a separate, detachable component from the receptacle, allowing it to be closed and sealed independently before foam material introduction. This extraction enables the sealing function to be isolated from the foam filling process, maintaining chamber tightness while achieving thermal insulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The lid is closed and the sealing is established as a preliminary action before the foam material is introduced into the intermediate space. This preliminary sealing action ensures that the chamber tightness is maintained throughout the foam introduction process, preventing foam from compromising the seal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If the box is positioned inside the machine room, then line routing is achieved, but the usable volume of the machine room is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveline routingVSAvoidmachine room usable volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The box is repositioned from inside the machine room to the boundary wall interface, utilizing the wall thickness dimension. The receptacle extends into the machine room for line routing while the main box structure is positioned at the boundary, effectively using the wall space to avoid reducing the machine room's usable volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3080528B1Domestic refrigeration appliance with a specific machinery-chamber boundary wall
Publication Date: 2021.07.21 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP3080528B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3080528B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3080528B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a domestic refrigeration appliance (1) having a housing (2), in which is arranged an inner container which bounds an interior (3, 4) for accommodating foods, and having a machinery chamber (12), which is separated from the interior (3, 4) and in which components (7 to 11) of a refrigeration circuit of the domestic refrigeration appliance (1) are arranged, wherein the machinery chamber (12) has a boundary wall (13), on which is arranged a cable-bushing box (17) for leading at least one cable (18a, 18b, 18c) through into the machinery chamber (12) from outside the machinery chamber (12), and the box (17) has an accommodating receptacle (19) and a cover (20) for closing the accommodating receptacle (19), and the cover (20) is connected in one piece to the accommodating receptacle (19).