Refrigerator Camera Snap-Fit Mounting to Reduce Dirt Accumulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household cooling appliances with cameras face challenges in securely fastening the camera to a support part due to thermal insulation requirements, leading to difficulties in maintaining the camera's position and exposing the fastening transitions to dirt and debris.
Innovation Solution
A household appliance design featuring a camera housed in a camera housing that surrounds a mounting socket with integrated snap-fit elements, creating a mechanically stable and protected snap-fit connection that improves the camera's positioning and reduces movement tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the camera is fastened to the support part using a conventional mounting method, then the camera can be positioned on the support part, but the fastening transitions are exposed and visible on the outside, allowing dirt and debris to accumulate
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting socket is nested inside the camera housing, with the snap-fit connection formed internally. The camera housing completely surrounds the mounting socket, hiding the fastening transitions from external view and preventing dirt accumulation while maintaining a simple overall structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the camera is mounted on the support part with exposed fastening transitions, then the mounting process is simple, but the camera positioning stability is reduced due to visible movement tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
By nesting the mounting socket inside the camera housing, the snap-fit connection is hidden internally. This internal positioning eliminates visible movement tolerances and improves perceived stability while the snap-fit mechanism itself remains simple to manufacture.
3Reliability
If the mounting socket is exposed on the outside of the camera housing, then the snap-fit connection is accessible for assembly, but the connection is vulnerable to dirt and debris affecting its functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting socket is completely surrounded by the camera housing, creating a protected internal environment for the snap-fit connection. This nesting arrangement shields the connection from dirt and debris while maintaining assembly accessibility through the housing opening.
Data Source
AI summary
A household appliance includes a housing, in which at least one receiving space for food is provided, a door movably disposed on the housing, a camera having a camera housing, and a support part having a mounting socket connected to the camera housing by a snap-fit connection. The mounting socket has an outer side with at least one snap-fit element and the camera housing has an inner side with a counter-snap element. In a mounted state, the mounting socket is received in the camera housing and the snap-fit element is snap-fitted with the counter-snap element for creating the snap-fit connection. A method for manufacturing a household appliance component is also provided.