Refrigeration Cabinet Door Edging Profile for Finger Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing refrigeration cabinet doors have a manoeuvre space between edging profiles that is too wide when closed, posing a safety risk as users can insert their fingers into this space, leading to the risk of finger crushing when the door is rotated.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of a convex outer surface on the edging profiles with a radius of curvature parallel to the longitudinal axis reduces the manoeuvre space to less than 5mm, eliminating or drastically reducing the risk of finger crushing, while also allowing for a more stable and cost-efficient design by minimizing material consumption and providing a cavity for the hinge, which protects it from dirt and lubricants.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If rectangular cross-section edging profiles are used, then the door structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the manoeuvre space between doors is too wide (at least 1cm) creating safety risks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidfinger crushing risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The edging profile is designed with a convex outer surface having a curvilinear shape with an axis of curvature parallel to the longitudinal axis of the profile. This curved geometry reduces the manoeuvre space between adjacent doors to less than 5mm when closed, eliminating the finger crushing hazard while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through extrusion processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the manoeuvre space is reduced to less than 5mm, then the safety risk is eliminated, but the door requires a more complex profile design

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefinger crushing riskVSAvoidprofile design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The convex outer surface with curvilinear geometry achieves the safety requirement of reducing manoeuvre space to less than 5mm. The curvature is designed with an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis, allowing the profile to be manufactured by standard extrusion processes, thus minimizing the increase in design complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the convex outer surface is designed with minimum width greater than 20mm, then the manoeuvre space is minimized, but more material is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefinger crushing riskVSAvoidmaterial consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The convex outer surface is designed with a curvilinear shape and minimum width greater than 20mm measured in the direction transversal to its longitudinal extension. This geometry effectively reduces the manoeuvre space to less than 5mm while the curved profile optimizes material distribution, achieving safety requirements with reasonable material consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP4208680B1A door for a refrigeration cabinet
Publication Date: 2024.09.18 CISAPLAST SRL
  • EP4208680B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4208680B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4208680B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

It is described a door (10,10') for a refrigeration cabinet (1), comprising: a panel (35) of the insulating and optically transparent type, and a support frame (90) supporting and framing the panel, wherein the support frame is provided with an edging profile (100,105,110,115) extending longitudinally along a longitudinal axis and comprising a portion proximal to the panel (35) and a portion distal from the panel, wherein the distal portion comprises a convex outer surface (150) parallel to the longitudinal axis and directed with convexity to a direction opposite to the panel (35).