Refrigerator Door Assembly with Hidden Coupling Border for Appearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing coupling structure of a refrigerator's door plate and door cap exposes a border on the front surface, compromising the external appearance and allowing foreign materials to accumulate.
Innovation Solution
A door assembly design featuring a door plate with bent portions and a door cap support that includes protrusion ribs and coupling hooks, allowing the door cap to be securely fixed behind the bent portions, preventing exposure of the coupling area on the front surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the door cap is coupled with the upper portion of the door plate, then the door assembly can be assembled, but a border is exposed on the front surface deteriorating external appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The door cap support is nested within the door plate structure, with the coupling portion positioned behind the bent portion. This nesting arrangement hides the coupling border from the front surface while maintaining the functional coupling between door cap and door plate, resolving the contradiction between appearance and assembly functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling structure is moved from the front surface to the rear dimension by positioning the coupling portion behind the bent portion. This dimensional relocation eliminates the exposed border on the front surface while preserving the coupling function in the rear dimension.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the door cap is coupled with the upper portion of the door plate, then the door assembly can be assembled, but foreign materials may be collected through the border
Solution Approach 1:
The door cap support is nested within the door plate structure, with the coupling portion positioned behind the bent portion. This nesting arrangement hides the coupling border from the front surface while maintaining the functional coupling between door cap and door plate, resolving the contradiction between appearance and assembly functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling function is extracted from the front surface location and relocated to the rear dimension. By separating the coupling function from the visible front surface, the border that would collect foreign materials is eliminated from the external environment.
3Strength
If a coupling structure is used to fix the door cap, then the door cap can be securely attached, but the coupling border is exposed on the front surface
Solution Approach 1:
The door cap support is nested within the door plate structure, with the coupling portion positioned behind the bent portion. This nesting arrangement hides the coupling border from the front surface while maintaining the functional coupling between door cap and door plate, resolving the contradiction between appearance and assembly functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling structure is moved from the front surface to the rear dimension by positioning the coupling portion behind the bent portion. This dimensional relocation eliminates the exposed border on the front surface while preserving the coupling function in the rear dimension.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are provided a refrigerator having an improved coupling structure of a door plate and a door cap so that a border made in a coupling area of the door plate and the door cap is not exposed on the front surface of the refrigerator, and a door assembly of the refrigerator. a refrigerator includes a main body; a storage chamber formed in the inside of the main body, wherein a front part of the storage chamber opens; and a door assembly rotatably coupled with the main body, and configured to open and close the open front part of the storage chamber, wherein the door assembly includes a door plate including a front plate and a side plate bent in a rear direction from both side edges of the front plate, wherein a bent portion is formed in an upper end of the front plate, a door cap configured to cover a top of the door plate, wherein a gripping groove is formed between the door cap and the bent portion, the griping groove opening in a up direction; and a door cap support including a coupling portion coupled with the door cap, and fixed at the bent portion such that the coupling portion is positioned behind the bent portion.