Refrigerator Door Hinge Adjustment Mechanism for Level Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators often suffer from a level difference between the left and right doors, leading to consumer dissatisfaction and increased manufacturing costs due to return requests.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design that includes a hinge shaft adjuster mechanism, allowing the hinge shaft to be moved forward or backward with respect to the cabinet's front surface, thereby adjusting the level difference between the doors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a double door refrigerator is manufactured without a hinge adjustment mechanism, then the manufacturing process is simple and cost-effective, but a level difference occurs between the left door and the right door leading to consumer dissatisfaction and increased return requests
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge structure is designed with a moving bracket that can adjust its position relative to the fixing bracket, transforming the static hinge into a dynamic adjustable system. This allows the door level to be modified after manufacturing by moving the moving bracket forward or backward using the hinge shaft adjuster, thereby resolving the level difference issue without requiring complex manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerator system provides self-adjustment capability through the hinge shaft adjuster mechanism, which enables users or technicians to correct door level alignment independently after the refrigerator is manufactured. This self-service feature eliminates the need for complex manufacturing precision while allowing post-manufacturing adjustment of the door position
2Manufacturing precision
If a hinge shaft adjuster mechanism is added to adjust door level, then the level difference between doors is eliminated, but the hinge structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge bracket is divided into two separate brackets: a fixing bracket that remains stationary and a moving bracket that can adjust its position. This segmentation allows the adjustment function to be added without redesigning the entire hinge structure, making the manufacturing process more manageable despite the added complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The moving bracket acts as an intermediary element between the fixing bracket and the hinge shaft, providing a mechanism for adjustment. This intermediary component enables the door level to be modified without requiring complete disassembly or complex manufacturing processes, as the moving bracket can be adjusted independently using the hinge shaft adjuster
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a hinge shaft fixed to the cabinet, a door configured to open or close the cabinet, the door including a lower frame part, an upper moving plate on an upper surface of the lower frame part of the door, and movable with respect to the lower frame part, a lower moving plate on a lower surface of the lower frame part of the door, including a hinge hole formed therein and into which the hinge shaft is inserted, and coupled to the upper moving plate so that the lower moving plate moves integrally with the upper moving plate, and a hinge hole adjuster configured to move the upper moving plate or the lower moving plate in a forward direction or a rearward direction with respect to a front surface of the cabinet.