Refrigerator Door Opener Overload Release for Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing domestic refrigeration appliances with electromechanical opening assisting devices lack reliability in automatically opening closed door leaves or drawers, particularly in preventing damage from excessive force application.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of an electromechanical actuator with an overload protection device that rigidly fixes a plunger within a base body until an impact force exceeds a predetermined trigger force, allowing the plunger to disengage and prevent damage to the actuator components, combined with an air pressure sensor to recognize user intent and activate the opening mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the electromechanical actuator is designed to automatically open the closed door leaf or drawer, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to potential mechanical damage from excessive force application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an overload protection device with a plunger and stop arrangement that prevents excessive force from damaging the electromechanical actuator. The stop limits the travel of the control body, and the plunger can disengage under excessive load, cushioning the system against mechanical damage before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The control body acts as an intermediary element between the electromechanical actuator and the door leaf/drawer. It transfers the opening force while being protected by the overload protection device, mediating the interaction between the actuator and the loaded component.
2Strength
If the plunger is rigidly fixed in the base body, then the strength and force transmission are improved, but the reliability worsens when impact force exceeds the trigger force
Solution Approach 1:
The plunger's connection to the base body is made dynamic rather than static. Under normal operating conditions, the plunger is rigidly fixed to transmit force effectively. When impact force exceeds the trigger force, the plunger can disengage from the stop, allowing the connection to change state and protect the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the mechanical parameter of plunger fixation based on applied force. Below the trigger force, the plunger maintains rigid fixation for strong force transmission. Above the trigger force, the plunger disengages, changing the fixation parameter to prevent damage.
3Reliability
If the overload protection device allows plunger disengagement, then the reliability is improved by preventing damage, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overload protection device is segmented into distinct functional elements: the plunger, the stop, and the trigger force mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while maintaining overall system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The overload protection device is self-activating based on the applied force. When the impact force exceeds the trigger force, the plunger automatically disengages from the stop without requiring external control or complex sensing systems, making the device self-regulating.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures reliable and safe automatic opening of closed door leaves or drawers while preventing mechanical damage from excessive force, ensuring the longevity of the appliance's components.
Implementation Method 1
an air pressure sensor which is configured to determine an air pressure change within the interior space due to a pushing and/or pulling on the closed door leaf
Implementation Method 2
an overload protection device which arrests the plunger in the base body and is configured to fix the plunger rigidly in the base body, for as long as an impact force acting on the plunger remains smaller than a pre-determined trigger force
Implementation Method 3
to release the plunger from the base body as soon as an impact force acting on the plunger exceeds the trigger force
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator has a heat-insulated carcass which has an inner container with a cool able interior space for storing food, a refrigeration device for cooling the interior space, an electromechanical opening assisting device, and a door leaf mounted to the carcass for opening and closing the interior space. The opening assisting device contains an actuator configured to open the door leaf automatically by displacement of a control body. The actuator has a displaceable base body, a plunger mounted in the base body as the control body and an overload protection device arresting the plunger in the base body. The overload protection device fixes the plunger rigidly in the base body, for as long as an impact force acting on the plunger remains smaller than a trigger force and to release the plunger from the base body as soon as an impact force acting on the plunger exceeds the trigger force.