Refrigerator and home appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerator door designs face issues with maintaining a constant interval between the glass panel and the blocking part, leading to potential damage or deformation of the glass panel due to exposure and impact, as the blocking part is fixedly mounted after the glass panel is installed.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a door panel with a panel bracket featuring a mounting protrusion and a deco cover with a restraining protrusion, which maintains the mounting protrusion in a restrained state, ensuring a consistent interval and preventing deformation or damage by supporting the panel ends and shielding them from impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the blocking part is fixedly mounted on the refrigerator door after the glass panel is mounted, then the glass panel can be installed, but it is not possible to maintain a constant interval between the glass panel and the blocking part
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking part is designed with a blocking protrusion that preliminarily defines the position and interval relative to the glass panel before final mounting. The protrusion fits into a corresponding groove on the glass panel, pre-establishing the correct spacing and alignment before the glass panel is fully secured to the door.
Solution Approach 2:
A blocking protrusion acts as an intermediary element between the blocking part and the glass panel. This protrusion engages with a groove on the glass panel to maintain the constant interval, serving as a mediator that ensures precise positioning without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
2Ease of manufacture
If the glass panel is mounted with exposed perimeter, then the assembly is simple, but the glass panel is damaged when impact is applied to the end
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking part with its protrusion preliminarily prevents harmful impacts from reaching the glass panel ends. By positioning the blocking part to overlap or closely adjacent the glass panel perimeter, it creates a protective barrier that absorbs or deflects impacts before they can damage the glass.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking part serves as a beforehand cushioning element for the glass panel. Its position and structure are designed to absorb or mitigate impact forces that might otherwise directly strike the glass panel ends, providing protective cushioning in advance of potential damage scenarios.
3Ease of operation
If the glass panel ends are separated from the covering part, then the installation is easier, but the glass panel is deformed or damaged when pressed from the front
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking part preliminarily supports the glass panel ends during installation and operation. The blocking protrusion engages with the glass panel groove to maintain proper positioning and provide continuous support, preventing deformation under pressure while keeping the installation process straightforward.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a cabinet and a door. The door includes a door body filled with an insulator and a door panel detachably mounted on the door body. The door panel includes a panel defining a front appearance of the door, and a panel bracket disposed on a rear surface of the panel and including a mounting protrusion protruding rearward. The door body includes a cap deco that defines a portion of a perimeter surface of the door body and includes a protrusion accommodating part receiving the mounting protrusion, and a deco cover that shields an opening of the cap deco and includes a restraining protrusion protruding into the cap deco. The restraining protrusion is in contact with the protrusion accommodating part when the deco cover is mounted and maintains a restrained state of the mounting protrusion and the protrusion accommodating part.