Refrigerator Door Pivot Guide for Tight-Installation Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerator doors often interfere with surrounding objects or have limited pivot angles when installed in built-in or near other electronic devices, leading to potential damage or restricted installation locations.
Innovation Solution
A pivot guide unit that adjusts the distance between the door's pivot shaft and the main body during motion, allowing for increased pivot angle and effective door opening, comprising a transfer unit and a shaft moving unit that moves the pivot shaft relative to the main body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the refrigerator door is pivotally connected to the main body using a fixed pivot guide unit, then the structure is simple and reliable, but the door pivot angle is limited and the door may interfere with surrounding objects during opening
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot guide unit is designed with movable components that allow the pivot shaft position to change dynamically during door opening. The guide rail and sliding member enable the pivot point to move outward, increasing the door's arc of motion and allowing greater pivot angles without interfering with surrounding objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a radial dimension to the pivot mechanism by allowing the pivot shaft to move along the guide rail away from the main body. This transforms the traditional fixed-axis rotation into a multi-dimensional motion path, enabling the door to clear obstacles and achieve larger opening angles.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the refrigerator is installed in a built-in type or near other objects, then space utilization is improved, but the door cannot open effectively due to interference with surrounding objects
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic pivot guide unit allows the pivot shaft to move outward during door opening, creating additional clearance space. This enables the door to open effectively even when the refrigerator is installed in tight spaces or built-in configurations where the door might otherwise interfere with surrounding objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide rail and sliding member are pre-configured to automatically move the pivot shaft outward as the door begins to open. This preliminary adjustment of the pivot position occurs before the door reaches its full opening angle, ensuring clearance from surrounding objects throughout the entire opening motion.
3Ease of manufacture
If the pivot shaft is fixed at a constant distance from the main body, then the manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but the door may collide with surrounding objects and the pivot angle is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of fixing the pivot shaft at a constant distance, the invention employs a dynamic positioning system with a guide rail and sliding member. The pivot shaft can move along the guide rail to adjust its distance from the main body, providing adaptable door motion range while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing through standardized rail and slider components.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a main body defining a storage chamber, a door opening and closing the storage chamber, and a pivot guide unit connecting the door to the main body and varying a distance between a pivot shaft of the door and the main body in response to a pivot motion of the door.