Refrigerator Door Opening Mechanism Using Push Slider to Reduce Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerator doors become heavy and difficult to open due to enlargement and internal item arrangement, requiring excessive force to overcome magnetic forces and negative pressure, causing user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A door opening device with a rotatable door handle that protrudes from the front surface when manipulated, utilizing a push slider and spring mechanism to assist in opening the door with less force, allowing the handle to be flush with the door in a closed state for a clean appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a magnet is embedded in the gasket to improve airtight sealing, then sealing performance is improved, but door opening force requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
A push slider is introduced as an intermediary mechanical element between the door handle and door body. The push slider translates the rotational motion of the handle into linear pushing motion that acts on the door body near the hinge, providing mechanical assistance to overcome the magnetic sealing force without compromising the sealing performance.
2Ease of operation
If the door handle protrudes from the door surface to facilitate opening, then ease of operation is improved, but exterior appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The door handle is designed with dynamic protrusion capability. It remains flush with the door surface during normal conditions to maintain aesthetic appearance, but can protrude when activated by the push slider during door opening operation. This dynamic behavior allows the handle to switch between two states: a retracted state for appearance and an extended state for operational assistance.
3Volume of moving object
If the refrigerator door is enlarged to increase storage capacity, then storage volume is improved, but door weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The push slider is pre-loaded with a spring mechanism that stores elastic potential energy. When the door handle is activated, this pre-stored energy is released to provide an initial pushing force on the door body, assisting the user in overcoming the weight and magnetic resistance at the beginning of the door opening process.
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
Enables easier door opening with reduced force requirements, maintaining airtight sealing and improving user convenience while maintaining a sleek exterior design.
Implementation Method 1
a spring mechanism to assist in opening the door with less force
Implementation Method 2
a magnet may be embedded in the gasket so that the gasket is more closely attached to the cabinet
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cabinet in which a storage space is formed, a door configured to open and close the storage space, and a door opening device configured to be provided on the door and manipulated to open the door, in which the door opening device includes a case configured to be provided inside the door and to communicate with openings on the front and rear surfaces of the door, a door handle configured to be mounted inside the case to be rotated by a user's manipulation and to shield an opening in the front surface of the door, and a push slider accommodated in the case so as to reciprocate in a straight line, and having one end which is in contact with the door handle and the other end which protrudes through an opening at the rear surface of the door, and in which the push slider may move rearward when the door handle is rotated and pushes the cabinet to open the door.