Refrigerator Door Panel Assembly With Rotating Trims
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerators face challenges in easily changing door designs and preventing the edge of a door panel from separating from the door body during assembly or disassembly.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a door system with a rotatable door body, a panel body, and trim components that include grooves, protrusions, and cut-out portions, along with a buffer member to absorb impacts and a fixing member for secure attachment, allowing easy coupling and decoupling of the door panel from the door body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the door panel is fixed to the door body using traditional methods, then the door structure is stable, but the door design cannot be easily changed and the panel edge may separate during assembly or disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is divided into separate components: door body, panel body, and trim pieces. The trim pieces act as intermediate segments that connect the panel body to the door body through rotatable coupling mechanisms, allowing easy assembly and disassembly while maintaining stable attachment during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The trim pieces incorporate rotatable coupling mechanisms (first and second rotatable couplings) that allow dynamic adjustment during assembly and disassembly operations. These couplings can rotate to facilitate panel attachment and detachment, while maintaining a fixed, stable connection when the door is in normal use.
2Ease of operation
If the door panel is made detachable for easy design changes, then adaptability improves, but the risk of edge separation and structural integrity loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trim pieces are positioned at specific locations (edges) of the panel body to provide localized reinforcement and attachment points. This local quality approach strengthens the door structure at critical areas without requiring complete redesign of the entire door assembly, maintaining structural integrity while enabling easy panel detachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The trim pieces serve as intermediary components between the panel body and door body. These intermediaries provide robust mechanical connections through rotatable couplings and fixing members, ensuring strong attachment during normal operation while allowing controlled detachment when needed for design changes or maintenance.
3Loss of time
If traditional fixed attachment methods are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but assembly and disassembly operations become complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the door into modular components (door body, panel body, trim pieces) with standardized coupling mechanisms, the invention simplifies assembly and disassembly operations. Each trim piece can be independently attached and detached, reducing the overall complexity of door assembly compared to traditional monolithic structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable coupling mechanisms provide dynamic assembly features that simplify installation and removal operations. The first and second rotatable couplings allow for easy alignment and attachment of the panel body to the door body, significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining a relatively simple overall door structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator including a main body forming a storage compartment, and a door configured to open and close the storage compartment. The door includes a door body rotatably coupled to the main body and including an insulator therein, a panel body positioned in a front of the door body, a first trim disposed at a first edge of the panel body and configured to be coupled to the door body while being rotated with respect to the door body, and a second trim disposed at a second edge opposite to the first edge of the panel body and configured to be coupled to the door body when the first trim is coupled to the door body.