Refrigerator Door Swing Arm for Easy Opening of Heavy Doors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large refrigerators experience difficulty in door opening due to their size and weight, low interior temperature, and strong magnetic seals, making it hard for users to open the door comfortably.
Innovation Solution
An auxiliary door-opening device comprising a swing arm driven by a servo driver and controlled by a controller, which assists in separating the door from the cabinet, allowing users to open it with minimal effort by generating a door-opening instruction and moving the swing arm to push the door away from the cabinet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the door dimension and weight are increased to provide larger storage space, then the storage capacity is improved, but the door becomes difficult to open due to high weight and strong magnetic seal force
Solution Approach 1:
A swing arm is introduced as an intermediary mechanical component between the user's manual operation and the door. The swing arm leverages the cabinet body as a fulcrum point to amplify the opening force, allowing users to easily open heavy doors without directly applying large forces to the door itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The swing arm mechanism creates a counterbalancing effect by using the cabinet body's weight and structure as a fulcrum. This counterweights the door's weight and magnetic seal force, reducing the effort needed by the user to overcome these forces and open the door.
2Ease of operation
If a manual door-opening mechanism is added to assist opening, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The swing arm mechanism utilizes the cabinet body itself as the fulcrum point, eliminating the need for separate mounting structures or additional complex mechanisms. The system serves itself by using existing structural elements, thereby minimizing added complexity while providing automated door-opening assistance.
3Ease of operation
If the servo driver and swing arm mechanism are added to assist door opening, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The swing arm mechanism serves multiple functions: it acts as a lever to amplify opening force, uses the cabinet body as a fulcrum to reduce component count, and can be integrated with existing door structures. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, thereby controlling manufacturing costs while improving ease of operation.
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
Enhances user comfort by reducing the force required to open the door, maintaining a simple structure that integrates with existing refrigerators without significant modifications, and avoiding contact with cold air to extend the device's lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
a servo driver which is disposed on the cabinet, has an output shaft coupled with the swing arm, and is configured to drive the swing arm to swing between a first predetermined position in which the swing arm pushes the door to separate from the cabinet and a second predetermined position in which the door is closed onto the cabinet
Implementation Method 2
the magnetic strip of the door of the refrigerator has a large dimension, and accordingly the suction force of the door seal is large
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator, includes a cabinet having a refrigerating compartment therein; a door pivotably coupled with the cabinet to open or close the refrigerating compartment; and an auxiliary door-opening device. The auxiliary door-opening device includes: a swing arm, a servo driver which is disposed on the cabinet, has an output shaft coupled with the swing arm, and is configured to drive the swing arm to swing between a first predetermined position in which the swing arm pushes the door to separate from the cabinet and a second predetermined position in which the door is closed onto the cabinet; and a controller configured to actuate the servo driver when receiving a door-opening instruction, so that the servo driver drives the swing arm to move to the first predetermined position and then to return to the second predetermined position.