Refrigerator Door Hinge Assembly for Tight Wall Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with single-axis hinges face limitations in opening angle due to the design, particularly when the gap between the refrigerator and the wall is small or when the refrigerator is installed as an embedded unit, leading to restricted door opening and potential issues with door stability.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a hinge assembly with two hinge shafts of different radii and guide grooves on the door body, allowing for a variable pivot point that adjusts the door's opening trajectory, preventing excessive shaking and ensuring the door can open beyond 90 degrees without obstructing the wall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single-axis hinge is used for the door body, then the hinge structure is simple, but the door opening angle is limited when the gap between refrigerator and wall is small
Solution Approach 1:
The single-axis hinge is divided into two separate hinge shafts (first hinge shaft and second hinge shaft) with different radii. The door body is segmented to engage with both hinge shafts through guide grooves, transforming one rotational axis into a compound hinge system that provides both simplicity and enhanced operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The door opening trajectory is changed from a simple circular arc around a single axis to a more complex path involving two different radii. The guide grooves on the door body engage with both hinge shafts, creating a motion path that combines rotation around two centers, enabling the door to open beyond 90 degrees while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Ease of manufacture
If a single-axis hinge is used for the door body, then the manufacturing is simple, but the door stability deteriorates due to excessive shaking
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge system is segmented into two distinct hinge shafts mounted on the refrigerator body, with the door body containing guide grooves that engage both shafts. This segmentation provides inherent stability by distributing the door's weight and motion constraints across two support points, reducing excessive shaking while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge system incorporates dynamic guidance through guide grooves that allow controlled movement of the door body relative to the two hinge shafts. The guide grooves constrain the door's motion path, providing stability during opening and closing operations while accommodating the dynamic forces involved in door movement.
3Device complexity
If a single-axis hinge is used for the door body, then the structure is simple, but the door cannot open beyond 90 degrees without obstructing the wall
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is segmented into two hinge shafts positioned at different locations and radii. The door body contains guide grooves that engage both shafts, creating a compound hinge system that maintains structural simplicity while enabling the door to open beyond 90 degrees by combining rotational movements around two centers.
Solution Approach 2:
The door motion is transformed from a single-plane circular rotation to a more complex trajectory involving two different radii and centers. The guide grooves constrain the door to follow a specific path that allows it to clear the wall obstruction and open to angles greater than 90 degrees, expanding the door's operational range without significantly complicating the overall structure.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
The present invention provides a refrigerator (10), comprising a refrigerator body (11) and a door body (12). A hinge body (13) is disposed on the refrigerator body. A first hinge shaft (131) and a second hinge shaft (132) are disposed on the hinge body. A first guide groove (121) and a second guide groove (122) are formed in the door body. After installation of the door body and the refrigerator body, the first hinge shaft is located in the first guide groove and the second hinge shaft is located in the second guide groove. During opening of the door body, the first guide groove moves relative to the first hinge shaft and the second guide groove moves relative to the second hinge shaft. During movement, the first hinge shaft applies an acting force to the first guide groove to drive the end, away from the first guide groove, of the second guide groove to approach the second hinge shaft, so that the door body is displaced in a horizontal direction. Compared with the prior art, the refrigerator has the advantage that during opening of the door body, the door body is displaced relative to the refrigerator body in the horizontal direction, so that the door body of the refrigerator does not interfere with a surrounding wall during opening.