Refrigerator Door Wire Retention During Inner-Outer Liner Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing process for refrigerator doors faces issues with electrical cables getting stuck or protruding between the inner and outer liners during assembly, leading to safety risks and increased scrap rates, which in turn raises manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A connection member, such as an elastic band, is used to prevent the electrical branch wire from getting stuck between the inner and outer liners by being attached to the branch wire and the inner liner, ensuring it remains stretched and moves with the outer liner during assembly, thus preventing entrapment and ensuring safe and efficient electrical supply to components on both liners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the branch wire is extended from the cable bundle on the outer liner to the inner liner during door production, then electricity can be supplied to electrical components on the inner liner, but the branch wire may get stuck or protrude between the inner liner and outer liner causing safety risks and manufacturing defects
Solution Approach 1:
A connection member is introduced as an intermediary element between the branch wire and the inner liner. This connection member prevents the branch wire from directly contacting the space between liners, thereby eliminating the hazard of cable entrapment and protrusion while maintaining electrical connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection member is attached to the branch wire and the inner liner before the outer liner is positioned. This preliminary action ensures that the branch wire is already secured and protected when the assembly process begins, preventing it from getting stuck during subsequent steps.
2Ease of manufacture
If the door assembly process is simplified without a connection member, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the branch wire gets stuck between liners increasing scrap rates and manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the connection member, the branch wire, and the liners. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, making the overall assembly process more manageable and efficient despite the additional element.
3Reliability
If the connection member is attached to both the branch wire and inner liner, then the branch wire is prevented from getting stuck, but the connection member itself may interfere with the joining process
Solution Approach 1:
The connection member is designed as a simple, inexpensive component that can be easily attached and discarded if necessary. Its low cost and simple design mean that even if it interferes with the joining process, the overall impact on device complexity and manufacturing cost is minimal.
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
This solution effectively prevents cable entrapment and protrusion, enhancing user safety and reducing manufacturing waste and costs by allowing for safer and more efficient electrical connections between the inner and outer liners during the assembly of refrigerator doors.
Implementation Method 1
the connection member is produced from an elastic material. The connection member, for example, is an elastic band.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a refrigerator (1) wherein a branch wire (7) delivering electricity from a cable bundle (8) disposed on the outer liner (4) to the electrical components situated on the inner liner (5) is prevented from getting stuck between the inner liner (5) and the outer liner (4) during the production of the door (6).