Refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators with single-shaft hinge assemblies limit the opening degree of the cabinet due to the door's circular motion, causing interference with drawers or racks and potentially leading to toppling and falling risks.
Innovation Solution
A double-shaft and double-groove hinge assembly that allows the door to move away from the cabinet, increasing the opening degree and stabilizing the refrigerator by adjusting the position of the door's gravity center towards the cabinet, utilizing a first shaft and first groove fitted with a second shaft and second groove, which change positions to maximize the door's opening angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single-shaft hinge assembly is used, then the structure is simple, but the door opening degree is limited and interferes with internal components
Solution Approach 1:
The single-shaft hinge assembly is segmented into a double-shaft system with a first shaft and a second shaft. The first shaft enables the door to move away from the cabinet in the first direction, while the second shaft allows rotation around the first shaft. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by providing independent motion control for each degree of freedom, achieving both structural feasibility and improved opening degree.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly transitions from single-axis rotation to a two-dimensional motion path combining translation (first direction) and rotation (second direction). The door moves away from the cabinet in the first direction while simultaneously rotating around the first shaft in the second direction, creating a composite motion trajectory that increases opening degree without excessive complexity.
2Device complexity
If the door rotates in situ around a fixed shaft, then the hinge structure is simple, but the opening degree is restricted and may cause toppling risk
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly transforms from a fixed single-shaft rotation to a dynamic double-shaft system where the door's gravity center can be actively adjusted during opening. The first shaft provides translational movement away from the cabinet, while the second shaft enables rotational adjustment, allowing the gravity center to be positioned optimally for stability throughout the opening process.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-shaft mechanism creates a counterbalancing effect where the door's weight distribution is dynamically managed. By moving the door away from the cabinet in the first direction while controlling rotation around the first shaft, the system prevents the door's gravity from creating excessive moment that could cause toppling, thereby enhancing reliability.
3Ease of operation
If a double-shaft and double-groove hinge assembly is used, then the door opening degree is enhanced, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The first shaft and second shaft are merged into a single integrated hinge assembly structure, as are the first groove and second groove. This merging allows the complex double-shaft motion to be achieved within a compact, unified structure rather than separate components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining enhanced opening degree capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a refrigerator, including a cabinet, a door for opening and closing the cabinet, and a hinge assembly for connecting the cabinet and the door, wherein the cabinet includes an accommodating chamber and an outer side surface adjacent to the hinge assembly and located on an extension section of a rotation path of the door, a direction from the accommodating chamber towards the outer side surface serves as a first direction, and when the door is in an opening process, the hinge assembly drives the door to move away from the cabinet in the first direction. In the present invention, the door may be driven to move away from the cabinet in the first direction by the hinge assembly; that is, the door moves away from the accommodating chamber, thus guaranteeing an opening degree of the cabinet.