Hinge assembly and refrigerator having the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators with single-shaft hinge assemblies often face difficulties in smooth door opening due to obstructions such as door seals or other structural issues, leading to complex design challenges and high mounting precision requirements.
Innovation Solution
A double-shaft and double-groove hinge assembly system where the first shaft and second shaft, along with their respective grooves, facilitate the door's movement away from the cabinet, increasing the distance between the door gasket and the cabinet's front end surface, thereby assisting in smooth opening and reducing the risk of obstruction.
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 smoothness deteriorates due to obstructions from door seals or other structures
Solution Approach 1:
The single-shaft hinge is segmented into a double-shaft system with two independent rotation axes. The first shaft handles initial door separation while the second shaft manages the main rotation, dividing the door opening function into distinct stages to avoid obstructions from door seals and other structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly transitions from a single-axis rotation to a two-axis system, adding another dimension of motion control. This allows the door to move along a more complex trajectory that clears obstructions during the opening process, improving opening smoothness despite increased structural complexity.
2Ease of operation
If a double-shaft and double-groove hinge assembly is used, then the door opening smoothness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The double-shaft and double-groove components are merged into an integrated hinge assembly where the shafts and grooves work together as a coordinated system. This integration allows the complex two-stage motion to be achieved through a unified structure rather than separate mechanisms, managing the complexity while maintaining improved door opening smoothness.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the door moves away from the cabinet in the first direction, then the obstruction from door seals is reduced, but the mounting precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves act as intermediary elements between the shafts and the door/cabinet bodies. These grooves guide the shaft movements and compensate for manufacturing tolerances, reducing the impact of axis position precision variations while enabling the door to move away from the cabinet and clear door seal obstructions.
4Ease of operation
If the distance between the door gasket and the front end surface is increased, then the door opening smoothness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly employs dynamic motion control through the interaction of two shafts and grooves, allowing the door to follow a controlled trajectory that naturally increases the distance between the door gasket and front end surface during opening. This dynamic approach achieves improved opening smoothness without requiring static structural modifications that would increase complexity.
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 a rear wall and an opening provided opposite to each other, a direction from the rear wall towards the opening 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, mutual separation of the door and the cabinet may be assisted under the action of the hinge assembly, thereby improving door opening smoothness.