Refrigerator Drawer Withdrawal Linkage to Prevent Door Collision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators lack an efficient mechanism for automatically withdrawing and inserting a drawer support frame in response to door opening and closing operations, often resulting in collisions between the drawer frame and the door, especially with increased storage capacity configurations.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a link mechanism that connects the door to a withdrawal frame, allowing the frame to move forward when the door opens beyond a predetermined angle and rearward when the door closes, preventing collisions by synchronizing the drawer frame's movement with the door's operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the drawer is supported directly on the cabinet floor, then the structure is simple, but the drawer cannot be automatically withdrawn when the door opens causing collision with the door
Solution Approach 1:
A withdrawal frame is introduced as an intermediary component between the drawer and the cabinet floor. This frame is equipped with a link mechanism that connects to the door, enabling automatic withdrawal of the drawer when the door opens. The intermediary frame resolves the contradiction by providing automated operation without requiring direct integration between the drawer and door mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The withdrawal function is extracted from the drawer itself and implemented through a separate link mechanism connected to the door. By separating the withdrawal function into an independent mechanism (the link and withdrawal frame), the system achieves automatic drawer operation while maintaining relative structural simplicity and modularity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the drawer is withdrawn early during door opening, then collision with the door is prevented, but the drawer may be pulled out too far causing instability
Solution Approach 1:
The link mechanism is designed to initiate drawer withdrawal at a predetermined angle during door opening, before the door and drawer paths would intersect. This preliminary action prevents collision by proactively moving the drawer out of the collision zone. The mechanism controls the timing and extent of withdrawal to maintain stability while avoiding harmful collisions.
3Ease of operation
If a link mechanism is added to enable automatic drawer withdrawal, then operation smoothness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The link mechanism transforms the static drawer support into a dynamic system that automatically adjusts drawer position based on door opening angle. The dynamic connection allows the drawer to be pulled out at appropriate moments during door opening and pushed back during closing, achieving smooth operation. The dynamic nature of the mechanism enables automated adaptation to door position without requiring complex control systems.
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 ensures smooth operation by preventing collisions between the drawer frame and the door, allowing sufficient door opening before drawer withdrawal, and enabling adjustable withdrawal timing and distance, suitable for various refrigerator configurations.
Implementation Method 1
a link that is rotatably connected to the door at a side of the link and rotatably connected to a connection shaft at an other side of the link, that is configured to move the withdrawal frame forward based on the door being opened and to move the withdrawal frame rearward based on the door being closed
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a storage compartment, a door, a drawer, a roller at a side of the drawer, and a withdrawal frame in the storage compartment configured to support the drawer and move in a forward-rearward direction, and a link rotatably that is connected to the door and a connection shaft, that is configured to move the withdrawal frame forward based on the door being opened and to move the withdrawal frame rearward based on the door being closed, and that defines, along a longitudinal direction of the link, a connection hole that is configured to receive the connection shaft, the link being located at the withdrawal frame.