Refrigerator Dual-Axis Hinge Design for Wide-Angle Door Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators with single-axis hinges have limited door opening angles, especially when the gap between the refrigerator and the wall is small, leading to interference with surrounding structures during door opening.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a hinge body with first and second hinge shafts and corresponding guide grooves on the door body, allowing the door to open with a horizontal displacement and avoiding interference with walls by adjusting the guide grooves' shape and hinge shaft positions as the door opens, enabling wider opening angles without excessive shaking.
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 and the door body interferes with surrounding walls when the gap is small
Solution Approach 1:
The single-axis hinge is segmented into two hinge shafts (first hinge shaft and second hinge shaft) with different rotation axes. The first hinge shaft rotates around a vertical axis while the second hinge shaft rotates around a horizontal axis, dividing the door opening motion into two independent rotational segments that work together to achieve the desired door trajectory
Solution Approach 2:
The door opening motion is extended from a single circular arc in one plane to a three-dimensional trajectory involving two rotational dimensions. The first hinge shaft provides rotation in a vertical plane while the second hinge shaft provides rotation in a horizontal plane, creating a compound motion that displaces the door body both vertically and horizontally during opening
2Device complexity
If a single-axis hinge is used, then the hinge structure is simple, but the door body shakes excessively during opening
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge system is segmented into two independent rotational axes that can be controlled separately. The first hinge shaft handles the primary opening rotation while the second hinge shaft compensates for unwanted motion, dividing the stabilization function into two coordinated segments
Solution Approach 2:
The second hinge shaft acts as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between the door body's opening motion and the desired stable trajectory. It introduces an additional degree of freedom that allows the system to counteract excessive shaking by adjusting the horizontal rotation in coordination with the vertical rotation of the first hinge shaft
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a refrigerator, comprising a refrigerator body and a door body. A hinge body is disposed on the refrigerator body. A first hinge shaft and a second hinge shaft are disposed on the hinge body. A first guide groove and a second guide groove are formed in the door 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, 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.