Refrigerator Sub Door Opening Assembly With Hidden Edge Button
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators with sub doors often have manipulation buttons exposed on the front surface, limiting installation positions and making them inconvenient to use, as they are pushed in a direction opposite to the door's opening direction.
Innovation Solution
A door opening assembly is designed where the manipulation member for opening the sub door is positioned on the outer end, with a locking member on the back surface and a push rod mechanism that allows easy operation by a user, maintaining the door's aesthetic while ensuring easy access and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the manipulation button is exposed on the front surface of the sub door, then the opening function is accessible, but the exterior appearance of the refrigerator door is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulation button is extracted from the front surface of the sub door and relocated to the outer end of the sub door. This extraction removes the visually disturbing element from the main exterior surface while preserving the operational function at a location that does not compromise aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The manipulation button is moved from a two-dimensional front surface location to a one-dimensional edge location (outer end) of the sub door. This dimensional relocation allows the button to be accessible for operation while being positioned in a less visually prominent area, thus resolving the conflict between accessibility and appearance.
2Device complexity
If the manipulation button is disposed at the position corresponding to the locking device, then the structure is compact, but the installation position is very limited and manipulation is constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The door opening assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the locking device remains at its optimal position for structural compactness, while the manipulation button is separated and relocated to the outer end. This segmentation allows each component to be positioned independently for optimal performance without compromising overall system compactness.
3Reliability
If the manipulation button is pushed in a direction opposite to the opening direction of the door, then the locking mechanism can be engaged, but there is inconvenience in manipulating the button
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of pushing the button in the opposite direction to door opening, the button is now pushed in the same direction as door opening (outward direction). This inversion of the manipulation direction aligns the user's natural pushing motion with the door opening direction, significantly improving ease of operation while the connection member ensures reliable locking mechanism engagement.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a refrigerator (1)comprising a cabinet (10) defining a first storage compartment (12) in which a food is stored, a main door (100) rotatably mounted on the cabinet (10) to open or close the first storage compartment (12), an accommodation device (31) that is accessible through an opening (120) of the main door (100), the accommodation device (31) defining a second storage compartment (32) in a back surface of the main door (100), and a sub door (200) opening or closing the opening (120), wherein the refrigerator (1) further comprises a door opening assembly (400; 500; 700) with which one side of a back surface of the sub door (200) and one side of the main door (100) are selectively restricted, the door opening assembly (400, 500, 700) being configured to selectively restrict the sub door (200) and the main door (100) on a circumferential surface of the sub door (200).