Refrigerator with hinge assembly having an external hinge pin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerator hinge assemblies often compromise the vacuum seal when hinge pins need to be secured directly to the door, especially in vacuum-insulated models, as they require recesses or accommodations that can disrupt the insulation.
Innovation Solution
The hinge assembly positions the hinge pin entirely external to the door, with a mounting block on the door and a hinge bracket on the cabinet, eliminating the need for door modifications and preserving the vacuum seal by using a hinge pin that is coupled between the mounting block and the hinge bracket.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If hinge pins are secured directly to the door, then secure door attachment is achieved, but the vacuum seal is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is divided into separate components: a mounting block attached to the door, a hinge bracket attached to the cabinet, and an external hinge pin connecting them. This segmentation allows the door to remain intact without recesses that would compromise the vacuum seal, while still achieving secure attachment through the distributed mounting structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting block serves as an intermediary component between the door and the hinge pin. It provides attachment points for the hinge pin without requiring recesses in the door itself, thus maintaining the vacuum seal while enabling secure door attachment through the intermediate mounting structure.
2Ease of operation
If recesses are created in the door for hinge pins, then hinge assembly is enabled, but vacuum insulation is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge pin is extracted from the door structure and positioned externally. The mounting block provides the necessary attachment interface without creating recesses that would penetrate the vacuum insulation, thereby enabling hinge functionality while preserving thermal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly transitions from a two-dimensional in-plane attachment (requiring recesses in the door) to a three-dimensional external attachment. The mounting block and hinge bracket create an out-of-plane configuration that accommodates the hinge pin externally, eliminating the need for insulating recesses.
3Device complexity
If hinge pins are positioned internal to the door, then door structure is simplified, but vacuum seal is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting block acts as an intermediary that attaches to the door surface without requiring internal recesses. It provides a simplified external interface for the hinge pin while maintaining the door's structural integrity and vacuum seal reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes at least one hinge assembly configured to hinge a door to a cabinet. The at least one hinge assembly includes a mounting block coupled to, and that extends at least partially along, the door. A hinge bracket is coupled to the cabinet. The hinge bracket is coupled to a top panel of the cabinet and includes an upward extending flange that spans a width of the cabinet and that is coplanar with a front panel of the door. A hinge pin is disposed between the mounting block and the hinge bracket and is coupled thereto such that the entirety of the hinge pin is external to the door and is positioned between the door and the hinge bracket.