Releasable Hinge and Tether System for Appliance Door Detachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Freezer appliance doors can be cumbersome or inconvenient to operate, especially if the handle breaks, and there is a need for easy access from the inside as per the Refrigeration Safety Act of 1956.
Innovation Solution
A hinge system with a tether cable that allows the door to be detachable from the cabinet when the tether cable is detached from the interior surface, enabling easy access and preventing unauthorized opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the door is fixed to the cabinet using traditional fixed hinges, then the door structure is simple and reliable, but the door becomes cumbersome to operate and cannot be easily detached when the handle breaks
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge system is divided into separate components: a first hinge arm fixed to the cabinet, a second hinge arm pivotably connected to the first, and a carrier that can be releasably engaged. This segmentation allows the door to be detached when needed while maintaining stability during normal operation, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge system transitions from a static fixed connection to a dynamic system where the second hinge arm can be pivotally engaged or disengaged from the carrier. This dynamic capability enables the door to be easily detached when the handle breaks or needs maintenance, while remaining securely attached during normal use, thus improving ease of operation without excessive complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the door is made detachable using a complex hinge system with tether cable, then the door can be easily detached when needed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge system is divided into separate components: a first hinge arm fixed to the cabinet, a second hinge arm pivotably connected to the first, and a carrier that can be releasably engaged. This segmentation allows the door to be detached when needed while maintaining stability during normal operation, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tether cable acts as an intermediary element that provides a controlled detachment mechanism. When the handle breaks or needs maintenance, the tether cable can be released to allow door removal. This intermediary mechanism enables adaptability without requiring complete redesign of the hinge system, thus improving versatility while limiting complexity increase.
3Reliability
If a lock is added to secure the door, then unauthorized access is prevented, but the ease of opening from inside may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tether cable is pre-configured to allow emergency release from the inside of the cabinet. In case of lock failure or emergency situations, the tether cable can be pulled to detach the door without requiring external assistance. This preliminary action ensures both security during normal operation and ease of opening in emergency situations, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An appliance includes a cabinet, defining a food storage chamber, and a door. The appliance includes a hinge system coupling the door to the cabinet. The hinge system includes a first hinge arm fixed to the door, a second hinge arm pivotably joined with the first hinge arm, a carrier fixed to the cabinet, the second hinge arm releasably received in the carrier, and a tether cable extending between a first end and a second end. The first end of the tether cable fixed to the second hinge arm, the second end of the tether cable removably attached to a surface inside the food storage chamber. The tether cable configured such that the door may be detachable from the cabinet when the second end of the tether cable becomes detached from the surface inside the food storage chamber.