Removable Appliance Door Skin with Pre-Aligned Retainer Plate

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Solution Overview

Problem

Domestic kitchen appliances with removable door skins face alignment challenges during installation, particularly when the skin needs to be removed for shipping to fit through standard doorways, making it difficult for installers to properly align the door skins with other appliance components.

Innovation Solution

An attachment mechanism is provided that allows the door skin to be aligned and attached to the rear portion of the appliance before shipping, using a door retainer with adjustable slots and fasteners for precise alignment, ensuring the door skin can be easily reattached without requiring further alignment after installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the door skin is removed from the rear portion of the drawer prior to shipping, then the appliance can fit through a standard residential doorway, but it becomes difficult for installers to align the door skin with other portions of the appliance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveappliance width including door skinVSAvoiddoor skin alignment during installation

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The door retainer plate is pre-positioned on the drawer at the correct location before shipping. This preliminary positioning establishes the alignment reference that will be used when the door skin is reattached during installation, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The door retainer plate serves as an intermediary component between the drawer and the door skin. It provides a stable mounting surface with pre-defined attachment points that guide the door skin into proper alignment with the appliance body during reassembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the door skin is attached to the rear portion of the drawer with fixed alignment, then alignment is achieved, but the door skin cannot be removed for shipping

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor skin alignmentVSAvoiddoor skin removability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The door assembly is segmented into three separate components: the drawer body, the door retainer plate, and the door skin. This segmentation allows the door skin to be independently removed and reattached while maintaining proper alignment through the pre-positioned retainer plate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment system transitions from a static fixed attachment to a dynamic removable attachment. The door skin can be attached and detached multiple times through the door retainer plate mechanism, providing flexibility for shipping and installation while maintaining alignment through pre-defined attachment geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11653761B2Removable appliance door with repeatable alignment

Publication Date: 2023.05.23 BSH HOME APPLIANCES CORP

AI summary

A domestic appliance has a width in a horizontal direction and a height in a vertical direction. The appliance includes a main housing; and a first door attached to the main housing. The first door has a rear portion, the rear portion being positionally fixed in the horizontal direction relative to the housing, a door retainer attachable to the rear portion such that the door retainer is locatable at a plurality of different positions relative to the rear portion, and a door skin, the door skin being removably attached to the door retainer.