Rotating Mullion Bar with Deflectable Guide for French Door Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator designs face challenges in ensuring that the mullion bar can pivot between deployed and tucked positions smoothly, which affects the independent operation of French-style doors and the ability to fully close the doors without interference.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a guide element with a deflectable member that forms a segment of the guide path, allowing the guide pin to move along the guide path as the mullion bar pivots, ensures that the mullion bar can properly transition between deployed and tucked positions, enabling independent door operation and full door closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mullion bar is positioned to support the second door in the deployed position, then the second door can be supported and sealed properly, but the first door cannot be fully closed due to interference with the mullion bar
Solution Approach 1:
The mullion bar is designed to be rotatable between a deployed position (supporting the second door) and a retracted position (clearing the first door). The guide element with deflectable member enables this dynamic repositioning, allowing the mullion bar to adapt its position based on which door is being operated, thus resolving the conflict between door support and door closure
2Ease of operation
If the mullion bar is rotated to the tucked position to allow first door closure, then the first door can be fully closed, but the mullion bar cannot support the second door
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically repositions the mullion bar based on operational needs. When the first door needs to close, the mullion bar rotates to the tucked position. When the second door needs support, it rotates to the deployed position. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction between clearance for closure and positioning for support
3Stability of the object's composition
If a fixed guide element is used to constrain the mullion bar, then the mullion bar position is stable, but the door cannot be fully closed when the mullion bar is in the deployed position
Solution Approach 1:
The guide element transitions from a fixed constraint to a dynamic system with a deflectable member. This deflectable member can move to accommodate the guide pin during door closure, providing temporary flexibility while maintaining overall positional stability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The guide element changes its geometric parameters dynamically. The deflectable member alters the shape and position of the guide path opening based on operational conditions, allowing the system to maintain stability when needed while providing flexibility during door closure operations
4Adaptability or versatility
If the guide path opening is sized to receive the guide pin in the tucked position, then the mullion bar can be retracted, but the guide pin cannot pass through when the mullion bar is in the deployed position
Solution Approach 1:
The guide path opening is made dynamic through the deflectable member, which can change its position and shape. This allows the opening to be sized appropriately for the tucked position during normal operation, while temporarily expanding or deforming to allow guide pin passage when the door needs to close with the mullion bar in the deployed position
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet, a door pivotally attached to the cabinet, and a mullion bar pivotally attached to the door and having a guide pin. The mullion bar moves between a deployed position and a tucked position. A guide element is mounted to the cabinet and defines a recessed area. The guide element includes a deflectable member disposed in the recessed area and cooperating with a side wall of the recessed area to define an opening sized to receive the guide pin only when the mullion bar is in the tucked position. The deflectable member is deflectable upon contact with the guide pin to allow the guide pin within the recessed area when the mullion bar is in the deployed position.