Sealing Frame and Hinge Packing for Electrical Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical devices face challenges in preventing the intrusion of foreign bodies, such as fine particles and water, through the gap between the box body and the door, especially when the door height changes, leading to increased manufacturing complexity and cost.

Innovation Solution

A Z-shaped or W-shaped sealing frame is attached to the box body, with a hinge packing interposed between the sealing frame and the door, ensuring effective sealing over the hinge rotation shaft's axial length, reducing the number of parts and allowing for easier adaptation to changes in door height.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a gap is provided between the box body and the door to allow hinge rotation, then the door can be opened and closed, but foreign bodies such as fine particles and water can intrude into the electrical device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor opening and closingVSAvoidforeign body intrusion

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A sealing member is introduced as an intermediary element between the box body and the door. The sealing member includes a sealing portion that contacts the door and a pressing portion that is pressed by the box body side hinge, creating an effective seal without requiring the hinge to extend to the door height or adding complex dustproof packing structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the box body side hinge is extended to the door height to close the space between door and box body, then foreign body intrusion is prevented, but the hinge becomes difficult to manufacture and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforeign body intrusion preventionVSAvoidhinge manufacturing complexity and cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is segmented from the hinge structure. Instead of requiring the hinge to perform both rotation and sealing functions (which would require extending it to door height), the sealing function is separated and performed by a dedicated sealing member that is simpler to manufacture and install.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If dustproof packing and pedestal are added to close the gap between door and box, then foreign body intrusion is prevented, but the number of parts increases and cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforeign body intrusion preventionVSAvoidnumber of parts

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member integrates multiple functions into a single component. It combines the sealing function (preventing foreign body intrusion) with the interaction with the hinge mechanism, eliminating the need for separate dustproof packing and pedestal components while maintaining effective sealing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing member serves multiple purposes: it prevents foreign body intrusion, works with the hinge rotation mechanism, and can be attached to either the box body or the door. This multi-functional design reduces the overall number of parts needed in the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3611813B1Electric device

Publication Date: 2021.03.03 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4

AI summary

An electrical device has a sealing frame 4 extending at least over an axial length of a hinge rotation shaft 63 of the hinge 6, wherein an inside part 41 of the sealing frame 4 is attached to a main frame 2 of an outer wall of the box body 1, and a tip end part 42 of the sealing frame 4 faces an inner wall surface 31 of the door 3 which is in a state of closing device body outlet 12, and a hinge part packing 5 interposed between the opposite surface of a tip end part 42 of the sealing frame 4 to the door 3 and the inner wall surface 31 of the door 3 to prevent foreign body outside the box body 1 from entering the inside of the box body 1 from between the box body 1 and the door 3 in the hinge part, so that it is possible to effectively prevent foreign body on the outside part of the box body 1 to penetrate into the inside of the box body 1 from between the box body 1 and the door 3 with an affordable simple structure.