Side-by-side refrigerator comprising a door opening device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Side-by-side refrigerators face difficulties in opening doors due to pressure differences and interference issues with conventional door opening devices, especially in models with heavy doors and small gaps between doors, making it inconvenient to operate.
Innovation Solution
The design includes recessed door opening devices with a handle and push kit on each door, featuring a pushrod with a compression coil spring and rod guide, allowing for a seesaw motion and easy installation/removal, and a cover to maintain a neat appearance, with pushrods arranged diagonally to prevent interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional door opening device protrudes from the outer surface of the door, then it can be easily operated, but it cannot be installed in refrigerators with small gaps between doors and interferes with adjacent doors
Solution Approach 1:
The door opening device is nested within a recessed space formed on the door surface. The handle, pushrod, and associated components are housed inside this recessed area, allowing the device to be installed without protruding from the door outer surface, thus avoiding interference with adjacent doors while maintaining operational functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a conventional protruding door opening device to a recessed design by utilizing the depth dimension of the door. By forming a recessed space and placing all operational components within this三维 space, the device adapts to the constrained environment of side-by-side refrigerators with small gaps between doors
2Ease of operation
If the door opening device is installed to protrude from the door surface, then it is easily accessible, but it interferes with the adjacent door in side-by-side refrigerators
Solution Approach 1:
All components of the door opening device including the handle and pushrod are nested within a recessed space on the door. This nesting arrangement ensures that the device does not protrude outward to interfere with the adjacent door, while still remaining accessible for operation
3Ease of manufacture
If the pushrods on left and right doors are installed at the same height, then the installation is simplified, but interference is generated between the pushrods
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces asymmetry in the vertical positioning of pushrods on opposite doors. By installing the pushrod on one door at a different height than the pushrod on the adjacent door, the design prevents interference between the two pushrods while maintaining functional effectiveness
4Device complexity
If the door opening device components are exposed on the door surface, then the structure is simple, but the external appearance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The door opening device components are nested within a recessed space formed on the door surface. This recessed housing conceals the mechanical components from external view, preserving the aesthetic appearance of the door while containing all necessary functional elements within the recessed volume
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy opening of doors with reduced force requirement and improved aesthetics by allowing for efficient operation and easy replacement of components, while maintaining a clean external appearance.
Implementation Method 1
a push kit, which is mounted on a side surface of the respective door to interwork with the handle, the push kit including a pushrod which is in contact with the handle
Data Source
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AI summary
A side-by-side refrigerator which includes a cabinet (10) comprising a left storage compartment (12) and a right storage compartment (13), a left door (14) and a right door (15) to open and close a front surface of the left and right storage compartments (12, 13), and a left and a right door opening devices (20a, 20b), which are respectively installed on the left door (14) and on the right door (15), each of the door opening devices (20a, 20b) comprising: a handle (40) which is mounted on a front surface (17) of the respective door (14, 15) to perform a seesaw motion; a push kit (30) which is mounted on a side surface (18) of the respective door (14, 15) to interwork with the handle (40), wherein a portion on which the handle (40) and the push kit (30) are mounted is formed to be recessed in the door (14, 15); and a cover (50) which is installed on the side surface (18) of the respective door (14, 15) to cover the push kit (30); and wherein the push kit installed on the left door (14) and the push kit installed on the right door (15) are arranged at different heights.