Split Refrigerated Display Doors With Independent Vertical Hinge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerated sales furniture with full-height doors is inefficient due to the large and heavy doors requiring significant effort to open, leading to excessive thermal exchange and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A hinge mechanism allowing the upper and lower doors to pivot independently around a vertical axis, with the upper door supported by the lower door, reducing the weight borne by the frame and enabling separate access to the storage space, thus minimizing the gap between doors for improved access and energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If full-height doors are used in refrigerated sales furniture, then the thermal insulation is improved, but the door weight increases significantly making it difficult to open
Solution Approach 1:
The door system is segmented into an upper door and a lower door that can be opened independently. This allows users to open only the necessary portion (lower door for small items, upper door for tall items) rather than moving the entire full-height door, significantly reducing the weight of the moving object while maintaining thermal insulation when both doors are closed
2Stability of the object's composition
If full-height doors are used, then the structural stability is improved, but the frame becomes heavier and more expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The door system is divided into upper and lower sections with independent hinges and mounting points. The upper door is supported by the lower door through a hinge connection, allowing the frame to be lighter while maintaining stability through distributed support points rather than requiring a single heavy full-height door structure
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge connection between upper and lower doors introduces a vertical dimension to the support structure, where the upper door pivots on the lower door rather than both being mounted directly to the frame. This dimensional change allows for a lighter frame construction while maintaining structural integrity
3Area of stationary object
If full-height doors are used, then the access area is maximized, but the thermal exchange with environment increases when door is opened
Solution Approach 1:
The door system is divided into upper and lower doors that can be opened independently. Users can open only the lower door for small items or only the upper door for tall items, rather than opening the entire full-height door. This segmentation minimizes the opening area and reduces thermal exchange with the environment while still providing full access capability when both doors are opened together
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerated sales furniture (1) comprises at least one refrigerated goods storage space (2); at least two doors (3, 5) providing access to the refrigerated goods storage space (2), the at least two doors (3, 5) comprising a lower door (5) and an upper door (3) arranged on top of the lower door (5). The refrigerated sales furniture (1) further comprises a hinge (4), which is arranged between the upper door (3) and the lower door (5) for supporting the upper door (3) on the lower door (5) and allowing the doors (3, 5) to pivot around a vertical axis (A) independently from each other. The hinge (4) includes an upper pin (13) attached to or integral with the upper door (3) and a lower pin (11) attached or integral with to the lower door (5), the upper pin (13) is supported by the lower pin (11) and the two pins (11, 13) are rotatable with respect to each other around the vertical axis (A).