Storage device and refrigerator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators face issues with door interference due to uniform rotation, requiring dual shafts that occupy significant space, and there is a need to reduce space occupation while ensuring smooth door opening and closing.
Innovation Solution
A hinge assembly with a main shaft and auxiliary shaft that moves along sequential trajectories within slots, allowing the door to adjust its position relative to the cabinet, reducing space occupation and avoiding interference with external environment members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If dual shafts are mounted on the door to balance rotation and door movement, then the door can open smoothly without interference, but two slots are required on the door which occupy considerable door space
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is segmented into a fixed portion (mounted on cabinet) and a moving portion (mounted on door). The fixed portion contains the main shaft and auxiliary shaft, while the moving portion contains the main slot and auxiliary slot. This segmentation allows the slots to be positioned optimally on the door without requiring both slots to be mounted on the door simultaneously, reducing door space occupation while maintaining smooth door opening operation.
2Ease of operation
If the door rotates with fixed-axis rotation, then the opening angle increases uniformly, but the door cannot adjust its distance from other structures leading to interference with external environment members or cabinet
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly transitions from fixed-axis rotation to dynamic multi-trajectory rotation. The main shaft moves along three sequential trajectories (first, second, and third main shaft trajectories) within the main slot, and the auxiliary shaft slides within the auxiliary slot. This dynamic adjustment allows the door to change its rotation center and adjust distance from external environment members, preventing interference while achieving the required opening angle.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A storage device, which comprises a cabinet body (1) having an accommodating space (10), a door body (2), and a hinge assembly (3); the door body (2) pivots on the cabinet body (1) by means of the hinge assembly (3), so as to open or shut the accommodating space (10); the hinge assembly (3) comprises a main shaft (31), an auxiliary shaft (32), a main slot (301) matching the main shaft (31), and an auxiliary slot (302) matching the auxiliary shaft (32); when the door body (2) is opened, the door body (2) rotates relative to the main shaft (31), and the main shaft (31) has a movement process in which the main shaft (31) slides relative to the main slot (301); the auxiliary shaft (32) and the auxiliary slot (302) slide relative to each other; when the door body (2) is opened, the main shaft (31) sequentially moves in the main slot (301) along a first main shaft trajectory (311), a second main shaft trajectory (312), and a third main shaft trajectory (313). Further provided is a refrigerator comprising the storage device. The storage device and the refrigerator can reduce the use of door space.