Stowable Appliance Door Guide With Sliding Pivot Axis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliance designs face issues with door movement guidance and efficient use of installation space, as the door can bump against the storage space edges during opening and closing, leading to potential damage and limited vertical space.
Innovation Solution
The design involves a guide device with a rotatably mounted bearing unit that shifts horizontally during the initial part of the door's opening movement, increasing the distance between the door and storage space edges, preventing collisions and allowing smoother operation by blocking rotational movement until the door is fully open.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the door is designed to pivot directly into the storage space, then the opening and closing operation is simple, but the door bumps against the storage space edges causing potential damage and limiting vertical space
Solution Approach 1:
The door movement is divided into two distinct phases: a first partial movement where the door pivots horizontally away from the receiving space, and a second partial movement where the door is lowered into the storage space. This segmentation prevents the door from directly bumping against storage space edges, ensuring smooth operation and preventing damage.
Solution Approach 2:
Before the door is lowered into the storage space, the bearing unit first shifts the door horizontally forwards away from the receiving space. This preliminary action creates a safe distance between the door and the storage space edges, preventing collisions during the subsequent lowering movement.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the bearing unit allows rotational movement throughout the entire door movement, then the door can move freely, but the door may collide with storage space edges during partial opening
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing unit dynamically changes its rotational axis position during door movement. During the first partial movement, the axis is positioned to allow horizontal pivoting. During the second partial movement, the axis shifts to enable safe lowering into the storage space. This dynamic adjustment prevents collisions while maintaining movement freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing unit changes the position parameter of its rotational axis during door movement. By shifting the axis horizontally forwards before lowering the door, the system alters the movement trajectory parameters to avoid collision with storage space edges while maintaining adaptability for different door positions.
3Device complexity
If the guide device uses a fixed bearing unit, then the structure is simple, but the vertical installation space requirement increases due to limited movement optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing unit introduces a horizontal dimension of movement to the traditionally vertical door lowering operation. By shifting the door horizontally forwards before lowering it, the system optimizes the movement trajectory in multiple dimensions, reducing the required vertical installation space while maintaining structural simplicity.
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
This solution enhances door movement control, prevents damage, and reduces the vertical installation space requirements by maintaining a safe distance from storage space edges, ensuring a user-friendly and smooth operation.
Implementation Method 1
The guide device comprises at least one bearing unit, which is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation and on which guide elements are arranged
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a household appliance (1) with a housing (2) which surrounds a receiving space and a door (3) which can be used to close a loading opening in the receiving space and which is arranged so that it can pivot relative to the housing (2), and in the can be lowered into a storage space (14) in the housing (2) in the open state, the door (3) being coupled to a guide device (18) with which the movement into and out of the storage space (14) is guided, and the guide device (18) has at least one bearing unit (17) which is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation (A) and on which guide elements (19, 20) are arranged, the guide device (18) being designed in such a way that on a first partial movement path a between an open and a closed position of the door (3) measuring the total movement path of the door (3), the axis of rotation (A) of the bearing unit (17) on a displacement path (30) in a direction away from the receiving space shifted horizontally forward. The invention also relates to a method for opening and closing a door (3).