Thin Oven Door Geometry for Minimal Gap Side Pivoting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oven door designs create a stepped transition with adjacent structures due to the need for a gap to accommodate the door's pivot, resulting in a perceived low quality appearance and increased heat conduction, as they require a low profile hinge and a substantial gap, which is aesthetically undesirable and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A thin profile door assembly with a peripheral edge featuring extended, rounded portions that overlap the trim element, allowing for minimal clearance and a seamless transition, enabling the use of a low profile door while maintaining a minimal distance from the trim and reducing the gap between the door and the oven.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If a low profile hinge is employed to maintain minimal distance from the trim piece, then the distance between the external door surface and trim piece is reduced, but a substantial gap must be maintained between the door and trim piece which worsens the aesthetic appearance and increases heat conduction
Solution Approach 1:
The door peripheral edge incorporates a rounded portion with a radius of curvature that allows the door to pivot while maintaining minimal clearance from the trim piece. This curved geometry eliminates the need for a substantial gap, enabling the door to rotate smoothly while staying close to the trim piece, thus reducing heat conduction and improving aesthetic appearance.
2Ease of operation
If a substantial gap is maintained between the door and trim piece to accommodate door pivot, then the door can pivot between open and closed positions, but it creates a stepped transition appearance that worsens aesthetic quality
Solution Approach 1:
The rounded portion on the door peripheral edge provides the necessary clearance for pivot movement while maintaining a minimal visual gap. The curved surface allows rotational movement to occur within a compact space, enabling full door operation without creating the stepped appearance associated with traditional square-edged doors and large gaps.
3Length of stationary object
If the door thickness is reduced to achieve a thin profile, then the distance from external surface to trim piece is minimized, but the door may not provide sufficient insulation to limit heat conduction
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly utilizes composite construction with insulating materials integrated into the door structure. This allows the door to maintain a thin profile while providing sufficient thermal insulation to limit heat conduction from the oven cavity to the external surfaces, resolving the contradiction between minimal thickness and adequate insulation performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking appliance includes an oven cavity, a trim element and a door designed to pivot about a substantially vertical axis. The door is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the oven cavity about a substantially vertical axis. The door includes a main body portion having a front surface, a rear surface and a peripheral edge portion. The peripheral edge portion includes top, bottom and opposing side edge sections, with each of the opposing side edge sections leading to an extended region that overlaps, at least in part, the trim element. The extended region includes a generally rounded portion directly adjacent to the trim element. The generally rounded portion provides clearance necessary to enable the door to shift between open and closed positions, while simultaneously allowing the use of an extremely thin or low profile door.