Washing Machine Hinge Assembly for Concealed Door-to-Cabinet Wiring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing washing machines face challenges in aesthetically connecting electronic parts inside the door to those inside the cabinet using wires without exposing them externally.
Innovation Solution
A washing machine design featuring a hinge assembly with a link unit and wire guide that allows wires to pass through, minimizing external exposure and using a detachable cover to prevent foreign materials from entering the wire guide, thereby improving connection efficiency and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wires are exposed to connect electronic parts in the door and cabinet, then electrical connection is achieved, but aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly serves as an intermediary structure that provides a concealed pathway for wires. The link unit with its wire guide channel allows electrical connections to pass through the hinge mechanism itself, hiding the wires from external view while maintaining functional connectivity between the door and cabinet electronic parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire guide channel is nested within the link unit structure of the hinge assembly. The wires are contained within the internal cavity of the link unit, which is itself part of the hinge mechanism that connects the door to the cabinet, achieving concealed wiring through nested structural integration.
2Ease of operation
If the link unit is open for wire insertion, then ease of operation improves, but foreign materials can enter
Solution Approach 1:
The link unit is divided into a body portion and a detachable cover. This segmentation allows the cover to be removed for wire insertion and then reattached to seal the wire guide channel, providing both ease of installation and protection against foreign materials through a modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire guide channel is pre-formed within the link unit structure during manufacturing. The channel's geometry is designed in advance to guide wires smoothly while preventing foreign material entry, eliminating the need for additional protective measures during installation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein is a washing machine having an improved structure to electrically connect electronic parts inside the door to electronic parts inside the cabinet. The washing machine includes a cabinet equipped with a first electronic part therein and having an opening to put in laundry, a door equipped with a second electronic part therein and configured to open or close the opening, a hinge assembly configured to pivotally combine the door with the cabinet and a wire configured to pass the hinge assembly to electrically connect the first electronic part and the second electronic part.