Appliance Design - February 2009 - (Page 20)

JoINING o iv P Hardware joins components that are on the move. l Parts ta A weather-resistant, over-the-center draw latch from Nielsen Hardware. This part is used in a telecom application. by larry adams 20 applianceDESIGN February 2009 atches, hinges, and slides all have a utilitarian function in common: they secure two parts together, often when one component moves and the other is stationary. They latch, lock, open and close, slide, tilt, rotate, lock in place, close automatically, close softly, and do many other actions. And, while doing that, they must work smoothly and reliably for upwards of hundreds of thousands of cycles. Beyond this mechanical utility, joining hardware also can play a roll in how consumers view an appliance. Good hardware can change the perceived value of an item in two ways: by enhancing functionality or aesthetics. Appliances can appear more eye pleasing through upscale hardware designed to accentuate a particular look, or often by integrating the hardware into a design. A well-known example is from refrigerator maker Sub-Zero Freezer Co., Madison, Wis., who used concealed hinges from Weber Knapp, Jamestown, N.Y., to improve the look of a refrigerator. The hinges, which can support up to a 143-lb door, are L designed so that they did not protrude and are invisible with the door closed. Another example is a medical monitor designed with position-control hinges from Southco, Concordville, Pa. For a seamless appearance, the hinges were embedded within the product design. The elimination of visible hardware and recesses improved aesthetics and eased product cleaning. Custom hardware solutions can give the appliance an array of features that might not have been possible before. This might include a single pivot point with a few degrees of rotation; a multi-axis, tilt and rotate display; counterbalanced springs that provide weight compensation, which allows heavy objects to be moved with the touch of a finger. Jim Ford, Southco’s product manager, Hinges, and Positioning Technology, says hardware can improve perception, which in turn can affect material and design choices. For instance, someone opening the door of an icemaker might think one way about a product if it had an inexpensive plastic door that had to be held open with one hand, www.applianceDESIGN.com http://www.appliancedesign.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Appliance Design - February 2009

Appliance Design - February 2009 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch Force-Sensing Technology Offers Designers an Alternative Approach to Creating Touch-Control Interfaces A Flammable Vapor Sensing Technology that was Originally Developed for use in Water Heaters has Evolved for use in a Broader Array of Applications Latches, Hinges, and Slides Must Reliably Secure Parts Together, Sometimes for Hundreds of Thousands of Cycles. Beyond their Utilitarian Functions, They Can Also Change Consumer Perceptions Elastomeric Electrical Connectors Can Solve Space Constraint Problems in Electronic Products and Provide Some Cost Advantages as Well A Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitor with a Novel Electrode Design Can Suppress Electromagnetic Interference, Improve Circuit Performance, and Reduce the Number of Needed Components Design Marts Association Report: AHRI Advertisers’ Index

Appliance Design - February 2009

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