Abstract: The refrigerator suction assisting device can effectively help people close the door, which solves the problem of cold leakage caused by the door hovering or not closing tightly during the door closing process. In the process of repeatedly opening and closing the door of the refrigerator, the suction assisting device is constantly subjected to alternating loads. The suction assisting device may be fatigued and fractured, which affects the normal opening and closing of the refrigerator door. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the fatigue life of the refrigerator suction assisting device to make it meet the reliability requirements. Firstly, a three-dimensional static structure simulation model of the suction assisting device is established. The distribution and variation trend of the strain of the suction assisting device in the process of opening and closing the refrigerator door are calculated. Then, the variation trend of the strain of the suction assisting device during the refrigerator door opening and closing process is experimentally tested. During the 100000 refrigerator door opening and closing experimental test, the strain curve of the suction assisting device in the process of closing and opening the refrigerator door shows a symmetrical distribution, and the strain shows a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. The simulated strain values are calibrated against experimentally strain values to provide accurate fatigue loads for fatigue life calculations. Finally, the fatigue life of the suction assisting device is calculated, and the locations most prone to fatigue fracture are found to guide the reliability design of the suction assisting device.

Key words: Refrigerator, Suction assisting device, Strain, Fatigue