Adjustable Cooler Rack Insert for Debris-Free Meat Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable coolers face issues with contamination and spoilage of game meat and fish due to debris accumulation at the bottom, which affects hygiene and freshness, and require manual cleaning, while existing trays are often fixed in size and inconvenient to use.
Innovation Solution
A rack or tray insert with a checker-style pattern and adjustable telescopic mechanisms that suspends items above the cooler base, allowing for proper drainage and easy cleaning, preventing contact with contaminants and accommodating different cooler sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If items are placed directly on the cooler base, then space utilization is maximized, but contamination and spoilage occur due to contact with debris and accumulated fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The rack is divided into multiple levels with horizontal bars spaced apart to create drainage gaps, segmenting the storage space while maintaining suspension above the cooler base. This segmentation allows fluids to pass through while keeping items elevated and contamination-free
Solution Approach 2:
The rack utilizes vertical suspension to elevate items above the cooler base, adding a vertical dimension to the storage arrangement. This vertical positioning prevents contact with debris while still maximizing horizontal space utilization in the cooler
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-size tray is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but adaptability to different cooler sizes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rack employs telescopic side rails with adjustable lengths that can be configured to match different cooler dimensions. This dynamic adjustability allows the same rack design to adapt to various cooler sizes without requiring multiple fixed-size models
Solution Approach 2:
The rack design incorporates universal features such as standardized attachment mechanisms and adjustable dimensions that allow a single product to serve multiple cooler types and sizes, enhancing versatility while maintaining manufacturing efficiency
3Object-generated harmful factors
If drainage gaps are added to the rack, then fluid drainage is improved, but structural strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rack features localized reinforcement at critical structural points such as attachment areas and support legs, while maintaining open drainage gaps in the horizontal bars where strength requirements are lower. This selective reinforcement maintains overall structural integrity while enabling effective drainage
Data Source
AI summary
This present invention relates to a modifiable, removable rack insert for an interior section of a cooler or ice chest. The rack insert supports game meat, fish and other items above the base of the cooler, thereby allowing dirt, grass and other debris to keep separate from the items stored on the rack. Additionally, the rack insert surface facilitates proper drainage of liquid and other debris therefrom so that the items stored thereon are not in contact with the same for extended periods of time. The modified rack insert is adjustable in size and can accommodate different sized coolers as per the requirements of its user.