Adjustable Cooler Shelf with Expandable Frame and Hinged Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooler systems do not effectively keep items elevated above ice and melt water, lacking adjustable and removable shelf solutions that accommodate varying cooler sizes and provide easy access to ice and beverages.
Innovation Solution
A removable shelf system with a horizontal frame supported by hinged legs, adjustable in height and expandable/contractible grates that can be resized to fit cooler dimensions, allowing for elevation of items above ice and easy access to the bottom of the cooler.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fixed shelf systems are used in coolers, then items are supported above ice, but the shelves cannot be adjusted to fit varying cooler sizes or provide easy access to ice and beverages
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf system is divided into multiple independent components: a frame structure, adjustable legs with twist-locks, and removable grates. This segmentation allows each component to be independently adjusted or removed, enabling the shelf to adapt to different cooler sizes while maintaining structural simplicity through modular assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The shelf system incorporates dynamic adjustability through legs that can be extended or retracted and locked at various heights using twist-locks. The grates are designed to be removable or hinged, allowing the shelf configuration to change dynamically to fit different cooler dimensions and provide easy access to contents below
2Ease of operation
If adjustable height legs are implemented, then item elevation above ice is improved, but the mechanism for height adjustment increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The legs incorporate a twist-lock mechanism that allows users to easily adjust and lock the height without requiring tools or complex procedures. The self-contained locking system enables simple one-handed operation, where twisting the leg engages or disengages the lock, providing intuitive self-service adjustment while keeping the mechanism relatively simple
3Ease of operation
If removable or hinged grates are provided, then access to ice and beverages is improved, but the grate coupling mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing fixed grates that require complex opening mechanisms, the design allows grates to be completely removed from the frame or hinged open. This inversion of the conventional approach—where the default state is removable rather than fixed—simplifies the coupling mechanism while maximizing ease of access to contents below the shelf
4Adaptability or versatility
If the frame and grates are made expandable or contractible, then compatibility with various cooler dimensions is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is constructed from segmented components that can be independently adjusted in length. Each leg and frame section can be extended or contracted to match specific cooler dimensions, providing versatility across different sizes while maintaining relatively simple individual components that assemble together modularly
Data Source
AI summary
The removable shelf system for coolers is a shelf that keeps items elevated above the ice and melt water inside of a cooler. The removable shelf system for coolers comprises a horizontal frame elevated by four hinged legs. Two grates may be coupled to the frame and a third grate may be removably or hingedly coupled to the frame. The width and depth of the frame and the grates may be expanded or contracted to match the interior size of a cooler. The height of the shelf may be adjusted by expanding or contracting each of the four legs. Each leg comprises a twist-lock to lock and unlock the length.