Adjustable Refrigerator Shelf Brake for Stable Lowering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigeration appliances with adjustable shelves face issues of sudden increased force requirements during adjustment, leading to potential shelf drops and tilting, and lack of coupling between gear parts causing instability.
Innovation Solution
A friction brake mechanism that selectively dampens the shelf's movement from high to low positions, using a friction brake with adjustable degrees of contact to prevent abrupt stops and tilting, combined with rotational coupling between elements to maintain horizontal orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a gear mechanism is used to guide the storage device movement, then the shelf maintains horizontal orientation during movement, but the force required by the user increases sharply at intermediate positions, creating safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
A brake mechanism is introduced as an intermediary component between the storage device and the gear mechanism. This brake selectively dampens the movement of the storage device from high to low position, preventing the sharp increase in force at intermediate positions while maintaining the horizontal orientation guidance function of the gear mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The brake mechanism utilizes pneumatic or hydraulic damping principles to provide selective resistance during shelf movement. The damping effect is activated during downward movement (high to low position) to control speed and force, while allowing free upward movement, thus resolving the force imbalance issue.
2Device complexity
If no coupling is provided between gear parts, then the structure remains simple, but malfunctions can occur where one gear supports the shelf in high position and another in low position, causing tilting
Solution Approach 1:
The brake mechanisms on both gear parts are merged into a single control system through the coupling rod. This ensures that both gear parts operate synchronously - when one brake is activated, the other is also activated, preventing the malfunction where one gear supports the shelf while the other does not, thus eliminating tilting risks without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling rod provides a feedback mechanism that links the operational state of one gear part to the other. When the storage device moves and triggers the brake on one side, the coupling rod transmits this motion to activate the brake on the opposite side, ensuring synchronized operation and preventing asymmetric support conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures safe and effortless shelf adjustment without user support, preventing objects from falling and maintaining shelf balance during movement.
Implementation Method 1
the brake is designed as a friction brake. This friction brake preferably comprises a first brake body and a second brake body, which can be moved with friction via the first brake body
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a refrigerating appliance with a housing enclosing an interior space and a storage device (1), which can be adjusted between a high and a low position in the interior space by a gear mechanism (4), wherein a brake (15, 23), selectively damping the movement of the storage device (1) from the high to the low position, is assigned to the gear mechanism (4).