Appliance Wheel Brake Mechanism for Under-Cabinet Accessibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of minimizing countertop space usage and ensuring convenient appliance operation, particularly under wall-mounted cabinets, is addressed by existing appliances due to their depth and height, which often require relocation for easy access.
Innovation Solution
A support system with a rotatable wheel and braking mechanism, featuring a flexible connector and operating member, allows appliances to be stored under cabinets while maintaining accessibility by enabling easy engagement and disengagement of the brake mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the appliance is positioned under wall-mounted storage cabinets to minimize countertop space usage, then the space utilization is improved, but the appliance becomes difficult to operate and access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by introducing a mobile base with wheels that allows the appliance to be dynamically repositioned. The base includes a braking mechanism with brake members that can selectively engage with the wheels to hold the appliance in place when needed, and release to allow movement when needed, enabling the appliance to transition between stationary storage positions and mobile operational positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the appliance into two distinct components: a fixed upper portion containing the functional elements (such as the water reservoir) and a mobile base portion containing the wheels and braking mechanism. This segmentation allows the upper portion to remain stationary under cabinets while the base provides mobility for repositioning.
2Ease of operation
If the appliance is positioned deep on the countertop for easy access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the appliance occupies more countertop space
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile base with controllable braking mechanism enables the appliance to be dynamically positioned at optimal locations. The user can engage the brakes to hold the appliance in a convenient operational position within reach, and disengage the brakes to move the appliance to a compact storage position under cabinets when not in use, thus resolving the contradiction between accessibility and space occupation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the brake mechanism uses a rigid connector between the operating member and brake member, then the structural stability is improved, but the mechanism becomes less adaptable to different wheel positions and movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using a flexible connector (such as a bellows or expandable joint) to connect the operating member to the brake member. This flexible connector allows the brake mechanism to adapt to different wheel positions and movements while maintaining structural integrity and providing stable braking force transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible connector changes its physical parameters (such as length and shape) in response to wheel movement, allowing the brake mechanism to maintain stability across varying positions. The connector can expand or contract, bend or straighten, to accommodate different wheel locations while transmitting the braking force effectively.
Data Source
AI summary
A support for an appliance includes a base rotatably supporting a wheel, and a braking mechanism secured by the base. The braking mechanism includes a brake member in selective engagement with the wheel, an operating member, and a flexible connector connecting the brake member to the operating member. The operating member is movable from a first position where the brake member is engaged with the wheel to a second position where the brake member is disengaged from the wheel. The connector moves both in a first direction and a second direction transverse to the first direction as the operating member is moved between the first position and the second position.