Armless Slide-Under Shelf With Nested Tracks for Clear Front Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional refrigeration appliance shelves require either permanently extended support arms or complex foldable structures to provide extendable shelving, which restricts movement and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
An armless slide under shelf design featuring support arms with internal tracks and sliding members, and front slides with external tracks and wheels, allowing the second shelf area to extend without extending the support arms, using a combination of horizontal and arcuate sections for smooth sliding and locking mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If permanently extended support arms are used to provide extendable shelving, then the shelving area is extended, but movement is restricted in areas in front of the shelving
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf is divided into a stationary first shelf area and a movable second shelf area. The support arms are segmented into fixed portions attached to the first shelf area and movable portions that can slide in and out. This segmentation allows the shelving area to be extended when needed while maintaining open space in front of the shelf when retracted, resolving the contradiction between extended shelving area and movement freedom.
2Area of stationary object
If foldable arms are used to provide extendable shelving, then the shelving area is extended, but structural integrity and cost are affected
Solution Approach 1:
The support arms transition from static permanently extended structures to dynamic components that can slide between retracted and extended positions. The sliding mechanism incorporates tracks with horizontal sections for linear movement and arcuate sections for rotational adjustment, allowing the shelf to dynamically adapt its configuration without complex foldable joints, maintaining structural integrity while reducing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding members are nested within the tracks of the support arms, with the second sliding member fitting within the first track and the first sliding member fitting within the second track. This nesting arrangement allows the movable components to be compact when retracted while still providing full extension capability, reducing overall structural complexity compared to external foldable mechanisms.
3Area of stationary object
If permanently extended support arms are used, then the shelving area is extended, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the support arms into fixed and movable portions, the manufacturing cost is reduced compared to producing permanently extended arms. The fixed portions can be simpler and less expensive structures, while the movable portions use standardized sliding components. This segmentation allows for more economical manufacturing while still achieving the extended shelving area when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows the shelving configuration to change parameters between retracted and extended states. The support arms can be manufactured in a standard length, and the effective shelving area is adjusted by changing the position of the sliding members along the tracks, rather than requiring custom-manufactured permanently extended arms for each configuration need, reducing manufacturing costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A slide under shelf for a refrigeration appliance may be in a fully retracted position (i.e., with a second shelf area stored underneath a first shelf area) without having permanently extended support arms. That is, the retracted shelf may be extended by pulling out the second shelf area without requiring permanently extend support arms with a track or rail to support the second shelf area. Rather, the second shelf area has front slides that extend beyond the rear of a top surface of the second shelf area and ride along a track of support arms that do not extend beyond a top surface of the first shelf area. The support arms may also have posts that ride along a track on the front slides.