Bottom-Rail Refrigerator Drawer Support to Prevent Sagging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators often waste space due to lateral mounting structures for drawers, which can lead to sagging and reduced storage capacity, especially when heavy items are stored.
Innovation Solution
The drawer is mounted using a bottom-based rail system with first and second rails, featuring rollers for stable support and reduced friction, eliminating the need for lateral mounting structures and utilizing dead space for enhanced storage efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lateral mounting structures are used for drawers, then drawer support is provided, but storage space is reduced and sagging occurs when heavy items are stored
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure is relocated from the lateral sides of the drawer to the bottom surface. This dimensional change allows the drawer to be supported from below rather than from the sides, eliminating the space-consuming lateral mounting structures while providing adequate support for heavy items through the bottom-mounted rail system with rollers.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting function is extracted from the lateral sides of the drawer and transferred to the bottom surface. By removing the lateral mounting structures and implementing bottom-mounted rails with rollers, the invention eliminates the harmful lateral structures while preserving the essential drawer support function.
2Ease of manufacture
If lateral mounting structures are used for drawers, then drawer installation is achieved, but dead space is wasted and storage efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure transitions from lateral attachment to bottom-surface attachment. This dimensional shift converts previously wasted dead space at the bottom of the drawer into a functional mounting area, thereby increasing storage efficiency while maintaining ease of installation through the rail and roller system.
3Volume of moving object
If bottom-based rail system with rollers is used, then storage space is optimized and sagging is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system utilizes rollers instead of static friction-based sliding mechanisms. This parameter change from sliding to rolling contact reduces friction and improves drawer movement smoothness while maintaining structural simplicity. The bottom-mounted rail system with rollers provides both space optimization and adequate support without excessive complexity.
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
This configuration allows for stable support of heavy items without sagging and optimizes storage space by converting previously unused space into usable area, enhancing the overall efficiency of the refrigerator's inner space utilization.
Implementation Method 1
a first roller for slidably supporting the second rail
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerator (10) is provided. The refrigerator (10) may include at least one first rail (120) installed on a bottom surface of a storage compartment, and at least one corresponding second rail (110) installed on a bottom of a drawer (100) and engaged with the at least one first rail (120) to slide the drawer (100) into and out of the storage compartment. The at least one first rail (120) may include a first roller (126) for slidably supporting the at least one second rail (110), and the at least one second rail (110) may include at least one second roller (116) for slidably supporting the at least one first rail (120).