Collapsible Shelf Frame With Hinged Flat-Folding Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional collapsible shelf devices are overly complex and difficult for novice users to assemble and disassemble, requiring significant effort and time.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible shelf device with a frame structure composed of hinged vertical and horizontal frame members, featuring a middle vertical frame with an inverse U-shaped handle that allows easy collapse into a flat object for storage, utilizing resilient elements and diagonal braces for structural reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional collapsible shelf devices are designed to be collapsible for easier storage and transport, then storage and transport convenience is improved, but device complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf device is divided into multiple modular components including vertical frame members, horizontal frame members, top boards, and diagonal braces that can be independently connected and disconnected. This segmentation allows the shelf to be collapsed into a compact form for storage while maintaining structural integrity during use, directly resolving the contradiction between collapsibility and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
When collapsed, the horizontal frame members and diagonal braces nest within the vertical frame members, and the top boards fold against the frame structure. This nesting arrangement minimizes the volume of the shelf device when not in use, achieving compact storage without requiring excessive structural complexity.
2Volume of moving object
If collapsible shelf devices are designed with multiple parts for collapsibility, then storage convenience is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to assembly difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge connections integrate multiple functions into single components - the hinges simultaneously provide rotational movement for collapsing, structural support when assembled, and automatic alignment guidance. This merging reduces the number of separate fastening operations needed, making assembly easier while maintaining collapsibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanisms are designed to automatically guide and align the frame members during assembly, reducing the need for precise manual positioning. The diagonal braces and horizontal members self-align through the hinge geometry, allowing novice users to assemble the device quickly without requiring specialized skills or tools.
3Ease of operation
If collapsible shelf devices are designed for easy collapse, then ease of operation is improved, but structural integrity may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf device transitions between two stable states: an assembled load-bearing configuration and a collapsed storage configuration. The hinge connections and diagonal braces are designed to provide rigidity in the assembled state while enabling controlled movement during collapse, maintaining structural integrity during both states without compromising ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The diagonal braces are pre-positioned and hinged to automatically engage with the vertical and horizontal frame members during assembly. This preliminary positioning ensures that the braces provide structural reinforcement before any load is applied, maintaining integrity while allowing easy collapse when the braces are disengaged.
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
Enables effortless assembly and disassembly, simplifying storage and transport by automatically collapsing into a flat form, while maintaining structural integrity during use.
Implementation Method 1
Each horizontal frame member has its two shorter edges hinged to the horizontal beams of two vertical frame members at the two sides of the horizontal frame member
Data Source
AI summary
The shelf device mainly contains two rectangular top boards horizontally arranged side by side on top of a frame structure formed by at least three vertical and two horizontal frame members. Each vertical frame member has a number of horizontal beams each horizontal frame member has its two shorter edges hinged to the horizontal beams of two vertical frame members at the two sides of the horizontal frame member. The shelf device can be easily collapsed by lifting a handle on the top edge of the vertical frame member in the middle. When that happens, due to the way the vertical and horizontal frame members are hinged together, the top board and frame structure at the two sides of the shelf device are automatically closed towards each other. At last, the shelf device becomes a flat object for easy storage and carry.