Collapsible Shelving Unit With Pivoting Sections for Easy Setup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collapsible shelving units are difficult to assemble and disassemble, leading to increased production costs and user inconvenience due to complex construction.
Innovation Solution
A pre-assembled shelving unit with a lower and upper section, each having pivotally connected side support frames and shelves that can be easily moved between shelf-supporting and collapsed conditions, allowing for simple unfolding and folding without tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the shelving unit is designed to be collapsible and foldable, then storage and transport convenience is improved, but assembly and disassembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shelving unit is divided into multiple sections (upper and lower sections) that can be independently collapsed and folded. Each section contains shelves that can be individually folded parallel to the support frames, allowing the entire unit to be segmented into compact portions for easy storage and transport without requiring complex disassembly procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The shelving unit incorporates movable and foldable components with pivot connections that enable dynamic transformation between the expanded shelf-supporting configuration and the collapsed storage configuration. The side support frames and shelves are designed with pivot points that allow smooth transitions between positions, maintaining ease of operation while managing structural complexity through controlled mobility.
2Ease of manufacture
If the shelving unit uses pivotally connected side support frames and shelves, then ease of assembly and disassembly is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional components (side support frames, shelves, and pivot connections) are merged into an integrated one-piece construction where the upper and lower sections are permanently connected through the rear support frame. This merging reduces assembly complexity by eliminating the need to separate and reconnect multiple independent modules, while the pivotal connections provide the necessary flexibility for folding and collapsing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The shelving unit is pre-assembled in its expanded configuration with all pivot connections pre-positioned and shelves pre-attached to their respective support frames. This preliminary assembly allows the unit to be manufactured and tested in its final functional form before deployment, simplifying on-site setup by requiring only the unfolding and folding actions rather than complex assembly procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A shelving unit comprises a lower section movable between a first shelf-supporting condition and a first collapsed condition, and an upper section separately movable from the lower section between a second shelf-supporting condition and a second collapsed condition. The upper section is movably connected to the lower section among a first mode mounted on top of and fully engaged with the lower section, a second mode partially disengaged from the lower section and a third mode located behind the lower section.