Cooling Door Shelf Assembly With Rotating Glass Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door shelves with glass or similar materials face issues of durability and increased molding and labor costs due to post-assembly barrier installation, and struggle with maintaining the glass plate's position during door operation.
Innovation Solution
A shelf design featuring a glass or similar material plate entirely covering the gap between side walls, with a support member extending along the plate's length, secured by pins and detent means, which rotates for secure attachment and exerts pressure to prevent vertical movement, enhancing durability and aesthetic appeal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If barriers are mounted after placing the glass plate, then assembly flexibility is improved, but durability and connection strength deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is pre-integrated into the body structure during manufacturing, with mounting holes and attachment features already in place. This preliminary preparation allows the glass plate to be securely mounted during assembly without requiring post-assembly modifications, thus maintaining both assembly flexibility and connection durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member and body are designed as integrated components where the support member is structurally combined with the body through pre-formed mounting features. This merging ensures that the support member cannot be accidentally dislodged while maintaining ease of assembly as a unit.
2Shape
If glass plate is used for cleanliness and aesthetics, then appearance quality is improved, but position stability during door operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support member features an asymmetric design with a wider base portion that contacts the glass plate at multiple points and a narrower mounting portion that attaches to the body. This asymmetric structure provides superior stability by distributing contact forces unevenly, preventing the glass plate from shifting during door operation while maintaining aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member acts as an intermediary component between the glass plate and the body, providing mechanical coupling and position stabilization. It transfers and distributes forces from the glass plate to the body, preventing direct contact and potential damage while ensuring position stability during door operation.
3Reliability
If support member is rotated for secure attachment, then connection strength is improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is segmented into distinct functional portions: a mounting portion with mounting holes for attachment to the body, and a support portion for contacting and stabilizing the glass plate. This segmentation allows the rotating mounting mechanism to be isolated to a specific section, making the assembly process more manageable and less complex while maintaining strong connection.
4Shape
If plate entirely covers the gap between side walls, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support member provides localized support and positioning at critical areas where the glass plate contacts the body, ensuring proper alignment and gap coverage. By concentrating precision requirements at specific mounting points rather than across the entire plate, the overall manufacturing precision requirements are reduced while still achieving the desired aesthetic appearance with complete gap coverage.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a shelf (1) suitable for use in cooling device door, comprising a body (2) having two opposite side walls (3) a plate (4) disposed between the side walls (3) whereon objects are placed and a support member (5) that is mounted to the body (2) such that the front side of the plate (4) is almost entirely covered.