Crisper Assembly With Slide-Out Shelf for Independent Drawer Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerator designs with crisper assemblies are ergonomically unsuitable due to fixed lids that do not allow for easy access or space-efficient storage, limiting user convenience and storage capacity.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a crisper assembly with a slide-out shelf and drawer in a stacked arrangement, where the shelf and drawer can independently move between extended and retracted positions, and a fixed lid that covers the drawer in the retracted position, enhancing ergonomic design and space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lid is fixed to the storage compartment, then the lid remains stationary and structurally simple, but the crisper assembly is ergonomically unsuitable and limits user convenience
Solution Approach 1:
The crisper assembly is divided into three independent movable components: the drawer, the shelf, and the lid. Each component can move independently between extended and retracted positions, allowing the drawer and shelf to be accessed without moving the other components, thereby improving ergonomic operation while maintaining a relatively simple fixed lid structure.
2Ease of operation
If the lid serves as a shelf storage space, then space utilization is improved, but the lid cannot move independently limiting accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The storage space is segmented into three independent movable components: the drawer for lower storage, the shelf for upper storage, and the lid for additional storage. Each component can be accessed independently, allowing users to retrieve items from the drawer or shelf without moving the entire assembly, thereby improving accessibility while maintaining total storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid is designed to move independently between extended and retracted positions, transforming from a static structure to a dynamic component. This allows the lid to function both as a storage space when extended and as an accessible component that can be moved independently, resolving the contradiction between storage capacity and accessibility.
3Ease of operation
If the shelf is fixed relative to the drawer, then the structure is simpler, but independent access to drawer and shelf is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf is separated from the drawer as an independent component with its own mounting system. The shelf is slidably mounted to the storage compartment independently of the drawer, allowing each component to move independently between extended and retracted positions, thereby enabling independent access while managing structural complexity through standardized mounting mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator appliance includes a storage compartment having a crisper assembly disposed therein. The crisper assembly includes a drawer, a lid, and a shelf. The lid is fixed to the storage compartment and remains stationary therewith. The drawer and the shelf are each configured to be extended or retracted relative to the storage compartment and are provided in a stacked arrangement. The lid seals the drawer when the drawer is in the retracted position.