Deployable Mullion Shelf for Refrigerator Work Surface Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators lack a versatile and space-efficient solution for additional storage or work surfaces within the appliance, as their shelves are either fixed or not easily accessible when doors and drawers are closed, limiting user convenience and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A deployable shelf is integrated into the mullion separating the fresh food and freezer storage chambers, allowing it to be withdrawn and used as a work surface while the doors and drawer are in closed positions, with optional legs and a latch system for stability and storage, and can be configured in various widths or shapes to suit user needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fixed shelves are used in refrigerators, then structural simplicity is maintained, but versatility and space efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf is designed to transition between a stowed position within the mullion and a deployed position extending into the storage chamber. This dynamic configuration allows the same structural element to serve multiple functions: providing additional storage when deployed and maintaining structural simplicity when stowed, directly resolving the contradiction between versatility and structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The deployable shelf is nested within the mullion structure when not in use. The mullion acts as a housing that contains the shelf mechanism, allowing the shelf to be stored within the existing structural framework of the refrigerator. This nesting approach adds functionality without requiring separate external structures, thereby maintaining overall structural simplicity while achieving versatility
2Ease of operation
If doors and drawers are opened to access storage areas, then food items can be retrieved or stored, but temperature control is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adds a vertical dimension to storage by deploying the shelf downward from the mullion into the storage chamber. This allows users to access additional storage space without opening doors or drawers, as the shelf can be deployed and accessed from the front while the door remains closed. The shelf effectively creates a new access dimension that eliminates the need to open the door, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and temperature control
Solution Approach 2:
The storage chamber is segmented into multiple levels by the deployable shelf, creating distinct storage zones. The shelf can be deployed to create an additional intermediate storage level between the door and the bottom of the chamber. This segmentation allows for organized storage of different items at different heights, providing ease of operation through better organization while maintaining temperature control by keeping the door closed
3Quantity of substance
If additional storage space is added to refrigerators, then storage capacity increases, but available interior space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The deployable shelf provides additional storage capacity only when needed. When the shelf is in the stowed position within the mullion, the full interior volume of the storage chamber is available. When additional storage is required, the shelf is deployed downward, temporarily reducing the available volume but increasing total storage capacity. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt storage capacity to user needs without permanently sacrificing interior space
Solution Approach 2:
The shelf mechanism is nested within the mullion structure, utilizing the vertical space already defined by the door opening. The shelf draws its storage volume from the otherwise wasted space in the mullion cavity and the vertical clearance between the door and the bottom of the chamber. This nesting approach creates additional storage capacity without encroaching on the primary storage volume that would be available to the user
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration appliance includes an appliance housing. A liner within the appliance housing provides an upper interior storage chamber and a lower interior storage chamber. The upper interior storage chamber and the lower interior storage chamber are separated by a mullion. An upper movable closure is movable between an open position providing access to the lower interior storage chamber, and a closed position closing the upper interior storage chamber. A lower movable closure is movable between an open position providing access to the lower interior storage chamber, and a closed position closing the lower interior storage chamber. The mullion forms a storage pocket, and the refrigeration appliance further includes a deployable shelf configured to be withdrawn from the storage pocket in the mullion.