Collapsible Drawer Outlet Arms for Concealed Cord Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a solution to provide safe, convenient access to electrical outlets within storage units, such as pull-out drawers, to minimize clutter and manage wiring effectively, especially in areas like bathrooms where devices are frequently used and recharged, without exposing cords and wires on countertops.
Innovation Solution
An electrical outlet mounting apparatus with rotatably connected, collapsible arms that house and manage electrical cords, featuring a mounting plate with a strain relief groove to secure the cord and provide accessible electrical connections within the drawer, allowing for the concealment of cords and reduced clutter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electrical outlets are provided inside pullout storage units or drawers, then access to electrical outlets is concealed and clutter is minimized, but wiring management and cord safety become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible arms with integrated channels that can bend and flex to accommodate drawer movement while protecting the electrical cord. The arms act as flexible conduits that guide the cord from the wall outlet through the moving drawer structure, eliminating the need for rigid wiring and simplifying installation while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting apparatus with arms and channels serves as an intermediary mechanism between the fixed wall outlet and the moving drawer. This intermediate structure manages the cord transition, allowing the cord to flex and move with the drawer while remaining protected and organized, thus resolving the wiring management complexity.
2Ease of operation
If multiple devices are stored and charged inside a drawer, then countertop clutter is reduced, but cord management and strain relief become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible arms with embedded channels provide a protected pathway for the electrical cord as it moves with the drawer. This flexible structure accommodates the movement and positioning of multiple devices within the drawer while keeping the cord organized and protected from damage, simplifying cord management for multiple devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates the cord management system within the drawer structure itself, with channels nested within the arms and the cord nested within the channels. This nested arrangement keeps all cords organized within the drawer's internal structure, preventing clutter while accommodating multiple devices.
3Ease of operation
If electrical cords are concealed within drawer structures, then aesthetic appearance and clutter reduction are improved, but cord accessibility and strain relief installation become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The strain relief feature is pre-integrated into the mounting plate during manufacturing, with the groove for cord reception and strain relief already formed as part of the mounting plate structure. This preliminary integration simplifies installation, as the strain relief functionality is built-in rather than requiring separate installation steps, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving cord concealment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple functions into the mounting plate: electrical connection, strain relief, and cord guidance. The groove for strain relief is merged with the mounting plate structure, and the arms with channels are integrated to provide both structural support and cord management. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies installation while maintaining aesthetic appearance.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical outlet mounting apparatus having a plurality of arms being rotatably connected to each other in a sequence and being collapsible into a collapsed position and extendable into an extended position. The plurality of arms including a channel on the interior of each of the arms that can receive an electrical cord. The mounting apparatus having a mounting plate rotatably attached to the plurality of arms and having one or more electrical connections electrically connected to the electrical cord.