Integrated Drawer Side Card Holder for Stable Pharmacy Labeling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pharmacy drawers require separate plastic card-holders for product identification, which are prone to breaking and increase manufacturing costs due to undercut parts, and do not inherently provide a comprehensive cataloguing solution.

Innovation Solution

Integrating card-holder slots directly into the side of the drawer using a grooved profile coupling, allowing for modular and stable card-holding elements made of metal or plastic, eliminating the need for external card-holders and enabling customizable lengths and materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate plastic card-holders are used for product identification, then product identification is enabled, but manufacturing costs increase due to undercut parts and reliability decreases as clips break or loosen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecard-holder stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The card-holder function is merged with the drawer side structure itself. The side wall includes integrated card-receiving slots that are molded as part of the drawer side, eliminating the need for separate card-holder accessories. This integration resolves the technical contradiction by improving reliability (no separate clips to break) while maintaining ease of manufacture (no undercut parts in separate components).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The drawer side structure is given multiple functions: it provides structural support and simultaneously integrates card-holding capability through molded slots. This multi-functionality approach eliminates the need for separate card-holder components, resolving the contradiction between reliability and manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If separate plastic card-holders are used, then product identification is achieved, but device complexity increases due to additional accessories

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct identificationVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The card identification function is merged into the drawer side structure through integrated slots. This reduces device complexity by eliminating separate card-holder accessories while maintaining ease of operation for product identification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Illumination intensity

If transparent plastic sides are used to see products, then product visibility is improved, but separate card-holders are still required increasing device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct visibilityVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The card-holding function is merged with the transparent side structure through integrated slots. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining product visibility through transparent material while eliminating separate card-holders, thus reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2353449B1Extractable drawer for pharmacy furniture with integrated card holder

Publication Date: 2012.09.12 ICAS

Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5

AI summary

Extractable drawer (1), in particular for pharmacy furniture, in which the side (3) of the drawer comprises a load-bearing profile (8), and at least one part of the upper face of the side (3) is formed by a card-holding element (10, 20) integrated in the side itself.