Embedded Electrical Supply Plug for Adjustable Shelf Support Arms

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power supply systems for shelves, particularly in retail and logistics settings, face challenges with cluttered wiring, limited adaptability, and aesthetic issues due to exposed wiring, which complicates maintenance and versatility in rearranging or replacing shelf components.

Innovation Solution

An electrical supply support arm with an embedded plug system that includes a mounting base and fastener, allowing for adjustable distance between fastening surfaces, and a power taking contact assembly with rotatable contacts, integrated into a support arm body on a shelf column, enabling flexible installation and connection to power supply bars.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If power supply is provided on the backlight surface of the shelf with wires threaded or wound from the exposed surface, then power can be supplied to LED lamps, but wiring becomes cluttered and maintenance becomes inconvenient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply installationVSAvoidwiring complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the power supply system from the traditional backlight surface location and relocates it to an independent support arm structure. The power supply box is separated from the shelf body, and wires are routed through the support arm's internal hollow cavity rather than being exposed on the shelf surface, thereby eliminating wiring clutter while maintaining power supply functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements nesting by placing the power supply box inside the hollow cavity of the support arm. The wires are nested within the internal cavity of the support arm structure, and the entire power supply assembly is nested within the support arm, creating a compact integrated system that eliminates external wiring clutter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of manufacture

If shelves are designed with fixed layer board positions to simplify structure, then manufacturing is easier, but versatility for different goods placement is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshelf structure simplicityVSAvoidlayer board position flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the layer board positions adjustable rather than fixed. The support arm structure includes movable components that allow layer boards to be repositioned along the support arm's length, enabling the shelf to adapt to different storage needs while maintaining a simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the shelf structure into modular components: the main shelf body, independent support arms, and adjustable layer boards. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately with simple structures, then assembled in various configurations to achieve versatility for different goods placement requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If exposed wiring is used to connect power supply to LED lamps, then electrical connection is achieved, but aesthetics are compromised and product irradiation effect is affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connectionVSAvoidaesthetic appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent hides the wires within the hollow cavity of the support arm structure, nesting the electrical connections inside the support arm rather than exposing them on the shelf surface. This maintains reliable electrical connection while eliminating the aesthetic problems of exposed wiring and preserving the product irradiation effect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the wiring from the visible shelf surface and relocates it to the internal cavity of the support arm. The power supply box is also extracted from the backlight surface location and placed in the support arm, thereby removing all electrical components from the visible areas while maintaining their functional connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Adaptability or versatility

If power supply components are integrated into the support arm structure, then adaptability to different support arm thicknesses is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompatibility with different support arm thicknessesVSAvoidembedded plug system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal embedded plug system that can accommodate different support arm thicknesses. The plug structure includes adjustable components and standardized interfaces that allow the same power supply assembly to be installed on support arms of varying dimensions, achieving multi-functionality without requiring multiple specialized designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3782512B1An electrical supply support arm and rack electrical supply system
Publication Date: 2023.06.21 SELF ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3782512B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3782512B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3782512B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention discloses an embedded electrical supply plug, comprising a mounting base and a fastener connected to each other, wherein the mounting base is provided with a power taking contact assembly, a circuit board and a power supply connector that are electrically connected to each other, the mounting base is provided with a first fastening surface, and the fastener is provided with a second fastening surface opposite to the first fastening surface, the fastener and the mounting base are threadedly connected to adjust the distance between the first fastening surface and the second fastening surface. The present invention make the electrical supply plug applicable to the support arm of different thickness by changing the connection mode, thereby improving the installation flexibility and application range of the electrical supply system.