Folding Refrigerator Shelf Beside Ice Maker for Tall Item Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
In refrigerators, the presence of an ice maker occupies space in the cooling chamber, making it difficult to efficiently arrange shelves and utilize storage space, especially when trying to store products of great height next to the ice maker.
Innovation Solution
A folding shelf that can be rotated from a vertical to a horizontal position is integrated into the refrigerator, allowing for efficient use of storage space by being hinge-connected to a shelf supporting member and featuring a locking mechanism to secure the shelf in both positions, ensuring it does not rotate and can be aligned with adjacent fixed shelves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a shelf is installed next to the ice maker, then storage space is provided, but it is difficult to store products having great height due to the shelf
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf is designed to be rotatable between a horizontal storage position and a vertical folded position. When rotated to the vertical position, the shelf can be removed or folded away, creating additional space for storing tall products next to the ice maker. This dynamic configuration allows the shelf to adapt to different storage needs, providing both regular storage capacity and flexibility for tall items.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the shelf is not installed next to the ice maker, then space formed on the side of the ice maker can be efficiently used, but storage space utilization of the cooling chamber is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable shelf design enables dynamic adaptation to different storage scenarios. When the shelf is rotated to the vertical position, it can be stored alongside the ice maker, efficiently utilizing the side space. When rotated to the horizontal position, it provides full storage capacity. This dynamic mechanism resolves the contradiction by allowing the shelf to serve different functions based on storage needs.
3Quantity of substance
If a folding shelf is added to the refrigerator, then storage efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The folding shelf incorporates a rotatable mechanism connected to the ice maker assembly, allowing the shelf to be rotated between horizontal and vertical positions. This dynamic design improves storage efficiency by enabling the shelf to be folded away when tall products need to be stored, while the complexity is managed by integrating the rotation mechanism with the existing ice maker structure rather than adding completely separate components.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator includes an ice maker disposed at one side of a storage chamber for storing food, a folding shelf disposed at the ice maker to be folded in a vertical direction or unfolded in a horizontal direction to efficiently use a space formed on the side of the ice maker, a shelf supporting member fixed to the ice maker to rotatably support the folding shelf, and a locking part disposed at the shelf supporting member to support the folding shelf when the folding shelf is unfolded to be arranged in a horizontal direction. When the folding shelf disposed in the storage chamber is folded in a vertical direction, there is formed a space capable of storing containers or food products having a great height. When the folding shelf is unfolded in a horizontal direction, containers or food products having a small height can be put on the folding shelf.