Adjustable Refrigerator Door Shelf Latch for Anti-Tilting Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household refrigeration appliances with height-adjustable door racks face issues with reliable locking mechanisms, leading to unintentional loosening or tilting of the door rack, especially when force is applied off-center, which can result in the door rack being moved out of the retaining strip or positioned at an unwanted angle.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a door rack with counter-locking means on opposite end sections that engage with latching steps on the inner wall of the door leaf, featuring upper wall sections extending horizontally and lower wall sections sloping downward, ensuring a stable seat and reinforcing the connection between the counter-locking means and latching steps, preventing unintentional loosening or tilting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a spring-loaded counter-latching means is used to engage with latching steps, then the door rack can be easily adjusted upward with one hand, but the connection may become unreliable and allow unintentional loosening or tilting
Solution Approach 1:
The counter-latching means is divided into two independent counter-latching means located at opposite end sections of the door rack. This segmentation ensures that if one side experiences off-center force, the other side maintains the locking connection, preventing unintentional loosening or tilting while still allowing easy one-handed adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring element is pre-loaded to exert a constant locking force on the counter-latching means against the latching steps. This beforehand cushioning ensures that the connection is reinforced before any unintentional loosening can occur, maintaining reliability while allowing controlled adjustment when force is applied.
2Reliability
If the lower wall section extends in a sloping plane in the locking direction, then the connection between counter-locking means and latching step is reinforced, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Only the lower wall section of the latching step is designed with a sloping plane to provide mechanical reinforcement and prevent backward movement. The upper wall section maintains a horizontal plane for simplicity and easy engagement. This local differentiation provides enhanced stability only where needed without unnecessarily complicating the entire structure.
3Reliability
If upper wall sections extend horizontally and lower wall sections slope downward, then unintentional removal or tilting is prevented, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the counter-latching means complex to achieve reliable locking, the patent inverts the approach by designing the latching step with a sloping lower wall section that passively reinforces the connection through geometry. The horizontal upper wall section and sloping lower wall section work together to prevent both upward removal and backward tilting through simple geometric constraints that are tolerant to normal manufacturing variations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration ensures a reliable and secure holding of the door rack at the desired height, reducing the risk of unintentional removal or tilting, and allows for easy one-handed upward adjustment without the need to press both spring elements simultaneously.
Implementation Method 1
a counter-latching means (10a, 10b) on two opposite end sections in each case, which, when moved spring-loaded in a locking direction into a locking position
Implementation Method 2
lower wall sections which extend at least essentially in a sloping plane in the locking direction
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a household refrigeration device (1) comprising a heat-insulating liner (3) which defines at least one coolable storage chamber (4) for the goods to be cooled, a cooling device for cooling the storage chamber (4), a door leaf (5) which is rotatably mounted with respect to the inner container (3) for opening and closing the storage chamber (4), said door leaf having an inner wall (6) with several snap-in detents (8), and at least one door shelf (9) which is mounted on the inner wall (6) of the door leaf (5) on the snap-in detents (8) such that the height can be adjusted, said door shelf comprising, on two opposite end sections, a counter snap-in detent (10a, 10b) which is moved in a spring-like manner in an adjusting direction (V) and is placed in a locked position, engaging in a positive fit in the snap-in detents (8). Said snap-in detents (8) and the counter snap-in detents (10a, 10b) have corresponding upper wall sections (17, 18) which extend at least essentially on a horizontal plane and corresponding lower wall sections (19, 20) which extend at least essentially on a plane inclined in the locking direction (V).