Inclined Movable Shelf for Vehicle Cargo Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle cargo areas lack flexible and efficient shelving solutions that allow for multiple positional configurations within the cargo space, limiting storage flexibility and optimization.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle body structure with side wall structures featuring multiple shelf supporting and guiding surfaces, enabling shelves to move along inclined paths between various retention locations, allowing for horizontal and vertical orientations to maximize cargo area utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed shelf structure is used in the cargo area, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the storage flexibility and adaptability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf structure transitions from a fixed configuration to a dynamic, movable one. The shelf can be repositioned along inclined movement paths between multiple retention locations, allowing the cargo area to adapt to different storage needs while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cargo area is divided into multiple retention locations along the side wall structures, with shelves that can be independently positioned at different heights. This segmentation allows flexible configuration of storage spaces without requiring a completely complex reconfigurable system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fixed shelves are installed at different heights, then storage options increase, but the structure becomes more complex and harder to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
A single shelf unit can serve multiple functions by being positioned at different retention locations along the side wall structures. The same shelf component can be used across various heights and positions, reducing the need for multiple different shelf types and simplifying manufacturing while providing diverse storage configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of installing multiple fixed shelves at different heights, the system uses movable shelves that can dynamically transition between retention locations. This reduces manufacturing complexity by using standardized components that can be positioned anywhere along the movement paths.
3Productivity
If shelves are made movable to increase flexibility, then storage optimization improves, but the structural complexity and difficulty of operation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The movement paths are designed as inclined planes rather than vertical or horizontal transitions, creating a smoother, more natural movement trajectory. This curved or angled path reduces the effort required to move shelves between retention locations compared to lifting them vertically or sliding them horizontally against friction.
Solution Approach 2:
The inclined movement paths are designed to work with gravity, allowing shelves to move more easily between retention locations. The paths create a more balanced force distribution during movement, reducing the operational effort required compared to vertical lifting mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A first side wall structure and a second side wall structure each have a plurality of first shelf supporting surfaces and a plurality of first shelf guiding surfaces aligned with one another. The plurality of first shelf supporting surfaces defines a first retention location and a second retention location, and the plurality of first shelf guiding surfaces defines a first movement path extending horizontally between the first retention location and the second retention location. A first shelf moves from the first retention location to the second retention location along the first movement path. The first shelf is a first distance above a vehicle floor in the first retention location, and a second distance above the vehicle floor in the second retention location, the second distance greater than the first distance. In the first movement path the first shelf is inclined contacting the first shelf guiding surfaces.