Modular Bottle Rack Assembly with Groove-Mounted Support Bars

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bottle rack designs face challenges in balancing ease of manufacturing, transportation, assembly, structural soundness, and efficient use of space while providing an aesthetically appealing and versatile solution for both residential and commercial applications.

Innovation Solution

A modular bottle rack design featuring an elongate portion with support bars that can extend either vertically or horizontally, secured to a panel with fasteners, and a link mechanism for mounting to the wall, allowing for customizable configurations and efficient assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a traditional bottle rack design is used, then structural soundness is achieved, but ease of manufacture and assembly deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural soundnessVSAvoidease of manufacture
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The bottle rack is divided into separate modular components: a panel with apertures, support bars, and bottle-supporting assemblies. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using simple processes, improving ease of manufacture while maintaining structural integrity through the assembled configuration where components work together to provide strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If a traditional bottle rack design is used, then structural soundness is achieved, but ease of assembly deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural soundnessVSAvoidease of assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The support bars are pre-positioned through apertures in the panel, and the bottle-supporting assemblies are pre-configured with cantilever rods. This preliminary arrangement of components before final assembly simplifies the assembly process, allowing workers to simply connect pre-positioned elements rather than measuring and positioning each component during assembly, while the apertures and mounting holes ensure proper alignment for structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If a modular design is used, then ease of manufacture and assembly is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The panel serves multiple functions: it provides a mounting surface for support bars, acts as a structural backing for the bottle rack, and offers aesthetic coverage when viewed from the front. The support bars simultaneously provide structural support and serve as mounting points for bottles. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the overall device while maintaining modularity for ease of manufacture.

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

4Volume of moving object

If support bars are spaced longitudinally along the elongate portion, then space efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The apertures in the panel are positioned to align with the support bars, creating a self-aligning system during assembly. The support bars pass through the apertures, which automatically positions them at the correct longitudinal spacing. This self-positioning mechanism eliminates the need for high-precision manufacturing of each component individually, as the assembly process itself ensures proper spacing and alignment, thereby maintaining space efficiency without demanding excessive manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2674068B1Bottle rack and kit for bottle-supporting assembly
Publication Date: 2020.12.16 STACT WINE DISPLAY
  • EP2674068B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2674068B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2674068B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a bottle-supporting assembly for use a bottle rack and kit for a bottle-supporting assembly for use in a bottle rack. The bottle-supporting assembly has an elongate portion (24') having on a first side a groove (606) and a plurality of support bars (28) connected to the elongate portion, wherein the support bars are inserted in the groove and spaced longitudinally along the elongate portion.