Modular Mounting Bar Assembly for Refrigeration Accessory Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the food service industry, refrigeration systems face challenges with limited space, the need for flexible equipment configurations, and maintaining insulative barriers in varying thermal conditions, while ensuring cleanability and preventing contamination.
Innovation Solution
A mounting assembly and system that includes a mounting bar with a primary cavity, lip, and partition wall, along with an anchor bar and mechanical interface, which securely attaches accessories to refrigeration devices, allowing for flexible arrangement and maintaining insulative barriers through a combination of friction fits and compressive forces, preventing movement and infiltration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mounting system is added to refrigeration equipment, then accessory flexibility and space utilization are improved, but device complexity and potential contamination risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is divided into separate components: mounting bars that attach to the refrigeration unit, and mechanical interfaces that attach to accessories. This segmentation allows the mounting infrastructure to remain simple while providing versatile accessory attachment capabilities through standardized mechanical interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bars and mechanical interfaces are designed as universal components that can accommodate multiple different accessories through standardized connection points. The mechanical interface includes a projection that fits into a cavity in the mounting bar, creating a standardized connection that works with various accessory types.
2Adaptability or versatility
If mounting components are added to the refrigeration surface, then accessory arrangement flexibility is improved, but cleanability and surface standard compliance may be worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bars are designed to be received within channels formed in the refrigeration unit walls, effectively extracting the mounting function from the main surface area. This placement within channels keeps the mounting components out of the way of cleaning operations while maintaining configuration flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system is localized to specific channels in the refrigeration unit rather than being distributed across the entire surface. This localized placement allows the majority of the surface to remain smooth and cleanable, while providing mounting capability where needed.
3Reliability
If a mounting system with multiple components is used, then secure attachment of accessories is improved, but the number of parts and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bar and mechanical interface are designed to work together as an integrated system. The projection on the mechanical interface fits into the cavity in the mounting bar, creating a unified attachment mechanism that distributes loads across multiple contact points while appearing as a single functional unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical interface is received within the mounting bar structure, with the projection fitting into the cavity. This nested arrangement allows the components to be compact while maintaining secure attachment, with the smaller mechanical interface component nested within the larger mounting bar component.
4Volume of moving object
If accessories are mounted on the refrigeration unit, then space utilization is improved, but maintaining insulative barriers and preventing thermal bridging becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bars and mechanical interfaces act as intermediaries between the refrigeration unit and accessories. By positioning these components within channels and using resilient deformation for attachment, the system minimizes direct thermal pathways while maintaining secure mechanical attachment, thus reducing thermal bridging effects.
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
The solution provides a flexible and secure mounting system that minimizes equipment footprint, maintains environmental control, and ensures cleanliness by preventing contamination and air infiltration, while allowing for easy attachment and detachment of accessories.
Implementation Method 1
The mounting bar prevents movement of the projection out of the primary cavity
Implementation Method 2
A threaded fastener may secure the anchor bar to the channel back and place a compressive force on the anchor bar
Implementation Method 3
The mounting bar may bar resiliently deform to releasably engage the projection of the mechanical interface within the primary cavity
Implementation Method 4
place a compressive force on the anchor bar that compresses at least one of the opposing arms against the channel back
Data Source
AI summary
A mounting assembly for securing an accessory to a food service apparatus includes a mounting bar having a primary cavity, an open interior, a lip, a projection, and a partition wall that extends between the lip and the projection and separates the primary cavity and the open interior. An anchor bar is received in the open interior and secures the mounting bar to the food service apparatus. A mechanical interface has a projection received into the primary cavity such that the mechanical interface is secured to the mounting bar. The mounting bar prevents rotation of the projection out of the primary cavity, and the mechanical interface is configured to be secured to the accessory such that the accessory is secured to the food service apparatus.