Method for preassembling and placing of shelving units, and assembly of interconnected shelving units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing free-standing adjustable shelving units for department stores are difficult to preassemble and transport due to size constraints and require complex on-site assembly, which is time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially when trying to expand or position units precisely.
Innovation Solution
Preassembling shelving units with interspaced vertical pillars, forwardly projecting foot organs, cross-connection elements, and shelves, allowing for easy transportation and rapid assembly by connecting pillars with simple coupling organs at the site, enabling full preassembly and setup of units with back panel elements extending over the entire length, and using compact pillar coupling organs for stability and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If shelving units are preassembled with back panel elements and cross-connection elements extending over the entire length, then the units can be transported more efficiently and assembled faster on-site, but the units become too large to transport through standard doorways and corridors
Solution Approach 1:
The shelving unit is divided into modular sections with standardized connection points. Back panel elements and cross-connection elements are designed as separate modules that can be attached to pillars at specific intervals, allowing the unit to be segmented into transportable lengths while maintaining the capability for full-length connections during assembly
Solution Approach 2:
Pillars are pre-assembled with integrated connection organs that protrude from the pillar bodies. These connection organs are prepared in advance during pillar manufacturing, enabling rapid attachment of back panel elements and cross-connection elements without requiring complex on-site fabrication or adjustment
2Length of moving object
If shelving units are disassembled and assembled on-site with precise positioning, then transportation is simplified, but the positioning and coupling process becomes time-consuming and requires substantial personnel resources
Solution Approach 1:
Connection organs with protruding coupling elements act as intermediaries between pillars and other components. These standardized interfaces enable rapid matching and coupling without requiring precise manual positioning, as the protruding elements guide and align components during assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system is designed to be self-aligning and self-locating. Protruding connection organs automatically find their mating positions on adjacent pillars, eliminating the need for external alignment tools or complex positioning procedures during assembly
3Ease of manufacture
If pillars are designed with a single row of mounting positions, then the structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the shelving units lack the versatility to support components on both sides of the pillar
Solution Approach 1:
The single row of mounting positions is designed with universal compatibility. The same mounting positions can accommodate different component types (back panel elements, cross-connection elements, shelves) depending on their orientation and attachment method, allowing one pillar design to serve multiple functional purposes
Data Source
AI summary
A method for setting up shelving units 15 in a department store, comprising the step of preassembling said shelving units such that free-standing adjustable units are obtained each having a pair of vertical supporting pillars 1, forwardly projecting foot organs 2, one or more cross-connection elements, in particular back panel elements 8, extending in between the pillars, forwardly projecting supporting brackets 12, and shelves 14 extending in between the brackets. Subsequently at least two of such preassembled shelving units are transported by the piece to the department store, and are placed there side by side on a floor with a right one of the pair of supporting pillars of a first shelving unit and a left one of the pair of supporting pillars of a second shelving unit standing against each other and getting releasably connected with each other by means of one or more pillar coupling organs 18.