Multi-piece Rack Shelf with Shovel Lance Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronics rack shelves lack versatility to accommodate varying equipment depths and products, requiring multiple shelf assemblies for different rack depths and being difficult to install and remove without tools.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece shelf design featuring separate side brackets and a removable shelf with shovel lances and apertures for secure attachment, allowing for easy installation and removal without tools, and accommodating varying rack depths with a single assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional single-piece shelves are used, then the shelf structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the shelf lacks versatility to accommodate varying equipment depths and products
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf is divided into separate components: side brackets with mounting flanges and a removable shelf portion with shovel lances. This segmentation allows the shelf to be configured for different rack depths and equipment arrangements while maintaining manufacturing simplicity for each individual component.
Solution Approach 2:
The shelf assembly is designed to be universal across different rack configurations. The side brackets and shelf portion can be combined in multiple arrangements to accommodate varying equipment depths, making a single shelf design suitable for multiple rack types and applications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional shelves are designed for specific rack depths, then the shelf fits the rack perfectly, but multiple shelf assemblies are required for different rack depths increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf assembly uses standardized side brackets and shelf portions that can be configured for different rack depths through simple recombination. The shovel lances and mounting flanges are designed with universal dimensions that allow the same components to fit multiple rack depth specifications.
Solution Approach 2:
By separating the shelf into adjustable components, the design eliminates the need for multiple dedicated shelf assemblies. The segmented structure allows reconfiguration for different rack depths using the same basic components.
3Ease of operation
If conventional shelves are made as single-piece bent metal, then manufacturing is straightforward, but installation and removal require tools and are difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf is divided into separate side brackets and shelf portions that can be assembled without tools. The shovel lances and mounting flanges are designed to snap together or slide into place, eliminating the need for tools during installation while maintaining manufacturing simplicity for each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The shelf assembly is designed to be self-installing through the shovel lance mechanism that engages with the mounting flanges. The structure allows the shelf to secure itself to the rack posts without requiring external tools or complex assembly procedures.
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional shelves are designed with fixed dimensions, then manufacturing is simple, but the shelf cannot accommodate changing uses and products over time
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf assembly transitions from a fixed, monolithic structure to a dynamic, reconfigurable system. The separate side brackets and shelf portions can be adjusted, removed, or repositioned to accommodate changing equipment arrangements and product requirements over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented design with separate side brackets and shelf portions allows the shelf to be reconfigured for different uses. Components can be selectively assembled or disassembled to adapt to new product requirements without replacing the entire shelf structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
A multi-piece shelf for an electronics rack is described, having a base and at least two vertical posts. The multi-piece shelf includes at least two side brackets and a removable shelf, the side brackets being separate components from the shelf. Each side bracket includes a vertical wall and a shelf mounting flange that is integral to and extends laterally from the vertical wall. A post mounting flange is integrally attached to at least a portion of the vertical wall for attaching to a vertical post. The removable shelf includes a flat bottom portion with at least two shovel lances formed on and extending downward and rearward from a lower surface of the bottom portion. Each shovel lance has a locking section that is spaced apart from the bottom portion and configured to it into an aperture in the shelf mounting flange.