Recessed Refrigerator Shelf Rail for Compact Adjustable Racks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerator shelving systems are not compact enough and limit design flexibility for adjacent components, often requiring modifications and additional labor for installation.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator design featuring a main body with recessed channels in the walls for flush-mounted fixing rails, allowing adjustable shelf mounting with a base part and insert system that blends with the wall, enabling a more compact and flexible layout without additional labor or modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the rack protrudes from the wall in a traditional manner, then the shelf is easily accessible, but the refrigerator design becomes less compact and adjacent components are constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing rail is nested within a recessed channel in the refrigerator wall, with the rail positioned inside the wall thickness rather than protruding outward. This nesting approach allows the shelving system to be integrated within the existing wall structure, maintaining compactness while providing shelf support.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a traditional protruding rail configuration to a recessed rail configuration by utilizing the wall thickness dimension. The rail is positioned in a recessed channel that extends into the wall, effectively using the third dimension (wall depth) to resolve the conflict between accessibility and compactness.
2Ease of manufacture
If the rack uses a traditional protruding design, then installation is straightforward, but design flexibility for adjacent components is limited and modifications are required
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing rail is divided into a base part (extrusion) and a separate insert component. The insert is slidably received within the base part, allowing for modular assembly. This segmentation enables the rail to be installed in the recessed channel without requiring modifications to adjacent components, as the modular design can be adapted to fit the available space.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert within the base part can be positioned at different locations along the rail, providing adjustability for shelf placement. This dynamic positioning capability enhances design flexibility, allowing adjacent components to be configured in various arrangements without requiring fixed, pre-determined positions.
3Ease of operation
If the rack protrudes from the wall, then shelf mounting is simple, but additional labor and modifications are required for adjacent components
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing rail with its recessed channel and modular insert-base part structure is pre-configured during manufacturing, eliminating the need for on-site modifications to the refrigerator wall or adjacent components. The rail is designed to fit into the recessed channel without requiring cuts or alterations, saving installation time and labor.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular insert acts as an intermediary component that facilitates shelf mounting within the recessed channel. The insert can be easily adjusted and positioned, providing a simple mounting interface for shelves while avoiding the need to modify adjacent components, thus reducing installation complexity and time.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerator comprises a main body having an enclosable interior compartment, the compartment including at least one wall having and at least one channel recessed into the wall; at least one shelf mounted in the compartment; and a fixing rail mounted to the wall and within the channel so that the fixing rail and portions of the wall adjacent the channel are substantially flush. The fixing rail has a plurality of mounting locations for the shelf to allow adjustable mounting of the shelf relative to the wall.