Refrigerator Storage Container With Modular Edging Strip

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Solution Overview

Problem

The variety of storage container designs in household refrigeration appliances leads to increased production and warehousing efforts due to different geometric shapes and decorative elements, resulting in inefficiencies and higher costs.

Innovation Solution

A modular system where an additional U-shaped edging strip is attached to the upper edge of the storage container, allowing for easy change in contour shape and appearance, enabling the same basic housing to be used for multiple designs by swapping edging strips, which can be detachably or permanently attached, providing enhanced stability and aesthetic customization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If differently designed storage containers are provided for different equipment types, then the appearance and functionality are optimized for specific uses, but the production effort and warehousing requirements increase considerably

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign varietyVSAvoidproduction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The storage container is divided into two independent parts: a basic container body and a separate decorative edging strip. The edging strip can be detached and replaced to change the appearance and functionality of the container without replacing the entire unit, thus reducing production complexity while maintaining design variety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A single basic container body design is made universal by allowing different edging strips to be attached to it. Each edging strip provides different aesthetic and functional characteristics, enabling one container body to serve multiple purposes and designs, thereby reducing the number of unique container bodies that need to be produced and stored.

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

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple types of storage containers with varying contour shapes are produced, then customer preferences are met, but the number of different container types to be manufactured and stored increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontour shape varietyVSAvoidinventory variety
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The container is segmented into a standardized basic body and interchangeable edging strips with different contour shapes. This allows the inventory to be reduced to just the basic body type while maintaining variety through different edging strip options that can be attached as needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The external parameters of the container (contour shape, decorative features) are changed by replacing the edging strip rather than producing entirely different container bodies. This parameter change approach allows variety in appearance while keeping the core structure standardized and inventory minimal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If high material quality and precise edge profiles are required for the base housing, then the overall quality of the storage container is improved, but the manufacturing costs and process complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveedge profile qualityVSAvoidmanufacturing ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The requirement for high-quality edge profiles is extracted from the base housing and transferred to the separate edging strip component. The edging strip is specifically designed with the precise contours and decorative features, allowing the base housing to be manufactured with simpler, less expensive processes while the quality requirements are met by the attached edging strip.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The edging strip acts as an intermediary element that provides the high-quality decorative and functional edge profile without requiring the base housing itself to be manufactured with high precision. This intermediary component absorbs the manufacturing complexity and quality requirements, simplifying the production of the base housing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2235455B1Household refrigerating device with at least one storage container
Publication Date: 2016.10.26 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP2235455B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2235455B1 patent drawingFigure 2~5
  • EP2235455B1 patent drawingFigure 6~9

AI summary

The invention relates to a household refrigerating device (KG) comprising at least one storage container (BM). At least one additional cover strip (DL1) is applied in a modular manner to the upper edge (OK 1) of the storage container (BH).