Domestic household refrigeration device comprising a shelf having edge termination parts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing household refrigeration appliances lack a reliable and cost-effective storage solution for shelves that can be easily removed for cleaning and securely attached to prevent mechanical damage during transport and use.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves attaching edge termination parts to the rear edge of the shelf, which extend separately from the lateral edge sections, providing a holding force through elastic material tension, allowing for easy removal and secure attachment without the need for a full-width edge edging strip, and protecting the inner container from mechanical damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a continuous edge edging strip is attached to the entire rear edge of the shelf, then the shelf is securely held and protected from damage, but the manufacturing cost increases and the shelf cannot be easily removed for cleaning

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure attachment of shelfVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous edge edging strip is divided into separate edge termination parts that are attached only at specific lateral edge sections of the shelf rear edge. This segmentation reduces material usage and manufacturing cost while maintaining secure attachment functionality through strategic placement at support contact points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Edge termination parts are attached only at lateral edge sections where support means contact the shelf, rather than along the entire rear edge. This local quality approach concentrates reinforcement where mechanically necessary while eliminating unnecessary material and cost in non-critical areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If a continuous edge edging strip is attached to the entire rear edge of the shelf, then the shelf is protected from mechanical damage, but the shelf cannot be easily removed for cleaning purposes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection from mechanical damageVSAvoidease of removal for cleaning
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The shelf edge protection is segmented into discrete edge termination parts rather than a continuous strip. This allows the shelf to be easily removed by detaching only these small components, facilitating cleaning while maintaining protection during normal use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The edge termination parts are designed to be detachable from the shelf, allowing them to be removed or adjusted easily. This extraction capability enables simple shelf removal for cleaning while maintaining structural integrity during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If edge termination parts are attached at all lateral edges of the shelf, then complete protection is provided, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomplete protectionVSAvoidnumber of edge termination parts
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Edge termination parts are attached only at lateral edge sections where support means contact the shelf, identified through functional analysis as the critical protection zones. This local quality approach provides complete necessary protection while minimizing the number of parts and overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

This design ensures the shelf can be easily removed for cleaning, securely attached to prevent unintentional detachment, and protects the inner container, eliminating the need for a full-width edge edging strip and reducing manufacturing costs.

Implementation Method 1

which exert a holding force through elastic material tension

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic material tension: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3067647B1Domestic household refrigeration device comprising a shelf having edge termination parts
Publication Date: 2019.07.24 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP3067647B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3067647B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3067647B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a household refrigeration appliance, having a cold room (4), at least one shelf (6) mounted in the cold room (4), and an inner container (7) delimiting the cold room (4) with a rear wall (2) and opposite side walls (3a, 3b), of which each side wall (3a, 3b) has at least one of the support means (5) to form at least one pair of opposite support means (5), the opposite support means (5) being designed to support the compartment floor (6) in the cold room ( 4) with two opposite, lateral edge sections (6a, 6b) of the shelf (6) resting on the support means (5) and with a rear edge (6c) of the shelf (6) facing the rear wall (2) of the inner container (1). The shelf (6) has two edge termination parts (8a, 8b) attached to its rear edge (6c) and extending separately from each other in the area of ​​the two lateral edge sections (6a, 6b) of the shelf (6).