Adjustable Refrigerator Shelf Mechanism for Loaded Height Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerators require users to remove stored objects to adjust shelf height, making it cumbersome and difficult to adjust the height of the shelf.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerator with a shelf system that includes rotating bars and guide holes in the inner wall, allowing the shelf to be adjusted in height while objects are still on it, and featuring elastic elements and interlocking members to facilitate forward and rearward movement, minimizing the turning radius and preventing object displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If shelves are fixed to the inner wall using support ribs or mounting rails, then the shelves are stable and can support stored objects, but adjusting the shelf height requires removing stored objects and detaching the shelf from the support structure
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf support system transitions from a static fixed connection to a dynamic adjustable mechanism. The rotating bars with guide holes allow the shelf to move vertically along the support ribs while maintaining stable contact, enabling height adjustment without detaching the shelf from the support structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Rotating bars are introduced as intermediary elements between the shelf and the support ribs. These bars rotate about the support ribs and guide the shelf's vertical movement, allowing the shelf to be adjusted to different heights while remaining connected to the support structure, thus eliminating the need to remove stored objects for adjustment.
2Device complexity
If the shelf structure is simplified for easy manufacturing and assembly, then the device complexity is reduced, but the shelf may inadvertently swing during use affecting stability
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating bars provide a dynamic connection that allows controlled movement while maintaining stability. As the shelf moves vertically, the rotating bars rotate about the support ribs, providing guidance and preventing unwanted swinging motions, thus achieving both simplicity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the degree of freedom of the shelf from fully fixed to vertically movable while horizontally constrained. The rotating bars enable vertical translation along the support ribs while preventing lateral displacement, achieving stable controlled movement with simple structure.
3Ease of operation
If the shelf is designed to be movable in forward and rearward direction for easy retrieval of deep items, then the ease of operation is improved, but the shelf movement may cause displacement of stored objects
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf is designed with dynamic movement capabilities in multiple directions. The rotating bars guide the shelf's vertical movement, while the shelf's forward and rearward motion is controlled to minimize disruption to stored objects, allowing easy retrieval of deep items without causing harmful displacement.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the shelf system have different movement characteristics. The rotating bars provide guided vertical movement at the support points, while the shelf body can move forward and rearward in a controlled manner, creating localized movement zones that minimize impact on stored objects while enabling easy retrieval.
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerator is disclosed. The refrigerator includes a cabinet (100), which defines the appearance of the refrigerator, a storage compartment (200) defined in the cabinet (100) to store stored objects, a guide hole (655) provided in an inner wall of the storage compartment (200), rotating bars (510), each of which includes a first rotating shaft (511) fitted in the guide hole (655) so as to be rotated about the first rotating shaft (511), and a shelf (400), which is rotatably supported by the rotating bars (510) so as to be adjusted in height and on which the stored object is placed, wherein the guide hole (655) has a space extending in a forward and rearward direction so as to allow the first rotating shaft (511) to be moved in the forward and rearward direction.