Shelf assembly for home appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of glass shelves in refrigerated appliances is costly and sensitive to environmental conditions due to the use of adhesives, which can result in uneven thickness and affect the aesthetic appearance.
Innovation Solution
A shelf assembly design that mechanically retains glass panels within frame structures using a spacer assembly to create a gap in the channel, allowing the panels to be adjusted and secured without adhesives, utilizing a snap-fit mechanism and retaining members for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If adhesive material is used to attach trim structures to glass shelves, then the shelves can be assembled in a controlled environment with robotic arms, but the assembly process becomes very costly and sensitive to environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the adhesive material from the assembly process entirely. Instead of using adhesive to attach trim structures to glass shelves, the design uses mechanical retention features including channels formed in the glass shelves and retaining members that snap into place. This extraction of the adhesive element eliminates the need for controlled environment assembly and robotic arms, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and cost sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical bonding system (adhesive) with a mechanical retention system. The trim structures include channels and retaining members that mechanically interlock with the glass shelves through snap-fit mechanisms. This mechanical substitution eliminates the environmental sensitivity associated with adhesive curing while maintaining secure attachment, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process.
2Reliability
If adhesive material is used to retain glass panels, then the panels can be secured in place, but the adhesive thickness becomes uneven and unsightly affecting aesthetic appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the adhesive material from the retention system, eliminating the aesthetic problems associated with uneven adhesive application. The mechanical retention features include channels and snap-fit retaining members that provide uniform, visible retention without the unsightly appearance of variable thickness adhesive layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the adhesive bonding system with a mechanical retention system featuring channels and snap-fit retaining members. This mechanical system provides reliable panel retention through precise geometric interlocking rather than chemical bonding, ensuring uniform appearance while maintaining secure attachment of glass panels to frame structures.
3Ease of manufacture
If adhesive material is used to assemble glass shelves, then the shelves can be constructed with frame structures, but frit must be applied to hide the glue which affects overall aesthetic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the adhesive material from the shelf assembly process, eliminating the need to apply frit to hide glue. The mechanical retention system with channels and snap-fit retaining members provides visible, aesthetically pleasing construction that does not require cosmetic coverings, thereby improving overall appearance while maintaining ease of manufacture.
4Reliability
If adhesive material is used to secure panels, then the panels can be retained in position, but the assembly process becomes sensitive to cleanliness, amount of adhesive used, and location of adhesive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the adhesive material from the retention system, eliminating all process sensitivities related to cleanliness, adhesive quantity, and placement location. The mechanical retention features with channels and snap-fit retaining members provide foolproof assembly that is insensitive to environmental conditions, significantly reducing process complexity and variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the adhesive bonding system with a mechanical retention system featuring channels and snap-fit retaining members. This mechanical system eliminates the process sensitivities inherent in adhesive application, providing reliable panel retention that is independent of cleanliness, material quantity, or placement precision, thereby reducing overall process complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A shelf assembly (22) for a refrigerator (2) includes a frame assembly (40) having first and second frame members (42, 44) spaced-apart from one another to define a receiving area (43) therebetween. The first frame member (42) includes a first channel (74) and the second frame member (44) includes a second channel (64). A panel (52) having first and second ends (52A, 52B) is received in the receiving area (43) and operable between first and second positions with respect to the first and second frame members (42, 44). The second end (52B) of the panel (52) is fully received in the second channel (64) when the panel (52) is in the first position, the first end (52A) of the panel (52) is fully received in the first channel (74) when the panel (52) is in the second position. A spacer assembly (90, 124) is releasably coupled to the second frame member (44) and partially received in a gap (65) of the second channel (64) to retain the panel (52) in the second position.