Household refrigerator having an attached plate-shaped shelf
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household refrigeration appliances face challenges in securely and user-friendlyly positioning plate-like refrigerated goods carriers, such as shelves, to prevent slippage while allowing easy removal and installation without complex mounting processes.
Innovation Solution
A positioning device featuring a protruding L-shaped or U-shaped positioning hook with a hook receptacle, where the hook is cantilevered and easily accessible for coupling, providing secure fixation and protection from damage, and a frame with a base plate for enhanced stability and visibility, allowing easy handling and space-saving design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If retaining elements are sunk into the side wall in depressions, then the shelf is securely positioned, but the introduction and mounting becomes complex and user-friendliness is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of sinking the retaining element into the wall as in prior art, the positioning hook protrudes outward from the side wall into the receiving space. This inverted configuration makes the positioning element easily accessible and visible to users, allowing simple coupling with the shelf while maintaining secure positioning. The hook's protruding design eliminates the need for complex mounting into recesses.
2Ease of operation
If the positioning hook is arranged exposed and cantilevered, then coupling is easier and more visible, but the hook is vulnerable to damage from stored goods
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning hook is nested within the side wall structure, with the fastening plate mounted on the inner surface of the side wall. The hook protrudes only as much as necessary for coupling, and when the shelf is installed, the hook becomes covered by the shelf's front edge. This nesting approach provides both ease of coupling and protection from damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harmful factor of the exposed hook being bumped by stored goods is converted into a benefit: the shelf's own structure (its front edge) serves to cover and protect the hook once installed. The design turns what could be a vulnerability into a protective feature through the normal installation process.
3Reliability
If the positioning hook dips deep into the hook receptacle, then secure fixing is achieved, but space is consumed in the depth direction
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning hook is oriented in the width direction rather than extending deeply in the depth direction. The hook protrudes horizontally from the side wall and couples with the receptacle in a manner that achieves secure fixing without consuming excessive space in the depth direction. This dimensional reorientation optimizes space utilization while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a household refrigeration appliance (1) with a housing (1a) in which at least one receiving chamber (2, 3) for food is formed, with an inner container (5) whose walls (7, 8) define the receiving chamber (2, 3), with a plate-like cooling carrier (6) which is arranged in the receiving chamber (2, 3) in a way that allows for non-destructive removal, and with a positioning device (27) with which the cooling carrier (6) is fixed in its end position in the receiving chamber (2, 3) at least in one spatial direction, wherein the positioning device (28) has a positioning hook (12) which is arranged on a side wall (7) that defines the receiving chamber (2, 3) and is oriented projecting from the side wall (7) into the receiving chamber (2, 3) in the width direction (x) of the household refrigeration appliance (1), and the positioning device (27) has a hook receptacle (20) into which the positioning hook (12) to fix position from below,wherein in the fixed end position of the cooling carrier (6) the positioning hook (12) is at least partially concealed from the front by the cooling carrier (6).