Refrigerator Shelf Structure for In-Appliance Shelf Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing domestic refrigeration devices require significant space when a high compartment is needed, as they necessitate removing and storing a shelf outside the appliance, leading to inefficient use of internal space.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration device design where a second shelf can be accommodated within the appliance by arranging it on support surfaces such that its base plate is adjacent to the first shelf, minimizing space usage, with a one-piece base plate and support ribs formed from materials like plastic or sheet metal, and featuring a corrugated base plate to prevent items from rolling, allowing for flexible compartment heights and efficient storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If a shelf is removed from the refrigeration appliance to create a high compartment, then the compartment height is increased, but the shelf occupies significant external storage space
Solution Approach 1:
The invention allows one shelf to be nested within the space occupied by another shelf when the latter is not in use. The support surfaces are arranged such that a second shelf can be positioned on upper support surfaces while a first shelf rests on lower support surfaces with its base plate adjacent to the second shelf, effectively nesting the first shelf within the vertical space of the second shelf's support structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the vertical dimension to store unused shelves by providing multiple pairs of support surfaces at different heights on the side walls. Instead of storing shelves horizontally outside the appliance, the shelves are stored vertically within the appliance by selecting from multiple elevation levels, transforming the storage problem from external horizontal space to internal vertical space utilization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pairs of support surfaces are provided at different elevations, then flexible compartment heights are achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support surfaces serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for shelves at different heights, enable flexible compartment height configuration, and act as storage positions for unused shelves. The same side wall structure with multiple support surfaces facilitates both operational shelf placement and storage of spare shelves, reducing the need for separate storage mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The side walls are segmented into multiple pairs of support surfaces at different elevations, allowing independent placement of shelves at various heights. This segmentation enables flexible configuration of compartment heights while distributing the structural load across multiple discrete support points rather than requiring continuous complex support structures.
3Ease of manufacture
If the base plate and support ribs are formed as one piece, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the rigidity of the shelf structure may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf is constructed as a composite structure combining a base plate made of one material (such as plastic or sheet metal) with support ribs made of the same or different material, all formed as one piece. The base plate can be corrugated plastic or metal while the support ribs provide additional structural reinforcement, creating a composite one-piece structure that maintains both manufacturing simplicity and structural rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The base plate is designed with a corrugated surface featuring curved or wavy profiles rather than flat surfaces. This corrugation provides structural reinforcement similar to I-beam construction, increasing the rigidity and load-bearing capacity of the base plate while maintaining the one-piece formed construction. The curved geometry of the corrugations resists bending forces more effectively than flat surfaces.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~8
Figure 9~10
AI summary
A compartment base (1) for a refrigerator, in particular a domestic refrigerator, comprises a baseplate (2) and supporting ribs (9) protruding laterally over the baseplate (2). The baseplate (2) is offset vertically with respect to a plane running through the supporting ribs (9).