Retail Shelf Bracket Design for Cleaning Access Without Disassembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing retail shelving systems face difficulties in cleaning, particularly when shelf spacing is inadequate, as debris can accumulate in exposed tubular support bars, making it challenging to clean without removing shelves, which is time-consuming for a single person.
Innovation Solution
The shelving system incorporates brackets with a transition section that laterally offsets the mounting section from the support section, creating a gap of at least 1 inch between adjacent shelves, allowing for easy cleaning without removing the shelves, and uses T-welded support bars to prevent debris accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If shelves are mounted closely together to save space, then space utilization is improved, but cleaning accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket design offsets the support section laterally from the mounting section, creating a cleaning access channel that extends the bracket structure in the lateral dimension. This dimensional extension provides cleaning personnel with access to shelf surfaces without requiring increased vertical spacing between shelves, thus resolving the contradiction between space utilization and cleaning accessibility.
2Weight of moving object
If tubular support bars are used to reduce weight and material cost, then weight and cost are reduced, but debris accumulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts or removes the open-ended tubular support bars from the bracket structure and replaces them with solid or closed-profile support members. This elimination of the harmful tubular geometry prevents debris accumulation while maintaining the weight and cost benefits of using efficient structural forms.
3Reliability
If shelves are removed for cleaning to access all surfaces, then cleaning completeness is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket design incorporates cleaning access channels and optimized geometries that are prepared in advance during manufacturing. These pre-configured access paths allow cleaning personnel to reach all critical surfaces without removing shelves, thus achieving complete cleaning while minimizing time loss by eliminating the shelf removal step entirely.
4Device complexity
If support bars are exposed at bracket ends to simplify construction, then construction complexity is reduced, but hygiene deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different geometric qualities to different parts of the support structure. The main support bars use efficient tubular or open profiles where exposed, but the critical end sections near the brackets are closed off or capped to prevent debris accumulation. This localized modification maintains construction simplicity while eliminating hygiene problems at specific problem areas.
Data Source
AI summary
Shelve brackets and shelf arrangements are provided. First and second brackets are provided. Each bracket has a support section, a mounting section and a transition section. The mounting section is laterally offset from the support section. The support section includes a vertical, top and bottom flange portions. The top and bottom flange portions are vertically spaced and extend from a first side of vertical flange portion in a direction the support section is offset from the mounting section. The transition section of the first bracket offsets the support section of the first bracket towards the second bracket and the transition section of the second bracket offsetting the support section of the second bracket towards the first bracket.