Shelf Clamp Structure for Damage-Free Grocery Rack Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing merchandising units for grocery refrigerators are complex and require costly special infrastructure for installation, which can damage the existing shelves and is inefficient, necessitating a solution that attaches to standard shelves without damage or special tools.
Innovation Solution
A clamp and rack system designed to attach to standard grocery shelves, featuring a flexible front fin that engages the shelf edge, allowing secure attachment without damaging the existing infrastructure, and includes an extension bar for continuous connection points for rack units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If prior art merchandising units are installed in grocery refrigerators, then they can display products, but they require costly special infrastructure and damage existing shelves
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is designed to attach to standard shelves using its own structural features (flat body, support rib, front fin) without requiring external infrastructure or tools. The clamp itself provides all necessary components for attachment, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for special installation equipment or shelf modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The front fin is made of flexible material that can bend during installation and then return to its original position. This flexibility allows the fin to pass between the shelf and wall during installation without causing damage, while still providing secure engagement when in place.
2Adaptability or versatility
If prior art merchandising units are installed, then they can display products, but they require special tools and significant infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is designed with a universal attachment mechanism that works with standard shelves commonly found in grocery refrigerators. The combination of the flat body, support rib, and flexible front fin creates a multi-functional component that can attach to various shelf types without requiring special infrastructure or tools.
3Reliability
If a secure attachment is achieved, then the rack unit is firmly held, but the installation process becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is divided into distinct functional segments: the flat body for positioning, the support rib for structural reinforcement, and the flexible front fin for engagement. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall design relatively simple and easy to manufacture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and cost-effective display of packaged foods on grocery shelves by providing a secure, adaptable, and damage-free attachment solution that maximizes shelf space utilization and simplifies installation and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a front fin extending diagonally upward from the front face of the flat body, wherein the front fin is comprised of a flexible material such that the front fin can flex toward the flat body
Data Source
AI summary
A shelf clamp for connecting a rack unit to a display shelf has a flat body with a clasp extending from the top end of the flat body, a support lip extending from the mid-section of the flat body, and a front fin extending diagonally upward from the front face of the flat body, wherein the front fin is comprised of flexible material such that the front fin can flex towards the flat body. The bottom end of the shelf clamp is fashioned to slide down between an edge of the shelf and a wall, causing the front fin to flex upward toward the flat body as it presses between the shelf and the wall, and then return to its diagonally upward position once it passes the shelf. Thereby, the shelf clamp engages the edge of the shelf and the support rib and the front fin.