Shelf storage system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shelf storage systems are difficult for end users to install independently, as they require precise placement of hang standards and brackets without professional assistance.
Innovation Solution
The shelf storage system incorporates shelf connector means on the bottom side, spaced at a predetermined bracket distance, and hang standards with screw holes aligned to match this distance, allowing users to mark and attach hang standards accurately on a wall without tools like a folding rule, enabling easier installation and reconfiguration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional shelf storage systems are used without pre-aligned reference features, then installation flexibility is maintained, but installation difficulty increases significantly for end users
Solution Approach 1:
The hang standard is equipped with pre-marked reference features (screw hole positions, slot alignments) that are prepared in advance during manufacturing. These reference features guide the installer in correctly positioning and marking wall screw hole locations, eliminating the need for complex measurements during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference features on the hang standard serve as an intermediary between the manufacturer's design intentions and the installer's actions. These visual cues (marked positions, alignment features) mediate the installation process by translating complex positioning requirements into simple visual guidance for the end user.
2Measurement precision
If precise measurement tools like folding rules are required for installation, then positioning accuracy improves, but the complexity and skill level required for installation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hang standard provides self-aligning reference features that enable the installer to achieve precise positioning without external measurement tools. The pre-marked screw hole positions and slot alignments on the hang standard allow the installer to directly transfer these positions to the wall, making the system self-sufficient for accurate installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the measurement and positioning function from the installation process by incorporating fixed reference features directly onto the hang standard. Instead of requiring the installer to perform measurements, the reference features provide predetermined positioning information that is transferred directly to the installation location.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple hang standards are installed without reference features, then system adaptability is maintained, but placement consistency and accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The reference features on each hang standard serve multiple functions: they provide positioning guidance for wall attachment, ensure consistent spacing between multiple hang standards, and maintain alignment with the slot pattern for bracket installation. This universal reference system works across all hang standards in the configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference features may utilize visual indicators (such as colored marks, contrasting colors, or visually distinct patterns) on the hang standard to guide installation. These visual changes help the installer quickly identify and transfer the correct positions, ensuring consistent and accurate placement across multiple hang standards.
Data Source
AI summary
A shelf storage system includes hang standards with slots arranged in rows, brackets connectable to the slots to suspend them in a cantilevered manner from the hang standards, and shelves adapted to be supported by brackets when suspended on spaced-apart hang standards. On the bottom side of a shelf are connectors at fixed locations for connecting the shelf to brackets when spaced a predetermined bracket-to-bracket distance apart. The hang standards have a plurality screw holes to connect the hang standard vertically on a vertical surface, such as a wall. The distance between at least two such screw holes corresponds to the predetermined bracket-to-bracket distance. To mark locations to install hang standards with proper spacing for brackets suspended from them to connect with the shelf, one of the hang standards is placed horizontally on the vertical surface to mark locations for the hang standards using the screw holes, thus simplifying installation of the system.