Shelf Support Shroud for Cable Containment and Outlet Concealment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shelf mounting arrangements for electronic devices leave cables and wiring prone to disturbance and exposure, particularly attractive to children, and do not effectively manage connections to wall outlets.
Innovation Solution
A shelf unit with a support shroud that covers wall outlets, featuring a shroud concavity to contain cables and an optional access panel for manual access, designed to mount over wall outlets and manage wiring securely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cables and wiring are allowed to dangle freely from the shelf, then ease of connection is improved, but safety and aesthetics deteriorate due to exposure to children and potential disturbance
Solution Approach 1:
The support shroud creates a nested structure where the wall outlet and connected cables are contained within the shroud's concavity. The shelf is then mounted on the shroud, creating a hierarchical nesting arrangement that protects vulnerable components while maintaining accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful element (exposed cables and wall outlet) is extracted from the visible space and relocated into the concealed shroud concavity. This separates the functional connection need from the safety hazard by hiding the outlet and loose cable portions within the shroud structure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If cables are contained within the support shroud, then safety and aesthetics are improved, but access for connection becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support shroud is segmented with an access panel that can be opened to reveal the wall outlet and facilitate cable connection. This divides the shroud into a concealed protective portion and an accessible connection portion, allowing safety and ease of operation to coexist.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If wall outlets are covered by the support shroud, then safety and aesthetics are improved, but manual access for connections becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support shroud incorporates an access panel that segments the covering structure, allowing the wall outlet to be concealed for safety while providing a controlled access point for making connections. The access panel acts as a gateway that maintains protection during normal conditions but enables connection when needed.
4Ease of operation
If excess cable length is allowed to extend downward, then ease of device connection is improved, but disturbance and tangling risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support shroud's concavity provides a nested containment space for excess cable length. Rather than allowing cables to dangle freely in the external environment where they can be disturbed, the cables are nested within the protected shroud volume, maintaining arrangement stability while preserving connection ease.
Data Source
AI summary
A shelf unit comprises a shelf and a support shroud. The support shroud defines a shroud concavity extending from the upper wall perimeter edge to the lower wall perimeter edge and bounded by the left and right side edges. The shelf is connected to the support shroud at a position disposed over the upper wall perimeter edge. The shelf optionally has a shelf aperture in communication with the shroud concavity. The shelf unit may be mounted with the shroud covering a wall outlet and an electronic device, disposed on the shelf, has cabling which passes through the shelf aperture and into the shroud concavity. In this application the cabling is contained in the shroud concavity.