Slidable Shelving on Tracks for Space-Efficient Horticulture Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shelving systems for horticultural applications face limitations in customization, accessibility, and mobility, often occupying too much space and being heavy, which restricts plant growth phases and poses safety risks due to awkward positioning and potential toppling.
Innovation Solution
A customizable slidable shelving and support system mounted on wheels and tracks with interlocking trays and a unique drainage system, allowing for easy movement and adjustment, featuring grooved wheels, a sloped gutter for water drainage, and a secure attachment mechanism to prevent tipping, while minimizing space usage and enhancing air circulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If shelving units are made permanent and secured, then stability is improved, but accessibility deteriorates as they cannot be moved or repositioned easily
Solution Approach 1:
The shelving system transitions from static permanent structures to dynamic movable units with locking mechanisms. The shelves can be locked in place during use for stability, then unlocked and moved when repositioning is needed, resolving the contradiction between stability and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the state parameter of the shelving units between locked (stable) and unlocked (movable) conditions. This parameter change allows the same structure to provide both stability when needed and mobility when needed, addressing both requirements.
2Ease of operation
If shelving units are made portable and movable, then accessibility is improved, but stability deteriorates as they may tip or move unintentionally
Solution Approach 1:
The shelving units incorporate locking mechanisms that allow them to transition between movable and fixed states. When locked, they provide stability; when unlocked, they can be moved easily, thus resolving the contradiction between accessibility and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed to be simple and intuitive, allowing users to easily lock and unlock the shelves without requiring additional tools or complex procedures, making the system self-sufficient for maintaining stability.
3Strength
If shelving units are designed with solid bottom portions for structural integrity, then strength is improved, but air circulation deteriorates restricting plant growth
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom portions of the shelving units incorporate open lattice structures or spaced slats instead of solid panels. This porous design maintains structural strength while allowing air to circulate freely underneath plants, eliminating the harmful effect of restricted air flow.
4Ease of manufacture
If trays are formed from single piece of material for simplicity, then manufacturing is improved, but weight increases making them heavy and difficult to move
Solution Approach 1:
The trays are divided into multiple separate components (tray body, bottom panel, sides) that can be manufactured independently using lighter materials, then assembled together. This segmentation reduces overall weight while maintaining manufacturing efficiency through standardized parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray components use composite construction combining lightweight materials such as plastic or aluminum with supportive structures, achieving a balance between durability and reduced weight for easier handling and mobility.
5Reliability
If wheel tracks are recessed into the surface for secure mounting, then reliability is improved, but movement deteriorates as wheels jam and movement becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of recessing the track into the surface (which causes jamming), the track is mounted on top of the surface. This inversion allows wheels to roll smoothly over the track while remaining securely guided, resolving both mounting security and movement smoothness requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The track acts as an intermediary element between the wheel and the mounting surface. It provides a guided path for the wheel while distributing contact forces, preventing direct contact between the wheel and the surface that would cause jamming.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is a customizable, slidable shelving and support apparati and system for supporting, storing and accessing horticultural and agricultural specimens within growing spaces, allowing growers to utilize the maximum amount of their linear horizontal and vertical grow space and service specific areas of the garden enterprise while also allowing for maximum workspace through the use of a table and track system that provides stackable options of multiple grow layers. A method of using this slidable shelving and support apparati and system is also included.