Inclined floor shelving unit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sloping shelf racks face challenges with the insertion and attachment of sloping shelves and spring devices, leading to increased effort and risk of injury or damage due to the heavy weight and acceleration of the shelves during operation.

Innovation Solution

The sloping shelf rack incorporates a connecting element with a first and second connecting section, where the first section engages with a holder on the shelf body during assembly, allowing the second section to detach automatically, simplifying the attachment process and reducing the force required for assembly, and includes a movable stop element to maintain the shelf in an open position for easy refilling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the sloping shelf is made of metal and filled with goods, then the shelf has sufficient load-bearing capacity, but the shelf becomes very heavy and accelerates at high speed when released, causing injury risk or damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload-bearing capacityVSAvoidinjury risk
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The spring device applies a preliminary braking force to counteract the gravitational acceleration of the heavy metal shelf before it can accelerate to dangerous speeds. The spring is pre-tensioned to provide immediate resistance when the shelf is released, preventing the harmful high-speed movement while allowing the shelf to maintain its full metal construction for load-bearing capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If spring devices with sufficient spring force are used to brake the heavy shelf, then the shelf moves at reduced speed, but a partially filled or empty shelf is pulled back into a partially open position

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed controlVSAvoidrefilling operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The spring device is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to provide strong braking force for heavy, fully-loaded shelves while permitting lighter, partially-filled shelves to remain in the open position. The spring's force-displacement relationship naturally adapts to different shelf weights, maintaining safety for heavy loads while enabling ease of operation for refilling lighter loads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If the spring device must be attached to the shelf body when the sloping shelf is in a partially open state, then the spring device can be connected, but the spring device must be tightened more, leading to greater effort when fastening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly processVSAvoidfastening effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting element is designed to be pre-attached to the sloping shelf before insertion, eliminating the need to attach it to the shelf body during assembly. This preliminary attachment allows the connecting element to be fixed in a relaxed state, requiring minimal fastening effort, while still achieving proper connection when the shelf is inserted into the shelf body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If the connecting element is attached to the shelf body in a known system, then the spring device functions, but the user must reach between the inclined shelves, requiring larger space for handling and more tightening effort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespring device functionVSAvoidhandling space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of attaching the connecting element to the shelf body as in known systems, the invention inverts the attachment sequence by pre-attaching the connecting element to the sloping shelf itself. This reversal eliminates the need to reach between inclined shelves during assembly, providing adequate handling space while maintaining the reliability of the spring device function through proper engagement with the shelf body upon insertion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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

This design simplifies the assembly and operation of sloping shelves by automating the connection of the spring device and providing a stable, easy-to-use mechanism for maintaining the shelf in an open position, reducing the risk of injury and damage while facilitating efficient refilling.

Implementation Method 1

Spring devices are therefore often provided which act between the shelf body and the sloping shelf and which slow down the sloping shelf while it is being pulled out

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Implementation Method 2

when the lowest object is removed, the other objects move up as a result of the effect of gravity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP3142518B1Inclined floor shelving unit
Publication Date: 2018.02.28 GEBR WILLACH
  • EP3142518B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3142518B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP3142518B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4b

AI summary

The invention relates to an inclined floor shelving unit (1) having a shelf body (2) having at least one inclined shelf (3) which drops away to the removal side (5) and has an abutting element holding a placed object (17) on the bottom end thereof, wherein the at least one inclined shelf (3) is held to the shelf body (2) via guide rails (9) and is designed as a pull-out running on the guide rails (9) which can be pulled out to the removal side (5) and having a spring device (19) for decelerating the inclined shelf (3) during the pull-out, which operates between the shelf body (2) and the inclined shelf (3). According to the invention the spring device (19) has a connection element (21) which has a first connection section (21a), which is connected to the shelf body (2) in an operating position by means of a holder (23), and which has a second connection section (21b), and the inclined shelf (3) has a fastening holder (25) to which the connection element (21) is fastened via the second connection section (21b) in an assembly position, wherein, upon pushing in the inclined shelf (3) with the connection element (21) in the assembly position, the first connection section (21a) engages on the holder (23) and wherein the second connection section (21b) is removable from the fastening holder (25).