Telescopic Rack with Rib-Capturing Brace to Eliminate Ladder Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional home appliances with telescopic racks face issues such as high costs due to ladder frames, lack of reliable mechanisms for securing racks to ribbed cavity walls, difficulty in extending and retracting racks, and potential for racks to tilt, warp, or become disengaged, especially when supporting cookware.
Innovation Solution
A telescopic rack design featuring slides with linear bearings, braces that capture ribs in the cavity wall, and a chassis structure that maintains structural integrity, eliminating the need for a ladder frame and ensuring stable, secure, and easy motion of the rack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ladder frame is used to support telescopic racks, then the rack structure is stable and reliable, but the manufacturing cost and assembly complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the ladder frame component entirely, replacing it with a rack design that directly engages with ribs integrated into the cavity wall. This removal of the intermediate support structure simplifies the overall assembly while maintaining structural integrity through direct rib-to-rack engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the cavity wall ribs with the rack support function, eliminating the need for separate ladder frame attachments. The ribs are formed as integral parts of the cavity wall structure, and the rack directly interfaces with these ribs, combining structural support and rack mounting into a unified system.
2Reliability
If a ladder frame is attached to the cavity wall, then the rack can be supported securely, but the usable cavity volume decreases and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the ladder frame structure that would otherwise occupy space within the cavity. By eliminating this intermediate support structure and using directly integrated ribs, the usable cavity volume is maximized while rack support security is maintained through the rib engagement mechanism.
3Device complexity
If racks rest directly on ribs without slide mechanisms, then the structure is simpler, but the ease of extending and retracting the rack deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces slide mechanisms as intermediary components between the rack and the ribs. These slides facilitate smooth extension and retraction of the rack while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The slides act as mediators that enable easy movement without requiring complex mechanisms.
4Device complexity
If racks slide directly on ribs, then the mechanism is simpler, but the reliability of preventing rack tilting and disengagement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses slides as intermediary components that provide both simplicity and reliability. The slides incorporate features that prevent rack tilting and disengagement while maintaining a simple overall mechanism. The slide design includes engagement features that securely connect the rack to the ribs during movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the slide mechanism to maintain the rack in a stable, level position during extension and retraction. The slide structure provides consistent support that prevents tilting, ensuring the rack remains in an equipotential state throughout its movement range.
5Ease of manufacture
If conventional rack mechanisms are used, then the initial cost may be lower, but the durability and resistance to warping and bending under load deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the rack and slide mechanism to maintain structural integrity and prevent warping under load. The equipotential design ensures even distribution of forces during extension and retraction, preventing differential stress that could cause warping or bending over time.
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
The solution provides a cost-effective, reliable, and stable telescopic rack system that securely engages with ribbed cavity walls, prevents tilting and disengagement, and ensures smooth extension and retraction without additional components, enhancing the overall usability and quality of the appliance.
Implementation Method 1
a slide coupled to an opposing side edge, and a brace coupled to the slide and capturing the opposing set of ribs
Data Source
AI summary
A home appliance with a telescopic rack including a cavity with walls having an opposing set of ribs, a rack with opposing side edges, a slide coupled to an opposing side edge, and a brace coupled to the slide and capturing the opposing set of ribs.