U-Shaped Bracket Holder for Unused Side Storage Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Storage systems with releasable brackets that support shelves lack versatility, particularly when only one side of the bracket is utilized, leaving the other side unused and offering limited storage options.
Innovation Solution
A holding device with a U-shaped connecting part and a holding part, featuring tongues and hooks, that can be attached to the unused side of a bracket, allowing for additional storage solutions and secure attachment without accidental removal, and optionally including key-hole slots for wall attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a bracket supports a shelf on one side only, then the bracket structure remains simple and easy to install, but the other side of the bracket remains unused reducing storage system versatility
Solution Approach 1:
The holding device is designed to attach to one side of the bracket while providing storage functionality similar to the shelf on the other side. This makes the bracket structure universal, capable of supporting storage elements on both sides, thereby doubling the storage capacity without requiring additional brackets.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding device nests onto the existing bracket structure, utilizing the bracket's own geometry and support capabilities. The device's connecting part engages with the bracket's profile, allowing the holding device to be supported by the bracket without requiring separate mounting structures.
2Reliability
If the holding device is securely attached to the bracket, then accidental removal is prevented, but installation and removal require sufficient manual force
Solution Approach 1:
The tongue features a curved engagement surface that mates with a corresponding curved surface on the bracket. This curved geometry creates a snap-fit engagement where the elastic deformation of the tongue provides both secure attachment during normal use and controlled release when sufficient force is applied during installation or removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The tongue is designed with elastic properties that allow it to dynamically deform during installation (bending to engage), maintain a static locked position during use, and deform again during removal. This dynamic behavior enables both secure attachment and controlled installation/removal.
3Ease of manufacture
If the connecting part is made from sheet metal, then the device can be easily manufactured, but the holding device requires sufficient strength to support stored items
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet metal thickness and geometric parameters of the connecting part are optimized to achieve the required strength-to-weight ratio. By carefully selecting the thickness and cross-sectional geometry, the device achieves sufficient load-bearing capacity while remaining manufacturable from sheet metal using standard forming and bending processes.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a holding device for a bracket in a storage system. The holding device has a connecting part and a holding part, the connecting part being elongated and bent, along a line in the elongated direction to form, in cross-section, a U-shape with a first and a second leg. The first leg is intended to be inserted into a bracket and second leg being connected to the holding part having a holding feature, such as hooks, a box, or a basket.