Under mount roller for crisper system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crisper drawer systems in refrigerators are complex to install and remove, often causing binding issues due to uneven movement, which complicates access and storage efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An under mount roller system with integral support and evenly spaced rollers that provide consistent resistance, allowing for easy installation and removal of drawers without reducing storage capacity, featuring a lock mechanism for controlled access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If drawers are hung on shelves or side plates with tracks, then drawers can be removed and reinstalled, but the structure becomes complex and installation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drawer from the complex track system and mounts it directly to the refrigerator wall using simple brackets. The drawer is taken out of the traditional track-dependent configuration and repositioned to slide on the front surface of the wall, eliminating the need for complex internal tracks while maintaining removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of mounting tracks on the shelf underside or side plates and having drawers fit into them, the patent inverts the approach by mounting brackets directly on the wall front surface and having drawers slide on the external face of the wall. This reversal simplifies the structure while achieving the same functional goal.
2Ease of operation
If drawers move within tracks, then drawers can be accessed, but uneven movement causes binding and makes operation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the drawer movement function into multiple independent rollers (at least two rollers per drawer) that operate separately along the wall surface. This segmentation allows each roller to move independently, preventing binding that occurs when a single track system requires coordinated movement of multiple points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces rollers as intermediary elements between the drawer and the wall surface. These rollers mediate the movement by providing a smooth rolling interface instead of direct sliding contact, reducing friction and preventing binding while enabling easy drawer access.
3Ease of operation
If rollers are mounted on drawer sides, then drawer movement is enabled, but storage capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the roller mounting location from the horizontal side surfaces of the drawer to the bottom surface of the drawer. This dimensional change allows rollers to be positioned underneath the drawer, utilizing the vertical space below the drawer front rather than encroaching on the horizontal storage volume, thereby maintaining maximum storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent positions the rollers and their mounting brackets underneath the drawer structure, effectively nesting the movement mechanism within the space below the drawer rather than adding external components that would reduce storage volume. The brackets extend downward from the drawer bottom, keeping the roller assembly compact and space-efficient.
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerator is provided that includes a crisper system having one or more moveable and removable drawers. The drawers include rollers extending downwardly and outwardly from the drawers to provide maximum storage volume. The rollers are configured to work with channels formed in a support system, which may be integrally formed with a bottom floor of a compartment of the refrigerator. Therefore, the rollers and channels of the support system provide easy access and removability of the drawers of the crisper system.