Refrigerator Upper Basket Kick-Out With Selectable Bin Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
In some prior art designs of refrigerators, the upper basket within the storage compartment is not visible when the drawer is opened due to obstruction by the fresh food doors, making it desirable to have an adjustable upper basket that can decide whether it moves with the door or remains inside the appliance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a storage compartment with a first and second storage bin, where the second bin is configured to move simultaneously with the first bin through interacting tabs, and can be adjusted to disable simultaneous movement by changing its orientation, allowing the user to choose visibility and accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the upper basket remains inside the cabinet when the drawer is opened, then the storage structure is simple and stable, but the upper basket becomes invisible and inaccessible to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The upper basket is designed with dynamic movement capability through tab interactions. The basket can automatically move outward when the drawer is opened by having its tab engage with the drawer tab, or remain stationary by being oriented to disable tab engagement, providing user-selectable visibility and accessibility without requiring complex mechanical linkages
Solution Approach 2:
The basket system is segmented into independently controllable units with individual tabs. Each basket can be independently oriented to enable or disable automatic outward movement, allowing flexible configuration where some baskets move with the drawer while others remain stationary, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and accessibility
2Ease of operation
If the upper basket is made movable with the door, then visibility and accessibility are improved, but the risk of accidental movement or misalignment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The basket positioning system is made dynamically adjustable through orientation selection. Users can choose whether each basket moves with the drawer by rotating the basket to enable or disable tab engagement, providing both visibility when needed and stable positioning when the basket is oriented to remain stationary, thus resolving the contradiction between visibility and reliability
Data Source
AI summary
An appliance is provided that includes a storage compartment comprising a first storage bin and a second storage bin configured to move relative to the storage compartment along a parallel path of movement, a first tab located on the first storage bin, and a second tab located within a perimeter of a surface of the second storage bin. The second tab is in a location that is configured to interact with the first tab at a point along the parallel path of movement. The second storage bin moves simultaneously with the first storage bin while the first tab interacts with the second tab. Either the first storage bin or the second storage bin can be placed in the storage compartment in at least a first orientation and a second orientation, where the second orientation disables the second storage bin from moving simultaneously with the first storage bin.