Variable width deli cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to create a deli cover for refrigerators with adaptable brackets that can accommodate varying liner widths, ensuring the brackets are narrower than the liner to prevent scratching during installation and expand to securely couple with the liner sidewalls.
Innovation Solution
A variable width shelf assembly with support brackets featuring flexible coupling tabs and support slots, allowing the brackets to expand from a narrower width for installation to a wider span, ensuring secure coupling without scratching the liner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the support brackets are made narrower to prevent scratching the liner during installation, then the liner protection is improved, but the coupling strength to the liner sidewalls deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support brackets are designed with flexible coupling tabs that can dynamically change their width. During installation, the brackets maintain a narrower profile to avoid scratching the liner, then expand outward to achieve full coupling strength. This dynamic transformation allows the same structure to satisfy both protection and strength requirements at different installation stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The support bracket is segmented into a fixed body portion and flexible coupling tabs. The body portion maintains a narrower width for protection, while the coupling tabs can independently extend outward to provide sufficient coupling strength. This segmentation allows different parts of the same component to serve different functions simultaneously.
2Strength
If the support brackets are made wider to ensure sufficient coupling to the liner sidewalls, then the coupling strength is improved, but the risk of scratching the liner during installation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible coupling tabs provide a dynamic width adjustment capability. The brackets start narrow during installation to protect the liner, then expand to a wider configuration to achieve sufficient coupling strength. This eliminates the need to choose between protection and strength by providing both states sequentially.
3Manufacturing precision
If the deli cover is designed with fixed width brackets for specific liner sizes, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the adaptability to various liner widths deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support bracket with flexible coupling tabs serves multiple functions: it can accommodate various liner widths while maintaining consistent manufacturing precision for the body portion. The universal design allows a single bracket type to fit different liner sizes by adjusting only the flexible tab extension, not the entire bracket structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible coupling tabs allow the bracket width to dynamically adapt to different liner widths. The body portion maintains fixed manufacturing precision, while the tabs extend or retract to match various liner dimensions, providing both precision and versatility.
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 allows for secure and scratch-free installation of the deli cover on refrigerators with varying liner widths, ensuring a stable and adjustable fit within the refrigerator compartment.
Implementation Method 1
The coupling tabs are flexible tabs configured to flex outwardly relative to the upright portion of the body portion for coupling the first and second brackets to a refrigerator compartment
Data Source
AI summary
A variable width shelf assembly includes a shelf panel with first and second support brackets. One or more support slots and one or more relief slots are disposed on an upright portion of the support brackets. One or more coupling tabs are disposed adjacent to one of the one or more support slots and one of the one or more relief slots. The coupling tabs are flexible tabs configured to flex outwardly relative to the upright portion of the support brackets for coupling the first and second brackets to a refrigerator compartment. Mounting plates mounted on a refrigerator include mounting features that are received in the support slots of the support brackets. Abutment guides on the mounting plates are used to guide a bending motion of the coupling tabs in assembly.