Adjustable Control Lever for Furniture Flap with Spiral Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for moving folding flaps on furniture lack adjustable mechanisms that prevent unintentional movement and ensure precise control, leading to uncontrolled swinging or improper alignment.
Innovation Solution
A device with a power unit and two actuating arms, where one actuating arm features a spiral adjustment contour and engagement structure, allowing for self-locking and precise adjustment, preventing unintentional twisting and enabling stepless adjustment with a stable and space-saving design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If actuating arms are made adjustable to improve alignment, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating arm is divided into two separate sections (first actuating arm section and second actuating arm section) that can be independently adjusted. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for specific functions while maintaining overall adjustability without requiring complete redesign of the entire arm structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism incorporates a rotatable adjusting element with a spiral adjusting contour that enables dynamic adjustment of the actuating arm sections. The spiral contour provides a continuous range of adjustment positions, allowing the device to adapt to different configurations while maintaining structural integrity through controlled rotational movement.
2Ease of manufacture
If adjustment mechanism is simplified to reduce complexity, then ease of manufacture improves, but adjustment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral adjusting contour is formed on a rotatable adjusting element, utilizing a curved spiral path instead of linear adjustment features. This curved geometry provides self-centering and self-aligning properties during adjustment, improving precision while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes for the adjusting element itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement structure with the spiral adjusting contour creates a self-locking mechanism where the engagement geometry itself prevents backlash and maintains precise positioning. The lateral bounding surface areas provide automatic alignment and support, eliminating the need for additional complex locking or positioning features.
3Reliability
If engagement structure contacts adjustment contour at multiple points to improve stability, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement structure combines multiple contact functions into a single integrated component. The same engagement structure that provides primary engagement with the spiral adjusting contour also utilizes lateral bounding surface areas for secondary support and alignment, eliminating the need for separate alignment or support features.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral adjusting contour serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the adjustment path for position change, acts as a self-locking mechanism through its geometry, and the lateral bounding surface areas provide automatic alignment and support. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components while maintaining high reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device (4) for moving a folding flap (3) movably mounted on a furniture body (2) is proposed. The device comprises at least two hinged flap elements (3a, 3b) and includes a force unit (4b) which, via an actuating arm (6a) arranged on a first flap element (3a) in the assembled state, at least assists the opening of the folding flap by applying force. A second actuating arm (6b) is also proposed, which, in the assembled state, is connected to a second flap element (3b). At least one of the two actuating arms (6a, 6b) comprises two actuating arm sections (8a, 8b) which are connected to each other via an adjusting device (14, 16). According to the invention, an adjusting element (16) with a spiral adjusting contour (17) is rotatably mounted on a first actuating arm section (8b), and an engagement structure (14) is formed on a second actuating arm section (8a) which is designed to engage with the adjusting contour (17).