Adjustable Edge Profile Guide for Furniture Panel Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for attaching edge profiles to plate-shaped materials, such as furniture surfaces, often result in vertical offsets at corners due to inadequate alignment and varying decor or marking positions, leading to a less-than-ideal appearance.

Innovation Solution

A device and procedure that utilize a guide system with adjustable leadership and sub-leadership, controlled by sensors and a control device, to ensure precise alignment of edge profiles relative to the plate surface, maintaining consistent vertical distance and minimizing vertical offsets between markings at corners.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a fixed guide system is used for edge profile alignment, then the device structure is simple, but vertical offsets occur at corners due to inadequate alignment precision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidguide system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide system employs adjustable leadership and sub-leadership components that can dynamically adapt their positions during the edge profile attachment process. This allows the system to maintain precise alignment for different plate widths and corner configurations, resolving the contradiction between alignment precision and device complexity by making the guide system adaptable rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes geometric parameters of the guide structure, specifically the relative positions and angles of the leadership and sub-leadership elements, to optimize alignment precision for different operating conditions. This parameter adjustment capability enables high precision alignment without requiring an overly complex fixed structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the edge profile is attached without considering marking position variations, then the attachment process is simple, but vertical offsets occur at corners due to decor position variations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorner alignment precisionVSAvoidalignment control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the positions of markings on edge profiles and adjust the alignment accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that vertical offsets at corners are minimized by continuously comparing actual marking positions with target positions and making real-time adjustments to the guide system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary alignment adjustments based on pre-programmed marking position data before the actual edge profile attachment. By anticipating and compensating for marking position variations in advance, the system achieves high corner alignment precision without requiring complex real-time control during the attachment process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3458240B1Apparatus and method for fitting an edge profile, and furniture part
Publication Date: 2022.10.12 FRITZ EGGER GMBH & CO OG
  • EP3458240B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3458240B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to an apparatus (1) for fitting an edge profile (2, 2') on a narrow surface (3a, 3a') of a panel-form material (3), in particular an edge-banding apparatus (1), having a panel carrier (4) for accommodating a panel-form material (3), wherein the panel carrier (4) has an upper side (4a) running in a plane (E1), having an edge-profile-feeding device (5) for feeding an edge profile (2, 2'), and having an edge-profile guide (6) for guiding the edge profile (2, 2'), said guide having at least one guide means (7, 7'), along which or through which can be guided the edge profile (2, 2'), which can be fed by the edge-profile-feeding device (5). In order as far as possible to prevent, or at least reduce, offsetting in the corner region of the panel-form material (3), the invention proposes that the at least one guide means (7, 7') should be movable relative to the panel carrier (4) in a direction (X1), which runs at an angle to the plane (E1), in which the upper side (4a) of the panel carrier runs. The invention also relates to a method for fitting an edge profile (2, 2'), and to a furniture part (11) produced thereby.