Adjustable Gap Cover Profiles for Household Appliance Installation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solutions fail to effectively cover gaps between household appliances and adjacent furniture of varying widths, leading to aesthetic issues and practical problems like dust and dirt accumulation.

Innovation Solution

A device comprising two profile elements with a tongue and groove system, where the tongue has weak points for adjustment, and a deformable coupling part to securely attach to both the appliance and the surface, allowing adaptation to different gap widths and ensuring stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed-size profile element is used to cover the gap, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to gaps of different widths

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to different gap widthsVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The profile element is divided into a body and a separate tongue portion. The tongue can be selectively shortened to different lengths by breaking it at predetermined weak points, allowing adaptation to various gap widths while keeping the main body structure simple and reusable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tongue is designed with successive weak points that allow it to be dynamically adjusted to different lengths. This enables the profile element to adapt its configuration based on the specific gap width encountered, transforming a static component into a dynamically adjustable one.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple models of profile elements are provided for different gap widths, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and inventory requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to different gap widthsVSAvoidnumber of different models

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single universal profile element design is provided that can cover a wide range of gap widths. The tongue's adjustable length allows one model to perform the function of multiple fixed-size models, eliminating the need for different models and reducing inventory requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the tongue is made long to cover larger gaps, then adaptability to large gaps is improved, but it becomes difficult to insert into the groove in smaller gaps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage of larger gapsVSAvoidease of insertion into groove

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The tongue is segmented with successive weak points that allow it to be broken into shorter sections. This segmentation enables the tongue to be reduced to an appropriate length for insertion into grooves of various sizes, solving the problem of inserting long tongues into small gaps while maintaining the capability to cover larger gaps when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP1956940B1Device for covering a gap

Publication Date: 2013.10.02 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH

Figure 1~5
Figure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a device for covering a gap (20) between a housing (1) of a household appliance and a surface which is adjacent (4) thereto. Said device comprises two profile elements (25, 30), a first (25) for securing to the surface (4) and the second (30) for securing to the housing (1). One of the profile elements (30) comprises a groove and the other (25) comprises a spring (28). The spring (28) can be introduced into the direction of the width of the gap (20) in the groove.