Adjustable Sliding Guide Rail for Permanent Drawer Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sliding guide rail assemblies face challenges in achieving and maintaining proper alignment between cabinet and drawer rails, leading to aesthetic and functional issues, especially under heavy loads, and existing adjustment solutions are complex or temporary.

Innovation Solution

A sliding guide rail assembly with a deformable surface at one end, featuring a slit and an eccentric adjusting device, allowing for permanent alignment adjustments by changing the distance between upper and lower parts, ensuring stable and durable engagement with rollers or wheels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional sliding guide rail assemblies are used, then the drawer can slide in and out, but alignment between the cabinet and drawer becomes difficult to achieve and maintain, especially under heavy loads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidalignment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rail includes a deformable portion that can be dynamically adjusted during installation to achieve proper alignment. The adjusting device allows the rail to be deformed from an initial configuration to a corrected configuration, enabling alignment adjustments after the rail is fixedly attached to the drawer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the rail by deforming a portion of it. The deformable portion allows modification of the rail's shape and position to achieve precise alignment between the cabinet and drawer, transitioning from a fixed rigid structure to an adjustable one.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the drawer carries heavy weight, then storage capacity increases, but the unbalanced load causes increased wear and decreased lifetime due to alignment issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrawer lifetimeVSAvoidload capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustable alignment allows the system to adapt to heavy loads by correcting any tilt or misalignment. The deformable rail can be adjusted to ensure even weight distribution across both sliding assemblies, preventing unbalanced wear and extending the drawer's lifetime under heavy loading conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention provides preventive alignment adjustment before heavy loads cause damage. By enabling precise alignment adjustment, the system prevents future unbalanced wear and potential failure of the sliding assemblies under heavy loads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Manufacturing precision

If adjustment solutions are added to fix alignment, then alignment precision improves, but the device complexity increases due to many separate parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidnumber of parts
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adjusting device is integrated directly into the sliding guide rail structure, merging the adjustment mechanism with the rail itself. This eliminates the need for separate adjustment components and reduces overall device complexity while maintaining alignment precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The deformable portion of the rail serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for sliding movement and simultaneously enables alignment adjustment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate adjustment mechanisms and simplifies the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Enables precise and permanent alignment of drawers with cabinets, maintaining horizontal alignment and distributing loads evenly, thus enhancing the durability and functionality of the drawer system.

Implementation Method 1

an adjusting device capable of deforming said first surface at said second end, such that the position of said first surface at the second end is displaceable relative to said means for attaching said rail

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

Said adjusting device is attached to said second end of said rail by means of an eccentric, which is advantageous in that the first surface may be deformed by changing the distance between the upper part and the lower part using said eccentric

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEccentric mechanism: Eccentric

Data Source

PatentEP2706886B1A sliding guide rail
Publication Date: 2015.07.15 INTER IKEA SYST
  • EP2706886B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2706886B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2706886B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6b

AI summary

A sliding guide rail (200) is provided. The sliding guide rail comprises means for attaching said rail (200) to a drawer (11a, 11b, 11c), a first surface (210) continuously extending from a first end (202) to a second end (204) of said rail (200), said first surface (210) being engageable with a sliding member of another rail (100), and an adjusting device (220, 320) capable of deforming said first surface (210) at said second end (204), such that the position of said first surface (210) at the second end (204) is displaceable relative to said means for attaching said rail.