Height-Adjustable Furniture Leg With Pin Locking and Plain Bearings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing height-adjustable tables have bulky telescopic legs due to roller guides and limited movement stability due to locking devices, which restrict their design and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A furniture design featuring length-adjustable legs with a hollow first telescopic element and a linearly movable second telescopic element, utilizing a locking device with pins that can switch between locking and non-locking positions via an actuating mechanism, allowing for smooth height adjustment and secure locking, replacing rollers with space-saving plain bearings for a slimmer design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If roller guides are used in telescopic legs, then the telescopic elements can move smoothly relative to each other, but the telescopic legs become bulky and require more space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the roller guides from the telescopic leg structure and replaces them with plain bearings. This extraction of the bulky roller component eliminates the need for large clearance spaces while maintaining the smooth movement function through the pin-based locking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical roller guide system with a pin-based locking mechanism combined with plain bearings. This replacement eliminates the need for complex roller assemblies and their associated clearance spaces, achieving both compact size and smooth operation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If locking devices are added to fix telescopic legs at specific heights, then movement stability is improved, but the design complexity and size of the leg increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements locking functionality at specific discrete locations using pins that engage with corresponding features on the telescopic elements. This localized locking approach provides stability at required heights without requiring a complex continuous locking mechanism throughout the entire telescopic range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the locking mechanism from a complex multi-component device to a simple pin-based system that relies on geometric engagement. By changing the locking parameter from mechanical interlocking of multiple parts to simple pin insertion into predetermined positions, the complexity is significantly reduced.
3Reliability
If traditional locking mechanisms are used, then the telescopic elements can be fixed at specific heights, but the design becomes bulky and aesthetic appeal is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a compact pin-based locking system that can be integrated into the telescopic leg structure with minimal external components. The simple pin mechanism allows for a cleaner, more streamlined design compared to traditional bulky locking devices, thereby improving aesthetic appeal while maintaining locking reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an item of furniture, in particular a table, having at least one length-adjustable leg. The length-adjustable leg includes a first telescopic element which is realized as a hollow body, as well as a second telescopic element which is mounted inside the first telescopic element so as to linearly displaceable along a first axis. A locking device which is arranged on the second telescopic element comprises at least one first pin which is movable using an actuating device from a first position, in which the at least one first pin prevents the movement of the first telescopic element relative to the second telescopic element as a result of a force-fitting connection or form-fitting connection, into a second position in which the displacement is not prevented. In addition, the locking device has at least one second pin which is movable by the actuating device from a first state, where the at least one second pin is pressed against an inside surface of a wall of the first telescopic element in order to brace the second telescopic element in relation to the first telescopic element, and a second state where the at least one second pin is at a spacing from the wall of the first telescopic element.