Concealed Drawer Slide Assembly With Gas Spring Soft Close

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drawer slide mechanisms fail to provide a soft-close and soft-open action while concealing the rail system, leading to abrupt stops and potential issues with food and fluid exposure causing corrosion and increased friction.

Innovation Solution

A cabinet slide assembly with concealed drawer slide rails and a gas spring mechanism that facilitates smooth movement between fully open and closed positions, using a post-mounted gas spring to reduce speed and include an adjustable bracket for various cabinet constructions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional drawer slide mechanisms are used, then the drawer can move between open and closed positions, but the movement is abrupt with no soft-close or soft-open action

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesmoothness of drawer movementVSAvoidabrupt stopping causing impact and wear

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating a damping mechanism that activates before the drawer reaches its fully closed or fully open position. The damping mechanism includes a damper that provides resistance during the final portion of the drawer's travel, cushioning the abrupt stop and enabling soft-close and soft-open actions. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliable mechanical operation while eliminating impact and wear through prior cushioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If drawer slide rails are concealed within the drawer structure, then protection from food and fluid exposure is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexposure to food and fluid causing corrosionVSAvoidintegration of rail system into drawer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies nesting by integrating the drawer slide rails within the drawer structure itself, where the rails are concealed inside the drawer body rather than being externally visible. This nesting approach protects the rails from exposure to food and fluid while managing the complexity through careful integration of the rail system into the drawer's existing structure, allowing the drawer to slide along the concealed rails.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of operation

If a gas spring mechanism is added to provide soft-close action, then the drawer movement control is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrolled drawer closing speedVSAvoidintegration of gas spring with slide mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies merging by combining the gas spring mechanism with the existing drawer slide mechanism into a single integrated assembly. The gas spring is positioned to work in conjunction with the damping mechanism and rails, providing controlled extension force during drawer closing while sharing mounting structures and space with the slide mechanism. This merging reduces overall complexity compared to separate systems and optimizes space utilization within the cabinet drawer assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 smooth, controlled drawer movement without abrupt stops, protecting the rail system from exposure and maintaining operational efficiency by reducing friction and preventing corrosion.

Implementation Method 1

a gas spring mechanism that facilitates smooth movement between fully open and closed positions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas spring: Spring

Implementation Method 2

The gas spring is capable of swinging through an arc about the first end along a vertical plane, while the second end is movable with the movement of the drawer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas spring expansion: Spring

Data Source

PatentUS8297722B2Soft close drawer assembly and bracket

Publication Date: 2012.10.30 REV A SHELF CO LLC

AI summary

A cabinet slide assembly permits the soft-close action and/or a soft-open action of a drawer. The cabinet slide assembly includes a cabinet, a drawer, and at least one slide mechanism coupling the drawer to the cabinet to permit movement of the drawer between a fully open position and a fully closed position. A gas spring is also included in the assembly having a first end coupled to a portion of the cabinet assembly and a second end coupled to a portion of the drawer assembly. The gas spring is permitted to swing through an arc along a vertical plane as the drawer moves between the fully open position and the fully closed position. An adjustable bracket can also be included in the assembly and is configured for a top mount drawer assembly having a concealed drawer slide mechanism. The bracket is also configured for face frame or frameless cabinet construction.