Corner Cabinet Shelf Coupling for Wide-Open Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing corner cabinet fittings either fail to ensure safe entrainment of shelves during door opening or complicate manual decoupling, limiting access to shelf contents.
Innovation Solution
A driver device with a height-adjustable coupling member is stationarily attached to the door, featuring a guide slot for secure coupling and easy unlocking, allowing shelves to pivot wide open for full access and automatic relocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a driver device with automatic decoupling is used, then the shelf is automatically decoupled at an intermediate position, but the shelf is still mostly located within the cabinet interior and not suitable for fast access
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member is designed to automatically insert into the guide slot during the pivot movement of the shelf relative to the door, without requiring manual intervention. The spring element provides automatic engagement force, making the system self-servicing during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The driver segment is designed to be height-adjustable and movable within the guide slot, allowing dynamic adaptation during the pivot movement. This enables the coupling to engage and disengage at appropriate positions during the shelf's movement from inner to outer position.
2Ease of operation
If two guide members are used to transfer the shelf to a position in front of the door opening, then the shelf can be positioned for fast access, but multiple shelves arranged above each other can only be moved together and the lower shelf is no longer freely accessible from above
Solution Approach 1:
Each shelf is equipped with its own separate guide members and coupling members, allowing individual control and movement of each shelf. This segmentation enables the upper shelf to be moved independently without necessarily moving the lower shelf, maintaining free access to the lower shelf from above.
3Extent of automation
If a bolt and guide part with automatic decoupling are used, then the shelf is automatically decoupled from a certain intermediate position, but the shelf is still mostly located within the cabinet interior
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member with height-adjustable driver segment allows the shelf to continue moving beyond the automatic decoupling point. The dynamic adjustment capability enables the shelf to reach a more extended position in front of the door opening, maximizing accessibility while maintaining automatic decoupling functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A fitting for corner cabinets with rectangular interior accessible from the front side via a corner cabinet door is provided with a support supported in the interior (2) of the corner cabinet and supporting at least one guide member (5) which supports and moves the shelf (4) on a predetermined movement path from the interior of the corner cabinet (1) to an outer position in front of a door opening. A driver device arranged between the corner cabinet door and the shelf (4) is provided to couple the door (3) to the shelf (4) during the opening movement of the door. The driver device has a stationary driver (6) mounted on the door and an unlockable coupling element (8) fixed to the shelf (4) can be introduced and be moved in a guide slot to ensure a drive function between the corner cabinet door (3) and the shelf (4). The coupling element (8) has a height-adjustable drive area introduced automatically, from an unlocked position, by a relative movement of the shelf (4) in relation to the door (3), into a drive position in the guide slot (7), and unlocked by manually activating the height adjustment of the drive area (9).