Cupboard Front-Frame Fitting for Heavy Loads Without Door Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cupboard fittings with front frames rigidly attached to doors can overload door hinges when loaded with heavier weights, and designs that pivot the front frame on the cabinet body can impede the movement of pull-out frames and object carriers, while also risking jamming and increased material stress.
Innovation Solution
A fitting design where support rails and arms move in the same plane as the attachment rails, allowing the front frame to be positioned closer to the door without increasing the distance between the front frame and the door, reducing jamming and stress, and enabling a wider opening angle without protruding beyond the frame's dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the front frame is rigidly attached to the door, then the structure is simple and stable, but the door hinges are overloaded when heavier weights are loaded
Solution Approach 1:
The fitting is divided into two independent mounting systems: one attaching the front frame to the door (via spacers and attachment rails), and another supporting the front frame on the cabinet body (via support arms and support rails). This segmentation allows the door hinges to only bear the door weight while the body-mounted support arms bear the load of stored objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The support arms act as intermediary elements between the cabinet body and the front frame. These arms pivot on the body and provide a mechanical connection that supports the front frame's weight independently of the door hinges, effectively mediating the load transfer path.
2Reliability
If the front frame is pivoted on the cabinet body via support hinges, then the door hinges are relieved of load, but the support arms and rails impede the movement of pull-out frames and object carriers
Solution Approach 1:
The support rails are designed to move in the same plane as the attachment rails (front-to-back dimension), rather than protruding laterally. This dimensional alignment allows pull-out frames to pass between the support rails without interference, while still providing the necessary support function.
3Volume of moving object
If the support arms run close to the door to minimize overall depth, then the structure is compact, but the door can easily become jammed between the support arms and the door near the support hinges
Solution Approach 1:
The support rails extend slightly beyond the minimum required distance from the door, creating a small clearance gap. This excessive extension in the depth direction prevents door jamming by ensuring the door cannot contact the support arms during opening, while the overall increase in depth remains minimal.
4Ease of manufacture
If the support rails extend beyond the front frame dimensions, then the structure is simpler, but the aesthetic appeal is reduced and the profile is less flat
Solution Approach 1:
The support rails are oriented to move in the front-to-back dimension (perpendicular to the door plane) rather than extending laterally beyond the frame's outer dimensions. This dimensional choice allows the rails to be contained within the frame's projected area when viewed from the front, maintaining a flat aesthetic profile while still providing functional support.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The mounting (1) has a corpus, which is mounted on a door by a door hinge. The mounting on a support hinge (10) has a vertical rotational axis at the corpus of a cabinet support arm (11). A supporting rail is guided into the supporting arm in a horizontal direction.