Compact Damping Device With Protruding Coupling Piece

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing damping devices for movable furniture and household appliances either require a large housing to achieve a long damping path or are not compact in design, limiting their applicability.

Innovation Solution

A damping device with a first linear damper coupled to the housing and a second linear damper between the slide and a movable coupling piece, where the coupling piece protrudes in the extended position, allowing for a long damping path while maintaining a compact design by eliminating the need for a housing that encloses the coupling piece, and utilizing guide means for precise linear guidance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of moving object

If the damping path is extended by arranging dampers in series within a housing, then the damping effect is improved, but the housing size increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamping pathVSAvoidhousing size
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling piece is extracted from the housing enclosure and allowed to protrude in the extended position. This removes the constraint that required the housing to enclose the entire damping mechanism, enabling a long damping path while maintaining a compact housing size. The coupling piece protrudes from both the slide and the housing, creating external space for the extended damping action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The damping mechanism transitions from a purely internal housing arrangement to a configuration that utilizes external space. By allowing the coupling piece to protrude from the housing in the extended position, the damping path extends into an additional dimensional space outside the housing boundaries, resolving the contradiction between long damping path and compact housing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Manufacturing precision

If guide means are added to ensure precise linear guidance of the coupling piece, then the guidance accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguidance accuracyVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide means are integrated into the existing slide mechanism rather than being added as separate external components. The slide itself provides the guiding function through its interaction with the housing, and the coupling piece is guided linearly along the slide's movement path. This merging approach ensures precise linear guidance while avoiding additional complex guiding structures.

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

The solution provides a compact damping device with a long damping path, reducing housing size and allowing for high damping forces without the need for additional space, while ensuring precise guidance and adjustable damping characteristics.

Implementation Method 1

at least one first linear damper (3), which is coupled to the housing (2) on one side and to a movable slide (4) on the opposite side, and at least one second linear damper (5), which is held on the slide (4) and between the slide (4) and a relative to the slide (4) movable coupling piece (6) is arranged

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLinear damping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP2848759B1Dampening device
Publication Date: 2017.11.08 HETTICH HEINZE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2848759B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP2848759B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~3
  • EP2848759B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A damping device (1), particularly for movable furniture parts or household appliances, comprises a housing (2) to which at least one first linear damper (3) is held, which is coupled on one side to the housing (2) and on the opposite side to a movable slide (4), and at least one second linear damper (5) which is held on the slide (4) and arranged between the slide (4) and a coupling piece (6) movable relative to the slide (4), wherein the coupling piece (6) protrudes from the slide (4) and the housing (2) in the extended position. This allows the damping device to achieve a long damping stroke and a compact design.