Drawer Side Fitting With Parallel Clamping and Secure Front Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drawer fittings fail to provide secure and easy assembly of side panels to the front panel, as they rely on wedge-shaped interactions that are not robust enough to withstand excessive force and lack guidance for parallel movement during assembly or disassembly, leading to misalignment and insecure engagement.
Innovation Solution
A drawer fitting with a holding plate, clamping plate, and guide clip that uses an assembly screw to guide the clamping plate parallel to the side and front panels, ensuring secure engagement through a flat-to-flat locking mechanism and resilient tails for proper alignment and adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a wedge-shaped interaction mechanism is used to secure side panels to the front panel, then the assembly can be simplified, but the engagement becomes insufficient to withstand excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the engagement surfaces from wedge-shaped to flat surfaces. The flat front surface of the side panel engages with the flat rear surface of the front panel, creating a robust connection that can withstand excessive force while maintaining ease of assembly through the same simple insertion motion.
2Device complexity
If a wedge-shaped nose is used to engage the side panel slot, then the clamping mechanism can be simpler, but the engagement lacks guidance for parallel movement during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces guide surfaces as intermediary elements between the clamping plate and side panel. These guide surfaces provide controlled movement paths that ensure parallel alignment during assembly, eliminating the need for complex adjustment mechanisms while achieving precise positioning.
3Device complexity
If wedge-shaped noses are used for engagement, then the fitting structure can be simpler, but the assembly and disassembly processes become difficult due to misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the fitting so that the resilient tail and guide surfaces automatically perform the alignment function during insertion and removal. The resilient tail flexes to accommodate slight misalignments and guides the side panel into proper position, while the guide surfaces ensure parallel movement during assembly and disassembly, making the process self-correcting and easy to operate.
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 secure and robust anchoring of drawer sides to the front panel, allowing for easy removal and adjustment while withstanding excessive force without disengagement, ensuring proper alignment and secure engagement.
Implementation Method 1
the guide clip having resiliently depressible projecting tails... When the assembly is loosened by unscrewing the assembly screw, the projecting tails relax to push the clamping plate with clip rearwardly
Data Source
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AI summary
A drawer fitting (100) for fixing a drawer side (20) to a drawer front panel (10) is disclosed. The fitting comprises a holding plate (50) for mounting the fitting to the drawer front panel, the holding plate having a flange (55) extending in a direction parallel to a drawer side, the flange having forwardly-disposed guide noses (56), a clamping plate (60) having a forwardly-disposed angled flange (66), a guide clip (70) mountable on the clamping plate such that the drawer side front end can be positioned between the holding plate flange and the guide clip, the guide clip having resiliently depressible projecting tails (76) and an assembly screw (80) that passes through and couples together the clamping plate and guide clip, and is received in an aperture (57) in said holding plate flange through a recess (23) in the front end of the drawer side. When clamping force is applied to the fitting by tightening the assembly screw, the clamping plate angled flange rides over the holding plate guide noses so as to simultaneously move the clamping plate with clip both forwardly towards the front panel and laterally towards the holding plate flange. Movement of the clamping plate toward the drawer front panel causes the guide clip projecting tails to be pressed in at the rear of the drawer front panel. When the assembly is loosened by unscrewing the assembly screw, the projecting tails relax to push the clamping plate with clip rearwardly while being withdrawn laterally under the screw action, thus maintaining the clamping plate and clip substantially parallel to the holding plate flange to facilitate adjustment or removal of the drawer side.