Drawer Attachment Frame With Flush Front Panel Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drawer designs often require a visible connection between the attachment frame and the side wall, which can be aesthetically unappealing and may include gaps between the front panel and the attachment frame, compromising the appearance.

Innovation Solution

The attachment frame is fixed independently to the front panel using an adjusting device with a coupling part that matches the cross-section of the attachment frame, ensuring a gap-free and visually appealing connection by resting flush against the front panel, allowing for adjustments without visible gaps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If the attachment frame is connected to the side wall, then the attachment frame is supported and positioned, but visible gaps and connections appear between the front panel and attachment frame, compromising aesthetic appearance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidconnection structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the connection function from the side wall and relocates it to the front panel. The coupling part is now connected to the front panel rather than the side wall, eliminating the visible gap between the attachment frame and front panel while maintaining the necessary structural support and positioning functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling part serves as an intermediary element that connects the attachment frame to the front panel. It features a cross-section matching the inner contour of the attachment frame, allowing it to fill the connection area completely and eliminate visible gaps while providing the necessary mechanical connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Shape

If the attachment frame is fixed to the front panel, then aesthetic appearance is improved with no visible gaps, but the connection becomes dependent on front panel attachment rather than side wall attachment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidconnection independence
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the connection function into two independent parts: the coupling part connects to the front panel for aesthetic positioning, while the attachment frame remains independently supportable. This segmentation allows the front panel connection to provide the visible aesthetic benefit while the overall structure maintains reliability through the independent attachment frame design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2704604B1Drawer
Publication Date: 2015.09.23 PAUL HETTICH GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2704604B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2704604B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2704604B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A drawer (1) having a front panel (2), a rear wall (3) and two side walls (4), wherein at least one side wall (4) has arranged above it an attachment frame (5) which consists of a hollow profile and is connected to the front panel (2) via an adjusting device (6), is designed such that the adjusting device (6) has a carrying part (8), which is fixed exclusively to the attachment frame (5) within the attachment frame (5), and a slide (9), which can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the attachment frame (5) by means of an actuator (10) and has a coupling part (12), wherein the coupling part (12) has a contour which corresponds to the clear cross section of the attachment frame (5), or to the outer contour of the attachment frame (5), and the longitudinal extent of the coupling part, as seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the attachment frame (5), is greater than the maximum adjusting distance of the actuator (10), and wherein the coupling part (12) has its front-panel end side butting flush against the front panel (2) and is secured in a force-fitting and/or form-fitting manner on a connecting part (7), fastened on the front panel (2), and covers over the connecting part (7).