Drawer Guide Structure for Controlled Withdrawal and Soft Closing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional drawer guides may cause damage due to excessive external force during drawer insertion or withdrawal and can be inadvertently moved by vibrations, lacking control over the drawer's movement into a cabinet.

Innovation Solution

A drawer guide with a fixed body, an operation body, a base slit with a linear and curved portion, and a spring mechanism, along with an attractive power supply unit, to control the drawer's movement, ensuring it is only withdrawn with a preset external force and maintaining a pressed state within the cabinet.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a conventional drawer guide is used to facilitate drawer withdrawal, then the drawer can be easily pulled out, but excessive external force may be applied during insertion causing collision and damage between the drawer and cabinet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrawer withdrawalVSAvoidcollision damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The spring mechanism is pre-loaded to generate a pressing force that acts in advance to prevent excessive insertion. When the drawer is pushed into the cabinet, the spring's predetermined pressing force counteracts the insertion motion before collision can occur, thereby preventing damage while still allowing easy withdrawal when normal force is applied.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The drawer guide mechanism is pre-configured with a spring that is compressed in advance during assembly. This pre-compressed spring stores elastic potential energy that is automatically released to provide resistance during drawer insertion, preventing harmful collision before it happens.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If a conventional drawer guide allows free movement, then the drawer can be easily accessed, but the drawer may be inadvertently withdrawn by vibration without external force

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrawer accessibilityVSAvoidspontaneous withdrawal prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spring mechanism generates a continuous pressing force that acts in advance to counteract any withdrawal motion. When vibration occurs, the pre-loaded spring's pressing force is sufficient to prevent the drawer from being accidentally pulled out, while still allowing intentional withdrawal when the user applies normal pulling force.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The spring's pressing force parameter is carefully selected to be greater than the force generated by normal vibrations but less than the force required for intentional drawer withdrawal. This parameter optimization ensures the drawer remains stable during vibration while still being easily accessible when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If a spring mechanism is added to control drawer movement, then spontaneous drawer insertion and controlled withdrawal are achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrawer movement controlVSAvoiddrawer guide structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spring mechanism is designed to be self-regulating, automatically generating the necessary pressing force without requiring external control systems, sensors, or power sources. The spring's elastic properties inherently provide the required force modulation, eliminating the need for complex control electronics or additional actuating mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces complex mechanical control systems (such as motors, sensors, and control circuits) with a simple spring-based mechanical system. The spring's elastic deformation and recovery naturally provide the force needed to control drawer insertion and prevent spontaneous withdrawal, achieving reliable control with minimal structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 drawer guide effectively moves the drawer into the cabinet spontaneously and ensures it can only be withdrawn with a preset external force, preventing damage and unintended movement.

Implementation Method 1

a spring provided to connect the base and the first slide with each other and move the first slide towards a rear end of the linear portion when the first transfer unit is moved to the linear portion from the curved portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

an attractive power supply unit configured to supply a power to the second slide to move the second slide towards a rear end of the linear portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic attraction: Electromagnet

Data Source

PatentEP3784828B1Drawer guide and laundry treatment apparatus having the same
Publication Date: 2023.11.01 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3784828B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3784828B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3784828B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

There is disclosed a drawer guide comprising a fixed body; an operation body that is withdrawable from the fixed body; base provided in the fixed body; a base slit comprising a linear portion provided along the same direction with the moving direction of the operation body; and a curved portion upwardly or downwardly extended from a front end of the linear portion located in a withdrawing direction of the operation body, the base slit provided in the base; first and second slides movably coupled to the base to be movable along the base and to be movable in communication with each other; a slide slit provided to penetrate the second slide; a first transfer unit having one end movably coupled to the base slit and the other end inserted in the slide slit to penetrate the second slide; a second transfer unit provided in the operation body and detachably coupled to the first transfer unit, the second transfer unit configured to move the first transfer unit to the curved portion from the linear portion when the operation body is moved towards the withdrawing direction from the fixed body and the first transfer unit to the linear portion from the curved portion when the operation body is moved towards the inserting direction in the fixed body; a spring provided to connect the base and the first slide with each other and move the first slide towards a rear end of the linear portion wen the first transfer unit is moved to the linear portion from the curved portion; and an attractive power supply unit configured to supply a power to the second slide to move the second slide towards a rear end of the linear portion.