Drawer Pull-Out Guide With Separate Support Profiles Against Tipping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pull-out guides for drawers are complicated and expensive to produce due to the need for specialized center rails with support profiles, which also increase the overall height and material costs, and do not efficiently address tilting play issues.

Innovation Solution

The center rail features two separate support profiles, one on each vertical web, which can be retrofitted as needed to prevent drawer tipping, using rollers or other rolling elements to secure the carriage and rail against lifting, with the support profiles extending only partially along the center rail to minimize material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the center rail is produced with integrated support profiles using special bending processes, then the tilting play is reduced and carriage stability is improved, but the production complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecarriage stabilityVSAvoidproduction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The support profiles are separated from the center rail into independent components. The center rail maintains its simple U-profile shape while support profiles are attached separately, allowing standard production methods for the rail and selective addition of support functionality only where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Support profiles are not uniformly distributed along the entire center rail but are selectively positioned only at specific locations where tilting prevention is required. This local application reduces material usage and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining stability where critical.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If support profiles are added to prevent drawer tipping, then the stability against lifting is improved, but the overall height of the pull-out guide increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability against liftingVSAvoidoverall height
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of providing continuous support along the entire length of the center rail, support profiles are applied partially only at critical locations where tilting risk exists. This partial action achieves the necessary stability without the excessive height increase that would result from full-length support structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Strength

If support profiles are integrated into the center rail design, then the structural strength is improved, but the material cost and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidmaterial cost
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The support functionality is segmented into separate attachable profiles rather than being integrated throughout the entire center rail. This allows using material only where structurally necessary, reducing overall material consumption and cost while maintaining required strength at critical points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Enhanced structural support is provided locally at specific sections of the center rail where loading conditions require it, rather than uniformly increasing the strength of the entire rail. This local reinforcement approach optimizes material usage by concentrating material where it provides maximum structural benefit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

This design simplifies and cost-reduces the pull-out guide production, allows for modular retrofitting, and effectively prevents drawer tipping and tilting play, while maintaining a standard U-profile shape.

Implementation Method 1

at least one rolling body running on at least one support profile of the center rail

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling friction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2779867B1Pull-out guide for a drawer
Publication Date: 2018.05.02 JULIUS BLUM GMBH
  • EP2779867B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP2779867B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP2779867B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a pull-out guide (1) for a drawer (2), comprising a body rail (4) that is to be attached to a furniture body (3), a drawer rail (5) that is to be attached to the drawer (2), and a central rail (6) that is movably mounted between the body rail (4) and the drawer rail (5), wherein at least one carriage (7) having at least one rolling element (8, 9) is mounted in a movable manner between the central rail (6) and the drawer rail (5), and wherein the at least one rolling element (8, 9) runs on at least one support profile (10, 11) of the central rail (6), wherein the at least one support profile (10, 11) is arranged as a separate component on the central rail (6).