Drawer Pull-Out Guide With Integrated Tolerance Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pull-out runners for drawers, particularly metal drawers, experience significant noise issues due to tolerances between the drawer and the running rail, which are exacerbated by the use of separate and costly damping devices.
Innovation Solution
A molded damping device made of elastic materials, such as plastic or rubber, is fixed to the running rail, compensating for design-related tolerances and incorporating a stop damper to absorb noise from the rolling element cage, effectively reducing noise by preventing relative movement between the drawer and the runner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a catch hook is used to connect the running rail to the drawer, then the drawer can be securely attached, but tolerances cause play between components leading to noise at end positions
Solution Approach 1:
An elastic molded body is introduced as an intermediary element between the running rail and the drawer side wall. This molded body fills the recess in the side wall and provides a compliant interface that absorbs tolerance variations while maintaining secure connection, thereby eliminating the play that causes noise at end positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The molded body is made of elastic material that can deform to accommodate tolerance variations in the connection between the running rail and drawer. By changing the physical state from rigid to elastic, the system can absorb dimensional variations without creating noise, while still providing reliable connection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If separate damping devices are used to reduce noise, then end position noises are dampened, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The damping function is merged with the connection function by integrating the elastic molded body directly into the running rail assembly. This single component simultaneously provides mechanical connection and noise damping, eliminating the need for separate damping devices and reducing overall structure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The molded body performs multiple functions: it acts as both a connection element (replacing or supplementing the catch hook) and a damping device. This multi-functional design reduces the total number of components needed while achieving both secure attachment and noise reduction.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the molded body completely fills the recess in the side wall, then relative movements in longitudinal and transverse directions are prevented, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The molded body is made of elastic material that can deform to accommodate tolerance variations in the connection between the running rail and drawer. By changing the physical state from rigid to elastic, the system can absorb dimensional variations without creating noise, while still providing reliable connection.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the damping device is made of elastic material, then noise is significantly reduced, but the material selection and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The molded body is designed as a relatively simple elastomeric component that can be produced cost-effectively through molding processes. While the material selection is specific (elastomeric), the overall manufacturing complexity is reduced compared to assembling multiple metal damping components, and the component can be produced as a single piece.
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 solution significantly reduces noise during drawer opening and closing by compensating for tolerances and acting as a shock absorber, with a single component addressing both longitudinal and transverse displacement noise, optimizing noise reduction, especially in metal drawers.
Implementation Method 1
a molded body made of an elastic material made of plastic or rubber or a resilient metal coated with such materials
Implementation Method 2
a stop damper projecting into the displacement path of a roller cage between the running rail and the guide rail or the middle rail
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a pull-out guide (2) for a drawer (1), particularly a metal drawer (1), comprising a guide rail (3) attachable to the body of a piece of furniture and a slide rail (4) that can be connected to the drawer (1), and optionally a center rail extending the pull-out, and having a damping device for damping the noises occurring in the final positions of the pull-out guide (2), wherein the slide rail (4) is provided in the back region thereof with a catch hook (7) angled in the direction of the neighboring side wall (8) of the drawer. Said catch hook engages into a recess (9) provided on the back of the side wall (8) for arresting with respect to the side wall (8) in the longitudinal direction. A molded body that can be attached to the slide rail (4) is provided as damping device (10) and is made of an elastic material, plastic or rubber or a resilient metal coated with materials of said kind. Said molded body is provided with a section (11) equalizing the manufacturing tolerances between the slide rail (4) and side wall (8) and with a stop damper (12) extending into the displacement path of a roller body cage (6) between the slide rail (4) and the guide rail (3) or the center rail.