Drawer-Mounted LED Lighting for Space-Saving Cabinet Illumination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing kitchen furniture designs fail to provide adequate illumination to lower drawers in poor lighting conditions, either by reducing storage space with internal lighting or limiting light incidence due to external lamp placement.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves arranging LED lighting means on the underside of the adjacent upper drawer and optionally on the front panel, allowing the upper drawer to illuminate the lower drawer without reducing storage space, and using a central controller with sensors to manage lighting based on drawer positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a light source is arranged in the interior of a drawer, then good illumination is achieved, but valuable storage space is lost due to the lighting device

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveillumination of drawer interiorVSAvoidstorage space of drawer
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting device is extracted from the drawer interior and relocated to the exterior, specifically mounted on the front panel or side wall of the drawer. This extraction eliminates the conflict between illumination needs and storage space, as the lighting components no longer occupy valuable interior volume while still providing effective illumination to the drawer contents.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The drawer front panel or side wall serves as an intermediary mounting surface for the lighting device. This intermediary structure allows the light source to be positioned outside the storage volume while maintaining optimal illumination angles and coverage, effectively mediating between the need for external mounting and internal illumination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of moving object

If a lamp is arranged outside the drawer in the rear wall area of the cabinet body, then the storage volume is preserved, but the incidence of light in the interior is limited by the rear wall

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage volume of drawerVSAvoidillumination of drawer interior
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting approach transitions from a single rear-wall mounting position to multiple dimensional options including front panel mounting, side wall mounting, and adjustable angular positioning. This dimensional expansion allows the light source to be positioned and oriented optimally without compromising storage volume, achieving both space preservation and improved illumination coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The lighting system incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable mounting mechanisms that allow the light source position and angle to be dynamically optimized. This dynamic capability enables the system to adapt to different drawer configurations and illumination requirements while maintaining external mounting to preserve storage volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 ensures comprehensive drawer illumination in poor lighting conditions without sacrificing storage space, with LED strips providing efficient and compact illumination, and sensors ensuring optimal lighting control.

Implementation Method 1

a strip 6 with a multiplicity of LED lights as illuminants 7 is inserted

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight Emitting Diode: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentEP2158822B1Furniture
Publication Date: 2012.02.29 PAUL HETTICH GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2158822B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2158822B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2158822B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

The furniture has a cabinet body, at which an upper drawer (1) and a lower drawer slidable on each other. Illumination units (7) e.g. LED band, are arranged on a base section (2) of the upper drawer and are retained by a slot (9). Inner space of the lower drawer is illuminated using the illumination units. Sensors are provided for detecting open and close conditions of the cabinet body. A central controller is provided for switching the illumination units at the drawers. The base section is formed from transparent or translucent material.