Drawer Panel Sliding Shell Guides for Narrow Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drawer frames require a large overall width, making it difficult to achieve narrow designs, and mobility between the inner and outer shells is challenging, especially when using materials like steel where forming sliding guides directly is not feasible without significant design effort.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of guide elements that can be detachably fastened to either the inner or outer shell, allowing for sliding guides to be formed between the shells, with upper and lower sliding guides providing limited linear movement to facilitate access and precise positioning, and made from materials like plastic for optimal geometry and sliding properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If traditional drawer frames are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but the overall width becomes too large
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is divided into an inner shell and an outer shell that can move independently relative to each other. This segmentation allows the frame to maintain structural integrity through the interaction of two separate components while reducing the overall width by eliminating the need for a single wide rigid structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Guide elements are introduced as intermediary components between the inner and outer shells to enable controlled movement. These guide elements facilitate the sliding motion while maintaining proper alignment and structural stability, allowing narrow design without compromising strength.
2Ease of manufacture
If sliding guides are formed directly on steel shells, then structural strength is maintained, but manufacturing complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Guide elements made of plastic are introduced as intermediary components between the steel inner and outer shells. These plastic guide elements provide the necessary sliding surfaces and geometric flexibility without requiring complex forming operations on the steel shells, significantly simplifying manufacturing while maintaining structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame combines different materials - steel for the inner and outer shells to maintain strength, and plastic for the guide elements to provide sliding functionality. This composite approach allows each material to be used where it is most effective, simplifying overall manufacturing.
3Length of moving object
If narrow frame design is implemented, then mobility between shells is improved, but access to internal space becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The outer shell is designed to move dynamically relative to the inner shell through the guide elements. This mobility allows the outer shell to be displaced laterally, providing temporary access to the internal space between the shells for installation and maintenance operations, while maintaining a compact narrow profile during normal use.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
The invention relates to a panel (1) for a drawer (4, 5), which panel has an outer shell (11) and an inner shell (10), said outer shell (11) being slidably mounted relative to said inner shell (10), especially to a limited extent. The outer shell (11) and the inner shell (10) are slidably guided relative to each other at least to a limited extent by means of at least two sliding guides (S1, S2, S3). At least one of the at least two sliding guides (S1, S2, S3) has one or more guide element(s) (24, 24', 24'', 25a, 25b) mounted between the outer shell (11) and the inner shell (11, 10).