Drawer Pull-Out Guide with Projection-Based Lateral Play Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The lateral stability of drawer slides is compromised when a drawer is fully extended, leading to increased lateral play and tilting of guide rails, which affects the overall performance and user experience, especially in wider drawers.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating projections on the guide rails that engage with guide bodies to prevent lateral play, with these guide bodies being rotationally symmetrical and mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, ensuring contact without play in the fully extended position, thereby stabilizing the guide rails.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If specially shaped guide rails and rollers are used for lateral guidance, then lateral stability is improved, but lateral play increases when the drawer is fully extended

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelateral stabilityVSAvoidlateral play in extended position
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The projection is pre-positioned on the guide rail at a location that will engage the guide body when the drawer reaches the fully extended position. This preliminary positioning ensures that as the drawer opens, the projection automatically engages with the guide body to prevent lateral play before it can develop

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The projection acts as an intermediary element between the guide rail and the guide body. It provides a dedicated contact point that transfers lateral forces from the guide body to the guide rail structure, preventing the guide rails from tilting or developing play when the drawer is extended

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If guide bodies are added to prevent lateral play in extended position, then lateral stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelateral stability in extended positionVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of modifying the entire guide rail structure or adding complex mechanisms along the full length of the drawer slide, the invention applies a localized projection at a specific position on the guide rail. This local feature engages with the guide body only when needed (in the fully extended position), providing lateral stability precisely where and when it is required without adding complexity throughout the entire device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3727087B1Drawer pull-out guide
Publication Date: 2021.02.24 JULIUS BLUM GMBH
  • EP3727087B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3727087B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3727087B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3c

AI summary

Drawer pull-out guide (4) comprising: - a first guide rail (11) and at least one second guide rail (10), the guide rails being mounted such that they can be displaced relative to one another, in a longitudinal direction (L) of the guide rails (10, 11), between a closed position and an open position, - at least one guide body (23a), which is mounted between the guide rails (10, 11) and by means of which, when the drawer pull-out guide (4) is in an installed position, the guide rails (10, 11) can be guided in a lateral direction relative to one another, wherein at least one of the guide rails (10, 11) has at least one protrusion (24a), which in the open position of the guide rails (10, 11) butts against the at least one guide body (23a), and therefore, at least in that region in which the at least one guide body (23a) and the at least one protrusion (24a) butt against one another, the guide rails (10, 11) are arranged in a play-free manner in relation to one another in the lateral direction.