Telescopic Drawer Rail Cover Attachment for Safer Refrigerator Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

The production of telescopic extensions in domestic refrigeration appliances is complex due to the need for precise matching and individual mounting of adapters and cover parts, which complicates assembly and maintenance, and exposes users to potential injury or soiling from sharp rail edges.

Innovation Solution

A refrigeration appliance design where a projection on the cover part engages with a longitudinal channel of the telescopic extension for simple and adapter-free attachment, and includes sloping surfaces to dissipate kinetic energy and prevent accidental detachment, eliminating the need for special adapters and hiding the rails for easier cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If adapters and cover parts are individually mounted on the movable rail, then the rails can be securely anchored, but the assembly process becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure anchoring of railsVSAvoidassembly process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cover part is designed to integrate multiple functions: it covers the rails for aesthetic purposes and simultaneously serves as the mounting structure for the movable rail. The longitudinal channel in the cover part directly receives and secures the movable rail, eliminating the need for separate adapters. This merging of functions simplifies the assembly process while maintaining secure anchoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cover part is designed as a multi-functional component that performs both aesthetic coverage and structural support functions. It universally accommodates the movable rail through its longitudinal channel, replacing the need for specialized adapters while maintaining secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of manufacture

If large cutouts are made in the cover part for adapter mounting, then the adapters can be installed, but precise dimensional matching is required and joints are difficult to clean

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadapter installationVSAvoiddimensional matching precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The design eliminates the need for large cutouts in the cover part by extracting the mounting function from separate adapters and integrating it directly into the cover part's longitudinal channel. The movable rail is received and secured within this channel, removing the requirement for precise cutout dimensions and eliminating difficult-to-clean joints between adapters and cover parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the rails are exposed, then the telescopic mechanism can be accessed, but users risk injury from sharp edges or soiling from exposed rail ends

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to telescopic mechanismVSAvoiduser injury and soiling risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cover part acts as a protective shell that encloses the movable rail and its sharp edges. The longitudinal channel provides access for the rail to move telescopically while the cover part's material and structure prevent direct contact with sharp edges, eliminating injury and soiling risks while maintaining operational access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 installation and maintenance, prevents user injury, and ensures smooth operation by hiding the rails and dissipating kinetic energy without causing material damage, while maintaining efficient sliding and preventing accidental detachment.

Implementation Method 1

a projection of the cover part extending in the pull-out direction engages in a longitudinal channel of the telescopic extension from one end of the telescopic extension. This projection enables at least one end of the cover part to be fastened in a form-fitting manner simply by hooking it in.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Fastening: Mechanical Fastener

Implementation Method 2

This sloping wall creates the possibility that when the telescopic extensions reach a stop when the built-in part is pushed in, the built-in part can slide slightly upwards along the sloping wall. Thus, kinetic energy of the built-in part - which can be considerable if the built-in part is e.g. B. is a fully loaded drawer - can be dissipated without exposing the built-in part to a sudden load which, if repeated, could lead to cracking in the material of the built-in part.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectKinetic Energy Dissipation: Damping

Implementation Method 3

At least one of the telescopic extensions and the built-in part preferably have contours that engage in one another in a form-fitting manner in the width direction of the interior. Since these contours limit the freedom of movement of the built-in part in the width direction, they can also prevent the built-in part from slipping off

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGeometric Constraint: Geometry

Data Source

PatentEP2379963B1Refrigerating device with telescopic pull-out mechanism
Publication Date: 2012.10.31 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP2379963B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2379963B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a refrigerating device comprising a built-in part, particularly a drawer box, which is guided on telescopic pull-out mechanisms (5) and can be extracted from an interior chamber (3). Each telescopic pull-out mechanism (5) comprises at least one rail which is fixed (9) in the interior chamber (3), a rail (12) which is movable with the built-in part (4) in the direction of depth of the interior chamber (3) and a cover part (13) extending along the movable rail (12). A projection (24) of the cover part, which extends in the pull-out direction, engages from one end of the telescopic pull-out mechanism (5) into a longitudinal channel of the telescopic pull-out mechanism (5).