Drawer Rear Wall Latching for Gap-Free Sheet Metal Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drawer designs with sheet metal parts arranged at right angles face issues where the rear wall can become unlocked due to bending of the tab and lateral tilting of side frames, leading to gaps between the side frames and the rear wall, especially during automatic joining.
Innovation Solution
The drawer employs latching means with elastic deformation of side frames or adapters to secure the rear wall against a stationary stop, using bent fingers or humped cams that prevent the latching elements from being pushed back into their original position, ensuring a rigid and irreversible fixing arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a tab-based latching mechanism is used to join the rear wall to side frames, then the assembly process is simplified, but the connection becomes unreliable due to bending and lateral tilting
Solution Approach 1:
The latching mechanism transitions from a rigid tab to an elastic finger that can deform. The finger is designed with specific elastic properties allowing it to bend during assembly and then spring back to lock the rear wall securely, preventing lateral tilting while maintaining ease of assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The latching finger is designed to be dynamically deformable rather than static. During assembly, the finger elastically deforms to accommodate the rear wall, then springs back to create a secure lock that prevents lateral tilting, providing both ease of assembly and connection reliability
2Stability of the object's composition
If the latching means are made rigid to prevent deformation, then connection stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a completely rigid structure, the invention uses an elastic finger with controlled deformation properties. The finger's elasticity is carefully selected to provide sufficient rigidity for stable connection while allowing the necessary deformation for assembly, avoiding complex manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The latching finger is designed as a flexible elastic element rather than a rigid component. This flexible finger can deform during assembly and then spring back to provide a stable, secure connection, achieving connection stability without increased manufacturing complexity
3Reliability
If additional components are added to prevent unlocking, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic finger provides self-latching functionality through its own elastic properties. When the rear wall is inserted, the finger automatically deforms and then springs back to lock the connection, preventing unlocking without requiring additional components such as separate locking mechanisms or fasteners
Solution Approach 2:
The latching and locking functions are merged into a single elastic finger component. The finger simultaneously provides the latching mechanism and the locking action through its elastic deformation and springback, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing overall device complexity
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 provides a secure and gap-free connection that is not sensitive to width tolerances without additional components, ensuring the rear wall remains fixed and preventing unlocking, facilitating precise assembly and enhancing the structural integrity of the drawer.
Implementation Method 1
The side frame or the adapter can be elastically deformed to the extent that the rear wall can be moved over the elevations for fixing into the latching position against the spring action of the side frame or the adapter
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
In a fixing assembly of two sheet metal parts (2) arranged parallel to each other and a planar component (4), which connects the sheet metal parts (2) and which is arranged at a right angle between the sheet metal parts (2), the component (4) is fastened to the sheet metal parts (2) by locking means (52, 52') opposite to each other on each of the sheet metal parts (2) in a direction parallel to the sheet metal parts (2) against a stationary stop (3) and can be brought into a locking position exclusively by a displacement in a direction parallel to the sheet metal parts (2), wherein the locking means (52, 52') have elevations (522, 521') extending from the sheet metal parts (2) toward the component (4) in a flexurally stiff manner, said elevations having locking edges facing the stop (3), wherein the sheet metal parts (2) are elastically deformable to such an extent that the component (4) can be transferred into the locking position over the elevations (522, 521') against the spring effect of the sheet metal parts (2). The invention further relates to a drawer having such a fixing assembly.