Runner for drawer elements movable relative to a carcass of a piece of furniture or household appliance, and piece of furniture or household appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drawer runners do not provide a permanent power supply to movable drawer elements, limiting the functionality of power consumers like lighting elements, especially when they are not positioned near a fixed voltage source.
Innovation Solution
A drawer runner system with a carcass rail and a running rail that includes a printed circuit board and a contact apparatus with electrically conductive contact elements, ensuring a permanent electrical connection for power consumers, and allowing for insulation and easy maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sliding contact is used to transmit electrical energy to the drawer element, then electrical energy can be supplied to power consumers on the movable drawer element, but the power supply is not permanently available when the drawer is not positioned near a fixed voltage source
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sliding contact system with a magnetic coupling system. The first magnetic coupling element is attached to the drawer element and the second to the carcass, creating a contactless electrical connection that maintains power supply reliability regardless of the drawer's position. This eliminates the limitation of mechanical contacts that require precise alignment and proximity.
2Reliability
If a printed circuit board is used as a conductor extending over the length of the carcass rail, then permanent electrical connection is achieved, but insulation of current-carrying components becomes critical for safety
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a non-conductive support structure as an intermediary between the printed circuit board and the metallic carcass rail. This support structure, made of electrically insulating material, maintains the electrical connection continuity through the PCB while preventing direct contact between current-carrying components and the conductive rail, thus eliminating electrical shock risk.
3Reliability
If contact elements are rigidly mounted to ensure electrical contact, then reliable power transmission is achieved, but height tolerances between running rail and carcass rail cannot be compensated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs spring-mounted contact elements that can dynamically adjust their position. The spring mechanism allows the contact elements to flex and maintain reliable electrical contact despite variations in height tolerances between the running rail and carcass rail, combining contact stability with tolerance compensation.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the contact apparatus is permanently secured to the running rail, then structural stability is achieved, but repair and replacement of contact elements becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the contact apparatus into detachable components. The contact elements are designed to be separable from the running rail, allowing individual replacement of worn or damaged contact elements while maintaining the structural stability of the overall drawer runner system. This modular design facilitates easy maintenance and repair.
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
Enables a reliable and permanent power supply to movable drawer elements, ensuring that power consumers like lighting can function consistently without the need for a fixed voltage source, while allowing for safe handling and easy maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one contact element is spring-mounted in the contact apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
A runner for drawer elements, in particular drawers or trays, that are movable relative to a carcass of a piece of furniture or a household appliance is provided. The runner includes a carcass rail that can be secured directly or via a carcass bracket to a carcass of the piece of furniture or the household appliance, a running rail that can be secured to the movable drawer element, and electric conductors for transmitting electrical energy to a power consumer positioned on the movable drawer element. Positioned on the carcass rail or the carcass bracket is a printed circuit board extending over the length of the carcass rail, and positioned on the running rail is a contact apparatus that has at least one electrically conductive contact element which, when mounted, makes permanent electrical contact with the printed circuit board, and has a connecting element that is electrically connected to the contact element for connecting to the movable drawer element.