Assembly for connecting a drawer side wall to another drawer side wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drawer designs have complex structures and large overall heights due to connecting devices, making it difficult to achieve thin, space-saving, and aesthetically pleasing drawer side walls, which is a hindrance in modern furniture design, especially in kitchens.
Innovation Solution
A connecting device with a movably guided bolt made of non-metallic material, such as wood or plastic, that allows for a simple and cost-effective design, enabling thin drawer side walls and hiding the connecting mechanism inside the wall, with optional dual latches for modular adaptation to different heights and tolerance compensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex connecting device is used to connect drawer side walls, then the connection strength and reliability are improved, but the overall height and thickness of the drawer side wall increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the guide function from a complex mechanical guide structure and relocates it to the non-metallic material of the drawer side wall itself. By milling guide recesses directly into the drawer side wall, the guide function is integrated into the existing structure, eliminating the need for additional guide components and reducing overall thickness while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple functions into the drawer side wall structure: the non-metallic material serves as both the structural component and the guide for the bolt. The guide recesses milled into the drawer side wall combine the guide function with the structural support function, eliminating separate guide components and reducing the drawer side wall thickness requirement.
2Ease of manufacture
If a thick drawer side wall is used to accommodate a complex connecting device, then the connecting device can be properly housed, but the space-saving and elegant design is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the guide recesses directly within the drawer side wall structure. The guide channels are milled into the non-metallic material of the drawer side wall, creating a nested arrangement where the guide function is contained within the existing structural volume, eliminating the need for additional external housing and reducing overall drawer side wall volume.
3Device complexity
If the connecting device is visible from the outside, then the structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the aesthetic appeal is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the connecting device components (bolts, guide recesses) and relocates them to the interior of the drawer side wall. The guide recesses are milled into the non-metallic material, and the bolts are positioned within the drawer side wall thickness, making the connecting mechanism invisible from the outside while maintaining structural simplicity.
4Device complexity
If a single bolt is used in the connecting device, then the structure is simpler and costs are reduced, but the adaptability to different drawer heights is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a movable bolt design that can be displaced along the guide recesses within the non-metallic material of the drawer side wall. This dynamic positioning capability allows the bolt to accommodate different drawer heights and compensate for assembly tolerances, providing adaptability without increasing structural complexity. The bolt can be positioned at different locations along the guide path to suit different drawer configurations.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5
AI summary
Drawer (1) with at least one drawer side wall (2, 3, 4) made at least partially of a non-metallic material, in particular wood, at least one further drawer wall (5, 6, 7) and at least one arrangement (8) for connecting the drawer side wall (2, 3, 4) to a further drawer wall (5, 6, 7), wherein the arrangement (8) comprises a connecting device (15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 26, 27) arranged in the drawer side wall (2, 3, 4) for detachable connection with a holding device (9, 10, 12, 13, 14) pre-mounted on the further drawer wall (5, 6, 7), wherein the connecting device (15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 26, 27) is made of at least one, preferably exclusively, non-metallic material of the drawer side wall. (2, 3, 4) movably guided, preferably consisting mainly of metal - especially preferably of a flat metal sheet, latch (15, 16, 17) which holds the holding device (9, 10, 12, 13, 14) in the mounting position.