Drawer Side Wall Structure With Recessed Mounting for Thin Furniture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional furniture designs with thick side walls for drawer guidance are aesthetically unappealing and inefficient in space usage, as they require significant installation space and material thickness to ensure stability.

Innovation Solution

The design features groove-like recessed assembly interfaces on the side walls, forming a ladder-like structure, which increases rigidity while allowing for thinner walls, enabling reliable guide unit attachment and expanded storage space without affecting installation width, and includes tool-free fastening options like bayonet or clip connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If thick side walls are used to ensure stability and support drawer weight, then the furniture structure is stable and reliable, but the furniture occupies more installation space and has reduced aesthetic appeal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveside wall stabilityVSAvoidinstallation space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The side wall is segmented into multiple functional zones: protrusions for rigidity enhancement, groove-like recesses for guide unit mounting, and flat mounting surfaces. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function efficiently, enabling thin wall design while maintaining stability and providing adequate mounting space

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting interfaces are recessed into the side wall thickness dimension, creating groove-like structures that provide mounting space without increasing the external dimensions of the side walls. This allows guide units to be mounted on thin walls without compromising the furniture's overall compactness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If thick side walls are used to provide sufficient mounting surface area, then guide units can be reliably attached, but the side walls become bulky and less aesthetically pleasing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide unit attachment reliabilityVSAvoidside wall appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The side wall features localized protrusions with groove-like recesses that concentrate the mounting functionality in specific areas. These localized structures provide adequate mounting surface area and structural reinforcement only where needed, while the rest of the side wall maintains a clean, thin profile for aesthetic purposes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting interfaces are nested within groove-like recesses in the side wall, allowing the guide units to be attached within the wall thickness rather than requiring additional external space. This nested arrangement provides reliable attachment while maintaining a sleek external appearance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Strength

If protrusions are added to increase side wall rigidity, then thin walls can support drawer weight, but the mounting space for guide units may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveside wall rigidityVSAvoidmounting space
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The protrusions are designed with groove-like recesses on their surfaces, creating localized mounting zones that do not interfere with the overall rigidity enhancement. The grooves are positioned on the protrusion surfaces rather than reducing the protrusion volume, allowing both structural reinforcement and mounting functionality to coexist

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting interfaces utilize the surface area of the protrusions through recessed grooves, effectively using the third dimension (depth of the groove) to provide mounting space without reducing the protrusion's structural contribution to wall rigidity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3824760B1Furniture
Publication Date: 2024.04.10 GRASS GMBH
  • EP3824760B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3824760B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3824760B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a piece of furniture, comprising a furniture carcass (13) having two opposing carcass side walls (14a, 14b) and at least one pair of guide units (18) for guiding a movable furniture part (12), in particular a drawer, within the furniture carcass (13), wherein the carcass side walls (14a, 14b) each have at least one mounting interface (20a, 20b) having at least two mounting holes (22) arranged one behind the other in a side wall depth direction (21), to which the guide units (18) of the pair are attached opposite each other, the carcass side walls (14a, 14b) each have at least two projections (23) arranged one above the other in a side wall height direction (19) to increase their rigidity, wherein the projections (23) are located on the inside (24) of the respective carcass side wall (14a, 14b). are raised and have at least one assembly interface (20a,20b) is arranged in the side wall height direction (19) between adjacent features (23).