Drawer Slide Catch Mechanism for Low-Force Reliable Closing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sliding arrangements for drawers and sliding doors struggle to optimally utilize kinetic energy for smooth closing, especially when the drawer is closed slowly, leading to incomplete closure due to insufficient energy for triggering the switching mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A sliding arrangement that uses a bolt with a low spring constant, actuated by a contact piece interacting with a release part, allowing easy movement from a parking position to a release position, enabling efficient utilization of kinetic energy for closing the drawer, even when closed slowly. This design includes a pivotably mounted blocking element and a lever mechanism for low-force operation, ensuring the drawer can be easily pulled into the closed position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional switching mechanism is used that requires significant kinetic energy to trigger, then the drawer can be reliably closed when pushed with sufficient force, but the drawer cannot be closed when pushed slowly due to insufficient energy to activate the switching arrangement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the energy parameter of the switching mechanism by introducing a bolt with low spring constant that can be actuated with minimal kinetic energy. The contact piece geometry and spring preloading are optimized so that the switching threshold is lowered from requiring significant drawer momentum to responding to even slow closures, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliable closing and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The bolt acts as an intermediary energy-transducing element between the drawer's kinetic energy and the switching mechanism. It converts even minimal kinetic energy from slow drawer movement into sufficient force to trigger the switching arrangement, enabling reliable activation without requiring the drawer to be pushed with high velocity
2Reliability
If a high spring constant is used in the switching mechanism to ensure reliable triggering, then the switching arrangement can be activated with sufficient kinetic energy, but excessive force is required and slow closure becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent directly addresses this contradiction by changing the spring constant parameter of the bolt from a high value to a low value. This parameter change reduces the force threshold for activation while maintaining reliable switching through optimized contact piece geometry and preloading, allowing the mechanism to trigger with minimal kinetic energy from slow drawer closure
3Ease of operation
If the bolt is designed to be easily actuatable with low spring constant, then minimal kinetic energy is required for switching and slow closure is enabled, but the construction becomes more complex with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The contact piece is designed to perform multiple functions: it acts as both the actuating element for the bolt and the structural connector between the drawer front and switching mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall construction while maintaining the low spring constant design for easy activation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the bolt, spring, and contact piece into a compact integrated assembly where the bolt serves as both the energy-storing element and the actuating lever. This consolidation reduces the number of discrete parts and assembly steps, offsetting the complexity introduced by the low spring constant design requirement
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
The solution ensures that even a slowly moving drawer can be efficiently pulled into the closed position with minimal effort, optimizing the use of kinetic energy and maintaining a compact design suitable for modern drawer systems.
Implementation Method 1
the bolt (110) is acted upon by a spring (112) with a low spring constant
Implementation Method 2
optimally utilizes the kinetic energy of the drawer as it closes
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
The invention relates to a sliding arrangement, in particular a slide-out device for drawers, sliding doors, etc., having a sliding component and a pulling arrangement, which can be coupled to one another via a coupling component, wherein the pulling arrangement can be placed in a parked position with spring prestressing, and wherein the pulling arrangement can be blocked in the parked position by means of a blocking element. In order to ensure reliable transfer of a drawer or the like into the closed position, the invention provides for the blocking element to be blocked in the parked position of the pulling arrangement by means of a catch.