Drawer Slide Lock Mechanism for Controlled Access Without Bulk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drawer slides lack secure access control, providing uncontrolled access to contents, which is undesirable for personal or valuable items, and secure storage solutions like safes are bulky and not suitable for cabinet integration.
Innovation Solution
A drawer slide with a lock mechanism featuring an outer slide member, an inner slide member with a latch arm, a latch receiver, a lever arm, and a motor to control the locking and unlocking positions, allowing for controlled access while maintaining the compactness of the drawer slide.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If drawer slides provide easy access to contents, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The drawer slide system is segmented into multiple functional components: an outer slide member, an inner slide member, a latch arm, a latch receiver, and a lever arm. This segmentation allows the easy access function (inner slide member movement) to be separated from the security function (latch mechanism), enabling both ease of operation and security to coexist independently within the same system.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch arm and latch receiver act as intermediary elements between the inner and outer slide members. These intermediaries control the transition between locked and unlocked states, providing security while still allowing easy access when the latch is engaged. The lever arm serves as another intermediary that controls the latch receiver's position, adding an additional layer of security control without compromising ease of operation.
2Reliability
If secure storage solutions like safes are used, then security is improved, but device complexity and bulk are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the secure storage function with the standard drawer slide structure. The latch mechanism components (latch arm, latch receiver, lever arm) are integrated directly into the slide members, combining the simplicity of a drawer slide with the security of a locked storage system. This eliminates the need for separate safe structures while providing equivalent security functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner slide member is nested within the outer slide member, and the latch components are nested within the slide structure. This nesting arrangement allows the security mechanism to be compact and integrated within the existing drawer slide footprint, avoiding the bulk and complexity of traditional safe structures while maintaining security functionality.
3Reliability
If a latch mechanism is added to the drawer slide, then security is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The lever arm serves multiple functions: it controls the latch receiver to engage or disengage the latch arm, provides a mounting point for the motor, and acts as a mechanical linkage to translate motor rotation into latch movement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby improving security while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through the interaction of its components. The lever arm's rotation automatically causes the latch receiver to move between engaged and disengaged positions, and the latch arm passively follows the receiver's movement. This self-service design reduces the need for complex control systems while providing reliable access control.
Data Source
AI summary
A drawer slide with lock mechanism has an elongated outer slide member extendably coupled to an inner slide member. A latch arm or pin is fixed to the inner slide member for latching by a lock mechanism fixed to the outer slide member. The lock mechanism uses a latch receiver that rotates with respect to the lock mechanism and is in a travel path of the latch arm. A lever arm rotates with respect to the lock mechanism and is positionable to block rotation of the latch receiver in a locked position to retain the latch arm. A motor drives a cam to position the lever arm to free the latch receiver from the locked position.