Extendable Table Lipophilic Coating to Reduce Wood-on-Wood Friction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing extendable tables face issues with friction between wooden parts, leading to difficulty in expanding and contracting the table surface, and previous solutions involving low friction components are costly and not effective in maintaining low friction over time.

Innovation Solution

A sliding surface coated with a lacquer comprising a resin, which is further coated with a lipophilic composition, is used to create a low friction interface between moving parts, allowing for easy expansion and contraction of the table surface while maintaining low friction over a long period.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If wooden members are used for the sliding system, then the structure is simple and cost-effective, but the friction between wooden parts causes severe operational difficulty

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidsliding operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the surface properties of the sliding members through coating with a lipophilic composition. This changes the friction parameter from high (wood-on-wood) to low (coated surface), allowing the simple wooden structure to operate smoothly without complex mechanical components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The lipophilic composition acts as an intermediary substance between the wooden sliding members. This coating layer mediates the interaction between wooden surfaces, reducing direct wood-to-wood contact and friction, thereby enabling easy operation while maintaining the simple wooden structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If low friction solutions with moveable sliding members such as guide rollers are used, then sliding friction is reduced, but the cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesliding frictionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a cheap lipophilic composition coating instead of expensive mechanical components like guide rollers. The coating is applied directly to the wooden members, providing low friction at a fraction of the cost of moveable sliding members, while maintaining the simplicity of the original structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of moveable sliding members (guide rollers) with a chemical/physical solution (lipophilic coating). This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical components while achieving the same low friction effect, significantly reducing manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If traditional lubrication is used on sliding surfaces, then friction is reduced initially, but friction increases after exposure to contaminants and repeated use

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesliding frictionVSAvoidfriction stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lipophilic composition coating is designed to be self-maintaining. It has properties that allow it to resist contamination and maintain low friction over time without requiring external intervention or re-lubrication. The coating serves itself by repelling contaminants that would otherwise degrade its performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of contaminants into a benefit by using a lipophilic coating that specifically repels water-based and polar contaminants. The coating's chemical properties cause contaminants to bead up and roll off, transforming the threat of contamination into a self-cleaning effect that maintains long-term low friction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 significantly reduces sliding friction by up to 75% and maintains this low friction even after repeated use and exposure to contaminants, eliminating the need for frequent lubrication and reducing operational costs.

Implementation Method 1

The sliding surface is coated with a lacquer comprising a resin. The lacquer is in turn at least partly coated with a lipophilic composition coating to provide a slide layer with lowered friction.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLubrication: Lubrication

Data Source

PatentUS10441069B2Extendable table

Publication Date: 2019.10.15 INTER IKEA SYST

AI summary

An extendable table sliding system for an extendable table is provided. The sliding system includes at least two parts being moveable relative each other and together forming at least a part of the extendable table sliding system, wherein one of said at least two parts includes at least one sliding surface being coated with a lacquer including a resin, wherein said lacquer in turn is at least partly coated with a lipophilic composition coating to provide a slide layer with a lowered friction.