Flexible Tongue Locking System for Tool-Free Panel Disassembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical locking systems for furniture components require precise alignment and insertion of a rod-shaped tool to disassemble, which can be cumbersome and prone to errors, especially when trying to disassemble panels locked perpendicularly.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical locking system featuring a flexible tongue with a guiding protrusion that automatically guides a rod-shaped tool into the tongue groove, allowing for easy disassembly without the need for precise orientation, by incorporating a curve-shaped or tapered guiding protrusion that changes shape during locking and unlocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rod-shaped tool is used to disassemble locked panels, then the locking mechanism can be released, but the tool must be precisely aligned and inserted which makes the operation cumbersome and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The tongue itself serves as the guiding mechanism. The guiding protrusion on the tongue automatically guides the rod-shaped tool into the tongue groove during insertion, making the system self-guiding and eliminating the need for external alignment aids or complex positioning mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding protrusion acts as an intermediary element between the rod-shaped tool and the tongue groove. It mediates the interaction by providing a physical guide that directs the tool along the correct path, ensuring proper alignment without requiring precise manual positioning.
2Strength
If the tongue is made flexible to enable snap action locking, then the locking mechanism becomes more effective, but the disassembly process becomes more complex requiring precise tool insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The tongue has different properties in different regions: it is flexible in the body to enable snap action locking, but has a rigid guiding protrusion at the insertion end that provides precise geometric guidance for tool alignment. This local differentiation of properties solves both requirements simultaneously.
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
Facilitates simple and efficient disassembly of locked panels, reducing the risk of errors and improving the ease of reconfiguring furniture components into flat components for transportation or reassembly.
Implementation Method 1
The separate and flexible tongue (3) is displaceable inwardly towards a bottom of the insertion groove (4) and outwardly into the tongue groove (5) during a locking of the first and second panel
Data Source
AI summary
Panels with a mechanical locking system including a separate and flexible tongue allowing connection with a snap action are described herein. An outer edge part of the separate flexible tongue includes a guiding protrusion that facilitates disassembly of the panels and that is deformed during locking and/or unlocking.