Piece of furniture comprising a cable feedthrough and method for forming a cable feedthrough

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing furniture cable bushings lack effective strain relief and defined cable length management, making them difficult to install and manufacture efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A cable duct system with a wall opening delimited by bending shackles, an insert frame, and a cable strain relief device that can be easily fastened and secured within the plug-in frame, allowing for form-fitting connection and positive holding engagement, enabling quick and tool-free installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a simple recess or opening is used as a cable bushing, then the manufacturing is simple and installation is easy, but effective strain relief cannot be provided and defined cable length cannot be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcable strain relief effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cable bushing system is divided into multiple functional segments: a recess in the furniture wall, a plug-in frame that interfaces with the recess, and a cable strain relief device that interfaces with the plug-in frame. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system simplicity and manufacturing ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The plug-in frame and cable strain relief device are designed with pre-formed engagement features (protrusions and recesses) that enable automatic positioning and securing during installation. The bending shackles are pre-positioned in the furniture wall to guide the plug-in frame insertion, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures during installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a complex cable bushing system with strain relief is implemented, then effective strain relief and cable length management are achieved, but manufacturing complexity and installation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable strain relief effectivenessVSAvoidcable bushing structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cable strain relief device is nested within the plug-in frame, which itself is nested within the recess in the furniture wall. This nested arrangement consolidates multiple functions into a compact hierarchical structure, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective strain relief and cable length management capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The engagement features between components (bending shackles with plug-in frame, plug-in frame with cable strain relief device) are designed to self-align and self-secure during installation. The form-fitting connections with protrusions and recesses automatically position components correctly and secure them without requiring additional fastening operations or complex adjustment procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If tool-free installation is implemented through form-fitting connections, then installation ease is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation easeVSAvoidform-fitting connection precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

High precision manufacturing is concentrated only in the localized engagement features (protrusions and recesses) where form-fitting connections are required, while the bulk of the components can be manufactured with standard tolerances. This localized approach to precision manufacturing minimizes overall manufacturing complexity while enabling tool-free installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The engagement features are pre-formed during component manufacturing with precise dimensions and geometries. The bending shackles are pre-positioned in the furniture wall during furniture assembly. These preliminary actions ensure that when components are brought together during installation, they automatically align and engage correctly without requiring adjustment or tooling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3558058B1Piece of furniture comprising a cable feedthrough and method for forming a cable feedthrough
Publication Date: 2020.04.22 STEELCASE INC
  • EP3558058B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3558058B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3558058B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A piece of furniture comprises a cable feedthrough (10) that is provided in a furniture wall (11), in particular in a plinth wall (8). An insert frame is arranged in a wall opening (20) that is formed by bending over bending tabs (12a, 12b) in the furniture wall (11). A cable strain relief element (37) can be interlockingly anchored inside the insert frame (22) such that it blocks any movement of the cable strain relief element (37) and thus any movement of a cable (21) through the wall opening (20).