Furniture component

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing furniture components with movable parts, such as flaps and bar compartments, face challenges in maximizing storage space and ease of cleaning due to protruding fittings, which also visually impair the interior design and require additional structural elements for support.

Innovation Solution

A furniture component with a functional wall incorporating an integrated or inserted furniture fitting that includes a linear guide and a swivel guide, coupled for sequential movement, allowing for a linear movement followed by pivoting, with damping devices to manage opening and closing forces, and a slim design to minimize gap requirements between components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If furniture fittings are mounted on the inside of side walls to guide movable parts, then the guidance function is achieved, but the usable storage space is reduced and cleaning becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguidance functionVSAvoidusable storage space
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from traditional side-wall mounting to front-wall integration, changing the spatial dimension where the furniture fitting is located. The fitting is embedded in the front wall within a recess, allowing the movable part to be guided while minimizing intrusion into the storage volume of the furniture body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If furniture fittings are mounted on the inside of side walls, then the guidance function is achieved, but the interior aesthetics are impaired and cleaning is more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguidance functionVSAvoidvisual impairment and cleaning difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The furniture fitting is extracted from the interior side wall location and repositioned to the front wall. By placing the fitting in a recess on the front wall, it becomes less visually intrusive and easier to access for cleaning, while still performing its guidance function effectively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The furniture fitting is nested within a recess in the front wall, allowing it to be integrated into the wall structure rather than protruding into the interior space. This nesting approach maintains aesthetics by hiding the fitting within the wall thickness while preserving its functional capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of operation

If a large gap is provided between furniture parts to accommodate pivoting movement, then the movement range is sufficient, but the design flexibility and space utilization are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepivoting movement rangeVSAvoiddesign flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The movement function is segmented into two distinct phases: linear movement along a rail and then pivoting movement. This segmentation allows the movable part to achieve sufficient movement range through the combined sequence of movements rather than requiring a single large gap, thereby improving design flexibility and space utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

This design enhances flexibility by allowing narrower gaps between furniture parts, maintains interior aesthetics, and facilitates easier cleaning by integrating the fitting within the wall, while ensuring smooth and controlled movement of movable parts without obstructing adjacent components.

Implementation Method 1

The furniture fitting comprises a base element, a linear guide and a swivel guide articulated on this. The linear guide has forcibly guided movable elements on which the pivoting guide is articulated at a distance from the base element.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLinear guide mechanism:

Implementation Method 2

The linear guide has forcibly guided movable elements on which the pivoting guide is articulated at a distance from the base element. The linear guide and the pivoting guide are coupled to one another, so that when there is an opening movement, first a linear movement and then at least one pivoting movement are carried out.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSwivel guide mechanism:

Implementation Method 3

The furniture fitting has at least one damping device for damping the closing and/or opening movement. At least one damping device is designed as a linear damper and/or at least one damping device is designed as a rotary damper.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3998906B1Furniture component
Publication Date: 2023.08.23 HETTICH ONI

AI summary

Furniture component (1) having a functional wall (2) having an integrated or inserted furniture fitting (10) for guiding a movable furniture part (40). The functional wall (2) has two lateral surfaces (3, 4), an end side (5) and an end-side cutout (6) for receiving the furniture fitting (10). The furniture fitting (10) comprises a base element (11), a linear guide (12) and, articulated thereon, a pivoting guide (13). The linear guide (12) has positively guided movable elements on which the pivoting guide (13) is articulated at a distance from the base element (11). The two lateral surfaces (3, 4) lie in a first and a second plane, respectively, wherein at least the linear guide (12), in a closed position (14) of the furniture fitting (10), is situated between the first and the second plane The linear guide (12) and the pivoting guide (13) are coupled to one another such that, during an opening movement, at first a linear movement and then at least one pivoting movement are carried out.