Furniture Damper with Movable Component Relocation for Extended Stroke

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional damping devices face challenges in accommodating limited space, particularly during the end-of-travel damping of drawers during their opening movement, where the damping function is only triggered when the drawer reaches its open position, making it difficult to effectively dampen the movement due to spatial constraints.

Innovation Solution

The damping device features a first damper component that is movably mounted on a holder with stop means, allowing it to be displaced from a standby position to a working position, where it can initiate the damping function upon impact with a second damper component, enabling a larger damping stroke without obstructing the drawer's full extension, and includes a driver element that moves the first damper component from the ready to the working position, allowing the damping function to be triggered before the drawer reaches its fully open position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the damping device is located in the area of the drawer opening to trigger end-of-travel damping, then the damping function is activated at the correct position, but the available space for accommodating the damping device is severely limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamping function activationVSAvoidspace for damping device
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The damping device employs a dynamic positioning mechanism where the first damper component can be displaced from a standby position to a working position. The driver element, actuated by the drawer's movement, dynamically repositions the damper component only when needed for damping, allowing the device to adapt to spatial constraints while ensuring reliable damping activation at the correct drawer position

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The damping device is divided into separable components: a first damper component that can be independently positioned and a second damper component that remains stationary. This segmentation allows the first component to be relocated from standby to working position, optimizing space utilization while maintaining the integrity of the damping function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Length of moving object

If the first damper component is relocated from standby to working position before damping, then a larger damping stroke is available, but the device complexity increases due to the relocation mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamping strokeVSAvoidrelocation mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The relocation function and damping function are merged into a single mechanical interaction. The driver element, which is naturally present in the drawer assembly, serves dual purposes: it both triggers the damping sequence and performs the relocation of the first damper component. This merging eliminates the need for separate relocation actuators, reducing overall device complexity while achieving the desired larger damping stroke

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The drawer's own movement serves to reposition the damping device. As the drawer opens and the driver element moves, it automatically displaces the first damper component from standby to working position without requiring external control systems or additional energy input. The system uses the drawer's motion itself to prepare the damping mechanism, simplifying the overall control architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 allows for reliable and functional damping in cramped conditions, enabling a larger damping stroke while allowing the drawer to be extended almost completely, effectively addressing the spatial limitations and improving the field of application for damping devices.

Implementation Method 1

a driver element (46) which, upon opening, moves the first damper component (30) from the ready position (32) into the working position (33), in which the driver element (46) impacts the second damper component (31)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact force: Impact Force

Implementation Method 2

a damper piston (44) which is accommodated in a damper housing (45) in a linearly displaceable manner and generates a damping function

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydraulic damping: Viscous Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3138441B1Damping device for damping the opening movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture
Publication Date: 2019.10.02 GRASS GMBH
  • EP3138441B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3138441B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

In a damping device for damping the opening movement of a movable furniture part (12), with a stationary base unit (13) having a furniture body of a piece of furniture and a movable base unit (14) having the movable furniture part, the movable base unit (14) being movable relative to the stationary base unit ( 13), and with a damper unit (27) which has first and second damper components (30, 31) which can be moved relative to one another to perform a damping function, of which the first damper component (30) is mounted on one base unit (13, 14 ) is arranged and when the movable base unit (14) approaches its end position, an impact takes place between the second damper component (31) and the other base unit (13, 14), the damping function being able to be triggered, the first damper component (30) can be moved in this way mounted on the associated base unit (13, 14) so ​​that it can be moved from a ready position (3rd 2) can be displaced into a working position (33) supported by stop means (39), in which the damping function can be carried out.