Furniture Damping Device with Locking Piston
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing damping devices for furniture hinges require large installation space due to the movable cylinder design, which limits their compactness and usability in space-constrained applications.
Innovation Solution
A damping device with a locking element that can be manually or tool-actuated to releasably lock the relative position between the fluid chamber and piston, allowing the device to occupy a compact position when deactivated, and a linearly displaceable switch with two positions to activate or deactivate the damping effect without moving the cylinder relative to the piston.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cylinder is made movable to allow deactivation of damping function, then the damping device can be deactivated, but the installation space must be dimensioned relatively large
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the cylinder movable to achieve deactivation, the patent inverts the approach by making the piston movable relative to a fixed cylinder. The locking device locks the piston in a retracted position within the fixed cylinder, achieving deactivation without requiring the cylinder to move, thus maintaining compact installation space.
2Ease of operation
If the locking element is designed as a linearly displaceable switch, then the damping effect can be activated or deactivated, but the switching distance must be short
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is designed as a linearly displaceable switch that moves in a direction transverse to the damping stroke direction. This dimensional change allows the switching operation to occur perpendicular to the main damping axis, achieving easy manual operation with a short switching distance while not interfering with the damping mechanism's linear motion.
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
Enables a compact, space-saving deactivation of the damping device, allowing it to remain installed without interfering with furniture parts and quickly reactivate the damping function as needed, with a short switching distance and no need for additional space during deactivation.
Implementation Method 1
a damping effect taking place as a result of a relative movement between the fluid chamber and the piston
Implementation Method 2
a damping effect taking place as a result of a relative movement between the fluid chamber and the piston
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
Damping device (9) for damping a movement of a movable furniture part (3) or a movable furniture fitting component of a furniture fitting, with a piston (22) arranged in a fluid chamber (21), wherein a damping effect is effected by a relative movement between the fluid chamber (21) and the piston (22), and wherein the piston (22) assumes a depressed end position relative to the fluid chamber (21) at the end of the damping stroke, and wherein the damping device (9) has a locking device (15) with a locking element (15a) to be actuated manually or with a tool for deactivating the damping effect, wherein the relative position between the fluid chamber (21) and the piston (22) can be releasably locked in the depressed end position by means of the locking element (15a) of the locking device (15).