Piece of furniture and method for opening a drawer and an inner drawer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing furniture designs with drawers and inner drawers that use electric drives and control devices for ejection are complex, leading to high energy consumption and unintuitive user handling.
Innovation Solution
A furniture design where the inner drawer is ejected via a mechanical ejection device driven by an energy storage device, triggered by an activator on the drawer or connected component, simplifying handling by unlocking the locking device when the drawer is opened, and optionally featuring a self-closing mechanism and synchronized ejection devices for heavy loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If electric drives and control devices are used for ejection, then the drawers can be ejected automatically, but the device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electric drives and control devices with a purely mechanical ejection system. The mechanical ejection device uses a spring-loaded actuator that is triggered by the drawer's movement itself, eliminating the need for motors, sensors, and control electronics while achieving automatic ejection functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The ejection system is designed to be self-activating through the drawer's own movement. As the drawer is pulled open, the activator moves and automatically triggers the mechanical ejection device to eject the inner drawer, without requiring external control signals or energy input
2Extent of automation
If electric drives and control devices are used for ejection, then the drawers can be ejected automatically, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical ejection device uses a spring that is periodically loaded and discharged. The spring is loaded during the drawer's normal operation and automatically discharged to eject the inner drawer when triggered, providing automatic ejection without continuous energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded actuator is pre-loaded with potential energy during normal drawer operation. This preliminary action stores energy that is later released to automatically eject the inner drawer, eliminating the need for energy-consuming electric motors during ejection
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
The solution enables easy and intuitive operation of both the drawer and inner drawer, reducing energy consumption and enhancing user experience by allowing mechanical unlocking and synchronized ejection, while providing optional manual operation and adjustable unlocking positions.
Implementation Method 1
an energy store, and a mechanical unlocking of a locking device of the ejection device by moving a drive element driven by an energy store
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a piece of furniture (1) comprising a body (2) on which a drawer (3) and at least one inner drawer (5) are held in a movable manner, the at least one inner drawer (5) being at least partially covered, in a closed position, by a front panel (4) of the drawer (3), and the at least one inner drawer (5) being pushed out by means of at least one ejection device (12) once a locking mechanism of the ejection device (12) has been unlocked by moving a drive element (13) driven by an energy accumulator. An activator (16) is provided on the drawer (3) or a component connected to the drawer (3), in order to generate, in a pre-determined open position of the drawer (3), the unlocking of the locking mechanism of the ejection device (12) of the inner drawer (3) by means of actuating means (17, 19, 25, 29).