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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing furniture designs with sliding elements face challenges in accommodating inclined front or rear walls and varying side frame lengths, particularly due to limited space and design constraints, which hinder the synchronization of ejection devices and optimal movement of sliding elements.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates offset ejection devices on pull-out guides with synchronization means, such as a rotatable rod connected via joints, allowing for synchronized unlocking and accommodating inclined panels and varying side frame lengths, enabling smooth movement and optimal weight distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If ejection devices are mounted in a standard aligned position, then synchronization is straightforward, but the sliding element cannot accommodate inclined front or rear walls and varying side frame lengths

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to special shapesVSAvoidcomplexity of ejection device arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ejection devices are deliberately mounted in an asymmetric, offset arrangement relative to the sliding element's movement direction. This allows the front panel or rear wall to be inclined at angles greater than 4° (particularly 5° to 30°) while maintaining functional ejection capability. The offset mounting positions accommodate special shapes such as parallelograms and scalene quadrilaterals with unequal side frame lengths differing by more than 5%.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

A synchronization rod acts as an intermediary mechanism connecting the two offset ejection devices. This rod transmits and coordinates the ejection motion between devices mounted at different positions, ensuring synchronized operation despite their offset arrangement. The synchronization rod enables the system to maintain coordination while accommodating the asymmetric mounting requirements for special-shaped sliding elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the front panel or rear wall is aligned perpendicular to the direction of movement, then the structure is simple, but design flexibility for special shapes is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidease of installation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The ejection devices are deliberately mounted in an asymmetric, offset arrangement relative to the sliding element's movement direction. This allows the front panel or rear wall to be inclined at angles greater than 4° (particularly 5° to 30°) while maintaining functional ejection capability. The offset mounting positions accommodate special shapes such as parallelograms and scalene quadrilaterals with unequal side frame lengths differing by more than 5%.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The ejection device system is designed with universal adaptability to handle multiple configurations: standard rectangular sliding elements with perpendicular panels, inclined panels at various angles (5° to 30°), and special shapes including parallelograms and scalene quadrilaterals. The offset mounting capability and synchronization rod enable a single ejection device design to serve multiple geometric configurations, making the system multi-functional and broadly applicable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If pull-out guides are arranged in a standard aligned position, then the system is simple, but optimal weight load absorption cannot be achieved for inclined panels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight load absorptionVSAvoidcomplexity of guide arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pull-out guides are arranged in an asymmetric, offset configuration that corresponds to the inclined angle of the front panel or rear wall. This offset arrangement allows the guides to optimally absorb weight loads by aligning with the actual force vectors acting on the sliding element during movement. The guides are positioned to handle the increased lateral and vertical load components that result from inclined panel configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The pull-out guides incorporate additional degrees of freedom in their mounting arrangement, allowing offset positioning in both lateral and vertical dimensions. This multi-dimensional adjustment capability enables the guides to optimally absorb weight loads for inclined panels by positioning themselves at angles that match the load distribution, rather than being constrained to a single aligned configuration.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3612056B1Item of furniture
Publication Date: 2020.07.22 PAUL HETTICH GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3612056B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3612056B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3612056B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an item of furniture (1) comprising a furniture carcass (2) and at least one drawer element (3) retained movably on at least two runners (10), wherein the runners (10) are fixed to a guide track (12) on the furniture carcass (2) and a track (13) on the drawer element (3), and an ejection device (14) is provided on every runner (10), in order to expel the drawer element (3) by means of a force accumulator in the opening direction when the ejection devices (14) are unlocked, wherein between the two ejection devices (14) synchronization means (16, 17, 18) are provided which, when one ejection device (14) is unlocked, also unlock the other ejection device (14), wherein the two ejection devices (14) are fitted offset with respect to one another in the direction of movement of the drawer element (3).