Furniture Drive Housing With Switchable Ejection-Retraction Modes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive devices for movable furniture parts often require separate housings for retraction and ejection devices, leading to increased manufacturing and assembly costs, and are inefficient in operation modes depending on whether the furniture part has a handle or not.
Innovation Solution
A drive device with an ejection device coupled to the retraction device via a push element and coupling element, allowing decoupling during operation to maintain functionality in both modes without unlocking the ejection device in the first operating mode, enabling preassembly on a pull-out guide or furniture part and activation based on handle presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the ejection device and retraction device are arranged in separate housings, then each device can be independently designed and manufactured, but the manufacturing costs and assembly costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ejection device and retraction device into a single common housing, eliminating the need for separate housings. This integration reduces the number of parts, simplifies assembly procedures, and lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining the functional independence of both devices through internal separation mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If the ejection device is always unlocked during opening by pulling, then the coupling device moves loosely with the retraction device, but the ejection force accumulator relaxes and must be tensioned again
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic coupling mechanism where the coupling element can be selectively engaged or disengaged from the push element. During opening by pulling, the coupling element is decoupled to allow smooth movement without restraining the ejection device. The system automatically or manually re-engages the coupling after the opening operation, eliminating the need to retension the ejection force accumulator.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the drive device is designed to work with furniture parts without handles, then unlocking occurs through overpressing, but the same design must also accommodate furniture parts with handles where pulling is the opening method
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal drive device that can accommodate both furniture parts with handles and without handles. The single housing contains both ejection and retraction devices that can be activated through different mechanisms: overpressing for handleless furniture and pulling for furniture with handles. The coupling mechanism adaptively responds to the opening method used, providing the appropriate operational mode automatically.
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 solution allows for a compact, cost-effective drive device that can function in both operating modes without unlocking the ejection device when opening by pulling, and ensures proper operation whether the furniture part has a handle or not, with a single driver for both ejection and retraction movements.
Implementation Method 1
a first spring element for coupling the coupling element to the ejection carriage in a coupled state or to it be decoupled in a decoupled state, with the first spring element being preloaded in the coupled state
Implementation Method 2
a second spring element for coupling the locking pin to the ejection carriage in a locked state or to unlock it in an unlocked state, with the second spring element being preloaded in the locked state
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Drive device (1) for a movable furniture part (2), in particular a drawer, comprising a housing (6, 7), an ejection device (3) arranged in the housing (6, 7) for ejecting the movable furniture part (2) from a closed position (SS) to an open position (OS), and a retraction device (4) arranged in the same housing (6, 7) for retracting the movable furniture part (2) from an open position (OS) to the closed position (SS), wherein the drive device (1) has a first operating mode (B1) and a second operating mode (B2), wherein in the first operating mode (B1) only the retraction device (4) is effective when opening and closing the movable furniture part (2), and in the second operating mode (B2) both the ejection device (3) and the retraction device (4) are effective when opening and closing the movable furniture part (2).