Furniture Ejection Device with Freewheeling Energy Accumulator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing furniture with ejection devices, such as 'touch-latch' mechanisms, require energy accumulator loading only in the section immediately before the closed position, leading to unsatisfactory user experience due to limited loading path and noise during closing.
Innovation Solution
The ejection element can be moved independently from the energy accumulator during the closing movement, allowing for partial charging between the open end position and the first open position, using a rotatably mounted ejection element and a lockable drive device connected via a gear system, enabling freewheeling and engagement with a braking element to transmit force for charging the accumulator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the energy accumulator is loaded only in the section immediately before the closed position, then the structure is simple, but the closing process becomes noisy and non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The energy accumulator is loaded preliminarily during the opening process when the ejection element moves independently from the first open position to the open end position. This preliminary loading action distributes the loading path across the entire opening stroke, allowing the closing process to be smoother and quieter without requiring complex additional structures.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the ejection element is constrained to move only when the furniture is closed, then the energy accumulator can be charged, but the user experience is unsatisfactory due to limited loading path
Solution Approach 1:
The ejection element is designed to move dynamically in two distinct phases: first independently from the first open position to the open end position (loading phase), and then coupled to the movable furniture part from the open end position back to the closed position (ejection phase). This dynamic behavior extends the effective loading path and improves user experience while maintaining energy charging functionality.
3Length of moving object
If the ejection element moves independently to the open end position, then the loading path is extended, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
A coupling element acts as an intermediary between the ejection element and the movable furniture part. This coupling element enables the ejection element to move independently during the opening process while still maintaining the capability to couple and eject the furniture part during closing, thereby extending the loading path without significantly increasing overall mechanism complexity.
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 low-noise and uniform closing of the furniture part by starting the charging process earlier in the closing movement, reducing the force required to reach the closed position and providing a more seamless operation.
Implementation Method 1
the drive device has a helical tension spring as energy store (8)
Implementation Method 2
the ejection element (5) and the drive device (6) are connected via a coupling element (16) and have a gear-shaped section (Z) that is designed to engage with a drive pinion (12)
Implementation Method 3
The drive pinion (12) is non-rotatably connected to a coaxially arranged, preferably disk-shaped braking element (19)
Data Source
Figure 1~2d
Figure 3a~4c
Figure 5a~5b
AI summary
Furniture with a movable furniture part and an ejection device, which has at least one ejection element for moving the movable furniture part from a closed position to a first open position and at least one drive device with a power storage device, preferably manually chargeable, for the at least one ejection element, wherein the ejection device (6) for at least partially charging the power storage device (8) of the drive device (6) for the ejection element (5) during a closing movement of the movable furniture part (3) is designed in a partial section of the opening or closing path of the movable furniture part (3) located between the open end position (E) and the first open position (O), and wherein the ejection device (4) for starting the charging process of the power storage device (8) is designed essentially at every closing movement of the movable furniture part (3), preferably regardless of the position of the movable furniture part (3).