Furniture Ejection Device Push-Through Protection Switching Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ejection devices for movable furniture parts face issues with unintentional unlocking during the closing movement, requiring additional energy and risking mechanical damage due to push-through protection mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An improved push-through protection system using a switching element that moves into a deactivation position when the furniture part is ejected, preventing unlocking during the opening movement and ensuring the locking device remains locked during the closing process, thus avoiding energy diversion and mechanical damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If push-through protection is activated by the closing movement of the movable furniture part, then the locking device is protected from unintentional unlocking, but energy is diverted away from the closing motion and mechanical damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by activating push-through protection during the opening movement instead of the closing movement. The switching element is designed to move into the deactivation position of the locking device when the furniture part is ejected during opening, thereby activating protection at the wrong time rather than the right time. This inversion resolves the energy conflict while maintaining protection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the switching element to engage with the locking device's deactivation position before the closing movement begins. The switching element is designed with a specific geometry that allows it to automatically engage the locking device's deactivation position in advance, ensuring protection is activated before any potential unintentional unlocking can occur during closing, without requiring energy diversion during the actual closing motion.
2Reliability
If push-through protection is activated by the closing movement, then unintentional unlocking is prevented, but mechanical damage to the blocking element or push-through protection may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the activation timing to prevent mechanical damage. By designing the switching element to activate protection during opening movement instead of closing movement, the blocking element is engaged at a different phase of operation where forces are more favorable, reducing the risk of mechanical damage while maintaining the reliability function.
3Ease of operation
If the switching element is contacted by the unlocking device at all positions, then unlocking is always possible, but push-through protection cannot be activated during opening movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the coupling between the unlocking device and switching element position-dependent. The switching element is designed to move between different positions during operation, and the unlocking device is configured to contact the switching element only when it is in the activation position. This dynamic coupling ensures that unlocking is possible when needed while preventing unintentional unlocking during opening movement when the switching element is in the deactivation position.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different coupling characteristics at different positions of the switching element. The unlocking device has a contact geometry that selectively engages the switching element only in specific positions, providing different functional qualities (unlocking capability vs. protection activation) at different locations in the mechanism's range of motion.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 2a~2c
AI summary
The invention relates to an ejection device (1, 101, 201) for a movable furniture part (2, 22), having: at least one ejection element (3, 203) for ejecting the movable furniture part (2, 22) from a closed position into an open position; at least one ejection energy store (4, 204) for applying force to the at least one ejection element (3, 203) when the movable furniture part (2, 22) is ejected from the closed position into the open position; and at least one locking device (5, 205) for locking the at least one ejection element (3, 203) counter to the application of force by the at least one ejection energy store (4, 204). The at least one locking device (5, 205) can be unlocked by pushing the movable furniture part (2, 22) further into a further pushed position behind the closed position in the closing direction (6). There is at least one switching element (7, 207) which is operatively connected to the at least one locking device (5, 205) and has at least one activation position in which the at least one locking device (5, 205) can be unlocked and at least one deactivation position in which the at least one locking device (5, 205) cannot be unlocked. The at least one switching element (7, 207) can be moved into the at least one deactivation position when the movable furniture part (2, 22) is ejected from the closed position into the open position and/or by unlocking of the at least one locking device (5, 205).