Furniture Ejector Gear Mechanism for Shape-Independent Discharge Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ejection devices for movable furniture parts rely on the shape of the ejector to detect energy discharge, limiting design flexibility and requiring specific shapes for detectability, making it difficult to retrofit or manufacture ejectors with arbitrary designs.
Innovation Solution
An energy accumulator is integrated between the drive unit and the output in the transmission, allowing detection by a monitoring device connected to the drive train, which triggers the retracting of the ejector independently of the ejector's shape, enabling the use of any ejector design and simplifying manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the energy accumulator is integrated into the ejector itself (as in prior art), then the detection of energy discharge becomes possible, but the ejector shape is constrained and design flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ejection system into separate functional components: the energy accumulator is integrated into the transmission mechanism rather than the ejector itself. This segmentation allows the ejector to be designed independently for optimal performance while the transmission handles energy storage and detection, resolving the contradiction between detectability and design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmission mechanism acts as an intermediary between the energy accumulator and the ejector. By placing the energy accumulator in the transmission and using the gear positioning as an indirect indicator of energy discharge, the system enables detection without constraining the ejector shape, as the intermediary translates internal transmission state into detectable external position.
2Productivity
If the ejector design is customized for specific applications, then functional performance is optimized, but detectability of energy discharge becomes difficult without specific shape features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct mechanical coupling between the energy accumulator and ejector with a gear-based transmission system. The monitoring device detects the angular position of gears in the transmission, which indirectly indicates energy discharge status. This substitution allows any ejector shape to be used while maintaining reliable detection through the gear position sensing mechanism.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the energy accumulator is placed within the transmission between drive unit and output, then ejector design freedom is achieved, but the complexity of the transmission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission mechanism is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: power transmission from the drive unit to the ejector, energy accumulation during the charging phase, and position indication for monitoring energy discharge. By making the transmission multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate components for each function, thereby minimizing the increase in overall system complexity while achieving ejector design freedom.
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 the detection of energy discharge within the transmission, enabling the use of ejectors with arbitrary shapes and designs, reducing complexity and facilitating retrofitting, while ensuring safe and automatic movement of the ejector.
Implementation Method 1
an energy accumulator is integrated between the drive unit and the output in the transmission
Implementation Method 2
a discharge of the energy accumulator can be detected by a monitoring device connected to the drive train
Implementation Method 3
the electric drive unit comprises an electric motor
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an ejecting device (1) for a movable furniture part (2), in particular a door or drawer, comprising an ejector (3), which can be moved between a first (Fig. 4) and a second position (Fig. 5), for ejecting the movable furniture part (2), a drive train (4) having an electrical drive unit (5) that drives the ejector (3) and a gear mechanism (19) that is arranged between the drive unit (5) and the ejector (3) and that has an output (20) that acts on the ejector (3), and an open-loop or closed-loop control device (7) for controlling the drive unit (5) in an open-loop or closed-loop manner, wherein a force accumulator (6) is integrated in the gear mechanism (19) between the drive unit (5) and the output (20), a monitoring device (8) connected to the drive train (4) can detect an unloading of the force accumulator (6) and report said unloading to the open-loop or closed-loop control device (7), and the open-loop or closed-loop control device (7) activates the electrical drive unit (5) in order to move the ejector (3) back to the first position (Fig. 4) after the unloading of the force accumulator (6) has been detected.