Furniture Flap Drive with Delayed Spring Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive devices for furniture flaps require a strong ejector device to overcome the force of a spring device, resulting in large and costly implementations, as the spring device applies significant force to hold the flap closed, making it difficult to open the flap efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The spring device exerts no force in the initial opening angle range, allowing the ejector device to easily move the flap by overcoming the flap's moment of inertia, and only engages later to assist in opening, enabling a compact and inexpensive design with a lower force ejector device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the spring device applies significant force to hold the flap closed, then the flap remains securely closed, but the ejector device must be large and powerful to overcome this force
Solution Approach 1:
The ejector device performs preliminary action by rapidly ejecting the flap from the closed position before the spring device engages. The spring device is designed to become active only after the flap has been ejected from the closed position, so the ejector doesn't need to overcome the full spring force, reducing its size and complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static force balance approach to a dynamic sequential approach. The spring device force is dynamically activated based on flap position - inactive during ejection, active during opening - allowing the ejector device to be smaller while maintaining reliable closed position holding
2Force
If the spring device applies high closing force, then the flap is held securely closed, but the ejector device requires high power and large dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The ejector device performs preliminary ejection action before the spring device's closing force becomes active. By ejecting the flap from the closed position first, the system reduces the power requirement of the ejector device, as it only needs to overcome inertia and friction initially, not the full spring closing force
Solution Approach 2:
The spring device operates periodically - inactive during the ejection phase, then active during the opening phase. This periodic activation allows the ejector device to have lower power requirements while the spring device provides high closing force when needed
3Reliability
If the ejector device overcomes spring force to eject the flap, then the flap opens reliably, but the ejector device becomes expensive and space-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The ejector device performs preliminary ejection to move the flap out of the closed position before the spring device engages. This preliminary action maintains reliable opening while reducing the size and space requirement of the ejector device, as it doesn't need to be designed to overcome the full spring force
Solution Approach 2:
The opening process is segmented into two phases: ejection phase (handled by ejector device) and opening phase (handled by spring device). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, reducing the overall space and cost requirements
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 configuration allows for easy ejection of the flap with a reduced force ejector device, achieving a space-saving and cost-effective solution while maintaining control over the flap's open position through balanced spring assistance.
Implementation Method 1
a spring device (4) which can act on an actuating arm (6)
Implementation Method 2
the ejector device, for ejection of the flap, has to overcome substantially only the moment of inertia of the flap (having regard to the angular speed to be achieved by the flap)
Data Source
AI summary
A drive device for a flap of a piece of furniture including at least one actuating arm which is activated by a spring device and is intended for moving the flap. A pushing-out device can move the flap from the closed position the opening direction toward the open position over a first opening-angle range (M1). The spring device exerts substantially no force on the flap in the first opening-angle range (M1), and the spring device moves the flap in the opening direction only in a second opening-angle range (M2), wherein the second opening-angle range (M2) adjoins the first opening-angle range (M1) or, at most, slightly overlaps the first opening-angle range.