Furniture panel

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing furniture panels with backlighting edge strips face challenges in simplified production and improved visual appearance, as they often require complex attachment processes and can result in uneven edges and undefined light emission due to the manufacturing of grooves in material panels like chipboard or fiberboard.

Innovation Solution

A U-shaped carrier profile with a pre-attached LED strip is used, which is easily folded and inserted into a groove in the furniture panel, allowing for simplified assembly and improved optical appearance by eliminating the need for direct attachment of the LED strip to the groove and reducing the occurrence of uneven edges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the LED strip is directly attached to the groove in the furniture panel, then the attachment process becomes simpler, but the visual appearance deteriorates due to uneven edges and undefined light emission

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment processVSAvoidvisual appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A U-shaped carrier profile is introduced as an intermediary component between the LED strip and the groove. The carrier profile includes a base leg that attaches to the groove and side legs that form a recess for receiving the LED strip. This mediator ensures uniform light emission by properly positioning the LED strip while simplifying the attachment process through the base leg connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the groove is manufactured in the material panel to receive the lighting device, then the backlighting function is achieved, but the production complexity increases due to additional machining steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebacklighting functionVSAvoidproduction process
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The carrier profile combines multiple functions into a single component: it provides the structural support for the LED strip, forms the recess for receiving the lighting device, and includes a base leg for attachment to the groove. This merging reduces production complexity by eliminating the need for separate mounting brackets and positioning fixtures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Manufacturing precision

If the edge strip is used to cover the groove after lighting device insertion, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the assembly process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidassembly process
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The carrier profile is pre-assembled with the LED strip in the recess before installation into the groove. This preliminary assembly ensures proper positioning and alignment, allowing the edge strip to be subsequently attached to cover the groove without requiring complex adjustment or alignment procedures during final assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 simplifies the production and attachment of backlighting edge strips, enhances the visual appearance by providing clean edges and uniform light emission, and allows for easy replacement and maintenance of light strips without additional gluing, while maintaining the structural integrity of the panel.

Implementation Method 1

at least one electrical functional band, z. B. a (flexible) light strip, in particular LED strip

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight Emitting Diode: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentEP3522756B1Furniture panel
Publication Date: 2020.12.09 SURTECO GMBH
  • EP3522756B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3522756B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3522756B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a furniture panel (1) having at least one material panel (2), at least one edge strip (4) fixed to the material panel (2), and at least one electric functional strip (6) is arranged in a groove (5) introduced into the material panel (2) and covered by the edge strip (4). Said furniture panel is characterized in that the electric functional strip (6), e.g. lighting strip, is fixed to a carrier profile (7) of U-shaped cross section, which is arranged in the groove (7).