Panels comprising a mechanical locking device and an assembled product comprising the panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing furniture panel locking mechanisms are difficult to disassemble efficiently, as the tools required to unlock them can be hard to insert due to tight fits and production tolerances, leading to potential sticking issues.
Innovation Solution
The locking device features an edge groove with an offset first groove surface and a tongue groove with a beveled or rounded opening, allowing for easier tool insertion and preventing the flexible tongue from getting stuck, along with a larger crosscut area for the tool, facilitating disassembly by providing a guiding surface and play between the tool and groove surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tongue groove is made with a tight fit to ensure secure locking, then the locking reliability is improved, but the tool insertion difficulty increases and disassembly becomes hard
Solution Approach 1:
The tongue groove is designed with different geometric properties at different locations: the opening portion has a larger cross-sectional area and rounded corners to facilitate tool insertion, while the deeper portions maintain tighter fits for secure locking. This local variation in geometry resolves the contradiction between easy tool insertion and secure locking retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The rounded opening and larger cross-sectional area at the groove entrance are designed in advance to anticipate the tool insertion requirement. This preliminary geometric preparation ensures that the tool can be easily inserted before the locking action occurs, resolving the contradiction between insertion ease and locking security.
2Device complexity
If the tongue groove opening is made small to maintain compact design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the tool insertion difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tongue groove exhibits local quality variation where the opening has a larger cross-sectional area compared to the deeper portions. This localized enlargement at the entrance provides easy tool access while the rest of the groove maintains a compact design, resolving the contradiction between compactness and insertion ease.
3Manufacturing precision
If the groove surfaces are positioned close together to minimize play, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the tool insertion difficulty increases due to tight tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The groove design applies local quality by providing different clearances at different locations: the opening portion has larger clearance for easy tool insertion, while the deeper portions have tighter tolerances for precise positioning. This resolves the contradiction between manufacturing precision and insertion ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The larger clearance at the groove opening is designed in advance to facilitate tool insertion before the tool engages with the tighter-tolerance portions deeper in the groove. This preliminary generous clearance prevents insertion difficulties while maintaining overall manufacturing precision.
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 simplifies the disassembly process by ensuring the tool can be easily inserted and the flexible tongue can be pushed back into its groove, reducing the risk of sticking and improving the overall disassembly efficiency of furniture panels.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible tongue arranged in the insertion groove. Said flexible tongue is configured to cooperate with the tongue groove for locking together the first edge and the second edge
Implementation Method 2
The first groove surface and the first edge surface are configured to cooperate for locking the first edge and the second edge in a second direction
Data Source
AI summary
A set of panels including a first panel, a second, and a locking device. The locking device includes an edge groove at the first edge and a tongue groove at the second edge. The edge groove includes a flexible tongue arranged in an insertion groove at a first side of the edge groove. The edge groove includes a first groove surface at a first side of the insertion groove and a second groove surface at a second side of the insertion groove. The second edge includes a first edge surface at a first side of the tongue groove and a second edge surface at a second side of the tongue groove. The locking device is configured to be unlocked by inserting a tool in the tongue groove. The first groove surface is arranged offset in a second direction relative to the second groove surface by a first distance.