Hinge for adjusting a part of a furniture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pivot joints for adjusting furniture parts, such as headboards, foot parts, or armrests, have limited flexibility and adjustability, requiring multiple specialized joints for different applications and positions, which increases manufacturing and storage costs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a control disk that is rotatable and releasably provided with the ring gear, allowing the locking cam to be adjusted between locking and release positions, enabling quick adaptation to various requirement profiles without altering the pivot joint's structure, by using different control disks for different applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple specialized pivot joints are provided for different applications and positions, then the adaptability and versatility are improved, but the manufacturing and storage costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal pivot joint design where the control disk can be replaced with different variants to achieve different adjustment ranges and starting positions. The basic pivot joint structure remains the same, but by swapping control disks with different geometric profiles (different release stops and locking stops), the same pivot joint can be adapted to various applications such as headboards, foot parts, and armrests with different required adjustment characteristics, eliminating the need to manufacture multiple specialized pivot joint types.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention separates the customization aspect into a modular component - the control disk - which can be independently selected and replaced. The control disk is segmented from the main pivot joint structure, allowing users to choose different control disk variants depending on the specific application requirements without modifying the entire pivot joint assembly. This modular approach enables cost-effective adaptation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple specialized pivot joints are provided for different applications and positions, then the adaptability and versatility are improved, but the storage costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By designing a universal pivot joint that can accommodate different control disk variants, the manufacturer needs to store only one type of basic pivot joint structure in inventory. The versatility is achieved through the availability of different control disk variants rather than through multiple complete pivot joint assemblies, significantly reducing storage requirements while maintaining the ability to serve diverse applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The control disk variants can be stored in a nested or compact manner within the same packaging space that would traditionally require separate storage for multiple complete pivot joint assemblies. The modular control disks take up minimal space compared to full pivot joint units, enabling cost-effective storage and distribution.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the control disk is made rotatable and releasably provided with the ring gear, then the flexibility and customization capability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control disk is designed to be rotatable relative to the ring gear, allowing dynamic adjustment of the locking cam's engagement position. This rotational capability enables the control disk to transition between different functional states (different adjustment ranges and starting positions) without requiring complex mechanical linkages or additional actuating mechanisms. The simplicity of the rotational degree of freedom provides high flexibility with minimal added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control disk acts as an intermediary element between the locking cam and the ring gear. By introducing this intermediate rotatable component, the system achieves flexible customization capability while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The control disk mediates the interaction between the locking cam and ring gear, allowing different control disk variants to impose different geometric constraints without modifying the fundamental pivot joint architecture.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A pivot joint (1) for adjusting a functional part of a piece of furniture is described and illustrated, comprising a mounting lever (2) and a pivot lever (5), wherein the mounting lever (2) and the pivot lever (5) are pivotably connected relative to each other from an initial position to an end position about a pivot axis (6) in an adjustment direction (E), wherein the pivot lever (5) is locked in a plurality of locking positions provided between the initial position and the end position by a blocking positive-locking engagement of a locking mechanism (19) against pivoting in the return direction (R) opposite to the adjustment direction (E), wherein the locking mechanism (19) comprises a locking cam (16) and a rotatable toothed ring (12) having external teeth (18).In order to make swivel joints more flexible and cost-effective, it is provided that the swivel joint (1) has at least one control disc (7) which is rotatable and releasable at least partially together with the toothed ring (12) relative to the locking cam (16) and which has a release stop (21) and a locking stop (22).