Method for producing a wall for a piece of furniture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing furniture walls struggle to accommodate larger fittings like flap hinges with significant installation depth while maintaining a uniform surface finish on both sides and allowing for a seamless integration of hardware components without compromising the structural integrity or aesthetics.

Innovation Solution

A method involving two plate-shaped core halves with recesses for fitting or fitting housing, joined to form a composite element, coated uniformly on all sides, and an opening made in one end face to accommodate the fitting or housing, allowing for the integration of hardware components like lever systems without disrupting the surface finish.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If fittings are mounted on the inside of side walls, then the fittings can be integrated into the furniture body, but the fittings protrude into the interior reducing usable storage space and impairing the structuring of the interior

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegration of fittingsVSAvoidusable storage space
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from mounting fittings on the interior surface of side walls (2D surface mounting) to embedding fittings within the thickness of the side wall itself (3D volumetric integration). By creating recesses that extend through the wall thickness and providing openings in the narrow faces, the fitting is integrated into the third dimension, eliminating protrusion into the storage space while maintaining functional integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If fittings are mounted on the inside of side walls, then the fittings can be integrated into the furniture body, but cleaning of the interior is made more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegration of fittingsVSAvoidcleaning of interior
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the fitting from the interior surface mounting and relocates it to the exterior narrow face through the opening. This extraction removes the obstacle from the interior cleaning path, allowing unobstructed access to the entire interior surface while the fitting remains functionally integrated through the wall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If larger fittings with significant installation depth are used, then the fittings can accommodate lever systems, but the fittings cannot be accommodated by milling from the front side due to limited milling depth

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation of lever systemsVSAvoidmilling depth limitation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the approach from front-side milling (working along the thickness dimension) to side-side assembly (working along the length dimension). By providing openings in the narrow faces and assembling the fitting from the side, the method bypasses the milling depth limitation and enables accommodation of deeper fittings with lever systems while maintaining uniform surface finish on the broad faces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Ease of operation

If a parallel wall is arranged to cover the fitting, then a smooth surface is provided on the inside, but the additional wall further reduces the usable interior volume and increases assembly effort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmooth surface for cleaningVSAvoidusable interior volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adding a parallel wall to cover the fitting, the patent extracts the fitting integration approach and embeds the fitting directly within the side wall structure itself. The fitting is recessed into the wall thickness with an opening in the narrow face, eliminating the need for additional covering walls while maintaining smooth interior surfaces and preserving interior volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

5Ease of manufacture

If door hinges with very small installation depth are used, then the hinges can be accommodated by front-side milling, but larger fittings with significant installation depth cannot be accommodated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefront-side milling capabilityVSAvoidfitting size accommodation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from front-side milling approach (constrained by wall thickness) to side-side assembly approach (constrained only by available wall length). By providing openings in the narrow faces and assembling fittings from the side, the method enables accommodation of fittings with any installation depth while maintaining uniform surface finish on the broad faces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3833222B1Method for producing a wall for a piece of furniture
Publication Date: 2022.12.28 AMBIGENCE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3833222B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3833222B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3833222B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing a wall for a piece of furniture. The method is distinguished by the following steps: providing two panel-form core halves (41a, 41b), of which at least one has at least one aperture (42), which extends only along a portion of a side surface (412) of the core half (41a, 41b); inserting a fitting (30), or a fitting housing, into the at least one aperture (42) and joining together the two core halves (41a, 41b) to form a composite element (40), which encloses the fitting (30), or the fitting housing, wherein the side surfaces (412) of the two core halves (41a, 41b) are located one upon the other; applying a narrow-surface coating (43) to at least one end surface of the composite element (40), said end surface being oriented transversely to the side surface (412); and making an opening (44) in a portion of the at least one end surface, said opening extending as far as the fitting (30), or the fitting housing. The invention also relates to a wall which is produced by such a method and is intended for a basic furniture structure (10), and to a piece of furniture or a basic furniture structure (10) having such a wall.