Furniture Wall Element with Insert Part for Guide Device Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing furniture guide devices often require material removal from wooden furniture walls, leading to mechanical weakening and potential failure under stress, necessitating additional measures like thicker materials or harder woods to compensate for the reduced stability.

Innovation Solution

A wall element with a material recess is designed to accommodate a separate insert part, which is more stable than the original material, allowing for the guide device to be attached in a compact and defined position without modifying the guide device, and providing mechanical stability by matching the insert part with the recess to compensate for the removed material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If material is removed from the furniture wall to accommodate the guide device, then the guide device can be attached in a compact and functional manner, but the mechanical stability and strength of the wall element is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide device attachmentVSAvoidwall element mechanical stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by combining the original furniture wall material (e.g., wood) with an insert part made of different material (metal, plastic, or composite). This composite structure allows the wall element to maintain its original appearance while the insert provides enhanced mechanical stability in the recessed area, compensating for the material removal needed for guide device attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The insert part is placed locally in the recessed area where material was removed for guide device attachment. This local reinforcement strategy strengthens only the specific area that needs it, rather than increasing the thickness or changing the material of the entire wall element, thus maintaining overall design integrity while addressing the local weakness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If the wall element is reinforced to compensate for material removal, then mechanical stability is improved, but the external dimensions or material complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewall element mechanical stabilityVSAvoidwall element structure
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wall element is segmented into the original wall structure and a separate insert part. This segmentation allows the insert to be manufactured independently and then integrated into the recessed area, simplifying the overall production process. The insert can be made from standard materials and attached using conventional joining methods, avoiding the need for complex custom-reinforced wall elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Strength

If thicker wall materials or harder woods are used to compensate for material removal, then mechanical stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewall element mechanical stabilityVSAvoidwall element production
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The insert part is prepared in advance as a separate component with the appropriate shape and material properties to compensate for the removed material. This preliminary preparation allows the insert to be mass-produced using optimal manufacturing processes for each material type, and then easily integrated into the wall element during assembly, simplifying the overall manufacturing process compared to producing thicker or harder wall materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3025616B1Wall element of a piece of furniture and piece of furniture with such a wall element
Publication Date: 2019.08.21 GRASS GMBH
  • EP3025616B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

A wall element (1) of a piece of furniture is proposed, the wall element (1) being provided with a material cut-out, which is designed in relation to the initial state of the wall element (1), for attaching a guide device which is intended for moving a furniture part of the piece of furniture, in order to accommodate the guide device to be attached in the area of ​​the material recess. According to the invention, the wall element (1) comprises an insert part (6) which can be arranged to fit on a contour of the material recess (2) and which is designed to be inserted before the guide device is attached to the wall element (1), the material recess and the insert part ( 6) are matched to one another in such a way that, when the insert part (6) is in place, the guide device can be attached at least partially within a receiving area (22) on the insert part (6), the receiving area (22) being recessed relative to a wall element surface (4) in the initial state of the wall element (1).