Guide Rail Fastening Element With Resilient Lug Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening elements for guide rails in household appliances often require tools for attachment and detachment, leading to jamming issues and complexity in the connection between the guide rail and side panel, especially in long-term use.
Innovation Solution
A fastening element with a resilient lug that encloses a section of the horizontal bar, featuring a locking portion and a holding portion, which can be manually bent down for easy disengagement, and a second retaining element that engages behind the angled end region of the bar to prevent movement, allowing for tool-free attachment and detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If existing locking elements with upper and lower locking plates are used to connect slide rail to supporting bar, then a strong connection is provided, but the supporting bar jams between the locking plates causing detachment problems in long term use
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is divided into separate functional components: a connection plate with locking lugs for initial attachment, and resilient lugs with holding portions for maintaining the connection. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without interfering with others, preventing jamming while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient lugs are designed to be elastically deformable, allowing them to dynamically adjust during assembly and operation. The resilient nature enables the lugs to flex during installation and maintain constant contact pressure, preventing jamming while ensuring reliable connection over time.
2Reliability
If locking elements with multiple locking plates and locking lugs are used to provide secure connection, then connection security is improved, but the structure becomes complicated and tools are required for locking and unlocking
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening element is designed to be self-servicing during assembly and disassembly. The resilient lugs with actuating portions allow the user to simply press and release the mechanism without requiring tools or complex manipulation. The spring-loaded nature automatically maintains the locked state without additional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating portions are extended from the holding portions to provide a simple interface for user interaction. This extraction of the control function to a separate, accessible element simplifies the overall operation, allowing tool-free assembly and disassembly while maintaining secure connection.
3Ease of operation
If resilient lug with holding portion enclosing horizontal bar is used, then tool-free attachment and detachment is achieved, but the structure requires careful design to ensure strong connection
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient lug utilizes elastic deformation as its operating principle, changing the physical state of the material from rigid to flexible during operation. This parameter change allows the lug to enclose the horizontal bar easily during assembly and maintain a strong connection through elastic recovery, while the simple geometry keeps manufacturing straightforward.
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
The solution provides a cost-efficient, secure, and easy-to-use connection between the guide rail and side panel, preventing jamming and allowing for effortless removal and reattachment without the need for tools, ensuring a strong and reliable connection.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient lug which at least partially encloses a section of the horizontal bar. The fastening element is disengaged from the horizontal bar such that the resilient lug is manually bended down
Data Source
AI summary
The fastening element provides easy detachably connection between a guide rail and a side panel and can be used in a baking oven, dishwasher, refrigerator, or similar appliances. The fastening element includes a first retaining element lying below a horizontal bar of a side panel, especially for ovens, which prevents the fastening element being withdrawn in a direction parallel to the vertical bar, and a second retaining element attached to the guide rail which engages behind an angled end region of the horizontal bar and prevents fastening element being withdrawn in a direction parallel to the horizontal bar. The fastening element further includes a resilient lug which at least partially encloses a section of the horizontal bar. The fastening element is disengaged from the horizontal bar such that the resilient lug is manually bent down.