Guiding structure for a drawer and appliance including the guiding structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drawer guiding systems in refrigerators and freezers are complex, costly, prone to malfunctions due to ice or frost, and cause wobbling during extraction, with rollers increasing production time and risk of malfunction.
Innovation Solution
A guiding structure comprising a single-piece plastic integral structure with axially extending sliding surfaces and guide ribs that support drawers laterally, allowing independent motion and reducing wobbling, while being cost-effective and reliable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wheels or rollers are provided at the guiding elements for providing smoothness in the extraction of the drawer, then the smoothness of drawer extraction is improved, but the device complexity and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the wheels or rollers from the guiding elements, extracting the problematic component that caused complexity and reliability issues. Instead, a simple linear guiding element with a groove is used to guide the drawer rail directly, eliminating the need for intermediate rolling components while maintaining smooth extraction through the groove-rail interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical rolling system (wheels/rollers) with a direct sliding guidance system where the drawer rail moves within a groove. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical components while achieving smooth motion through the geometric constraint of the groove shape and the interaction between the rail and groove surfaces.
2Ease of operation
If wheels or rollers are provided at the guiding elements, then smoothness in drawer extraction is improved, but the reliability decreases due to risk of breaking or malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the vulnerable wheels or rollers from the system, eliminating the components that could break or malfunction. The guiding function is achieved through a simple groove structure that has no moving parts, thereby completely eliminating the reliability issues associated with rolling components.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding function is segmented into the groove structure in the guiding element and the corresponding rail structure in the drawer. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function - the groove provides guidance and support, while the rail provides the sliding surface - without requiring complex assembled components like wheels or rollers.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single-piece injection-molded plastic design is used for the guiding structure, then the ease of manufacture and production cost are improved, but the strength and load-bearing capacity may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials, specifically glass fiber-reinforced polyamide, to manufacture the single-piece injection-molded guiding structure. This composite material provides both the manufacturing advantages of plastic (ease of molding, cost-effectiveness) and the mechanical strength required to support drawer extraction, effectively bridging the gap between ease of manufacture and structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by selecting a specific polymer composition (polyamide with glass fiber reinforcement) that optimizes both manufacturability and mechanical properties. The material parameters are tuned to provide sufficient strength, stiffness, and wear resistance while maintaining injection moldability and cost-effectiveness.
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 smooth, reliable drawer motion, reduces production costs, and minimizes malfunctions due to ice or frost, ensuring robust support for multiple drawers with different sizes.
Implementation Method 1
the supporting guide (2g) comprising a sliding surface (2s) for the lateral guiding rail (201), in particular against which the lateral guiding rail (201) in use is configured to slide
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
The present invention relates to a guiding structure (1) for at least one drawer (200) of an appliance (100). The guiding structure (1) is configured to be installed on a side (100a; 100b) of the appliance (100) and comprises at least a guiding element configured to contact at least a lateral guiding rail (201) of the drawer (200). The guiding element comprises a supporting guide (2g) configured for laterally supporting the drawer (200) in correspondence of the lateral guiding rail (201) and configured for directly contacting the lateral guiding rail (201). The supporting guide (2g) comprising a sliding surface (2s) for the lateral guiding rail (201).