Hidden Slide Adapter Kit Structure for Smooth Drawer Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hidden slide modules suffer from complex structures, difficult manufacturing, and high costs, leading to poor buffering smoothness, short buffering time, and insufficient buffering distance, especially when the drawer is slammed into its slot.
Innovation Solution
An adapter kit with a hidden slide design that includes a fixing rack and an external frame, featuring an L-shaped structure, level difference portions, and a support structure to enhance stability and strength, allowing for easy installation and adjustment, while maintaining a compact profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional hidden slide modules are designed with rectangular cross-section to bear heavier load, then load-bearing capacity is improved, but structure becomes more complex and manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an adapter kit as an intermediary component that converts a standard long-flat slide module into a hidden slide module. The adapter kit includes a fixing rack with L-shaped side boards and support structures that provide the necessary strength and load-bearing capacity without requiring the slide module itself to be redesigned with a complex rectangular cross-section. This mediator approach allows the simple slide module to function as a hidden slide while maintaining structural integrity.
2Reliability
If conventional hidden slide modules are redesigned to enhance buffering function, then buffering capacity is improved, but development cost and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter kit serves as a mediator that adds buffering functionality to the standard slide module without requiring redesign of the slide module itself. The fixing rack and support structures in the adapter kit incorporate buffering mechanisms that provide smooth closing action and extended buffering distance, while the standard slide module remains unchanged, keeping manufacturing costs low.
3Strength
If standard slide module with long-flat cross-section is used, then lateral strength is improved to prevent drooping, but it cannot be installed as a hidden slide between drawer bottom and furniture bottom
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hidden slide system into two independent parts: the standard long-flat slide module (providing lateral strength) and the adapter kit (enabling hidden installation). The adapter kit includes a fixing rack with L-shaped side boards that can be mounted on the furniture side wall, and support structures that connect to the drawer bottom, allowing the slide module to maintain its optimal long-flat configuration while achieving hidden installation capability.
4Shape
If hidden slide module is installed between drawer bottom and furniture bottom, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but the force acting direction differs from general slides causing structural challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter kit acts as a mediator that adapts the standard slide module to the hidden installation configuration. The fixing rack with L-shaped side boards and the support structures with folded portions are designed to accommodate the vertical force acting direction in hidden installation, transferring loads appropriately without requiring the slide module itself to be structurally complex.
Data Source
AI summary
An adapter kit of a slide module includes a fixing rack and an external frame coupled with an inner rail and an outer rail respectively and is installed between a drawer and a cabinet. First and second side boards are disposed on both sides of the fixing rack respectively, and the second side board has at least one folded portion and at least one level difference portion. First and second bent portions corresponding to the first and second side boards are disposed on both sides of the external frame respectively, thus the first bent portion and the folded portion can be latched with each other, and an inner surface of the second bent portion abuts the level difference portion to form two support structures to enhance the strength. The adapter kit can be used with various slide modules to provide a hidden slide design and lower the development cost.