Interchangeable Furniture Glide Base for Multi-Floor Wear Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional furniture glides are not universally compatible with different flooring materials and suffer from wear issues, limiting their suitability for various locations and causing damage to floors due to material incompatibilities and wear.
Innovation Solution
A furniture glide design featuring a tubular furniture leg engagement assembly with a base assembly that includes a receiver member and a base member with a pad portion for floor contact, a rivet with a spherical swivel surface, and a cushion member for resilience, allowing for adjustable and durable contact with various floor surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional furniture glide uses a fixed material for the sliding surface, then it is optimized for a specific floor type, but it cannot be used with different flooring materials and causes damage to incompatible floors
Solution Approach 1:
The glide is divided into two separable parts: a base assembly and a sliding surface member. The sliding surface member can be removed and replaced with different material types (steel, hard plastic, soft plastic) depending on the floor type, while the base assembly remains the same. This segmentation allows adaptation to different flooring materials without redesigning the entire glide structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The base assembly is designed with a universal mounting structure that can accommodate multiple types of sliding surface members. The receiver portion with protrusion and recess mechanism provides a standardized interface that works with steel, hard plastic, and soft plastic surfaces, making the base assembly universally compatible with different floor types.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a furniture glide uses soft material for the sliding surface, then it provides better protection for wood and vinyl floors, but the material is subject to wear and degradation over time
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding surface member's material properties can be changed by replacing the entire member rather than modifying the base assembly. This allows selection of soft materials (felt, rubber) for maximum floor protection in some cases, or harder materials (steel, nylon) for high-wear applications, optimizing both protection and durability based on specific needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding surface member is designed to be replaceable when worn. Instead of discarding the entire glide assembly, only the worn sliding surface member is removed and replaced with a new one, while the base assembly is retained and reused. This extends the overall service life of the glide system.
3Reliability
If a furniture glide uses hard plastic or steel for the sliding surface, then it increases durability and wear resistance, but it causes gouging and scratching on wood and vinyl floors
Solution Approach 1:
The material hardness parameter of the sliding surface can be adjusted by selecting different sliding surface members. Hard materials (steel, nylon) provide wear resistance for high-traffic areas, while soft materials (felt, rubber, soft plastic) provide floor protection for delicate surfaces. The user can change this parameter by replacing the sliding surface member.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the system have different material properties optimized for their specific functions. The base assembly uses durable materials for structural integrity, while the sliding surface member uses materials specifically selected for floor interaction - soft for protection, hard for durability, depending on the application.
4Device complexity
If a furniture glide uses a non-removable sliding surface, then it simplifies the structure and reduces assembly steps, but it prevents replacement when the material becomes worn or incompatible
Solution Approach 1:
The glide is segmented into a permanent base assembly and a replaceable sliding surface member. The mounting structure with protrusion and recess creates a simple snap-fit or screw-mounted connection that is easy to assemble and disassemble, allowing rapid replacement of the sliding surface without complex tools or procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the base assembly and sliding surface member transitions from static (permanent) to dynamic (removable). The protrusion-recess interface allows the sliding surface to be easily installed and removed as needed, providing flexibility for maintenance and adaptation while maintaining structural integrity during use.
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 design provides universal compatibility with different flooring materials, reduces wear through resilient cushioning, and prevents damage by allowing for smooth sliding and adjustable contact, enhancing the durability and usability of furniture glides across various floor types.
Implementation Method 1
The base assembly may also include a cushion member composed of a resilient material
Implementation Method 2
The rivet has an upper head portion that engages the furniture leg engagement assembly, an opposite ball portion, and an elongated neck portion extending therebetween. The rivet ball portion has a substantially spherical outer swivel surface. The receiver member may include an upwardly extending central pivot portion having a substantially concave swivel surface corresponding to the outer swivel surface of the rivet
Data Source
AI summary
A furniture glide for use with a tubular furniture leg. The glide comprises a furniture leg engagement assembly adapted to be mounted to the furniture leg and a base assembly mounted to the furniture leg engagement assembly. The base assembly includes a receiver member and a base member removably mounted to the receiver member. The base member has a pad portion with a bottom surface adapted for contacting a floor.