Joining device, particularly for joining a shelf to a wall of a piece of furniture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing joining devices for furniture are structurally complex, costly, and difficult to maintain, with high aesthetic impact, requiring extensive machining and preassembly, and are not suitable for low-thickness panels, leading to complications in assembly and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A compact joining device with a cylindrical body and a pinion mechanism that allows for easy assembly and maintenance, featuring a concealed design with limited impact on the panel, enabling simple and effective activation and maintenance without compromising the integrity of the joint or panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a traditional joining device with accommodation body and crown gear is used, then the joining function is achieved, but the structural complexity increases and production cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
The joining device is divided into two independent parts: a first part with a screw and crown-shaped head that engages with a second part containing a pinion. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using standard machining processes, reducing overall complexity and production cost while maintaining the joining function.
Solution Approach 2:
The crown gear mechanism is extracted from a complex accommodation body and simplified to a basic pinion gear that interacts directly with the crown-shaped head. This extraction removes unnecessary structural elements, reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the accommodation body is made in various sizes for different panel thicknesses, then adaptability to different panels is improved, but device complexity and assembly cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The joining device is designed with universal dimensions that can accommodate different panel thicknesses. The screw length and engagement depth can be adjusted to work with various panel thicknesses, eliminating the need for multiple joint variants and reducing device complexity.
3Strength
If the joining device requires high minimum panel thickness, then structural stability is improved, but applicability to low-thickness panels is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device parameters such as screw diameter, thread pitch, and engagement length are optimized to achieve sufficient structural stability in thinner panels. By adjusting these parameters, the device can provide adequate strength and stability for low-thickness panels without compromising structural integrity.
4Ease of manufacture
If the joining device exposes the flat edge of the panel, then the joining function is achieved, but aesthetic impact worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The pinion and crown-shaped head are designed to nest within each other, with the pinion fitting into the hollow crown-shaped head. This nesting arrangement allows the joining mechanism to be concealed within the panel thickness, eliminating the exposure of flat edges and improving aesthetics while maintaining the joining function.
5Ease of manufacture
If two holes are provided on the panel for accommodation body and pin, then the joining function is achieved, but machining complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The first part (screw with crown-shaped head) and second part (pinion) are designed to be assembled in a single operation where the pinion is inserted into the hollow crown-shaped head while both engage with the panel. This merging of assembly steps reduces machining complexity and assembly time compared to providing separate holes for accommodation body and pin.
6Ease of manufacture
If the crown gear and fixing element are embedded in the accommodation body, then the joining function is achieved, but maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The pinion is extracted from an enclosed accommodation body and designed as an independent component that can be accessed and removed separately. This extraction allows the pinion to be maintained, repaired, or replaced without damaging the panel or requiring removal of the entire joining device, significantly improving maintenance accessibility.
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 structurally compact, cost-effective, and easy-to-assemble joining device that can be used on low-thickness panels, with simplified maintenance and activation, minimizing machining requirements and preserving the panel's integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a pinion (21) which can be temporarily coupled to the cylindrical body in said third seat and which interacts with said first crown-shaped head (11)
Implementation Method 2
a first stem (9) of a screw (10) provided with a first crown-shaped head (11)
Data Source
AI summary
A joining device, particularly for joining a shelf to a wall of a piece of furniture, includes a cylindrical body that can be associated in a first hole adapted to be provided transversely in the shelf and provided with a first axial seat for the rotatable coupling of the first stem of a screw provided with a first crown-shaped head that can be arranged rotatably within a second seat that is adjacent to the first seat. The cylindrical body is provided with a third seat, which is perpendicular and connected to the second seat, for the temporary coupling of a pinion, which interacts with the first crown-shaped head, which protrudes externally to the cylindrical body and is accommodated within a second hole.