Modular Furniture Frame Structure With Shared Panels for Faster Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional kitchen furniture assembly methods require numerous individual panels, leading to complex and time-consuming assembly processes, with duplicated surfaces and increased material usage, as well as the need for individual alignment and adjustment of each furniture body.

Innovation Solution

A frame structure comprising longitudinal elements with groove profiles that allow surface elements to be easily plugged in, forming a stable base area arrangement, which can be adapted and aligned quickly, reducing material duplication and assembly time by using prefabricated elements that can be cut to size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional furniture bodies with individual outer panels are used, then each body can be assembled separately, but the surfaces are duplicated requiring a large number of individual plates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility of individual body assemblyVSAvoidnumber of individual plates
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the separation between individual furniture bodies by introducing common partition walls that are shared between adjacent bodies. Instead of each body having its own complete outer panels, the partition walls serve as common surfaces between multiple bodies, reducing the total number of individual plates required while maintaining the ability to assemble bodies separately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The partition walls are designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as outer panels for one body and as common separating surfaces for adjacent bodies. This multi-functionality reduces material duplication while preserving the modular assembly capability of individual furniture bodies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of manufacture

If furniture bodies are assembled before transport to the customer, then the assembly is completed in advance, but the packing mass and volume are relatively large

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadvance assembly completionVSAvoidpacking mass
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The furniture arrangement is segmented into individual bodies that can be manufactured separately with reduced material content due to shared partition walls. This segmentation allows for more efficient packaging of individual components, reducing overall packing mass and volume while still enabling complete assembly at the customer's location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If furniture bodies are assembled at the customer's site, then individual alignment is required before screwing, but the assembly process becomes very time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveon-site assembly capabilityVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The frame structures and partition walls are pre-manufactured with integrated connection elements and precise dimensional relationships. This preliminary preparation of components with built-in alignment features reduces the time required for on-site assembly, as the pre-fabricated elements can be directly connected without extensive individual alignment work.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If numerous individual panels are used for each furniture body, then complete coverage is achieved, but the assembly process becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface coverage completenessVSAvoidassembly process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Adjacent furniture bodies share common partition walls, merging what would otherwise be separate panel sets. This reduces the total number of individual panels required while maintaining complete surface coverage, and simultaneously simplifies the assembly process by reducing the number of components that need to be individually installed and aligned.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3183995B1Frame structure for building a furniture assembly
Publication Date: 2021.11.17 PETZOLD SVEN
  • EP3183995B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3183995B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP3183995B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

The present invention relates to a frame structure 100 for constructing a furniture arrangement 1, having a plurality of frame elements 111 designed as longitudinal elements, which completely encompass a base surface arrangement A10 composed of two or more rectangular partial frame surfaces A1-A5 and the base surface arrangement A10 into the two or more partial frame surfaces A1 -A5, wherein at least two of the partial frame surfaces A1-A5 are connected to one another by one or more common frame elements 111 and border one another laterally; and wherein a groove profile 112 extending in the longitudinal direction of the frame element 111 is formed on at least one frame element 111 of the plurality of frame elements 111 for inserting at least one surface element 130 in such a way that the inserted surface element 130 is perpendicular essentially perpendicular to the sub-frame surface in question (A1-A5 ) of the base area arrangement A10, which is framed by the at least one frame element 111.