Nested Furniture Flap Support Arms Eliminate Shear Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support devices for furniture flaps have complex constructions and risk user injury due to shearing gaps, complicating production and safety.
Innovation Solution
A support device with overlapping first and second support arms, nested in a gap-free manner, allowing for stable design, reduced torsional and bending forces, and enhanced user safety, featuring pivoting and rotational capabilities with adjustable axes for a wide pivoting range and compact aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a parallel kinematic mechanism with two or three lever arms is used to guide the opening or closing movement of a furniture door, then the door movement is guided parallel to the vertical axis, but the construction becomes complex and a shear gap forms creating safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing one support arm inside the other support arm, forming a nested configuration where the first support arm is received within the second support arm. This nested arrangement eliminates the need for multiple separate lever arms while maintaining the guiding function, thereby reducing construction complexity and eliminating shear gaps that create safety risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple support arms into a nested configuration where they occupy the same spatial envelope. By combining the functions of multiple lever arms into a nested pair of support arms with overlapping longitudinal extensions, the design simplifies the overall construction while maintaining the parallel movement guidance function, eliminating the complex assembly of separate components.
2Ease of manufacture
If support arms are arranged with gaps between them, then the construction is simpler, but the risk of user injury increases due to shear gap formation
Solution Approach 1:
The nested arrangement of support arms where one arm is received within the other eliminates gaps between the arms. This configuration maintains manufacturing simplicity while preventing the formation of shear gaps that could trap user fingers, thereby eliminating injury risks without complicating the construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harmful effect of gaps between support arms into a beneficial nested configuration. By nesting the support arms, the design eliminates the harmful shear gap while maintaining the structural integrity and movement guidance function, turning a safety hazard into a safety feature.
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple support arms are used to reduce torsional and bending forces, then stability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nested configuration of support arms provides structural stability against torsional and bending forces while maintaining simplicity. The nested arrangement allows the support arms to work together as an integrated unit, distributing loads effectively without requiring multiple separate complex components, thus achieving stability with minimal complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structural system by nesting support arms within each other, forming a composite mechanical structure. This nested composite configuration provides enhanced stability against torsional and bending forces while maintaining a simple two-component design, avoiding the need for multiple separate support arms.
4Reliability
If support arms overlap laterally to eliminate shear gaps, then safety and aesthetics improve, but the design becomes more compact with reduced pivoting range
Solution Approach 1:
The nested configuration allows support arms to overlap laterally without interfering with the pivoting motion. By nesting one support arm within the other, the design achieves gap-free lateral overlap for safety and aesthetics while maintaining adequate pivoting range, as the nested arms rotate together as a unified structure.
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 stable, compact, and safe support device with reduced risk of injury, easy production, and intuitive operation, allowing for a one-piece design with high aesthetics and efficient movement of furniture flaps.
Implementation Method 1
a first support arm (11) which is connected to a furniture body (20) at a first end (11a) in a pivotable manner about a first pivot axis (s1)
Implementation Method 2
The first support arm (11) is further connected to an articulated joint (13), which is rotatably mounted about a first axis of rotation (d1) and is also rotatably connected to the second support arm (12) about a second axis of rotation (d2)
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 2a
AI summary
The invention relates to a supporting device (1) for a furniture flap (21), wherein the supporting device (1) can be connected to a furniture body (20) and a furniture flap (21) in an articulated manner, wherein the supporting device (1) has a first supporting arm (11) and a second supporting arm (12) and the first and the second supporting arms (11, 12) overlap without a gap laterally to the direction of motion of the supporting device (1) in each position of the supporting device (1), wherein the first supporting arm (11) and the second supporting arm (12) are profiled in the cross-section and are nested in each other.