Pivotable Lever Damping Coupler for Sliding Door Height Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Sliding door systems with damper units face challenges in ensuring reliable coupling between the damper unit and damping coupler due to height offsets, leading to complex adjustments and increased guide rail width requirements, which complicates assembly and reduces adjustability.

Innovation Solution

The damping coupler is mounted on a pivotably adjustable lever, allowing for easy adjustment by an external device, even when the damper unit is already positioned, enabling a compact guide rail design and secure engagement with the damper unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the damping coupler is made taller to ensure engagement with the damper unit during adjustment, then reliable coupling is achieved, but the guide rail width increases and lateral protrusion occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoupling reliabilityVSAvoidguide rail width
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The damping coupler is mounted on a pivotably adjustable lever that allows vertical positioning adjustment. This dynamic mounting enables the coupler to be positioned at the correct height to engage the damper unit without requiring excessive vertical dimension, thereby avoiding guide rail width increase while maintaining reliable coupling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The height position of the damping coupler is made adjustable through the lever mechanism. By changing the vertical position parameter of the coupler, reliable engagement with the damper unit is achieved without increasing the overall height of the coupler structure itself, thus avoiding the need for a wider guide rail.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the damper unit height is adjusted to match different door leaf heights, then adaptability is improved, but height offset occurs between the damper unit and damping coupler

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor leaf height adaptabilityVSAvoidheight alignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The lever providing pivotable adjustment of the damping coupler creates a dynamic height adjustment mechanism. This allows the coupler to be repositioned vertically to match the height of the damper unit attached to door leaves of different heights, maintaining precise alignment without compromising manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The lever acts as an intermediary mechanism between the fixed guide rail and the adjustable damper unit. It mediates the height difference caused by varying door leaf heights by providing intermediate vertical positioning of the damping coupler, ensuring precise height alignment is maintained.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Area of stationary object

If the damping coupler is positioned close to the damper unit for compact design, then guide rail width is reduced, but adjustment becomes impossible or limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide rail widthVSAvoidadjustability
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pivotable lever provides dynamic adjustment capability that allows the damping coupler to be positioned close to the damper unit for compact guide rail design while still enabling full adjustment range. The lever's rotational movement allows the coupler to reach the necessary vertical positions without requiring excessive horizontal space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment mechanism transitions from horizontal adjustment (which would require lateral space) to vertical adjustment through the pivotable lever. By changing the dimension of adjustment from horizontal to vertical, the guide rail width is minimized while full adjustability is maintained.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

This solution simplifies the adjustment of the damping coupler, ensures reliable engagement, and allows for a compact guide rail configuration, enhancing the aesthetic appeal and safety of the sliding door system while preventing unintentional lever movement.

Implementation Method 1

the damping coupler (17) is arranged on a pivotably mounted lever (19), the pivot position of which is adjustable via an adjustment device (27)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLever: Lever

Data Source

PatentEP3511502B1Sliding door system with at least one door leaf
Publication Date: 2023.03.22 GEBR WILLACH
  • EP3511502B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3511502B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3511502B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

The present invention relates to a sliding door system (1) with at least one door leaf (3, 3a, 3b), with a guide rail (9), wherein the door leaf (3, 3a, 3b) is guided in the guide rail (9) in a direction of travel, with a damper unit (13) arranged on the door leaf (3, 3a, 3b) with a retraction function, with a damping coupler (17) attached to the guide rail (9), which engages with an engagement part (15) of the damper unit (13) in a latching manner, wherein the damper unit (13) first decelerates the door leaf (3, 3a, 3b) when moving it to an end position (100, 102) and then drives it into the end position (100, 102), wherein the damping coupler (17) is arranged on a pivotably mounted lever (19), wherein the pivot position of the lever (19) is adjustable via an adjusting device (27).