Pull-Out Guide Positioning Means for Precise Furniture Joint Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pull-out guide systems are expensive to manufacture and fail to maintain a precise joint pattern due to the complexity of components and play between rails, making it difficult to achieve an optimal alignment of furniture components.
Innovation Solution
A pull-out guide with a positioning means featuring run-in slopes or positioning aids, such as rollers or bevels, allows for precise alignment of the running rail relative to the guide rail, enabling exact setting of the joint gap between furniture panels, and uses a minimal number of components for easy installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If numerous components are used for the connection between drawer and slide rail, then the adjustment mechanism can be provided, but the manufacturing cost increases and the structure becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the adjustment mechanism and the pull-out guide into a single integrated unit. The adjusting element is directly integrated into the pull-out guide structure, eliminating the need for separate adjustment mechanisms and reducing the total number of components while maintaining full adjustability functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The pull-out guide is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the pull-out movement guidance, enables height adjustment through the integrated adjusting element, and maintains the drawer in position. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated adjustment mechanisms.
2Ease of manufacture
If play between rails or fastening elements is present, then the structure allows for easy assembly, but the joint pattern becomes irregular and alignment precision is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces traditional mechanical fastening elements with a magnetic coupling system. The magnetic attraction force between the guide rail and running rail eliminates play and ensures precise alignment without requiring complex mechanical fastening components, achieving both ease of assembly and high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses magnetic field strength as a controllable parameter to maintain constant alignment precision. By optimizing the magnetic properties and spacing, the system ensures that the running rail remains precisely positioned relative to the guide rail throughout the pull-out movement, eliminating irregular joint patterns.
3Device complexity
If traditional guide rails without positioning means are used, then the structure is simple, but the joint pattern and alignment of furniture components cannot be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning means is pre-integrated into the guide rail structure during manufacturing. The running rail is pre-positioned and fixed relative to the guide rail using the positioning means, ensuring that the correct joint pattern and alignment are established before the furniture components are assembled, eliminating the need for post-assembly adjustments.
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 allows for precise and cost-effective alignment of furniture components, maintaining the set joint pattern with reduced frictional forces and fewer components, ensuring a stable and aesthetically pleasing joint pattern.
Implementation Method 1
The use of rollers or balls is very advantageous here, as this results in lower frictional forces.
Implementation Method 2
The positioning aid preferably has at least one roller, ball or at least one rounded bolt or at least one elastic element, etc., in order to align the running rail when it is moved into the closed position. The use of rollers or balls is very advantageous here, as this results in lower frictional forces.
Data Source
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AI summary
A pull-out guide (4) comprises an arrestable guide rail (5) and a displaceable running rail (7), which is mounted such that it can be displaced along the guide rail (5) or at least one centre rail (6), which is arranged optionally between the guide rail (5) and running rail (7), wherein a positioning means (11) is provided in order to align the running rail (7), in a closed position, relative to the guide rail (5), wherein the positioning means (11) has at least one run-in slope (12, 13), which acts in the horizontal direction and laterally in relation to the longitudinal direction of the pull-out guide (4), or a positioning aid (30) in order to align the running rail (5) as it runs into the closed position. This allows a drawer-type element (3) to be kept in alignment in the closed position by the pull-out guide, or a set of two pull-out guides (4), and the actual joint configuration corresponds permanently to the joint configuration once set.