Pull-Out Guide Support Element Design to Prevent Runner Tilting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pull-out guides face issues with sudden lowering of the running rail when a tipping point is reached, due to varying support widths and unpredictable tipping points caused by weight and load variations, leading to abrupt tilting movements, especially in short guides.

Innovation Solution

A pull-out guide design featuring a support element with a guide part and a support part that is displaceable along a recess on the middle rail, maintaining a constant or increasing support width by moving relative to the middle rail, and incorporating a rotatable roller for smooth movement and low friction, with a web on the running rail to prevent rearward lifting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a roller is rigidly fixed to the center rail to prevent lifting, then the support function is provided, but the support span varies causing abrupt tilting movements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport functionVSAvoidsupport span consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The support element is made movable along the center rail instead of being rigidly fixed. The guide part with guide surface allows the support element to slide dynamically, maintaining a constant support span while still preventing lifting at the tipping point. This dynamic adjustment eliminates abrupt tilting movements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If the support element is movable on the center rail, then the support span is maintained constant, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport span consistencyVSAvoidguide structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support element is divided into two functional parts: a guide part with a guide surface for sliding movement, and a support part with a support surface for preventing lifting. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If additional support profiles are welded to the center rail, then lifting prevention is achieved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelifting preventionVSAvoidassembly process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The guide part and support part are combined into a single integrated support element that performs both functions: guiding the movement along the rail and preventing lifting through the support surface. This merging eliminates the need for separate welded support profiles, simplifying manufacturing and assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 effectively reduces sudden lowering of the running rail by maintaining a consistent support width and preventing rearward lifting, ensuring stable operation across the entire travel path of the running rail, even at unknown tipping points, thereby enhancing the stability and reliability of the pull-out guide.

Implementation Method 1

the guide part of the support element is slidably guided on a guide on the central rail

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

a guide rail (2), a center rail (3) and a running rail (4), which are movable relative to one another and are preferably made of bent sheet steel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling: Roller

Data Source

PatentEP4110138B1Pull-out guide
Publication Date: 2023.12.27 PAUL HETTICH GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4110138B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4110138B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4110138B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

The invention relates to a pull-out guide (1) comprising a guide rail (2), which can be fixed to a furniture carcass, a central rail (3), which is mounted so as to be movable on the guide rail (2), and a runner (4), which is mounted so as to be movable on the central rail (3) and to which a drawer element can be fixed, wherein at least one support element (13) is arranged between the runner (4) and the central rail (3), which support element limits rear-side lifting of the runner (4) when a tilting point is reached when the runner (4) is moved in a pull-out direction, wherein the support element (13) comprises a guide part (23) and a support part (19) adjacent thereto, and the guide part (23) of the support element (13) is movably guided on a guide (14) on the central rail (3). As a result of the invention, sudden tilting of the runner can be prevented during a movement of the pull-out guide in a pull-out direction.