Rear Wall Connector for Frameless Lightweight Furniture Panels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solutions for attaching a rear wall to furniture made from frameless honeycomb panels are economically, technically, and aesthetically unsatisfactory, as they require complex processing and do not provide sufficient stability or concealment of fastening elements.

Innovation Solution

An additional element with a connecting surface and receiving channel is designed to simply and securely attach a rear wall to lightweight panels, providing stabilization and hiding fastening elements, which can be adapted to the panel's width and integrated into the cover layers or frame profile, and can be made of plastic or light metal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional fastening methods are used to attach a rear wall to frameless lightweight panel furniture, then the rear wall can be connected, but the fastening elements remain visible and the aesthetic appearance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidaesthetic appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an additional element as an intermediary component that mediates between the rear wall and the lightweight panel. This additional element has a receiving channel that conceals the fastening elements while providing a stable connection, thus resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and aesthetic appearance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The connection system is divided into separate functional components: the additional element with receiving channel for concealment, and the fastening elements for structural connection. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function - aesthetic concealment and mechanical stability respectively

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If frame profiles are introduced into the edge area of lightweight panels to enable conventional fastening, then fastening is possible, but the processing time and manufacturing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening capabilityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The additional element is pre-designed with an integrated receiving channel that provides both the fastening capability and the concealment function. This preliminary design eliminates the need for time-consuming on-site processing such as milling grooves or introducing frame profiles, as the fastening structure is already prepared in advance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The additional element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the receiving channel for fastening elements, conceals the fastening components, and integrates with the lightweight panel structure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate frame profiles or additional processing steps

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

3Ease of manufacture

If dowel principles or bonding alone are used to connect fittings to frameless panels, then fastening is possible, but the force transmission capability and connection strength are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening methodVSAvoidforce transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The additional element combines multiple fastening mechanisms within a single integrated structure - mechanical interlocking through the receiving channel, adhesive bonding surfaces, and structural support. This composite approach provides superior force transmission capability compared to single-method fastening while maintaining ease of manufacture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP2015652B1Additional element for a furniture part made of a lightweight structural panel, furniture part and piece of furniture
Publication Date: 2012.03.28 FRITZ EGGER GMBH & CO OG
  • EP2015652B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1c
  • EP2015652B1 patent drawingFigure 1d~2b
  • EP2015652B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The invention relates to an additional element (1) for attaching a rear wall (3) to furniture parts made of lightweight structural panels (5), having at least one connecting surface (7) for fastening on at least one cover panel (9) of the furniture part (5), and having at least one receiving channel (11) for receiving the periphery of the rear wall. This additional element solves the technical problem of providing a way of straightforwardly connecting a rear wall to a frameless lightweight structural panel. The invention also relates to a furniture part and to a piece of furniture. Figure 1 is the figure intended for the abstract.