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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pull-out guides face challenges in achieving a large displacement path with a minimal spring stroke, leading to increased overall length and integration issues, especially for high-load applications where long retraction lengths are required to absorb kinetic energy during furniture part retraction.

Innovation Solution

A pull-out guide with a displacement device featuring a central rail with toothed racks coupled via a gear, where drivers interact with coupling parts on the rails to move the racks into waiting positions, allowing for a significantly shorter spring stroke while achieving a larger displacement path, and incorporating a damper for controlled retraction and extension.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a conventional spring-loaded closing device is used to achieve automatic retraction, then the retraction function is provided, but the spring stroke must be very long (about twice the feed path) to ensure sufficient pull-in force over the entire path, leading to increased overall length

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic retraction functionVSAvoidoverall length of pull-out guide
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The feed mechanism is divided into two distinct functional sections: a feed section that extends the pull-out furniture part, and a pull-in section that provides automatic retraction. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized independently, with the pull-in section using a compact spring mechanism that only needs to cover a short distance (5-25% of total feed path) rather than the entire feed path, thereby reducing the overall length requirement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The damper is positioned to act on the pull-out furniture part before the spring-loaded closing device becomes active. The damper reduces the advancing speed and kinetic energy of the furniture part in advance, allowing the subsequent spring mechanism to operate more effectively with a shorter stroke, as it doesn't need to overcome excessive momentum over a long distance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Force

If a long spring stroke is used to provide sufficient pull-in force over the entire feed path, then the retraction force is adequate, but the overall length of the pull-out guide increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepull-in forceVSAvoidoverall length of pull-out guide
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanism segments the feed path into a feed section and a pull-in section, concentrating the force-generating spring mechanism only in the pull-in section. This allows the spring to exert adequate pull-in force over a short distance (5-25% of total feed path) rather than distributing the force requirement over the entire feed path, thereby maintaining sufficient retraction force while reducing overall length

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The damper provides continuous damping action throughout the feed section, continuously reducing the kinetic energy and speed of the pull-out furniture part. This continuous pre-conditioning ensures that when the spring mechanism engages in the pull-in section, the furniture part is already moving at a controlled speed, allowing the spring to maintain adequate pull-in force over a shorter distance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 design enables a larger feed path with a significantly shorter spring stroke, reducing the overall length of the pull-out guide and allowing for efficient self-retraction and self-extension functions, while maintaining effective energy absorption during retraction.

Implementation Method 1

a guide part (16) arranged on the middle rail (3), from which a first and a second toothed rack (17, 18) coupled via at least one gear wheel (19) are guided in a displaceable manner

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGear mechanism: Gear

Implementation Method 2

closing devices (also known as self-closing devices or pull-in mechanisms), which automatically pull in the pull-out furniture part over a final section of the insertion path when the pull-out furniture part is pushed in

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic potential energy storage and release: Spring

Implementation Method 3

closing devices are usually equipped with insertion dampers in order to dampen the retraction movement of the pull-out furniture part in the last section of the retraction path

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscous damping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3498131B1Removal guide
Publication Date: 2020.05.27 FULTERER AG & CO KG
  • EP3498131B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3498131B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3498131B1 patent drawingFigure 5~8

AI summary

A pull-out guide for extending a pull-out furniture component from a furniture carcass comprises a sliding device by which the rails can be automatically moved into the retracted position during the final section of the pull-out guide's retraction. The sliding device has a guide element (16) arranged on the central rail, by which a first and a second rack (17, 18), coupled via at least one gear (19), are slidably guided. A first coupling element (23) is connected to the first rack (17), which interacts with a first driver (27) arranged on the first rail (1), and a second coupling element (24) is connected to the second rack (18), which interacts with a second driver (28) arranged on the second rail (2).