Rigid support and fixing device for furniture shelves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shelf support devices for furniture are complex, require drilling of intricate holes, and are prone to infiltration of foreign materials, leading to aesthetic issues and increased assembly time and resources.
Innovation Solution
A rigid support and fixing device with a closed casing that uses a pin and cam mechanism for secure and easy assembly, featuring a hollow body with ribs or fins for stability and a spring-loaded pin for automatic retraction, allowing for in-line assembly and preventing foreign material infiltration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a window is provided in the casing of the shelf support, then the assembly process is simplified, but foreign materials can infiltrate into the device affecting correct operation
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into a movable pin component and a stationary casing component. The pin can move independently within the casing, allowing the shelf to be inserted and secured without requiring openings in the casing. This segmentation enables simplified assembly while maintaining a closed structure that prevents foreign material infiltration.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin is designed with self-centering features that allow it to automatically position itself within the casing during assembly. The pin's movement is constrained by the casing geometry, enabling the shelf support to be assembled by simply inserting the shelf without requiring external alignment tools or operators to manually position components.
2Reliability
If protrusions that move during sliding of the pin are arranged in the window, then the pin can be secured, but contacts with the operator or external elements can cause various problems
Solution Approach 1:
The pin is nested within the closed casing structure, with the pin's protrusions contained inside the casing rather than exposed on the exterior. This nesting arrangement allows the pin to be securely secured to the shelf while preventing any contact between the moving protrusions and the operator or external elements, eliminating safety hazards.
3Reliability
If complex holes are drilled in the shelf or positioning parts are placed in both sides and shelf, then the support device can be secured, but the assembly and fitting processes become complex
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning function is extracted from the shelf and concentrated entirely in the pin component. The pin contains all necessary positioning features and geometry to ensure correct placement within the casing, eliminating the need for complex holes in the shelf or additional positioning parts. This extraction simplifies the overall assembly process while maintaining secure shelf connection.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple component elements are used, then the device can be adjusted and secured, but the assembly and fitting require more time and handling
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into the pin component, which combines positioning, securing, and adjustment capabilities in a single element. The pin's geometry integrates what would otherwise require separate components, allowing the shelf support to be assembled in a single insertion action without requiring multiple steps or handling of separate parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin is designed as a universal component that performs multiple functions: it positions the shelf, secures it to the casing, and provides adjustment capability through its movement within the casing. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate adjustment mechanisms or multiple specialized components, reducing assembly time while maintaining adaptability.
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 device provides a stable, safe, and aesthetically pleasing solution for shelf support, ensuring secure positioning of shelves while minimizing assembly time and preventing foreign material ingress, thus enhancing operational efficiency and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a pin (11) associated with a shelf (12) in a blind hole (13) obtained in the thickness thereof, which is configured to protrude from a transverse edge of the shelf (12) and which is designed to fit into a corresponding hole (14) that houses it obtained in a side (15) of a furniture unit
Data Source
AI summary
A compact support and fixing device for furniture shelves includes a casing containing a pin compressing a spring between positions of maximum extraction and maximum retraction inside the casing, and a cam for controlling the movement of the pin. The casing has a hollow body with an end wall having a through hole to receive a free terminal end of the pin and another end having an opening to receive a closing plug. The pin has a first end portion of smaller diameter, an intermediate section having a flat surface with a recess receiving an eccentric lobed element of the cam acting on a through opening of the recess, thus determining the movement of the pin between maximum extraction and maximum retraction by rotation of the cam. Retaining elements for retaining the cam inside the hollow body of the casing in an operating position, after insertion, are also provided.