Roller Differential Extension Guide With Damped Self-Closing Retraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing roller differential pull-out guides face challenges in achieving a compact design and simple assembly while ensuring smooth retraction of pull-out furniture parts without impairing the smooth running of the guide rails.

Innovation Solution

A roller differential pull-out guide with a spring-loaded tilting slide integrated into the retraction mechanism, which interacts with a driver on the extension rail to facilitate self-closing and retraction, and an insertion damper to dampen the retraction movement, allowing for a compact and straightforward assembly process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a retraction mechanism with a tilting slide is integrated into the roller differential pull-out guide, then the design becomes more compact and assembly simpler, but the smooth running of the guide rails may be impaired

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign compactnessVSAvoidsmooth running
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A driver element is introduced as an intermediary component that mediates between the tilting slide and the extension rail. The driver transfers forces and movements between these components while maintaining smooth operation of the guide rails, thus resolving the contradiction between compact design and smooth running.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The tilting slide is designed to dynamically change its position and orientation during the retraction process. It can tilt and disengage as needed, allowing the mechanism to adapt its configuration to maintain smooth rail operation while achieving compact design when retracted.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If an insertion damper is added to dampen the retraction movement, then the retraction smoothness is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveretraction smoothnessVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insertion damper is merged with the existing tilting slide mechanism. The damper is integrated into the retraction path of the tilting slide, combining the damping function with the existing structural elements rather than adding completely separate components, thus reducing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Extent of automation

If the tilting slide is spring-loaded to enable self-closing, then the automation of retraction is improved, but the force requirements and potential impact on smooth running increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveself-closing capabilityVSAvoidspring force
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The spring-loaded mechanism uses the spring force to counterbalance the weight and resistance of the retraction movement. The spring is pre-loaded to provide the necessary force to automatically close the pull-out furniture part, with the force carefully calibrated to achieve automation without excessive impact on smooth running.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

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 enables a compact design with simple assembly and ensures smooth retraction of the pull-out rail, maintaining the smooth running of the guide rails by using a tilting slide that self-locks during retraction and disengages when extended, while the insertion damper effectively dampens the retraction movement.

Implementation Method 1

at least one spring (28) arranged to act on the carriage (22) in the direction of retraction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Implementation Method 2

an insertion damper (36) that dampens the drawing-in by the at least one drawing-in spring (28)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP2129260B1Roller differential extension guide
Publication Date: 2012.08.15 FULTERER GES
  • EP2129260B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2129260B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2129260B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a roller differential extension guide for extending an extensible furniture part out of a furniture body, comprising a body rail (1) for attaching to the furniture body and having a vertical base web (4), an extending rail (3), which can be attached to the extensible furniture part and is made of a vertical base web (9), a horizontal flange (10) connected to the upper edge of the base web (9), and a side web (11) extending downward from the horizontal flange (10) at a distance from the vertical base web (9) of the extending rail (3), and further comprising a center rail (2) located between the body rail (1) and the extending rail (3) and differentially running between them, on which rollers (14 - 18) are rotatably mounted to allow relative displacement of the rails (1 - 3) to one another. A retractor unit (20) is attached to the body rail (1) and has a spring-loaded rocker slide (21) that interacts with a dog formed by a section (29) protruding downward from the side web (11) of the extending rail (3).