Side Cover Fastening to Blind Panel Profile for Flush Drawer Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fastening devices for side covers on panel profiles often result in non-flush contact, compromising aesthetics due to their bulky design and inability to fit within the profile dimensions.

Innovation Solution

A device with strategically positioned fastening and mounting holes, where the distance between the fastening holes on the side cover and the stop surface is smaller than the distance between the mounting holes on the panel profile, ensuring gap-free attachment and allowing for smaller, more aesthetically pleasing side covers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional fastening devices are used to attach side covers to panel profiles, then the side covers can be secured to the profile, but the side covers become bulky and do not lie flush against the profile, compromising aesthetics

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure attachmentVSAvoidaesthetic appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The fastening section of the side cover is inserted into a hollow receiving section of the panel profile, nesting the fastening mechanism within the profile structure. This allows the fastening holes to be positioned inside the profile rather than requiring external bulky fasteners, enabling flush mounting while maintaining secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from surface-level or external fastening to internal fastening by creating hollow receiving sections within the panel profile. This dimensional reorganization allows fastening holes to be positioned in the depth dimension of the profile, enabling the side cover edges to lie flush against the profile outer surfaces while maintaining reliable attachment through internally positioned fastening holes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Shape

If side covers are made smaller to improve aesthetics, then they better match the panel profile dimensions, but they cannot achieve flush contact with the profile

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidflush contact
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The hollow receiving sections are pre-formed within the panel profile during manufacturing, with fastening holes positioned at predetermined locations. This preliminary preparation of the internal structure allows smaller side covers to be accurately positioned and flush-mounted without requiring post-assembly adjustments or complex alignment procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The hollow receiving sections act as intermediary structures that mediate between the side cover and the panel profile. These receiving sections provide precisely positioned fastening holes that serve as intermediaries for transmitting attachment forces, enabling smaller side covers to achieve accurate flush contact with the profile while maintaining secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Volume of moving object

If fastening holes are positioned closer to the stop surface, then smaller side covers can be used, but the fastening geometry becomes more constrained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveside cover sizeVSAvoidfastening geometry
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The side cover is segmented into distinct functional sections: a stop section with a stop surface for positioning, and a fastening section with fastening holes for attachment. This segmentation allows the fastening holes to be positioned independently closer to the stop surface while maintaining proper fastening geometry through the separated functional zones, enabling smaller overall side cover dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the side cover are given different local qualities and functions. The stop section provides positioning with its stop surface, while the fastening section provides attachment with its fastening holes. This local differentiation allows optimized positioning of fastening holes closer to the stop surface without compromising fastening effectiveness, as each section is designed for its specific function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2989928B1Movable furniture part with a device for fixing a side cover to a blind profile of the furniture part
Publication Date: 2017.11.15 GRASS GMBH
  • EP2989928B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

A device for fastening a side cover (12) to a panel profile (13) of a movable furniture part, in particular a drawer, has a stop section (29) formed on the side cover (12) and equipped with a stop surface (28) and a fastening section (30 ) which can be inserted into a hollow receiving section (18) on the panel profile (13) extending from a profile edge (17) into the interior of the panel profile (13), with at least one fastening hole (35a-d) being formed on the fastening section (30). is assigned to which at least one mounting hole (22a, b) extending on the cover profile (13) from a cover profile rear side (19) into the hollow receiving section (18), the fastening hole (35a-d) and the mounting hole (22a, b) are aligned with one another in such a way that the fastening section (30) when fastening means are inserted through the mounting hole (22a, b) into the fastening hole ( 35a-d) can be pushed into the receiving section (18), so that the stop section (29) can be pressed against the profile edge (17) of the panel profile (13).