Multi-Part Sliding Door Fitting with Segmented Guides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-part door arrangements for upper cabinets, such as those in kitchens, either protrude into the room when open, risking impact, or require significant torque to maintain an open position, and often limit access to the cabinet interior, making it difficult to achieve a uniform furniture front.
Innovation Solution
A furniture fitting system incorporating a sliding guide, lifting guide, and parallel guide allows the multi-part door to move in a combined sliding and pivoting motion, ensuring the door does not protrude into the room or interior when open, while maintaining a uniform cabinet front by guiding the first surface element independently and jointly with the second surface element through these guides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a sliding door arrangement with vertically movable panel elements is used, then the door does not protrude into the room, but access to the cabinet interior is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The door is divided into multiple independent panel elements (first panel element, second panel element, third panel element) that can move separately through different phases: the first panel slides horizontally, the second panel tilts and slides, and the third panel moves independently. This segmentation allows each panel to contribute differently to accessing the cabinet interior while maintaining a compact closed position.
Solution Approach 2:
The door assembly transitions from a static closed position to a dynamic open configuration through sequential movements. The panel elements change their motion patterns during opening: the first panel performs horizontal sliding, the second panel performs tilting followed by sliding, and the third panel moves independently. This dynamic behavior enables full cabinet access while minimizing protrusion when closed.
2Ease of operation
If a multi-part door with interlocking panel elements is used, then the door can be opened to access the cabinet, but the assembly protrudes forward beyond the cabinet body
Solution Approach 1:
The door opening mechanism utilizes multiple spatial dimensions: the first panel moves horizontally along guide tracks, the second panel tilts (rotational movement) and then slides vertically, and the third panel moves independently. By distributing movements across different dimensions and directions, the overall protrusion is minimized while maintaining full access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The door is segmented into three independently controlled panel elements, each with its own guide tracks and movement mechanism. This allows the panels to move in different directions and at different times during the opening sequence, preventing the entire assembly from protruding forward as a single unit.
3Stability of the object's composition
If lateral support levers are used to support the open door, then the door can be held open, but the support levers protrude forward beyond the cabinet body
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional lateral support levers are replaced by extracting the support function into the guide track system itself. The guide tracks are designed to guide and support the panel elements throughout their movement, eliminating the need for separate protruding support structures. The support function is integrated into the existing guiding mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The support function is merged with the guiding function. The same guide tracks that direct the horizontal and vertical movements of the panel elements also provide the necessary support to hold the door in its open position, eliminating the need for separate support levers that would protrude beyond the cabinet body.
4Length of moving object
If the door retracts into the interior of the cabinet, then the door does not protrude forward, but part of the interior becomes unusable for storage
Solution Approach 1:
The door system is segmented into three panel elements with different movement patterns. The first panel slides horizontally along guide tracks mounted on the cabinet exterior, the second panel tilts and slides along its own tracks, and the third panel moves independently. This segmentation allows the door to open without retracting into the cabinet interior, preserving full storage volume.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of retracting the door inward (one-dimensional movement into the cabinet), the system uses horizontal sliding and tilting movements along the cabinet exterior. This dimensional change in the opening path allows the door to clear the cabinet opening without consuming interior storage space.
5Shape
If the door is designed to maintain a uniform furniture front, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door is segmented into three independently controllable panel elements, each with its own guide tracks and movement mechanism. This segmentation allows precise control over the position and orientation of each panel, enabling them to align perfectly with the cabinet front when closed while maintaining aesthetic uniformity throughout the furniture piece.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 1e~1f
AI summary
The invention relates to a furniture fitting for carrying out a sliding movement of a multi-part door (20) which has at least a first surface element (21) and a second surface element (22), wherein the furniture fitting has a sliding guide (30) for the first and/or second surface element (21) and a lifting guide (50) for the first and/or second surface element (22).The furniture fitting is characterized in that the first surface element (21) is coupled to the sliding guide (30) via a parallel guide (40), wherein: - in a first movement phase, the first surface element (21) is guided displaceably relative to the second surface element (22) by the parallel guide (40) in a direction transverse to the surface extent of the first surface element (21); - in a second movement phase, the first surface element (21) is guided linearly displaceably relative to the second surface element (22) in a direction corresponding to the surface extent of the first surface element (21); and - in a third movement phase, the first surface element (21) is coupled to the second surface element (22), and both surface elements (21, 22) are guided together linearly displaceably by the sliding guide (30) and the lifting guide (50). The invention further relates to a piece of furniture with such a furniture fitting.