Sliding Door Guide Mechanism for Cupboard Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for sliding doors on cupboards are complex and costly, requiring multiple components and a rail at the bottom of the door to prevent deviation, which complicates installation and adjustment.

Innovation Solution

A device with a simplified design that uses a linear guide with a first and second rail mounted on the cabin's upper face, along with a further guide having a linear and inclined portion, allowing the door to slide smoothly without a bottom rail and enabling fine adjustment to compensate for fitting errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rail at the bottom of the door is used to prevent deviation during sliding, then the door stability is improved, but the device complexity and installation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor stabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the bottom rail component from the door assembly. Instead of attaching a rail to the bottom of the door, the system uses only top-mounted guides (linear guide with first and second rails, and further guide with linear and inclined portions) that extend the full length of the door opening. The door is supported and guided exclusively from the top, removing the need for bottom rail attachment and simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining sliding stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a two-point support system (top and bottom rails) to a distributed top-support system. The linear guide with its first rail and second rail, combined with the further guide having linear and inclined portions, creates a multi-dimensional guiding structure at the top that provides stability throughout the entire sliding path, eliminating the need for bottom support.

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

2Reliability

If multiple components are used to ensure smooth sliding, then the sliding reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost and installation effort increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesliding reliabilityVSAvoidease of manufacture
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges multiple guiding functions into a integrated top-mounted guide system. The linear guide (with first and second rails) and the further guide (with linear and inclined portions) work together as a unified structure that provides both positioning and sliding guidance. This consolidation reduces the total number of separate components compared to traditional systems that require separate bottom rails, side guides, and adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The top-mounted guide system performs multiple functions simultaneously: the linear guide provides horizontal positioning and sliding guidance, while the further guide with its inclined portions provides both positioning and the retraction function. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, simplifying manufacturing and installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If a complex adjustment mechanism is added to compensate for fitting errors, then the adjustment precision is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustment precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention incorporates adjustable elements within the guide system that allow for dynamic adjustment of the door position and alignment. The guide structure includes features that can be adjusted during installation to compensate for fitting errors in the spatial directions, providing fine-tuning capability without requiring a separate complex adjustment mechanism. This dynamic adjustability is integrated into the guide structure itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4111025B1Device for a sliding door
Publication Date: 2025.06.04 SAMET KALIP & MADEN ESYA SAN & TIC A S
  • EP4111025B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4111025B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4111025B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a device for sliding a door (3) on a cabin (2). The invention particularly relates to a device for a cupboard (1) having two or more than two doors (3) which are coplanar to each other in a retracted position or overlaps the other in an extracted position. The device comprises a linear guide (6) with a first rail (6a) and a second rail (6b) and being mounted onto the cabin (2) along an upper face (4) thereof; a further guide (7) having a linear portion (7a) being paralel to the linear guide (6) and an inclined portion (7b) extending transversely to the linear guide (6); a moving part (5) having a first slide (51) which slidebly runs along the linear guide (6) and a second slide (52) which slidebly runs along the further guide (7) and being displaceble with respect to the first slide (51) from a retracted position to an extracted position or vice versa and being connected to the door (3) by means of a connecting element (10); the first slide (51) comprising two sliding means (51a, 51b) running on the first rail (6a) and the second rail (6b) respectively; a space (53) being defined between the sliding means (51a, 51b) allowing the second slide (52) to be guided along the further guide (7); the second slide (52) being displaceble between the sliding means (51a, 51b) from the retracted position to the extracted position or vice versa when it moves along the inclined portion (7b) of the further guide (7), and the first slide (51) being configured such that it is movable along the linear guide (7) when the second slide (52) is in the extracted position.