Sliding element guide system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guide systems for sliding elements in furniture and domestic appliances face challenges in achieving high mechanical load-bearing capacity and economical production, while also requiring improved synchronization of movements between guide rails and carriages.
Innovation Solution
The proposed sliding element guide system incorporates a central rail with two identical synchronization elements, configured as rotatable friction wheels or deflection rollers, which are positioned on opposite sides of the central rail to synchronize the movements of the cabinet unit rail, sliding element rail, and carriages, enhancing mechanical load-bearing capacity and economical production by allowing for precise alignment and synchronization of guide rails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional guide systems are used without synchronization elements, then the structure is simpler and production is easier, but the mechanical load-bearing capacity is reduced and movement synchronization between guide rails is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces synchronization elements as intermediary components between the guide rails and carriages. These elements act as mediators that transmit and coordinate forces and movements across multiple guide rails, thereby improving mechanical load-bearing capacity and movement synchronization without fundamentally redesigning the entire guide system structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide system is segmented into distinct functional components: guide rails, carriages, and synchronization elements. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the synchronization elements can be specifically designed for load-bearing and synchronization functions while the guide rails and carriages maintain their structural roles, resolving the contradiction between strength and complexity.
2Strength
If multiple guide rails are used to increase load-bearing capacity, then the mechanical strength improves, but the synchronization of movements between rails becomes more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization elements incorporate feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor and adjust the positions and movements of multiple guide rails. This feedback ensures that all rails move in unison, maintaining reliable synchronization even as the system handles increased mechanical loads through multiple rails working together.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization elements serve as intermediary components that actively coordinate the movements of multiple guide rails. By positioning these elements between the rails and carriages, the system achieves reliable movement synchronization across all rails while maintaining the enhanced load-bearing capacity provided by the multi-rail configuration.
3Reliability
If synchronization elements are added to improve movement coordination, then the movement synchronization improves, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization elements are designed with adjustable parameters that allow optimization of both performance and manufacturability. By carefully selecting material properties, dimensional parameters, and mounting configurations, the elements achieve reliable movement synchronization while remaining compatible with standard manufacturing processes and cost-effective production methods.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than making the entire guide system complex, the synchronization elements apply localized quality enhancements only where needed - at the interface points between guide rails and carriages. This localized approach improves movement synchronization reliability without requiring complex modifications throughout the entire system, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture and production economy.
4Manufacturing precision
If more synchronization elements are added to improve synchronization precision, then the movement coordination improves, but the device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial synchronization - using synchronization elements at critical positions rather than throughout the entire length of all guide rails. This partial action approach achieves sufficient alignment precision for the application by focusing synchronization efforts where they are most needed, avoiding the excessive complexity that would result from complete synchronization along the entire rail length.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide system is segmented into zones with and without synchronization elements. This segmentation allows alignment precision to be optimized at critical segments while maintaining simplicity in other segments, thereby achieving the required manufacturing precision without proportionally increasing the total number of components and overall device complexity.
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
This configuration ensures reliable synchronization of guide rails and carriages, improving mechanical load-bearing capacity and facilitating economical production by enabling precise alignment and synchronization, thus enhancing the overall performance and efficiency of the guide system.
Implementation Method 1
The synchronization elements are configured as rotatable friction wheels or deflection rollers
Data Source
AI summary
Sliding element guide system for furniture including a cabinet unit rail, central rail, sliding element rail, and a carriage such that the cabinet unit rail, central rail, and sliding element rail are mounted so as to be movable in relation to one another. The system also includes synchronization means including a synchronization element to synchronize movements of elements of the system. Two identical synchronization elements are present on the central rail and are rotatably disposed on the central rail. The synchronization elements are disposed so as to be mutually opposite and mutually spaced apart on both sides of the central rail. The synchronization elements are configured on mutually opposite end sides of the central rail or on mutually opposite external sides of the central rail.