Touch-Latch Link Track Hardness Layout for Quiet Furniture Opening
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current drive devices for furniture, particularly those using touch-latch mechanisms, suffer from high noise levels due to the interaction of control elements with link tracks, which is exacerbated by the mechanical forces and play between moving components.
Innovation Solution
The link track is designed with side wall areas of varying hardness, featuring at least one hard and two soft side wall areas, where the soft areas are strategically placed in noise-prone regions to absorb impact and reduce noise through deformation, and can be made from materials like thermoplastic polyurethane or formed geometrically as thin-walled components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the link track has uniform hard side walls, then the structural strength and guiding precision are improved, but the noise level increases due to impact between the control element and side walls
Solution Approach 1:
The link track is designed with side wall areas of different hardness: hard side wall areas for structural strength and soft side wall areas (made of elastomeric material) in noise-prone regions where the control element impacts. This local differentiation allows the link track to have both overall strength and localized noise reduction capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The link track combines different materials with different properties: a rigid base material for the hard side wall areas and an elastomeric material for the soft side wall areas. This composite structure enables the link track to simultaneously provide structural support and noise damping through material differentiation.
2Productivity
If the control element moves quickly through the link track, then the productivity is improved, but the impact forces and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The soft side wall areas made of elastomeric material convert the harmful impact energy from fast-moving control elements into beneficial deformation and vibration damping. The elastomeric material absorbs impact energy through elastic deformation, transforming what would be noisy impacts into silent energy dissipation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the link track is made entirely of soft material, then the noise is reduced, but the guiding precision and structural integrity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The link track is designed with side wall areas of different hardness: hard side wall areas for structural strength and soft side wall areas (made of elastomeric material) in noise-prone regions where the control element impacts. This local differentiation allows the link track to have both overall strength and localized noise reduction capabilities.
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 design significantly reduces noise development by allowing the control element to deform upon impact, converting impact energy into deformation rather than noise, thereby enhancing user experience and operational quietness.
Implementation Method 1
the soft areas are strategically placed in noise-prone regions to absorb impact and reduce noise through deformation
Implementation Method 2
allowing the control element to deform upon impact, converting impact energy into deformation rather than noise
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Drive device (1) for a movable furniture part (2), with - a force-loaded ejection element (3) for ejecting the movable furniture part (2) from a closed position (SS) into an open position (OS) and - a locking device (4) for locking the Ejection element (3) in a locking position (V), the locking device (4) having a control element (5) connected to the ejection element (3) and a link track (6) for the control element (5), the link track (6) - outside of an optionally present detent recess (7) - has side wall areas (8, 9) of different hardness in some areas.