Furniture Wing Fitting Damping via Nested Lever Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flap fittings for furniture, particularly in kitchen and home furniture, face challenges in compactly integrating a damping mechanism to smoothly guide flaps into closed positions without hindering their movement when open, often complicating the structure and requiring additional space.
Innovation Solution
A structurally simple coupling is achieved by positioning the damper within the flap fitting's lever mechanism, where the transmission lever acts as both a control section for the spring unit and the damping unit, allowing for a compact design that can be integrated into a furniture side wall, using a linear damper with a cylinder and piston rod, and mounting the damping unit on side plates or an intermediate frame for efficient space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a linear damper is coupled via a lever chain to the lever mechanism, then the flap can be damped when approaching closed position, but the lever chain complicates the design of the flap fitting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the damping unit directly into the existing lever mechanism by having the transmission lever perform dual functions: controlling the spring unit and actuating the damper. This eliminates the need for a separate lever chain, merging the damping function into the existing structural framework and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmission lever is designed to serve multiple purposes: it acts as a control section for the spring unit and simultaneously serves as the actuating mechanism for the damping unit. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed while maintaining both the spring and damping functions.
2Volume of moving object
If the damper is integrated into the flap fitting, then the overall size is reduced, but space for damper actuation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The damping unit is nested within the housing of the flap fitting, with the linear damper positioned inside the existing structural envelope. The transmission lever projects beyond the pivot points to provide the necessary actuation space without increasing the overall external dimensions of the flap fitting, effectively nesting the damper within the available internal volume.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the transmission lever projects beyond pivot points to actuate both spring unit and damping unit, then additional functionalities are achieved, but material and installation space are required
Solution Approach 1:
The extended transmission lever is designed to perform multiple functions: it controls the spring unit through one interaction point and actuates the damping unit through another. This single extended component replaces what would otherwise require separate control mechanisms, making the additional length worthwhile by providing versatile functionality without proportionally increasing material requirements.
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 solution enables smooth damping of the flap's movement into the closed position while maintaining free movement when open, reducing the overall size of the flap fitting and allowing it to be seamlessly integrated into furniture side walls, enhancing the compactness and functionality of the furniture.
Implementation Method 1
a damping unit with at least one damper for damping the flap as it approaches a closed end position
Implementation Method 2
a spring unit that holds the flap fitting in the closed and/or an open end position
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 2a
AI summary
The invention relates to a wing fitting (1) for a piece of furniture, comprising a compound lever (20) consisting of a plurality of levers for guiding a wing of the piece of furniture, and a damping unit (50) comprising at least one damper for damping the wing as it approaches a closed end position. The wing fitting is characterised in that the damping unit (50) is arranged inside a housing (10) of the wing fitting (1) and comprises an abutment (531) against which one of the levers of the compound lever (20) presses in order to damp the movement of the wing. The invention also relates to a side wall for a body of a piece of furniture, into which such a wing fitting (1) is inserted or incorporated, and to a piece of furniture comprising a body and a guided wing, said body comprising at least one such side wall (2).