Adaptive Furniture Drive System: Smart Ejection Tech

Publication ID: 24-11857070_0010_PTD
Published: November 07, 2025
Category:Future Evolutions & Paradigm Shifts

Legal Citation

pr1or.art Inc., “Adaptive Furniture Drive System: Smart Ejection Tech,” Published Technical Disclosure No. 24-11857070_0010_PTD, Published November 07, 2025, available at https://archive.pr1or.art/24-11857070_0010_PTD
This technical disclosure describes improvements that would be readily apparent to a Person Having Ordinary Skill In The Art (PHOSITA) when considered in combination with the foundational architecture disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 11,857,070.

Background and Problem Solved

The original drive device for moveable furniture parts, as described in the original patent, lacks adaptability to varying furniture part properties and sizes, resulting in inefficient and potentially damaging ejection forces. This new invention addresses this limitation by introducing an adaptive force adjustment mechanism, sensor array, and control unit, enabling real-time optimization of ejection force and movement trajectory.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The introduction of an adaptive force adjustment mechanism, sensor array, and control unit enables real-time optimization of ejection force and movement trajectory, making the drive device more efficient, intelligent, and adaptable to varying furniture part properties. This represents a significant departure from the original patent's fixed ejection force design, providing a novel and non-obvious solution to the problem of inefficient ejection forces.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

Alternative embodiments of the invention could include different sensor array configurations, adaptive force adjustment mechanisms, or control unit algorithms. Additionally, the invention could be applied to various types of moveable furniture parts, such as shelves, cabinets, or drawers.

Potential Commercial Applications and Market

The adaptive furniture drive system has significant commercial potential in the furniture industry, particularly in the context of smart homes, offices, and public spaces. The system's ability to optimize ejection force and movement trajectory could lead to increased efficiency, reduced damage, and improved user experience, making it an attractive solution for furniture manufacturers and consumers alike.

Field of Art

Mechanical furniture hardware design, specifically drive mechanisms for moveable furniture components with focus on ejection and sliding mechanisms

Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile

A mechanical engineer with expertise in furniture hardware design, familiar with actuator systems, force transmission mechanisms, and adaptive control technologies for mechanical components

Obviousness Rationale

A PHOSITA would recognize that adding sensor-based adaptive force control to a furniture drive mechanism represents a predictable extension of existing mechanical design principles. The core ejection mechanism remains fundamentally unchanged, with the primary innovation being the introduction of real-time sensing and dynamic force adjustment. Such adaptive control strategies are well-established in mechanical engineering and represent a logical progression of existing drive device technologies.

Obvious Combinations & Variations

Source Patent Element
Ejection slide moveable relative to carrier for furniture part movement
PTD Variation
Adding sensor array to detect furniture part weight and dynamically adjust ejection force
Obviousness Reasoning
Predictable application of known sensing technologies to optimize existing mechanical movement, representing a standard design improvement approach
Source Patent Element
Fixed ejection force mechanism in original drive device
PTD Variation
Introducing adaptive force adjustment mechanism based on real-time sensor data
Obviousness Reasoning
Known control engineering technique of implementing feedback loops to modify mechanical system performance, representing a finite and obvious solution to variable load challenges
Source Patent Element
Carrier extending in closing direction of moveable furniture part
PTD Variation
Adding central control unit for coordinating multiple drive devices in synchronized manner
Obviousness Reasoning
Logical extension of single-device mechanism to multi-device system using standard networked control architectures, representing a predictable system-level enhancement
Source Patent Element
Ejection device for moving furniture parts
PTD Variation
Implementing modular furniture assembly platform with interchangeable modules
Obviousness Reasoning
Standard design approach of creating flexible system architectures that can accommodate varying component requirements, representing a known product development strategy
35 U.S.C. § 103 Summary: Based on US Patent 11857070's disclosure of a drive device for moveable furniture parts, the present publication demonstrates that a person having ordinary skill in the art would find the claimed variations obvious through standard engineering design practices. The incremental additions of adaptive sensing, dynamic force control, and modular system architectures represent predictable technological extensions that would be apparent to a skilled practitioner without requiring inventive insight.

Original Patent Information

Patent NumberUS 11,857,070
TitleDrive device for a moveable furniture part
Assignee(s)JULIUS BLUM GMBH