Any ideas for electrical lifting mechanism to raise bed drawer?


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Old 09-04-19, 03:21 AM
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Any ideas for electrical lifting mechanism to raise bed drawer?

Hi everyone, I have a bed with a drawer underneath that opens up. Originally there was only the swivel mechanism. And the top cover would not stay open, you had to hold it by hand. So I added furniture gas struts to hold it in open position. But it was still hard to open it. So I installed a linear actuator to open it. It came with power adapter and wireless remote control. Now its convenient to open it.

But my problem is, this linear actuator only works with power, you cannot operate it by hand. So the only way to open the drawer is to use the remote, you cannot just open it by hand. That is ok, as long as everything is working fine. But if it doesn't there is no way to open it and get inside to fix it. For that I tied a rope on the pin that is securing the actuator to the bed, so if pulled it will release the actuator and i will be able to get inside.

So now I am looking for similar mechanism but that is capable to be operated by hand as well. I was thinking maybe the mechanism from a car power trunk? But I have no idea how i could install it and wire it in. Maybe someone has any good ideas how to achieve both electric and manual operation of this drawer top?

I have added some pictures that show how its all set up.
 
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  #2  
Old 09-04-19, 05:10 AM
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1) Add a stronger gas strut

2) Typewriter drawer lift-spring mechanism. It will lift about 20 lbs easily.
I've got a wooden 1950s era desk with a spring-loaded typewriter drawer,
(random image from google search of something similar)


The spring lift mechanism lifts a shelf with a 20 lb typewriter through 1/4 of an arc, while keeping the shelf level. A bit of tinkering should allow you to adapt that sort of spring loaded assist.
 
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Old 09-04-19, 07:55 AM
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Sorry that I can't be more specific as I am not an engineer so would have to play with it a bit, and don't know how fond you might be of the idea of using the actuator, but I believe you could otherwise achieve what you want with a properly sized and positioned strut. Whether such a furniture strut is available I don't know, but the amount of travel and presumed weight look to me to be somewhat consistent with what you find on vehicle hoods and trunks. Looking at the geometry of the strut that you have in place, I think that its' force is directed more into the hinge than up for over half of its' travel. It makes sense that it holds it up because that angle looks good, essentially turning it into a prop rod, but I'm thinking that you need something with more travel that connects closer to the edge where you are standing in order to help with the actual lift.
 
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Old 09-04-19, 09:46 AM
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I'd remove the struts and actuator and just get bigger springs so the drawer is open by default.

Then I'd use a car trunk lock actuator and a spring pin-latch to hold it closed.


To open manually, tie a cord from an eye-bolt to the spring pin, with the cord sitting just above the hand-holes. Reach in and up, and pull the cord down with your fingers. The spring pin moves sideways, comes out of the trunk lock and the drawer opens.

To open remotely, trigger the car trunk lock actuator so that it opens and releases its grip on the spring pin.
 
 

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