AU2011331374A1

AU2011331374A1 - Pull-out guide in the form of a full-extension mechanism for a pull-out part of a piece of furniture

Info

Publication number: AU2011331374A1
Application number: AU2011331374A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Guido Babucke-Runte; Roman Herzog; Dirk Jostes; Andreas Kathler; Guido Limberg; Bernd Meyer
Original assignee: Paul Hettich GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Paul Hettich GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2010-11-16
Filing date: 2011-11-04
Publication date: 2013-06-13
Also published as: EP2640229A1; WO2012065865A1; AU2011331374A2; DE102010060584A1; CN103260470A; CN103260470B; RU2567709C2; KR20130103777A; ES2623953T3; AU2011331374A9; EP2640229B1; TW201228615A; RU2013126241A; JP2013542821A; PL2640229T3

Abstract

Pull-out guide (1) in the form of a full-extension mechanism for a pull-out part of a piece of furniture, comprising a guide rail (2) which can be fastened on the basic structure of a piece of furniture, also comprising a running rail (3) which can be coupled to a pull-out part, and further comprising a central rail (4) which is arranged between the guide rail (2) and the running rail (3), increases the pull-out length, is guided in relation to the guide rail (2) and the running rail (3) by means of rolling bodies retained in rolling-body cages (5) and consists of a shaped, cross-sectionally approximately C-form profile of which the sidepieces (4a) are folded together in roof form in order to form running surfaces (4b) for the rolling bodies, wherein the respectively free longitudinal edges (4c) of one of the running surfaces (4b) formed are otherwise fixed to the profile outside the running surfaces (4b).

Description

A pull-out guide in the form of a full-extension mechanism for a pull-out part of a piece of furniture The present invention relates to a pull-out guide in the form of a full-extension mechanism for a pull-out part of a piece of furniture, comprising a guide rail which can be fastened to the body of a piece of furniture, a running rail which can be coupled to a pull-out part, and a central rail which is arranged between the guide rail and the running rail, extends the pull-out length, is guided in relation to the guide rail and the running rail by means of rolling bodies retained in rolling-body cages, and consists of a profile which is approximately C-shaped in its cross section, which is formed by way of a forming process and whose lateral webs are folded together in form of a roof for forming running surfaces for the rolling bodies. Pull-out guides of this kind are generally known, wherein reference is made to full extension mechanisms in this field because the possibility is provided by the central rail which extends the pull-out length that a pull-out part of a piece of furniture such as a drawer can be pulled over its entire length out of a furniture body to an opened position. Pull-out guides of this kind are mounted within a body of a piece of furniture in such a way that the middle web of the C-shaped central rail extends perpendicularly. Accordingly, the plane of loading on the central rail also extends perpendicularly, which occurs laterally in a slightly offset manner in relation to the plane of the central web as a result of the C-shaped cross-sectional contour. This leads to the activation of torsional forces. The present invention is based on the object of providing a pull-out guide of the generic kind in which the loading capacity of the central rail is improved considerably in a simple manner. This object is achieved in accordance with the invention in such a way that the respectively free longitudinal edges of one of the formed running surfaces are incidentally rigidly connected to the profile outside of the running surfaces.

As a result of this measure, the entire profile that is produced by multiple forming is self contained and is thereby considerably strengthened and stiffened, by means of which the torsional stiffness of the C-shaped profile is increased substantially. Since the connection occurs in the region of the free longitudinal edges of one of the respectively formed running surfaces, the longitudinal edges of the running surfaces can incidentally be welded together without impairing the precision of the running surfaces. Spot welding can be considered in particular. It is obviously also possible to use other material, interlocking and/or friction-locked connecting techniques, e.g. the longitudinal edges of the running profile can incidentally be connected rigidly to the profile by gluing. It is also possible to incidentally press the longitudinal edges in an interlocking manner together with the profile. Further features of the invention are the subject matter of further dependent claims. Embodiments of the invention are shown in the enclosed drawings and will be described below in closer detail, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a view of a pull-out guide in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the pull-out guide according to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a front view of the pull-out guide according to Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 shows a central rail of a pull-out guide according to an embodiment of the invention as an individual part; Fig. 5 shows a view of a central rail with the rolling-body cages and a cable pull control means; Fig. 6 shows a view of a pull-out guide from a direction of view opposite of Fig. 1.

A pull-out guide is shown in its entirety with reference numeral 1 in all drawings, which guide is designated for a pull-out part of a piece of furniture, e.g. a drawer or the like. The pull-out guide 1 substantially comprises a guide rail 2, a running rail 3 and a central rail 4 which extends the pull-out length. The guide rail 2 can be fastened in the known manner with fixed location to the body of a piece of furniture. The running rail 3 is used for coupling with a pull-out part of a piece of furniture, e.g. a drawer. The central rail 4 which extends the pull-out length is arranged between the guide rail 2 and the running rail 3 and is guided in relation to the aforementioned rails 2 and 3 by rolling bodies retained in rolling-body cages 5, with preferably rolling body rollers (not shown in closer detail) being provided as rolling bodies. The upper and bottom roller bearings 11 consist of rolling-body cages 5 which are connected to each other by means of a distance bar 10. Furthermore, the pull-out guide 1 is provided with a cable pull control means 6 for synchronizing the central rail 4. The cable pull control means 6 consists of a cable 8 which is guided about two deflection rollers 7 and which is fastened to the rolling-body cages 5 disposed at the front as seen in the pull-out direction. The deflection rollers 7 are arranged in the front region of the central rail 4 on the one hand and approximately in the middle of the central rail 4 on the other hand, which is especially shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. In the case of this roller bearing 11 which is arranged in several parts, the cable 8 is accordingly connected to the rolling-body cages 5 in their front region as seen in the pull-out direction. This offers the advantage that low forces will act on the distance bar 10 when pulling out the drawer. The connection between the rolling-body cages 5 and the cable 8 is provided in a play free way, and it is preferable that the cable 8 is welded onto respectively arranged cable supports 5a. Ultrasonic welding is preferably used in this case.

Since the cable pull control means 6 is completely integrated in the region of central rail 4, the total length of the required cable 8 corresponds approximately to the entire length of the central rail 4 and is therefore virtually only half as long as the cable 8 in a prior known construction, in which the cable 8 is connected at the end side to the guide rail 2 on the one hand and to the central rail 4 on the other hand. The input of material is accordingly low and considerable cost benefits are therefore achieved in production. It is also achieved by arranging the cable pull control means 6 in the manner as described above that the circumferential speeds of the deflection rollers 7 will be halved in comparison with prior known constructions, by means of which the expected operational lifespan of the pull-out guide 1 will be increased substantially. Since the total length of the cable pull control means 6 is approximately half the length of the pull-out guide 1, a self-retracting apparatus 9, optionally combined with a damping device, can be housed in the space of the pull-out guide 1 which is not required by the cable pull control means 6. Other functional parts can also be integrated in the space that is not required by the cable pull control means 6. As is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the central rail 4 consists of a section which is formed by means of a shaping technique and is approximately C-shaped in its cross-section. The lateral webs 4a of the central rail 4 are folded together in the manner of a roof for forming the running surfaces 4b for the rolling bodies, as is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This known and reliable construction, as used in the embodiment according to Figs. 1 to 3, can be improved in a simple way even further (as shown in Fig. 4) in that the respectively free longitudinal edges 4c of one of the formed running surfaces 4b are rigidly connected incidentally to the section outside of the used area of the running surfaces. The connection can occur by gluing, welding, spot welding, point-shaped interlocked pressing or other material, interlocking and/or frictional connecting techniques. As a result, the entire multiply formed profile is self-contained and is thereby considerably strengthened and stiffened, by means of which the torsional stiffness of the C-shaped profile will be increased.

It is also possible to use a starting material as a result of these measures whose thickness is lower than what is conventionally required for the production of central rails 4. The described measures and embodiments of the pull-out guide 1 lead in summary to a cost-effective, material-saving production of a respective pull-out guide 1, which leads to the additional advantage of a presumably considerably increased operational lifespan due to lower loading, especially the deflection rollers 7 of the cable pull control means 6.

List of reference numerals 1 Pull-out guide 2 Guide rail 3 Running rail 4 Central rail 4a Lateral web 4b Running surface 4c Longitudinal edge 5a Cable support 6 Cable pull control means 7 Deflection roller 8 Cable 9 Self-retracting apparatus 10 Distance bar 11 Roller bearing

Claims

1. A pull-out guide (1) in the form of a full-extension mechanism for a pull-out part of a piece of furniture, comprising a guide rail (2) which can be fastened to the body of a piece of furniture, a running rail (3) which can be coupled to a pull-out part, and a central rail (4) which is arranged between the guide rail (2) and the running rail (3), extends the pull-out length, is guided in relation to the guide rail (2) and the running rail (3) by means of rolling bodies retained in rolling-body cages (5), and consists of a profile which is approximately C shaped in its cross section, which is formed by way of a forming process and whose lateral webs (4a) are folded together in form of a roof for forming running surfaces (4b) for the rolling bodies, characterized in that the respectively free longitudinal edges (4c) of one of the formed running surfaces (4b) are incidentally rigidly connected to the profile outside of the running surfaces (4b).

2. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinal edges (4c) of the running surfaces (4b) are incidentally welded together with the profile.

3. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinal edges (4c) of the running surfaces (4b) are incidentally connected to the profile by spot welding.

4. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinal edges (4c) of the running surfaces (4b) are incidentally rigidly connected to the profile by gluing.

5. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinal edges (4c) of the running surfaces (4b) are incidentally pressed together with the profile in an interlocking fashion.

6. A pull-out guide (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the central rail (4) is synchronized by the cable pull control means (6), characterized in that cable pull control means (6) consists of a cable (8) which is guided about two deflection rollers (7) which are mounted on the central rail (4), and which cable is fastened to the rolling-body cages (5) between the running rail (3) and the guide rail (2) on the one hand and the central rail (4) on the other hand.

7. A pull-out guide according to claim 6, characterized in that in the case of roller bearings (11) arranged in several parts the cable (8) is connected to rolling body cages (5) disposed at the front in the pull-out direction.

8. A pull-out guide according to claim 7, characterized in that the cable (8) is fastened to the rolling-body cages (5) in a play-free manner.

9. A pull-out guide according to claim 8, characterized in that the cable (8) is welded together with the rolling-body cages (5).

10. A pull-out guide according to claim 8, characterized in that the cable (8) is connected to the rolling-body cages (5) by ultrasonic welding.