GB2437482A

GB2437482A - Self-closing drawer slide assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2437482A
Application number: GB0608563A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Teng-Yi Juan
Original assignee: Sun Chain Metal Ind Co Ltd
Current assignee: Sun Chain Metal Ind Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-04-29
Filing date: 2006-04-29
Publication date: 2007-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 2026-04-29
Also published as: GB0608563D0; GB2437482B

Abstract

A drawer slide assembly comprises: a seat 1, two stopping members 2, a slide member 3, a positioning member 4, a rail A, guide means 5, a spring 6, and a slide arm 7. An inserting hole 52 is formed on the guide means, and the positioning member is fixed on the slide member. A spring 6 is positioned between the inserting hole and the lower end of the positioning member. An end 71 of the slide arm is engaged with the upper end of the positioning member. When the drawer is closed, the slide arm will press against the positioning member and push the slide member. so that the slide member can position the stopping member and expand the spring. When the drawer is closed, the slide arm will be engaged from the slide member, and the recovering force of the spring can be used as an assistant force for opening the drawer.

Description

DRAWER SLIDE ASSEMBLY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a drawer, and more particularly to a drawer slide assembly with self-closing function.

Description of the Prior Art

A drawer slide assembly is usually provided with spring type self-closing device for ensuring that the drawer is maintained in a closed position. Most of the existing self-closing devices comprise one spring, and for ensuring service life, a double spring self-closing device has been developed. However, the elastic force of the double spring self-closing device is too great, and this makes :.:::. the drawer difficult to be opened. S...

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the : : afore-described disadvantages of the conventional spring type self-closing S..

device for a drawer. *..

" SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

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* The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a drawer slide assembly, which can provide an assistant force for opening the drawers.

A drawer slide assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises: a seat, two stopping members, a slide member, a positioning member, a rail, guide means, a spring, and a slide arm. The seat is defined with parallel tracks, and two protruding grooves formed at both sides of the parallel tracks.

The two stopping members each has an abutting portion, the abutting portions of the two stopping members press against each through the protruding grooves at both sides of the seat. The slide member slideably is installed in the tracks of the seat. The positioning member is inserted in the slide member, and both ends of the positioning member are protruded out of top and bottom surfaces of the slide member. The rail is connected to the seat. Guide means is positioned in the rail, a swing block is pivotally installed on the guide means, and an inserting hole is formed in the guide means and located opposite a lower end of the slide member.

The spring with one end positioned on the lower end of the slide member and with another end fixed in the inserting hole of the guide means. The slide arm includes a hook portion and an engaging portion, the slide arm slideably is installed in the rail, the hook portion is formed in on a bottom of the slide arm, the slide arm will hook the swing block of the guide means when it moves out of S...

* the rail, the engaging portion is formed at an end of the slide arm for engaging with the positioning member, when the slide arm moves into the rail, the S..

engaging portion will be engaged with an upper end of the positioning member. * S*

The present invention will be more clear from the following description S.....

* when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

RJEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an exploded view in accordance with the present invention of showing a drawer slide assembly; and Fig. 2 is an illustrative view in accordance with the present invention of showing the status of the drawer slide assembly when the drawer is being opened.

1ETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Fig. 1, which is an exploded view of the present invention of showing a drawer slide assembly comprising: a seat 1, two stopping members 2, 2', a slide member 3, a positioning member 4, a rail A, guide means 5, a spring 6, and a slide arm 7.

The seat 1 has two parallel tracks 11, 11' and two protruding grooves 12, 12' formed at both sides of the tracks 11, 11'. The protruding grooves 12, 12' are in communication with the two parallel tracks 11, 11'. A through hole 14 is formed between the two parallel tracks 11, 11', and each of the protruding grooves 12, 12' is formed at an outer periphery thereof with a tenon 13, 13'.

* The two stopping members 2 and 2' are installed in the two protruding grooves 12, 12' of the seat 1, and each includes a cuneiform portion 21, 21', an *** abutting portion 22, 22', and a groove 23, 23'. The cuneiform portions 21, 21' **.

each has at its front end a first and second abutting surfaces 211, 211', 212, 212'.

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* The abutting portions 22, 22' each extends horizontally forward from the front bottom edge of the cuneiform portions 21, 21'. The two stopping members 2, 2' are inserted in the protruding grooves 12, 12', respectively, in such a manner that the abutting portions 22, 22' are engaged with each other in the through hole 14 in a complimentary manner. The two grooves 23, 23' are formed at the rear end of the cuneiform portions 22, 22' for positioning the braking rods (not shown) of the drawer slide assembly (the braking rods are used to prevent the drawer from falling out when it is opened, and this is the conventional

technology, so further descriptions is omitted).

The slide member 3 is slideably disposed in tracks 11 of the seat I and includes a flat portion 30 and two cuneiform portions 31, 31' at both sides of the flat portion 30. The two cuneiform portions 31, 31' each includes a first abutting surface 311, 311' and a second abutting surface 312, 312' formed at the front end thereof.

The positioning member 4 is inserted in the flat portion 30 of the slide member 3, and both ends of the positioning member 4 protrude out of the top and bottom surfaces of the slide member 3.

The rail A utilizes a snap-in structure to hold the seat 1. The guide means :.:::. 5 is installed on the rail A and is defined with two locking grooves 51 and 51' for engaging with the protrusions 13 and 13' of the seat 1. An inserting hole 52 is formed in the guide means 5 and is located opposite the slide member 3. A spring groove 53, 53' is formed at either side of the guide means 5, and in each of the grooves 53 and 53' is formed a spring-clamping portion 531, 531' S.....

* consisted of two opposite semi-circular protrusions.

The guide means 5 is formed in either side thereof with a slide slot 54, 54', a slant notch 541, 541' is defined in each of the slide slots 54 and 54', and a swing block 55 is slideably disposed in between the slide slots 54 and 54'.

The swing block 55 is provided with two positioning portions 551 and 551', each for positioning an end of two springs 56 and 56', and another end of the two springs 56 and 56' is positioning in the spring-clamping portions 531 and 53 1'.

The spring 6 is formed at its end with a positioning ring to be hooked to the lower end of the positioning member 4.

The slide arm 7 is slideably disposed in the rail A and has an octagonal abutting portion 70 at its end. An engaging portion 71 is formed at a side of the abutting portion 70 for engaging with the positioning member 4. A hook portion 72 is formed on the bottom of the slide arm 7 and includes curved arc portions 721 and 722.

For a better understanding of the present invention, its operation and function, reference should be made to Fig. 2.

When the swing block 55 disengages from the slant notches 541, 541' after being pushed by the arc portions 721 of the slide arm 7, the springs 56, 56' will be compressed instantly, and a hook portion 552 of the swing block 55 will hook the arc portion 722 of the slide arm 7 and move the slide arm 7 toward the *..

seat I. S..

At this moment, the abutting portion 70 of the slide arm 7 comes into S.....

* contact with the second abufting surfaces 312, 312' of the slide member 3, the engaging portion 71 is engaged with the upper end of the positioning member 4 so as to push the slide member 3. At this moment, the spring 6 expands since it is subjected to the traction force of the slide member 3, and the inertia force of the slide arm 7 caused by the pull of the springs 56 and 56' is converted into the pull and push force of the spring 6.

When the slide member 3 is moved to the bottom of the seat 1 by the slide arm 7, the cuneiform portions 21, 21' will (since the cuneiform portions 31, 31' is not stopped between the cuneiform portions 21, 21' anymore) move forward and press against each other, so that a device for preventing the drawer from being opened can be created by cooperating with a drawer braking rod (not shown).

When the spring 6 is expanded, its recovering force is smaller than the elastic force of the springs 56 and 56' in the guide means 5, in this case, when the pulling force of the slide arm 7 makes the spring 6 expand, the recovering force of the spring 6 is not great enough to move the slide arm 7 and to cause back-and-forth motion of the slide arm 7.

When the slide arm 7 is subjected to an external pulling force, the * S. recovering force of the spring 6 will help the external pulling force to overcome S...

the inverted elastic force of two springs 56 and 56' in the guide means 5, * S. *:. allowing the user to open the drawer easily without having the overcoming the S..

whole elastic force of the springs 56 and 56'.

At this moment, since the engaging portion 71 of the slide arm 7 pushes 0I*S** * the slide member 3 forward, the first abutting surfaces 311, 311' of the slide member 3 will press against the second abutting surface 222, 222' of the stopping members 2 and 2' and will push open the two stopping members 2 and 2'. If the stopping members 2 and 2' are provided with braking rod (not shown), then a drawing locking device can be created.

When the arc portion 722 comes into contact with the hook portion 552 of the swing block 55, it can make the swing block 55 slide in between the slide slots 54 and 54'. When the swing block 55 moves into the slant notches 541 and 541', it will be locked therein in a slant manner, and thus the slide arm 7 can be moved when opening the drawer.

To summarize, the drawer slide assembly is additionally provided at the rear end of the rail thereof with a seat having two parallel tracks, a slide member is installed on the seat for cooperating with guide means installed on the rail. A spring is arranged between the slide member and the guide member, the pushing force of the slide arm applied to the spring makes the spring expand, and the spring is converted into a pull and push force of the slide arm for assisting in pulling the spring in the rail when opening the drawer.

While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

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Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A drawer slide assembly comprising: a seat

defined with parallel tracks, and two protruding grooves formed at both sides of the parallel tracks; two stopping members each having an abutting portion, the abutting portions of the two stopping members press against each through the protruding grooves at both sides of the seat; a slide member slideably installed in the tracks of the seat; a positioning member inserted in the slide member, and both ends of the positioning member being protruded out of top and bottom surfaces of the slide member; a rail connected to the seat; a... * a

guide means positioned in the rail, a swing block pivotally installed on the * a.

:.: guide means, and an inserting hole formed in the guide means and located *e.

opposite with a lower end of the slide member; S..

a a sping with one end positioned on the lower end of the slide member S.....

* and with another end fixed in the inserting hole of the guide means; and a slide arm including a hook portion and an engaging portion, the slide arm slideably installed in the rail, the hook portion being formed on a bottom of the slide arm, the slide arm will hook the swing block of the guide means when it moves out of the rail, the engaging portion being formed at an end of the slide arm for engaging with the positioning member, when the slide arm moves into the rail, the engaging portion will be engaged with an upper end of the positioning member.

2. The drawer slide assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the stopping members has a groove for receiving a braking rod of a drawer slide assembly.

3. A drawer slide assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. * -% * . * bi *S *1I 4 S 444. * "4 4 4 4. 4 4*S *14 4 S S .. ,

44 44.4 Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A self-closing drawer slide assembly comprising: a seat defined with parallel tracks, and two protruding grooves formed at both sides of the parallel tracks; two stopping members each having an abutting portion, the abutting portions of the two stopping members pressing against each through the protruding grooves at both sides of the seat; a slide member slidably installed in the tracks of the seat; a positioning member inserted in the slide member, and both ends of the positioning member protruding out of the top and bottom surfaces of the slide member; a rail connected to the seat; guide means positioned in the rail, a swing block pivotally installed on the guide means, a pair of springs biased between the guide means and the swing block, and an inserting hole formed in the guide means and located opposite to a lower end of the slide member; a spring with one end positioned on the lower end of the slide member and with another end fixed in the inserting hole of the guide means; and a slide arm including a hook portion and an engaging portion, the slide arm being slidably installed in the rail, the hook portion being formed on a bottom of the slide arm, so that the slide arm will hook the swing block of the guide means when it moves out of the rail, the engaging portion being formed at an end of the slide arm for engaging with the positioning member so that, when the slide arm moves into the rail, the engaging portion will be engaged with an upper end of the positioning member.

2. A self-closing drawer slide assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the stopping members has a groove for receiving a braking rod of a drawer slide assembly.

3. A self-closing drawer slide assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

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