WO2003049577A2

WO2003049577A2 - Drawer storage

Info

Publication number: WO2003049577A2
Application number: PCT/GB2002/005654
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ian David Wood
Original assignee: Applied Design And Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 2001-12-13
Filing date: 2002-12-13
Publication date: 2003-06-19
Also published as: GB2387530A; KR100855402B1; KR100898647B1; WO2003049577A3; KR20030080257A; KR20030081521A; GB0129853D0; IL157833A; GB0229167D0; KR20030081522A

Abstract

A drawer runner comprises at least two profiles (766, 768) movable in relation to one another to extend or retract the runner, a bearing carriage (764) between the profiles, and means such as a rack and pinion (750, 754) for geared engagement between the carriage and at least one of the profiles or a structure in relation to which a profile is fixed. This counters 'carriage creep' which can jam or hinder movement of the profiles. An alternative drawer runner has profiles separated by bearing means which transmit drawer weight loads between the profiles, wherein lateral loads are transmitted by mutual abutment of the profiles following limited relative lateral movement between the profiles. This beneficially separates lateral and vertical loads.

Description

DRAWER STORAGE

This invention relates to storage involving the use of drawers. In preferred embodiments, the invention relates to the art of cold storage, including appliances such as refrigerators and freezers for storing foodstuffs and other perishables. Other applications of the invention include storage of chemicals and medical or biological specimens. The invention also finds use in mobile applications, for example in the transport and storage of perishable goods. In general, the invention has particular benefit where drawers must carry heavy loads and preferably where drawers need to be sealed when closed.

The invention develops and adds to various features of the Applicant's co-pending International Patent Application Nos. PCT/GB00/03521 and PCT/GB02/01139 published as WO 01/020237 and WO 02/073107 respectively, the contents of which are incoφorated herein by reference. As in those specifications, the invention can be applied to storing any items within a cooled environment, such as in a refrigerated goods vehicle. The invention extends beyond fixed domestic applications into industrial, scientific and mobile applications. However, this specification will particularly describe domestic or commercial cold-storage appliances for storing foodstuffs, as the context for drawer storage.

The cold-storage appliances disclosed in WO 01/020237 and WO 02/073107 employ at least one sealable drawer which addresses a major problem with upright refrigerators and freezers, namely the upright door which, when opened, allows cold air to flow freely out of the cabinet to be replaced by warm ambient air flowing in at the top. That rush of ambient air into the cabinet causes its internal temperature to rise, hence consuming energy in redressing that rise. The incoming ambient air introduces the possibility of airborne contamination, and moisture in that air also gives rise to condensation and ice within the cabinet. The more often the cabinet is opened, as may happen especially in commercial cold storage appliances, the worse these problems get.

The drawer-based appliances of WO 01/020237 and WO 02/073107 also address the problems inherent in chest freezers, whose open-topped cabinet is typically closed by a horizontally-hinged upwardly-opening lid. Such a chest freezer is inconvenient and wasteful of space because it precludes use of the space immediately above the freezer, which space must be preserved to allow its lid to be opened. Even if a sliding lid is used instead of an upwardly-opening lid, items cannot be left conveniently on top of the lid. It is also well known that large chest freezers can make access to their contents extremely difficult, it being necessary to stoop down and shift numerous heavy and painfully cold items to get to items at the bottom of the freezer compartment.

Finally, the cold-storage appliances of WO 01/020237 and WO 02/073107 address the problem of segregating different types of foodstuff or other perishable items to avoid cross-contamination. In typical cold-storage appliances, segregation of food is compromised by the convection and/or forced-air principles on which those appliances rely. The substantially open baskets or shelves designed to promote convective circulation of air between compartments also promote the circulation of moisture, enzymes and harmful bacteria. In addition, any liquid that may spill or leak, such as juices running from uncooked meats, will not be contained by the open baskets or shelves.

Whilst advantageous in so many ways, the reliance upon drawers presents technical challenges in ensuring that the drawers move smoothly, precisely and reliably and that they can preferably be opened fully for easy access, while bearing heavy loads. Drawer transport mechanisms must achieve these desiderata while, advantageously, enabling the drawer to be sealed when closed and permitting the drawer to be removed when open. Yet, such mechanisms need to be as inexpensive and compact as possible, and must require reasonably low operator effort upon opening and closing in use.

The main component of most drawer transport mechanisms is a drawer runner, which supports the drawer both when it is in a rearward closed position within a cabinet, and when it is in a forward open position outside the cabinet, allowing access into the drawer.

Drawer transport mechanisms typically comprise runners having two or more profiles that interact telescopically, separated by sliding or rotating bearing means such as bearing pads, wheels, rollers or ball bearings. There is extensive prior art in this field which suffers several problems, notably limited over-extension, low load capacity and, especially, excessive lateral movement termed 'yaw' or 'waggle'.

Figures 1(a) and 1(b) and Figure 2 of the appended drawings illustrate the principle of drawer runner operation. These show that drawer runners 100 are usually mounted in pairs (although there can be more than two runners), with one runner of the pair being situated to each respective side of the drawer 102. The runners 100 may mounted to the sides, underside, or above the drawer 102, but the basic principles are the same in each case.

Figures 1(a) and 1(b) are side views showing the main forces associated with all telescopic drawer runner systems. When a drawer 102 is closed and contained within a cabinet (whose front and rear walls 104, 106 are shown schematically in Figures 1(a) and 1(b)), the forces exerted by the drawer 102 are oppositely resisted by the structure of the cabinet, usually by forward and rearward bearing points 108, 110 on each runner 100. However, when in the open position with the drawer 102 forward of the cabinet, the runner 100 acts as a cantilever applying a turning moment to the structure via a rearward anchor point 1 12 and a forward fulcrum at the forward bearing point 108. The extended cantilever acts as a lever, multiplying the forces imposed on the structure and the runner 100 at the fulcrum 108 and anchor point 112, which in turn dictates the load that can safely be carried by the drawer 102.

Figure 2 is a plan view in which dashed lines show lateral movement in the drawer 102 when extended in front of the cabinet as shown in Figure 1(b). This phenomenon is the aforesaid yaw or waggle, and is inherent to the telescopic runner cantilever design.

In its simplest form, a telescopic drawer runner comprises a horizontal support profile attached to the drawer and another horizontal support profile attached to the structure, such as a cabinet, that supports the drawer. These profiles will be referred to hereinafter as drawer profiles and structural profiles respectively. The two profiles are connected by sliding and/or rotating bearing means in the form of bearing pads, wheels, rollers and balls that are variously attached to the profiles to form a telescopic cantilever. This simplest runner design allows only partial extension of the drawer from the cabinet, assuming that the retracted runner is approximately the same depth as the drawer and the cabinet.

There are two main types of sliding and/or rotating bearing means, namely fixed bearing points in the form of wheels or pads that are in contact with only one horizontal structural support surface, and moving bearing points, in the form of wheels, rollers and ball bearings that are in contact with more than one horizontal structural support surface. However, in both of these bearing systems, the wheels, pads, rollers and balls run in guide channels or similar retaining profiles. The retaining profiles form part of, or are fixed to, the horizontal support surfaces of the cantilever profiles, to contain the wheels, balls etc. and restrict lateral movement when the runners are extended.

Figures 3(a) and 3(b) are side views illustrating a simple drawer transport system with a forward load-bearing wheel 114 fixed to the cabinet or other structure supporting the drawer, rearward low friction bearing pads 116 of nylon or PTFE disposed in an opposed pair of one upper pad and one lower pad, and two support profiles providing for partial extension. These profiles are a drawer profile 118 fixed horizontally to the drawer side and a parallel structural profile 120 below the drawer profile 118, fixed horizontally to the structure. The forward wheel 114 is fixed to the structure by a spindle that allows the wheel to turn freely, and the bearing pads 116 are fixed to the rear of the drawer 102 via a rearwardly-extending bracket 122 that increases the maximum extension of the runner and hence improves the opening depth of the drawer 102.

It will be noted that the forward wheel 114 runs under the drawer profile 118 throughout its range of movement, providing forward support to the cantilever as the drawer 102 is opened and closed. In the closed position, the rear of the drawer 102 is supported by the upper pad 116 which rests on the structural profile 120 extending between the pair of pads 116. As the drawer 102 is opened, the turning moment of the cantilever transfers the load at the rear of the drawer 102 from the upper pad 116 to the lower pad 116, which bears against the underside of the structural profile 120. The drawer 102 tilts such that only one of the upper and lower pads 116 is in contact with the structural profile 120 at any one time. As the drawer 102 reaches its maximum extension, the forward wheel 114 bears against a stop 124 to prevent the drawer falling out of the cabinet.

Figures 4(a) and 4(b) show a variant of the arrangement of Figures 3(a) and 3(b) in which the rear pads 116 are replaced by a rearward wheel 126 rotatably fixed to the drawer 102, again via a rearwardly-extending bracket 122 to increase the extension of the runner and improve opening depth of the drawer 102. The structural profile defines a channel inside which the rearward wheel 126 runs, the channel having upper and lower flanges 128, 130 defining respective running surfaces for that wheel. In the closed position, the rearward wheel 126 is supported by the lower flange 130 of the structural profile. As the cantilever is extended during opening of the drawer 102, the turning moment transfers the load through the rearward wheel 126 from the lower flange 130 to the upper flange 128 of the structural profile. Only one of the upper and lower flanges 128, 130 is in contact with the rearward wheel 126 at any one time.

Figures 5 and 6 introduce the concept of a full extension or 'over-extension' runner in contrast to the partial extension runner illustrated previously. Over-extension is achieved by adding one or more intermediate profiles between the drawer profile and structural profile. The or each intermediate profile moves between the drawer profile and structural profile to 'cascade' the runner operation between the three or more support profiles, enabling a drawer to be pulled forward clear of the cabinet or other supporting structure.

Specifically, Figure 5 is a sectional end view on line X-X of Figure 6(b), and Figures 6(a), 6(b) and 6(c) are sectional side views on line Y-Y of Figure 5. They illustrate the construction and operation of a three-profile telescopic runner which effectively doubles the two-wheel runner system of Figure 4 to a four-wheel system. A first forward wheel 132 fixed to an intermediate profile 134 runs in a guide channel 136 under the drawer profile 138, and a first rearward wheel 140 fixed to the drawer profile 138 runs in guide channels 136 on upper 142 and middle 144 flanges of the intermediate profile 134. A second forward wheel 146 fixed to the structural profile 150 runs in a guide channel 136 under a lower flange 148 of the intermediate profile 134, and a second rearward wheel 152 fixed to the intermediate profile 134 runs in guide channels 136 on upper 154 and lower 156 flanges of the structural profile 150. More than one intermediate profile may be used to 'cascade' the system described above.

Figure 6(a) shows the drawer 102 in its closed position with the forward wheels 132, 146, the rearward wheels 140, 152 and the support profiles vertically aligned with their respective counterparts. Forward loads on the drawer 102 are supported by the first forward wheel 132 attached to the intermediate profile 134 and the second forward wheel 146 attached to the structure. Rearward loads on the 102 are supported by the first rearward wheel 140 attached to the drawer profile 138 and the second rearward wheel 152 attached to the intermediate profile 134. The loads on these rearward wheels 140, 152 are transferred to the bottom flanges of the intermediate profile 134 and structural profile 150 respectively.

Figure 6(b) shows the change in support profile locations and relative position of the wheels as the drawer 102 starts to open and the drawer load imposes a turning moment on the supporting structure. Here, a stop 124 bears against the first forward wheel 132 but the intermediate profile 134 remains in its original rearward position with respect to the structural profile 150. The first and second forward wheels 132, 146 attached to the intermediate profile 134 and structural profile 150 respectively continue to bear downward force and act as a fulcrum. By virtue of the fulcrum, the first and second rearward wheels 140, 152 fixed to the drawer profile 138 and intermediate profile 134 respectively resist the turning moment by engaging with the top flanges 142, 154 of the intermediate and structural profiles 134, 150 respectively, thus acting as anchors.

Figure 6(c) shows the change in support profile locations and relative position of the wheels as the drawer 102 is opened to the extent of over-extension, and the drawer loads increase the turning moment on the supporting structure. The situation is similar to that described for Figure 6(b), save that the intermediate profile 134 moves into a forward position with respect to the structural profile 150 to the extent that a second stop 124 bears against the second forward wheel 146. Thus, the forces imposed on the forward wheels 140, 146 acting as fulcrums and the rearward wheels 140, 152 acting as anchors are increased, corresponding to the extension of the cantilever.

The systems described above all transfer loads between the circumference of a rotating member, such as a wheel, and a spindle at its centre. Thus, the circumference of the rotating member is in contact with one rolling surface at a time. In contrast, Figures 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c) show a wheel or ball bearing arrangement with a three-profile system, where forces are transferred though the body of a rotating member whose circumference is in contact with two opposed rolling surfaces simultaneously. The advantage is that a rotating member with opposed forces on two opposite surfaces can sustain a much greater load than if forces are applied through one circumferential surface to a central spindle forming a structural support.

In the side views of Figures 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c) corresponding to the sequence of Figures 6(a), 6(b) and 6(c), upper and lower wheels are engaged with guide channels of the drawer profile 138, intermediate profile 134 and structural profile 150 but are not fixed to them. More specifically, there are twelve wheels arranged in six pairs, divided into two groups of three pairs each, namely an upper group 158 and a lower group 160. Each pair consists of an upper wheel and a lower wheel separated by a profile flange for continuous rolling contact with the flange and for load transmission from one wheel of the pair to the other wheel of the pair via the flange. A tie plate 162 links together the wheels of each group 158, 160 to keep them ganged together, but separated from one another.

The upper group of wheels 158 runs between upper 164 and lower 166 flanges of a drawer profile 138, and the lower group of wheels 160 runs between middle 168 and lower 170 flanges of an intermediate profile 134. The intermediate profile 134 has an upper flange 172 that runs between each pair of wheels of the upper group. A flange 174 of a structural profile similarly runs between each pair of wheels of the lower group.

The wheels are located centrally in the drawer profile 138 when the drawer 102 is in the closed position and the weight load of the drawer 102 is applied downwardly. As the drawer 102 is opened, the wheels turn, making them travel towards the front 104 of the cabinet. The wheels move forward and the weight load transforms into a turning moment through the front and rear wheels of each group 158, 160. The reverse occurs as the drawer 102 is returned to the cabinet and the wheels return to a central disposition with respect to the drawer profile 138. Otherwise, the arrangement shown in Figures 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c) operates in much the same way as the arrangements previously described.

The foregoing drawer runner transport systems have deficiencies that limit their use and application. Over-extension is useful for gaining full access to the content of a drawer, and to allow a removable drawer storage bin to be easily removed and replaced by another. However, existing drawer runners have limited over-extension capabilities at best, suffering a severely-reduced load capacity which limits the weight of the contents that can be placed in the drawer. The cantilever support profiles become overloaded and may bend, causing excessive wear on the guide channels and the wheels, balls or other rotating members that run on them, thus leading to premature runner failure. This may preclude their use with drawers storing heavy items that require frequent access.

A further problem with existing runners, especially when they are over-extended, is the excessive lateral movement (yaw or waggle) when the drawer is open, as identified in Figure 2. This movement exerts lateral forces upon the wheels, balls or other rotating members, the associated guide channels and the support profiles; these components are ill-adapted to bear such forces. In addition to increased wear of such components in day- to-day use, excessive lateral force may cause instant failure of the drawer runner.

In the prior art, efforts to contain vertical and lateral forces have concentrated upon using the bearing means to do both jobs. These arrangements generally involve guiding the bearing means in a guide channel against which a bearing means bears to restrain lateral movement as it also carries vertical loads. Unfortunately this technique requires greater tolerances and clearances between the components to ensure smooth running, which in turn increases lateral movement, risking runner wear and runner failure. Another problem common to most telescopic drawer runners is known as 'carriage creep'. Bearing means such as ball or roller bearings are typically ganged together to form a carriage. On closure of the associated drawer, the carriage should ideally return to the centre of the runner ready for full opening but on partial opening, the carriage tends to creep away from this central location. When full opening is required, the carriage has to be moved back into position, which requires an unacceptable effort by the operator.

Another deficiency with drawers is the effect on the drawer contents during rapid changes in velocity (i.e. sudden acceleration and deceleration), as tends to happen on opening and closing. When the drawer is moved suddenly or is stopped quickly, the contents of the drawer can be thrown around causing damage to delicate items and/or spillage of liquids. Depending upon what is in the drawer, this could affect items such as cakes and pastries, liquids in jars and bottles, rare samples and artefacts. The damage caused could range from annoying wastage of inexpensive items and a mess to clean up, through to loss or irreparable damage to irreplaceable samples or artefacts. It would therefore be advantageous for a drawer transport mechanism to control acceleration and deceleration or braking during opening and closing to protect the drawer contents.

It is against this background that the present invention has been devised.

From one aspect, the invention resides in a drawer runner comprising at least two profiles movable in relation to one another to extend or retract the runner, a bearing carriage between the profiles and means for geared engagement between the carriage and at least one of the profiles or a structure in relation to which a profile is fixed. The carriage may comprises rolling bearing means including wheels or ball bearings.

The means for geared engagement preferably comprises at least one pinion associated with the carriage and at least one rack meshed with the pinion and associated with the profile or the structure. At least one pinion associated with the carriage may transmit drawer weight loads between the profiles. For example, drawer weight loads may be transmitted between the profiles entirely via the or each pinion, without further bearing means. A pinion can transmit drawer weight loads directly between the profiles or can transmit drawer weight loads between the profiles via the carriage.

For cost-effectiveness, the pinion and/or the rack are advantageously punched or otherwise cut from plate material. The pinion and/or the rack may have a planar body portion and teeth extending orthogonally out of the plane of the body portion, for example by folding.

The pinion and the rack can each have a planar body portion and when the pinion and the rack are meshed, the body portions are disposed in substantially parallel planes or in substantially the same plane. In that case, the body portions are preferably disposed in substantially parallel planes connected by teeth orthogonal to at least one of the body portions and for optimum compactness, the body portion of the rack is, preferably, substantially within the circumference of the pinion. However, in an alternative disposition of the pinion and the rack, their body portions may be disposed in mutually orthogonal planes.

A pinion can be simultaneously meshed with two parallel racks. Alternatively, a first pinion can be meshed with one rack, another pinion can be meshed with another parallel rack and the pinions can each be pivotally connected to the carriage.

First and second pinions can be on mutually opposed sides of the carriage. For example, first and second pinions may be on a common spindle or otherwise pivot about the same axis. One elegant arrangement is for spindle to extend through at least part of the carriage from one pinion to the other.

The rack may be integral with a profile or attached to a profile. Body portions of the profiles suitably lie beside and spaced from one another, in which case the means for geared engagement is disposed substantially in the space between the profiles. The body portions may be substantially flat and substantially parallel and at least part of the carriage can be disposed in the space between the profiles. The invention extends to a drawer runner having profiles separated by bearing means which transmit drawer weight loads between the profiles, wherein lateral loads are transmitted by mutual abutment of the profiles following limited relative lateral movement between the profiles.

In this instance, the bearing means can float laterally between the profiles and the profiles preferably have interlocking cross-sections such that relative lateral movement of the profiles cannot cause the profiles to come apart.

Contact portions of the profiles are suitably shaped to defines lines, areas or points of contact, and may be treated, coated or otherwise provided with a low-friction surface.

The bearing means can comprise one or more rollers, preferably a plurality of rollers ganged together in a carriage. Alternatively, the bearing means can comprise one or more sliding blocks.

Interlocking profiles beneficially comprise a first profile defining first and second flanges mutually spaced from and parallel to one another; a second profile defining a third flange received between and parallel to the first and second flanges of the first profile, and separated from at least one of those flanges by bearing means running on or parallel to the flanges; and barrier means for blocking lateral movement of the third flange away from said position between the first and second flanges. The bearing means advantageously separates the third flange from both the first and second flanges of the first profile and so comprises bearings on two planes, which are advantageously ganged together.

The barrier means is preferably a skirt integral with one of the first and second flanges and suitably extends from the level of one of the those flanges to beyond the level of the third flange, but not as far as the level of the other of those flanges.

The invention encompasses a drawer runner having:

a first profile defining first and second flanges mutually spaced from and parallel to one another; and

a second profile defining a third flange received between and parallel to the first and second flanges of the first profile, and separated from at least one of those flanges by bearing means running on or parallel to the flanges.

At least one of the flanges or an attachment to the flange preferably has a non-planar cross-section shaped to complement a correspondingly-shaped surface of the bearing means, lateral location being effected by engagement of the complementary shapes. Alternatively, at least one of the flanges or an attachment to the flange may be shaped to define a guide channel defining limits of lateral movement for the bearing means with respect to the flange.

For greater strength, the third flange may comprise parallel mutually spaced upper and lower flanges. For example, the third flange may be a C-section defining the upper and lower flanges.

A further aspect of the invention contemplates a drawer stabilisation system comprising a first wire portion fixed to a first side of a drawer, a second wire portion fixed to a second opposed side of the drawer, first pulley means for paying out wire into the first wire portion upon application of an offset force to the first side of the drawer to move the drawer with respect to a structure, and second pulley means for retracting wire from the second wire portion in response to the wire paid out from the first pulley means, to apply an equalising force to the second side of the drawer. The first and second wire portions preferably connect to the rear and front of the first and second sides respectively.

The first and second pulley means are preferably fixed to the structure to respective sides of the drawer, and the same length of wire advantageously defines the first and second wire portions and links the first and second pulley means. That wire can extend transversely above or below the drawer to link the first and second pulley means. Ideally, a drawer stabilisation system comprises mirror-image systems as defined above, mutually superposed to equalise forces offset to either side of the drawer.

The invention extends to a drawer operating system comprising a pantograph linking a drawer to a supporting structure, the pantograph having end levers movable towards and away from each other to extend and retract the pantograph and to open and close the drawer.

The end levers may be pivotally connected to trunnions threaded to a shaft and being advanceable in opposite directions upon turning the shaft in a single angular direction. To that end, the trunnions are preferably threaded to respective oppositely-handed shaft portions.

Another aspect of the invention embraces a speed control system for a drawer, the system comprising a rack associated with a drawer for turning a shaft via a pinion meshed with the rack as the drawer is opened or closed, and means for restricting the angular velocity of the shaft. Paddles or plates suitably turn with the shaft within a chamber containing viscous fluid, so that restricted flow of fluid within the chamber limits the angular velocity of the shaft.

Advantageously, the runners or systems of the invention as variously defined above further comprise a damper or other strut extensible and retractable in response to movement of the drawer with respect to a structure supporting the drawer. The damper preferably has variable resistance to movement of the drawer and more preferably, the resistance of the damper increases with increasing speed of movement of the drawer. Moreover, it is preferred that the resistance of the damper increases approaching at least one end of its stroke.

In preferred embodiments, the damper resists movement of the drawer by pumping air through a restricted orifice. More specifically, the damper preferably comprises an outer cylinder sealed to a hollow and elongate piston movable within the outer cylinder to pressurise and depressurise air within the outer cylinder, the piston including a plurality of orifices spaced apart along its length and communicating with each other through the hollow interior of the piston, whereby the piston can be positioned within the outer cylinder to expose at least one of said plurality of orifices to the interior of the outer cylinder while simultaneously exposing at least one other of said plurality of orifices to atmosphere outside the outer cylinder.

The runners or systems of the invention may further comprise restraining means to slow movement of the drawer with respect to a structure supporting the drawer. That restraining means is preferably unidirectional in its effect. It may act to slow the drawer when the drawer is at one or more predetermined locations in its range of movement with respect to the structure, and preferably acts to slow the drawer when the drawer approaches an end of said range or movement.

The restraining means preferably comprises a first part in fixed relation to the structure and a second part in fixed relation to the support means or the drawer, the parts encountering one another during relative movement between the structure and the support means or the drawer and at least one of the parts deflecting resiliently to allow the parts to pass one another upon continued relative movement.

As the damper or strut defined above is capable of independent use, the invention encompasses an extensible strut for controlling speed of a drawer, the strut comprising an outer cylinder sealed to a hollow and elongate piston movable within the outer cylinder to pressurise and depressurise air within the outer cylinder, the piston including a plurality of orifices spaced apart along its length and communicating with each other through the hollow interior of the piston, whereby the piston can be positioned within the outer cylinder to expose at least one of said plurality of orifices to the interior of the outer cylinder while simultaneously exposing at least one other of said plurality of orifices to atmosphere outside the outer cylinder.

Finally, the invention extends to a drawer storage unit including a runner, system or strut as defined above in relation to the invention. Such a unit may, for example, be embodied as a cold storage appliance comprising: an open-topped container being the drawer;

a lid adapted to close the open top of the container;

a cooling means adapted to cool the interior of the container; and

a structure supporting the container, the lid and the cooling means;

wherein the container is mounted to the structure for movement relative to the structure and the lid to open the container and afford access to its interior or to close the container.

Nevertheless, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that whilst the invention originates from the design challenges of cold-storage appliances and has special advantages in that field, it is not limited to such appliances or to being used with such appliances. To the contrary, the invention may be of benefit in any storage apparatus involving drawers but especially in such apparatus where drawers must move with precision, bear heavy loads and may need to be opened fully, as is the case in apparatus having advantageously removable and sealable drawers such as in WO 01/020237 and WO 02/073107. Other examples of such applications include office filing cabinets and desks, workshop tool and machine tool cabinets, cutlery and utensil storage, cash registers and tills.

In discussing the prior art, reference has already been made to Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1(a) and 1(b) are side views showing the main forces associated with all telescopic drawer runner systems;

Figure 2 is a plan view in which dashed lines show lateral movement in the drawer when extended in front of the cabinet as shown in Figure 1(b); Figures 3(a) and 3(b) are side views illustrating a simple drawer transport system;

Figures 4(a) and 4(b) show a variant of the arrangement of Figures 3(a) and 3(b) in which rear pads are replaced by a rearward wheel rotatably fixed to the drawer;

Figure 5 is a sectional end view on line X-X of Figure 6(b) illustrating the construction of a three-profile telescopic runner;

Figures 6(a), 6(b) and 6(c) are sectional side views on line Y-Y of Figure 5 that illustrate the operation of the three-profile telescopic runner of Figure 5; and

Figures 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c) are side views corresponding to the sequence of

Figures 6(a), 6(b) and 6(c), showing a three-profile system in which forces are transferred though the body of a rotating member whose circumference is in contact with two opposed rolling surfaces simultaneously.

In order that the present invention can be more readily understood, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 8 is a front view of a refrigerator/freezer appliance as disclosed in the Applicant's co-pending International Patent Application Nos. PCT/GB00/03521 and PCT/GB02/01139 published as WO 01/020237 and WO 02/073107 respectively, showing a vertical array of drawers each including a bin;

Figure 9 is a side view of the appliance of Figure 8, with a lower portion of a side panel removed so that the sides of the drawers can be seen;

Figure 10 is a section along line IH-III of Figure 9 but with the drawers closed; Figure 11 is a section along line IN-IN of Figure 8;

Figure 12 is a sectional side view on line Y-Y of Figure 13, showing a drawer stabilisation system;

Figure 13 is a sectional end view on line X-X of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a side view of a roller assembly being part of the drawer stabilisation system of Figures 12 and 13;

Figure 15 is a front view of the roller assembly of Figure 14;

Figure 16 is a side view of an engaging lever being part of the drawer stabilisation system of Figures 12 and 13;

Figures 17(a), 17(b) and 17(c) are a sequence of side views showing the drawer stabilisation system of Figures 12 and 13 with its drawer closed, partially open and in over-extension respectively;

Figure 18 is a sectional end view showing an alternative arrangement for restraining vertical and horizontal forces with wheels fixed to the structure and bearing against the drawer profile;

Figures 19(a), 19(b) and 19(c) are a sequence of side views showing a further variant closed, partially open and in over-extension respectively;

Figure 20 is a cross-sectional end view on line X-X of Figure 19(b);

Figure 21 is a cross-sectional end view akin to Figure 20 that shows a further variant in which the rearward pairs of wheel assemblies of Figures 19(a), 19(b),

19(c) and 20 are replaced by low-friction bearing blocks; Figure 22 is a cross-sectional end view of a three-profile compact runner having no step-down of cross-sectional size between successive profiles;

Figure 23 is a cross-sectional end view of a back-to-back double-strength version of the runner design of Figure 22;

Figure 24 is a cross-sectional end view akin to the variant shown in Figure 22 but having deep C-section flanges for greater load-bearing strength;

Figure 25 is a cross-sectional end view of a back-to-back double-strength version of the runner design of Figure 24;

Figures 26(a), 26(b) and 26(c) are a sequence of sectional side views on line Y-Y of Figure 27 showing a drawer of another variant closed, partially open and in over-extension respectively;

Figure 27 is a cross-sectional end view on line X-X of Figure 26(a);

Figure 28 is a sectional view of a roller and profile assembly visible in Figure 27;

Figure 29 shows rollers described in relation to Figure 28;

Figure 30 is an end view of a roller gang or carriage including the rollers of Figure 29;

Figure 31 is a side view of the roller gang or carriage of Figure 30;

Figure 32 is a top view of the roller gang or carriage of Figures 30 and 31;

Figure 33 is a cross-sectional end view of a back-to-back double-strength version of the runner design of Figures 26 to 32; Figure 34 is a sectional view corresponding to Figure 28 but showing a low- friction block in place of ganged rollers;

Figure 35 is a cross-section of the block on line A-A of Figure 36;

Figure 36 is a side view of the block of Figure 35;

Figures 37(a), 37(b) and 37(c) are a sequence of side views showing the runner of Figure 34 in operation, Figure 37(a) showing the drawer closed, Figure 37(b) showing the drawer partially open and Figure 37(c) showing the drawer fully open;

Figures 38(a), 38(b) and 38(c) illustrate a guide-wire lateral restraint system that may be applied to any drawer;

Figure 39 is a part-sectional side view of a further bin transport mechanism taken on line Y-Y of Figure 40;

Figure 40 is a sectional view of the bin transport mechanism of Figure 39 taken on line X-X of that Figure and line X-X of Figure 44(a);

Figure 41 is a side view of a wheel ramp used in the bin transport mechanism of Figures 39 and 40;

Figure 42 is a front view of a wheel assembly for use in inter alia the bin transport mechanism of Figures 39 to 41;

Figure 43 is a sectional side view of the wheel assembly of Figure 42, taken on line A-A of that Figure;

Figures 44(a) to 44(f) are a sequence of partial sectional side views showing the operation of the bin transport mechanism of Figures 39 to 41 ;

Figure 45 is a sectional side view of a damper for use in the bin transport mechanism of Figures 39 to 41;

Figures 46(a) to 46(f) are a sequence of sectional side views of an alternative damper for use in the bin transport mechanism of Figures 39 to 41 ;

Figures 47(a) to 47(e) are a sequence of sectional side views showing the operation of a further alternative bin transport mechanism;

Figure 48 is a side view of a restraining mechanism in one direction of drawer movement;

Figure 49 is a side view of the restraining mechanism of Figure 48 in an opposite direction of drawer movement;

Figure 50 is a front view of the restraining mechanism taken on arrow X of Figure 49;

Figures 51(a) to 51(f) are a sequence of sectional side views showing the operation of a bin transport mechanism including restraining mechanisms shown in Figures 48, 49 and 50.

Figures 52(a) and 52(b) are plan views from underneath a drawer showing an automatic drawer opening and closing system, Figure 52(a) showing the drawer closed and Figure 52(b) showing the drawer fully open;

Figure 53 is a part-sectional end view of a drawer transport mechanism including the runner of Figures 26 to 32;

Figure 54 is a schematic sectional view of the damper shown in Figure 53, taken on line A-A of Figure 53;

Figures 55(a) and 55(b) are side views showing the position of the damper in relation to the cabinet and drawer;

Figure 56 is a side and end view of a rack punched from plate material, for use in embodiments addressing the problem of 'carriage creep';

Figure 57 is a side and end view of the punched rack of Figure 56 meshed with a punched pinion;

Figure 58 is a side and end view of the punched rack of Figure 56 meshed with a punched and folded pinion;

Figure 59 is a side and end view of a punched and folded rack;

Figure 60(a) is a side and end view of the punched and folded rack of Figure 59 meshed with a punched pinion;

Figure 60(b) is an end view showing that the punched and folded rack of Figure

60(a) can be disposed within the circumference of the pinion;

Figure 61 is an end view of the punched and folded rack of Figure 59 meshed with a punched and folded pinion;

Figures 62(a) and 62(b) are side views showing two punched racks and one punched pinion of Figure 57, Figure 62(a) showing the racks vertically aligned with and parallel to each other when the drawer is closed and Figure 62(b) showing the racks similarly parallel but now staggered when the drawer is open;

Figures 63(a) and 63(b) are side views showing a variant employing two punched racks and two punched pinions of Figure 57, Figure 63(a) showing the racks vertically aligned with each other when the drawer is closed and Figure 63(b) showing the racks staggered when the drawer is open;

Figure 64 is an end view showing two pinions by a common spindle to a carriage;

Figure 65 is a sectional view of a roller and profile assembly corresponding to Figure 28 but adapted to include the rack and pinion facility of Figures 56 to 64;

Figure 66 is a side view of a roller gang or carriage corresponding to Figure 31 but fitted with pinions;

Figure 67 is a top view of the roller gang or carriage of Figure 66;

Figure 68 is an end view illustrating a two-profile runner including a rack and pinion facility akin to Figures 63(a) and 63(b);

Figure 69 is an end view that corresponds to Figure 68 save that the pinions are aligned on a common spindle akin to the arrangement of Figures 62(a) and 62(b) and Figure 64;

Figure 70 is an end view showing a three-profile runner including a rack and pinion facility akin to Figures 62(a) and 62(b) and Figure 64;

Figure 71 is an end view of a runner variant with no rolling bearings but having interlocking sliding surfaces; and

Figures 72(a), 72(b) and 72(c) show the runner of Figure 71 retracted, semi- extended and almost fully extended respectively.

Whilst the disclosure of the Applicant's co-pending Intemational Patent Application Nos. PCT/GBOO/03521 and PCT/GB02/01139 published as WO 01/020237 and WO 02/073107 respectively are incoφorated herein by reference, Figures 1 to 4 of WO 01/020237 and WO 02/073107 are reproduced in Figures 8 to 11 appended to this specification and will now be described to help put the present invention into context.

Figures 8 to 11 show a refrigerator/freezer appliance 2 according to WO 01/020237 and WO 02/073107. The appliance 2 is of upright cuboidal configuration, and comprises five rectangular-fronted drawers 4 arranged one above another and housed in a cabinet 6 comprising top 8, bottom 10, side 12 and rear 14 panels. Any of these panels can be omitted if it is desired to build the appliance 2 into a gap between other supporting structures; in particular, the side panels 12 can be omitted if neighbouring cupboards can be relied upon for support or otherwise to perform the function of the side panels 12. The panels 8, 10, 12, 14 may or may not be structural but if they are not, a frame (not shown) provides support for the various parts of the appliance. If a frame is provided, it is structurally unnecessary to have panels.

The drawers 4 can be slid horizontally into and out of the cabinet 6 by means of tracks or runners on the sides of the drawers 4 that will be described in more detail below. If there is no back panel 14, it is theoretically possible for a drawer 4 to be removed from the cabinet 6 in more than one direction, as shown in Figure 9.

Each drawer 4 comprises an insulated open-topped bucket-like container 16, at least one container 16 (in this case, that of the central drawer 4) being of a different depth to the other containers 16 to define a different internal volume. These containers 16 will be referred to in this specific description as storage bins or more simply as bins 16. The bottom bin 16 leaves only a narrow gap to the bottom panel 10 of the cabinet 6, whereas the top bin 16 leaves a substantial space at the top of the appliance 2 under the top panel 8, allowing room for a compartment 18 that accommodates a refrigerator engine 20, for example including condenser and compressor means as is well known.

The relatively deep bin 16 of central drawer 4 is intended to hold bottles and other relatively tall items stored upright, whereas the other, relatively shallow bins 16 are for correspondingly shallower items. Compared to the shelves and other compartments defining the main storage volume of a conventional upright cold-storage appliance, all of the bins 16 have a favourable aspect ratio in terms of the substantial width of the access opening compared to the depth of the compartment thereby accessed. It is therefore very easy to reach every part of the interior of a bin 16 when a drawer 4 is opened,

The interior of the cabinet 6 is divided by five insulated lids 22, one for each drawer 4, that are generally planar and horizontally disposed. When a drawer 4 is closed, the open top of its associated bin 16 is closed by an appropriate one of the lids 22. The lids 22 include cooling means 24 being evaporator elements of known type disposed in the lower face 26 of each lid 22 to cool the contents of a bin 16 closed by that lid 22.

Each bin 16 has a generally flat front face 28 that is exposed when the drawer 4 is closed. The front face 28 could be provided with a decorative panel as is well known. When the drawer 4 is closed, the front face 28 of the bin 16 is bordered at the top by a control and display panel 30 dedicated to that bin 16, the panel 30 being co-planar with the front face 28. The panel 30 is supported by the front edge 32 of the appropriate lid 22, the panel 30 being recessed into the front edge 32 of the lid 22.

The control and display panel 30 contains a number of displays, switches and audible alarms, thus providing a user interface for each bin 16. For example, the interface will most commonly be used for selecting the temperature to which the bin 16 is to be cooled, but also contains temperature displays, on/off and fast-freeze switches, a light indicating when the drawer 4 is open and an audible alarm to indicate when the drawer 4 has been open longer than a predetermined time or when the temperature inside the bin 16 has reached an upper or lower threshold.

A rounded handle 34 extends across substantially the entire width of the top portion of the front face 28 to enable the drawer 4 to be pulled out when access to the interior of the bin 16 is required.

The bottom of the front face 28 of each bin 16 is bordered by a slot 36 that admits ambient air into the cabinet 6. To do so, each slot 36 communicates with an air gap 38 extending beneath the entire bottom face 40 of the associated bin 16 to meet a void 42 maintained behind each bin 16, the void 42 being defined by the inner surfaces of the back 14 and side 12 panels of the cabinet 6 and the backs 44 of the bins 16. As can be seen particularly from Figure 11, the void 42 extends behind each bin 16 from the base panel 10 of the cabinet 6 to communicate with the refrigerator engine compartment 18 at the top of the cabinet 6.

The air gaps 38 beneath the bins 16 and the void 42 behind the bins 16 also communicate with air gaps 38 to the sides 48 of the bins 16. Optionally, vents 46 are provided in the side panels 12 of the cabinet 6 adjacent to the bins 16 through which ambient air can also be admitted. As best illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 , air gaps 38 extend around all bar the top side of each bin 16, so that ambient air entering the cabinet 6 through the slots 36 can circulate freely around the sides 48, bottom 40 and rear 44 of each bin 16. It will also be noted that ambient air can circulate freely over the top surface 50 of each lid 22. To allow this airflow over the uppermost lid 22, which does not have a bin 16 above, a slot 36 is provided under the front face 52 of the refrigerator engine compartment 18.

It will be noted that the piston action created by opening a drawer 4 that sucks ambient air into the interior of the appliance 2 does not pose a problem in this appliance. In fact, this action is advantageous as it promotes circulation of ambient air within the cabinet 6.

Figure 11 shows that the refrigerator engine compartment 18 includes an impeller 54 exhausting through apertures 56 provided in the front face 52 of the refrigerator engine compartment 18. As best seen in Figure 8, these apertures 56 extend horizontally across the width of the front face 52. The impeller 54 communicates with the void 42 behind the bins 16 to draw air from the void 42, thus continuously promoting the induction of ambient air through the slots 36 and the optional side vents 46. Upon entering the refrigerator engine compartment 18, this air is drawn through the heat-exchange matrix 58 of the condenser.

Accordingly, ambient air entering the cabinet 6 through the front slots 36 and, if provided, the side vents 46, leaves the cabinet 6 through the apertures 56 provided in the front face 52 of the refrigerator engine compartment 18, and so ambient air is circulated through the cabinet 6. More specifically, ambient air enters the appliance 2 where it immediately comes into contact with the outer surfaces 40, 44, 48 of the bins 16 and warms them to ambient temperature (or substantially so, as a surface resistance effect means that a sub- ambient boundary layer will remain due to the temperature gradient across the thickness of the bin wall) before being drawn towards the void 42 and then upwards through the void 42 by the circulation of the air. The arrows of Figure 11 demonstrate this circulation of air through the appliance 2. Accordingly, the interior of the cabinet 6 is kept close to ambient temperature, and only the interior of each bin 16 is cooled.

By exposing the external surfaces 28, 40, 44, 48 of the bin 16 to warmer air than it contains, there is no problem with condensation on the external surfaces 28, 40, 44, 48, and hence no problem with latent heat transfer to the bin 16 or the icing and cross- contamination difficulties of condensed water entering the cabinet 6.

In any event, cross-contamination would be unlikely to occur because each bin 16 is tightly sealed when its drawer 4 is closed. So, even if microbes enter the cabinet 6, they cannot readily gain access to other bins 16. It is also unlikely that two bins 16 would be open together at any given time. It would be possible to include means for enforcing this, for example using a mechanism akin to that used in filing cabinets for anti-tilt puφoses, by preventing more than one drawer 4 being opened at a time.

When a bin 16 is open, its open top does not suffer much spillage of cold air, and when a bin 16 is closed, the horizontal seals 60 apt to be used in the appliance are inherently better at sealing-in cold air than the vertical seals commonly used in upright refrigerators and freezers. Whilst horizontal seals are known in chest freezers, this appliance does not suffer the inconvenience and space problems of chest freezers, instead being akin in those respects to the much more popular upright appliances. The seals 60 can have magnetic qualities, for example being operable by permanent magnets or electromagnets, or may employ hydraulics or pneumatics to expand or contract them.

As there has to be a large temperature gradient between the cooled inner surfaces 62 of each bin 16 and its outer surfaces 28, 40, 44, 48, the bins 16 are constructed from an efϊicient insulating material so that the gradient is easily maintained with the outer surfaces 28, 40, 44, 48 remaining close to the ambient temperature. Materials such as phenolic foam or polyurethane foam (optionally skinned with GRP or a polycarbonate in a composite structure) are particularly preferred for the construction of the bins 16.

If segregation of the contents of a particular bin 16 is required, that bin 16 may be fitted with removable inserts 64. The inserts 64 are of varying shape and dimensions and may be used to define many types of compartments. For instance, an insert 64 may be a thin partition with a length corresponding to the length or width of the bin 16 in which it is received. An insert 64 may be a box, with or without a lid, or an insert 64 may include clips for holding bottles in place or trays for holding eggs or the like. An insert 64 could also be a wire basket or shelf.

As can be seen in Figure 9, one or more of the bins 16 can be removed from the appliance 2 and fitted with an insulated transport cover 66. The bin 16 may then be taken away from the appliance 2, its insulated construction ensuring that it keeps its contents cool for a limited period of time. For instance, the bin 16 may be used as a cool-box, possibly in conjunction with ice-packs to keep the interior cool for as long as possible. Alternatively, the bin 16 with transport cover 66 may be kept close to the appliance 2 to provide added temporary cooled storage capacity, further bins 16 being fitted to the appliance 2 in that event. It is also possible for a transport cover 66 to include a refrigerator engine powered internally by batteries or a gas supply or externally by mains electricity or a vehicle electricity supply.

Although not shown in the general views of Figures 8 to 11, WO 01/020237 and WO 02/073107 disclose ways in which a bin 16 can be moved with a major horizontal component of movement to gain access to the interior of the bin 16 and, during that access movement, also with a minor vertical component of movement to clear the lid 22.

The Inventor has also devised technical changes and improvements to WO 01/020237 and WO 02/073107, which may have wider application. That new matter will now be described with reference to the remaining Figures, in which the aforesaid reference numerals are used for like parts where possible.

Figures 12 to 18 illustrate drawer stabilisation systems using nested three-profile telescopic runners 200 with an over-extension facility. A nested telescopic runner 200 is attached to the cabinet 202 or other supporting structure on one side and to a large drawer profile 204 on the other. The drawer profile 204 supports a removable drawer storage bin 16 which has an overhanging shoulder resting on an upper flange of the drawer profile 204, such that the drawer profile 204 forms part of a cradle receiving the bin 16. The drawer profile 204 also defines running surfaces with which enhanced stabilisation features may interact.

Vertical forces are shared by load-bearing wheel assemblies 206 attached to the structure that bear against upper and lower flanges 208, 210 of the drawer profile 204 to resist the turning moment of the drawer in the open position. In this case, an upper forward wheel assembly 206 is the fulcrum and a lower rearward wheel assembly 206 is the anchor.

Each wheel assembly 206 consists of a major wheel 212 and a pair of auxiliary wheels 214 or rollers all attached to a common housing by individual spindles. The major and auxiliary wheels 212, 214 are so arranged as to engage with each other and rotate freely, in such a way as to spread the point load at the circumference of the major wheel 212 to its spindle and to the spindles of the minor wheels 214 as shown in enlarged detail in Figs 42 and 43 with reference to a later embodiment. To this end, the auxiliary wheels 214 are angularly spaced about the spindle of the major wheel 212, opposed to the point of rolling contact between the major wheel 212 and the flange 208, 210 along which the major wheel 212 rolls. The auxiliary wheels 214 are in rolling contact with the major wheel 212 and help to bear the load of the drawer, taking loads transmitted across the major wheel 212. The point load is thus spread over three spindles instead of one spindle, which increases load capacity and reduces failure rates. A problem with single spindle wheels is that a single spindle failure in a pair (or other plurality) of runners renders the entire drawer inoperable. Horizontal forces are resisted by roller assemblies 216 attached to the structure. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, these roller assemblies 216 comprise a C-shaped bracket 218 supporting a roller 220 that can rotate about a vertical pivot axis defined by the bracket 218. The rollers 220 of the roller assemblies 216 run against upper and lower faces of the drawer profile 204 to resist lateral turning moments experienced by the drawer in the open position. In this respect, a lower, forward roller 216 assembly acts as fulcrum and an upper, rearward roller assembly 216 acts as an anchor.

In a further optional refinement, an engaging lever 222 pivotally attached to the lower rear part of the drawer profile 204 has a shoulder 224 engageable with a stop plate 226 attached to the cabinet or other supporting structure 202, as best shown in Figure 16, to limit the extent of forward movement of the drawer profile 204 with respect to the structure 202. If the stop plate 226 is suitably positioned near the front of the cabinet 202 as shown in Figures 17(a), 17(b) and 17(c), this limits the extent to which the drawer can be withdrawn during normal use. Limiting the drawer travel in this way restricts exposure of the runner 200 to the additional damaging forces caused by over- extension. Nevertheless, the engaging lever 222 may be released by a user at any time to gain the full over-extension facility shown in Figure 17(c), thus enabling better access to the drawer or removal of a storage bin 16 as shown in Figure 17(c). For this puφose, the engaging lever 222 has a forwardly-extended tab 228 accessible from outside the cabinet 202 when the drawer is in the intermediate position shown in Figure 17(b), whereby the drawer runner 204 can be released by lifting the lever 222 clear of the stop plate 226; however if the lever 222 is buried within the cabinet 202 in alternative embodiments, it can be actuated by a suitable mechanism such as a cable linkage (not shown).

Figure 18 shows an alternative arrangement for restraining vertical and horizontal forces with wheels fixed to the structure 202 and bearing against the drawer profile 204. A vertically mounted wheel 230 on a horizontal pivot axis bears against the bottom flange 210 of the drawer profile 204 and a horizontally mounted wheel 232 on a vertical pivot axis bears against the lower face of the drawer profile 204 opposed to the bottom flange 210. Moving on now to Figures 19(a), 19(b), 19(c) and 20, Figures 19(a), 19(b) and 19(c) are a sequence of side views showing a further variant closed, partially open and in over- extension respectively, and Figure 20 is a cross-sectional end view on line X-X of Figure 19(b). This variant shows how the previously-described wheel assembly of a major wheel and a pair of auxiliary wheels can be used with a three-profile system in much the same manner as in Figures 6(a), 6(b) and 6(c) and Figures 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c).

In the side views of Figures 19(a), 19(b) and 19(c), wheel assemblies are engaged with guide channels of the drawer profile 234, intermediate profile 236 and structural profile 238. Specifically, a first forward wheel assembly 240 fixed to an intermediate profile 236 runs in a guide channel under the drawer profile 234, and a first rearward pair of wheel assemblies 242 fixed to the drawer profile 234 embraces an upper flange 244 of the intermediate profile 236. A second forward wheel assembly 246 fixed to the structural profile 238 runs in a guide channel under a lower flange 248 of the intermediate profile 236, and a second rearward pair of wheel assemblies 250 fixed to the intermediate profile embraces a flange of the structural profile 238.

Each pair of wheel assemblies 242, 250 consists of an upper wheel assembly and a lower wheel assembly separated by a profile flange 244, 238 for continuous rolling contact with the flange 244, 238 and for load transmission from one wheel assembly of the pair 242, 250 to the other wheel assembly of the pair 242, 250 via the flange 244, 238.

Figure 21 is a cross-sectional end view akin to Figure 20 that shows a further variant in which the rearward pairs of wheel assemblies 242, 250 of Figures 19(a), 19(b), 19(c) and 20 are replaced by opposed pairs of bearing blocks 252 of, or coated with or impregnated with, PTFE. Other low-friction materials are of course possible. A first pair of blocks 252 fixed to the drawer profile 234 embraces an upper flange 244 of the intermediate profile 236 and a second pair of blocks 252 fixed to the intermediate profile 236 embraces a flange of the structural profile 238. As Figure 21 makes clear, each pair of bearing blocks 252 is held by a C-section bracket 254 attached to the appropriate profile and the flanges embraced by each pair of bearing blocks 252 each have a longitudinal crease imparting a N-shaped cross section. An upper block of the pair 252 has a convex lower sliding surface shaped to mate within the N-section and a lower block of the pair 252 has a concave upper sliding surface shaped to fit the underside of the N-section. The resulting engagement between the complementary shapes of the blocks 252 and the flange maintains alignment of the drawer runner and of the drawer with respect to the runner and the supporting structure as the drawer is opened and closed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that similar bearing pads or blocks of PTFE or other low-friction material can be substituted for load-bearing wheels or wheel assemblies of the foregoing embodiments. In that case, suitable adaptations may be made to the flanges such as the N-shaped cross-section or other cross-section shaped to mate with corresponding sliding surfaces of the blocks. Blocks can be used singly or in opposed pairs as necessary.

Moving on now to Figures 22 to 25, these show variants addressing a fundamental problem with nested-profile telescopic runners, namely that the cross-section of each successive profile is necessarily smaller than that of the profile which contains it. The step-down in profile cross-section sizes weakens the runner and increases vertical deflection and lateral movement when the runner is extended. This can cause the drawer to bounce and yaw/waggle when loading and unloading the drawer and when opening or closing the drawer, which is inconvenient, may disturb the drawer contents and will lead to premature runner failure.

To reduce the bounce and yaw/waggle that may be experienced with nested-profile telescopic runners, the profiles need be larger, with no step-down in cross-sectional size, and should be configured to increase the runner strength and stability. Figures 22 to 25 illustrate ball-bearing type runners with profiles configured for great strength and stability.

Figure 22 shows a three-profile compact runner, where the size of profile is dictated by the ball bearing diameter. The drawer profile 256 is a C-section defining upper and lower flanges 258 and 260, the intermediate profile 262 is an S-section defining top 264, middle 266 and bottom 268 flanges and the structural profile 270 is an inverted L- section defining a single flange 272.

It will be apparent that the top flange 264 of the S-section intermediate profile 262 is received within the C-section of the drawer profile 256, equidistant between the upper 258 and lower 260 flanges of the drawer profile 256 and separated from those flanges by ball bearings 274 running in opposed N-section guide channels 276 attached to each flange. The single flange 272 of the structural profile 270 is similarly received between the middle 266 and bottom 268 flanges of the S-section intermediate profile 262 and separated from those flanges by ball bearings 274 running in opposed N-section guide channels 276 attached to each flange.

Although only one ball bearing 274 is apparent in each gap between opposed flanges in the sectional end view of Figure 22, there will be several ball bearings 274 disposed in a straight array in each gap. Advantageously, these are ganged together but kept separate by a tie strip 278 having a series of spaced holes (not shown) to receive each successive ball bearing of the array. The tie strip 278 is kept in a generally horizontal plane aligned close to the diameter of the associated ball bearings 274 by virtue of the small gaps between the opposed N-section guide channels 276 attached to each flange.

Figure 23 shows a back-to-back double-strength version of the runner design of Figure 22. The two sides of this double-strength version are essentially mirror images of each other, welded together, and each side corresponds to the runner design of Figure 22, save that the structural profile 270 is U-section with upper limbs facing inwardly to emulate the inverted L-sections that define the single flanges 272 received between the middle 266 and bottom 268 flanges of the S-section intermediate profiles 262.

Figure 24 is broadly akin to the variant shown in Figure 22 but in this case, the top flange 280 of the S-section intermediate profile 262 is broadened into a deep C-section that fits within a correspondingly deeper C-section drawer profile 256. Similarly, the single flange 282 of the structural profile 270 is now a deep C-section that fits within a correspondingly deeper gap between the middle 266 and bottom 268 flanges of the intermediate profile 262. The greater depth of these components increases the load- bearing capacity of the runner compared with the variant shown in Figure 22, primarily in relation to vertical loads due to drawer weight.

Figure 25 relates to Figure 24 in the same way that Figure 23 relates to Figure 22, in that it shows a back-to-back double-strength version of the runner design of Figure 24 whose two sides are essentially mirror images of each other, welded together. As before, the structural profile 270 is generally of U-section but the inwardly-facing upper limbs are broadened into opposed C-sections 282 each received between the middle 266 and bottom 268 flanges of the S-section intermediate profiles 262.

It will be evident that the arrangements described so far involve guiding the bearing means in a guide channel or (for the PTFE blocks) on a specially-shaped flange. The bearing means bears against the guide channel or flange to restrain lateral movement as it also carries vertical loads: thus, the bearing means contains both vertical and lateral forces. As mentioned previously, this requires greater tolerances and clearances between the components to ensure smooth running, which in turn increases lateral movement, risking runner wear and runner failure.

Consequently, the arrangement illustrated in Figures 26 to 32 separates vertical and lateral loads by omitting a guide channel. Instead, bearing means such as rollers are free to float horizontally within the surrounding profiles while being kept in alignment, in this case in a roller gang. The laterally-floating bearing means therefore handle all of the vertical loads but play essentially no part in dealing with lateral loads. Instead, lateral loads are dealt with by contact portions of the overlapping profiles which are kept apart with a small clearance when the profiles are aligned under normal use, but which bear against each other as the profiles misalign slightly under lateral loads and so take up the clearance.

It will be noted that the overlapping profiles have interlocking cross-sections such that relative lateral movement of the profiles cannot cause the profiles to come apart: lateral movement in either direction is restrained by abutment of the respective contact portions.

The contact portions of the overlapping profiles can be shaped to defines lines, areas or points of contact and can be treated, coated or otherwise provided with a low-friction surface where contact with the neighbouring profile is expected.

Looking at Figures 26 to 32 in detail, Figures 26(a), 26(b) and 26(c) are a sequence of sectional side views on line Y-Y of Figure 27 showing the drawer of this variant closed, partially open and in over-extension respectively, Figure 27 is a cross-sectional end view on line X-X of Figure 26(a), and Figure 28 is a sectional view of the roller and profile assembly also visible in Figure 27.

As best shown in Figure 28, the profile shapes and their interactions are much the same as in the variant of Figure 22. As in that variant, the drawer profile 256 is a C-section defining upper 258 and lower 260 flanges, the intermediate profile 262 is an S-section defining top 264, middle 266 and bottom 268 flanges and the structural profile 270 is an inverted L-section defining a single flange 272. However, the drawer profile 256 and the intermediate profile 262 have adaptations to ensure interlocking between the profiles. In the case of the drawer profile 256, this adaptation is a skirt 284 depending from and integral with the upper flange 258. In the case of the intermediate profile 262, this adaptation is a skirt 286 depending from and integral with the middle flange 266. Moreover, the S-section of the intermediate profile 262 is defined by oppositely-facing C-sections one above the other, welded together at a double-thickness middle flange 266, with the skirt 286 depending from and being integral with the upper flange of the lower C-section. It is necessary to fabricate the S-section intermediate profile 262 in this way where the profile 262 is formed of folded sheet metal; however, it would be possible, as an alternative, to extrude any of the profiles in one piece or to extrude parts of a profile for subsequent fabrication.

In the same way as in the variant of Figure 22, the top flange 264 of the S-section intermediate profile 262 is received within the C-section of the drawer profile 256, equidistant between the upper 258 and lower flanges 260 of the drawer profile 256 but in this case separated from those flanges by rollers 288 running directly on each flange. Similarly, the single flange 272 of the structural profile 270 is received between the middle 266 and bottom 268 flanges of the S-section intermediate profile 262 and separated from those flanges by rollers 288 running directly on each flange. The straight-sided cylindrical rollers 288 will tend to self-align with the flanges as they turn but as the rollers 288 run directly on the flanges and have no means to guide them laterally, other than their inherent self-aligning interaction, the profiles could come apart under strong lateral loads but for the skirts 284, 286 on the drawer profile 256 and the intermediate profile 262 which ensure interlocking between the profiles.

It will be noted in this respect that the skirt 284 depending from the upper flange 258 of the drawer profile 256 hangs below the top flange 264 of the intermediate profile 262 and so prevents excessive lateral movement of that flange 264 away from the embrace of the upper 258 and lower 260 flanges of the drawer profile 256. Such excessive lateral movement would be restrained by contact between the skirt 284 and the web 290 of material extending orthogonally between the top 264 and middle 266 flanges of the intermediate profile 262. In effect, the drawer profile 256 wraps around the supporting intermediate profile 262, such that both sides of the drawer profile 262 are almost in contact with the intermediate profile 262. Similarly, the skirt 286 depending from the middle flange 266 of the intermediate profile 262 hangs below the flange 272 of the structural profile 270 and so prevents excessive lateral movement of that flange 270 away from the embrace of the middle 266 and bottom 268 flanges of the intermediate profile 262. Such excessive lateral movement would be restrained by contact between the skirt 286 and the web 292 of material extending orthogonally between the structure 294 and the flange 272 of the structural profile 270. In effect, the intermediate profile 262 wraps around the supporting structural profile 270, such that both sides of the intermediate profile 262 are almost in contact with the structural profile 270.

When contact between profiles occurs under lateral loads, this contact stops drawer yaw/waggle. Figure 29 shows the rollers 288 described above in relation to Figure 28, and Figures 30 to 32 show how those rollers 288 are ganged together in a manner that links the rollers 288 while keeping them separate and keeping their axes mutually aligned on parallel axes, Figure 30 being an end view, Figure 31 being a side view, and Figure 32 being a top view. The rollers 288 are ganged together by flat parallel side plates 296 connected by transverse spindles 298 about which the rollers 288 turn. The rollers 288 are arranged in two planes, four in an upper plane and two in a lower plane, supported by a downward extension 300 of one of the side plates 296. The two rollers 288 in the lower plane are disposed directly below two of the four rollers 288 of the upper plane, defining pairs of upper and lower rollers 288 that embrace the top flange 264 of the intermediate profile 262 or the flange 272 of the structural profile 270 as illustrated in Figure 28. It will be noted from Figure 28 that the downward extension 300 connecting the upper and lower planes and hence the rollers 288 of each pair can fit in either of the narrow gaps beside the top flange 264 of the intermediate profile 262 or beside the flange 272 of the structural profile 270. These gaps lie to the right as shown in Figure 28 between the free end of the top flange 264 of the intermediate profile 262 and the adjacent vertical web 302 connecting the upper 258 and lower 260 flanges of the drawer profile 256, and between the free end of the flange 272 of the structural 270 and the adjacent vertical web 304 connecting the middle 266 and bottom 268 flanges of the intermediate profile 262.

The roller gang transfers vertical loads between profiles in a manner similar to a ball bearing runner. However, cylindrical rollers naturally move in a straight line across a flat surface and so do not need to be contained in a guide channel like ball bearings. The runner system shown in Figures 26 to 32 does not restrain the rollers 288 horizontally, other than separating them and maintaining them in alignment by virtue of the ganged arrangement. Consequently, the rollers 288 only handle vertical loads and do not handle lateral loads. Lateral loads are dealt with separately by the interlocking configuration of the profiles as aforesaid.

The profiles do not need to be almost in contact with each other along their entire length: whilst the potential contact surfaces may be continuous, it is possible to interrupt or otherwise limit the contact surfaces to portions of the runners. Also, the contact surfaces need not be flat but could be shaped to define one or more lines or points of contact for lower friction, such as by providing a plurality of raised contact points on one or more of the opposed contact surfaces. Similarly, these engaging surfaces and/or points can be coated in low-friction, hard wearing materials such as PTFE, to reduce friction and wear where contact takes place.

Whilst shown in Figures 26 to 32 with three profiles including an intermediate profile 262, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the same principle could be applied to a two-profile arrangement as well.

The drawer runner arrangement of Figures 26 to 32 is able to handle high weight loads, is extremely robust and durable, is capable of large over-extensions, has enclosed rotating parts, and suffers very little lateral movement. However, Figure 33 shows a back-to-back double-strength version for particularly heavy-duty applications.

An alternative to the roller gang of Figures 26 to 32 is a low-friction block of PTFE or like material, or a material coated or impregnated with PTFE or the like, as detailed in Figures 34 to 65. Figure 34 is a sectional view corresponding to Figure 28 but showing a block 306 in place of ganged rollers, Figure 35 is a cross-section of the block on line A- A of Figure 36, and Figure 36 is a side view of the block. The block 306 can be directly substituted for the roller gang of Figures 26 to 32 and has much the same outline shape as the roller gang, comprising an upper elongate cuboidal block portion 308 performing the function of the upper plane of rollers 288, and a shorter lower cuboidal block portion 310 offset to one end of the upper block portion 308 and performing the function of the lower plane of rollers 288. These upper and lower block portions 308, 310 are connected by a web 312 functionally equivalent to the downward extension 300 of the side plate 296 ofFigures 26 to 32.

Figures 37(a), 37(b) and 37(c) are a sequence of side views showing the runner of Figure 34 in operation, Figure 37(a) showing the drawer 16 closed, Figure 37(b) showing the drawer 16 partially open and Figure 37(c) showing the drawer 16 fully open. As there are just two runners in this illustration, there is no over-extension facility although in principle there could be, by including one or more intermediate runners.

Figure 37(a) shows front and rear stops 314 and 316 respectively on the drawer profile 256 to position the low-friction block correctly. Figures 37(b) and 37(c) show the block 306 being positioned by front 314 and rear 316 stops as the 16 is opened. The reverse sequence applies when the drawer 16 is closed.

Figures 38(a), 38(b) and 38(c) illustrate a guide-wire lateral restraint system that may be applied to any drawer. Figure 38(a) shows a taut wire 318 (which term includes a cable, cord or the like) routed rearwardly from a front fixing point 320 on the front left of a drawer 322 and looping around a pulley wheel 324 fixed to the cabinet or other supporting structure (not shown). The wire 318 then goes diagonally across the drawer

322, above or below the drawer 322, to loop around another identical pulley wheel 324 also fixed to the cabinet but on the other side of the drawer 322. The wire 318 is then routed rearwardly again and its end is fixed at a rear fixing point 326 to the rear right side of the drawer, diagonally opposed to the fixing point 320 at the front of the drawer

322. When the drawer 322 is open, the effect of applying an offset closing force to the right side of the drawer 322 as shown in Figure 38(a) is that the rear fixing point 326 pulls wire around the pulley wheels 324 and hence away from the front fixing point 320.

This produces an equal force to the left of the drawer 322, avoiding yaw/waggle.

It will be apparent that the mirror- image arrangement in Figure 38(b) will compensate for a left-offset closing force in the same way. Thus, when the arrangements of Figures 38(a) and 38(b) are combined as shown in Figure 38(c), the resulting lateral restraint system will contain lateral movement from left or right offset forces during both opening and closing of the drawer 322.

Moving on now to Figure 39 and its associated cross-section, Figure 40, these show a further embodiment in which a drawer lid 22 is fixed to a structure and a removable drawer storage bin 16 is movable with respect to the lid 22 and the structure. The bin 16 is supported from a top flange 500 formed in the bin 16. The flange 500 in turn sits on a drawer support profile 502, which is fitted with forward and rearward wheel ramps 504 as detailed in Figure 41. The wheel ramps 504 sit upon freely-rotating load-bearing wheels 506, attached to the top section 508 of a telescopic drawer runner 510. Supporting the bin 16 in this way via wheel ramps 504 on the drawer profile 502 and wheels 506 fitted to the runner 510 allows the bin 16 to move independently of the runner 510.

Figure 41 shows that the wheel ramps 504 are defined by a wheel housing 512. The wheel housing 512 comprises forward and rearward buffers 514, 516 that limit forward and rearward movement of a wheel 506 with respect to the bin 16, and a track 518 which connects the buffers 514, 516 to define a running surface for the wheel 506. The buffers 514, 516 and the track 518 are again folded or fabricated in a single component.

The track 518 has an upwardly- and forwardly-inclined forward end portion 520 at its forward end adj acent the forward buffer 514. The rearward end of the forward end portion 520 defines a ridge 522 in the track 518. Moving rearwardly from there, the track 518 defines a rest position between opposed upwardly-inclined ramp portions 524, 526 and after a further ridge 528, ends in an upwardly- and rearwardly-inclined rear end portion 530 adjacent the rearward buffer 516.

The rest position at the apex 532 of the intersecting ramp portions 524, 526 is above the level of the ridges 522, 528; were the housing 512 inverted, this apex 532 would be a trough between the ridges 522, 528.

Figure 39 shows the drawer closed with the bin 16 raised and the horizontal seal (not shown) compressed, with each wheel 506 at the rearward end of its housing 512 adjacent the rearward buffer 516. It will be noted that the radius of the wheel 506 is slightly less than the distance from the rearward buffer 516 to the rearward ridge 528. Thus, the centre of the wheel 506 is marginally rearward of the rearward ridge 528, so that the wheel 506 is biased rearwardly up the rear end portion 530 of the track 518 under the weight of the bin 16. This provides an over-centre locking effect, which can be readily overcome. As detailed in Figures 42 and 43, each load-bearing wheel 506 (shown here inverted) is associated with a pair of auxiliary rollers 534 angularly spaced about the spindle 536 of the wheel 506, opposed to the point of rolling contact between the wheel 506 and the track 518 of the wheel housing 512. The auxiliary rollers 534 are in rolling contact with the wheel 506 and help to bear the load of the bin 16, taking loads transmitted across the wheel 506.

It can be seen in Figure 39 that the drawer runners 510 extend rearward of the bin 16 to allow additional horizontal movement of the runners 510 beyond that of the bin 16. This additional horizontal movement of the runners 510 with respect to the bin 16 will take place on initial opening and on final closing of the drawer. On opening the drawer, this extra runner movement moves the wheels 506 forwardly along their tracks 518 to drop the bin 16 vertically and so to de-compress the seal on initial opening. In doing so, a wheel 506 takes a mid position at or near the apex 532 of its track 518 as the bin 16 is withdrawn with the runner 510. On returning the bin 16 and runner 510 to the closed position, the bin 16 hits a stop at its completely closed position, with each wheel 506 still at the apex 532 of its track 518. The final closing motion pushes the wheels 506 rearwardly along the tracks 518 to the over-centre locking point shown in Figure 25, which raises the bin 16 and compresses the seal against the lid 22.

The full drawer transport sequence is illustrated in Figures 44(a) to 44(f). Figure 44(a) corresponds to Figure 39, showing the drawer closed and the bin 16 raised to compress the horizontal seal (not shown), with the wheels 506 at the rearward end of their wheel housings 512. Figure 44(b) shows the drawer runner 510 forward of the closed position where the wheels 506 have moved along the respective tracks 518 to a mid-position at the apex 532 and released the seal, and where the bin 16 has dropped down but has not moved forward. Figure 44(c) shows the runner 510 and bin 16 in a semi-open position, whereas Figure 44(d) shows the runner 510 and bin 16 in a fully-open position. Figure 44(e) shows the runner 510 and bin 16 in a semi-closed position, while Figure 44(f) shows the bin 16 in its closed but dropped position with the runner 510 slightly forward of the closed position, in readiness for the final closing action of pushing the wheels 506 rearwardly along the tracks 518 to raise the bin 16 and compress the seal, whereupon the sequence returns to its starting point at Figure 44(a).

A variation on the above arrangement would be to make the wheel tracks 518 out of a low-friction material such as PTFE or a PTFE-coated material, with a suitable PTFE or PTFE-coated profile fixed to the runner 510 instead of a wheel 506.

The embodiment of Figures 39 to 44 also includes means for partially isolating the movement of the runner 510 from that of the bin 16, thus reducing acceleration and braking forces imparted to the bin 16. The system of wheel housings 512 fixed in relation to the bin, and the wheels 506 fixed to the runners but floating within the wheel housings 512 permits limited independent movement between the bin 16 and the runner 510. Thus, sudden acceleration and deceleration to the runner 510 can be partially absorbed by limited independent movement of the bin 16, which reduces the rate of change in bin velocity and hence the inertial effects experienced by items stored in the bin 16.

It will be noted that when the accelerations of the bin 16 and runner 510 are near equilibrium, the wheel 506 will sit around the central rest point at the apex 532 of the wheel track 518. When the runner acceleration changes rapidly, such as hitting an end stop or when the drawer is jerked open, the direction and motion of the bin 16 will continue as the wheel moves along the track 518 from the apex 532 toward one of the ridges 522, 528. This vertical movement up the upwardly-inclined ramp portions 524, 526 against the weight of the loaded bin 16 absorbs some of the kinetic energy in the bin 16, and thus slows it to a gentler stop.

A further refinement of the embodiment of Figures 39 to 44 is a control damper. Referring especially now to Figure 45, this shows a simple piston-operated air damper 538 to restrict the acceleration and braking of the drawer runner. The damper has a cylinder 540 whose rear end terminates in a pin 542 that is fixed to the structure of the appliance at its rear. A rod 544 slides within the cylinder 540 and has a piston 546 at one end, slideably sealed within the cylinder 540, and another pin 542 at the other end for attachment to the bottom section 548 of the runner 510 as shown in Figures 44(a) to 44(f). As the rod 544 and piston 546 are pulled from the cylinder 540, air is drawn though a small orifice 550 in the blind end of the cylinder 540. The orifice 550 is sized such that below a limiting piston speed, the passage of air through the orifice 550 causes little resistance (i.e. differential pressure over the orifice 550) and the rod 544 can be moved easily. As the speed of the piston 546 increases, then so does the resistance across the orifice 550 making the rod 544 more difficult to extend or retract. Speed control of the piston rod 544 is achieved because the inverse square law applies, whereby a doubling in airflow through the orifice 550 produces a fourfold increase in resistance on the rod 544.

The puφose of the damper 538 is to control the speed of the runner 510 from mid-point to fully open, also from mid-point to fully closed, preventing a jarring stop in both directions. Alternatively, dampers 538 could be fitted to both sections of the runner 510 to provide speed control over the entire travel of the runner 510.

Referring back to Figures 44(a) to 44(f), the damper control sequence will now be described. Figure 44(a) shows the bin 16 in the closed position with the runners 510 and damper 538 fully retracted. Figure 44(b) shows the bin 16 released from its seal with the top section 508 of the runner 510 extended and the bottom section 548 of the runner 510 restrained by the damper 538. Figure 44(c) shows the bin 16 at about mid-point in opening with the top section 508 of the runner 510 fully extended and the bottom section 548 of the runner 510 still restrained by the damper 538. Figure 44(d) shows the bin 16 fully open with both runner sections 508, 548 and the damper 538 fully extended, indicating that the damper 538 had control over the last part of the bin opening movement. Figure 44(e) shows the bin 16 at about mid-point in closing with the top section 508 of the runner 510 fully retracted and the bottom section 548 of the runner 510 fully extended and restrained by the damper 538. Figure 44(f) shows the bin 16 and top section 508 of the runner 510 fully retracted with the bottom section 548 of the runner 510 and the damper 538 significantly retracted, indicating that the damper 538 had control over the last part of the bin closing movement. Figures 46(a) to 46(f) show a refinement of the damper concept, in which the piston 552 is itself a cylinder sliding concentrically within the outer cylinder 554. The outer cylinder 554 has no orifices and is sealed to the piston 552 by a sealing gland 556 between the piston 552 and the outer cylinder 554 near the otherwise open end of the outer cylinder 554. The piston 552, on the other hand, has a series of orifices 558 spaced along the length of the piston 552.

It will be self-evident that when the piston 552 is forced into the outer cylinder 554, the piston 552 will compress air trapped within the outer cylinder 554. That compressed air can only escape from the outer cylinder 554 by passing through the cylindrical piston 552 via one or more orifices 558 lying within the outer cylinder 554 and one or more orifices 558 lying outside the outer cylinder 554. However, when the piston 552 is fully retracted within the outer cylinder 554 as shown in Figure 46(a), all of the orifices 558 are within the outer cylinder 554: none of the orifices 558 can communicate within the outside, so there is no net flow or air out of the outer cylinder 554. This traps compressed air, which provides a cushioning effect as the damper approaches its fully retracted state.

Conversely, when the damper is in a semi-extended or semi-retracted state as shown for example in Figures 46(c) or 46(d), more than one orifice 558 is within the outer cylinder

554 and more than one orifice 558 is outside: this presents minimum resistance to air flow and so minimises the damping effect when the damper is in mid-stroke. However, when the damper nears the fully-extended state as in Figure 46(f), only one orifice 558 is within the outer cylinder 554 and whilst several orifices 558 are outside, the airflow through them is limited by the airflow through the single orifice 558 within: this presents greater resistance to air flow and so maximises the damping effect when the damper nears the end of its stroke. Eventually, when the damper is fully extended (not shown), all of the orifices 558 may be outside the outer cylinder, so again, airflow is blocked. Continued extension of the damper in this state is strongly resisted by low pressure within the outer cylinder 554, but again in a cushioned manner.

Further enhancements to the drawer transport system will now be described. They include methods to limit the independent movement between the runner and bin, and alternative end-of-travel restraints.

It will be apparent that the system employing wheel ramps and wheels as illustrated in Figures 39 to 44 will raise the bin 16 when the runners 510 are rapidly accelerated in mid-travel. Where this is not desirable, a movement limiting system may be employed as shown in Figures 47(a) to 47(e). Figure 47(a) shows a drawer transport system with the bin 16 closed with its seal 600 compressed against a lid 22, supported by a wheel 506 parked on a flat portion 602 of the rear part of a wheel track 518. To drop the bin 16 to open it and break the seal, the wheel 506 moves forwardly along the wheel track 518 out of the parked position. In this state, the three dashed line circles shown on the wheel track 518 indicate the rearward and forward travel limits and the normal centre position of the wheel 506. Rearward bin movement in relation to the runner 510 is limited by the assembly including the wheel 506 encountering the forward buffer 514 at the front of the wheel track 518.

A pivoting engaging lever 604 is attached by a spindle 606 to a support plate 608 that travels with the wheel track 518 and so moves in relation to the runner 510. The lever 604 pivots to limit the forward movement of the bin 16 in relation to the runner 510 during normal bin movement. Specifically, when the drawer is opened, the front end of the lever 604 drops down under gravity and engages with a stop plate 610 attached to the runner 510. This engagement between lever and stop plate limits the forward motion of the bin 16 in relation to the runner 510, and so prevents the wheel 506 travelling the full length of the track 518 into the parked position 602, in which the bin 16 is raised.

To remove the forward limit by disengaging the lever 604 from the stop plate 610, the rear of the engaging lever 604 hits a striker plate 612 fixed to the structure just as the bin 16 reaches its final horizontal closed position. In this way, the lever 604 pivots in an opposite sense to free the bin 16 for forward movement so as to enable the wheel 506 to travel the full length of the track 518 into the parked position 602, in which the bin 16 is raised and the seal 600 is compressed during the final closing motion of the drawer. Figure 47(a) shows a bin 16 in a closed and raised position with the seal 600 compressed. The rear of the lever 604 is firmly against the striker plate 612 so that the lever 604 is disengaged from the stop plate 610 and the wheel 506 is free to move the full length of the track 518.

Figure 47(b) shows the bin 16 in a closed position but lowered so that the seal 600 is released. The rear of the lever 604 is still firmly against the striker plate 612 so that the lever 604 is disengaged and the bin movement is not limited. However, relative movement between the runner 510 and the bin 16 means that the wheel 506 is now located at the mid-point of the wheel track 518.

Figure 47(c) shows the bin 16 in a partially open position with the seal 600 released. The rear of the lever 604 has moved away from the striker plate 612 so that the front of the lever 604 is free to drop and has engaged with the stop plate 610, so that bin movement is now limited. The wheel 506 is still located at the midpoint of the wheel track 518 and the bin 16 can move forward or backward by a limited amount relative to the runner 510, as the wheel 506 travels along the inclined portions of the wheel track 518 either forwardly or rearwardly (or more precisely, as the track travels with respect to the wheel). However, the load of the bin 16 and its contents biases the wheel 506 to the mid-point of the track 518.

Figure 47(d) shows the bin 16 in a partially open position with forward movement of the bin 16 relative to the runner 510, as the drawer is being closed. The wheel 506 is now at the rearward limit of the wheel track 518 and the bin 16 is prevented from further forward movement with respect to the runner 510 by the engaging lever 604 bearing against the stop plate 610 on the runner 510. In effect, the bin 16 and the runner 510 are now locked together during continued closing movement of the drawer, until the rear end of the lever 604 encounters the striker plate 612 and releases the bin 16 for further forward movement with respect to the runner 510.

Figure 47(e) shows the bin 16 in a partially open position with rearward movement of the bin 16 relative to the runner 510, as would happen if the drawer is jerked open. The wheel 506 is now located at the forward limit of the wheel track 518 and the bin 16 is prevented from further rearward movement with respect to the runner 510 by the wheel assembly 506 hitting the forward buffer 514.

Figure 47(d) and 47(e) show how movement of the bin 16 relative to the runner 510 causes vertical movement of the wheel track 514, which brakes the velocity of the bin 16. As this happens, the independent horizontal movement of the bin 16 increases the time allowed for this change in velocity to take place, hence resulting in a smoother bin stop. Otherwise, depending upon how roughly a drawer is handled in use, the bin 16 could come to a sudden stop at each end of travel, either closed-to-open or open-to- closed, which can disturb stored objects and spill liquids within the bin 16.

Further to reduce rapid deceleration of the bin 16 at each end of travel, end-of-travel restraints can be used. For example, as the bin 16 is about to reach the final closed position, a flexible restraining plate on the runner can hit a striker plate on the structure that temporarily slows the runner and then releases it. Slowing the runner, but not the bin, allows the bin to move rearwardly independently of the runner, which absorbs some of the bin's momentum and so reduces inertial effects upon the stored products as the bin thereafter comes to a halt.

Figures 48 to 50 show a flexible sprung angled restraining plate 614 attached by a hinge 616 to the underside of the runner 510. The plate is essentially a strip formed in a right- angle and hinged at its apex between two mutually-orthogonal legs 618, 620. Normally one leg 618 lies horizontally against the underside of the runner 510 and the other leg 620 hangs vertically with the aid of a counter-balance weight 622.

Figure 48 shows the restraining plate resisting movement in a restraining phase as it is forced past a striker plate 624 fixed to the structure. Continued movement of the runner 510 deflects the leg (shown by the dashed line) until it has deflected sufficiently to pass over the striker plate 624, thus ending the restraining phase. Figure 49 shows the runner 510 returning in the opposite direction; in this case, as the leg 620 reaches the striker plate, the entire restraining plate 614 pivots easily about the hinge 616 into the position shown by dashed lines. Thus, in this direction, the restraining plate 614 offers no resistance to the drawer movement.

In practice, restraining plates 614 and striker plates 624 will be used in opposed pairs as shown in Figures 51(a) to 51(f). These drawings show the location of forward and rearward restraining plates 614 on the underside of the runner 510 and the associated striker plates 624 located on the structure. The forward striker plate 624 initiates the opening restraining end stop and the rearward striker plate 624 initiates the closing restraining end stop.

When the drawer opening is in a mid position shown in Figure 51(a), the restraining plates 614 do not encounter the associated striker plates 624. Figure 51(b) shows a drawer almost completely open with the forward restraining plate 614 engaging and deflecting around the forward striker plate 624, hence slowing the drawer as it nears the end of its opening movement. Figure 51(c) shows the drawer completely open with the forward restraining plate 614 having passed over the striker plate 624. Conversely, Figure 51(d) shows the drawer almost completely closed with the rearward restraining plate 614 engaging the rearward striker plate 624 to slow bin movement near the end of the closing movement, and Figure 51(e) shows the drawer with the bin 16 fully closed, but not yet raised, and the rearward restraining plate 614 having passed over the rearward striker plate 624. Figure 51(f) shows a drawer completely closed with the bin 16 raised and the seal compressed; again, the restraining plates 614 do not encounter the associated striker plates 624.

Another way to achieve smooth drawer control to protect the contents of a drawer from being thrown about, damaged and spilt, as well to add convenience, is to automate the transport of the drawer. Figure 52(a) is a plan view of a drawer 700 from underneath, having a motorised pantograph drawer opening and closing system. A reversible motor 702, driven by an inverter for 'soft' starts and stops, is integral with a shaft-mounted worm drive gearbox. The motor 702 and gearbox drive a bearing-mounted lead screw 704 extending across the drawer 700 below its rearmost end. The lead screw 704 has a left-hand threaded portion 706 extending inwardly from one end and a right-hand threaded portion 708 extending inwardly from the other end. Left and right trunnions 710 and 712 are in threaded engagement with the respective threaded portions 706, 708 of the lead screw 704. Each trunnion 710, 712 connects pivotally to the end of a respective lead arm 714 of a pantograph. The lead arms 714 are interconnected pivotally at their mid points 716 and hinged at their other ends 718 to further pantograph arms 720 which converge at a central pivotal interconnection 722 with the underside of the drawer 700, or with a support structure 724 for a removable bin defining the drawer 700. A microprocessor, motor inverter, stop and start controls and safety devices (not shown) control the opening and closing operations.

Figure 52(a) shows the drawer 700 closed with the trunnions 710, 712 fully separated and the pantograph retracted. Figure 52(b) shows the drawer 700 fully open after the motor 702 has driven the lead screw 704 to advance the trunnions 710, 712 close together at the inward ends of their respective threaded portions 706, 708 of the lead screw 704, thereby extending the pantograph. Reversing the motor 702 will close the drawer 700 again by separating the trunnions 710, 712 to the position shown in Figure 52(a) and hence retracting the pantograph.

Another way to reduce the effects of rapid changes to the bin velocity is to limit the acceleration of the drawer during its entire opening and closing motion. In this respect, Figures 53 to 55 show a rotary damper attached to a rack and pinion to provide speed control during drawer operation. Figure 53 is a part-sectional end view of a drawer transport mechanism including the runner of Figures 26 to 32. Figure 54 is a schematic sectional view of the damper shown in Figure 53, taken on line A-A of Figure 53. Figures 55(a) and 55(b) are side views showing the position of the damper in relation to the cabinet and drawer.

Referring to Figure 53, a feed control plate 726 is attached to the drawer runner 728 and extends under the removable bin 16 in an L-shape. A downwardly-facing toothed rack 730 is fixed under the base of the L-shape feed control plate 726 and extends in the direction of drawer travel for the entire length of drawer travel. A similar, but mirror- image feed control plate mounting a parallel rack is disposed on the other side of the bin 16 (not shown).

A shaft 732 fixed to the structure 734 by a bearing 736 runs between the two racks 730 below the bin 16, orthogonally to the direction of drawer travel. Pinion wheels 738 (only one of which is shown) fixed to the shaft 732 engage with the racks 730 on the underside of the feed control plates 726. One or both ends of the shaft 732 (only one of which is shown) extend beyond the pinion wheels 738 into rotary damper(s) 740.

Figure 54 shows that the rotary damper 740 comprises a tubular housing 742 defining a cylindrical chamber 744 filled with viscous fluid and that the end of the shaft 732 runs through the chamber 744 on its central longitudinal axis. A plurality of paddles 746 extend radially from the shaft 732 inside the chamber 744, extending substantially from end-to-end within the chamber 744, so as to turn with the shaft 732 through the surrounding viscous fluid. These paddles 746 fit closely within the interior of the chamber 744 but leave a small peripheral clearance through which the viscous fluid can flow in a restricted manner in use. The clearance is such that the viscous fluid passes through relatively easily when the shaft 732 rotates at a pre-determined low speed, equating to gentle and slow drawer movement by virtue of the engagement between pinions 738 and racks 730. As the rotational speed of the shaft 732 increases by virtue of increasing drawer speed, the viscous fluid experiences greater resistance which increases resistance by the damper 740 to the rotation of the shaft 732 and hence gently regulates the drawer speed.

Figure 55(a) is a side elevation locating the rack 730 and pinion 732 with respect to the drawer runner 728 in the closed position. Figure 55(b) is the corresponding side elevation locating the rack 730 and pinion 732 when the drawer is fully open.

If appropriate, it would also be possible to perforate or shape the paddles 746 of the rotary damper 740 to permit restricted flow of the viscous fluid through or around the paddles 746. Other rotary fluid damper configurations such as interleaved plates that impart shearing forces to the fluid will be known to those skilled in the art. The improvements shown in Figures 56 to 70 address the problem of 'carriage creep' mentioned in the introduction. To recap, bearing means such as ball or roller bearings are typically ganged together to form a carriage. On closure of the associated drawer, the carriage should ideally return to the centre of the runner ready for full opening but, on partial opening, the carriage tends to creep away from this central location. When full opening is required, the carriage has to be moved back into position, which requires an unacceptable effort by the operator.

Repeated partial opening is the normal mode of use of most drawers and whilst 'carriage creep' results from this mode of use, it does not normally hinder partial opening. However, on the usually less frequent occasions when the drawer needs to be fully opened, for example to the extent of over-extension necessary to remove a removable bin, the drawer runner tends to jam. Considerable force is then required to extend the runner fully. The problem is caused or exacerbated by the carriage of ganged balls or rollers becoming misaligned with the runner profiles due to slippage or skidding of the balls or rollers. When full opening is required, the carriage has to be dragged back into the central position with respect to the runners. The problem does not occur with repeated full openings, without intervening periods of repeated partial openings.

The improvements of Figures 56 to 70 employ engaging means between the carriage and one or more profiles and/or the supporting structure such as a cabinet. The engaging means involves geared engagement, in this example between a rack associated with a profile or the structure, and a pinion associated with the carriage.

Figures 56 to 61 show various ways in which a rack and a pinion may be made from plate material, which material can be inexpensively punched or otherwise cut on a CNC machine and optionally also folded to form teeth orthogonal to the main body of the rack or pinion. It would be possible to use precision cast or machined parts instead, but the cost of such parts could be prohibitive.

The rack 748 can be punched as shown in Figure 56 and meshed with a punched pinion 750, as shown in Figure 57, or with a punched and folded pinion 752, as shown in Figure 58. Alternatively, the rack 754 can be punched and folded as shown in Figure 59 and meshed with a punched pinion 750, as shown in Figures 60(a) and 60(b), or with a punched and folded pinion 752, as shown in Figure 61.

Figures 60(a) and 60(b) show that the punched and folded rack 754 can either be largely outside the circumference of the pinion 750 as shown in Figure 60(a) or, more compactly, within the circumference of the pinion 750 as shown in Figure 60(b).

Figures 62(a) and 62(b) show two punched racks 748 and one punched pinion 750 of Figure 57 in use, in a simplified drawing that shows the principles of operation for a two-profile runner. Figure 62(a) shows the racks 748 vertically aligned with and parallel to each other when the drawer is closed and Figure 62(b) shows the racks 748 similarly parallel but now staggered when the drawer is open. It will be understood that more profiles can be added as required. In this simplest form, a pinion 750 fixed by a central spindle 756 to a carriage (not shown) engages with one rack 748 attached to or part of a drawer profile and with another opposed rack 748 attached to or part of a structural profile. Thus, the pinion 750 is intended to complement the load-bearing balls or wheels of the carriage, although load-bearing pinions could be used instead of, or to share the duty of, the balls or wheels.

Figures 63(a) and 63(b) show a variant employing two punched racks 748 and two punched pinions 750 of Figure 57. As in Figures 62(a) and 62(b), Figure 63(a) shows the racks 748 vertically aligned with each other when the drawer is closed and Figure 63(b) shows the racks 748 staggered when the drawer is open. The difference is that each pinion 750 is individually attached by a respective central spindle 756 to a carriage (not shown), and is meshed with only a respective one of the racks 748. This arrangement has the benefit of greater flexibility in positioning the racks 748, which can be staggered to an extent not possible with the single pinion 750 of Figures 62(a) and 62(b). Again, the pinions 750 are intended to complement the load-bearing balls or wheels of the carriage, although load-bearing pinions could be used instead of, or to share the duty of, the balls or wheels. Figure 64 shows how two pinions 750 may be mounted by a common spindle 758 to a plate 760 forming part of a carriage. In this case, the plate 760 is suitably disposed between the pinions 750 as shown and the spindle passes through the plate 760.

Figures 65 to 67 illustrate an example of how a rack and pinion system can be applied to the stacked roller slide system of Figures 28 to 33. The reader will appreciate that the rack and pinion system can similarly be applied to other embodiments such as the PTFE block derivative of Figures 34 to 37.

It will be evident that Figures 65 to 67 correspond to Figures 28, 31 and 32 respectively, so like numerals will be used for like parts. Thus, the drawer profile 256 in Figure 65 is a C-section defining upper and lower flanges 258, 260, the intermediate profile 262 is an S-section defining top 264, middle 266 and bottom 268 flanges and the structural profile 270 is an inverted L-section defining a single flange 272. Similarly, the drawer profile and the intermediate profile have adaptations in the form of skirts 284, 286 to ensure interlocking between the profiles. However, in this case, the top 264 and bottom 268 flanges of the intermediate profile 262, the lower flange 260 of the drawer profile 256 and the flange 272 of the structural profile 270 are each punched to define respective racks, or carry punched racks separate from and mounted to those flanges.

The roller gang shown in Figures 66 and 67 corresponding to Figures 31 and 32 is modified by the addition of pinions 750 attached by spindles 760 to the side plates 296 in a vertically aligned pair disposed between the vertically aligned pairs of rollers 288. The diameter of each pinion 750 is about the same as, or slightly smaller than, the diameter of each roller 288. One pinion 750 is associated with each plane of rollers 288 but its spindle 760 is slightly below the spindles 298 of the associated plane of rollers 288. The arrangement is such that the teeth of the pinions 250 extend below the rollers 288 to mesh with the racks below, yet remain clear of the profile above as the pinion 250 turns in use.

Figures 68 to 70 show how the rack and pinion principle can readily be applied to nested ball bearing drawer runners. Figure 68 is an end view illustrating a two-profile runner in which upper and lower sets of ball bearings 762 are ganged together to form a carriage 764 that unites the upper and lower sets while retaining and separating the ball bearings 762 of each set. A punched and folded rack 754 is fixed to the generally flat central drawer profile 766 and a similar punched and folded rack 754 is fixed to the outer C- section structural profile 768. Mutually offset pinions 750 of punched plate material are attached to the carriage 764 so as to mesh with each respective rack 754. It will be noted how the teeth of the folded racks 754 face inwardly toward one another, as will the compactness of the arrangement that results from this and from keeping the racks 754 within the circumference of the associated pinions 750.

Figure 69 is an end view that corresponds to Figure 68 save that the pinions 750 are aligned on a common spindle 770 extending through the carriage 764 from one pinion 750 to the other.

Figure 70 is an end view showing a three-profile runner comprising an inner generally flat drawer profile 766, an outer C-section structural profile 772 and an intermediate C- section profile 774 nested between the drawer profile 766 and the structural profile 772. In this case there are two carriages 764, one between the intermediate profile 774 and the drawer profile 766 and the other between the intermediate profile 774 and the structural profile 772. On each carriage, like Figure 69, pinions 750 are aligned on a common spindle 770 extending through the carriage 764 from one pinion 750 to the other, and each pinion 750 is engaged with a respective punched and folded rack 754 associated with one of the profiles connected by the carriage 764.

Finally, Figures 71 and 72 illustrate a runner variant in which there are no rolling bearings such as wheels or ball bearings in the conventional sense. Instead, as shown in Figure 71, an inner generally flat drawer profile 776, an outer C-section structural profile 778 and a C-section intermediate profile 780 nested between the drawer profile 776 and the structural profile 778 are connected by interlocking sliding surfaces. Specifically, the upper and lower edges of the drawer profile 776 have N-section grooves along their length, as do the inwardly-facing edges of the outer C-section structural profile 778. The arms of the intermediate C-section profile 780 have enlarged ends 782 of generally hexagonal cross-section defining opposed convex N-section surfaces shaped to mate with the N-section grooves of the drawer profile 776 and the structural profile 778, between which the intermediate profile 780 is nested. The anangement is such that the profiles can only be assembled by longitudinally sliding the drawer profile 776 and the intermediate profile 780 into the succeeding profile, be it the intermediate profile 780 or the structural profile 778 as appropriate. This assures lateral location between the profiles.

Figures 72(a), 72(b) and 72(c) show the runner of Figure 71 retracted, semi-extended and almost fully extended respectively. It will be evident that this embodiment relies upon achieving and maintaining the lowest possible friction between sliding surfaces, which may be achieved by low-friction surface treatments, use of dissimilar material or the application of lubricants, or any combination of these measures. An example of a lubricant is the use of micro ball bearings entrained in a grease compound, such that when the compound is spread over the sliding surfaces to the thickness of the ball bearings, a multitude of those ball bearings separate the two surfaces. Means could be used to inject fresh lubricant periodically into the interface between sliding surfaces, which means can do so automatically from a reservoir of lubricant held within the appliance holding the drawer, or other similar drawer storage unit.

Many other variations are possible within the inventive concept. In general, therefore, reference should be made to the appended claims and other general statements herein rather than to the foregoing specific description as indicating the scope of the invention. In inteφreting the invention, it should be understood that although features of the illustrated embodiments have been described in combination with each other and although such combinations may have advantages of their own, many of those features can be applied independently. So, those features are considered to be independently patentable whether within or beyond the inventive concepts expressed herein.

Claims

1. A drawer runner comprising at least two profiles movable in relation to one another to extend or retract the runner, a bearing carriage between the profiles and means for geared engagement between the carriage and at least one of the profiles or a structure in relation to which a profile is fixed.

2. The runner of Claim 1, wherein the carriage comprises rolling bearing means including wheels or ball bearings.

3. The runner of Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the means for geared engagement comprises at least one pinion associated with the carriage and at least one rack meshed with the pinion and associated with the profile or the structure.

4. The runner of any preceding Claim, wherein at least one pinion associated with the carriage transmits drawer weight loads between the profiles.

5. The runner of Claim 4 when dependent upon Claim 1 but not upon Claim 2, wherein drawer weight loads are transmitted between the profiles entirely via the or each pinion, without further bearing means.

6. The runner of Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein the pinion transmits drawer weight loads directly between the profiles.

7. The runner of Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein the pinion transmits drawer weight loads between the profiles via the carriage.

8. The runner of any of Claims 3 to 7, wherein the pinion and/or the rack are punched or otherwise cut from plate material.

9. The runner of any of Claims 3 to 8, wherein the pinion and/or the rack have a planar body portion and teeth extending orthogonally out of the plane of the body portion.

10. The runner of any of Claims 3 to 9, wherein the pinion and the rack each have a planar body portion and when the pinion and the rack are meshed, the body portions are disposed in substantially parallel planes or in substantially the same plane.

11. The runner of Claim 10, wherein the body portions are disposed in substantially parallel planes connected by teeth orthogonal to at least one of the body portions.

12. The runner of Claim 11, wherein the body portion of the rack is substantially within the circumference of the pinion.

13. The runner of any of Claims 3 to 9, wherein the pinion and the rack each have a planar body portion and when the pinion and the rack are meshed, the body portions are disposed in mutually orthogonal planes.

14. The runner of any of Claims 3 to 13, wherein a pinion is simultaneously meshed with two parallel racks.

15. The runner of any of Claims 3 to 13, wherein a first pinion is meshed with one rack, another pinion is meshed with another parallel rack and the pinions are each pivotally connected to the carriage.

16. The runner of any of Claims 3 to 15 and having first and second pinions on mutually opposed sides of the carriage.

17. The runner of any of Claims 3 to 16 and having first and second pinions on a common spindle or otherwise pivoting about the same axis.

18. The runner of Claim 17 when appendant to Claim 16, wherein the spindle extends through at least part of the carriage.

19. The runner of any of Claims 3 to 18, wherein the rack is integral with a profile.

20. The runner of any of Claims 3 to 18, wherein the rack is attached to a profile.

21. The runner of any preceding Claim, wherein body portions of the profiles lie beside and spaced from one another and wherein the means for geared engagement is disposed substantially in the space between the profiles.

22. The runner of Claim 21, wherein the body portions are substantially flat and substantially parallel.

23. The runner of Claim 21 or Claim 22, wherein at least part of the carriage is disposed in the space between the profiles.

24. A drawer runner having profiles separated by bearing means which transmit drawer weight loads between the profiles, wherein lateral loads are transmitted by mutual abutment of the profiles following limited relative lateral movement between the profiles.

25. The runner of Claim 24, wherein the bearing means can float laterally between the profiles.

26. The runner of Claim 24 or Claim 25, wherein the profiles have interlocking cross- sections such that relative lateral movement of the profiles cannot cause the profiles to come apart.

27. The runner of any of Claims 24 to 26, wherein contact portions of the profiles are shaped to defines lines, areas or points of contact.

28. The runner of any of Claims 24 to 27, wherein contact portions of the profiles are treated, coated or otherwise provided with a low-friction surface.

29. The runner of any of Claims 24 to 28, wherein the bearing means comprises one or more rollers.

30. The runner of Claim 29, wherein the bearing means comprises a plurality of rollers and the rollers are ganged together in a carriage.

31. The runner of any of Claims 24 to 30, wherein the bearing means comprises one or more sliding blocks.

32. The runner of any of Claims 24 to 31, wherein interlocking profiles comprise:

a first profile defining first and second flanges mutually spaced from and parallel to one another;

a second profile defining a third flange received between and parallel to the first and second flanges of the first profile, and separated from at least one of those flanges by bearing means running on or parallel to the flanges; and

barrier means for blocking lateral movement of the third flange away from said position between the first and second flanges.

33. The runner of Claim 32, wherein the barrier means extends from the level of one of the first and second flanges to beyond the level of the third flange, but not as far as the level of the other of the first and second flanges.

34. The runner of Claim 32 or Claim 33, wherein the barrier means is a skirt integral with one of the first and second flanges.

35. The runner of any of Claims 32 to 34, wherein the bearing means separates the third flange from both the first and second flanges of the first profile.

36. The runner of Claim 35, wherein the bearing means comprises bearings on two planes.

37. The runner of Claim 36, wherein the two planes of bearings are ganged together.

38. A drawer runner having:

39. The runner of Claim 38 wherein at least one of the flanges or an attachment to the flange has a non-planar cross-section shaped to complement a correspondingly-shaped surface of the bearing means, lateral location being effected by engagement of the complementary shapes.

40. The runner of Claim 38 or Claim 39 wherein at least one of the flanges or an attachment to the flange is shaped to define a guide channel defining limits of lateral movement for the bearing means with respect to the flange.

41. The runner of any of Claims 38 to 40, wherein the third flange comprises parallel mutually spaced upper and lower flanges.

42. The runner of Claim 41, wherein the third flange is a C-section defining the upper and lower flanges.

43. A drawer stabilisation system comprising a first wire portion fixed to a first side of a drawer, a second wire portion fixed to a second opposed side of the drawer, first pulley means for paying out wire into the first wire portion upon application of an offset force to the first side of the drawer to move the drawer with respect to a structure, and second pulley means for retracting wire from the second wire portion in response to the wire paid out from the first pulley means, to apply an equalising force to the second side of the drawer.

44. The system of Claim 43, wherein the first and second pulley means are fixed to the structure to respective sides of the drawer.

45. The system of Claim 43 or Claim 44, wherein the same length of wire defines the first and second wire portions and links the first and second pulley means.

46. The system of any of Claims 43 to 45, wherein the wire extends transversely above or below the drawer to link the first and second pulley means.

47. The system of any of Claims 43 to 46, wherein the first and second wire portions connect to the rear and front of the first and second sides respectively.

48. A drawer stabilisation system comprising mirror-image systems as defined in any of Claims 43 to 47, mutually supeφosed to equalise forces offset to either side of the drawer.

49. A drawer operating system comprising a pantograph linking a drawer to a supporting structure, the pantograph having end levers movable towards and away from each other to extend and retract the pantograph and to open and close the drawer.

50. The system of Claim 49, wherein the end levers are pivotally connected to trunnions threaded to a shaft and being advanceable in opposite directions upon turning the shaft in a single angular direction.

51. The system of Claim 50, wherein the trunnions are threaded to respective oppositely-handed shaft portions.

52. A speed control system for a drawer, the system comprising a rack associated with a drawer for turning a shaft via a pinion meshed with the rack as the drawer is opened or closed, and means for restricting the angular velocity of the shaft.

53. The system of Claim 52, wherein paddles or plates turn with the shaft within a chamber containing viscous fluid, restricted flow of fluid within the chamber limiting the angular velocity of the shaft.

54. The runner of any of Claims 1 to 42 or the system of any of Claims 43 to 53, further comprising a damper extensible and retractable in response to movement of the drawer with respect to a structure supporting the drawer.

55. The runner or system of Claim 54, wherein the damper has variable resistance to movement of the drawer.

56. The runner or system of Claim 55, wherein the resistance of the damper increases with increasing speed of movement of the drawer.

57. The runner or system of any of Claims 54 to 56, wherein the resistance of the damper increases approaching at least one end of its stroke.

58. The runner or system of any of Claims 54 to 57, wherein the damper resists movement of the drawer by pumping air through a restricted orifice.

59. The runner or system of any of Claims 54 to 58, wherein the damper comprises an outer cylinder sealed to a hollow and elongate piston movable within the outer cylinder to pressurise and depressurise air within the outer cylinder, the piston including a plurality of orifices spaced apart along its length and communicating with each other through the hollow interior of the piston, whereby the piston can be positioned within the outer cylinder to expose at least one of said plurality of orifices to the interior of the outer cylinder while simultaneously exposing at least one other of said plurality of orifices to atmosphere outside the outer cylinder.

60. The runner or system of any preceding claim, further comprising restraining means to slow movement of the drawer with respect to a structure supporting the drawer.

61. The runner or system of Claim 60, wherein the restraining means is unidirectional in its effect.

62. The runner or system of Claim 60 or Claim 61, wherein the restraining means acts to slow the drawer when the drawer is at one or more predetermined locations in its range of movement with respect to the structure.

63. The runner or system of any of Claims 60 to 62, wherein the restraining means acts to slow the drawer when the drawer approaches an end of said range or movement.

64. The runner or system of any of Claims 60 to 63, wherein the restraining means comprises a first part in fixed relation to the structure and a second part in fixed relation to the support means or the drawer, the parts encountering one another during relative movement between the structure and the support means or the drawer and at least one of the parts deflecting resiliently to allow the parts to pass one another upon continued relative movement.

64. An extensible strut for controlling speed of a drawer, the strut comprising an outer cylinder sealed to a hollow and elongate piston movable within the outer cylinder to pressurise and depressurise air within the outer cylinder, the piston including a plurality of orifices spaced apart along its length and communicating with each other through the hollow interior of the piston, whereby the piston can be positioned within the outer cylinder to expose at least one of said plurality of orifices to the interior of the outer cylinder while simultaneously exposing at least one other of said plurality of orifices to atmosphere outside the outer cylinder.

65. A drawer storage unit including a runner as defined in any of Claims 1 to 42 or including a system as defined in any of Claims 43 to 53 or including a runner or system as defined in any of Claims 54 to 64 or including a strut as defined in Claim 64.

66. The unit of Claim 65, embodied as a cold storage appliance comprising:

an open-topped container being the drawer;

a lid adapted to close the open top of the container;

a cooling means adapted to cool the interior of the container; and

a structure supporting the container, the lid and the cooling means;