WO2007108601A1

WO2007108601A1 - Under mount slide

Info

Publication number: WO2007108601A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/001237
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yoon Sik Park
Original assignee: Yoon Sik Park
Priority date: 2006-03-20
Filing date: 2007-03-14
Publication date: 2007-09-27
Also published as: KR101150477B1; KR20070095002A

Abstract

Disclosed is a bottom-attachment type slide. The slide includes a first member, two second members, and two ball retainers. The first member includes two sliding sections arranged to face each other and extensions connecting the two sliding sections to each other. Each of the sliding sections includes three raceway portions having a triangular arrangement. Each of the second members includes one transversal raceway portion and two oblique raceway portions positioned to correspond to the three raceway portions of the associated sliding section of the first member. The second member further includes two connecting portions connecting the transversal raceway portion with the respective oblique raceway portions. Each of the ball retainers includes one transversal portion, two oblique portions, and two connecting portions connecting the transversal portion with the respective oblique portions. The ball retainer generally has the same cross section as that of the corresponding second member. Each of the transversal portion and the oblique portions has ball insertion recesses arranged in two rows and spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance to receive balls therein, respectively. The bottom-attachment type slide can be efficiently operated even when a high load is applied thereto and exhibit enhanced stability.

Description

Description UNDER MOUNT SLIDE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to bottom- attachment type slides, and more particularly, to a bottom- attachment type slide, which can be used even under high load conditions and achieve enhanced stability. Background Art

[2] To install a drawer into an article of furniture, such as a desk, cabinet, or the like, generally, slides are attached to a body of the article and the drawer, so as to allow the drawer to be slidably pulled out of and pushed into the body.

[3] Slides may be classified, on the basis of their attachment manners relative to drawers, into lateral- attachment type slides to be attached to a lateral surface of a drawer, and bottom- attachment type slides to be attached to a bottom surface of a drawer. Also, slides may be classified, on the basis of constituent members used therein, into double telescopic slides and triple telescopic slides. The double telescopic slide includes an outer slide member (stationary member) and an inner slide member (movable member), and the triple telescopic slide includes an outer slide member (stationary member), an inner slide member (first movable member), and an intermediate slide member (second movable member) between the outer slide member and the inner slide member.

[4] Referring to FIG. 1 illustrating a conventional triple telescopic slide as disclosed in

U.S. Patent No. 6,132,020, the conventional triple telescopic slide 10 includes a stationary member 17, a movable member 13, and an intermediate member 14 located between the stationary member 17 and the movable member 13.

[5] The disclosed conventional slide 10 is of the bottom- attachment type in which the stationary member 17 is secured to a desk panel 16 through an extension 12 thereof and the movable member 13 is secured to a lower surface of a drawer panel 11. Either end of the intermediate member 14 is formed with three raceways. A plurality of balls 15 are located between the stationary member 17 and the intermediate member 14 and between the movable member 13 and the intermediate member 14 and adapted to perform rolling movements along the raceways. With this configuration, the intermediate member 14 is able to perform sliding movements along the stationary member 17 and in turn, the movable member 13 is able to perform sliding movements along the intermediate member 14. As a result, the slide 10 is generally operable in a triple telescopic manner.

[6] The above described slide 10 disclosed in the U.S. Patent No. 6,132,020, however, has a problem in stability. If an external force is applied to the slide 10 from the left side of the slide 10, four raceways (i.e. two raceways formed at the right side of the intermediate member and two raceways formed at the left side of the stationary member) act to resist the applied external force. However, since the intermediate member 14 is supported by the stationary member 17, only the two raceways formed at the left side of the stationary member 17 are actually used to support the external force. Furthermor e, if an external force is applied to the slide 10 from the right side of the slide 10, only one raceway formed at the right side of the stationary member 17 is used to support the external force. Judging from the illustration of FIG. 1, it can be said that the slide 10 has a weak point to an external force applied from the right side thereof. In the actual use, two slides are symmetrically attached to left and right sides of the drawer panel 11. Therefore, under the opposite situation of the illustration of FIG. 1, the slide must exhibit insufficient stability against an external force applied from the left side of the slide. In conclusion, the above described conventional slide has poor lateral stability. [7] Furthermore, in the conventional slide 10 disclosed in the above U.S. Patent No.

6,132,020, a shaft of the intermediate member 14 is located to extend diagonally relative to an external force. Therefore, if a relatively high load is applied to the shaft of the intermediate member 14, the shaft tends to be easily broken by a rotation moment concentrated thereon. Consequently, the conventional slide 10 has a difficulty in use under the high load condition. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[8] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bottom-attachment type slide.

[9] It is another object of the present invention to provide a bottom- attachment type slide which can be used even under high load conditions.

[10] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a bottom- attachment type slide which can achieve enhanced stability.

[11] In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a bottom-attachment type slide comprising: a first member including two sliding sections arranged to face each other and extensions connecting the two sliding sections to each other, each of the sliding sections having three raceway portions arranged in a triangular shape; two second members each including one transversal raceway portion and two oblique raceway portions positioned to correspond to the three raceway portions of the associated sliding section of the first member, and two connecting portions each connecting the transversal raceway portion with the associated oblique raceway portion; and ball retainers each including a transversal portion and two oblique portions formed with ball insertion recesses, which are arranged in two rows and spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance to receive balls therein, respectively, and two connecting portions each connecting the transversal portion with the associated oblique portion, each ball retainer generally having the same cross section as that of the associated second member.

[12] Each of the raceway portions of the first member and the second member may include two raceways, and the transversal raceway portion of the second member may include the two raceways and an intermediate area between the two raceways such that the two raceways and the intermediate area have a "W"-shaped cross section.

[13] The ball retainers may be located at the outside of the respective sliding sections of the first member, and the second members may be located at the outside of the respective ball retainers. Thereby, the first member and the second member can perform sliding movements relative to each other, to provide the slide with a triple telescopic structure.

[14] Meanwhile, the two raceways and the intermediate area included in the transversal raceway portion of the second member may have a "U" -shaped cross section or an "inverted U"-shaped cross section.

[15] Preferably, the extensions, connecting the two sliding sections of the first member to each other, are oriented vertically.

[16] In the slide having the above described configuration according to the present invention, the raceway portions of the first member, which actually support an external force, have a triangular arrangement, each of the raceway portions has two-rows raceways, and the extensions of first member are oriented vertically. With this configuration, the slide can achieve a strong structural strength against an external force, and support a high load applied in all directions. Accordingly, as compared to a conventional slide made of the same material as that of the present invention, the slide according to the present invention is available even under high load conditions.

[17] Furthermore, the slide of the present invention has a symmetrical structure, therefore can support any directional force, resulting in enhanced stability. Brief Description of the Drawings

[18] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[19] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional slide;

[20] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a slide according to the present invention;

[21] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the slide according to the present invention; [22] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second member included in the slide according to the present invention;

[23] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first member included in the slide according to the present invention;

[24] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a ball retainer included in the slide according to the present invention; and

[25] FIGS. 7A and 7B are sectional views of the slide according to the present, illustrating alternative embodiments of the second member. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[26] Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[27] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrating the slide according to the present invention in a perspective view and a sectional view, the slide 100 includes a first member 130, two ball retainers 150 located at the outside of the first member 130, and two second members 110 located at the outside of the respective ball retainers 150.

[28] The first member 130, as shown in FIG. 5, includes: two sliding sections arranged to face each other, more particularly, a first sliding section 131 and a second sliding section 131', and extensions 145 extended from facing ends of both the sliding sections 131 and 131', the first member 130 generally having a wineglass-shaped cross section.

[29] Each of the sliding sections 131 and 131' includes three raceway portions 133 or

133', and the three raceway portions 133 or 133' have a triangular arrangement to centrally define a cavity 137 or 137'. Each of the raceway portions 133 and 133' of the sliding sections 131 and 131' has two raceways 135 or 135' arranged in two rows. The extensions 145 are oriented vertically such that the extensions 145 are arranged perpendicular to both the upper and lower horizontally arranged raceway portions 133 and 133' 133 parallel to each other as shown in FIG. 5.

[30] With the above described configuration, the sliding sections 131 and 131' can achieve a strong structural strength against an external force and support the greater external force by virtue of the raceways 135 and 135' arranged in two rows. Moreover, as a result of arranging the raceways 135 or 135' in two rows on all the respective raceway portions 133 and 133' of the sliding sections 131 and 131', the first member 130 can provide a constant supporting force against an external force obliquely applied thereto as well as a vertically applied external force (i.e. a force applied in a direction parallel to the extensions 145). In conclusion, the slide 100 of the present invention can support a high load, applied in all directions, with a constant resisting force.

[31] Each of the second member 110, as shown in FIG. 4, includes: a transversal raceway portion 111; two oblique raceway portions 115; and two connecting portions 119 connecting the transversal raceway portion 111 with the respective oblique raceway portions 115. Both the oblique raceway portions 115 have a gap 121 therebetween for guaranteeing free movements of the extensions 145 of the first member 130.

[32] The transversal raceway portion 111 and both the oblique raceway portions 115 are positioned to correspond to the three raceway portions 133 or 133' of the first member 130. Similar to the raceway portions 133 or 133', the raceway portion 111 has two raceways 113 arranged in two rows and each of the oblique raceway portions 115 has two raceways 117 arranged in two rows.

[33] The transversal raceway portion 111 has an intermediate area 112 between the two raceways 113 such that the intermediate area 112 and the two raceways 113 have a "W"-shaped cross section (See FIGS. 3 and 4).

[34] In the general configuration of a slide, a ball retainer is located between two members and serves to allow the two members to slidably move relative to each other. Conventionally, a variety of shapes of ball retainers, corresponding to different slides, have been used.

[35] In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the ball retainers 150 have a conventional configuration. Specifically, each of the ball retainers 150 includes reinforcing portions 152 and 154 having a larger thickness than that of the remaining portion of the ball retainer 150 in order to increase a grasp force of balls 160, each reinforcing portion 152 or 154 being formed with ball insertion recesses spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance such that the balls 160 are located in the ball insertion recesses, respectively. It will be appreciated that the ball retainer 150 has a shape corresponding to the configuration of the slide according to the present invention. More specifically, the ball retainer 150 includes: a transversal portion 151; two oblique portions 155, and two connecting portions 153 connecting the transversal portion 151 with the respective oblique portions 155, the ball retainer 150 generally having the same cross section as that of the corresponding second member 110. To correspond to the two-rowed raceways 135 or 135'; 113 or 117 formed in the respective raceway portions 133 and 133'; 111 and 115 of the first member 130 and the second member 110, the ball insertion recesses are arranged in two rows, and the balls 160 are inserted into the ball insertion recesses, so as to perform rolling movements along the two-rowed raceways.

[36] In the slide 100 according to the present invention, both the ball retainers 150 are located at the outside of the respective sliding sections 131 and 131 of the first member 130, and both the second members 110 are located at the outside of the respective ball retainers 150 (See FIG. 1) such that upper and lower portions of the slide 100 have a symmetrical structure. For the installation of the slide 100, any one of the two second members 110 is secured to a drawer (not shown), and the other second member 110 is secured to, for example, a body of a desk (not shown).

[37] The second member 110 can be secured to the drawer or the body of the desk by fastening certain securing means, such as screws or rivets, through holes (not shown) perforated in the second member 110 at appropriately selected positions. For this, between the second member 110 and the ball retainer 150 is defined a space 125 (See FIG. 3) sufficient to receive a head portion of the screw or rivet and thus, the securing means have no adverse effect on the efficient operation of the slide 100. In addition to the above mentioned securing means such as screws or rivets, a member to be secured may be processed by use of a punching tool such that securing protrusions are formed at the member, so as to allow the member to be secured by the securing protrusions. The above described securing means are well known to those skilled in the art, and thus, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[38] Differently from the above described embodiment wherein the two raceways 113 and the intermediate area 112 of the transversal raceway portion 111 have a "W"-shaped cross section, in alternative embodiments as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the two raceways 113 and the intermediate area 112' or 112" of the transversal raceway portion 111 may have a "U"-shaped cross section or an "inverted U"-shaped cross section. With these alternative embodiments, the second member 110 can be more stably and easily secured to the drawer or the body of the desk.

[39] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and sprit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. For example, it is reasonable that a stopper, having an appropriate shape, may be positioned at an appropriately selected position of the ball retainer 150, to prevent the ball retainer 150 from being separated from the first member 130. Herein, a detailed description and illustration of the stopper is omitted for clarity of explanation. In addition, descriptions or illustrations of other known elements, which have to be considered by those skilled in the art for accomplishing the operation of the slide, are omitted herein.

[40] Meanwhile, in the above described slide 100 according to the present invention, when a drawer is pulled out, the second member 110 secured to the drawer is pulled out together with the drawer and subsequently, the first member 130 is pulled out to complete the pulling-out of the drawer. Accordingly, the slide 100 according to the present invention is operable in a triple telescopic manner.

Claims

[1] A bottom-attachment type slide comprising: a first member including two sliding sections arranged to face each other and extensions connecting the two sliding sections to each other, each of the sliding sections having three raceway portions arranged in a triangular shape; two second members each including one transversal raceway portion and two oblique raceway portions positioned to correspond to the three raceway portions of the associated sliding section of the first member, and two connecting portions each connecting the transversal raceway portion with the associated oblique raceway portion; and ball retainers each including one transversal portion and two oblique portions formed with ball insertion recesses, which are arranged in two rows and spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance to receive balls therein, respectively, and two connecting portions each connecting the transversal portion with the associated oblique portion, each ball retainer generally having the same cross section as that of the associated second member, wherein each of the raceway portions of the first member and the second member includes two raceways, the transversal raceway portion of the second member includes the two raceways and an intermediate area between the two raceways such that the two raceways and the intermediate area have a "W"-shaped cross section, and wherein the ball retainers are located at the outside of the respective sliding sections of the first member, and the second members are located at the outside of the respective ball retainers.

[2] The bottom- attachment type slide according to claim 1, wherein the two raceways and the intermediate area included in the transversal raceway portion of the second member have a "U" -shaped cross section or an "inverted U" -shaped cross section.

[3] The bottom- attachment type slide according to claim 1, wherein the extensions, connecting the two sliding sections of the first member to each other, are oriented vertically.