1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a buffering structure, particularly an automatic homing and track buffering device used in conjunction with slide tracks and featuring a compact structure which is of service to manufacture and assembly, minimizes failures, and realizes superior smooth operations and buffering effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cabinet lockers or drawers have been extensively applied in various storage implements. To realize a cabinet locker (drawer) which is conveniently pulled out, those slide tracks with functions for positioning and guidance are usually integrated into both laterals of a cabinet locker (drawer). For stable and quiet close of a cabinet locker (drawer), the slide tracks are further integrated with a buffering mechanism which takes advantage of a buffer action to prevent the cabinet from strong collision or noise and keep its longer service life and better operational quality. As shown in the disclosed patent for a track buffering mechanism (Patent No. 201118274), the slide track homing structure comprises a fixed track 1 securely held in a cabinet body, an extensible track 3 assembled in the fixed track 1, and a homing unit 300. The features of a slide action of the extensible track 3 relative to the fixed track 1 are: the homing unit 300 which is assembled to the fixed track 1 or in a drawer with the fixed track 1 and the extensible track 3 integrated and parallel to the extensible track 3 comprises (a) a guide member 8 mounted on the extensible track 3 or the fixed track 1; (b) a fixed member 4 installed on the fixed track 1; (c) a sliding track 5 consisting of a through wall 12 and a closed wall 11 parallel to each other and a planar structure 10, installed at one end of the fixed member 4, and designed to have a first resisting track 13, a second resisting track 14 and two corresponding fastening grooves 15 at the two resisting tracks' front ends; (d) a slide member 20 linking the sliding track 5 and provided with a spindle part 21; (e) a fastening member 30 provided with a first resisting member 33, a second resisting member 34 and a rotating part 31 wherein the rotating part 31 links the spindle part 21 of the slide member 20, the first resisting member 33 is installed in front of the second resisting member 34, and the fastening member 30 corresponds to and is coupled with the guide member 8; (f) at least a flexible member 6 installed between the slide member 20 and the fixed member 4 (or the fixed track 1). On the sliding track 5, the first resisting track 13 and the second resisting track 14 correspond to the first resisting member 33 and the second resisting member 34 of the fastening member 30, respectively; the two resisting tracks 13, 14 are installed at both sides of the rotating part 31 of the fastening member 30. For the track homing structure in a homing mode, the fastening member 30 is against the sliding track 5 under a resilient force out of the flexible member 6; for the track homing structure which has been fastened, the fastening member 30 pulled by the extensible track 3 arrives at the fastening groove 15 and turns to be fixed in the fastening groove 15.
Based on prior arts, the track buffering structure which meets buffer homing still has some drawbacks, for instance, the homing structure (as shown in Patent Specification (FIGS. 13 and 14)) comprising a fixed member 4, a slide member 20, a fastening member 30, and two flexible members 6 has a complicated structure which encourages manufacture and assembly costs without economic efficiency, complicates components, and deteriorates the failure rate and is regarded as an ideal design. Furthermore, the track buffering structure relies on the deflected fastening member 30 to realize positioning, that is, the fastening member 30 under a tensile force deflects at two fastening grooves 15 but its positioning and deflection effect is unstable because the fastening groove 15 which must match but be restricted by the corresponding first resisting track 13 frequently results in the fastening member 30 pulled by the flexible member 6 and failure of buffer homing in case of accidental collision or strike.
Against this background, it is necessary to correct or overcome above drawbacks of the prior buffering structure by the persons skilled in the arts.
Accordingly, the inventor having considered imperfection of the prior buffering structure in manufacture, assembly, employment and structural design and attempted to optimize an automatic homing and track buffering device with features such as smoothness, stability and durability has studied and developed a solution for serving the general public and promoting development of the industry.
The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic homing and track buffering device with characteristics such as a compact structure and a convenient, quick and economic manufacture or assembly procedure positively promoting economic efficiency of manufacture and assembly.
The other object of the present invention is to provide an automatic homing and track buffering device with characteristics such as superior smooth, stable and qualified buffer action, minimized troubles and reliable durability in a homing buffer operation, promoted practicability, and product competitiveness.
To achieve the above purposes, the present invention depends on a technical measure comprising a buffer base which is provided with the following components: a main base body with a buffer groove space and a flexible groove space prepared at both sides; a slide margin extending forward from the main base body's lateral margin; a slide terminal developed at the slide margin's front end; a revolving-resistant member which is located at the main base body's front end and opposite to the slide terminal and comprises a straight slide resisting wall being contrary to the slide margin and continuously linking a curved revolving-resistant wall ahead; a buffer member held in the buffer groove space; a flexible member held in the flexible groove space; a swing member linking the buffer member's and the flexible member's front ends and equipped with (a) a push arm opposite to the slide margin and a draw arm at the push arm's front end for development of an operating space in between, (b) a first slider (external side) and a second slider (internal slid) at the draw arm's bottom for development of a slide groove in between wherein the slide groove is held in the slide margin and the second slider has a curved part at the rear end.
For technical features and effects in terms of the present disclosure completely understood and recognized, the preferred embodiments and detailed drawings are described hereinafter.
Referring to
The swing member 20 is designed to have a joint hole 21 and a through groove 22 on which there is a vertical fastening groove 221 at the terminal. The swing member 20 is also designed to have a push arm 23, which is located at the other side and opposite to the through groove 22, and a draw arm 24 in the front of and opposite to the push arm 23 for an operating space 25 developed between the push arm 23 and the draw arm 24. Furthermore, a resisting groove 231 is opened at the top of the push arm 23. The draw arm 24 developed as a curved bar has a first slider 241 (external side) and a second slider 242 (internal side), which has a smaller depth (thickness) than the first slider 241, at the bottom (
The buffer member 30 comprises a buffer casing 31, i.e., a cannular tube in which a buffer stick 32 is held, wherein the buffer stick 32 is able to extrude from the buffer casing 31 and has a tip tenon 321 with grooves opened. The buffer member 30 further comprises a joint member 33 with an open channel 330 designed at the rear end and further linking a rabbet 331 ahead wherein the rabbet 331 and the open channel 330, which are coupled with the tip tenon 321 and the buffer stick 32 respectively, allow the joint member 33 to engage the buffer member 30 (buffer stick 32) at its front end. The joint member 33 is designed to have a thinner front joint part 332 on which a joint head 333 is provided. In this embodiment, the flexible member 40 is one spring with engagement parts 41, 42 at its front and rear ends.
Referring to
Then, the joint hole 21 on the swing member 20 engages the joint head 333 of the buffer member 30 (joint member 33) in order to make the swing member 20 link the buffer member 30. Furthermore, the slide groove 243 on the swing member 20 is next to the slide margin 15 of the main base body 11 so that the resisting groove 231 of the push arm 23 under haul of the flexible member 40 contacts the raised resisting part 141 of the positioning stopper 14 to complete a joint operation.
As shown in
Referring to
Furthermore, in virtue of the marginal recess 152 on the slide margin 15, the bottom corner of push arm 23 on the deflected swing member 20 enters into the marginal recess 152, promoting a deflected angle and post-deflection stability of the swing member 20, that is, relatively better stability, precision and operational quality.
The push member 71 which passes through the draw arm 24 and enters into the operating space 25 during backward movement of the external track 70 (e.g., a cabinet body pushed back) continues its movement, driving the push arm 23 and resuming the initial state of the swing member 20. As such, the slide groove 243 of the swing member 20 corresponds to the slide margin 15 on the main base body 11 again, so as to complete the cabinet body's automatic homing procedure by hauling the swing member 20 and the external track 70 backward under effect of a resilient pull applied by the flexible member 40; meanwhile, the buffer member 30 exerts its buffer action to decelerate the cabinet body's automatic homing movement and prevent collision.
The present invention of an automatic homing and track buffering device depends on its technical formation to simplify the overall structure, realize convenient, quick and economic manufacture or assembly, positively promote economic efficiency in manufacture and assembly, and optimize a smooth, steady and qualified homing buffer operation with minimized troubles, excellent durability, practicability and product competitiveness.
It can be seen from the above descriptions that the present invention significantly meets patentability and is applied for the patent. However, the above descriptions present preferred embodiments only which do not limit the scope of the present invention; any equivalent change or improvement based on shapes, structures, features and spirit mentioned in the present invention should be incorporated in claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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101200746 | Jan 2012 | TW | national |