The present invention relates generally to drawer slides and more specifically to a latch system for a drawer slide.
Drawer slides or release mechanism for a drawer slides latches are well-known. An example is shown in recently issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,685 to Lammens. A latch is remotely operated by a camming or biasing translatable bar. The bar biases or cams a lever out of engagement from a tab, thereby reducing the need for directly adjusting the lever.
Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,541 to Uthoff. The locking device includes one locking element secured to the forward end of the movable member of the guide rail. The locking element includes a spring-elastic actuating arm which is equipped with a locking lug receiving vertical forces. The slidable part of the guide rail is equipped with a second locking lug which receives horizontal forces and can also form part of the locking element.
The present drawer slide includes a release mechanism for a latch which improves over that of the prior art. The release mechanism may be operated by a push or a pull motion, what every motion is naturally ergonomic to the user. Thus the release mechanism can be easily operated during both the extending and retracting movement of the slide.
The present drawer slide includes first and second telescoping members, a latch having a dog pivotally connected to the first member and a catch on the second member to receive the dog of the latch in a locking position of the latch. An actuator is movably coupled to the first member for moving from a locking position to one of two unlocking positions on opposite sides of the locking position. The actuator is coupled to the dog for moving the dog from out of the catch for either direction of movement of the actuator from the actuator's locking position.
The present drawer slide includes first and second telescoping members, a latch having a dog pivotally connected to the first member and a catch on the second member to receive the dog of the latch in a locking position of the latch. An actuator includes a cam surface and movably coupled to the first member and a cam follower on the latch riding on the cam surface. The cam surface includes a locking position on the cam surface between two unlocking positions on the cam surface for the latch.
The drawer slide includes means for biasing the cam to the locking position of the cam surface. The biasing means may include a spring connected between the actuator and the first member. The cam surface may be a slot on the actuator and the cam follower is a pin riding in the slot.
The drawer slide may include a third telescopic member which includes a catch for receiving the dog of the latch in the locking position of the latch. In the locked position of the dog, the dog is received in the catch of the second member in a first telescopic position of the members and in the catch of the second and third members in a second telescopic position of the members.
In an extended telescopic position of the members, the dog may engage a trailing edge of the second and/or third member and prevent movement in a retraced direction of the telescopic members. The dog is stepped shape with an upper portion to be received in the of the second member in a first telescopic position of the members and in the catch of the third member in a second telescopic position of the members and a lower portion to be received in the catch of the second member in a second telescopic position of the members. The member has a generally U-shaped cross-section and the latch pivots about an axis parallel to the bight of the U-shape. The first member may include a stop to receive a leading edge of the actuator.
These and other aspects of the present drawer slide will become apparent from the following detailed description of the method, when considered in conjunction with accompanying drawings.
Drawer slide 10 as shown in
A latch 40 mechanism includes a dog 42 pivotally connected to the member 30 and catches 16 and 26 on members 12 and 20, respectively. An end 46 of the dog 42 is received in catches 16 and 26 as illustrated in
In a different telescopic position of members 12, 20 and 30, only the catch 26 of member 20 may be aligned with the end 46 of the dog 42 locking members 20 and 30 to each other.
As shown in detail in
As noted in
Whenever member 30 relative to member 20 is in the extended position, upper surface 45 can engage a trailing edge 28 of member 20. This, as shown in
An actuator 50 for the dog 42 is slidably mounted on the member 30 and includes a raised pull member 52 and apertures 54. As noted in
On an extended portion 56 of the actuator 50 is provided a slot having a cam surface 58. The cam surface includes a locking position 58a between two unlocking positions 58b of the cam. The locking position 58a is flat allowing a range of locking position. The extended portion 56 moves along a recess 45 in the base of bracket 44, as illustrated in detail in
A biasing mechanism 60 illustrated in
It should be noted a flat 49 on the bracket 44 may act as a stop for the movement in one direction of the actuator 50 by engaging the extension 56.
To release the lock of the dog 45 from the trailing end 28 of member 20, the actuator 50 would move to the left in
Although it should be noted that 58a is indicated as the top of the cam 58 and as the locked position, it is obvious from the description that there are more than one positions or the height of the dog end 46 that represents the locked position. The locked position includes cam portion 58a and adjacent areas of the cam depending upon whether it's engaging one of the leading edges 18 and 28 or one or both of the catches 16 and 26.
By providing the cam follower 48 in a slot which includes a cam surface, a reproducible performance of the latch mechanism is assured.
A sequencing mechanism 70 which sequence the retraction of the members 20 and 30 relative to the member 12 is illustrated in
The sequencing mechanism 70 includes a latch 72 pivotally connected by post 74 to the member 20. The latch 72 includes a pair of hooks 76 which are biased in the up or locking position by spring 78. A bumper element 79 is mounted also by the post 74 and acts as a shock absorber bumper when the member 20 engages rear wall 11 of member 12 in the totally retracted position. The hooks 76 in the raised or locked position engage into apertures 19 in the member 12 as shown in
Although sequencing latch 70 of
Although the present method has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present method is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.