BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing that the preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied on a roller slider.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing that the preferred embodiment is applied in the assembly of the roller slide with an inner sleeve and the roller slide to be locked up first.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing that the preferred embodiment is applied in the assembly of the roller slide.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing that the preferred embodiment is applied in the removal of the roller slide while the inner sleeve remains secured in the roller slide after fast removal.
FIG. 6 is an exploded view showing another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing that the assembly of another preferred embodiment of the present invention when a retainer of the outer sleeve holds against a protrusion of the inner sleeve.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing that another preferred embodiment is applied in the removal of the roller slide while the inner sleeve remains secured in the outer sleeve after a fastener is removed.
FIG. 9 is an exploded view showing that the preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied in a steel ball slide.
FIG. 10 is an exploded view showing that the preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied in mounting a hinge to a closet door panel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an outer sleeve (1) and an inner sleeve (2). The outer sleeve (1) is a cylinder having a through hole (11) and comprises axial slots (12) extending from one end of the outer sleeve (1) towards its middle section to provide flexibility to the outer sleeve (1) and a plurality of ribs (13) externally disposed on the outer sleeve (1). Each rib (13) is a rib ring in shape of inverse hook.
The inner sleeve (2) is a cylinder having a through hole (21), and comprises a first end (22) and a second end (23) opposite to each other. The first end (22) is provided with a locking wall (221), and the second end (23) is provided with a retaining wall (231). The outer diameter of each of the locking wall (221) and the retaining wall (231) is larger than the inner diameter of the through hole (11) of the outer sleeve (1). The locking wall (22) is made flexible by having extending from the first end (22) axial slots (24) towards the middle section of the outer sleeve (2). A beveled guide surface (221) is disposed on the locking wall (221) to penetrate into the through hole (11) of the outer sleeve (1) and lock up the outer sleeve (1) by means of the locking wall (221) and the retaining wall (231).
Now referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 respectively showing the application of the present invention in a roller slide (3), a small, low load drawer slide in this preferred embodiment, a fastener (4) in the form of a screw is used. In practice, a hole (51) is drilled first at a location (5) where to be fastened on the work object, a piece of furniture in this preferred embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a general furniture hardware supplier may place the inner sleeve (2) in a hole (31) drilled on the roller slide (3) and the fastener (4) penetrates through the hole (31) to be fastened to the inner sleeve (2). When attaching the roller slide (3) to the furniture, it takes simply to insert the outer sleeve (1) into the hole (51) and the inner sleeve (2) with its beveled guide surface (222) to penetrate into the through hole (11) of the outer sleeve (1) for the inner sleeve (2) to hold tightly again the outer sleeve (1). Meanwhile, the locking wall (221) at the first end (22) of the inner sleeve (2) holds against the outer edge of the outer sleeve (1) as illustrated in FIG. 4 so to secure the roller slide (3) to the pre-designated location (5).
When removing the nail plug as illustrated in FIG. 5, the roller slide (3) and the inner sleeve (2) are directly removed together with the fastener (4) to achieve fast removal.
Now referring to FIG. 6 for another preferred embodiment of the present invention, an axial protrusion (25A) is externally disposed on an inner sleeve (2A), at least one axial retainer (14A) is disposed in a through hole (11A) of an outer sleeve (1A). Accordingly, when the fastener (4) is engaged to the inner sleeve (2A) and the inner sleeve (2A) is locked into the through hole (11A) of the outer sleeve (1) as illustrated in FIG. 7, the protrusion (25A) of the inner sleeve (2A) holds against the retainer (14A), thus the inner sleeve (2A) refrains from being driven to rotate by the fastener (4). Therefore, when removing the nail plug as illustrated in FIG. 8, the fastener (4) can be forthwith dismounted before removing the roller slide (3) to leave the inner sleeve (2A) in the outer sleeve (1A). Later, when required, the roller slide (3) may be locked up to the assembly of the inner sleeve (2A) and the outer sleeve (1A) by means of the fastener (4). The present invention provides two options of the operation fashion for the user to select.
As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, either preferred embodiment of the present invention is respectively applied in a steel ball slide (6) and in a hinge (7) mounted to a door panel of a closet, the present invention is not only applicable to fast mounting or dismounting for the roller slide (3) (a small, low load drawer slide as generally available in the market), but also to the steel ball slide (6) (heavier load of a closet drawer or a computer cable rack), and the hinge (7) on the closet door panel (as usually found with a piece of furniture) or any other panel of similar furniture. In the case of the steel ball slide (6), the fastener (4) penetrates a hole (61) drilled on the steel ball slide (6) to be engaged in the inner sleeve (2) while the inner sleeve (2) is locked in the through hole (11) of the outer sleeve (1) so as to secure the steel ball slide (6); or in the case of the hinge (7) mounted to a closet door panel, the fastener (4) penetrates a hole (71) drilled on the hinge (7) to be engaged in the inner sleeve (2) and the inner sleeve (2) is secured in the through hole (11) of the outer sleeve (1) to secure the hinge (7) to the door panel of the closet.
Patent Application
20080031702
