PULL-OUT GUIDE FOR DRAWER

Abstract

The invention relates to a pull-out guide for drawers comprising a first and at least one second rail, at least one carriage with load-transmitting roller bodies being arranged between said two rails. The carriage can be coupled to the second rail, particularly when deviating from the differential course between the two rails, characterized in that a rolling or sliding body is mounted in a freely movable manner on or in the carriage, through which the carriage can be coupled to a coupling part on the second rail, and that a recess is provided in the first rail into which the rolling or sliding body can be moved during opening of the drawer, wherein the coupling part can de decoupled from the rolling or sliding body and passes along the carriage.

Description

The present invention relates to a pull-out guide assembly for drawers comprising a first and at least one second rail, wherein arranged between those two rails is at least one running carriage with load-transmitting rolling bodies, wherein the running carriage—in particular upon a deviation from the differential movement between the rails—can be coupled to the second rail.

As a result of the slip between the rollers of the running carriage and the guide profiled sections of the rails, it is not always guaranteed that, when the drawer is pulled out and pushed in, the running carriages cover exactly half the travel distance of the pull-out rail. That results in what are referred to as running carriage errors, that is to say the position of the running carriage is not correct in relation to the carcass and pull-out rail. Carriage running errors of this kind can in some cases result in the drawer staying open in normal use.

The problems involved with such running carriage errors are known in the state of the art and repeatedly occur in the case of pull-out guide assemblies in which the load of the drawer is transmitted by rollers which are not borne on the rails but in separate running carriages. If the drawer is only moved manually, these errors are in many cases not noticed. If the drawer is pulled into the fully closed position by a conventional closure system with springs, then in most cases there is so much momentum for the carriage running error to be corrected by the dynamic of the drawer and for the drawer always to close.

In the case of pull-out guide assemblies with a closure device, additional damping devices are frequently provided, which damp the drawer over the last motion distance to the respective end position, so that the drawer is not pulled into the furniture body or carcass with too much force. However, these damping devices reduce the closing dynamic of the drawer such that a carriage running error occurring while the drawer is moving can no longer be compensated due to the lack of kinetic energy.

A solution for overcoming that problem is described for example in European patent specification EP 1 393 654 B1 to the present applicants. In that case the running carriages are provided with arresting means which, upon a deviation from the differential movement between the rails, arrest the running carriage at predetermined locations between the two end positions with respect to one of the rails, wherein that arresting action is releasable by displacement of the rails relative to each other. After release of the arresting effect, the running carriages are movable beyond the predetermined locations in the direction of the end positions. That arrangement therefore ensures that correction of the position of the running carriage is effected before it has reached the end region of the retraction path.

The object of the present invention is to provide a possible way of correcting carriage running errors, in which it is possible to dispense with complicated and expensive structural components.

In an advantageous configuration, the object according to the invention is achieved in that a rolling or sliding body is loosely displaceably mounted on or in the running carriage, by means of which the running carriage can be coupled to a coupling portion arranged on the second rail, and provided on the first rail is an evasion opening into which the rolling or sliding body is movable upon opening of the drawer, wherein the coupling portion can be uncoupled from the rolling or sliding body and passes the running carriage.

In the case of a carriage running error occurring, which usually ranges in the region of magnitude of only a few millimeters, the running carriage can be coupled to the movement of the drawer over a comparatively short distance by way of the loosely guided rolling or sliding body, wherein the speed of the drawer movement—as is usual in the case of differential pull-out guide assemblies—is approximately double the speed of that of the running carriage. In the course of such coupling the carriage running error can be corrected. Subsequently thereto it is provided that the rolling or sliding body is movable into an evasion opening in which the coupling effect is discontinued so that the drawer is movable substantially freely in the direction of the open position, whereby the uncoupled rolling or sliding body passes out of the evasion opening at a predetermined exit location and is movable as part of the running carriage in the direction of the outer end position.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention it can be provided that the rolling or sliding body is mounted vertically movably, preferably loaded by the force of gravity, substantially perpendicularly to the extension direction of the rails. In that connection it can be provided that the evasion opening includes a recess which is arranged or provided in the first rail, preferably in form of a slot, into which the rolling or sliding body can be immersed so that the coupling between the running carriage and the second rail can be released thereby.

In the closing process of the drawer, on the contrary, it can be provided that the rolling or sliding body remains uncoupled with respect to the coupling portion. In that case it can be provided that—in the closing movement of the rails—the coupling portion can be brought into contact with the rolling or sliding body and can be guided laterally past the evasion opening. More specifically in the case of the closing process, the rolling or sliding body is to be moved again into the initial position for the next drawer opening movement, for which reason the rolling or sliding body is guided similarly to a bypass around the evasion opening and in that case is not to pass into the evasion opening. A certain lateral displaceability is to be admitted for that purpose (in a plan view onto the rail and in displaced relationship with the extension direction thereof). In other words, it can be provided that the rolling or sliding body is mounted movably in the rail plane transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, to the extension direction of the drawer. For that lateral mobility option it may be desirable if the running carriage has a guide in which the rolling or sliding body is mounted limitedly movably within predetermined limits. In this connection in accordance with a preferred embodiment it is provided that the rolling or sliding body can be acted upon within the guide by a spring device, by which the rolling or sliding body upon closure of the drawer is movable again into an initial position for the opening movement of the drawer. In the closing process the coupling portion pushes the rolling or sliding body laterally past the evasion opening, whereupon the spring device provided compensates for that lateral displacement.

The drawer according to the invention is characterized by a pull-out guide assembly of the described kind and the item of furniture according to the invention has a drawer of the general kind set forth hereinbefore.

Further details and advantages of the present invention are described hereinafter with reference to the specific description. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a cabinet furniture having drawers which are mounted movably by means of pull-out guide assemblies according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a pull-out guide assembly as shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of a portion of the pull-out guide assembly with the relevant components of the operating sequence control system in order for a carriage running error to be compensated,

FIGS. 4 a and 4b show a plan view illustrating the running carriage disposed between the rails without having a carriage running error and an enlarged detail view in relation thereto,

FIGS. 5 a and 5b show a plan view illustrating the running carriage disposed between the rails having a carriage running error and an enlarged detail view in relation thereto,

FIGS. 6 a and 6b show a diagrammatic side view of the various ball positions during the opening movement of the drawer and a plan view in relation thereto,

FIGS. 7 a and 7b show a diagrammatic side view of the various ball positions during the closing movement of the drawer and a plan view in relation thereto,

FIGS. 8 a and 8b show a perspective view from below of the pull-out rail with the coupling portion arranged thereon and an enlarged detail view in relation thereto, and

FIG. 9 shows an exploded view of the pull-out guide assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows an item of furniture 1 in cabinet form having a furniture body or carcass 2, to the lateral inside walls of which is fastened a respective pull-out guide assembly 3 according to the invention. The pull-out guide assembly 3 comprises a rail 4 to be mounted to the furniture carcass 2 and at least one rail 5 which is mounted displaceably relative thereto and which is to be fastened to the drawer 6. The lower drawer 6 has been removed for the sake of clarity of the drawing. The pull-out guide assembly 3 can comprise a three-part rail system so that the drawer 6 can be pulled entirely out with respect to the furniture carcass 2. For that purpose in known fashion the pull-out guide assembly 3 comprises a carcass rail, a drawer rail and a middle rail guided displaceably between those two rails.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the pull-out guide assembly 3 with the rail 4 to be fastened to the furniture carcass 2 and the pull-out rail 5 to be fastened to the drawer 6. It is also possible to see in part a rail 7 which is provided as a middle rail disposed between the two rails 4 and 5. In the context of this description the middle rail is referred to as the first rail 7, the drawer rail as the second rail 5 and the carcass rail as the third rail 4. It is also possible to see a diagrammatically indicated coupling portion 8 which projects downwardly at the underside of the runner limb of the displaceable second rail 5 and which is arranged in the form of an inclined surface transversely relative to the extension direction of the pull-out rail 5, the function of the coupling portion 8 being described hereinafter.

FIG. 3 shows a portion of the pull-out guide assembly 3 in an exploded view with the first rail 7 (middle rail) and the second rail 5 (drawer rail) and with a running carriage 9 displaceable between those two rails 5, 7. The running carriage 9 comprises in known fashion load-transmitting rolling bodies 10 with horizontal axes of rotation and at least one lateral rolling body 11 having a vertical axis of rotation. In addition the running carriage 9 comprises a rolling or sliding body 12 which is in the form of a ball and which is denoted hereinafter by reference 12a. The ball 12a is loosely relocatable guided within a slot-like guide 13. In the assembled condition, the ball 12a engages at times with the coupling portion 8 which projects downwardly at the underside of the running limb of the second rail 5. The first rail 7 has an evasion opening 14 in the form of a longitudinal slot arranged axially relative to the extension direction of the drawer 6. The rails 5, 7 have end abutments 15a, 15b, wherein the running carriage 9 in the closed position of the two rails 5, 7 relative to each other should ideally be disposed in spaced relationship with respect to both end abutments 15a, 15b.

FIGS. 4 a and 4b show the ideal case of the position of the running carriage 9 which is mounted displaceably between the rails 5, 7. FIG. 4b shows a plan view of the pull-out guide assembly 3 in the closed position of the rails 5, 7. As in this case the running carriage 9 would not be visible, the components arranged between the rails 5, 7 are shown in broken lines. FIG. 4a now shows the ideal position of the running carriage 9, as in the illustrated closed position of the rails 5, 7 the running carriage 9 is disposed in spaced relationship with respect to the end abutments 15a and 15b. Correction of the running carriage position is therefore not required. FIG. 4b shows the detail region of FIG. 4a on an enlarged scale. The ball 12a which is loosely guided within the guide 13 can be seen here. Visible is a spring device 16 arranged in the guide 13, said spring device 16 is in form of a resilient molded plastic portion and by which the ball 12a, in the closing movement of the drawer 6, is movable again into the illustrated position in order to provide a ready position for the next extension process. It is also possible to clearly see the coupling portion 8 in the form of an inclined surface at the underside of the extensible second rail 5 and the evasion opening 14 in the form of a slot for the ball 12a.

FIGS. 5 a and 5b show a similar view to FIGS. 4a and 4b, wherein—due to the slip between the rolling bodies 10 and the rails 5, 7—the running carriage 9 is incorrectly positioned. That situation occurs when the running carriage 9 already abuts against the end abutment 15a of the first rail 7 before the fully closed position of the rails 5, 7 relative to each other is reached at all. The consequence of this is that it would be necessary to press against the extensible second rail 5 to attain the complete closed position, by applying a force, in which case the rail 5 is pushed over the rolling bodies 10, which requires higher forces and would entail corresponding wear phenomena for the running carriage 9. In addition that position of the running carriage 9 would mean that, when a retraction device having a damper is provided, the drawer 6 could no longer be completely pulled into the furniture carcass 2. Now, to overcome that problem, there is the inclined coupling portion 8 which, in the movement for opening the drawer 6, by virtue of the doubled speed thereof relative to the running carriage 9, engages the ball 12a so as to couple the running carriage 9 and positively displaces the running carriage 9 for a short time at the doubled speed. When the ball 12a reaches the evasion opening 14 in the drawer extension movement, the ball 12a can immerse thereinto, whereby the coupling is released and the coupling portion 8 can unimpededly overtake the running carriage 9. The evasion opening 14 is of such a configuration that the ball 12a can admittedly engage somewhat therein but cannot drop completely therethrough. It is also possible to see—as is known per se—dampers 20 in the form of meander-shaped spring buffers, wherein the impact of the running carriage 9 in the end positions thereof can be damped by the dampers 20.

FIG. 6 a shows a diagrammatic side view of the ball 12a associated with the running carriage 9, corresponding to the positions A through F which occur in succession in time during the opening movement in the direction of the arrow S of the drawer 6. Reference 8 denotes the coupling portion 8 associated with the second rail 5 (pull-out rail). FIG. 6b shows a plan view of the first rail 7 (central rail) with the respective positions of the ball 12a, that respectively correspond to the upper position in FIG. 6a. FIGS. 6a and 6b therefore show time relationships of the relative movement of the coupling portion 8 and the ball 12a relative to the first rail 7 during the opening movement of the drawer 6, with a carriage running error being corrected.

In the position A the coupling portion 8 is still behind the ball 12a. It is to be noted that—as is usual in the case of differential pull-out guide assembles 3—the pull-out rail 5 moves at approximately double the speed of the running carriage 9 (and therewith the ball 12a).

In the position B the coupling portion 8 has already caught up with the ball 12a, the ball 12a (and therewith the running carriage 9) being coupled to the pull-out rail 5 which is moving faster. The ball 12a is therefore clamped between the first rail 7 and the coupling portion 8 so that accordingly the running carriage 9 is entrained with the pull-out rail 5, namely at double the speed.

It will be seen in position C that the ball 12a can engage into the evasion opening 14 with height difference ΔH, so that the ball 12a can be brought out of engagement with the coupling portion 8 due to the differential height ΔH. It is also possible to see the distance ΔX which corresponds to the travel distance to be corrected in respect of the carriage running error. The distance ΔX can be somewhat greater than the greatest carriage running error which occurs. Correction of the carriage running error is therefore already concluded at position C.

Position D shows that the coupling portion 8 has already overtaken the vertically displaceable ball 12a and thus continues to move at double speed relative to the ball 12a of the running carriage 9.

At position E the ball 12a, as part of the moving running carriage 9, can come out of the evasion opening 14 again. Position F shows the ball 12a of the running carriage 9 on the way in the direction of the end position of the running carriage 9, and the pull-out rail 5 with the coupling portion 8 arranged thereon can be moved into the completely open position.

FIG. 7 a and 7b show a view corresponding to FIGS. 6a and 6b, by reference to which the mode of operation involved in the drawer closing process is to be described. In this case the sequence of the movements is from right to left, that is to say starting from position A′ (an open position of the drawer 6) to the position F′ (a position of the drawer 6, which is immediately before the fully closed position). The drawer 6 therefore moves in the direction of the arrow S′ in the closing operation.

In position A′ the coupling portion 8 of the pull-out rail 5, coming from the right, moves quickly towards the ball 12a. In position B′ the coupling portion 8 has caught up with the ball 12a of the running carriage 9 and in that case can be brought to bear against the latter. It is to be noted that, in the entire closing movement—in contrast to the opening movement—no force-locking connection is made between the coupling portion 8 and the ball 12a. The coupling portion 8 can only be caused to bear against the ball 12a, more specifically to the effect that the ball 12a is pressed to the side by the coupling portion 8 tin order to be moved around the evasion opening 14, but otherwise the coupling portion 8 can unimpededly pass the ball 12a. The ball 12a can thus be displaced with width difference ΔB by the inclined surface of the coupling portion 8, as is illustrated at position D′. After the coupling portion 8 has moved past, the ball 12a is urged by the spring device 16 shown in FIG. 4b again into an initial position intended for the next extension movement of the drawer 6, as is shown in position F′. Starting from that position F′ the pull-out rail 5 can be moved with the coupling portion 8 in the direction of the completely closed position.

FIG. 8 a shows a perspective view of the underside of the pull-out rail 5, showing the coupling portion 8 arranged thereon. FIG. 8b shows a view on an enlarged scale of the circled region in FIG. 8a. The coupling portion 8 is arranged on a running limb of the pull-out rail 5 transversely relative to the extension direction (for example within an angle of between 10° and 90°, preferably between 30° and 60°). It is possible to see from the enlarged detail A the coupling portion 8 having a control edge 8a in the form of an inclined surface. When a carriage running error which occurs is corrected in the drawer opening process, the ball 12a is disposed during the correction procedure in the parking position P (see position B, C in FIG. 6a) until the ball 12a passes into the evasion opening 14 and is thus liberated from the control edge 8a. In the drawer closing operation in contrast the ball 12a, coming from the opposite direction, follows the illustrated path of movement R, in which lateral displaceability of width difference ΔB (see position D′ in FIG. 7b) is made possible, with the ball 12a being guided around the evasion opening 14. In this case the control edge 8a is so arranged on the running limb of the rail 5 that the ball 12a can be moved laterally therepast. After that passing movement the ball 12a is urged into its original path of movement again by the spring device 16.

FIG. 9 shows an exploded view of the pull-out guide assembly 3 according to the invention. In this case a first rail 7 (central rail), a second rail 5 mounted thereon (drawer rail) and a third rail 4 (carcass rail) are provided, which are adapted to be displaceable relative to each other. At least one running carriage 9 is arranged in accordance with the aspect of the present invention between at least two of the aforementioned rails 4, 5, 7. In addition, it is also possible to arrange at least one running carriage 19 in accordance with the state of the art. Furthermore the pull-out guide assembly comprises a spring-loaded retraction device 17 with which the extensible rails 5, 7 can be transported into their completely closed position. A damping device 18, preferably a piston-cylinder unit which can be filled with a fluid, is provided to damp the closing movement.

The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment but embraces or extends to all variants and technical equivalents which can fall within the scope of the following claims. The positional references adopted in the description such as for example up, down, lateral, and so forth are related to the directly described and illustrated Figure and upon a change in position are to be appropriately converted to the fresh position. As the running carriage 9 usually rather tends to assume a trailing position between the rails 5, 7, correction was provided in accordance with the description during the opening movement of the drawer 6. It will be appreciated that with suitable means it is also possible to implement a correction during the closing movement of the drawer 6.

Claims

1. A pull-out guide assembly for drawers comprising a first rail and at least one second rail, wherein arranged between those two rails is at least one running carriage with load-transmitting rolling bodies, wherein the running carriage—in particular upon a deviation from the differential movement between the rails—can be coupled to the second rail, characterized in that a rolling or sliding body is loosely displaceably mounted on or in the running carriage, by means of which the running carriage can be coupled to a coupling portion arranged on the second rail, and provided on the first rail is an evasion opening into which the rolling or sliding body is movable upon opening of the drawer, wherein the coupling portion can be uncoupled from the rolling or sliding body and passes the running carriage.

2. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rolling or sliding body is mounted vertically movably with height difference, preferably loaded by the force of gravity, substantially perpendicularly to the extension direction of the rails.

3. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the evasion opening includes a recess which is arranged or provided in the first rail, preferably in form of a slot, into which the rolling or sliding body is engageable so that the coupling between the running carriage and the second rail is releasable.

4. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein in the closing movement of the rails, the coupling portion can be brought into contact with the rolling or sliding body in order to be guided laterally past the evasion opening.

5. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rolling or sliding body is mounted movably in the rail plane with width difference transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, to the extension direction of the drawer.

6. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the running carriage comprises a guide in which the rolling or sliding body is mounted movably within predetermined limits.

7. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 6, wherein the rolling or sliding body can be acted upon within the guide by a spring device, by which the rolling or sliding body upon closure of the drawer is movable again into an initial position for the opening movement of the drawer.

8. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the movement path of the rolling or sliding body during the opening movement of the second rail deviates at least region-wise from the movement path of the rolling or sliding body during the closing movement of the second rail.

9. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1 wherein the coupling portion comprises a control edge, preferably an inclined surface, by means of which the running carriage can be coupled to the second rail by way of the rolling or sliding body.

10. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 9, wherein the control edge is arranged transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the second rail, preferably within an angle of between 10° and 90°, preferably between 30° and 60°.

11. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 9, wherein the control edge is arranged on a running limb of the second rail, wherein the rolling or sliding body is moved laterally therepast during the closing movement of the second rail.

12. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein—as is known per se—the running carriage couples at predetermined locations between the two end positions, preferably between end abutments, wherein said coupling is releasable by displacement of the rails relative to each other.

13. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 12, wherein—as is known per se—the running carriage is movable after release of the coupling beyond the predetermined locations in the direction of the end positions.

14. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1 wherein—as is known per se—the carriage has at least one damper by which the impact of the running carriage in the end position or positions thereof can be dampened.

15. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rolling or sliding body is in the form of a ball.

16. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1 wherein the—as is known per se—at least one third rail is arranged in addition to the first rail and the second rail.

17. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 16, wherein—as is known per se—the at least one running carriage is arranged between the first rail and the second rail and/or between the first rail and the third rail.

18. The pull-out guide assembly according to claim 16, wherein the third rail is a carcass rail to be fastened to a furniture body, the second rail is a drawer rail to be fastened to the drawer and the first rail is a middle rail arranged displaceably between the carcass rail and the drawer rail.

19. A drawer comprising a pull-out guide assembly according to claim 1.

20. An item of furniture having a drawer according to claim 19.