Pull-out guide for drawers

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6325473
  • Patent Number
    6,325,473
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, February 29, 1996
    29 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, December 4, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A pull-out guide for a drawer includes a carcass-side supporting runner and a drawer-side pull-out runner on each side of the drawer. A respective roller is supported on each runner. Running flanges of the pull-out runners cover running flanges of the supporting runners. The pull-out runners have horizontally projecting fins which are disposed below the running flanges of the pull-out runners and which have free ends projecting to below the running flanges of the corresponding supporting runners in such a way that the pull-out runners are secured against unintentional lifting off from the supporting runners.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The invention relates to a pull-out guide fitting for a drawer and including a carcass-side supporting runner or rail and a drawer-side pull-out runner or rail on each side of the drawer. A running member such as a roller or the like is supported on each runner. The roller of each pull-out runner is guided between two running flanges of the respective supporting runner and the running flange of each pull-out runner covers the two running flanges of the associated supporting runner.




The best running properties of such pull-out guide are achieved with rollers. In some cases, generally for reasons of cost, plastic slides are used instead of rollers.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The object of the invention is to provide an improved pull-out guide fitting of this type.




Such object according to the invention is achieved in that the pull-out runners have horizontally projecting fins which are disposed below the running flanges of the pull-out runners and which have free ends projecting beneath the upper running flanges of the corresponding supporting runners in such a way that the pull-out runners are secured against unintentional lifting off from the supporting runners.




In order to reduce the unintentional lifting of the drawer to a minimum and thereby to prevent a stop at the front end of the supporting runner from being overrun, it is advantageously provided that in a manner which is known per se the supporting runners have free edge flanges against which the fins of the lifted pull-out runners strike.




A good lateral guiding of the pull-out guide with a simultaneous increase in loading capacity is achieved by providing the running flange of one of the pull-out runners with a longitudinally extending bead, the side walls of which are guided on the roller which is supported on the supporting runner.




A further embodiment of the invention provides that the rollers of the supporting runners are supported in respective plastic blocks, each of which is provided with a laterally projecting stop for the fins of the respective pull-out runner. Spindles of the rollers are mounted at both ends thereof in walls of the plastic blocks. In this way a very stable support of the rollers is achieved. The plastic block advantageously has lateral guide surfaces for the pull-out runner, so that a lateral guide is also provided for a drawer which is largely pulled out of the carcass or body of an article of furniture. Moreover, when the drawer is pulled out and pushed in, smooth running is ensured by plastic and metal sliding of one another. In order to facilitate a rapid installation of the plastic block without tools, in an advantageous embodiment of the invention each supporting runner which has lower and upper running flanges and the lower running flange has stamped-out fins below which project projections of the plastic block.




A rapid installation of the supporting runners in the carcass of the article of furniture is achieved in that the supporting runners are fixed on the furniture carcass by means of separate retaining plates which are disposed at the front end and at the rear end of each supporting runner. In one embodiment at least one of the retaining plates is provided with a hook which engages in a punched hole in the supporting runner. In this construction the supporting runner merely needs to be pressed onto the retaining plate, the hook engages in the punched hole and thus the supporting runner is anchored in the furniture carcass. It is advantageously provided that the retaining plate at the rear end of the supporting runner rests on an end face of the supporting runner and has upper and lower retaining tabs which jut out in the longitudinal direction of the supporting runner, the hook being constructed on at least one of the tabs. In this way the rear end of the supporting runner can be rapidly anchored on the retaining plate without having to be fixed by means of a tool.




In order to ensure that the supporting runners are held in correct alignment, in a further embodiment of the invention it is proposed that the retaining tab opposite to the hook has a projection which can be pushed into a slot which is open to the rear in a horizontal flange of the supporting runner. Advantageously the projection is received with clearance in the slot on one side of the drawer, while on the other side of the drawer it engages tightly in the slot.




In another embodiment the rear retaining plate is constructed on a lower flange thereof with two knobs which receive the supporting runner therebetween with a clearance. An upper retaining tab is of resilient construction and has a bend by means of which it retains and grips the supporting runner. In this way the alignment of the supporting runner deep inside the piece of furniture can be easily corrected. For example, the supporting runner can be mounted at the front thereof by the front retaining plate by screws to a furniture frame, and is supported without screws by the rear supporting plate.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




Embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:





FIG. 1

is an exploded perspective view of parts of a pull-out guide fitting;





FIG. 2

is a cross-section through a lower corner of a drawer and a-guide fitting attached thereto;





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of a front end of a supporting runner and of a plastic block;





FIG. 4

is a top view of the plastic block;





FIG. 5

is a side view of the plastic block;





FIG. 6

is an end view of the plastic block;





FIG. 7

is a cross-section through a side of a pull-out guide fitting in the region of a load-side roller;





FIG. 8

is a similar cross-section on the other side of the drawer;





FIG. 9

is an exploded perspective view of the front end of a supporting runner, a plastic block and a retaining plate according to a further embodiment of the invention;





FIG. 10

is a perspective view of the front end of the supporting runner with the plastic block and the retaining plate in an assembled state;





FIG. 11

is a longitudinal section through the front end of the supporting runner and the plastic block of the embodiment shown in

FIGS. 9 and 10

;





FIG. 12

is an exploded perspective view of a supporting runner, a pull-out runner and a retaining plate according to further embodiment of the invention;





FIG. 13

is a cross-section through runners of such embodiment;





FIG. 14

is a perspective view of the rear end of a supporting runner;





FIG. 15

is a side view of the rear end of the supporting runner;





FIG. 16

is a front view of a retaining plate; and





FIG. 17

is a partial section of an upper region of the retaining plate.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




A pull-out guide fitting for use on each side of a drawer includes a pull-out runner or rail


1


(

FIG. 1

) or


13


(

FIG. 12

) and a supporting runner or rail


12


(

FIG. 1

) or


14


(FIG.


12


). The pull-out runner


1


,


13


is fixed below a drawer bottom


17


in a conventional manner by a horizontal fixing flange


19


on a lower edge of a side wall


11


of the drawer, e.g. preferably by screws.




The supporting runner


2


,


14


is mounted by means of retaining plates


3


,


4


on a carcass or cabinet of an article of furniture, one retaining plate


4


being mounted at the front end and one retaining plate


3


at the rear end of the supporting runner


2


,


14


. The retaining plate


4


which supports the front end of the supporting runner


2


is screwed to a side wall of the article of furniture or to an upright of a furniture frame thereof. The retaining plate


4


has a vertical portion


60


which serves for fixing to the side wall or the frame of the article of furniture and a horizontal portion


22


which supports the supporting runner


2


. The rear retaining plate


3


likewise has a vertical portion


23


which is fixed on a rear wall


51


of the article of furniture, for example by means of pegs


52


(FIG.


15


), and a horizontal portion


24


which supports the rear end of the supporting runner


2


,


14


.




In the embodiments according to

FIGS. 1 and 12

, the horizontal portion


24


has two limiting knobs


25


which receive therebetween the rear end of the supporting runner


2


,


14


with a clearance so that the supporting runner


2


,


14


is prevented from being pushed too far to the side when subjected to a lateral load. The retaining plate


3


has a further horizontal retaining tab


26


which in the assembled position rests on an upper running flange


27


of the supporting runner


2


,


14


. In the embodiments according to

FIGS. 1 and 12

the retaining tab


26


is of resilient construction and has a bend


50


with which it presses onto the supporting runner


2


,


14


. The supporting runner


2


,


14


is therefore retained and gripped by the retaining plate


3


.




In the embodiment according to

FIGS. 14

to


17


a hook


43


constructed on the retaining tab


26


engages in a punched hole


44


in the horizontal flange


27


of the supporting runner


2


. The lower retaining tab


24


has a projection


47


which in the assembled state protrudes into a slot


48


which is open to the rear in lower horizontal flange


21


of the supporting runner


2


,


14


. Advantageously, on one side of the drawer the projection


47


is received tightly in the slot


48


in order to provide lateral positioning for the supporting runner


2


,


14


. On the other side of the drawer the projection


47


is advantageously of narrower construction than the width of the slot


48


. As a result, the supporting runner


2


,


14


on such other side of the drawer can be moved laterally and in this way any inaccuracies of assembly which occur can be compensated.




The supporting runner


2


,


14


is provided at the front end thereof with a running member in the form of a roller


6


(

FIG. 1

) or


16


(FIG.


12


). In the embodiment according to

FIGS. 1

to


11


the roller


6


is mounted by means of a spindle


7


in a plastic block


5


which is anchored on a horizontal flange


21


of the supporting runner


2


or on the portion


22


of the retaining plate


4


. As indicated in

FIGS. 9-11

, the lower running flange


21


of the supporting runner


2


has punched from the material thereof upwardly extending lugs or fin members


70


that extend generally horizontally. The plastic block


5


has projections


42


which fit beneath respective of the lugs or fin members


70


, thereby mounting plastic block


5


on the supporting runner


2


. In

FIGS. 12-13

, supporting runner


14


is fixed on the retaining plate


4


by means of rivets (not shown) or the like or is welded thereto. The retaining plate


4


can be fixed on the furniture carcass by means of fixing screws which project through slots


30


,


31


aligned at right angles to one another in horizontal portion


22


or through holes in vertical portion


60


.




During assembly, the rear retaining plate


3


can be fixed, for example screwed, to the rear wall


51


of the piece of furniture, whereafter the rear end of the supporting member


2


,


14


is pushed onto the retaining plate


3


. In the embodiment according to

FIGS. 14

to


17


, in which the retaining plate


3


is provided with lugs


52


, the retaining plate


3


can be pushed onto the rear end of the supporting runner


2


,


14


, whereupon the latter is pressed with the retaining plate


3


onto the rear wall


51


of the piece of furniture and the lugs


52


are pushed into bores


32


in the rear wall


51


of the piece of furniture. Then the front end of the supporting runner


2


is fixed by means of the retaining plate


4


.




The upper running flange


27


of the supporting runner


2


is limited by a free edge flange


33


. At least one horizontal fin


18


is bent out of vertical flange


34


of the pull-out runner


1


,


13


and a free end of fin


18


projects under the limiting flange


33


of the supporting runner


2


,


14


. Advantageously three horizontal fins


18


are provided and are distributed over the length of the pull-out runner


1


,


13


. These fins prevent unintentional lifting of the drawer and disengagement of the pull-out runners


1


,


13


from their anchoring in the supporting runners


2


,


14


. The plastic block


5


is advantageously provided with a counter-stop


36


on which a stop


18


of the pull-out runner


1


comes to rest when the drawer is lifted, so that a drawer which is largely pulled out of the furniture carcass is also secured against unintentional lifting. Furthermore, the plastic block


5


has lateral guide surfaces


37


which are guided between the vertical flange


34


and an outer limiting flange


38


of the pull-out runner


1


, so that a good lateral guiding of the drawer is ensured.




Running members in the form of rollers


9


,


9


′ of the pull-out runners


1


,


13


are mounted on the pull-out runners


1


,


13


in a conventional manner by rivets


8


. In this case the width of the roller


9


on one side of the drawer is preferably chosen so that it is exactly guided by the upper horizontal flange


27


of the supporting runner


2


,


14


and lateral limiting flanges


33


,


39


thereof, so that a lateral guide of the drawer is also achieved in the rear region thereof. In order to be able to compensate for inaccuracies in the assembly of the furniture carcass, of the drawer or also of the fittings on the furniture carcass or on the drawer, it is provided that the roller


9


′ on the other side of the drawer is narrower than the distance between the lateral limiting flanges


33


,


39


. The roller


9


′ and thus the drawer can be moved to a small degree transversely with respect to the supporting runner


2


,


14


. So that this transverse movement is not hindered by the runner


1


,


13


, horizontal flange


40


of the runner


1


which has the narrower roller


9


′ is of wider construction than horizontal flange


41


which has the wider roller


9


.




In the embodiment according to

FIGS. 12

,


13


the roller


16


is directly mounted on the supporting runner


14


in a conventional manner by means of a spindle which is for example riveted to the supporting runner


14


. The supporting runner


14


is again, as in the previously described embodiment, fixed on the furniture carcass by means of two retaining plates


3


,


4


. Just as in the previously described embodiment the pull-out runner


13


is fixed with the horizontal fixing flange


19


on the side wall


11


of the drawer. The pull-out runner


13


on one side of the drawer differs from the preceding embodiment in that a bead


10


is provided on the running flange thereof. The bead


10


, which extends over the entire length of the pull-out runner


13


, has two side walls


15


which run laterally on the roller


16


and thus form a lateral guide for the pull-out guide and the drawer.




The pull-out runner


13


is provided with fins


18


which project horizontally below the running flange


27


and the edge flange


33


of the supporting runner


14


and which form a means for securing the pull-out guide


13


and thus the drawer from being lifted off.



Claims
  • 1. A pull-out guide fitting to be employed on a side of a drawer to guide movement of the drawer into and out of a body of an article of furniture, said fitting comprising:a supporting runner to be mounted on the furniture body, said supporting runner including upper and lower running flanges and a running member; a pull-out runner to be mounted on the drawer, said pull-out runner including a lower fixing flange to be connected to the drawer, a vertical flange extending upwardly from said lower fixing flange, an upper running flange extending from said vertical flange, at least one horizontal fin extending laterally from said vertical flange, and a running member; said running member of said pull-out runner being guided between said upper and lower running flanges of said supporting runner, and said running member of said supporting runner running on said upper running flange of said pull-out runner; said upper running flange of said pull-out runner extending above and covering said upper and lower running flanges of said supporting runner; and said horizontal fin having a free end projecting below said upper running flange of said supporting runner, thereby preventing, upon an upward force being imparted to said pull-out runner, unintentional upward lifting away of said pull-out runner from said supporting runner.
  • 2. A fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper running flange of said pull-out runner has a longitudinal bead including laterally spaced side walls between which is guided said running member of said supporting runner.
  • 3. A fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein said running members comprise rollers.
  • 4. A fitting as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a plastic block mounted on said supporting runner and having a stop projecting laterally at a level to be abutted from below by said fin, said roller of said supporting runner being mounted on said plastic block.
  • 5. A fitting as claimed in claim 4, wherein said roller of said supporting runner is mounted between side walls of said plastic block by a spindle mounted at opposite ends thereof in said side walls.
  • 6. A fitting as claimed in claim 4, wherein said plastic block has lateral guide surfaces to guide said pull-out runner.
  • 7. A fitting as claimed in claim 4, wherein said lower running flange of said supporting runner has projecting therefrom horizontal fin members, and said plastic block has projections fitting beneath respective said fin members, thereby mounting said plastic block on said supporting runner.
  • 8. A fitting as claimed in claim 7, wherein said plastic block is mounted on a front end of said supporting runner.
  • 9. A fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper running flange of said supporting runner has a free edge flange against which abuts said fin upon application of said upward force.
  • 10. A fitting as claimed in claim 1, further comprising separate front and rear retaining plates to mount front and rear ends, respectively, of said supporting runner to the furniture body.
  • 11. A fitting as claimed in claim 10, wherein said rear retaining plate has upper and lower retaining tabs receiving therebetween said rear end of said supporting runner, one of said tabs having a positioning structure providing lateral support of said rear end.
  • 12. A fitting as claimed in claim 11, wherein said positioning structure comprises two laterally spaced knobs projecting from said one tab, said rear end being positioned between said two knobs.
  • 13. A fitting as claimed in claim 11, wherein said positioning structure comprises a projection extending from said one tab into an open-ended slot in said rear end.
  • 14. A fitting as claimed in claim 11, wherein the other said tab has a hook fitting into a hole in said supporting runner.
  • 15. A fitting as claimed in claim 11, wherein the other said tab is resilient.
  • 16. A fitting as claimed in claim 15, wherein said other tab has a bend resiliently pressed toward said supporting runner.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
GM133/95 Mar 1995 AU
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number Name Date Kind
4176890 Gorton Dec 1979
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number Date Country
27 31 953 Jan 1978 DE
38 32 701 Mar 1990 DE
94 13 108 Jan 1995 DE
0 613 639 Sep 1994 EP