The present invention relates to a pullout guide comprising a stationary guide rail, which can be fixed to a body, a middle rail, which is held movably on the guide rail via first rolling elements, which are arranged in a first rolling element cage, a running rail, which is held movably on the middle rail via second rolling elements, which are arranged in a second rolling element cage, and an opening, provided on the middle rail for a supporting element, which, in a retracted position of the pullout guide, supports the running rail on the guide rail, where the supporting element is mounted on the middle rail such that it can be lowered.
EP 2 916 688 B1 discloses a drawer pullout guide in which a body rail, a drawer rail and a middle rail are provided between the body rail and the drawer rail. For supporting the drawer rail, a support roller is provided which is arranged between a horizontal web of the body rail and an elevation of the drawer rail. The support roller can thus transmit forces from the drawer rail to the body rail. However, there is the disadvantage that the support roller projects upwards from the middle rail, so that in the maximum extended position of the pullout guide, the rolling elements can only be moved as far as the support roller, thus limiting the length of the track for the rolling elements. As a result, the maximum support width, i.e. the distance between the foremost rolling element and the rearmost rolling element, becomes smaller, which leads to a reduction in the guide quality. In addition, jamming can occur at the support roller.
It is therefore an objection of the present invention to provide a pullout guide with an improved guide for the running rail.
This task is solved with a pullout guide having the features of claim 1.
In the pullout guide according to the invention, the support element, arranged on the middle rail between the guide rail and the running rail, is movably mounted, an opening is provided on the middle rail for the support element, which, in a retracted position of the pullout guide, supports the running rail on the guide rail, and the support element is mounted on the middle rail such that it can be lowered, where at least one second rolling element can pass over the opening for the support element. In this way the support element can serve to support the running rail on the guide rail in the retracted position and can be lowered when it is being extended, to be able to use the installation space above the support element. Lowering in the “vertical direction” does not have to be carried out exactly vertically in the installation position of the pullout guide, but can also be carried out at an angle to the vertical direction such that at least a vertical portion of a translational movement is present when the support element is moved.
Preferably, the support element is movable from a raised position in the retracted position of the pullout guide to a lowered position in an extended position of the pullout guide. Thereby, in the raised position, the support element may extend through an opening in the middle rail, and in the lowered position, an upper surface of the support element does not protrude beyond an upper track on the middle rail. Thus, in the lowered position, the upper surface of the support element may optionally be positioned at the same height as the track or may be lowered below the height of the track. This makes it possible to extend the upper track for the rolling elements, because they no longer abut against the support element, as the support element can be run over fully or partially in the lowered position.
To ensure that the movement of the support element is not abrupt when the pullout guide is extended and retracted, the guide rail preferably has an approach slope for raising or lowering of the support element. The approach slope can be linear or arc-shaped, whereby the approach slope is preferably formed by an integrally formed bend or a web on the guide rail.
In a further embodiment, a bearing block is fixed to the middle rail and supports the support element so that it can be moved in the vertical direction. The bearing block can have two elongated holes or slot-shaped receptacles in which pins projecting laterally from the support element engage, so that the two pins are each guided in a slot or receptacle in order to support the support element in a displaceable or movable manner. Such a movable mounting also prevents jamming of the support element. The support element can also be mounted in the bearing block without pins. In this case, the upper and lower openings on the bearing block can be somewhat smaller than the diameter of a support roller or the width of a plunger as a support element so that it cannot fall out in the vertical direction. Other guide elements can also be provided on the bearing block to guide the support element, for example guide webs. The bearing block can be fixed to the middle rail in a clamping or latching manner and can thus be easily mounted. The bearing block could also be formed from the material of the middle rail.
The support element is preferably designed as a rotatably mounted support roller. In this case, the support roller can optionally be rotatably and displaceably held on the bearing block so that it can be moved between the raised and lowered positions. In an alternative embodiment, the support element is designed as a displaceable plunger that can be moved along the guide rail and the running rail with sliding surfaces in order to be raised and lowered.
The middle rail preferably forms an upper track for the second rolling elements, which is preferably formed on a horizontally aligned web, wherein the second rolling elements can be moved at least partially over an opening through which the support roller passes in the raised position. When the support roller is lowered in the extended position of the pullout guide, the rolling elements can be moved at least partially, preferably also completely, over the opening on the middle rail. The second rolling elements are thereby preferably formed longer in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the middle rail than the opening for the support roller, so that in the region of the opening the rolling elements are supported in the region adjacent to the opening. Optionally, part of the rolling elements can also be moved beyond one end face of the middle rail, to increase the maximum support width of the pullout guide.
The running rail preferably has a downwardly projecting embossment which rests on the support roller in the retracted position. The embossing can be in the form of a strip in the longitudinal direction of the running rail and includes an approach slope to ensure a smooth running of the running rail onto the support roller.
In the following, the invention is explained in more detail, by means of an example of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show:
A pullout guide 1 comprises a stationary guide rail 4, which can be fixed to a body of a piece of furniture or a household appliance, and on which a middle rail 3 can be moved. A running rail 2 is held movably on the middle rail 3.
As can be seen in
Second rolling elements 5 are movable on the middle rail 3, each of which is held on a rolling element cage 6. Two spaced-apart rolling element cages 6 are also provided, with the foremost rolling element 5 of the front rolling element cage 6 and the rearmost rolling element 5 of the rear rolling element cage 6 defining the maximum support span. The rolling elements 5 at least partially run along an upper track 30 formed on an upper surface of a horizontal web of the middle rail 3. The middle rail 3 further comprises two lateral webs 31 on which further rolling elements 5 roll to provide lateral guidance. The running rail 2 is supported on the rolling elements 5, which roll on the upper track 30.
Optionally, the rolling elements 5 and 7 can all be of identical design. However, it is also possible to design individual rolling elements 5 and 7 differently with regard to the material used or the geometry.
In the installation position, weight forces from an upper web of the running rail 2 act on the rolling elements 5, which roll on the upper track 30 and thus take over the forces in the vertical direction. The term “vertical” here refers to the usual installation situation of the pullout guide 1 in which the weight forces are transferred via the rolling elements 5 on the track 30 and via the rolling elements 7 on the track 40, although the pullout guide 1 can also be mounted in other positions.
At the front end of the middle rail 3 there is a support element in the form of a support roller 10, which in the retracted position of the pullout guide 1 provides support for the running rail 2 on the guide rail 4. Furthermore, at least one fixedly positioned running roller 9 is rotatably mounted on the middle rail 3 and serves to support the running rail 2. The at least one track roller is located between the front and rear rolling element cages 6. The rolling element cages 6 and 8 can optionally be connected to each other via synchronization means. The synchronizing means can be designed as a rope control or as a transmission control with rack and pinion.
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The opening 11 in the middle rail 3 with the bearing block 13 and the rotatable and lowerable support roller 10 together form a bearing point for the support arrangement.
In
Optionally, it is possible to move the rolling element cage 6 in the maximum extended position of the running rail 2 even further in the direction of extension, as shown in
In the embodiment shown, the middle rail 3 is bent in a mainly U-shaped manner. It is of course also possible to manufacture the pullout guide 1 from rails that have a different cross-sectional geometry.
The approach slope 22 on the embossing 21 and the approach slope 41 on the guide rail 4 are oriented inclined to the horizontal in the installed position and can be modified in terms of length and pitch angle.
Instead of the support roller 10, in an alternative embodiment the support element can also be designed as a displaceable plunger, which can be moved along the guide rail and the running rail with sliding surfaces in order to be raised and lowered.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2019 124 732.2 | Sep 2019 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2020/074322 | 9/1/2020 | WO |