1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a synchronization system, and more particularly, to a synchronization system allowing two slide rail assemblies to be moved synchronously.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a furniture system, such as a cabinet system, a drawer usually can be opened or retracted relative to a cabinet through a pair of slide rail assemblies. A product capable of assisting in opening a drawer from a retracted position relative to a cabinet is already provided in current market, and the product is so called a push-open product. US patent publication number 2012/0038255 A1 discloses an ejection device for a furniture part. Specifically, an arrangement comprising two ejection devices (1, 2) arranged at both sides of a movable furniture part (5), and spring-loaded ejectors (13) are disclosed. Wherein, the ejection devices (1, 2) comprise a latching element (18) configured to be temporarily locked at a position (E) through a heart curve-shaped slotted guide path (10), and the ejection devices (1, 2) can be unlocked by pressing the movable furniture part (5). Wherein, guide carriages (17) of the two ejection devices (1, 2) are connected to each other through a synchronization rod (6). The case is provided for reference.
The present invention relates to a synchronization system allowing two slide rail assemblies to be moved synchronously.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a synchronization system is applicable to a furniture system. The synchronization system comprises a first synchronization device detachably connected to a first slide rail assembly of the furniture system; a second synchronization device detachably connected to a second slide rail assembly of the furniture system, wherein each of the first slide rail assembly and the second slide rail assembly comprises a first rail and a second rail movable relative to the first rail; and a synchronization rod detachably mounted between the first synchronization device and the second synchronization device for allowing the second rail of the first slide rail assembly and the second rail of the second slide rail assembly to move synchronously.
Preferably, the first slide rail assembly comprises an opening mechanism. The opening mechanism comprises an elastic member and a locking member configured to lock the elastic member. The first synchronization device comprises a housing and a driving member mounted to the housing. The driving member is configured to drive the locking member to move for unlocking the elastic member in response to the second rail moving relative to the first rail from a predetermined position along a first direction, in order to allow the elastic member to release an elastic force for driving the second rail of the first slide rail assembly and the second rail of the second slide rail assembly to move along a second direction opposite to the first direction.
Preferably, the driving member comprises an elastic feature. The driving member is held in an initial state relative to the housing in response to an elastic force of the elastic feature.
Preferably, the first synchronization device further comprises an actuating member. During the process of the second rail moving relative to the first rail from the predetermined position along the first direction, the actuating member abuts against a portion of the first rail to generate an action force to be applied to the driving member, such that the driving member is no longer in the initial state and configured to drive the locking member in response to the action force.
Preferably, the housing comprises a first side plate and a second side plate connected to the first side plate. The driving member and the actuating member are movably mounted to the first side plate and the second side plate respectively.
Preferably, the driving member and the actuating member are respectively pivoted to the first side plate and the second side plate. The driving member is movable relative to the first side plate within a limited range defined by a first limiting feature, and the actuating member is movable relative to the second side plate within a limited range defined by a second limiting feature.
Preferably, the first synchronization device further comprises a supporting base connected to the actuating member. The synchronization rod is detachably connected to the supporting base.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a synchronization device is applicable to a furniture system. The synchronization device comprises a housing; and a driving member movable relative to the housing. The furniture system comprises a first slide rail assembly having a first rail, a second rail and an opening mechanism. The second rail is movable relative to the first rail. The opening mechanism comprises an elastic member and a locking member configured to temporarily lock the elastic member. The housing is detachably connected to the second rail. The driving member is configured to drive the locking member to move for unlocking the elastic member in response to the second rail moving relative to the first rail from a predetermined position along a first direction, in order to allow the elastic member to release an elastic force for driving the second rail to move relative to the first rail along a second direction.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a synchronization device comprises a housing configured to be mounted to a slide rail, wherein the slide rail comprises an opening mechanism, the opening mechanism comprises an elastic member and a locking member configured to lock the elastic member; and a driving member movable relative to the housing, the driving member configured to drive the locking member to move for unlocking the elastic member, in order to allow the elastic member to release an elastic force to be applied to the slide rail.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
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The housing 42 comprises a first side plate 48 and a second side plate 50 connected to the first side plate 48. Preferably, the second side plate 50 is perpendicularly bent relative to the first side plate 48. Or, the second side plate 50 is substantially perpendicularly connected to the first side plate 48.
The driving member 44 is movable relative to the housing 42. In the present embodiment, the driving member 44 is movably mounted to the housing 42. Preferably, the driving member 44 is pivoted to the first side plate 48 of the housing 42 by a shaft member 52, and the driving member 44 is movable relative to the first side plate 48 within a limited range defined by a first limiting feature 54. In the present embodiment, the first side plate 48 of the housing 42 has an L-shaped protrusion 54a, and the driving member has two walls 54b and a concave part 54c arranged between the two walls 54b. The protrusion 54a, the two walls 54b and the concave part 54c form the first limiting feature 54. Wherein, the concave part 54c is configured to accommodate the protrusion 54a. Preferably, the concave part 54c is substantially arranged in a curved shape, and the concave part 54c is larger than the protrusion 54a. In an alternative embodiment, the first side plate 48 of the housing 42 can have the two walls 54b and the concave part 54c arranged between the two walls 54b, and the driving member 44 can have the protrusion 54a. However, the arrangement for allowing the driving member 44 to be movable relative to the first side plate 48 of the housing 42 within a limited range is not limited by the above embodiments. Furthermore, the driving member 44 comprises an elastic feature 56, a driving feature 58 and a main body part 60 arranged between the elastic feature 56 and the driving feature 58. Wherein, the main body part 60 is pivoted to the first side plate 48 of the housing 42 by the shaft member 52. The main body part 60 has a contact wall 62. Preferably, the elastic feature 56 and the driving feature 58 are connected to the main body part 60, and the elastic feature 56, such as an elastic leg, faces toward and contacts the second side plate 50 of the housing 42, such that the driving member 44 can be held in an initial state, such as being held at an initial position relative to the housing 42, in response to the elastic force of the elastic feature 56. Preferably, the driving member 44 is made of a flexible material, such as a plastic material, and the elastic feature 56, the driving feature 58 and the main body part 60 are integrally formed in one piece.
The actuating member 46 is movable relative to the housing 42. In the present embodiment, the actuating member 46 is movably mounted to the housing 42 and adjacent to the driving member 44. Preferably, the first synchronization device 36 further comprises a supporting base 63 connected to the actuating member 46, and the actuating member 46 and the supporting base 63 are movably mounted to the second side plate 50 of the hosing 42 and respectively located at two opposite sides of the second side plate 50. In particular, the actuating member 46 and the supporting base 63 are pivoted to the second side plate 50 of the housing 42 by a pivoting member 64, and the actuating member 46 and the supporting base 63 are movable relative to the second side plate 50 within a limited range defined by a second limiting feature 66. In the present embodiment, the second side plate 50 of the housing 42 has at least one elongated hole 66a, and one of the actuating member 46 and the supporting base 63 is arranged with at least one pin member 66b configured to penetrate through a portion of the at least one elongated hole 66a. The at least one elongated hole 66a and the at least one pin 66b form the second limiting feature 66. Preferably, the at least one elongated hole 66a is substantially arranged in a curved shape. In an alternative embodiment, the second side plate 50 of the housing 42 can have the pin member 66b, and each of the actuating member 46 and the supporting base 63 can have the elongated hole 66a. However, the arrangement for allowing the actuating member 46 and the supporting base 63 to be movable relative to the second side plate 50 of the housing 42 within a limited range is not limited by the above embodiments. Preferably, the actuating member 46 has an actuating part 68. The actuating part 68 is arranged at a position corresponding to the contact wall 62 of the driving member 44. Preferably, the synchronization rod 38 has a non-circular contour, such as a polygonal contour. The synchronization rod 38 is detachably connected to the supporting base 63 through the first connecting base 40a. In detail, the first connecting base 40a has a body part 41 and a head part 43 connected to the body part 41. The body part 41 has an accommodating room 45 corresponding to the contour of the synchronization rod 38, such that the synchronization rod 38 can be inserted into the accommodating room 45 for connection. The head part 43 has a non-circular shape, such as a rectangle shape. The supporting base 63 has a notch 65 for mounting the head part 63 therein. A pair of clamping parts 67 is extended from two sides of the notch 65 for clamping the head part 43, such that the first connecting base 40a can be detachably connected to the supporting base 63.
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The first synchronization device 36 is detachably connected to the second rail 32 of the first rail assembly 22. Similarly, as shown in
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Therefore, the synchronization system of the present invention is characterized in that:
Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.
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