U.S. patent application number 12/870802 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-01 for sliding rail receiving positioning structure.
This patent application is currently assigned to NAN JUEN INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Kuo-Sheng Huang.
Application Number | 20120051675 12/870802 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45697368 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120051675 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang; Kuo-Sheng |
March 1, 2012 |
SLIDING RAIL RECEIVING POSITIONING STRUCTURE
Abstract
A sliding rail receiving and positioning structure includes a
sliding rail assembly having a bottom rail and a top rail mounted
in the bottom rail and movable relative to the bottom rail between
a received position and an extended position, and a positioning
device having a first positioning portion affixed to one end of the
bottom rail on the inside and a second positioning portion kept in
alignment with the top rail and adapted for securing the top rail
in the received position after movement of the top rail into the
inside of the bottom rail, prohibiting the sliding box that is
affixed to the top rail from being forced by its weight to move
away from the received position accidentally.
Inventors: |
Huang; Kuo-Sheng; (Ying Ghor
Town, TW) |
Assignee: |
NAN JUEN INTERNATIONAL CO.,
LTD.
Ying Ghor Town
TW
|
Family ID: |
45697368 |
Appl. No.: |
12/870802 |
Filed: |
August 28, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
384/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 88/493
20170101 |
Class at
Publication: |
384/20 |
International
Class: |
A47B 88/04 20060101
A47B088/04 |
Claims
1. A sliding rail receiving and positioning structure, comprising:
a sliding rail assembly, said sliding rail assembly comprising a
bottom rail and a top rail mounted in said bottom rail and axially
movable in and out of said bottom rail between a received position
and an extended position; and a positioning device, said
positioning device comprising a first positioning portion and a
second positioning portion, said first positioning portion being
affixed to one end of said bottom rail on the inside, said second
positioning portion being kept in alignment with said top rail for
adapted for securing said top rail in the received position after
movement of said top rail into the inside of said bottom rail.
2. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed
in claim 1, wherein said first positioning portion is affixed to
one end of said bottom rail remote from the extending direction of
said top rail along which said top rail is movable out of said
bottom rail.
3. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed
in claim 1, wherein said sliding rail assembly further comprises an
intermediate rail set in between and axially slidable relative to
said bottom rail and said top rail, said intermediate rail having
two coupling portions longitudinally arranged at two opposite sides
thereof and respectively slidably coupled to said bottom rail and
said top rail in such a manner that said top rail is axially
movable in and out of said intermediate rail and axially movable
with said intermediate rail in and out of said bottom rail.
4. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed
in claim 1, wherein said first positioning portion comprises a
positioning hole located on a bottom side thereof; said bottom rail
comprises a through hole; said sliding rail assembly further
comprises a fastening member mounted in said through hole and
fastened to said positioning hole to affix said positioning device
to said bottom rail.
5. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed
in claim 1, wherein said positioning device further comprises two
friction arms extended from two sides of said second positioning
portion, each said friction arm having two transverse ribs spaced
apart in a parallel manner for friction engagement with said top
rail.
6. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed
in claim 5, wherein said top rail comprises two raised positioning
spots for positioning in between the two transverse ribs at each
said friction arm.
7. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed
in claim 1, wherein said first positioning portion is affixed to
one end of said bottom rail adjacent to the extending direction of
said top rail along which said top rail is movable out of said
bottom rail; said positioning device further comprises two friction
arms extended from two sides of said second positioning portion;
said sliding rail assembly further comprises a positioning rod
fixedly mounted in one end of said top rail remote from said top
rail and adapted for positioning in between said friction arms of
said positioning device to secure said top rail in the received
position inside said bottom rail.
8. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed
in claim 7, wherein each raid friction arm comprises a retaining
portion protruded from an inner side thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a sliding rail assembly for
drawer and more particularly, to a sliding rail receiving
positioning structure, which assures positive positioning when the
sliding rail assembly is received.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Sliding rail assemblies are intensively used with sliding
boxes and drawers in storage cabinet and furniture for storing
things for allowing the sliding boxes or drawers to be smoothly
moved between the received position and the extended position. To
ensure positive positioning in the received position, a sliding
rail assembly is known comprising a spring member, a retaining
member pivotally mounted in the intermediate rail and supported on
the spring member, and a stop block affixed to the outer rail. The
retaining member is forced by the spring member to stop against the
stop block, avoiding the intermediate rail from moving into the
inside of the outer rail freely. When pushing in the inner rail,
the inner end of the inner rail will be stopped against the
retaining member to bias the retaining member away from the stop
block, allowing the intermediate rail to be received into the
inside of the outer rail. When the retaining member is in the
released position, the spring member is elastically deformed. When
the pressure of the inner rail is released from the retaining
member, the spring member immediately returns the retaining member
to its former position.
[0005] The aforesaid sliding rail assembly positioning structure
consists of many component parts, increasing the cost and lowering
the yield. Further, it requires much time and labor to complete the
installation procedure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present
invention to provide a sliding rail receiving positioning
structure, which prohibits the sliding box that is affixed to the
top rail of the sliding rail assembly from being forced by its
weight to move away from the received position accidentally.
[0007] To achieve this and other objects of the present invention,
a sliding rail receiving positioning structure comprises a sliding
rail assembly and a positioning device. The sliding rail assembly
comprises a bottom rail, and a top rail mounted in the bottom rail
and movable relative to the bottom rail between a received position
and an extended position. The positioning device comprises a first
positioning portion affixed to one end of the bottom rail on the
inside, and a second positioning portion kept in alignment with the
top rail and adapted for securing the top rail in the received
position after movement of the top rail into the inside of the
bottom rail
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a sliding rail receiving
positioning structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the sliding rail
receiving positioning structure in accordance with the first
embodiment of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation in an enlarged scale of a
part of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a cutaway view of a sliding rail receiving
positioning structure in accordance with a second embodiment of the
present invention.
[0012] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 4.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a cutaway view of a part of the sliding rail
receiving positioning structure in accordance with the second
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a sliding rail receiving positioning
structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present
invention is shown comprising a sliding rail assembly 1 and a
positioning device 2.
[0015] The sliding rail assembly 1 includes a bottom rail 11, a top
rail 12, an intermediate rail 13 and a fastening member 14. The top
rail 12 is mounted in the top side of the bottom rail 11. The
intermediate rail 13 is mounted in between the bottom rail 11 and
the top rail 12, having two coupling portions 131 longitudinally
arranged at two opposite sides thereof and respectively slidably
coupled to the bottom rail 11 and the top rail 12 such that the top
rail 12 and the intermediate rail 13 are movable between an
extended position and a received position in the same direction.
The bottom rail 11 has a through hole 111 on the bottom side. The
top rail 12 has raised positioning spots 121 bilaterally located on
the inside.
[0016] The positioning member 2 comprises a first positioning
portion 21 and a second positioning portion 22 respectively
disposed at two opposing sides, a positioning hole 211 located on
the bottom side of the first positioning portion 21 and two
friction arms 221 extended from the second positioning portion 22
at two opposite sides. Each friction arm 221 has two transverse
ribs 2211 that are spaced apart in a parallel manner.
[0017] The positioning member 2 is fastened to the sliding rail
assembly 1 by: inserting the first positioning portion 21 of the
positioning member 2 into one end of the bottom rail 11 remote from
the extending direction of the intermediate rail 13 along which the
intermediate rail 13 is movable out of the bottom rail 11 to keep
the positioning hole 211 of the first positioning portion 21 in
alignment with the through hole 111 of the bottom rail 11 and then
inserting the fastening member 14 through the through hole 11 and
the positioning hole 211 to affix the first positioning portion 21
of the positioning member 2 to the bottom rail 11 and to keep the
second positioning portion 22 in alignment with the top rail
12.
[0018] When in use, pull the top rail 12 outwardly along the
coupling portion 131 of the intermediate rail 13. When continuously
pulling the top rail 12 after the top rail 12 has been fully
extended out of the intermediate rail 13, the intermediate rail 13
will be carried by the top rail 12 out of the bottom rail 11. When
pushing back the top rail 12, the top rail 12 will be received in
the intermediate rail 13 and then the top rail 12 and the
intermediate rail 13 will be received in the bottom rail 11. During
this movement of the top rail 12, the second positioning portion 22
will enter one end of the top rail 12 to force the transverse ribs
2211 of the friction arms 221 into friction engagement with the top
rail 12, causing the two friction arms 221 to be elastically
deformed and stopped against the inside wall of the top rail 12,
and therefore the top rail 12 is secured to the second positioning
portion 22. Further, during movement of the top rail 12, the raised
positioning spots 121 of the top rail 12 will be moved into the
space between two transverse ribs 2211 of each of the friction arms
221 of the second positioning portion 22 of the positioning member
2. Before entering the space between the two transverse ribs 2211
of each of the friction arms 221 of the second positioning portion
22 of the positioning member 2, the raised positioning spots 121
will push one respective transverse rib 2211, enhancing deformation
of the respective friction arms 221. When each raised positioning
spot 121 moved over one respective transverse rib 2211 into the
space between the two corresponding transverse ribs 2211, the
friction arms 221 immediately return to their former shape subject
to the effect of their elastic material property. Subject to the
matching operation between the raised positioning spots 121 and the
transverse ribs 2211, the user knows whether or not the sliding
rail assembly 1 has been well received when moving the top rail 12
and the intermediate rail 13 into the bottom rail 11.
[0019] FIGS. 4-6 illustrate a sliding rail receiving positioning
structure in accordance with a second embodiment of the present
invention. Similar to the aforesaid first embodiment, this second
embodiment comprises a sliding rail assembly 1 and a positioning
device 2.
[0020] The sliding rail assembly 1 comprises a bottom rail 11, a
top rail 12 and a positioning rod 15. The top rail 12 is mounted in
the bottom rail 11 at the top and axially movable in and out of the
bottom rail 11 between a received position and an extended
position. The positioning rod 15 is mounted in one end of the top
rail 12 remote from the bottom rail 11.
[0021] The positioning member 2 comprises a first positioning
portion 21 and a second positioning portion 22 respectively
disposed at two opposing sides, and two friction arms 221 located
on the second positioning portion 22 at two opposite sides. Each
friction arm 221 has a retaining portion 2212 protruded from an
inner side thereof.
[0022] The positioning member 2 is fastened to the sliding rail
assembly 1. During installation, the first positioning portion 21
of the positioning member 2 is affixed to one end of the bottom
rail 11 adjacent to the extending direction of the intermediate
rail 13 along which the intermediate rail 13 is movable out of the
bottom rail 11 to keep the second positioning portion 22 in
alignment with the top rail 12.
[0023] When in use, the top rail 12 can be moved relative to the
bottom rail 11 between the extended position and the received
position. When receiving the top rail 12 in the bottom rail 11, the
positioning rod 15 will be moved into the space between the two
friction arms 221 of the second positioning portion 22 of the
positioning member 2. Before entering the space between the two
friction arms 221, the positioning rod 15 will be forced against
the retaining portions 2212 of the friction arms 221 to expand the
friction arms 221 elastically. After the positioning rod 15 passed
over the retaining portions 2212 of the friction arms 221 into the
space between the two friction arms 221, the two friction arms 221
immediately return to their former shape subject to the effect of
their elastic material property, causing the positioning rod 15 to
be held in position by the retaining portions 2212. Subject to the
matching operation between the retaining portions 2212 and the
positioning rod 15, the user knows whether or not the sliding rail
assembly 1 has been well received in the received position.
[0024] In conclusion, the invention provides advantages over the
prior art design subject to the installation of the positioning
member 2 in the sliding rail assembly 1. After installation of the
top rail 12 in a sliding box, the positioning member 2 can secure
the sliding rail assembly 1 in the received position positively,
prohibiting the sliding box from being forced by its gravity weight
to move out of the received position accidentally when the
furniture carrying the sliding box is tilted. Further, the design
of the present invention facilitates fabrication and installation
of the sliding rail assembly, saving much sliding rail assembly
fabrication labor and time.
[0025] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention.
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