Silding track structure

Abstract

A sliding track structure includes an inner track, a middle track, an outer track, an inner ball bearing member, an outer ball bearing member, and a separation mechanism. The inner track is slidably joined with the middle track in conjunction with the inner ball bearing member. The outer track is slidably joined with the middle track in conjunction with the outer ball bearing member. The separation mechanism is disposed at a front end of the middle track to facilitate the separating of the outer track from the middle track.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a drawer-sliding track structure, and more particularly to a drawer-sliding track structure with a separation mechanism allowing a drawer to be easily detached from a cabin, table and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The conventional drawer-sliding structure is generally formed of a C-shaped outer slide track fastened to the vertical panel of a table, bureau, vanity, etc., a C-shaped inner track fastened to a drawer of the table, bureau, vanity, etc., a C-shaped middle track for coupling the inner track with the outer track, a first ball bearing member for fastening slidably the inner track with the middle track, and a second ball bearing member for fastening slidably the middle track with the outer track. The drawer can be thus drawn out and then pushed back into place by means of the drawer-sliding structure.

[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,571 discloses a drawer-sliding structure of a telescopic construction, which comprises a middle track and an inner track disposed in the middle track. The inner track is provided with a separation mechanism by which the inner track can be separated from the middle track. This prior art structure is relatively wide and is therefore limited in use. There are other conventional structures which are relatively small in width and are devoid of an appropriate separation mechanism, due to the fact that the separation mechanism takes up a substantial space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a drawer-sliding structure with a separation mechanism which is simple in construction and small in size.

[0005] A sliding track structure constructed according to the present invention comprises:

[0006] a middle track having an H-shaped cross section, comprising a horizontal plate, and two vertical plates fastened respectively at two sides of said horizontal plate;

[0007] an inner track adapted to be fastened with a table, bureau, vanity, or the like;

[0008] an outer track adapted to be fastened with a drawer of the table, bureau, vanity, or the like;

[0009] an inner ball bearing member mounted on one side of said two vertical plates of said middle track to enable said inner track to slide along a longitudinal direction of said middle track on said one side thereof; and

[0010] an outer ball bearing member mounted on other side of said two vertical plates of said middle track to enable said outer track to slide along the longitudinal direction of said middle track on said other side thereof; wherein

[0011] said outer track is provided at one end with an arresting piece to prevent separation of said outer ball bearing member from the one end of said outer track;

[0012] said outer ball bearing member is provided with a folded portion close to said horizontal plate of said middle track for preventing said outer ball bearing member from separating from said middle track, wherein said folded portion

[0013] wherein said horizontal plate of said middle track is provided with a separation mechanism which is able to be switched between a locking position and an unlocking position; when said separation mechanism is in said locking position, it will be in contact with a front end of said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member at the time when said outer track is slid along the longitudinal direction of said middle track toward a front end of said middle track, so that the outer track together with the outer ball bearing member are retained with the middle track; when said separation mechanism is in the unlocking position, said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member will move past said separation mechanism at the time when said outer track is slid along the longitudinal direction of said middle track toward the front end of said middle track, so that said outer track and said outer ball bearing member are separated from said middle track.

[0014] Preferably, said separation mechanism comprises a sliding member having a stop portion and a sliding portion, said sliding member being received in a receiving hole on the horizontal plate and at the front end of said middle track such that said stop portion is jutted out of said receiving hole to be contiguous to said outer track, and further that said sliding portion is contiguous to said horizontal plate of said middle track, when said separation mechanism is in said locking position, wherein said stop portion is adapted to be in contact with said front end of said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member; and still further that said stop portion is not jutted out of said receiving hole, when said separation mechanism is in said unlocking position, wherein said stop portion is not able to be in contact with said front end of said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member. More preferably, said sliding member comprises a cube as said stop portion and a tongue extending from said cube, wherein said cube is partially jutted out of said receiving hole to be contiguous to said outer track, and said tongue is contiguous to said inner track, when said separation mechanism is in said locking position. Alternatively, said sliding member comprises a cube acting as said stop portion, and two inclined slots located in two opposite sides of said cube to act as said sliding portion; wherein said separation mechanism further comprises two inclined pillars located at two opposite sides of said receiving hole of said horizontal plate of said middle track, and said two inclined pillars are received in said two inclined slots.

[0015] Preferably, said separation mechanism further comprises a carrying seat which is fastened with the front end of said horizontal plate of said middle track and is provided with a rectangular hole serving as said receiving hole, with said rectangular hole being equal in width to said cube and being greater in length to said cube; wherein said two inclined pillars are located in two opposite sides of said rectangular hole of said carrying seat.

[0016] Preferably, said horizontal plate of said middle track is provided at the front end thereof with a rectangular fastening hole corresponding to said carrying seat; wherein said carrying seat is provided in the fringe with an insertion slot for fitting three side edges of said rectangular fastening hole; wherein said horizontal plate of said middle track is provided with a pliable confinement piece at the remaining side edges of said rectangular fastening hole for confining said carrying seat in said fastening hole.

[0017] Preferably, said separation mechanism comprises a pivoting member, and a carrying seat which is fastened with the horizontal plate and at the front end of said middle track, said pivoting member comprising a stop portion and a tongue, said pivoting member being fastened pivotally with said carrying seat such that said tongue is jutted out of one side of the horizontal plate of said middle track, and that said stop portion is jutted out of other side of the horizontal plate of said middle track, and further that said stop portion is contiguous to said outer track, when said separation mechanism is in said locking position, wherein said stop portion is adapted to be in contact with said front end of said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member; and still further that said stop portion of said pivoting member is turned to said one side of the horizontal plate of said middle track, when said separation mechanism is in said unlocking position, wherein said stop portion is not able to be in contact with said front end of said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member. More preferably, said pivoting member comprises a right-angled triangular body serving as said stop portion, said tongue is extended upwardly and slantingly from a vertical side of said right-angled triangular body, and said carrying seat is provided at one end with two arms which are parallel to each other and are provided with a pivoting hole, wherein two pivots are provided on two opposite sides of said right-angled triangular body and at positions away from said vertical side of right-angled triangular body, and said pivoting member is fastened pivotally between said two arms with said two pivots being received in said pivoting holes, such that said tongue of said pivoting member is contiguous to one side of said carrying seat, and that said right-angled triangular body is exposed at other side of said carrying seat at the time when said separation is in said locking position; and said pivoting member is turned to said one side of said carrying seat, so that said right-angled triangular body is not exposed at other side of said carrying seat, when said separation mechanism is in said unlocking position

[0018] The features and the advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the sliding member of the separation mechanism and the middle track of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIGS. 3A and 3B are sectional schematic view of the sliding member of the separation mechanism of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention in action.

[0022] FIGS. 4A and 4B are partial top views of the sliding member of the separation mechanism of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention in action.

[0023] FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 6A shows a schematic perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention in the locking state.

[0025] FIG. 6B shows a schematic perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention in the unlocking state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an inner track 10 adapted to be fastened with a table, bureau, or vanity, an outer track 30 adapted to be fastened with a drawer of the table, a middle track 20 having an H-shaped cross section, and two ball bearing members. Only one ball bearing member 40 is shown in the drawings. The two ball bearing members are symmetrical in construction and similar in function to each other, with one of the two ball bearing members (not shown in the drawings) being disposed between the inner track 10 and the middle track 20 such that the ball bearing member is confined by an arresting piece 11 of the inner track 10 and an arresting piece (not shown in the drawings) of the middle track 20. Other one of the two ball bearing members 40 is mounted in the interior of the outer track 30 such that the ball bearing member 40 is located between two arresting pieces 31 and 32 of the outer track 30, and that the ball bearing member 40 is capable of sliding in the interior of the outer track 30.

[0027] The inner track 10 has a flat plate 13 and two arcuate plates 14 extending vertically in the same direction from the flat plate 13. Similarly, the outer track 30 has a flat plate 33 and two arcuate plates 34 extending vertically in the same direction from the flat plate 33. The arresting pieces 11 and 12 of the inner track 10 are vertically extended from the flat plate 13 and made by punching. Similarly, the first arresting piece 31 of the outer track 30 is vertically extended from the flat plate 33 and is made by punching. The second arresting piece 32 of the outer track 30 is formed of two projections extending respectively from the two arcuate plates 34. The outer track 30 is joined with the middle track 20 by pushing the outer track 30 to receive the middle track 20 in the ball bearing member 40 from the end having the second arresting piece 32.

[0028] The ball bearing members 40 are formed of a ball bearing seat and a plurality of ball bearings 43. The ball bearing seat comprises a bottom plate 41 and two webs 42 extending vertically from the bottom plate 41. The webs 42 are provided with a plurality of through holes for receiving the ball bearings 43. The bottom plate 41 is provided in the midsegment with a folded portion 44.

[0029] The middle track 20 has a flat plate 21, and two vertical plates 22 at ends of the flat plate 21, each of which is provided with two arcuate slots 23 corresponding in location to the arcuate plates 14 of the inner track 10 and the arcuate plates 34 of the outer track 30. The ball bearings 43 are held by the arcuate slots 23 and the arcuate plates 14 and 34.

[0030] The present invention comprises a separation mechanism 50 which is intended to separate the outer track 30 from the middle track 20. The middle track 20 is provided at a front end of the flat plate thereof with a rectangular hole 51 and a pliable confinement piece 52 located at one side of the rectangular hole 51. The separation mechanism 50 has a plastic frame 53 and a sliding member 56. The sliding member 56 has a cube 561 (shown in FIG. 3A) which is equal in width to and smaller in length than the plastic frame 53. The sliding member 56 further has two inclined slots 57, an enlarged protrusion 58, and a tongue 59. The inclined slots 57 are located respectively in two opposite outer surfaces of the cube. The enlarged protrusion 58 is located in the top of the cube. The tongue 59 is extended from the rear side surface of the cube. The plastic frame 53 is provided in the outer edge with an insertion slot 54 into which three sides of the rectangular hole 51 are inserted. The plastic frame 53 is provided in two opposite inner sides with two inclined pillars 55, which are fitted into the inclined slots 57 of the sliding member 57. As shown in FIG. 2, the confinement piece 52 is pushed from one side toward other side to bring about a rectangular space, so as to enable the plastic frame 53 to be disposed in the rectangular hole 51. Thereafter, the two inclined slots 57 of the sliding member 56 are aligned with the two inclined pillars 55 of the plastic frame 53. The sliding member 56 is slid into the plastic frame 53 such that the enlarged protrusion 58 of the sliding member 56 comes in contact with the plastic frame 53. Finally, the confinement piece 52 is pushed back to its original position, so as to fix the plastic frame 53. As a result, the separation mechanism 50 is mounted on the middle track 20, as shown in FIG. 3A. Similarly, as the sliding member 56 is pushed upwards, the sliding member 56 is raised slantingly such that the underside of the cube 561 of the sliding member 56 is level to the flat plate 21 of the middle track 20, as shown in FIG. 3B. In light of the inclined plane of the tongue 59 and the engagement of the inclined slots 57 with the inclined pillars 55, the sliding member 56 can be raised slantingly.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, the inner track 10 is to be fastened to a table, bureau, vanity, etc. In order to mount the outer track 30 and the ball bearing member 40 on the middle track 20, the sliding member 56 is pushed to locate at the positions as shown in FIGS. 3B and 4B, and the outer track 30 and the ball bearing member 40 are pushed to receive the middle track 20 from the end which is provided with the arresting piece 32. The ball bearing member 40 is disposed between the outer track 30 and the middle track 20 such that the folded portion 44 of the bottom plate 41 of the ball bearing member 40 is jutted out of the flat plate 33 of the outer track 30. As the front end of the folded portion 44 of the ball bearing member 40 is pushed beyond the sliding member 56, the sliding member 56 is pushed downward to locate at the positions as shown in FIGS. 3A and 4A. As a result, the front end of the folded portion 44 will be stopped by the cube 561 of the sliding member 56 of the separation mechanism 50, when the outer track 30 together with the ball bearing member 40 are pulled along the longitudinal direction and toward a front end of the middle track 20, and thus the outer track 30 and the ball bearing member 40 can not escape from the middle track 20.

[0032] Assuming that a drawer is fastened with the outer track 30, and that the drawer is drawn out fully, the outer track 30 is pulled out from the middle track 20, while the middle track 20 is also being pulled out from the inner track 10. The outer track 30 is prevented from being separated from the middle track 20 as shown in FIG. 3A. As the drawer is pushed back into place, the middle track 20 is retracted into the inner track 10 such that the middle track 20 is stopped by the first arresting piece 11 and/or the second arresting piece 12. In the meantime, the outer track 30 is retracted such that the arresting piece 31 of the outer track 30 comes in contact with the front end of the middle track 20.

[0033] The outer track 30 can be separated from the middle track 20 by pulling out the outer track 30 from the middle track 20 to expose the sliding member 56, which is then pushed upwards until such time when the underside of the cube 561 of the sliding member 56 is level to the flat plate 21 of the middle track 20, thereby enabling the outer track 30 together with the ball bearing member 40 to be completely pulled out of the middle track 20.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 5, 6A, and 6B, a separation mechanism of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a 5 pivoting member 56′ and a carrying seat 53′. The pivoting member 56′ is formed of a stop portion 561 of a right-angled, triangular construction, a tongue 56 extending slantingly and upwardly from the vertical side of the stop portion, and two pivots 57′ located at the non-vertical sides of the stop portion 561. The carrying seat 53′ is provided at one end with two arms 531 which are parallel to each other and are provided with a pivoting hole 532. The pivoting member 56′ is fastened pivotally between the two arms 531 of the carrying seat 53′. The carrying seat 53′ is provided at other end with a recess (not shown in the drawings). The carrying seat 53′ can be fastened securely in the fastening hole 51 shown in FIG. 2.

[0035] When the outer track 30 is joined with the middle track 20, the tongue 59 of the pivoting member 56′ is contiguous to one side of the carrying seat 53′. The stop portion 561 is exposed at other side of the carrying seat 53′, as shown in FIG. 6A. The front end of the folded portion 44 of the bottom plate 41 of the ball bearing member 40 can be stopped by the vertical side of the stop portion 561.

[0036] In the process of separating the outer track 30 from the middle track 20, the pivoting member 56′ is first so turned that the stop portion 561 is no longer exposed at the other side of the carrying seat 53′, as shown in FIG. 6B. As a result, the front end of the folded portion 44 of the bottom plate 41 of the ball bearing member 40 is not stopped by the vertical side of the stop portion 561, thereby enabling the outer track 30 together with the ball bearing member 40 to be completely pulled out of the middle track 20.

Claims

1. A sliding track structure comprising:

a middle track having an H-shaped cross section, comprising a horizontal plate, and two vertical plates fastened respectively at two sides of said horizontal plate;

an inner track adapted to be fastened with a table, bureau, vanity, or the like;

an outer track adapted to be fastened with a drawer of the table, bureau, vanity, or the like;

an inner ball bearing member mounted on one side of said two vertical plates of said middle track to enable said inner track to slide along a longitudinal direction of said middle track on said one side thereof; and

an outer ball bearing member mounted on other side of said two vertical plates of said middle track to enable said outer track to slide along the longitudinal direction of said middle track on said other side thereof; wherein

said outer track is provided at one end with an arresting piece to prevent separation of said outer ball bearing member from the one end of said outer track;

said outer ball bearing member is provided with a folded portion close to said horizontal plate of said middle track for preventing said outer ball bearing member from separating from said middle track, wherein said folded portion;

wherein said horizontal plate of said middle track is provided with a separation mechanism which is able to be switched between a locking position and an unlocking position; when said separation mechanism is in said locking position, it will be in contact with a front end of said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member at the time when said outer track is slid along the longitudinal direction of said middle track toward a front end of said middle track, so that the outer track together with the outer ball bearing member are retained with the middle track; when said separation mechanism is in the unlocking position, said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member will move past said separation mechanism at the time when said outer track is slid along the longitudinal direction of said middle track toward the front end of said middle track, so that said outer track and said outer ball bearing member are separated from said middle track.

2. The sliding track structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said separation mechanism comprises a sliding member having a stop portion and a sliding portion, said sliding member being received in a receiving hole on the horizontal plate and at the front end of said middle track such that said stop portion is jutted out of said receiving hole to be contiguous to said outer track, and further that said sliding portion is contiguous to said horizontal plate of said middle track, when said separation mechanism is in said locking position, wherein said stop portion is adapted to be in contact with said front end of said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member; and still further that said stop portion is not jutted out of said receiving hole, when said separation mechanism is in said unlocking position, wherein said stop portion is not able to be in contact with said front end of said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member.

3. The sliding track structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said sliding member comprises a cube as said stop portion and a tongue extending from said cube, wherein said cube is partially jutted out of said receiving hole to be contiguous to said outer track, and said tongue is contiguous to said inner track, when said separation mechanism is in said locking position.

4. The sliding track structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said sliding member comprises a cube acting as said stop portion, and two inclined slots located in two opposite sides of said cube to act as said sliding portion; wherein said separation mechanism further comprises two inclined pillars located at two opposite sides of said receiving hole of said horizontal plate of said middle track, and said two inclined pillars are received in said two inclined slots.

5. The sliding track structure as defined in claim 3, wherein said sliding member comprises a cube acting as said stop portion, and two inclined slots located in two opposite sides of said cube to act as said sliding portion; wherein said separation mechanism further comprises two inclined pillars located at two opposite sides of said receiving hole of said horizontal plate of said middle track, and said two inclined pillars are received in said two inclined slots.

6. The sliding track structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said separation mechanism further comprises a carrying seat which is fastened with the front end of said horizontal plate of said middle track and is provided with a rectangular hole serving as said receiving hole, with said rectangular hole being equal in width to said cube and being greater in length to said cube; wherein said two inclined pillars are located in two opposite sides of said rectangular hole of said carrying seat.

7. The sliding track structure as defined in claim 5, wherein said separation mechanism further comprises a carrying seat which is fastened with the front end of said horizontal plate of said middle track and is provided with a rectangular hole serving as said receiving hole, with said rectangular hole being equal in width to said cube and being greater in length to said cube; wherein said two inclined pillars are located in two opposite sides of said rectangular hole of said carrying seat.

8. The sliding track structure as defined in claim 6, wherein said horizontal plate of said middle track is provided at the front end thereof with a rectangular fastening hole corresponding to said carrying seat; wherein said carrying seat is provided in the fringe with an insertion slot for fitting three side edges of said rectangular fastening hole; wherein said horizontal plate of said middle track is provided with a pliable confinement piece at the remaining side edges of said rectangular fastening hole for confining said carrying seat in said fastening hole.

9. The sliding track structure as defined in claim 7, wherein said horizontal plate of said middle track is provided at the front end thereof with a rectangular fastening hole corresponding to said carrying seat; wherein said carrying seat is provided in the fringe with an insertion slot for fitting three side edges of said rectangular fastening hole; wherein said horizontal plate of said middle track is provided with a pliable confinement piece at the remaining side edges of said rectangular fastening hole for confining said carrying seat in said fastening hole.

10. The sliding track structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said separation mechanism comprises a pivoting member, and a carrying seat which is fastened with the horizontal plate and at the front end of said middle track, said pivoting member comprising a stop portion and a tongue, said pivoting member being fastened pivotally with said carrying seat such that said tongue is jutted out of one side of the horizontal plate of said middle track, and that said stop portion is jutted out of other side of the horizontal plate of said middle track, and further that said stop portion is contiguous to said outer track, when said separation mechanism is in said locking position, wherein said stop portion is adapted to be in contact with said front end of said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member; and still further that said stop portion of said pivoting member is turned to said one side of the horizontal plate of said middle track, when said separation mechanism is in said unlocking position, wherein said stop portion is not able to be in contact with said front end of said folded portion of said outer ball bearing member.

11. The sliding track structure as defined in claim 10, wherein said pivoting member comprises a right-angled triangular body serving as said stop portion, said tongue is extended upwardly and slantingly from a vertical side of said right-angled triangular body, and said carrying seat is provided at one end with two arms which are parallel to each other and are provided with a pivoting hole, wherein two pivots are provided on two opposite sides of said right-angled triangular body and at positions away from said vertical side of right-angled triangular body, and said pivoting member is fastened pivotally between said two arms with said two pivots being received in said pivoting holes, such that said tongue of said pivoting member is contiguous to one side of said carrying seat, and that said right-angled triangular body is exposed at other side of said carrying seat at the time when said separation is in said locking position; and said pivoting member is turned to said one side of said carrying seat, so that said right-angled triangular body is not exposed at other side of said carrying seat, when said separation mechanism is in said unlocking position