SLIDE RAIL ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A slide rail assembly includes a first rail and a second rail. The first rail includes a passage. The second rail is accommodated in the passage of the first rail. The second rail includes a first wall, a second wall and a longitudinal wall connected between the first wall and the second wall. The first wall has an extension portion extending beyond the second wall a predetermined distance. Wherein, the extension portion of the first wall of the second rail is configured to be operatively placed into the passage of the first rail and supported by the first rail.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a slide rail assembly, and more particularly, to a slide rail assembly having a second rail capable of being quickly mounted to a first rail.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Generally, in a rack system, a carried object can be mounted to a rack by a support rail. U.S. Pat. No. 8,780,565 B2 discloses a rack system. As shown in FIG. 1 of the patent, an information handling system (10) is configured to be mounted to an inner rail member (22). Wherein, the inner rail member (22) can be inserted into an intermediate rail member (20) in order to be mounted to a slide rail subassembly (18) on a rack (12). Wherein, FIG. 3 of the patent further shows the intermediate rail member (20) having an upper portion (32) and a lower portion (30). The lower portion (30) has a resting surface (34) extending beyond the upper portion (32) a predetermined distance, such that the inner rail member (22) can rest on the resting surface (34) of the intermediate rail member (20) in order to be further mounted to the intermediate rail member (20). However, for different requirement and product diversity, slide rail assemblies with different assembly methods can be provided to bring more options to the market.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a slide rail assembly having a second rail capable of being quickly mounted to a first rail.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a slide rail assembly comprises a first rail and a second rail. The first rail comprises a first wall, a second wall and a longitudinal wall connected between the first wall and the second wall. A passage is defined by the first wall, the second wall and the longitudinal wall. The passage has a first height. The second rail is movable relative to the first rail. The second rail comprises a main body part and an extension part. The main body part has a second height, and an end of the extension part has a third height. Wherein, the first height of the passage of the first rail is greater than the second height of the main body part of the second rail, and the second height of the main body part of the second rail is greater than the third height of the end of the extension part. Wherein, the extension part is configured to be operatively placed into the passage of the first rail and supported by the first wall of the first rail, in order to allow the main body part of the second rail to enter the passage of the first rail thereafter.

According to the above embodiment, the main body part of the second rail comprises a first wall, a second wall and a longitudinal wall connected between the first wall and the second wall. The first wall of the second rail extends beyond the second wall of the second rail a predetermined distance along with the extension part.

Preferably, the extension part comprises a guiding surface located between the first wall and the second wall of the second rail.

Preferably, the guiding surface is an inclined surface.

According to the above embodiment, the slide rail assembly further comprises a first supporting member and a second supporting member respectively arranged on the first wall and the second wall within the passage of the first rail and configured to guide the second rail.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a slide rail assembly is configured to mount a carried object to a rack. The slide rail assembly comprises a support rail, a first rail and a second rail. The support rail is configured to be mounted to the rack. The first rail is movable relative to the support rail. The first rail comprises a passage having a first height. The second rail is mounted into the passage of the first rail and configured to carry the carried object. The second rail comprises a main body part and an extension part. The main body part has a second height. An end of the extension part has a third height. Wherein, the first height of the passage of the first rail is greater than the second height of the main body part of the second rail, and the second height of the main body part of the second rail is greater than the third height of the end of the extension part.

Preferably, the first rail comprises a first wall, a second wall and a longitudinal wall connected between the first wall and the second wall. The passage is defined by the first wall, the second wall and the longitudinal wall.

Preferably, the main body part of the second rail comprises a first wall, a second wall and a longitudinal wall connected between the first wall and the second wall. The first wall of the second rail extends beyond the second wall of the second rail a predetermined distance along with the extension part.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a slide rail assembly comprises a first rail and a second rail. The first rail comprises a passage. The second rail comprises a first wall, a second wall and a longitudinal wall connected between the first wall and the second wall. The first wall has an extension portion extending beyond the second wall a predetermined distance. Wherein, the extension portion of the first wall of the second rail is configured to be operatively placed into the passage of the first rail and supported by the first rail, in order to allow the second rail to be mounted into the passage of the first rail thereafter.

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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing slide rail assemblies configured to mount a carried object to a rack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the slide rail assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the slide rail assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second rail of the slide rail assembly being going to be mounted to a first rail according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an extension part of the second rail of the slide rail assembly entering into a passage of the first rail according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a main body part of the second rail of the slide rail assembly entering into the passage of the first rail according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the extension part of the second rail of the slide rail assembly being supported by the first rail according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the second rail of the slide rail assembly entering into the passage of the first rail through guiding of a guiding surface of the extension part according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a slide rail assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a carried object 10 mounted to a rack 14 through a pair of slide rail assemblies 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the carried object 10 can be an electronic device or a chassis.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, each of the slide rail assemblies 12 comprises a support rail 16, a first rail 18 and a second rail 20. Wherein, the support rail 16 is mounted between a first post 22a and a second post 22b of the rack 14. The second rail 20 is configured to carry the carried object 10. The first rail 18 and the second rail 20 are movable relative to the support rail 16, such as being moved to switch from a retracted state to an extending state, so as to allow the carried object 10 to be moved from the inside of the rack 14 to the outside of the rack 14.

As shown in FIG. 3, the support rail 16 comprises a supporting passage 24 configured to accommodate the first rail 18. The first rail 18 comprises a passage 26. Specifically, the first rail 18 comprises a first wall 28a, a second wall 28b and a longitudinal wall 30 connected between the first wall 28a and the second wall 28b. The passage 26 is defined by the first wall 28a, the second wall 28b and the longitudinal wall 30, and configured to accommodate the second rail 20.

The second rail 20 comprises a main body part 32 and an extension part 34. Specifically, the main body part 32 of the second rail 20 comprises a first wall 36a, a second wall 36b and a longitudinal wall 38 connected between the first wall 36a and the second wall 36b.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first rail 18 is movably mounted to the support rail 16. The passage 26 of the first rail 18 has a first height H1. The main body part 32 of the second rail 20 has a second height H2. An end of the extension part 34 has a third height H3. Wherein, the first height H1 of the passage 26 of the first rail 18 is greater than the second height H2 of the main body part 32 of the second rail 20. The second height H2 of the main body part 32 of the second rail 20 is greater than the third height H3 of the end of the extension part 34. The first wall 36a of the second rail 20 extends beyond the second wall 36b of the second rail 20 a predetermined distance L along with the extension part 34. In other words, the first wall 36a of the second rail 20 is longer than the second wall 36b of the second rail 20.

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, during a mounting process, a user can mount the second rail 20 into the passage 26 of the first rail 18 along a direction D. In such process, the extension part 34 is configured to be operatively placed into the passage 26 of the first rail 18 and supported by the first wall 28a of the first rail 18. Therefore, the second rail 20 can be rapidly aligned to the passage 26 of the first rail 18, in order to facilitate mounting the second rail 20 into the passage 26 of the first rail 18. Preferably, the slide rail assembly 12 further comprises a first supporting member 40 and a second supporting member 42 respectively arranged on the first wall 28a and the second wall 28b within the passage 26 of the first rail 18. The first supporting member 40 and the second supporting member 42 are configured to guide or support the second rail 20. In the present embodiment, the extension part 34 of the second rail 20 can be supported by the first supporting member 40 on the first wall 28a of the first rail 18.

As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, when the second rail 20 is further moved relative to the first rail 18 along the direction D, the main body part 32 of the second rail 20 enters into the passage 26 of the first rail 18. Wherein, when the main body part 32 of the second rail 20 enters into the passage 26 of the first rail 18, the first wall 36a and the second wall 36b of the main body part 32 of the second rail 20 respectively correspond to the first wall 28a and the second wall 28b of the first rail 18.

As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the extension part 34 of the second rail 20 further comprises a guiding surface 44 located between the first wall 36a and the second wall 36b of the second rail 20. The guiding surface 44 can be an inclined surface or a curved surface. In the process of mounting the second rail 20 into the passage 26 of the first rail 18, if the second rail 20 is tilted relative to the first rail 18, the second rail 20 can be guided by the guiding surface 44 to enter the passage 26 of the first rail 18.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the second rail 200. A difference between the present embodiment and the previous embodiment is that the second rail 200 has an L shaped end portion. For example, the extension part 202 evenly extends beyond the second wall 206 of the second rail 200 a predetermined distance as well as the first wall 204 of the second rail 200, such that the first wall 204 of the second rail 200 is longer than the second wall 206 of the second rail 200. Therefore, during a mounting process, the second rail 200 can be supported by the first wall 210 of the first rail 208 through the extension part 202.

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.

Claims

1. A slide rail assembly, comprising:

a first rail comprising a first wall, a second wall and a longitudinal wall connected between the first wall and the second wall, a passage being defined by the first wall, the second wall and the longitudinal wall, the passage having a first height; and

a second rail movable relative to the first rail, the second rail comprising a main body part and an extension part, the main body part having a second height, an end of the extension part having a third height;

wherein the first height of the passage of the first rail is greater than the second height of the main body part of the second rail, and the second height of the main body part of the second rail is greater than the third height of the end of the extension part;

wherein the extension part is configured to be operatively placed into the passage of the first rail and supported by the first wall of the first rail, in order to allow the main body part of the second rail to enter the passage of the first rail thereafter.

2. The slide rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the main body part of the second rail comprises a first wall, a second wall and a longitudinal wall connected between the first wall and the second wall, and the first wall of the second rail extends beyond the second wall of the second rail a predetermined distance along with the extension part.

3. The slide rail assembly of claim 2, wherein the extension part comprises a guiding surface located between the first wall and the second wall of the second rail.

4. The slide rail assembly of claim 3, wherein the guiding surface is an inclined surface.

5. The slide rail assembly of claim 1 further comprising a first supporting member arranged on the first wall within the passage of the first rail and configured to guide the second rail.

6. The slide rail assembly of claim 5 further comprising a second supporting member arranged on the second wall within the passage of the first rail and configured to guide the second rail.

7. A slide rail assembly, configured to mount a carried object to a rack, the slide rail assembly comprising:

a support rail configured to be mounted to the rack;

a first rail movable relative to the support rail, the first rail comprising a passage having a first height; and

a second rail mounted into the passage of the first rail, the second rail configured to carry the carried object, the second rail comprising a main body part and an extension part, the main body part having a second height, an end of the extension part having a third height;

wherein the first height of the passage of the first rail is greater than the second height of the main body part of the second rail, and the second height of the main body part of the second rail is greater than the third height of the end of the extension part.

8. The slide rail assembly of claim 7, wherein the first rail comprises a first wall, a second wall and a longitudinal wall connected between the first wall and the second wall, and the passage is defined by the first wall, the second wall and the longitudinal wall.

9. The slide rail assembly of claim 7, wherein the main body part of the second rail comprises a first wall, a second wall and a longitudinal wall connected between the first wall and the second wall, and the first wall of the second rail extends beyond the second wall of the second rail a predetermined distance along with the extension part.

10. A slide rail assembly, comprising:

a first rail comprising a passage; and

a second rail comprising first wall, a second wall and a longitudinal wall connected between the first wall and the second wall, the first wall having an extension portion extending beyond the second wall a predetermined distance;

wherein the extension portion of the first wall of the second rail is configured to be operatively placed into the passage of the first rail and supported by the first rail, in order to allow the second rail to be mounted into the passage of the first rail thereafter.