Slide Rail Assembly

The present invention relates to a slide rail assembly, and more particularly, to a slide rail assembly having an auxiliary member configured to unsynchronize movement between two slide rails.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,357,468 B2 discloses a slide assembly comprising an outer rail, a middle rail and an inner rail. The middle rail is movably mounted between the outer rail and the inner rail. The outer rail, the middle rail and the inner rail are longitudinally movable relative to each other. A linking member, a locating member and an elastic member are arranged on the middle rail. The linking member and the locating member are pivotally connected to the middle rail. A first protruding wall containing a blocking portion and a slope is disposed on the inner rail. A second protruding wall containing a retaining portion and a slope is disposed on the outer rail. The linking member includes a constraining end and a release end. The locating member includes a release end and a fixation end. The elastic member is configured to provide an elastic force to hold against the release end of the linking member and the fixation end of the locating member. The constraining end of the linking member corresponds to the blocking portion of the first protruding wall of the inner rail, and the release end of the linking member corresponds to the slope of the second protruding wall. The fixation end of the locating member corresponds to the retaining portion of the second protruding wall of the outer rail, and the release end of the locating member corresponds to the slope of the first protruding wall. When the slide assembly is in a fully retracted state, the constraining end of the linking member abuts against the blocking portion of the first protruding wall, and the release end of the locating member is lifted up by the first protruding wall. When the inner rail is pulled out, the middle rail is pulled out simultaneously by the blocking portion of the first protruding wall and the constraining end of the linking member. After the inner rail is moved to a predetermined position, the release end of the linking member is lifted up by the slope of the second protruding wall, in order to detach the constraining end of the linking member from the blocking portion of the first protruding wall, so as to disengage the linking member from the inner rail (to unsynchronize movement between the middle rail and the inner rail). When the inner rail is further pulled out, the first protruding wall is away from the release end of the locating member, such that the fixation end of the locating member is pressed by a second elastic leg of the elastic member to be fastened to the retaining portion of the second protruding wall. When the inner rail continues to be pulled out, the middle rail is positioned relative to the outer rail by the fixation end of the locating member abutting against the retaining portion of the second protruding wall, and the inner rail can be further pulled out to a fully extended position.

The aforementioned slide assembly can unsynchronize movement between the middle rail and the inner rail by detaching the constraining end of the linking member from the blocking portion of the first protruding wall through lifting up the release end of the linking member of the middle rail by the slope of the second protruding wall. However, if an unexpected gap exists between the middle rail and the inner rail due to installation tolerance, the slide assembly may not able to unsynchronize movement between the middle rail and the inner rail. Therefore, for different market requirements, it is important to develop various slide rail products.

The present invention provides a slide rail assembly having an auxiliary member configured to unsynchronize movement between two slide rails.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a slide rail assembly comprises a first rail, a second rail, a synchronization member, an engaging member, an auxiliary member and a third rail. The first rail is arranged with a predetermined feature and a blocking feature. The second rail is longitudinally movable relative to the first rail. The synchronization member, the engaging member and the auxiliary member are movably mounted on the second rail. The third rail is longitudinally movable relative to the second rail and arranged with a working feature. During a process of the third rail being moved along an opening direction, the third rail is configured to drive the second rail to synchronously move by the working feature abutting against the synchronization member in a first state. During a process of the third rail and the second rail being synchronously moved along the opening direction, the blocking feature is configured to abut against the auxiliary member to move the auxiliary member from a first auxiliary position to a second auxiliary position relative to the second rail, in order to drive the synchronization member to switch from the first state to a second state, such that the working feature of the third rail no longer abuts against the synchronization member, so as to unsynchronize movement between the third rail and the second rail. When the second rail is located at an extended position relative to the first rail, the engaging member is configured to be engaged with the predetermined feature, in order to prevent the second rail from being moved along a retracting direction from the extended position.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a slide rail assembly comprises a first rail, a second rail, a synchronization member, an auxiliary member and a third rail. The first rail is arranged with a blocking feature. The second rail is longitudinally movable relative to the first rail. The synchronization member is movably mounted on the second rail. The auxiliary member is movable relative to the second rail between a first auxiliary position and a second auxiliary position. The third rail is longitudinally movable relative to the second rail and arranged with a working feature. During a process of the third rail being moved along an opening direction, the third rail is configured to drive the second rail to synchronously move by the working feature abutting against the synchronization member. During a process of the third rail and the second rail being synchronously moved along the opening direction, the blocking feature is configured to abut against the auxiliary member to linearly move the auxiliary member from the first auxiliary position to the second auxiliary position relative to the second rail, in order to drive the synchronization member to move, such that the working feature of the third rail no longer abuts against the synchronization member, so as to unsynchronize movement between the third rail and the second 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.

As shown inand, a slide rail assemblycomprises a first rail, a second railand a third raillongitudinally movable relative to each other according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figures, the X axis is a longitudinal direction (or a length direction or a moving direction of the slide rail), the Y axis is a transverse direction (or a lateral direction of the slide rail), and the Z axis is a vertical direction (or a height direction of the slide rail). Preferably, the second rail(such as a middle rail) is movably mounted between the first rail(such as an outer rail) and the third rail(such as an inner rail).

The first railis arranged with a predetermined featureand a blocking feature. Furthermore, the first railcomprises a first wall, a second walland a longitudinal wallconnected between the first walland the second wallof the first rail. A first passageis defined by the first wall, the second walland the longitudinal wallof the first rail, and configured to accommodate the second rail. Preferably, the predetermined featureand the blocking featureare arranged on the longitudinal wallof the first rail. In the present embodiment, the first railis arranged with a predetermined componentconnected to the longitudinal wallof the first rail, and the predetermined componentcomprises the predetermined feature. Preferably, the blocking featureis a protrusion. In the present embodiment, the blocking featureis a protruded wall extended along the transverse direction, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The second railcomprises a first wall, a second walland a longitudinal wallconnected between the first walland the second wallof the second rail. A second passageis defined by the first wall, the second walland the longitudinal wallof the second rail, and configured to accommodate the third rail.

The third railcomprises a first wall, a second walland a longitudinal wallconnected between the first walland the second wallof the third rail. The third railis arranged with a working featureon the longitudinal wallof the third rail. The working featurecan be a hole or a groove defined by a plurality of inner walls of the third rail, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Preferably, a first slide assisting deviceis arranged between the first railand the second rail. The first slide assisting devicecomprises a plurality of balls configured to improve smoothness of movement of the second railrelative to the first rail. A second slide assist deviceis arranged between the second railand the third rail. The second slide assist devicecomprises a plurality of balls configured to improve smoothness of movement of the third railrelative to the second rail.

As shown into, the slide rail assemblyfurther comprises a synchronization member, an engaging memberand an auxiliary memberarranged on the second rail. Preferably, the slide rail assemblyfurther comprises an elastic structure.

The second railhas a first end partand a second end part, such as a front end part and a rear end part. Moreover, the second railhas a first side Land a second side Lopposite to each other, such as an outer side and an inner side. The first side Lis adjacent to (or faces toward) the first rail, and the second side Lis adjacent to (or faces toward) the third rail.

Preferably, the longitudinal wallof the second railis formed with at least one through hole. In the present embodiment, the longitudinal wallof the second railis formed with a first through hole Hand a second through hole Hcommunicating the first side Land the second side Lof the second rail.

Preferably, the synchronization member, the engaging memberand the auxiliary memberare movably mounted on the second rail. The synchronization memberand the engaging memberare located at different height positions along the height direction of the second rail(the Z-axis direction). The synchronization memberand the latch memberare pivotally connected to the second railthrough a shaft member, and the synchronization memberand the latch memberare respectively received in the first through hole Hand the second hole H. Perforated H. The arrangement direction of the shaft memberis substantially the same as the height direction (Z axis direction) of the second rail.

Preferably, the synchronization member, the engaging memberand the auxiliary memberare adjacent to the second end partof the second rail.

The synchronization membercomprises a first part, a second partand a middle partlocated between the first partand the second part. On the other hand, the engaging membercomprises a first section, a second sectionand a middle sectionlocated between the first sectionand the second section. Preferably, the shaft memberpenetrates through the middle partof the synchronization memberand the middle sectionof the engaging memberto pivotally connect the synchronization memberand the engaging memberto the longitudinal wallsof the second rail.

The elastic structureis configured to provide an elastic force to at least one of the synchronization memberand the engaging member. In the present embodiment, the elastic structureis an elastic piece comprising a first elastic armand a second elastic armconfigured to provide elastic forces to the synchronization memberand the engaging memberrespectively, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Preferably, the first elastic armand the second elastic armabut against the second partof the synchronization memberand the second sectionof the engaging memberrespectively.

The auxiliary memberis linearly movable relative to the second rail. In the present embodiment, the auxiliary memberis linearly movable relative to the second railalong the longitudinal direction (the X axis direction). Preferably, the auxiliary memberand the second rail(the longitudinal wallof the second rail) are respectively arranged with a first limiting feature(at least one first limiting feature) and a second limiting feature(at least one first limiting feature) configured to interact with each other. For example, the first limiting featurecan be a longitudinally elongated hole, and the second limiting featurecan be a protruded component (such as a pin or a bolt) passing through the longitudinally elongated hole, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Preferably, the slide rail assemblyfurther comprises an elastic memberconfigured to provide and elastic force to the auxiliary member. The elastic memberis connected between the second railand the auxiliary member. In the present invention, the elastic memberis integrated to the auxiliary member, but the present invention is not limited thereto. One endof the elastic memberis connected to the longitudinal wallof the second rail.

Preferably, the auxiliary memberhas a first endand a second endopposite to each other. The first endand the elastic memberare connected to each other. The auxiliary memberhas an auxiliary partarranged adjacent to the first end. The auxiliary partcan be a protruded wall extended along the transverse direction. The auxiliary memberhas a guiding partarranged adjacent to the second end. The guiding parthas an inclined surface or an arc surface, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The auxiliary partis configured to interact with the blocking featureon the first rail, and the guiding partis configured to interact with the second partof the synchronization member.

As shown inand, the slide rail assemblyis in a retracted state, and the second railand the third railare located at a retracted position R relative to the first rail. The engaging memberis separated from the predetermined component(the predetermined featureof the predetermined component) by a first longitudinal distance along the longitudinal direction (the X axis direction). The auxiliary memberis separated from the blocking featureby a second longitudinal distance along the longitudinal direction. The auxiliary memberis located at a first auxiliary position Mrelative to the second railinand. In addition, the first elastic armis configured to abut against and apply the elastic force to the second partof the synchronization member, and the second elastic armis configured to abut against and apply the elastic force to the second sectionof the engaging member. On the other hand, both the first partof the synchronization memberand the first sectionof the engaging memberabut against the longitudinal wallof the third rail. The second sectionof the engaging memberis arranged with a hook.

As shown in, during a process of the third railbeing moved from the retracted position R along an opening direction D, the third railis configured to drive the second railto synchronously move along the opening direction Drelative to the first railby the working featureabutting against the synchronization memberin a first state S.

Specifically, during the process of the third railbeing moved along the opening direction D, the working featureof the third railcorresponds to an extension sectionof the first partof the synchronization member. On the other hand, the synchronization memberis configured to be held in the first state Sin response to the elastic force of the first elastic arm. Meanwhile, the extension sectionand the working featureof the third railare configured to contact each other (or abut against each other), such that the third railis configured to drive the second railto synchronously move along the opening direction D.

As shown into, when the third railand the second railare synchronously moved to a predetermined position along the opening direction D, the blocking featureand the auxiliary partof the auxiliary memberare configured to abut against each other, such that the blocking featureprovides an action force F to move the auxiliary partof the auxiliary member. For example, the blocking featureis configured to block the auxiliary partof the auxiliary member, such that the auxiliary partis longitudinally moved from the first auxiliary position M(as shown in) to a second auxiliary position M(as shown in) relative to the second railin response to the action force F. Accordingly, the guiding partof the auxiliary memberis configured to abut against the second partof the synchronization memberto overcome the elastic force of the first elastic arm, in order to drive the synchronization memberto move (rotate) to switch from the first state Sto a second state S(as shown in), such that the working featuresof the third railno longer abuts against the extension sectionof the synchronization member, so as to unsynchronize movement between the third railand the second rail.

As shown inand, when the auxiliary memberis located at the second auxiliary position Mrelative to the second rail, the blocking featureand the auxiliary partof the auxiliary memberare configured to block each other, such that the second railis blocked to stop at an extended position E relative to the first rail. Accordingly, the second railis located at the extended position E relative to the first rail. Furthermore, the third railcan be further moved along the opening direction Drelative to the second railat the extended position E, such that the first sectionof the engaging memberno longer abuts against the longitudinal wallof the third rail. Accordingly, the second sectionof the engaging memberis moved in response to the elastic force of the second elastic arm, such that the hookof the engaging memberis engaged with the predetermined feature, in order to prevent the second railfrom being moved along a retracting direction Dfrom the extended position E relative to the first rail. As such, the slide rail assemblyis in an extended state.

Moreover, the third railhas a first end partand a second end part, such as a front end part and a rear end part. During a process of the third railbeing moved back to the retracted position R from a predetermined extended position K along the retracting direction D, a portion of the third rail(such as the second end part) is configured to abut against the first sectionof the engaging member, in order to drive the hookof the engaging memberto move to be no longer engaged with the predetermined feature, so as to allow the second railto be moved from the extended position E along the retracting direction Drelative to the first rail.

In addition, as shown inand, a transverse gap exists between the second railand the first rail. For example, the second rail(the longitudinal wallof the second rail) and the first rail(the longitudinal wallof the first rail) are spaced apart from each other by an ideal first transverse distance Tas shown in. Due to installation tolerance and some unexpected factors, the first transverse distance Tbetween the second rail(the longitudinal wallof the second rail) and the first rail(the longitudinal wallof the first rail) may become larger to be a second transverse distance Tas shown in. However, since both the auxiliary partof the auxiliary memberon the second railand the blocking featureon the first railare protruded walls extended along the transverse direction, reliability of interaction between the blocking featureon the first railand the auxiliary partof the auxiliary memberon the second railis not easily affected even if the second rail(the longitudinal wallof the second rail) and the first rail(the longitudinal wallof the first rail) are spaced apart from each other by the second transverse distance Tduring the process of the third railand the second railbeing synchronously moved along the opening direction Drelative to the first rail. The blocking featurestill can provide the action force F to move the auxiliary memberto further drive the synchronization memberto switch from the first state Sto the second state S, so as to ensure that the synchronization mechanism between the third railand the second railare disabled. Such configuration is illustrated inand related description, no further illustration is provided for simplification.

Therefore, the slide rail assemblyaccording to the embodiment of the present invention has the following technical features: during a process of the third rail(such as the inner rail) and the second rail(such as the middle rail) being synchronously moved relative to the first rail(such as the outer rail) along the opening direction D, the blocking featureof the first railis configured to abut against the auxiliary partof the auxiliary memberto move the auxiliary memberon the second railto further drive the synchronization memberon the second railto switch from the first state Sto the second state S, such that the working featureof the third railno longer abuts against the extension sectionof the synchronization member, so as to ensure that the synchronization mechanism between the third railand the second railare disabled.

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.