SLIDE ASSEMBLY

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a slide assembly and, more particularly, to a slide assembly for a drawer, a sliding platform, or the like.

FIG. 7 shows a conventional slide assembly for a drawer including a first slide 1′, a second slide 2′, and a ball bearing device 3′ mounted between the first and second slides 1′ and 2′, so that the first slide 1′ can slide in the second slide 2′. The first slide 1′ includes a vertical wall 11′ and upper and lower, first rails 12′ extending horizontally from upper and lower ends of the vertical wall 11′ in the same direction. The vertical wall 11′ of the first slide 1′ is fixed to a side board of a drawer 4′. Each of the upper and lower, first rails 12′ includes a protrusion 121′ for preventing disengagement of the ball bearing device 3′ via rear end 13′ of the first slide 1′. The second slide 2′ includes a vertical wall 21′ and upper and lower, second rails 22′ extending horizontally from upper and lower ends of the vertical wall 21′ in the same direction. A stop 211′ is formed on each of two sides of a front end of the vertical wall 21′ of the second slide 2′ and extends toward the first slide 1′ to prevent disengagement of the ball bearing device 3′ via a front end 14′ of the first slide 1′. A stop 212′ is formed on a rear end of the vertical wall 21′ of the second slide 2′ and extends toward the first slide 1′. The vertical wall 21′ of the second slide 2′ is fixed to a side board of a cabinet 5′. When the drawer 4′ is pushed back into the cabinet 5′, the first slide 1′ that moves together with the drawer 4′ slides into the second slide 2′. At the same time, the ball bearing device 3′ moves toward the rear end of the second slide 2′. The rear end 13′ of the first slide 1′ is stopped by the stops 212′ to prevent disengagement of the ball bearing device 3′ via a rear end 23′ of the second slide 2′. When the drawer 4′ is pulled outward from the cabinet 5′, the front end 14′ of the first slide 1′ extends beyond a front end 24′ of the second slide 2′, and the front end of the ball bearing device 3′ is stopped by the stop 211′ and, thus, will not disengage from the front end 24′ of the second slide 2′. Due to provision of the stop 212′, the rear end 13′ of the first slide 1′ can not extend beyond the rear end 23′ of the second slide 2′. However, the manufacturing costs are increased due to waste in material. Specifically, given that an overlapped length of the first and second slides 1′ and 2′ is 3 inches, in a case that the drawer 4′ is to be pulled out of the cabinet 5′ for 15 inches, each of the first and second slides 1′ and 2′ must be 18 inches (15 inches plus 3 inches).

Thus, a need exists for a slide assembly including first and second slides each of which is shorter than a pull-out distance of the slide assembly to save material and to reduce the manufacturing costs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves this need and other problems in the field of costs reduction of slide assemblies by providing, in a preferred form, a slide assembly including a first slide, a second slide receiving the second slide, and a ball bearing device mounted between the first and second slides. The first slide includes a vertical wall and upper and lower, first rails extending horizontally from upper and lower ends of the vertical wall of the first slide in the same direction. Each of two ends of the vertical wall of the first slide includes an actuation piece extending toward the second slide. The second slide includes a vertical wall and upper and lower, second rails extending horizontally from upper and lower ends of the vertical wall of the second slide toward the first slide. A protrusion is formed on each of two ends of each of the upper and lower, second rails and extends toward the upper and lower, first rails of the first slide. The ball bearing device includes a body and a plurality of balls. The body includes a plurality of upper and lower holes rotatably receiving the plurality of balls. The body and the plurality of balls are mounted between the first and second slides to allow smooth sliding movement of the first slide in the second slide.

The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The illustrative embodiments may best be described by reference to the accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded, perspective view of a slide assembly according to the preferred teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the slide assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of the slide assembly of FIG. 1 according to section line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a partial, cross sectional view of the slide assembly of FIG. 1 with a first slide of the slide assembly slid leftward relative to a second slide of the slide assembly.

FIG. 5 shows a partial, cross sectional view of the slide assembly of FIG. 1 with the first slide slid rightward relative to the second slide.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the slide assembly of FIG. 1, illustrating use of the slide assembly.

FIG. 7 shows a side view of a cabinet including a drawer to which a conventional slide assembly is mounted.

All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the basic teachings of the present invention only; the extensions of the figures with respect to number, position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to form the preferred embodiments will be explained or will be within the skill of the art after the following teachings of the present invention have been read and understood. Further, the exact dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, and similar requirements will likewise be within the skill of the art after the following teachings of the present invention have been read and understood.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A slide assembly according to the preferred teachings of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-6 and generally includes a first slide 1, a second slide 2 receiving the second slide 1, and a ball bearing device 3 mounted between the first and second slides 1 and 2, so that the first slide 1 can slide in the first slide 2.

The first slide 1 includes a vertical wall 11 and upper and lower, first rails 12 extending horizontally from upper and lower ends of the vertical wall 11 in the same direction. In the most preferred form shown, the upper and lower, first rails 12 extend toward the second slide 2. Each of two ends of the vertical wall 11 of the first slide 1 includes an actuation piece 13 extending toward the second slide 2. The vertical wall 11 of the first slide 1 further includes a plurality of spaced holes 14 through which fasteners such as screws are extended for fixing the first slide 1 to a side board of a drawer 4 (see FIG. 6).

The second slide 2 includes a vertical wall 21 and upper and lower, second rails 22 extending horizontally from upper and lower ends of the vertical wall 21 toward the first slide 1. A protrusion 23 is formed on each of two ends of each of upper and lower, second rails 22 and extends toward the upper and lower, first rails 12 of the first slide 1. The vertical wall 21 of the second slide 2 further includes a plurality of spaced holes 24 through which fasteners such as screws are extended for fixing the second slide 2 to a side board of a cabinet 5 receiving the drawer 4 (see FIG. 6).

The ball bearing device 3 includes a body 31 and a plurality of balls 32. The body 31 includes a plurality of upper and lower holes 33 rotatably receiving the balls 32. The body 31 and the balls 32 are mounted between the first and second slides 1 and 2 to allow smooth sliding movement of the first slide 1 in the second slide 2.

With reference to FIG. 4, when the first slide 1 moves leftward in the second slide 2, the actuation piece 13 on the right side of the first slide 1 abuts against the right end of the body 31 of the ball bearing device 3. Furthermore, the protrusions 23 of the upper and lower, second rails 22 on the left side of the second slide 2 abut against the left end of the body 31 of the ball bearing device 3. Disengagement of the ball bearing device 3 is, thus, avoided.

With reference to FIG. 5, when the first slide 1 moves rightward in the second slide 2, the actuation piece 13 on the left side of the first slide 1 abuts against the left end of the body 31 of the ball bearing device 3. Furthermore, the protrusions 23 of the upper and lower, second rails 22 on the right side of the second slide 2 abut against the right end of the body 31 of the ball bearing device 3. Disengagement of the ball bearing device 3 is, thus, avoided.

With reference to FIG. 6, the vertical wall 11 of the first slide 1 is fixed to a rear section of a side of the drawer 4, and the vertical wall 21 of the second slide 2 is fixed to a front section of a side of the cabinet 5 receiving the drawer 4. When the drawer 4 is pushed back into the drawer 5, the first slide 1 that moves together with the drawer 4 slides into the second slide 2 in the leftward direction, as shown in FIG. 4. On the other hand, when the drawer 4 is pulled outward of the drawer 5, the first slide 1 that moves together with the drawer 4 slides in the rightward direction, as shown in FIG. 5.

By such an arrangement, each of two ends of the first slide 1 can protrude beyond the second slide 2, so that the overall length of each of the first and second slides 1 and 2 can be smaller while providing the required pull-out distance. As an example, assuming that the first and second slides 1 and 2 have an overlapped length of 3 inches, the pulled-out distance of the drawer 4 can be 15 inches if the length of each of the first and second slides 1 and 2 is 9 inches (9+9−3=15). Thus, the first and second slides 1 and 2 of the slide assembly according to the preferred teachings are shorter than those of the conventional side assembly having the same pull-out distance. The manufacturing costs are cut, because less material is used.

Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.