Abstract:
A press-control type sliding rail assembly includes an intermediate rail, an inner rail slidably coupled to the intermediate rail, a limiter member pivotally mounted at the intermediate rail and defining opposing first stop flange and second stop flange, and a stop block located at the inner rail for stopping against the first stop flange to prevent falling of the inner rail out of the intermediate rail when the second stop flange is pressed by an external force to bias the limiter member in moving the first stop flange toward the inner rail.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a sliding rail assembly for coupling between a drawer and a drawer cabinet and more particularly, to a press-control type sliding rail assembly that facilitates mounting and dismounting and prevents falling of the inner rail out of the intermediate rail. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Sliding rail assemblies are widely used with drawers in drawer cabinets for allowing the drawers to be smoothly moved in and out respective drawer cabinets. To facilitate application and cleaning, detachable multi-rail type sliding rail assemblies are created. A detachable multi-rail type sliding rail assembly has a stop member provided between the inner rail and the outer rail to prohibit falling of the inner rail with the drawer out of the outer rail when the drawer is pulled out of the drawer cabinet. When going to detach the drawer from the drawer cabinet, the user must manually bias the stop members of the two sliding rail assemblies from the locking position to the unlocking position at the same time. If the two stop members of the two sliding rail assemblies are not accurately biased to the unlocking position, the user cannot detach the drawer from the drawer cabinet. Thus, it is inconvenient to detach the drawer from the drawer cabinet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a press-control type sliding rail assembly, which is highly detachable, facilitating mounting and dismounting, allowing quick removal of the drawer from the drawer cabinet and preventing falling of the component parts during application. 
     To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a press-control type sliding rail assembly comprises an inner rail affixed to a drawer, an outer rail affixed to a drawer cabinet, and an intermediate rail coupled between the inner rail and the outer rail. The inner rail defines opposing first position-limit end and first mounting end. The intermediate rail defines opposing second position-limit end and second mounting end. The first position-limit end and the second mounting end extend in a first direction. The first mounting end and the second position-limit end extend in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The intermediate rail comprises a limiter member pivotally mounted at the second position-limit end. The limiter member defines opposing first stop flange and second stop flange. The first stop flange is spaced below the second position-limit end. When the first stop flange is moved to the inner rail, the second stop flange is moved away from the inner rail. The inner rail comprises a stop block located at the first position-limit end and facing toward the intermediate rail. The stop block is disposed at a lower side between the first position-limit end and the first mounting end. 
     Thus, the limiter member can be biased relative to the intermediate rail to move the first stop flange and the second stop flange in reversed directions. When the second stop flange is pressed by an external force to move the first stop flange in direction away from the intermediate rail toward the inner rail, the first stop flange can stop the stop block, preventing falling of the inner rail out of the intermediate rail. Therefore, the press-control type sliding rail assembly of the invention has a simple structure and facilitates mounting and dismounting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic rear elevational view of a press-control type sliding rail assembly in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the press-control type sliding rail assembly in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the intermediate rail and the connection block in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the connection block and the limiter member of the press-control type sliding rail assembly in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing, illustrating the inner ail moved relative to the intermediate rail in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view illustrating relative action between the inner rail and the intermediate rail of the press-control type sliding rail assembly in accordance with the present invention (I). 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view illustrating the relative positioning between the inner rail and the intermediate rail of the press-control type sliding rail assembly in accordance with the present invention (II). 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view illustrating relative action between the inner rail and the intermediate rail of the press-control type sliding rail assembly in accordance with the present invention (II). 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view illustrating relative action between the inner rail and the intermediate rail of the press-control type sliding rail assembly in accordance with the present invention (III). 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view illustrating the relative positioning between the inner rail and the intermediate rail of the press-control type sliding rail assembly in accordance with the present invention (III). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , a press-control type sliding rail assembly in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising an inner rail  1 , an intermediate rail  2  and an outer rail  3 . The intermediate rail  2  is coupled between the inner rail  1  and the outer rail  2  in such a manner that the inner rail  1  can be moved in and out of the intermediate rail  2 , and the intermediate rail  2  can be moved in and out of the outer rail  3 . 
     The inner rail  1  comprises opposing first position-limit end  11  and first mounting end  12 , a stop block  13  located at a lower side of the inner wall thereof and spaced between the first position-limit end  11  and first mounting end  12 , and a push block  14  located at an upper side of the same inner wall and disposed adjacent to the push block  14  and spaced between the stop block  13  and the first mounting end  12 . Further, the push block  14  defines a beveled guide face  141  at each of opposing front and rear sides thereof. 
     The intermediate rail  2  comprises opposing second position-limit end  21  and second mounting end  22 , a connection block  24  attached to the second position-limit end  21 , and a limiter member  23  mounted in the connection block  24 . The connection block  24  defines therein an opening  241 , and two pivot holes  242  that are axially aligned at two opposite lateral sides of the opening  241 . The second position-limit end  21  has a through hole  211  defined therein and aimed at the opening  241 . The limiter member  23  is located at an inner side relative to the connection block  24 , comprising two pivot rods  233  located at two opposite lateral sides thereof and respectively pivotally coupled to the pivot holes  242  of the connection block  24 , a first stop flange  231  located at a bottom side relative to the pivot rods  233 , and a second stop flange  232  located at a top side relative to the pivot rods  233 . The stop block  13  is disposed corresponding to the first stop flange  231  of the limiter member  23 . The push block  14  is located at the first position-limit end  11  and disposed corresponding to the second stop flange  232  of the intermediate rail  2 . The first position-limit end  11  of the inner rail  1  and the second mounting end  22  of the intermediate rail  2  extend toward one same side, namely, the rear side. The first mounting end  12  of the inner rail  1  and the second position-limit end  21  of the intermediate rail  2  extend toward the same opposite side, namely, the front side. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5-10  and  FIG. 2  again, during application of the press-control type sliding rail assembly, the inner rail  1  is affixed to the drawer (not shown), and the outer rail  3  is affixed to the drawer cabinet (not shown). When the inner rail  1  is moved with the drawer in direction toward the first mounting end  12  of the inner rail  1 , the stop block  13  of the inner rail  1  will be stopped by the first stop flange  231  of the limiter member  23  of the intermediate rail  2 , preventing the inner rail  1  from falling out of the intermediate rail  2  (see  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). When wishing to detach the drawer from the drawer cabinet, the user can press the second stop flange  232  of the limiter member  23 . At this time, the second stop flange  232  and the first stop flange  231  are turned with the pivot rods  233  relative to the connection block  24  and the intermediate rail  2  toward the inner rail  1 . When the second stop flange  232  is being moved toward the inner rail  1 , the first stop flange  231  is being moved away from the inner rail  1  to release the stop block  13  from the constraint of the first stop flange  231 , allowing the inner rail  1  to be separated from the intermediate rail  2  (see  FIGS. 7 and 8 ). When wishing to couple the inner rail  1  to the intermediate rail  2 , insert the first position-limit end  11  of the inner rail  1  into the second position-limit end  21  of the intermediate rail  2 . At this time, the first stop flange  231  of the limiter member  23  is kept far from the inner rail  1 , and therefore the stop block  13  can pass through the gap between the first stop flange  231  and the intermediate rail  2 . Thereafter, the push block  14  will push the second stop flange  232  of the limiter member  23  away from the inner rail  1 , causing the first stop flange  231  to be biased toward the inner rail  1  to stop the stop block  13  of the inner rail  1 , and therefore the inner rail  1  is prohibited from falling out of the intermediate rail  2 . Further, when going to remove the drawer from the drawer cabinet at this time, the user can press the second stop flange  232  of the limiter member  23  to bias the first stop flange  231  in direction away from the stop block  13 , allowing removal of the inner rail  1  from the intermediate rail  2  to detach the drawer from the drawer cabinet. 
     In conclusion, the main feature of the present invention is the arrangement of the limiter member  23  that is mounted at the intermediate rail  2  and pivotable to bias the opposing first stop flange  231  and second stop flange  232  thereof in reversed directions. Thus, the user simply can press the second stop flange  232  of the limiter member  23  to unlock the inner rail  1  from the intermediate rail  2 , allowing removal of the drawer with the inner rail  1  of each press-control type sliding rail assembly from the intermediate rail  2  of each press-control type sliding rail assembly in the drawer cabinet, facilitating mounting and dismounting. Thus, the invention effectively eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art design and has the advantage of simple structure.