Sliding rail positioning device

A sliding rail positioning device includes a first rail, a second rail, and a third rail. The second rail includes a second body and a second holding member. The second body defines a first receiving hole. The third rail includes a third body and a third holding member. When the second body is driven by the first rail to slide out, the third holding member is biased toward the second body to be received in the first receiving hole, so that the second body cannot be retracted back. When the first rail is retracted, the first rail presses the second holding member to press the third holding member out of the first receiving hole so that the second body can be retracted.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to sliding rail assemblies, and more particularly to a sliding rail positioning device.

BACKGROUND

The existing ball-bearing sliding rail structure sandwiches a plurality of ball-bearing between inner and outer rails so as to achieve a telescopic effect of extending and retracting the inner and outer rails. However, the design of the ball-bearing sliding rail structure increases a thickness of the sliding rail structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a sliding rail positioning device100. The sliding rail positioning device100can be applied to a supporting device such as a table, a cabinet, a server rack, or the like for sliding relative to the supporting device. The sliding rail positioning device100may carry a drawer, a server, or the like. The sliding rail positioning device100includes a first rail10, a second rail20, and a third rail30. The second rail20defines a first sliding groove201along a sliding direction, and the third rail30defines a second sliding groove301along the sliding direction. The first rail10is slidably received in the first sliding groove201of the second rail20, and the second rail20is slidably received in the second sliding groove301of the third rail30.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the first rail10includes a first body11and a first holding member12. The second rail20includes a second body21and a second holding member22. The third rail30includes a third body31and a third holding member32. The first body11is slidably coupled to the second body21. The second body21is slidably coupled to the third body31.

The first holding member12is arranged on the first body11and is biased toward the second body21. The second holding member22is arranged on the second body21and is biased toward the first body11. The third holding member32is arranged on the third body31and is biased toward the second body21.

When the sliding rail positioning device100is in a retracted state, the first holding member12is held by the second body21and received between the first body11and the second body21. The second body21defines a first receiving hole23, and the second holding member22is held by the first body11and received in the first receiving hole23. The third body31defines a second receiving hole33, and the third holding member32is held by the second body21and received in the second receiving hole33.

When the first body11slides out, the second holding member22is released and ejected from the first receiving hole23. The second body21defines a latching hole24. After the first body11slides out a certain distance, the first holding member12protrudes through the latching hole24. The latching hole24clamps the first holding member12so that the first body11and the second body21are fixed together, so that the first body11and the second body21move together relative to the third rail30. After the second body21slides out a certain distance, the third holding member32is released and ejected from the second receiving hole33to resist a wall of the first receiving hole23, so that the second body21is prevented from being retracted back into the third body31.

The first body11defines a clearance hole13in substantially a middle portion of the first body11. The first body11includes a hook14protruding into the clearance hole13. Referring toFIG. 4, the first holding member12includes a first fixing portion121, a first latching portion122, and a first limiting portion123. The first fixing portion121is fixedly coupled to the first body11. The first latching portion122is biased toward the second body21, and a surface of the first latching portion122facing the second body21is provided with a pressing protrusion124and a latching protrusion125. The pressing protrusion124is located on a side of the latching protrusion125adjacent to the first fixing portion121. The first limiting portion123extends into the clearance hole13, and an end of the first limiting portion123away from the first fixing portion121abuts on the hook14to limit a height of the first holding member12popping out.

When the second body21is extended, the latching hole24is on a side of the second body21facing away from the third body31. The second body21further defines a pressing hole25at a position adjacent to the latching hole24. When the first body11slides out a certain distance, the first latching portion122of the first holding member12pops out, and the latching protrusion125protrudes into the latching hole24to be latched in the latching hole24, so that the first body11and the second body21are fixed together, and the pressing protrusion124will protrude into the pressing hole25. When the sliding rail positioning device100is to be retracted, the pressing protrusion124is manually pressed through the pressing hole25, thereby pressing back the first latching portion122to disengage the latching protrusion125from the latching hole24, so that the first body11can move relative to the second body21for retracting.

The first body11is provided with a first baffle15. The first baffle15extends toward the second body21and is located on a side of the first body11away from the third body31when the first body11is extended. The first baffle15limits a sliding distance of the first body11when the first body11is retracted back to the second body21.

In one embodiment, when the first body11is retracted back to the second body21, the first baffle15resists the wall of the pressing hole25to limit the sliding distance of the first body11, but is not limited to this.

In one embodiment, a limiting hole26is defined in substantially a middle portion of the second body21. When the second body21is slidably retracted back to the third body31, the limiting hole26can accommodate the third holding member32, hold the third holding member32, and limit a sliding distance of the second body21. In other words, when the sliding rail positioning device100is in an initial state, the third holding member32is received in the limiting hole26.

The first receiving hole23is located on an end of the second body21away from the first baffle15. Referring toFIG. 5, the second holding member22includes a second fixing portion221, a second latching portion222, and a pressing portion223. The second fixing portion221is fixedly coupled to the second body21. An end of the second holding member22away from the second fixing portion221is biased toward the first body11. The second latching portion222is arranged toward the third body31, and the pressing portion223is arranged toward the first body11.

When the first body11is retracted back into the second body21, the pressing portion223is pressed by the first body11so that the second latching portion222is received in the first receiving hole23to press the third holding member32held in the first receiving hole23, so as to cause the third holding member32to be received in the second receiving hole33.

In one embodiment, the second holding member22is substantially U-shaped, but is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the second holding member22may have other shapes.

The second receiving hole33is defined substantially in a middle portion of the third body31. Referring toFIG. 6, the third holding member32includes a third fixing portion321and a third latching portion322. The third fixing portion321is fixedly coupled to the third body31. The third latching portion322is biased toward the second body21, and a limiting protrusion323is provided on a side of the third latching portion322facing the second body21. After the second body21slides a certain distance, the third latching portion322of the third holding member32pops out, and the limiting protrusion323is latched in the first receiving hole23so that the second body21cannot be retracted back into the third body31.

A limiting member34is provided on a side of the third body31adjacent to the extended first body11. A second baffle27is provided in substantially a middle portion of the second body21. The second baffle27is located between the limiting hole26and the first receiving hole23and extends toward the third body31. After the second body21slides a certain distance, the second baffle27resists the limiting member34, thereby preventing the second body21from sliding out.

A working process of the sliding rail positioning device1will be described in detail below with reference toFIGS. 7-11.

Referring toFIG. 7, the sliding rail positioning device100is in the initial state. The pressing portion223of the second holding member22is pressed by the first body11so that the second latching portion222is received in the first receiving hole23. The first latching portion122of the first holding member12is pressed by the second body21so that the pressing protrusion124and the latching protrusion125are received between the first body11and the second body21(as shown inFIG. 8). The limiting protrusion323of the third holding member32is received in the limiting hole26(as shown inFIG. 9).

When a force is applied to the first rail10, the first body11slides outward, and the second holding member22will be released to cause the second latching portion222to move out from the first receiving hole23(as shown inFIG. 11). After the first body11extends a certain distance, the first latching portion122of the first holding member12pops out, and the latching protrusion125is received in the latching hole24and latched with the latching hole24, so that the first body11is fixed to the second body21, and the first body11drives the second body21to move relative to the third rail30. At this time, the pressing protrusion124is received in the pressing hole25(as shown inFIG. 10). When the second body21slides out, the third latching portion322of the third holding member32slides out of the limiting hole26and is pressed by the second body21to be received in the second receiving hole33(not shown). When the second body21slides out a certain distance, the limiting protrusion323of the third holding member32is released from the second receiving hole33and abuts on the wall of the first receiving hole23, thereby preventing the second body21from retracting back into the third body31(as shown inFIG. 11).

To retract the sliding rail positioning device100, the pressing protrusion124is pressed through the pressing hole25, and the first rail10is retracted, so that the first latching portion122is pressed back, thereby causing the latching protrusion125to disengage from the latching hole24, so that the first body11can be retracted relative to the second body21(as shown inFIG. 10). When the first body11is retracted into the second body21, the first body11presses the pressing portion223of the second holding member22, so that the second latching portion222is pressed into the first receiving hole23, and the second latching portion222resists the limiting protrusion323of the third holding member32to press the limiting protrusion323back into the second receiving hole33, so that the second body21can be retracted relative to the third body31, and then the second body21is retracted into the third body31(as shown inFIG. 11). After the second body21is retracted into the third body31a certain distance, the limiting protrusion323of the third holding member32is released into the limiting hole26to latch in the limiting hole26, and the sliding rail positioning device100is in the initial state (as shown inFIG. 9).

In some embodiments, the second holding member22may also be provided on the first body11, such as a protrusion provided on the end of the first body11facing the second body21, so that when the first body11is retracted back into the second body21, the protrusion can slightly press the third holding member32toward the second receiving hole33, so that a surface of the third holding member32resisting a side wall of the first receiving hole23is slightly inclined, so that the second body21can continue to press down the side wall of the slightly inclined third holding member32, so that the third holding member32is received in the second receiving hole33.

The sliding rail positioning device100of the present application enables the first rail10to drive the second rail20to move relative to the third rail30through the cooperation of the first holding member12and the latching hole24to slide out to a designated position and length of the sliding rail positioning device100. A compact structure and small thickness of the sliding rail positioning device100can be realized. Then, the second holding member22is pressed in the first receiving hole23by the first rail10, so that the third holding member32received in the first receiving hole23is pressed and received in the second receiving hole33, so that the second rail20moves relative to the third rail30and retracts.