Slide rail assembly

A slide rail assembly includes a first rail having a guiding portion, a second rail, a third rail having a hook portion, and an actuating member movably connecting to the second rail and having a contact portion. When the third rail is pulled with respect to the first rail with the contact portion engaging with the hook portion, the second rail synchronously moves along with the third rail to be moved to a predetermined position with respect to the first rail, and consequently, the actuating member rotates by an angle by guiding means of the guiding portion of the first rail to disengage the contact portion of the actuating member from the hook portion of the third rail.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a slide rail assembly, and more particularly, to a slide rail assembly of which two rails may be synchronously moved and when one of the rails is moved to a position, the rail may be remained at the position while the other rail may be further moved forward.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally speaking, a server chassis is mounted on a rack by means of a pair of slide rail assemblies in server systems. The slide rail assembly is usually in a form constituted by two or three sections of rails to carry the server chassis. The difference is that three-section rails have longer extension lengths to meet actual specific requirements.

Among the technologies of three-section rails, the engagement between rails or the synchronous movement between rails along an extending direction has been common developed technologies, which also means that such related technologies have already become specific operational and commercial requirements. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,413,269 B2 and 6,997,529 B1 disclosed the engagement between engaging blocks and engaging holes (or engaging grooves) to ensure the positioning between rails and the synchronous movement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a slide rail assembly of which two rails may be synchronously moved and when one of the rails is moved to a position, the rail may be remained at the position while the other rail may be further moved forward.

An aspect of the present invention provides a slide rail assembly comprising a first rail, a second rail, an actuating member, and a third rail. The first rail comprises a guiding portion. The second rail is longitudinally and movably connected to the first rail. The actuating member is movably connected to the second rail and comprises a contact portion. The third rail is longitudinally and movably connected to the second rail and comprises a hook portion. When the third rail is pulled with respect to the first rail with the contact portion of the actuating member engaging with the hook portion of the third rail, the second rail is synchronously moved along with the third rail. When the second rail is moved to a predetermined position with respect to the first rail, the actuating member rotates by an angle by guiding means of the guiding portion of the first rail and thereby disengages the contact portion of the actuating member from the hook portion of the third rail.

Preferably, the guiding portion of the first rail comprises a horizontal section and an inclining section extending from the horizontal section. When the second rail is moved to the predetermined position with respect to the first rail, the actuating member is guided from the horizontal section to the inclining section and thereby rotates by the angle to disengage the contact portion of the actuating member from the hook portion of the third rail. The guiding portion further comprises a blocking wall adjacent to the inclining section to further block the contact portion of the actuating member after the actuating member is guided from the horizontal section to the inclining section.

Preferably, the second rail comprises a protrusion portion and the slide rail assembly further comprises a fixing member connected to the second rail. The fixing member comprises a contact section corresponding to the protrusion portion of the second rail and the actuating member further comprises a tail portion located between the contact section of the fixing member and the protrusion portion of the second rail.

Preferably, the slide rail assembly further comprises a swinging member pivotally connected to the first rail and comprising a leg portion, wherein the second rail comprises an indention portion for the leg portion to press against; and an assisting member comprising an elastic guiding portion contacting the swinging member. When the second rail moves to the predetermined position, the swinging member presses the leg portion against the indention portion of the second rail by an elastic force generated by the elastic guiding portion.

Preferably, the second rail has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion. The fixing member and the actuating member are adjacent to the first end portion of the second rail. The slide rail assembly further comprises an engaging member adjacent to the second end portion of the second rail, wherein the engaging member comprises a positioning portion. The third rail further comprises an opening corresponding to the positioning portion of the engaging member so that the positioning portion of the engaging member engages with and positions at the opening of the third rail when the third rail moves with respect to the second rail to an extended position. The engaging member comprises a base plate and an elastic portion bending from the base plate, wherein the positioning portion is located at the elastic portion. The slide rail assembly further comprises at least one restricting member attached to the second rail; and a releasing member mounted to the second rail and comprising a moving portion and a disengaging portion, wherein one of the moving portion and the disengaging portion comprises at least one longitudinal groove corresponding to the at least one restricting member, and wherein the disengaging portion corresponds to a portion of the swinging member. When the releasing member is pulled with respect to the at least one restricting member after engagement of the leg portion of the swinging member with the indention portion of the second rail, the swinging member is moved by means of the disengaging portion of the releasing member to disengage the leg portion of the swinging member from the indention portion of the second rail.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a slide rail assembly comprising a first rail, a second rail, a swinging member, and an assisting member. The second rail is longitudinally and movably connected to the first rail and comprises an indention portion. The swinging member is pivotally connected to the first rail and comprises a leg portion corresponding to the indention portion of the second rail. The assisting member is adjacent to the swinging member and comprises an elastic guiding portion contacting the swinging member. When the second rail moves to a predetermined position with respect to the first rail, the swinging member pivots in response to an elastic force generated by the elastic guiding portion to engage the leg portion of the swinging member with the indention portion of the second rail so that the second rail is positioned with respect to the first rail.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a slide rail assembly comprising a first rail, a second rail, a fixing member, an actuating member, a third rail, and a swinging member. The first rail comprises an upper wall, a lower wall, and a longitudinally extending body extending between the upper wall and the lower wall of the first rail, wherein the longitudinally extending body comprises a guiding portion comprising a horizontal section, an inclining section extending from the horizontal section, and a blocking wall adjacent to the inclining section. The second rail is longitudinally and movably connected to the first rail and comprises an upper wall, a lower wall, a longitudinally extending body extending between the upper wall and the lower wall of the second rail, and a protrusion portion located at the longitudinally extending body of the second rail, wherein one of the upper wall and the lower wall comprises an indention portion. The fixing member is connected to the second rail and comprises a contact section corresponding to the protrusion portion of the second rail. The actuating member is movably connected to the second rail and comprises a contact portion corresponding to the guiding portion of the first rail and a tail portion located between the contact section of the fixing member and the protrusion portion of the second rail. The third rail is longitudinally and movably connected to the second rail and comprises a hook portion corresponding to the contact portion of the actuating member. When the third rail is moved along an extending direction with the contact portion of the actuating member correspondingly engaging with the hook portion of the third rail, the second rail is synchronously moved along with the third rail. When the second rail is moved to a position corresponding to the guiding portion of the first rail, the contact portion of the actuating member is successively guided by the horizontal section and the inclining section of the guiding portion of the first rail. When the contact portion of the actuating member is guided by the inclining section, the actuating member rotates by means of the tail portion pressing against the contact section of the fixing member so that the contact portion of the actuating member disengages from the hook portion of the third rail and is then guided to and blocked by the blocking wall of the guiding portion. The swinging member is movably connected to the longitudinally extending body of the first rail and comprises a leg portion corresponding to the indention portion of the second rail, wherein when the second rail is synchronously moved along with the third rail to a predetermined position along the extending direction, the leg portion of the swinging member enters the indention portion of the second rail.

Preferably, the second rail has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion. The fixing member and the actuating member are adjacent to the first end portion of the second rail. The slide rail assembly further comprises an engaging member adjacent to the second end portion of the second rail, wherein the engaging member comprises a positioning portion and the third rail further comprises an opening corresponding to the positioning portion of the engaging member so that the positioning portion of the engaging member engages with and positions at the opening of the third rail when the third rail moves with respect to the second rail to a position. The engaging member comprises a base plate and an elastic portion bending from the base plate, and wherein the positioning portion is located at the elastic portion.

Preferably, the slide rail assembly further comprises at least one restricting member attached to the second rail; and a releasing member mounted to the longitudinally extending body of the second rail and adjacent to the indention portion of the second rail. The releasing member comprises a moving portion and a disengaging portion, wherein one of the moving portion and the disengaging portion comprises at least one longitudinal groove corresponding to the at least one restricting member, and wherein the disengaging portion corresponds to a portion of the swinging member. When the moving portion is operated after engagement of the leg portion of the swinging member with the indention portion of the second rail, the disengaging portion is driven to move the portion of the swinging member so that the leg portion of the swinging member is disengaged from the indention portion of the second rail again.

Preferably, the third rail further comprises a guiding slant adjacent to the hook portion. When the third rail is retracted along a retracting direction, the contact portion of the actuating member is pressed back to engage with the hook portion of the third rail by the guiding slant of the third rail. The indention portion of the second rail comprises a slant. When the third rail is retracted along the retracting direction, the slant presses against the leg portion of the swinging member so that the leg portion deviates and leaves the indention portion of the second rail.

Preferably, the slide rail assembly further comprises an operating member connected to the third rail to be operated to move the third rail along the extending direction. The longitudinally extending body of the first rail comprises a fixing portion. The operating member comprises a base plate portion connected to the third rail, an elastic plate bending from the base plate portion for providing an elastic force, and a handle portion connected to the elastic plate. The elastic plate comprises an engaging portion corresponding to the fixing portion of the longitudinally extending body of the first rail. When the third rail is retracted to a retracted position with respect to the first rail, the engaging portion of the elastic plate engages with the fixing portion by the elastic force provided by the elastic plate.

A feature of the embodiments of invention is that when the third rail is moved along the extending direction, the second rail synchronously moves along with the third rail in the extending direction, and the second rail may temporarily remain at a position without moving along with the third rail when the position is arrived at, while the third rail may continue to move along the extending direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1shows a slide rail assembly20comprising a first rail22, a second rail24, and a third rail26at a retracted state according to an embodiment of the present invention. The second rail24and the third rail26may be longitudinally moved with respect to the first rail22. Preferably, the second rail24and the third rail26each comprises at least one mounting portion28for mounting a chassis (such as a server chassis). Preferably, an operating member30is connected to the third rail26and configured to be operated to move the third rail26along an extending direction.

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 2,FIG. 2shows the third rail26comprising a first longitudinal portion32, a second longitudinal portion34, and a slant portion36connected between the first longitudinal portion32and the second longitudinal portion34. The first longitudinal portion32of the third rail26is movably connected to the inside of the second rail24, and the second longitudinal portion34of the third rail26extends from the slant portion36to be located outside the second rail24.

As shown inFIG. 2, the second rail24comprises a longitudinally extending body56comprising a lateral side25, and the second longitudinal portion34of the third rail26comprises a lateral side35. The lateral side35of the second longitudinal portion34of the third rail26and the lateral side25of the longitudinally extending body56of the second rail24are substantially in a same reference plane X (the reference plane X is a fictitious plane, and the present invention is not limited thereto) by means of the slant portion36. Each of the second rail24and the third rail26thereby may be mounted with a chassis, wherein the two chassis have substantially identical widths. In addition, the slant portion36of the third rail26may contact against the second rail24(as shown inFIG. 1).

FIG. 3shows the first rail22separated from the assembled second rail24and third rail26.

The first rail22comprises an upper wall38, a lower wall40, and a longitudinally extending body42extending between the upper wall38and the lower wall40, wherein the upper wall38, the lower wall40, and the longitudinally extending body42collectively define a first longitudinal channel23. The longitudinally extending body42of the first rail22comprises a guiding portion78, and more particularly, the guiding portion78is integrated with the longitudinally extending body42of the first rail22, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The guiding portion78comprises a horizontal section80, an inclining section82extending from the horizontal section80, and a blocking wall84adjacent to the inclining section82. Moreover, the longitudinally extending body42of the first rail22further comprises at least one fixing portion43. In a preferred embodiment, the longitudinally extending body42of the first rail22comprises two fixing portions43which are holes (as inFIG. 3), but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The slide rail assembly20further comprises a swinging member86and an assisting member88, wherein the swinging member86is movably connected to the longitudinally extending body42of the first rail22. Preferably, the swinging member86is pivotally connected to the longitudinally extending body42of the first rail22by means of a first connection member90. The swinging member86comprises a leg portion92and an extended side portion94. The assisting member88is connected to the longitudinally extending body42of the first rail22and adjacent to the swinging member86and comprises a longitudinally extending elastic guiding portion96, wherein the elastic guiding portion96of the assisting member88contacts the leg portion92of the swinging member86.

Referring toFIG. 3andFIG. 4,FIG. 4shows the second rail24separated from the third rail26.

The second rail24is longitudinally and movably connected to the first rail22, and more particularly, the second rail24is received in and movable along the first longitudinal channel23of the first rail22. The second rail24comprises an upper wall52, a lower wall54, and a longitudinally extending body56extending between the upper wall52and the lower wall54, wherein the upper wall52, the lower wall54, and the longitudinally extending body56collectively define a second longitudinal channel29. The longitudinally extending body56of the second rail24comprises a first end portion27aand a second end portion27bopposite to the first end portion27a. The second rail24further comprises a protrusion portion104located at the longitudinally extending body56. The slide rail assembly20further comprises a fixing member98and an actuating member100which are connected to the second rail24. In a preferred embodiment, the fixing member98and the actuating member100are adjacent to the first end portion27aof the second rail24.

As shown inFIG. 5, the fixing member98comprises a contact section102corresponding in position to the protrusion portion104of the second rail24. The actuating member100is movably connected to the longitudinally extending body56of the second rail24. Preferably, the actuating member100is rotatably connected to the longitudinally extending body56of the second rail24by means of a second connection member106. The actuating member100comprises a main body108, a contact portion110, and a tail portion112.

The contact portion110may be, for example, a protrusion perpendicularly protruding from the main body108to contact and be guided by the guiding portion78of the longitudinally extending body42of the first rail22, but the form of the contact portion110is not limited thereto. Preferably, the tail portion112of the actuating member100longitudinally extends from the main body108, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The tail portion112of the actuating member100is located between the contact section102of the fixing member98and the protrusion portion104of the second rail24. In addition, one of the upper wall52and the lower wall54of the second rail24comprises an indention portion114, wherein the indention portion114comprises a slant116.

As shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 6, the slide rail assembly20further comprises at least one restricting member118and a releasing member120, wherein the restricting member118is attached to the second rail24and the releasing member120is mounted to the longitudinally extending body56of the second rail24. The releasing member120is adjacent to the indention portion114of the second rail24.

The releasing member120comprises a moving portion122and a disengaging portion124extending from the moving portion122. One of the moving portion122and the disengaging portion124comprises at least one longitudinal groove126corresponding to the at least one restricting member118, an operating portion128connected to one of the moving portion122and the disengaging portion124, and a flexible member130connected to one of the moving portion122and the disengaging portion124. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one longitudinal groove126is disposed on the moving portion122, the operating portion128is connected to the moving portion122, and the flexible member130is laterally connected to the moving portion122, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Moreover, by means of the structural configuration of the restricting member118and the longitudinal groove126, the releasing member120is longitudinally movable with respect to the restricting member118when the operating portion128is longitudinally operated. Preferably, the restricting member118is disposed within the longitudinal groove126so that the movement of the moving portion122can be stopped once either end of the longitudinal groove126contacts the restricting member118(as inFIG. 6).

The disengaging portion124comprises at least one slant plate132and a flat plate134connected to the slant plate132. In a preferred embodiment, there are two slant plates132and the flat plate134is connected between the two slant plates132, wherein one of the two slant plates132is connected to the moving portion122and bends from the moving portion122by an angle, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The flat plate134comprises a disengaging edge136. The longitudinally extending body56of the second rail24further comprises a blocking member138, wherein a portion of the flexible member130can be correspondingly pressed against the blocking member138. In more detail, the flexible member130is an elongated plate extending from the moving portion122of the releasing member120.

As shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 7, the slide rail assembly20further comprises an engaging member140adjacent to the second end portion27bof the second rail24, wherein the engaging member140comprises at least one positioning portion142. It is noted that the positioning portion142may be a protruding post, but the present invention is not limited thereto; for example, the positioning portion142also may be other types of protrusion. Preferably, there are two positioning portions142. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the engaging member140comprises a base plate144and an elastic portion146. The elastic portion146bends from the base plate144and thus is able to provide an elastic force. The base plate144may be mounted on the second rail24by means of at least one connection member147, wherein the connection member147may be integrated on the second rail24, but the present invention is not limited thereto; for example, the connection member147also may be an independent component mounted on the second rail24. The positioning portion142is located adjacent to the elastic portion146.

As shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 8, the third rail26is longitudinally and movably connected to the second rail24. More specifically, the third rail26is received in and movable along the second longitudinal channel29of the second rail24. The third rail26comprises an upper wall70and a lower wall72in addition to the first longitudinal portion32and the second longitudinal portion34, wherein the first longitudinal portion32and the second longitudinal portion34extend between the upper wall70and the lower wall72.

The first longitudinal portion32of the third rail26comprises a hook portion148. In a preferred embodiment, the third rail26further comprises a guiding slant150adjacent to the hook portion148, wherein the hook portion148is configured to engage with the contact portion110of the actuating member100. The third rail26further comprises an opening152. In a preferred embodiment, the opening152is located at the first longitudinal portion32of the third rail26, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

In addition, as shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4, the operating member30is connected to the third rail26. In a preferred embodiment, the operating member30comprises a base plate portion31connected to the second longitudinal portion34of the third rail26, an elastic plate33bending from the base plate portion31and for providing an elastic force, and a handle portion37connected to the elastic plate33. The elastic plate33comprises an engaging portion39corresponding to the fixing portion43of the first rail22. The engaging portion39is a protrusion and the fixing portion43of the first rail22is a hole in the illustrative embodiment here; however, the fixing portion43of the first rail22may be a protrusion and the engaging portion39may be a hole in another embodiment not shown. Accordingly, when the third rail26is retracted back to a retracted position with respect to the first rail22(as inFIG. 1), the engaging portion39of the operating member30engages with the fixing portion43of the first rail22by the elastic force provided by the elastic plate33; on the other hand, when the user wishes to move the third rail26along the extending direction, the elastic plate33may be slightly bent by means of the elasticity of the elastic plate33to disengage the engaging portion39from the fixing portion43of the first rail22, thus allowing the user to move the third rail26along the extending direction by means of the handle portion37of the operating member30.

FIG. 9AtoFIG. 13are schematic views of the operation of the slide rail assembly20.

As shown inFIG. 9AtoFIG. 9D, when the user pulls the third rail26, by means of the handle portion37of the operating member30, along an extending direction D1with respect to the first rail22with the contact portion110of the actuating member100correspondingly engaging with the hook portion148of the third rail26(as inFIGS. 9A and 9B), the second rail24is synchronously moved along with the third rail26; however, when the second rail24is moved to a predetermined position with respect to the first rail22, the contact portion110of the actuating member100is correspondingly guided by the guiding portion78of the first rail22and finally disengaged from the hook portion148of the third rail26(as inFIGS. 9C and 9D). Specifically, the contact portion110of the actuating member100is guided by the horizontal section80of the guiding portion78and then moved upward along the inclining section82of the guiding portion78; wherein when the contact portion110of the actuating member100is moved along the inclining section82, the actuating member100rotates by an angle by means of the tail portion112pressing against the contact section102of the fixing member98(as inFIG. 9B). Subsequently, the contact portion110of the actuating member100is moved to a distal edge of the inclining section82and thus lifted to disengage from the hook portion148of the third rail26(as inFIG. 9C). Preferably, at least one of the tail portion112of the actuating member100and the contact section102of the fixing member98is of flexible materials to facilitate rotation of the actuating member100, thus allowing the contact portion110of the actuating member100to disengage from the hook portion148of the third rail26smoothly. Consequently, the contact portion110of the actuating member100is completely separated from the third rail26and blocked by the blocking wall84of the guiding portion78(as inFIG. 9D) when the third rail26is further pulled along the extending direction D1.

Moreover, as shown inFIG. 9BandFIG. 9C, the leg portion92of the swinging member86is guided into the indention portion114of the second rail24(as inFIG. 9B) and then pressed against the indention portion114of the second rail24(as inFIG. 9C) in response to the elastic force generated by the elastic guiding portion96of the assisting member88. In other words, the leg portion92of the swinging member86is engaged with the indention portion114of the second rail24. As such, the second rail24is positioned with respect to the first rail22.

As shown inFIG. 9D, as the contact portion110of the actuating member100is blocked by the blocking wall84of the guiding portion78of the first rail22and the leg portion92of the swinging member86is engaged with the indention portion114of the second rail24, the second rail24is no longer synchronously moved along with the third rail26. However, the third rail26may continue to move along the extending direction D1.

As shown inFIG. 10toFIG. 13, as the third rail26continues to move along the extending direction D1, the elastic portion146of the engaging member140that is capable of bending elastically is pressed between the second rail24and the third rail26and is in an elastic force accumulation state (as inFIG. 10andFIG. 12) before the third rail26moves to an extended position. Once the third rail26further moves to the extended position, the elastic portion146releases the elastic force so that the positioning portion142of the engaging member140enters the opening152of the first longitudinal portion32of the third rail26and is engaged with an opening edge153of the opening152(as inFIG. 11andFIG. 13).

As shown inFIG. 14toFIG. 16, to dismount the third rail26from the second rail24when the third rail26is at the extended position, the user may apply a force F1from the opening152of the third rail26to the elastic portion146of the engaging member140(as inFIG. 16) so that the positioning portion142of the elastic portion146is separated from the opening152and no longer engages with the opening edge153. As such, the third rail26may be drawn in a dismounting direction D2(as inFIG. 15) to dismount the third rail26from the second rail24.

As shown inFIG. 17AtoFIG. 17D, after the third rail26is dismounted, the user may further dismount the second rail24from the first rail22. The user may apply a force F2(as inFIG. 17B) to pull the operating portion128of the releasing member120so that the moving portion122of the releasing member120moves with respect to the restricting member118by means of the longitudinal groove126. As such, the disengaging portion124of the releasing member120is driven to move along with the moving portion122so that the disengaging edge136correspondingly presses against a portion of the swinging member86(such as the extended side portion94) to disengage the leg portion92of the swinging member86from the indention portion114of the second rail24(meanwhile, the flexible member130is bent by the force applied from the blocking member138). As such, the second rail24may be drawn in a dismounting direction D3to dismount the second rail24from the first rail22(as inFIG. 17C). The flexible member130returns the releasing member120to its initial state (as inFIG. 17D) once the user ceases applying the force F2to the operating portion128.

As illustrated inFIG. 14toFIG. 17D, the third rail26and the second rail24of the slide rail assembly20may both be dismounted so that the user may carry out replacement of the chassis (such as a server chassis) or replacement or maintenance of the slide rail assembly20.

Moreover, as shown inFIG. 18AtoFIG. 18C, to retract the third rail26from the extended position (as inFIG. 11) along a retracting direction D4, the user may apply a force to press the elastic portion146of the engaging member140(as inFIG. 16) again and simultaneously push the third rail26along the retracting direction D4so that the slant portion36of the third rail26may press against the second rail24, thus allowing the third rail26and the second rail24to be retracted with respect to the first rail22. When the second rail24is moved to a position, the guiding slant150of the hook portion148of the third rail26correspondingly lifts the contact portion110of the actuating member100so that the contact portion110of the actuating member100is moved away from the blocking wall84and back to the distal edge of the inclining section82of the guiding portion78of the first rail22(as inFIG. 18B). Furthermore, the slant116of the second rail24presses against the leg portion92of the swinging member86so that the leg portion92deviates and finally disengages from the indention portion114(as inFIG. 18C). As such, the contact portion110of the actuating member100may be guided by the guiding portion78of the first rail22again and moved back to engage with the hook portion148of the third rail26, so that third rail26and the second rail24may be retracted to a retracted state with respect to the first rail22(as inFIG. 9A).

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.