Pull-out guide for the guidance of a drawer

A pull-out guide for the guidance of a drawer, including a cabinet rail for attachment to a furniture cabinet, a drawer rail for attachment to a drawer, and a roller unit having rollers that roll on guide surfaces of the respective rails during movement of the rails relative to one another. The cabinet rail has a vertically extending low-profile side element that does not extend upwardly above a support surface of the drawer rail over at least 75% of its total length. A vertically upwardly protruding flag-like element extends upwardly in the vertical direction to guide a drawer during assembly to the drawer rail.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a pull-out guide for the guidance of a drawer, and to a drawer or a furniture item having such a pull-out guide.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pull-out guides for the guidance of a drawer have already become known in various embodiments, in the form of a full extension pull-out guide that includes a cabinet rail, a middle rail and a drawer rail, as well as in the form of a partial or single extension pull-out guide that includes only a cabinet rail and a drawer rail. One application relates to, for example, under-drawer guides, in which the pull-out guides are placed beneath a drawer bottom of a drawer made, for instance, of wood. It is difficult to install partial extension pull-out guides, which include only a cabinet rail and a drawer rail, on a piece of furniture when the front end of the cabinet rail is fixed inside the face frame of the furniture and the rear of the cabinet rail is fixed to the inside rear wall of the furniture cabinent, because it is difficult to ensure that the two runners are installed precisely parallel to one another. If the two runners are not parallel, the drawer will not open and close smoothly. In addition, misalignment of the drawer sometimes occurs when attempting to fasten the drawer rail to the bottom of the drawer, because the bottom of the drawer blocks the view of the installer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved pull-out guide, in particular, with a view to a fitting of the pull-out guide on the furniture item and/or of the drawer on the pull-out guide.

The present invention is based on a pull-out guide for the guidance of a drawer, comprising a cabinet rail for attachment to a furniture cabinet and a drawer rail for attachment to a drawer, wherein a roller unit, the rollers of which roll on a guide surface of the respective rail during a relative movement of the rails one to another, is provided. The cabinet rail comprises a low-profile side element, which in the fitting position is vertically oriented, and the drawer rail possesses a support surface for the fitting of a drawer on the pull-out guide.

The pull-out guide can have, in addition to the cabinet rail and the drawer rail, also a middle rail. Correspondingly, the roller unit is configured either between the cabinet rail and the middle rail and/or between the middle rail and the drawer rail.

The pull-out guide comprises, for instance, an automatic retraction mechanism for a damped closure of the drawer, which retraction mechanism is arranged, in particular, on the cabinet rail.

One aspect of the present invention lies in the fact that the low-profile side element of the cabinet rail does not extend above the upper support surface of the drawer rail over at least 75% of the total length of the cabinet rail. A vertically upwardly protruding flag-like element is provided on the low-profile side element of the cabinet rail, and the protruding element extends upwardly in the vertical direction from a region of the cabinet rail that defines a rearward one-third portion of the overall length of the cabinet rail.

In one embodiment, the protruding element extends above the support surface of the drawer rail in instances where the side wall of the drawer rail does not extend below any portion of the drawer rail itself. In instances where the side wall of the drawer extends below the upper support surface of the drawer rail, the protruding element would still extend upwardly from the drawer rail, but to a lesser extent.

Preferably the protruding element and the cabinet rail are formed as one integral piece so that a material and cost saving in the manufacture of the pull-out guide is obtained.

The protruding element is provided to guide the drawer, in the fitting process, to its final fitting position on the drawer rail. Fitting of the drawer on the drawer rail is thereby facilitated.

Viewed in the longitudinal direction of the drawer rail, the protruding element is, for instance, between 1 and 30 mm long, advantageously between 1 and 20 mm or between 1 and 10 mm. The protruding element is, for example, in its vertical extent, for example starting from a top edge of the low-profile side element, between 1 and 20 mm tall, advantageously between 1 and 15 mm or between 1 and 10 mm.

The protruding element has a thickness, for instance, perpendicular to the low-profile side element, between 0.5 and 30 mm, advantageously between 0.5 and 20 mm, 0.5 and 10 mm, 0.5 and 5 mm or 0.5 and 2 mm. In particular, the protruding element and the low-profile side element have the same thickness.

Advantageously, the low-profile side element is oriented substantially perpendicular to, in particular, a plane support element of the cabinet rail, so that, in the fitted state, the low-profile side element protrudes vertically upward and the support element runs horizontally.

Preferably, the support surface of the drawer rail is of plane configuration and is arranged horizontally or parallel to the support element of the cabinet rail. In one embodiment, the sides of the drawer act as the corresponding member.

For example, the drawer comprises a suitably corresponding member to the protruding element, which member is arranged, in particular, on a drawer side, so that the drawer, in a first fitting step, can be mounted onto the drawer rail and, in a further fitting step, guided by the protruding element in the direction of the rear wall of the furniture cabinet, can be slid and/or fitted onto the drawer rail.

Advantageously, the protruding element is arranged in the rear region of the cabinet rail. In particular, the protruding element is arranged on the cabinet rail between the frontal region of the cabinet rail and a fastening element which is provided to fasten the cabinet rail to the rear wall of the furniture cabinet.

In a basic variant of the pull-out guide, the protruding element further comprises a guide member, which is bent outward from the drawer rail, i.e., away from the drawer rail, in such a way that, in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the drawer rail, the guide member has from its bent-away end a diminishing distance to the remaining side element.

Advantageously, the guide member is bent outward in such a way that in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the drawer rail, starting from the frontal end of the drawer rail, the guide member has from its bent-away end a diminishing distance to the remaining side element of the cabinet rail.

Moreover, the guide member is bent away outward on the side element about an axis which is configured substantially perpendicular to the support surface of the drawer rail.

It is preferred that the protruding element and the guide member are configured in one piece.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the guide member comprises a guide surface and the guide surface is configured in such a way, during fitting of the drawer, to lead the drawer into a fitted position on the drawer rail.

The guide member of the protruding element serves to additionally simplify fitting of the drawer and to guide the drawer, during fitting on the drawer rail, in the direction of the final fitting position, in that the drawer, with a drawer rear wall or the drawer side wall, is guided, in particular, along a guide surface of the guide member during fitting of the drawer into the final fitting position and, to this end, slides or glides along the guide surface.

For example, the guide surface is designed substantially parallel to the low-profile side element of the cabinet rail and substantially perpendicular to the support surface of the drawer rail.

Advantageously, the guide member, for instance the guide surface, is of curved configuration, in particular, the guide member, from a view from above onto the pull-out guide, advantageously has a bend, in particular, a radius, perpendicular to the support surface of the drawer rail.

The guide surface can also be of helical design. For instance, the lower region of the bent-away end of the guide member, in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the drawer rail, is configured closer to the frontal end of the drawer rail than the upper region of the bent-away end of the guide member. The guide member thereby has the shape of a wave.

Furthermore, the cabinet rail can comprise on the low-profile side element a recess, wherein the size of the recess corresponds to a size of the protruding element.

The position of the recess and of the protruding element on the side element of the cabinet rail can be arranged such that, in a punching process, two cabinet rails can be punched side by side out of a single piece of sheet metal in a material-saving and cost-saving manner, with comparatively low or no material waste.

Preferably, the size of the recess corresponds to the size of the protruding element and the size of the guide member, in particular, when the protruding element and the guide member are configured in one piece.

It is also of advantage that the cabinet rail comprises on the low-profile side element a first fastening member, wherein the cabinet rail comprises on a support element running at a right angle to the low-profie side element a second fastening member, and wherein the cabinet rail can be fitted by means of the fastening members frontally in a plane of the furniture cabinet.

Advantageously, the fastening members are designed as through holes. The cabinet rail can hence be fixed to the furniture cabinet by means of screws at the through holes.

Preferably, the fastening members are configured on a frontal region of the cabinet rail. The cabinet rail can hereby be fixed, for instance, by the first fastening member to a vertically running support, and by the second fastening member to a running strut, running horizontally thereto, in the frontal region of the furniture cabinet.

Hence a comparatively simple, stable and cost-effective fitting of the pull-out guide in the frontal region on the furniture cabinet is possible.

The cabinet rail can also have on an underside facing away from the drawer rail a fastening point, wherein the fastening point is provided to arrange the cabinet rail on the furniture cabinet, wherein the fastening point comprises a mounting member, and wherein the cabinet rail is positionable by the mounting member on a frontal, horizontally running strut of the furniture cabinet.

Advantageously, the fastening point comprises two mounting members.

As a result, the cabinet rail can be fixed and/or clipped and/or plugged onto and/or oriented comparatively easily, by means of the fastening point, to a frontally horizontally running strut of the furniture cabinet.

For example, the mounting member is punched and/or cut out of the cabinet rail as a bent-out tongue and a bent-over element, or is bent out and/or edged on the cabinet rail.

Moreover it is important that on the rear region of the drawer rail is arranged a reinforcing member for the reinforcement of the drawer rail, which reinforcing member encloses the drawer rail at least at the top and side.

In the fitted state on the drawer rail, the, for instance, clamp-like reinforcing member encloses the drawer rail at least at the top and side in such a way that a weight of a drawer fitted on the drawer rail, in particular, with content, can be substantially increased, compared to a drawer rail without a reinforcing member fitted thereon.

The reinforcing member can be plugged and/or clamped and/or clipped onto the drawer rail.

Advantageously, the reinforcing member is formed of a metal, in particular, steel, or a stable plastic or a combination of materials.

As a result of the reinforcing member, a drawer rail of a pull-out guide, consisting only of a cabinet rail and a drawer rail, is reinforced such that an extension length of the drawer rail can be lengthened to match that of a three-piece pull-out guide.

Moreover, it is of advantage that the reinforcing member can be fitted without tools to, for example, snapped onto, the drawer rail by a latching member. For instance, the latching member is punched and/or bent out of the support surface of the drawer rail.

Advantageously, the drawer rail comprises a latching member, which is configured in the rear end region of the drawer rail on the support surface and which is designed to receive the reinforcing member for the reinforcement of the drawer rail.

As a result of the latching member, the reinforcing member can be fitted on the drawer rail in a comparatively simple, fast and cost-effective manner.

Moreover, it is significant that the roller unit has cylindrical rollers, which on opposite flat end faces comprise toroidally arched bearing surfaces of a bearing element which otherwise protrudes from the rest of the end face. This allows for a simple fitting of the rollers to the roller unit.

In an advantageous variant of the present invention, the roller unit is configured such that it functions as a middle rail. As a result of a lengthened design of the roller unit, it is possible to advantageously lengthen the extension distance of the drawer rail. To this end, in an extreme extension position of the drawer rail, a portion of the roller unit extends over an end of the cabinet rail in the direction of extension.

As a result of the lengthened design of the roller unit, in particular, all rollers of the roller unit support the weight of the drawer over the extension length on the drawer rail. While the remaining extension length extends over a portion of the roller unit on which rollers are arranged, one end of the cabinet rail, these cannot in this state support a weight of the drawer on the cabinet rail.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the cabinet rail comprises a braking member for the roller unit. The braking member forms a friction stop, against which a counterpart of the roller unit, in the extended state of the drawer rail, abuts in such a way that the roller unit, when the drawer rail or the drawer fitted to the drawer rail is pulled out on the cabinet rail, remains on the latter. The contacting of the braking member with the roller unit happens, in particular, gradually, preferably without an abrupt abutment, but with increasing braking force.

The braking member can form a pure stop for the counterpart of the roller unit, so that the roller unit, when the drawer rail or the drawer fitted to the drawer rail is pulled out on the cabinet rail, remains on the latter.

The roller unit is, in particular, a cage roller unit.

Advantageously, the roller unit is designed lengthened such that the weight of a drawer fitted onto the drawer rail is distributed amongst at least 10 bearing rollers of the roller unit.

For instance, the roller unit comprises more than 10 rollers, advantageously between 11 and 20 rollers, for instance 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, for example, between 10 and 15 rollers, in particular, 15 rollers, which support the weight of the drawer and/or of the drawer rail. The weight capacity of a drawer can hereby advantageously be increased. The weight capacity of the drawer, in particular, with content, which acts on the rollers is hence also distributed among a plurality of rollers.

If the pull-out guide comprises, in addition to a cabinet rail and a drawer rail, also a middle rail, in which embodiment the roller unit is provided between the middle rail and the drawer rail and/or the cabinet rail and the middle rail, the advantageous design of the roller unit enables a lengthening of the extension length of the drawer and/or an increase in that weight of the drawer which is to be borne by the pull-out guide.

It is also of advantage that the drawer rail comprises a suspension element and the suspension element is punched out and bent out on the drawer rail.

For instance, the suspension element is in a first production step punched or cut or lasered out of the drawer rail, and in a second production step bent and/or pressed into its working shape.

The suspension element is designed such that the drawer is coupled with the drawer rail via the suspension element, or the drawer is fastened to the drawer rail by the suspension element. For instance, the drawer comprises on its rear region an opening, in which, in the fitted state, the suspension element engages.

In particular, the suspension element can prevent the drawer from being lifted off the pull-out guide in the opened state.

In addition, it is proposed that the suspension element has a bead.

Advantageously, the suspension element has for instance, in a middle region, a rib-shaped element, for instance a bead. The rib-shaped element is formed on the suspension element, for example, by a punching process. The rib-shaped element improves the stability of the suspension element.

It also proves advantageous that on the suspension element is arranged a damping element.

The damping element arranged on the suspension element serves, for instance, to damp or to wholly eliminate a noise which arises during the closing operation of the drawer and which can be generated when the rear wall of the drawer bumps against the suspension element.

In another embodiment of the present invention, in which the low-profile side element of the cabinet rail does not extends above the support surface of the drawer rail over at least a dominant longitudinal extent, wherein on the low-profile side element is configured a vertically upwardly protruding flag-like element, wherein the protruding element juts over the support surface of the drawer rail upwardly in the vertical direction, wherein the protruding element comprises a guide member, which is bent outward away from the drawer rail in such a way that, in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the drawer rail, the guide member has from its bent-away end a diminishing distance to the remaining side element, it is preferred that in this modification the protruding element can be plugged onto the low-profile side element.

For instance, the protruding element is configured as a tab, which is clipped and/or plugged and/or clamped onto the low-profile side element.

The protruding element can hence be formed comparatively cost-effectively by plastic injection molding. The protruding element can be formed of metal, plastic or a combination of materials.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

InFIG. 1, a single extension pull-out guide1comprising a cabinet rail2and a drawer rail3is represented. At a frontal end4of the cabinet rail2, for attachment to or for contact against a cabinet crossbeam5(FIG. 13), is configured a tongue6, which is bent over downward through 90° at the forward end of support element2′, and a downwardly punched-out and angled-off fastening element7, in the form of a lip spaced a distance rearwardly from tongue6(see alsoFIG. 17). The spacing distance matches the thickness of crossbeam5. Moreover, bores8and9are provided for the insertion of a locating screw.

The drawer rail3of the single extension pull-out guide1has an upper support surface3′ on which a drawer52consisting of at least a drawer bottom50and a drawer front51(FIG. 17) is secured.

On the cabinet rail2is configured at the frontal end4a protrusion17abent out from the material of the cabinet rail2, which slows down the roller unit16(FIG. 9), as described in more detail below with respect toFIGS. 9 and 10. A portion of the cabinet rail2forward of protrusion17ais bent out to form a stop member17band forms a stop for the roller unit16. As a result of the laterally projecting knob-like configuration of the protrusion17aon a vertically running angled-off side element of the cabinet rail2, a motion of the roller unit16as it passes over the protrusion17ais braked. Moreover, the roller unit16cannot pass fully over the protrusion17a, but rather, after a certain crossing distance, butts against stop member17b, so that the roller unit cannot slide off the cabinet rail2. There is also a stop (not shown) on the rear portion of the drawer rail3that engages the rear of the roller unit16to prevent the drawer rail3from sliding off the roller unit16.

FIG. 1also shows a stop member3″ fixed to a side of drawer rail3, which abuts against a stop surface2″ (FIG. 10) to limit the return distance of the drawer rail3when the drawer is closed.

Moreover, at the rear end12on the drawer rail3is configured a suspension element in the form of a hook10, as well as, at the frontal end28of the drawer rail3, a latching block11for latch-locking to a drawer52(see, in this regard,FIG. 17). The latch-locking can be realized via a detent coupling which is configured on the drawer52. Moreover, at the rear end12of the cabinet rail2, a mounting slot13for a lateral adjustment of the single extension pull-out guide1is present. Over the drawer rail3is arranged, at the rear end12, a reinforcing member in the form of a clamp15, which encloses the drawer rail3at the top and side.

Furthermore, on the cabinet rail2is fitted an automatic retraction mechanism14to enable a damped retraction of the drawer rail3into the fully retracted state on the furniture cabinet42.

On the low-profile side element18of the cabinet rail2, a flag-like protruding element19integrally connected to the cabinet rail2is additionally present, protruding in the upward direction. A recess55, corresponding to the flag-like protruding element19, is shown in a front region of the side element18of the cabinet rail2.

As shown inFIG. 1, the height of the low-profile side element18is very low. As such, when a drawer having a side wall that extends below the upper support surface3′ of the drawer rail3is first positioned on the drawer rail3, it is possible that the side wall of the drawer can move in a direction beyond the low-profile side element18, in which case the holes in the back of the drawer will not align with the hook10. The presence of the protruding element19acts as a guide for the side wall of the drawer to ensure that the holes in the back of the drawer properly align with the hook10.

InFIGS. 2a, 2band3, in a section through the drawer rail3and the clamp15, is shown a, for instance, hook-like latching member20, with which the clamp15is latched retentively in the fitted state on the drawer rail3. The drawer rail3comprises the latching member20, which is punched and/or bent, for example, out of the drawer rail3.

As shown inFIG. 3, the cross sectional shape of the drawer rail3is that of a partial polygon that includes first3aand second3bsides joined together by a top side3c, which opposes a partial bottom side3d. This shape allows the drawer rail3to be displaceably positioned around the upper guide surface31of the cabinet rail2. When the drawer rail3is in the fully extended position and a substantial weight is placed in the drawer, the rearward end of the drawer rail3can actually expand in its lateral dimension and become disconnected from the cabinet rail2. By positioning the reinforcing clamp15on the rear end portion of the cabinet rail3as shown inFIG. 3, the lateral expansion and separation problem was resolved, and the weight capacity of the drawer was increased substantially. Preferably, the reinforcing clamp15encloses at least part of at least three sides, more preferably four sides, of the drawer rail3. Preferably, the reinforcing clamp15is formed from heat-treated steel.

InFIGS. 4ato 4c, the hook10, which has been punched out of the drawer rail3and is bent over, is shown in different perspective and enlargement. On the hook10is configured, on a middle region, a bead21, which lends stability to the hook10reinforce it. The hook10fits into corresponding holes in the rear wall of the drawer52to trap the drawer52by the rear region of the drawer52and to fix it or hold it on the drawer rail3.

InFIGS. 5ato 5c, a further variant of a hook10ais shown. On the perpendicularly protruding region24of the hook10acan be provided a mounting opening22, by means of which a damper23can be arranged on the hook10a. The damper23is provided to damp or to prevent, in a closing operation of the drawer52which is fitted on the drawer rail3, a noise, for instance, a clicking noise, which is caused by a collision of the rear side of the drawer with the hook10a. More specifically, since the pull-out guide will be sold to a variety of furniture manufacturers, and since the holes in the rear wall of the drawer52will vary from manufacturer-to-manufacturer, it is necessary to provide the damper23to essentially make up the slack between the hook10aand holes in the drawer. It is also common for the overall length of the drawer to vary among manufacturers, so the damper23can also make up for this variation to avoid movement of the drawer relative to the drawer rail.

InFIGS. 6ato 6cis represented a further variant of a hook10b, which is welded, glued, soldered or riveted onto a top side25of the drawer rail3. All variants mentioned in relation to the embodiments of the hooks10or10a, for example, a bead or damper, are also applicable to the hook10b.

InFIG. 7is shown a variant of a single extension pull-out guide26, which, by means of mounting brackets27aand27b, can be arranged on horizontally running cabinet supports (not shown) and/or on a cabinet side wall. The mounting brackets27a,27bare connected, at least on the bent-over side element18of the cabinet rail2, to the cabinet rail2. As a result, specifically at the front end28of the single extension pull-out guide26, the cabinet rail2can be fastened directly on the cabinet crossbeam5(FIG. 17). In the rear region of the cabinet rail2, it is possible for the cabinet rail2to rest on the mounting bracket27b, which has a locking component that slides into the slot12′ formed in the rear end12of the cabinet rail2(FIG. 8). The cabinet rail2includes bores8a,8b,8cand9for the insertion of locating screws. Bores8a-8callow the cabinet rail to be fixed directly to the bottom panel of a furniture cabinet, in which case the mounting brackets27a,27bwould not be necessary.

The flag-like element19ain this embodiment extends vertically upwardly above the upper support surface3′ of the drawer rail3, because the pull-out guide depicted inFIG. 7is designed to work with a drawer that has side walls that do not extend below the upper support surface3′ of drawer rail3.

The flag-like element19ais configured in such a way on the cabinet rail2that it comprises a boss53, which protrudes forward in the fitted state in the direction of the furniture front, and which, for the easier fitting of a drawer52, is bent outward away from the drawer rail3at an acute angle (FIG. 8). That inner face54of the boss53which points toward the drawer rail3hereby forms a guide for the sidewalls of the drawer52during a fitting operation of the drawer52.

FIGS. 9 and 10show a roller unit16, which is movably fitted by means of 15 rollers30ato30oon a upper guide surface31of the cabinet rail2. In addition, the roller unit16comprises a carriage29, which laterally embraces the cabinet rail2and by which the roller unit16is laterally guided and stabilized on the cabinet rail2.

The rollers30ato30iare mounted in a projecting supporting portion32of the roller unit16, which extends in a cantilever-like manner beyond that part of the cabinet rail2which is embraced by the carriage29of the roller unit16. Depending on the length of the single extension pull-out guide1,26,43,46, the complete length of the roller unit16, inclusive of the projecting supporting portion32with its rollers30ato30i, can be used to support the drawer rail3arranged thereon, when the rollers30jto30oroll on the upper guide surface31. The roller unit16thus has the function of a middle rail having, in the present case, 15 rollers with comparatively large supporting length. As such, the cost of a separate middle rail can be eliminated.

If the drawer rail3is fully extended with a corresponding displacement of the roller unit16onto the frontal end4of the cabinet rail2, the maximum extension position is then ended when a stop surface29′ of the carriage29of the roller unit16at the end of the cabinet rail2abuts the stop member17b(seeFIGS. 1 and 9). Due to the projecting supporting portion32, the abutment does not take place at the rollers30ato30i, but only once the stop surface29′ of the carriage29engages the stop member17b. The drawer rail3can hence be extended comparatively further in relation to the cabinet rail2, because a comparatively large roller unit having more than 6 rollers, for example, 15 rollers, is available to provide support over a substantial region of the rail length during rolling on the upper guide surface31.

Just before the stop surface29′ abuts the stop member17b, however, a resilient portion29″ (seeFIG. 10) of the carriage29(which is made of plastic, for example) engages protrusion17a, which causes resilient portion29″ to deflect outwardly toward the opposite side of the cabinet rail2. This interaction of17aand29″ acts as a brake before stop surface29′ abuts stop member17b.

Moreover, the projecting protective portion32, in the region which overhangs in a cantilever-like manner, in the fully extended state according toFIGS. 9and10, can support the drawer rail3in a region where normally supporting of the above-situated rails does not take place, since the end of the underlying guiding upper guide surface31, on which the rollers of the roller unit16roll, is reached.

As a result of this measure, a drawer rail3with drawer52arranged thereon is not only able to be extended further, but it is also possible, given at least the same extension pull-out guide length, to fit the single extension pull-out guide1,26,43,46,49on the drawer52in somewhat set back arrangement, so that a drawer front51or an appropriately encompassing frame does not need to be unlatched.

InFIGS. 11a, 11band 12a, 12b, two different options for attaching rollers to the roller unit are shown. InFIG. 11bis represented a roller34, which on one end face35has a toroidal, donut-like protruding bulge36a, by means of which the roller34can be clicked onto mounting shafts36bof the carriage29of the roller unit in a rotatable and positionally fixed manner. From a view perpendicular to an end face35of the roller34, the toroidal bulge36ais of annular design, having a ring center point which runs through a rotational axis of the roller34. InFIG. 12b, on an end face37of a roller38is configured a pin-like bearing element39, by means of which the roller38can be clipped onto the carriage29of the roller unit in a rotatable and positionally fixed manner.

A further fastening variant of a single extension pull-out guide1is shown inFIG. 13. The single extension pull-out guide1is mounted at the frontal end on a cabinet crossbeam5and is fastened at the rear end, by means of a mounting member40formed of plastic or metal, to the rear wall41of a furniture cabinet42. The mounting member40is here designed such that the single extension pull-out guide1, at the rear region, can be laterally shifted or adjusted as explained below in more detail with respect toFIGS. 16a-16c.

InFIGS. 14 and 15, further fitting variants of a single extension pull-out guide43,46according to the present invention are shown. The single extension pull-out guides43,46are fastened by means of mounting members44,45,47, designed as metal brackets, to the front and rear end of the furniture cabinet42. At the rear end of the furniture cabinet42, the single extension pull-out guide43is fastened by the mounting member45to the rear wall41. The single extension pull-out guide46is fitted, via the mounting member47at the rear end, on a side wall48of the furniture item42.

FIG. 14also shows a front locking device11′ that is secured to a drawer, and which locks into latching block11fixed to the drawer rail3(seeFIG. 13).

FIG. 14also shows a tab member44′ that extends outwardly from the mounting member44to assist an installer in aligning the mounting member correctly against the cabinet frame.

FIG. 14also shows metal mounting member45, which has an upwardly extending locking component that slides into the slot12′ on the rear end12of the cabinet rail2(FIG. 8).

By forming the cabinet rail2with only a single mounting member44at the front end thereof, a substantial cost-savings is realized, because two cabinet rails can be stamped out of a single piece of sheet metal having a size that was normally required to stamp out a single cabinet rail. The presence of the low-profile side element18accounts for at least 75% of the total length of the cabinet rail. The absence of metal of any appreciable height along the length of the cabinet rail2necessitated the addition of protruding element19to guide the side wall of the drawer52to ensure that, when the drawer52is assembled to the drawer rail3, the holes (not shown) in the rear wall of the drawer52align with the hooks10on each drawer rail3.

The forward mounting member44extends vertically upwardly to an extent higher than that of the protruding element19, and extends longitudinally less than 25% of the total length of the cabinet rail2.

FIGS. 16a-16dshow another embodiment of a cabinet rail2and mounting member40connected to the rear wall41of the furniture cabinet. The rear end of the cabinet rail2includes a connection flange member60having a laterally extending slot61located between two support surfaces62a,62b. The mounting member40, preferably made of injection-molded plastic, includes fastening members71(only one shown inFIG. 16c) that are inserted into corresponding holes formed in the inside rear wall41of the furniture cabinet. The mounting member40includes upper support surfaces75a,75bthat align with the support surfaces62a,62bof flange member60.

The mounting member40also includes an elongated recess72, which extends into the mounting member40over the majority of the width of the mounting member40, for receiving the tip end of the flange member60. When the tip end of the flange member60is inserted into recess72, a flexible latch mechanism73bends down and then up again, and retention member74locks in slot61of flange member60to lock the cabinet rail2in the mounting member40. If necessary, flange member60can be unlocked from mounting member40by pushing down on retention member74and sliding the cabinet rail back away from elongated recess72.

The width of flange member60is less than the width of elongated recess42, and the width of retention member44is less than the width of slot61. This arrangement allows for the rear end of cabinet rail2to move laterally and essentially self-adjust its position relative to the other cabinet rail as the drawer is being installed on the drawer rails, as well as during subsequent open/close cycles. This self-adjustment feature is very advantageous to make up for tolerances in the cabinet and drawer dimensions, as well as the accuracy by which the mounting members40are fixed to rear wall41.

In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 16a-16d, the length of the steel cabinet rail2extends almost to the very rear wall41of the cabinet, which allows the length of the plastic mounting member40to be as short as possible. Maximizing the length of the steel cabinet rail2and minimizing the length of the mounting member40reduces the twist or binding of the overall pull-out guide when there is weight in the drawer.

In addition, in some instances the rigidity of the rear wall41of the furniture cabinet is sufficient that the slot61can be omitted from chair rail2, and the flexible latch mechanism73and retention member74can also be omitted from the mounting member40. Simply by fastening the cabinet rail2to the front end of the furniture cabinet is sufficient to prevent the cabinet rail2from becoming dislodged from the elongated recess72in the mounting member40.

FIGS. 18a-18cshow an exploded perspective view of a pull-out guide according to the present invention, which includes a middle rail80and a second roller unit81. The middle rail80is positioned between the cabinet rail2and drawer rail3. The rollers of the first roller unit16roll on respective upper and lower guide surfaces (31,82) of the cabinet rail2and middle rail80, and the rollers of the second roller unit81roll on respective upper and lower guide surfaces (83,84) of the middle rail80and drawer rail3.

Although not shown in the drawings, the rear portion of the drawer rail3includes a stop member that prevents the drawer rail3from extending beyond the carriage of the second roller unit81. Similarly, and also not shown in the drawings, the rear portion of the middle rail80also includes a stop member that prevents the middle rail80from extending beyond the carriage of the first roller unit16.

As shown inFIG. 18b, the middle rail80has a stop member85that prevents the carriage of the second roller unit81from extending beyond the front end of the middle rail80, other than the cantilever-extension as described above with reference toFIGS. 9 and 10.

As shown inFIG. 18c, the cabinet rail2also includes a stop member86on the front end of the upper guide surface31that prevents the first roller unit16from extending beyond the front end of the cabinet rail beyond the extent shown inFIGS. 9 and 10.

There is also a stop surface87on the carriage of the second roller unit81that engages the stop member85, and a stop surface88on the carriage of first roller unit16that engages stop member86.

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