Slide assembly and connection device

A slide assembly and a connection device include an outer rail, a middle rail slidably connected to the outer rail, and an inner rail slidably connected to the middle rail. The middle rail has a locking member and a synchronizing member extends from the locking member. A releasing member is fixed to the inner rail and a connection member extends from the releasing member. The middle and inner rails are synchronously pulled from the outer rail and when the middle rail is positioned at a desired position, the inner rail is continuously pulled out by the connection between the locking member and the outer rail and by the connection member disengaged from the synchronizing member. When the inner rail is retracted relative to the middle rail, the releasing member releases the middle rail from the outer rail and the middle rail is retracted relative to the outer rail.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a slide assembly and a connection device of the slide assembly, and more particularly, to a three-stage slide assembly and the connection device for positioning the middle rail and the outer rail, and the middle rail synchronously moved with the inner rail.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,311 discloses a “Lock and release mechanism for slide assembly” and U.S. Pat. No. 7,357,468 discloses a “Locating structure for a slide assembly”.

These locking and synchronizing mechanisms mentioned above are characterized in the engagement between the engaging block and the engaging hole or engaging recess, so that the rails are smoothly moved and synchronized, and the disengagement between the engaging block and the engaging hole or engaging recess to smoothly slide the rails relative to each other.

Furthermore, the locking mechanism and the synchronizing mechanism are individually installed and which require more machining steps and the manufacturing cost is high.

The present invention intends to provide a slide assembly and a connection device of the slide assembly, wherein when the slide assembly is pulled out from its closed position, the inner and middle rails are synchronously pulled out and the middle rail is connected to the outer rail at a proper position where the inner rail and the middle rail are disengaged from each other and the inner rail is pulled continuously. The present invention further connects the synchronizing mechanism between the middle and inner rails and the positioning mechanism between the middle rail and the outer rail.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a slide assembly and comprises an outer rail having a locking hole and a releasing hole. A middle rail is slidably connected to the outer rail and has a first hole and a second hole defined therein. When the first hole is located corresponding to the locking hole, the second hole is located corresponding to the releasing hole. A locking member has a fixing portion extending therefrom which is fixed to the middle rail. The locking member has a locking portion and a releasing portion. The locking portion extends through the first hole of the middle rail and resiliently contacts the outer rail. The releasing portion is connected to the locking portion and protrudes from the first hole of the middle rail. A synchronizing member extends from the fixing portion of the locking member and extends through the second hole of the middle rail and resiliently contacts the outer rail. The synchronizing member has a protrusion and a contact portion. The protrusion projects from the second hole of the middle rail and the contact portion is located adjacent to the protrusion. The protrusion has an inclined surface. An inner rail is slidably connected to the middle rail and has a connection hole which has a lug extending therefrom. A releasing member is fixed to the inner rail and has a guide surface which is located corresponding to the releasing portion of the locking member. A connection member extends from the releasing member and has an end portion and a shoulder portion. The end portion is located corresponding to the connection hole of the inner rail and contacting the lug. The shoulder portion extends from the end portion and is located corresponding to the protrusion of the synchronizing member.

When the middle rail slides relative to the outer rail, the locking portion of the locking member slidably contacts the outer rail and is moved in the first hole of the middle rail and to a position corresponding to the locking hole of the outer rail, the locking portion of the locking member is inserted into the locking hole of the outer rail, so that the middle rail is locked relative to the outer rail.

When the inner rail is retracted relative to the middle rail, the releasing portion of the locking member is supported by the guide surface of the releasing member, so that the locking portion of the locking member is disengaged from the locking hole of the outer rail, and the middle rail is retracted relative to the outer rail.

When the inner rail is pulled relative to the outer rail, the shoulder portion of the connection member is engaged with the protrusion of the synchronizing member, so that the middle rail is synchronously pulled with the inner rail. The contact portion of the synchronizing member sinks toward the releasing hole of the outer rail when the middle rail is locked relative to the outer rail. The protrusion is retracted from the second hole, the shoulder portion of the connection member is disengaged from the protrusion of the synchronizing member, so that the inner rail is continuously pulled.

When the middle rail is first retracted relative to the outer rail and the inner rail is then moved relative to the middle rail, the connection member slidably contacts the inclined surface of the protrusion of the synchronizing member. The connection member is resiliently deformed and extends to the connection hole of the inner rail. When the shoulder portion of the connection member slidably contacts and moves over the inclined surface of the protrusion, the connection member releases resilient force to engage the shoulder portion with the protrusion of the synchronizing member.

Preferably, the outer rail has a middle section which extends toward the middle rail so that the locking portion of the locking member and the contact portion of the synchronizing member contact the middle section.

Preferably, the width of the contact portion of the synchronizing member is wider than the width of the locking hole of the outer rail.

Preferably, the width of the synchronizing member is wider than the width of the locking hole of the outer rail.

The present invention also provides a connection device of a slide assembly and comprises a locking member having a fixing portion, a locking portion and a releasing portion. The releasing portion is connected to the locking portion and protrudes from the locking portion. A releasing member has a guide surface located corresponding to the releasing portion of the locking member and the guide surface of the releasing member faces the releasing portion of the locking member and supports the releasing portion of the locking member so as to deform the locking member and move the locking portion. A synchronizing member has a protrusion and a contact portion which is located adjacent to the protrusion. The protrusion has an inclined surface. A connection member has an end portion and a shoulder portion which extends from the end portion. The shoulder portion is located corresponding to the protrusion of the synchronizing member.

When the shoulder portion of the connection member is engaged with the protrusion of the synchronizing member to synchronously move the synchronizing member, and the locking portion of the locking member is positioned, the contact portion of the synchronizing member moves in opposite direction relative to the connection member so as to disengage the protrusion of the synchronizing member from the shoulder portion of the connection member.

When the connection member is moved towards the synchronizing member, the connection member slidably contacts the inclined surface of the protrusion. The connection member is resiliently deformed when the shoulder portion of the connection member slidably contacts and moves over the inclined surface of the protrusion. The shoulder portion of the connection member is engaged with the protrusion of the synchronizing member.

Preferably, the synchronizing member extends from the fixing portion of the locking member.

Preferably, the connection member extends from the releasing member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the slide assembly of the present invention comprises an outer rail10, a middle rail12, a locking member14, an inner rail16and a releasing member18.

The outer rail10comprises a locking hole20, a releasing hole22and a protruding middle section24which faces the middle rail12. The middle rail12is slidably connected to the outer rail10and has a first hole26and a second hole28defined therein. When the first hole26is located corresponding to the locking hole20, the second hole28is located corresponding to the releasing hole22as shown inFIG. 4. A locking member14has a fixing portion29extending therefrom which is fixed to the middle rail12.

The fixing portion29has two holes31and the middle rail12has two bosses33which are located corresponding to the holes31. The bosses33are fixed to the holes31by a known way such as riveting to fix the locking member14to the middle rail12.

The locking member14has a locking portion30and a releasing portion32. The locking portion30extends through the first hole26of the middle rail12and resiliently contacts the middle section24of the outer rail10. The releasing portion32is connected to the locking portion30and protrudes from the first hole26of the middle rail12.

A synchronizing member34extends from the fixing portion29of the locking member14and extends through the second hole28of the middle rail12and resiliently contacts the middle section24of the outer rail10. The synchronizing member34has a protrusion36and a contact portion38. The protrusion36projects from the second hole28of the middle rail12and the contact portion38is located adjacent to the protrusion36. The protrusion36has an inclined surface40.

The inner rail16is slidably connected to the middle rail16and has a connection hole42which has a lug44extending therefrom.

The releasing member18is fixed to the inner rail16and has two holes35. The inner rail16includes two bosses37which are fixed to the holes35by a known method such as riveting to fix the releasing member18to the inner rail16. The releasing member18includes a guide surface46which is located corresponding to the releasing portion32of the locking member14.

A connection member48extends from the releasing member18and has an end portion50and a shoulder portion52. The end portion50is located corresponding to the connection hole42of the inner rail16and contacting the lug44. The shoulder portion52extends from the end portion50and is located corresponding to the protrusion36of the synchronizing member34.

Preferably, the width W1of the contact portion38of the synchronizing member34is wider than the width W2of the locking hole20of the outer rail10.

By the arrangement, when the contact portion38of the synchronizing member34contacts the middle section24of the outer rail10and passes by the locking hole20, the synchronizing member34does not sink into the locking hole20so that the synchronizing member34can pass by the locking hole20.

As shown inFIG. 8which shows a second embodiment, wherein the synchronizing member34ahas at least one protrusion36aprotruding from the second hole28aof the middle rail12a. Preferably, the width W3of the synchronizing member34ais wider than the width W4of the locking hole20aof the outer rail10a. By the arrangement, when the synchronizing member34acontacts the middle section24aof the outer rail10aand passes by the locking hole20a, the synchronizing member34adoes not sink into the locking hole20aso that the synchronizing member34acan pass by the locking hole20a.

As shown inFIG. 2, when the inner rail16is retracted relative to the middle rail12, the contact portion38of the synchronizing member34contacts the middle section24of the outer rail10, and the shoulder portion52of the connection member48is located corresponding to the protrusion36of the synchronizing member34. Therefore, when the inner rail16begins to be pulled relative to the outer rail10, as shown inFIG. 3, the shoulder portion52approaches to the protrusion36and engages with the protrusion36, such that the inner rail16and the middle rail12are moved together.

As shown inFIG. 4, when the inner and middle rails16and12are co-moved, the middle rail12moves forward relative to the outer rail10, the locking portion30of the locking member14is slidably moved on the middle section24of the outer rail10and the first hole26of the middle rail12is moved to be located corresponding to the locking hole20of the outer rail10. The deformed locking portion30of the locking member14releases the resilient force and is inserted into the locking hole20of the outer rail10, so that the middle rail12is locked relative to the outer rail10. The middle rail12cannot be retracted backward.

As shown inFIG. 4, when the first hole26of the middle rail12is located corresponding to the locking hole20of the outer rail10to lock the middle rail12, the second hole28of the middle rail12is located corresponding to the releasing hole22of the outer rail10. When the middle rail12is locked relative to the outer rail10, the contact portion38of the synchronizing member34moves toward the opposite direction relative to the connection member48. The contact portion38of the synchronizing member34sinks toward the releasing hole22of the outer rail10to retract the protrusion36from the second hole28. The shoulder portion52of the connection member48is disengaged from the protrusion36of the synchronizing member34. The inner rail16can be continuously pulled as shown inFIG. 5.

Under the circumstance that the middle rail12is locked relative to the outer rail10and cannot be retracted, if the user wants to release the locked status, as shown inFIG. 6, when the inner rail16is retracted relative to the outer rail10, the guide surface46of the releasing member18moves toward the releasing portion32of the locking member14so that the releasing portion32of the locking member14is supported by the guide surface46of the releasing member18. The locking portion30of the locking member14is disengaged from the locking hole20of the outer rail10, and the middle rail12is retracted relative to the outer rail10again.

As shown inFIG. 7, when the middle rail12is first retracted relative to the outer rail10and the inner rail16is then moved relative to the middle rail12, the connection member48moves toward the synchronizing member34. The contact portion38of the synchronizing member34contacts the middle section24of the outer rail10to secure the protrusion36which is not retracted. The connection member48contacts the inclined surface40of the protrusion36so that the connection member48is resiliently deformed and extends to the connection hole42of the inner rail16. When the shoulder portion52of the connection member48moves over the inclined surface40of the protrusion36, the connection member48releases a resilient force to engage the shoulder portion52of the connection member48with the protrusion36of the synchronizing member34.