Abstract:
A drawer slide with an auto close dampening system with reset feature is disclosed. The drawer slide may incorporate a stationary slide member attached to a frame of the drawer and a pin in fixed relative position to a drawer box of the drawer. A carriage is attached to the stationary slide member and has an actuator that is releasably engageable with the pin. The actuator works in conjunction with the pin to automatically close the drawer box to the closed position. During malfunction, the actuator is drawn back to a retracted position so that the auto close mechanism no longer automatically closes the drawer box when the drawer box is traversed to the closed position. The actuator includes a ramp so that the pin may be pushed over the ramp and engage back with the actuator to reset the auto close mechanism.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The present invention relates generally to a drawer slide, and more particularly, to an auto-close dampening system incorporated into the drawer slide with a reset feature. 
         [0004]    Drawer slides are mounted to opposed sides of a drawer box to allow the drawer box to slide in and out of a cabinet or other frame. In certain instances, the drawer slides assist the user in closing the drawer box to the fully closed position. Additionally, once the drawer box is in the fully closed position, the drawer slides maintain the drawer box in the closed position despite external forces that may urge the drawer box to the opened position. In operation, as the user pushes the drawer box closed, an auto close mechanism engages the drawer box at the end of the closing section and gently pulls the drawer box to the fully closed position and maintains the drawer box in the closed position. Unfortunately, sometimes the auto close mechanism fails or malfunctions. In this instance, the auto close mechanism is rendered inoperable. The auto close mechanism fails to pull the drawer box to the fully closed position. Also, when the auto-close mechanism is inoperable, the drawer box may inadvertently be traversed to the opened position. If the drawer box is employed in an airplane or is meant to be earthquake proof, then the drawer box would open as the plane rolls or pitches or during the occurrence of an earthquake. To render the auto-close mechanism operable once again, the drawer box and frame of the drawer must be disassembled to fix the auto-close mechanism. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved more reliable auto close mechanism and a more convenient method to fix a malfunctioning auto-close mechanism. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The drawer slide auto close dampening system with reset feature disclosed herein addresses the needs discussed above, discussed below and those that are known in the art. 
         [0007]    The drawer slide disclosed herein may be attached to both a frame of a drawer and a drawer box. The auto close mechanism may include a carriage attached to a stationary slide member and a pin in fixed relative position with respect to a telescoping slide member and the drawer box. The carriage incorporates an actuator that is releasably engageable to the pin. The actuator is traversable between a retracted position wherein the drawer box is in the closed position and an extended position wherein the drawer box is being traversed toward the opened position. At the extended position, the actuator is also pivotable between an engaged position and a released position. In operation as the drawer box is traversed from the closed position to the opened position, the pin is engaged to the actuator. When the actuator reaches the extended position, the pin is released from the actuator and also pushes or rotates the actuator to the released position. The drawer box is now freely traversable to the fully opened position so that the user may access the interior compartment of the drawer box. In relation to the actuator, when the actuator is in the released position, the actuator is held in the extended and released position until the user pushes the drawer box back to the closed position to reengage the pin to the actuator. When the pin is reengaged to the actuator, the actuator is pivoted back up to the engaged position and the actuator being biased toward the retracted position pulls the drawer box closed. Sometimes, when the pin is released from the actuator, the actuator is supposed to pivot to the released position and remain in the released and extended position until the drawer box is pushed back to the closed position. However, during a malfunction, the actuator may release the pin but be inadvertently pivoted back toward the engaged position even though the pin is not engaged to the actuator. In this instance, the actuator will retract back to the retracted position even though the pin is not engaged to the actuator. The drawer box is freely openable and accessible. Fortunately, the actuator has a reset feature. In particular, the actuator may have a ramp that is aligned to the pin so that the pin may ride over the ramp and reengage a catch of the actuator to reset the auto close mechanism. When the drawer box is reopened, the auto close mechanism will work as needed unless another malfunction occurs. 
         [0008]    More particularly, a slide for a drawer having a frame and a drawer box is disclosed. The slide may comprise a stationary slide member, telescoping slide member, and an auto close mechanism with reset feature. The stationary slide member may be attached to a frame of the drawer. The telescoping slide member may be slideable with respect to the stationary slide member between an extended position and a retracted position. The telescoping slide member may be attachable to a drawer box of the drawer for traversing the drawer box between an opened position and a closed position. The auto close mechanism may be attached to both the stationary and telescoping slide members. 
         [0009]    The auto close mechanism may comprise a pin and an actuator. The pin may be in fixed relative position with respect to the telescoping slide member and the drawer box. The actuator may be biased toward a retracted position and traversable to an extended position as the drawer box is traversed to the opened position. The actuator may have a catch and may be pivotable between (1) an engaged position so that the actuator and the pin are in fixed relative position to each other for auto closing the drawer box and (2) a release position so that the pin is released from the actuatory for allowing the drawer box to be traversed to the opened position. The actuator may define a leading portion having a ramp configuration for resetting the auto close mechanism when the actuator is inadvertently traversed to the engaged position when the drawer box is in the opened position. 
         [0010]    The auto close mechanism may further comprise a carriage attached to the stationary slide member and a dampener mounted to the carriage and attached to the actuator for dampening movement of the drawer box to the closed position after the actuator engages the pin. The dampener may be a strut including a shock absorber and a shaft which is traversable in and out of the shock absorber. A distal end portion of the shaft may be pivotally attached to the actuator. The actuator may be rotatable between engaged and released positions. 
         [0011]    The ramp may be aligned to the path of travel of the pin so that the pin can ride up on the ramp and reengage the catch for resetting the auto close mechanism when the actuator is inadvertently traversed to the engaged position when the drawer box is in the open position. A ramp surface of the ramp may be aligned to a distal end of the pin. The ramp may be disposed in front of the catch to allow the ramp to push the pin over ramp and into the catch of the actuator. 
         [0012]    The auto close mechanism may comprise a strut attached to the actuator for dampening movement of the drawer box as it is traversed to the closed position, and a spring attached to the actuator for auto closing the drawer box back to the closed position. 
         [0013]    Additionally, a method of resetting an auto close mechanism of a drawer is disclosed. The method may comprise the steps of providing the auto close mechanism attached to the drawer, the auto close mechanism having an actuator traversed to an engaged position with a pin engaged to a catch of the actuator; pulling a drawer box to an opened position; during the pulling step, increasing a bias applied to the drawer box to a closed position until the actuator is traversed to a release position and the pin is disengaged from the catch of the actuator; after the pin is disengaged from the catch, traversing the drawer to the opened position; and with the actuator inadvertently traversed back to the engaged position with the pin disengaged from the catch of the actuator, traversing the drawer box toward the closed position; and during the traversing step, engaging the pin with a ramp of the actuator to push the pin over the ramp and into the catch for resetting the auto close mechanism. 
         [0014]    The method may further include the step of pulling the drawer box toward the closed position with a spring. The step of pulling the drawer box to the opened position may include the step of overcoming a bias force (e.g., spring bias force) urging the drawer box toward the closed position. The engaging the pin with the ramp step may further include the step of laterally displacing the pin over the ramp. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a drawer slide auto-close-dampening system with reset feature; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the auto-close-dampening system with reset feature shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the auto-close-dampening system with reset feature with an actuator in an engaged and extended position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3A  is a cross section view of the auto close dampening system shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates the actuator of  FIG. 3  in an engaged and retracted position; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the auto-close-dampening system with reset feature wherein the actuator is in the engaged and retracted position but a pin is not disposed in a catch of the actuator; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a top cross sectional view of the auto-close dampening system with reset feature shown in  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  illustrates the auto-close-dampening system with the actuator in a released and extended position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    Referring now to the drawings, a slide  10  for a drawer  12  is shown. The slide  10  incorporates an auto close mechanism  14  to assist in closing the drawer  12  and to maintain the drawer  12  in the closed position. As a drawer box  16  of the drawer  12  is traversed from an open position (see  FIG. 1 ) to a closed position by traversing the drawer box  16  in the direction of arrow  18  (see  FIG. 1 ), a pin  20  (see  FIG. 2 ) attached to the drawer box  16  engages an actuator  22  attached to a frame  34  of the drawer  12 . When the pin  20  engages the actuator  22 , the actuator  22  is traversed from the released position (see  FIG. 2 ) to the engaged position (see  FIG. 3 ). The actuator  22  is now engaged to the pin. The springs  24  draw the actuator  22  from the extended position (see  FIG. 3 ) to the retracted position (see  FIG. 4 ) and the drawer box  16  to the closed position. 
         [0025]    Inadvertently, the actuator  22  may be traversed to the engaged position even though the pin  20  is not engaged to the actuator  22 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . In this instance, the drawer box  16  is not automatically closed as discussed above. Rather, the user must push the drawer box  16  until the drawer box  16  is in the closed position. If the auto close mechanism  14  is not reset after this malfunction, then the drawer box  16  may be accidentally traversed to the open position. For example, in an airplane environment, the airplane may pitch and roll applying forces to the drawer box. Since the auto close mechanism  14  is not reset or the pin  20  is not reengaged to the actuator  22 , the drawer box  16  is free to open when the airplane pitches and rolls. Fortunately, the auto close mechanism  14  has a reset feature which allows the auto close mechanism to be quickly and easily reset after a mechanical failure. In particular, the actuator  22  has a ramp  26  (see  FIG. 5 ) that allows the pin  20  to be pushed over the ramp  26  and back into a catch  28  of the actuator  22  to reset the auto close mechanism  14 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . After the auto close mechanism  14  is reset, the drawer box  16  will not be accidentally traversed to the open position. The springs  24  and a shock absorber  42  help to maintain the drawer box  16  at the closed position. Additionally, when the drawer box  16  is pulled out a subsequent time, the auto close mechanism  14  will behave as normal (e.g., assist in auto closing the drawer box, etc.) provided that the actuator  22  is not inadvertently traversed back to the engaged position even though the pin  20  is not disposed in the catch  28 . 
         [0026]    More particularly, referring now to  FIG. 1 , two slides  10  are shown as being attached to lateral sides of drawer box  16  and medial sides of the frame  34 . The slide  10  and auto close mechanism  14  will be discussed in relation to one of the slides  10 . However, the other slide  10  on the opposed side of the drawer box  16  may operate in substantially the same fashion and may have a mirror configuration. 
         [0027]    The slide  10  may include one stationary slide member  30  and at least one telescoping slide member  32 . The stationary slide member  30  may be fixedly attached to a frame  34  of the drawer  12  by way of screws, adhesive, nut and bolt connection, etc. The frame  34  is being shown as a cabinet. However, it is contemplated that the frame  34  may be any type of overhead cabinetry, under the shelf cabinetry, a desk drawer, a stand, etc. The telescoping slide member  32  may slide into and out of the stationary slide member  30  in the direction of arrow  36  (see  FIG. 1 ). The telescoping slide member  32  may be fixedly attached to the drawer box  16  also by way of screws, adhesive, nut and bolt connection, etc. The slide  10  is being described and shown in relation to the drawer box  16 . However, it is also contemplated that the slide  10  may also be incorporated on a shelf, or other object that needs to be slid in and out of position. The drawer box  16  may be traversed to the open position shown in  FIG. 1  wherein the user may access the interior of the drawer box  16  or to the closed position wherein the drawer box  16  is disposed within the frame  34  so that the contents within the drawer box  16  do not fall out or the drawer box  16  is not unintentionally traversed to the opened position. 
         [0028]    An enlarged illustration of the auto close mechanism  14  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The auto close mechanism  14  includes a carriage  38  that may be fixedly attached (e.g., pin  31 ) to the stationary slide member  30 . A strut  40  may be mounted within the carriage  38 . The strut  40  may include an air shock absorber  42  attached to a base  41  of the carriage and a reciprocating shaft  44  that can be traversed into and out of the shock absorber  42 . A stroke length of the reciprocating shaft  44  determines the amount of travel that the auto close mechanism  14  assists in closing the drawer box  16 . The shaft  44  may be attached to a common plate  46  that extends behind an extended arm  43  of the carriage  38  and is also attached to the springs  24 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 3A . The extended arm  43  of the carriage  38  may have a track  48  defining a straight portion  64  and an inturned portion  60 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . As the shaft  44  travels into and out of the shock absorber  42 , the actuator  22  also travels closer to and further away from the shock absorber  42 . The actuator  22  remains in the engaged position (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) while the actuator  22  is in the straight portion  64 . As the actuator  22  approaches the inturned portion  60 , the actuator  22  is pivoted as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7  to the released position. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the common plate  46  has a first protrusion  50  that is fixedly attached to a distal end portion of the reciprocating shaft  44 . The common plate  46  may additionally have a split protrusion  52  that may protrude through the track  48  and may be received within an aperture  54  of the actuator  22 . The split protrusion  52  remains within the straight portion of the track  48  as the actuator  22  is traversed between the extended and retracted positions. The actuator  22  may additionally have a protrusion  56  extending to the back side of the actuator  22 , as shown in  FIG. 3A . The protrusion  56  also travels within the track  48 . However, as the actuator  22  approaches the inturned portion  60  of the track  48  (see  FIG. 3 ), the protrusion  56  may be pushed into the inturned portion  60  of the track  48 . In particular, as shown in  FIG. 7 , as the pin  20  is being disengaged from the catch  28  of the actuator  22 , the pin  20  may contact an apex  58  of the ramp  26 . This pushes the pin  20  into the inturned portion  60  of the track  48  and rotates the actuator  22  to the release position (see  FIG. 7 ). The protrusion  56  is now disposed within the inturned portion  60  of the track  48 . After the pin  20  is released from the catch  28 , the springs  24  bias the actuator  22  back toward the shock absorber  42 . However, since the inturned portion  60  of the track  48  is reversed, the springs  24  pull the protrusion  56  further into the inturned portion  60  of the track  48 . The protrusion  56  prevents the traversal of the actuator  22  back toward the shock absorber  42  since the protrusion  56  is caught within the inturned portion  60  of the track  48 . The drawer box  16  can now be opened fully so that a user may access the content within the drawer box  16  or place additional objects within the drawer box  16 . 
         [0030]    When the user is done accessing the drawer box  16 , the user begins to close the drawer box  16 . The pin  20  is traversed closer to the actuator  22 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . The pin  20  enters the catch  28 . As the user pushes the drawer box  16  further to the closed position, the pin  20  pushes a tang  62  of the actuator  22  to rotate the actuator  22  back to an engaged position, as shown in  FIG. 3 . Once the pin  20  is disposed within the catch  28  and the actuator  22  is traversed to the engaged position, the protrusion  56  is now within the straight longitudinal section  64  of the track  48 . Also, as discussed above, the split protrusion  52  is disposed within the straight portion of the track  48 . After the actuator  22  is moved back a bit, the protrusion  56  can no longer be rotated back into the inturned portion  60  of the track  48 . As such, the pin  20  remains within the catch  28 . The springs  24  now pull the actuator  22  back. The shock absorber  42  prevents the drawer box  16  from accelerating back to the closed position. Rather, the shock absorber  42  regulates the springs  24  to allow the drawer box  16  to be gently and slowly pulled back to the closed position. Additionally, since the pin  20  is attached to the drawer box  16 , the drawer box  16  is traversed automatically to the closed position under the bias force of the springs  24 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , when the pin  20  is released from the catch  28  of the actuator  22 , the protrusion  56  is engaged to the inturned portion  60  of the track  48  to prevent the springs  24  from traversing the actuator  22  back to the retracted position (see  FIG. 4 ). Unfortunately, sometimes the actuator  22  may be rotated back to the engaged position (see  FIG. 5 ) after the pin  20  is released from the catch  28 . This may occur for various reasons such as jostling, malfunction, tolerance issues, etc. If the actuator  22  is accidentally rotated to the engaged position, the actuator  22  will be traversed back to the retracted position under power of the springs  24  even if the pin  20  is not disposed within the catch  28  of the actuator  22 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . In this instance, as the user pushes the drawer box  16  closed, the auto close mechanism  14  does not operate to close the drawer box  16  due to the malfunction of the auto close mechanism  14 . Fortunately, the actuator  22  has a ramp  26  that permits resetting of the auto close mechanism  14  in the event of a malfunction. In particular, as the drawer box  16  is traversed to the closed position, the pin  20  is traversed in the direction of arrow  18  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 5A . The pin  20  is aligned to the carriage  38  so that the pin  20  is traversed in front of the extended arm  43  of the carriage  38 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Moreover, the pin  20  is aligned to a ramp surface  70  so that the pin  20  initially contacts the ramp surface  70 , is pushed over the ramp  26  and reengages with the catch  28  also shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0032]    The pin  20  may be attached to an extension  68  (see  FIG. 5 ) which is fixedly attached to the telescoping slide member  32 . As the drawer box  16  is traversed toward the closed position, the telescoping slide member  32 , the extension  68  and the pin  20  are traversed in the direction of arrow  18  shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Generally, the pin  20  is aligned to the ramp surface  70  of the ramp  26 . In particular, a distal end  72  of the pin  20  may be disposed in front of the extended arm  43  of the carriage  38  and may initially contact the ramp surface  70  as the pin  20  is traversed in the direction of arrow  18 . After the distal end  72  of the pin  20  contacts the ramp surface  70 , the pin  20  is pushed over the ramp  26 . To this end, the extension  68  (see  FIG. 5 ) may bend and/or the slack or play between the stationary slide member  30  and the telescoping slide member  32  may allow the pin  20  to be pushed over the ramp  26 . Once the pin  20  traverses over the ramp  26 , the pin  20  is urged into the catch  28 . In particular, as discussed above, the pin  20  is pushed over the ramp  26  by either the bending of the extension  68  or the slack between the stationary and telescoping slide members  30 ,  32 . However, the normal position of the pin  20  is such that the pin  20  should be disposed within the catch  28 . As such, when the pin  20  is pushed entirely over the ramp  26 , the pin  20  is urged into the catch  28 . Moreover, a diameter  74  of the pin  20  is equal to or preferably slightly less than a width  76  of the catch  28  so that the pin  20  can be urged into the catch  28  once the pin  20  is pushed entirely over the ramp  26 . 
         [0033]    In operation, the auto close mechanism  14  may initially be in the state shown in  FIG. 4 . The actuator  22  is in the engaged and retracted position. The pin  20  is disposed within the catch  28 . The actuator  22  cannot be rotated about split protrusion  52  because the protrusions  52  and  56  are now currently disposed within the straight elongate portion  64  of the track  48 . In this position, the drawer box  16  is in the closed position and remains in the closed position until the user pulls the drawer box  16  toward the open position. If the user does not pull the drawer box  16  toward the open position, then the drawer box  16  will remain in the closed position despite environmental forces that may urge the drawer box  16  toward the opened position. By way of example and not limitation, in an earthquake, the drawer box  16  may be urged toward the opened position, but the auto close mechanism  14  may maintain the drawer box  16  in the closed position. Additionally, if the auto close mechanism  14  is employed on a drawer  12  of an airplane, then the drawer box  16  may be urged toward the opened position as the plane pitches and rolls in the air. Fortunately, the auto close mechanism  14  maintain the drawer box  16  in the closed position. The springs  24  and the air shock absorber  42  maintain the drawer box  16  in the closed position despite environmental forces that may urge the drawer box  16  toward the opened position. The user dictates when the drawer box  16  will be traversed toward the opened position by pulling on a handle  78  (see  FIG. 1 ) attached to the drawer box  16 . 
         [0034]    When the user pulls on the handle  78  of the drawer box  16 , the telescoping slide member  32  is slid out of the stationary slide member  30 . Additionally, the actuator  22  is also traversed toward the extended position (see  FIG. 3 ). The protrusion  56  and the split protrusion  52  of the actuator  22  remain in the straight portion  64  of the track  48  so that the pin  20  is not released from the actuator  22  as the actuator  22  is traversed toward the extended position. The springs  24  bias the actuator  22  back toward the retracted position such that the user must overcome the spring force of the springs  24  to open the drawer box  16 . The dampener also provides additional resistance to preventing accidental opening of the drawer box  16 . As the user continues to traverse the drawer box  16  toward the opened position, the protrusion  56  approaches the inturned portion  60  of the track  48 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Since the pin  20  is located above the split protrusion  52 , the pin  20  pushes against ramp  26  to urge the actuator  22  in the clockwise direction about the split protrusion  52 . The protrusion  56  of the actuator  22  is now pushed into the inturned portion  60  of the track  48 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . To ensure that the protrusion  56  of the actuator  22  is urged into the inturned portion  60 , the pin  20  may contact and hit the apex  58  of the ramp  26 . Once the pin  20  is released from the catch  28  of the actuator  22 , the user continues to traverse the drawer box  16  toward the fully opened position. The springs  24  urge the actuator  22  back toward the retracted position. However, since the protrusion  56  of the actuator  22  is now disposed within the inturned portion  60  of the track  48 , the springs  24  bias the protrusion  56  of the actuator  22  further into the inturned portion  60  of the track  48 . The actuator  22  remains in the extended and released position (see  FIG. 7 ) until the user traverses the drawer box  16  back toward the closed position. 
         [0035]    When the user traverses the drawer box  16  back toward the closed position, the pin  20  approaches the catch  28  of the actuator  22 . The pin  20  contacts a tang  62  of the actuator  22  so as to urge the actuator  22  in the counterclockwise direction about the split protrusion  52  and also urge the protrusion  56  of the actuator  22  back into the straight portion  64  of the track  48 . Once the protrusion  56  of the actuator  22  is in the straight portion  64  of the track  48  (see  FIG. 3 ), the springs  24  pull the actuator  22  back toward the retracted position. Once both the split protrusion  52  and the protrusion  56  of the actuator  22  are in the straight portion  64  of the track  48 , the actuator  22  cannot pivot. The pin  20  is now locked in the catch  28 . The springs  24  in conjunction with the strut  40  (i.e., shock absorber  42 ) aid in slowly and gently closing the drawer box  16  to the closed position. The strut  40  prevents the springs  24  from quickly and abruptly bringing the drawer box  16  back to the closed position. 
         [0036]    This process is repeated each time the drawer box  16  is opened and closed. Unfortunately, sometimes when the pin  20  is released from the catch  28 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , the actuator  22  may accidently and inadvertently be traversed back to the engaged position and be rotated in the counterclockwise direction. In this event, the protrusion  56  and the split protrusion  52  of the actuator  22  are now in the straight portion  64  of the track  48 . The springs  24  urge the actuator  22  back to the retracted and engaged position even though the pin  20  is not disposed in the catch  28 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The drawer box  16  can be opened. However, when the drawer box  16  is closed, the auto close mechanism  14  fails to operate. The auto close mechanism  14  does not assist in the closing of the drawer box  16  as discussed above. 
         [0037]    The auto close mechanism  14  shown in  FIG. 5  has a reset feature. In particular, the reset feature includes the ramp  26  in the actuator  22 . The ramp  26  is aligned to the pin  20  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . When the drawer box  16  is pushed toward the closed position, the pin  20  which is aligned to the ramp  26  contacts ramp surface  70  which urges the pin  20  over the ramp  26 . When the pin  20  is pushed entirely over the ramp  26 , the pin  20  then reengages with the catch  28  to reset the auto close mechanism. The next time the drawer box  16  is opened, the auto close mechanism  14  will operate as discussed above. 
         [0038]    The carriage  38  is described as being attached to the stationary slide member  30  and the pin  20  in fixed relation with the telescoping slide member  32 . However, it is also contemplated that the reverse configuration may also be fabricated. In particular, the pin  20  may be fixedly attached to the stationary slide member  30  and the carriage  38  may be fixedly attached to the telescoping slide member  32 . The pin  20  may be in alignment with the ramp  26  of the actuator  22  that slides within a track  48  of the carriage  38  as described above. 
         [0039]    The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein, including various ways of dampening the shaft  44 . Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.