Abstract:
A slider assembly includes a first slider ( 20 ) with a resiliently deformable positioning member ( 30 ) secured thereon, a second slider ( 40 ) slidably installed on the first slider, and a sliding member ( 50 ) slidably secured on the second slider and positioned between the first slider and the second slider. A protrusion ( 36 ) protrudes from the positioning member. The protrusion defines a receiving slot ( 362 ) therein. A restricting tab ( 46 ) protrudes from the second slider. A protrusion ( 52 ) protrudes from the sliding member. The sliding member defines a through slot ( 522 ) through the protrusion thereof for the restricting tab sliding therein. The sliding member is slidable to disengage the second slider from the first slider.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to slider assemblies, and more particularly to a slider assembly used in a server, a drawer and so on. 
         [0003]    2. General Background 
         [0004]    A slider assembly is usually used between a slidable tray and a frame, such as a server, a drawer and so on. The slider assembly includes a first slider mounted on the frame, a second slider mounted on the tray, and a locking mechanism formed on the first slider and the second slider. The first slider has two sidewalls bent from opposite edges thereof to form two slideways. One of the sidewalls defines a locking opening therein. The second slider has two sidewalls bent from opposite edges thereof for respectively sliding in the slideways of the first slider. The second slider is slidable on the first slider. A locking member is pivotably secured on the second slider. A tab extends from the locking member for engaging in the locking opening of the first slider, thereby preventing the second slider sliding out from the first slider. If it is desired to remove the second slider from the first slider, the locking member is pivoted to disengage the tab from the locking opening. Thus, the second slider can slide out from the first slider. 
         [0005]    However, a space between the first slider and the second slider is so limited that pivotal movement of the locking member is restricted. 
         [0006]    What is needed, therefore, is a slider assembly with a sliding member whose movement is incapable of being restricted by a limited space between a first slider and a second slider of the slider assembly. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    A slider assembly includes a first slider with a resiliently deformable positioning member secured thereon, a second slider slidably installed on the first slider, and a sliding member slidably secured on the second slider and positioned between the first slider and the second slider. A protrusion protrudes from the positioning member. The protrusion defines a receiving slot therein. A restricting tab protrudes from the second slider. A protrusion protrudes from the sliding member. The sliding member defines a through slot through the protrusion thereof for the restricting tab sliding therein. The sliding member is slidable relative to the second slider between a first position in which a portion of the restricting tab is exposed from the protrusion and inserted into the receiving slot, and a second position in which the portion of the restricting tab is received within the protrusion of the sliding member so that the protrusion of the sliding member deforms the positioning member and thereby passes across the protrusion of the positioning member. 
         [0008]    Other advantages and novel features will be drawn from the following detailed description of embodiments with attached drawings, in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a slider assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the slider assembly including a first slider, a resilient positioning member, a second slider, a sliding member, a holding member, and a spring; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is another isometric view of the holding member of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an isometric assembled view of the first slider and the resilient positioning member, and the second slider, the sliding member, the holding member and the spring; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a slider assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a first slider  20 , a resilient positioning member  30 , a second slider  40 , a sliding member  50 , a holding member  60 , and a spring  70 . 
         [0014]    The first slider  20  has two sidewalls bent from opposite long edges thereof to form two slideways  22 . A stop piece  23  protrudes in from an inner surface of the first slider  20  adjacent the right end thereof. A locking opening  24  and a through opening  26  are defined in the first slider  20 , adjacent to the left end of the first slider  20 . Two mounting posts  28  protrude out from an outer surface of the first slider  20  between the stop piece  23  and the through opening  26 . 
         [0015]    An elongated finger or resilient tongue piece  32  is formed in the left end of the resilient positioning member  30 . A locking tab  322  is bent in from a free end of the tongue piece  32 , which is away from the left end of the positioning member  30 , for engaging in the locking opening  24  of the first slider  20 . An arc-shaped protrusion  36  with a receiving slot  362  defined therein protrudes in from the positioning member  30 , adjacent the tongue piece  32 , corresponding to the through opening  26  of the first slider  20 . Two mounting holes  38  are defined in the right end there of the positioning member  30 , corresponding to the mounting posts  28  of the first slider  20 . 
         [0016]    The second slider  40  has two sidewalls  42  bent in from two long opposite edges thereof, for sliding in the slideways  22  of the first slider  20 . A blocking tab  44  protrudes from an inner surface of the second slider  40  adjacent the right end thereof, corresponding to the stop piece  23  of the first slider  20 . The blocking tab  44  is offset from the receiving slot  362  of the protrusion  36  of the positioning member  30  after the second slider  40  slides into the first slider  20 . A restricting tab  46  protrudes in from the inner surface of the second slider  40 , and is capable of inserting into the receiving slot  362  of the protrusion  36  of the positioning member  30  after the second slider  40  slides into the first slider  20 . Two securing holes  47  are defined in the second slider  40  at opposite sides of the restricting tab  46  respectively. Two installing holes  48  are defined in the second slider  40  at one side of the securing holes  47 , away from the blocking tab  44 . 
         [0017]    The sliding member  50  is capable of sliding on the second slider  40  between the sidewalls  42 . A protrusion  52  protrudes out from the sliding member  50  adjacent a right end thereof. A through slot  522  is defined in the sliding member  50  through the protrusion  52 , for the restricting tab  46  sliding therein. Two sliding slots  54  are defined in the sliding member  50  at opposite sides of the protrusion  52  respectively, corresponding to the securing holes  47  of the second slider  40 . An operating block  56  is formed at the left end of the sliding member  50 . A cutout  58  is defined in the sliding member  50 , and a pushing tab  582  extends from a bottom edge of the cutout  58 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , the holding member  60  respectively defines two installing holes  62  at opposite ends thereof, corresponding to the installing holes  48  of the second slider  40 . A holding space  64  is defined in the holding member  60 , facing the second slider  40 , for receiving the spring  70 . 
         [0019]    Referring also to  FIG. 3 , the positioning member  30  is placed on the outer surface of the first slider  20 . The mounting posts  28  of the first slider  20  are respectively inserted into the mounting holes  38  of the positioning member  30 , thereby stably securing the positioning member  30  by riveting. The locking tab  322  of the tongue piece  32  is inserted into the locking opening  24  and abuts on the inner surface of the first slider  20 . The protrusion  36  of the positioning member  30  is inserted into the through opening  26  of the first slider  20 . 
         [0020]    The sliding member  50  is placed on the inner surface of the second slider  40  between the sidewalls  42 . The restricting tab  46  of the second slider  40  is inserted into the through slot  522  of the sliding member  50 . The sliding slots  54  of the sliding member  50  are respectively corresponding to the securing holes  47  of the second slider  40 . Two securing members  80 , such as screws, respectively extend through the sliding slots  54  and engage in the securing holes  47 , thereby slidably securing the sliding member  50  on the second slider  40 . The spring  70  is received in the holding space  64  of the holding member  60 , and together with the holding member  60  placed on the inner surface of the second slider  40  and positioned in the cutout  58  of the sliding member  50 . The pushing tab  582  of the sliding member  50  is received into the holding space  64 , and positioned at the right side of the spring  70 . The installing holes  62  of the holding member  60  respectively align with the installing holes  48  of the second slider  40 . Two installing members  90 , such as screws, are respectively inserted through the installing holes  62  of the holding member  60  and engaged in the installing holes  48  of the second slider  40 , thereby stably fixing the holding member  60  on the second slider  40 . 
         [0021]    Before the second slider  40  slides into the first slider  20 , the spring  70  has an original length. At this time, the sliding member  50  is positioned in a first position. The restricting tab  46  of the second slider  40  is positioned at a left end of the through slot  522  of the sliding member  50 . The securing members  80  are respectively positioned at left ends of the sliding slots  54  of the sliding member  50 . 
         [0022]    Referring also to  FIGS. 3-4 , the sidewalls  42  of the second slider  40  are inserted into the slideways  22  of the first slider  20  from the left end thereof, until the blocking tab  44  of the second slider  40  abuts on the protrusion  36  of the positioning member  30 . The second slider  40  is pushed to have the blocking tab  44  pressing the protrusion  36  to resiliently deform the positioning member  30  out, so that the blocking tab  44  can pass across the protrusion  36 . The second slider  40  can slide into the first slider  20  until the protrusion  52  of the sliding member  50  is stopped by the protrusion  36  of the positioning member  30 . The second slider  40  is further pushed to slide on the first slider  20  to have the protrusion  52  pressing the protrusion  36  to resiliently deform the positioning member  30  out, so that the protrusion  52  can pass across the protrusion  36 . The second slider  40  can further slide on the first slider  20  until the blocking tab  44  of the second slider  40  is stopped by the stop piece  23  of the first slider  20 . 
         [0023]    In removal of the second slider  40 , the second slider  40  is pulled out from the first slider  20  until the restricting tab  46  of the second slider  40  is inserted into the receiving slot  362  of the protrusion  36  of the positioning member  30 . The operating block  56  is pulled to slide the sliding member  50  on the second slider  40  from the first position to a second position. At this time, the restricting tab  46  is slid to a right end of the through slot  522  of the protrusion  52 . The securing members  80  are respectively slid to right ends of the sliding slots  54 . The pushing tab  582  of the positioning member  50  presses the spring  70  to resiliently deform to shorten. Then the second slider  40  is further pulled to slide out, the protrusion  52  presses the protrusion  36  to resiliently deform the positioning member  30  out, and thereby passes across the protrusion  36 . Since the blocking tab  44  of the second slider  40  is now offset from the receiving slot  362  of the protrusion  36 , the blocking tab  44  of the second slider  40  cannot insert into the receiving slot  362  of the protrusion  36  of the positioning member  30 , but press the protrusion  36  to resiliently deform out the positioning member  30  when the second slider  40  is slid to abut the blocking tab  44  on the protrusion  36 . The blocking tab  44  can thus pass across the protrusion  36 . The second slider  40  can be taken out from the first slider  20 . After the operating block  56  is released, the spring  70  rebounds to the original length, thereby pushing the pushing tab  582  to slide the sliding member  50  from the second position to the first position. 
         [0024]    In this embodiment, the sliding member  50  is slid between the sidewalls  42  of the second slider  40  along a direction, in which the second slider  40  extends, so movement of the sliding member  50  cannot be restricted by the limited space between the first slider  20  and the second slider  40 . 
         [0025]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of preferred embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the preferred embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.