Abstract:
A release mechanism for telescoping slide including an outer member and an inner member is provided. The mechanism comprises an elongate connection member slidably mounted on the inner member. Operation performed on the access end of connection member at outer end of the slide may be transmitted to a pivot member near inner end of the slide. Thus pivot member may be selectively locked or unlocked for stopping or enabling the relative movement of the inner and the outer members. The push-pull style manipulation of the connection member is advantageous for having the open access end. Further, the structure is simplified for facilitating manufacture.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of slides and more particularly to an improved release mechanism for telescoping slide assembly. 
     2. Related Art 
     Conventionally, a slide is widely employed to enable the relative movement of a drawer and a cabinet, a computer desk and a keyboard shelf, or the like. A conventional slide comprises an outer member and an inner member. For example in the drawer and cabinet configuration, outer member is fixedly attached to the wall of cabinet and inner member is fixedly attached to the side of drawer. Typically, a ball bearing mechanism is employed to interconnect above two members in a rolling relation. Hence, inner member may coaxially move respect to outer member. Thus drawer is permitted to remove to its maximum extension or retract into the cabinet. Conventionally, a stop mechanism such as latch is employed to lock the slide in a fully extended position when the slide reaches its maximum extension. At this time, inner and outer members are held in place by the latch. Hence, drawer supported by inner member is held in this place. Further, it is possible to detach drawer from cabinet by manually manipulating the latch if desired. One such latch based locking mechanism for slide is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,405,195 and 5,961,193. Each of both disclosed a release mechanism situated on the front of slide controllable to manipulate the rear of slide. It comprises a lever for unlocking a number of slides in a locked position. The lever is implemented as an elongate steel spring. One end of lever is at the extension direction of slide, while the other end is coupled to a latch inside the slide. Hence, user may depress the outer end of lever to lift a locking pin of latch at the other end by utilizing the well known lever principle. Thus the locked slide is disengaged from lever, resulting in an unlocking of slide. However, the previous design suffered from several disadvantages. For example, user may unintentionally press the outer end of lever to activate the unlocking of slide due to the open, manual pressing design. Also, it is complex in structure. Such previous design is primarily suitable to slides installed under a load (e.g., drawer), not for slides affixed to the sides of load. Moreover, such previous design is too bulky to install in many current cabinets. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a release mechanism which is activated by pulling or pushing. A locking of a load supported by slide is made possible through a pivot member at an inner end of slide when the load is pulled to an outer end of slide. Alternatively, unlock the release mechanism for removing the load from a cabinet or pushing the load completely into the cabinet. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple and compact release mechanism for telescoping slide assembly. 
     The advantages of the present invention are realized by providing a release mechanism for telescoping slide including an outer member and an inner member. The mechanism comprises a stop member affixed to the outer member for stopping further outward movement of the inner member when reaching a predetermined use position; a connection member having an elongate shape and slidably mounted on the inner member, one access end of the connection member being open at an outer end of the slide, while the other end being formed as at least one rear cam; a pivot member including a pivot pin mounted on the inner member such that the pivot member is pivotal about the pivot pin, the pivot member being maintained either in a locked storage position or operable to pivot to an unlocked position by the activation of the rear cam of the connection member, a front surface, and a rear surface, both the front and the rear surfaces either being blocked by the stop member when the inner member moves to the use position, thus prohibiting a relative movement between the inner and the outer members, or when the pivot member is unlocked by the activated the rear cam the front and the rear surfaces being disengaged from the stop member, thus unlocking the inner member and the stop member; and an elastic member mounted on the inner member and biased to maintain the pivot member in the use, the locked storage, or the unlocked position. 
     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment of release mechanism mounted on a telescoping slide assembly according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of FIG. 1 illustrating a manual operation of the release mechanism adjacent the front side of drawer; 
     FIG. 3A is a side view illustrating the engagement of connection member and pivot member in a locked storage position; 
     FIG. 3B is a view similar to FIG. 3A where inner member is about to reach a fully extended use position with pivot member about to pass a stop member; 
     FIG. 3C is a view similar to FIG. 3A where inner member has reached the use position with pivot member and stop member engaged to stop a relative movement between inner and outer members; 
     FIG. 3D is a view similar to FIG. 3A where pivot member is unlocked by the activated rear cam of connection member, resulting in a disengagement of inner and outer members, 
     FIG. 4 is a second preferred embodiment of release mechanism mounted on a telescoping slide assembly according to the invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is a third preferred embodiment of release mechanism mounted on a telescoping slide assembly according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  3 , there is shown a telescoping slide assembly incorporating a release mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention. Slide comprises an outer member  20  and an inner member  30 . This embodiment is implemented in a drawer and a cabinet combination wherein two pair of slides are employed to effectuate a relative sliding movement therebetween. Outer member  20  is affixed to the wall of cabinet. Inner member  30  is affixed to either side of drawer. Inner member  30  is slidably received in outer member  20 . Typically, a ball bearing mechanism (e.g., ball bearings  40 ) is employed to interconnect inner and outer members  20  and  30 . Hence, inner member  30  may coaxially move respect to outer member  20 . When drawer is pulled out to its maximum extension, slide is also extended to a fully extended use position. Alternatively, user may retract the drawer into cabinet. Hence, the release mechanism of the invention may be activated so as to effect a locking of drawer when drawer is pulled to the fully extended use position. Alternatively, unlock inner member  30  and outer member  20  for removing drawer from cabinet or pushing drawer completely into the cabinet. The components of the release mechanism are as follows: 
     Stop member  50  is affixed to outer member  20  for stopping further outward movement of inner member  30  when reaching a predetermined use position. Connection member  60  has an elongate shape and is mounted on inner wall of inner member  30 . Connection member  60  may slide back and forth lengthwise on inner member  30 . One end  61  of connection member  60  is open at an outer end of slide for ease of access by hand, while the other end is formed as at least one rear cam  62 . Pivot member  70  comprises a pivot pin  72  mounted on inner wall of inner member  30  such that pivot member  70  may pivot about pin  72 . Pivot member  70  is maintained in a locked storage position as shown in FIG.  3 A. Pivot member  70  is also possible of pivoting to an unlocked position by the activation of rear cam  62  of connection member  60  (FIG.  3 D). Pivot member  70  further comprises a front surface  71   a  and a rear surface  71   b  which are blocked by stop member  50  when inner member  30  moves to a use position (FIG.  3 C). Thus a relative movement between inner member  30  and outer member  20  is prohibited. To the contrary, when pivot member  70  is unlocked by the activated rear cam  62 , the front and rear surfaces  71   a  and  71   b  are disengaged from stop member  50 , thus unlocking inner member  30  and stop member  50  (FIG.  3 D). Then user may push drawer into cabinet or remove drawer from cabinet. Elastic member  80  is mounted on inner member  30  and biased to maintain pivot member  70  in any of above positions. It is apparent of being possible for the provision of a single front surface  71   a  on pivot member  70  in another implementation. Likewise, inner member  30  is blocked by the front surface  71   a  from further movement when reaching the predetermined use position. Alternatively, when pivot member  70  is unlocked by the activated rear cam  62 , the front surface  71   a  is disengaged from stop member  50 , thus unlocking inner member  30  and stop member  50  (FIG.  3 D). Then user may remove drawer from cabinet. 
     In the embodiment, stop member  50  is an independent member mounted on outer member  20 , i.e., on the inner wall of outer member  20  facing pivot member  70 . Stop member  50  comprises a pair of spaced front first locking lugs  51   a  and a pair of spaced rear second locking lugs  51   b.  Such locking lugs  51   a  and  51   b  are corresponding to surfaces  71   a  and  71   b  of pivot member  70  respectively. When inner member  30  is about to reach the fully extended use position (FIG.  3 B), pivot member  70  is approaching locking lug  51   b.  Then pivot member  70  passes locking lug  51   b  to reach the use position (FIG.  3 C). At this time, surfaces  71   a  and  71   b  of pivot member  70  are situated between and stopped by locking lugs  51   a  and  51   b  of stop member  50 , thus stopping a further movement of inner member  30 . Preferably, in the position shown in FIG. 3A or FIG. 3C, surfaces  71   a  and  71   b  are perpendicular to locking lugs  51   a  and  51   b  respectively. Also, surfaces  71   a  and  71   b  and locking lugs  51   a  and  51   b  are perpendicular to the sliding direction of inner member  30 , thereby ensuring a sliding secure relationship between inner member  30  and outer member  20 . 
     In another implementation of stop member  50 , locking lugs  51   a  and  51   b  are formed by punching on inner wall  21  of outer member  20 . The projecting direction of each of locking lugs  51   a  and  51   b  is toward pivot member  70 . It is unnecessary to additionally manufacture an independent stop member  50  as shown in FIG.  1 . Thus, the number of components is further reduced. 
     In the first embodiment, connection member  60  is an elongate thin member  60  which may be formed by punching on a suitable metal. As shown in FIG. 1, an enlargement  63  is mounted on outer end  61  of connection member  60 . Preferably, enlargement  63  is formed of plastic material and is clung to threadedly secure to the outer end  61 . The provision of enlargement  63  may facilitate user to push or pull connection member  60 . Further, a plurality of hooks  32   a  and  32   b  are provided on inner wall  31  of inner member  30 . Furthermore, the same number of tabs (e.g.,  64   a  and  64   b ) are provided on a side of connection member  60 . Tabs  64   a  and  64   b  are received in hooks  32   a  and  32   b  for mounting connection member  60  on inner member  30 . Thus connection member  60  may slide on inner wall  31  of inner member  30  back and forth. Then fixedly attach both ends of elastic member  80  to inner member  30  and connection member  60  respectively for ensuring a sliding secure relationship between connection member  60  and inner member  30 . In the embodiment, elastic member  80  is formed of flexible metal wire and has one end affixed to inner member  30  and the other end affixed to connection member  60 . A slide travel limitation mechanism is provided. As shown, an elongate opening  34  is provided near the outer end of inner member  30  and a locking pin  65  is provided on connection member  60 . Locking pin  65  is slidably received in opening  34 . As such, a uniform elastic force provided by elastic member  80  is exerted on connection member  60  when outer member  20  is pulled outwardly. Also, connection member  60  is prevented from further moving when outer member  30  has reached the use position because the confinement of locking pin  65  in opening  34 . This can avoid any potential irregularity. A front cam  66  is provided on the inner end of connection member  60  adjacent rear cam  62  for transmitting the elastic force of elastic member  80  to pivot member  70  through connection member  60 . Front cam  66  is urged against the front surface  71   a  of pivot member  70  for pushing pivot member  70  to the locked (i.e., storage) position (FIG.  3 A). Since connection member  60  is an elongate thin member, it is preferred to suitably increase the thickness of pivot member  70  for avoiding front cam  66  from interfering the engagement of the front surface  71   a  and second locking lug  51   b  of stop member  50 . This may also increase the area of the front surface  71   a.  Moreover, elastic member  80  may be implemented as a helical spring in the second embodiment (FIG. 4) rather than a metal wire. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, a third embodiment of the invention is shown. Connection member  60  is implemented as a steel wire assembly  67  rather than a thin elongate member. Likewise, the steel wire assembly  67  comprises an outer end  61  for ease of access by hand and an enlargement  63 . Additionally, the steel wire assembly  67  comprises a projected rear cam  62   a  formed by punching thereon near the inner end and an upward bent inner end  68 . Elastic member  80  is also reconfigured to have its central portion affixed to inner member  30  and two ends  81   a  and  81   b  biased against pivot member  70  for maintaining pivot member  70  at a locked storage position and the upward bent inner end  68  for maintaining the steel wire assembly in a ready position (i.e., pivot member  70  is not activated) respectively. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. For example, slide may comprise inner member  30 , outer member  20  and intermediate member. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.