Patent Publication Number: US-9402475-B2

Title: Mounting apparatus for slide rail

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to mounting apparatuses, and more particularly to a mounting apparatus for mounting a slide rail. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A slide rail is used between two objects that can move relative to each other, such as between a desk and a drawer, or a server and a rack. A conventional slide rail assembly for a drawer and a desk includes an outer slide rail mounted to the desk, an inner slide rail mounted to the drawer, and an intermediate slide rail mounted between the outer and inner slide rails. The intermediate slide rail is extendable relative to the outer slide rail, and the inner slide rail is extendable relative to the intermediate slide rail, thus the drawer can be extended a short distance out from the desk. A plurality of screws is used for mounting the outer slide rail to the desk. Therefore, installing or uninstalling the outer slide rail to or from the desk is inconvenient and time-consuming. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled, isometric view of an embodiment of a mounting apparatus for a slide rail, together with a first bracket. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the mounting apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled, isometric view of  FIG. 1 , showing another state of use. 
         FIG. 5  is an assembled, isometric view of the mounting apparatus of  FIG. 1 , together with a second bracket. 
         FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but showing another state of use. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show an embodiment of a mounting apparatus  200 . The mounting apparatus  200  is used for mounting a slide rail  10  to a first bracket  100 . The mounting apparatus  200  includes a retaining member  20 , a first locking member  30 , a second locking member  40 , a first resilient member  50 , and a second resilient member  60 . 
     The first bracket  100  defines a plurality of rectangular through holes  102  from top to bottom. 
     The retaining member  20  is substantially L-shaped, and includes a main wall  21 , and a sidewall  23  substantially perpendicularly extending from one end of the main wall  21 . The main wall  21  includes a first surface  212  and a second surface  214  opposite to the first surface  212 . The main wall  21  defines a plurality of mounting holes  211 , for mounting the retaining member  20  to an end of the slide rail  10 . The main wall  21  defines a first fixing hole  213  and a second fixing hole  215  in a middle of the main wall  21 . An L-shaped first limiting portion  216  and a columnar second limiting portion  217  respectively protruding from the first surface  212  adjacent to the lower edge and the upper edge of the main wall  21 ,. An H-shaped projection  218  is formed on the first surface  212  and adjacent to the first limiting portion  216 . A plurality of positioning poles  27  extend inward from the sidewall  23 . Each positioning pole  27  is substantially stepped and includes a round first positioning portion  272  extending from the sidewall  23 , and a round second positioning portion  274  axially extending from a distal end of the first positioning portion  272 . A diameter of the first positioning portion  272  is greater than a diameter of the second positioning portion  274 . 
     The first locking member  30  is substantially L-shaped and defines a pivot hole  31  in a corner of the first locking member  30  and an arc-shaped slide slot  32  around the pivot hole  31 . An operation portion  33  is formed on a first side of the first locking member  30  above the pivot hole  31 . A bridge shaped raised portion  34  protrudes on the first locking member  30  adjacent to the operation portion  33 . A first abutting portion  35  is formed on a second side of the first locking member  30  opposite to the pivot hole  31 . A connecting hole  36  is defined in the first locking member  30 , adjacent to the first abutting portion  35 . An L-shaped tab  37  is formed on the first locking member  30 , between the connecting hole  36  and the slide slot  32 . 
     The second locking member  40  includes a pivot portion  42  and a second abutting portion  44 . The pivot portion  42  defines a pivot hole  421  in a center. A blocking portion  423  is formed at a bottom of the pivot portion  42 . A cutout  441  is defined in a bottom edge of the second abutting portion  44 . A through hole  443  is defined the second abutting portion  44  adjacent to the pivot portion  42 . 
     In this embodiment, the first resilient member  50  is a coil spring. The second resilient member  60  is a resilient metal wire. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  show that in assembly, a rivet  90  extends through the pivot hole  31  to engage in the first fixing hole  213 , pivotably attaching the first locking member  30  to the first surface  212  of the retaining member  20 . A rivet  90  slidably extends through the slide slot  32  engaging in the second fixing hole  215 . The first limiting portion  216  and the second limiting portion  217  are used for limiting a rotation angle of the first locking member  30 . Opposite ends of the first resilient member  50  are locked to the raised portion  34  and the projection  218 . A rivet  90  extends through the pivot hole  421  to engage in the connecting hole  36 , to pivotably attach the second locking member  40  to the first locking member  30 . A first end of the second resilient member  60  engages in the through hole  443 , and a second end of the second resilient member  60  abuts against the tab  37 . A middle portion of the second resilient member  60  abuts against the blocking portion  423 . The first abutting portion  35  is received in the cutout  441  and abuts against a bottom of the second abutting portion  44 . 
     In mounting the slide rail  10  to the first bracket  100 , the operation portion  33  is operated to rotate the first locking member  30 . The first abutting portion  35  moves up. The first positioning portions  272  engage in the corresponding through holes  102  of the first bracket  100  from a first side of the first bracket  100 . The sidewall  23  abuts against the first side of the first bracket  100 . The operation portion  33  is released. The first resilient member  50  is restored, and the first locking member  30  is rotated back, until a bottom of the first locking member  30  engages with the first limiting portion  216 . The second resilient member  60  biases the second resisting portion  44  to abut against a second side of the first bracket  100  opposite to the first side of the first bracket  100 , to avoid the first positioning portions  272  releasing from the though holes  102  of the first bracket  100 . 
     In releasing the slide rail  10  from the first bracket  100 , the operating portion  33  is operated to rotate up the first abutting portion  35 . The first abutting portion  35  moves up the second abutting portion  44 , until the second abutting portion  44  is disengaged from the second side of the first bracket  100 . The positioning poles  27  of the retaining member  20  are readily removed from the through holes  102  of the first bracket  100 , to release the retaining member  20  from the first bracket  100 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  show that in mounting the slide rail  10  to a second bracket  200 , which defines a plurality of round through holes  202  (a diameter of the through hole  202  is less than a length of the through hole  102 ). The operation portion  33  is operated to rotate up the first abutting portion  35 . The second positioning portions  274  engage in the corresponding through holes  202  of the second bracket  200  from a first side of the second bracket  200 . The first positioning portions  274  abut against the first side of the second bracket  200 . The operation portion  33  is released. The first resilient member  50  is restored, and the first locking member  30  is rotated back, until a bottom of the first locking member  30  engages with the first limiting portion  216 . The first abutting portion  35  abuts against a second side of the second bracket  200  opposite to the first side of the second bracket  200 , to evade the second positioning portions  274  from releasing the though holes  202  of the second bracket  200 . 
     In releasing the slide rail  10  from the first bracket  100 , the operation portion  33  is operated to rotate up the first abutting portion  35 , until the first abutting portion  35  is disengaged from the second side of the second bracket  200 . The second positioning poles  274  of the retaining member  20  are readily removed from the through holes  202  of the second bracket  200 , to release the retaining member  20  from the second bracket  200 . 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of certain embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the 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 disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.