Patent Publication Number: US-10314398-B2

Title: Pull-out guide for the guidance of a drawer

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application Ser. No. 62/268,653 filed Dec. 17, 2015, and is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/244,449, filed Aug. 23, 2016, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a pull-out guide for the guidance of a drawer, and to a drawer or a furniture item having such a pull-out guide. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Pull-out guides for the guidance of a drawer have already become known in various embodiments, in the form of a full extension pull-out guide that includes a cabinet rail, a middle rail and a drawer rail, as well as in the form of a partial or single extension pull-out guide that includes only a cabinet rail and a drawer rail. One application relates to, for example, under-drawer guides, in which the pull-out guides are placed beneath a drawer bottom of a drawer made, for instance, of wood. It is difficult to install partial extension pull-out guides, which include only a cabinet rail and a drawer rail, on a piece of furniture when the front end of the cabinet rail is fixed inside the face frame of the furniture and the rear of the cabinet rail is fixed to the inside rear wall of the furniture cabinent, because it is difficult to ensure that the two runners are installed precisely parallel to one another. If the two runners are not parallel, the drawer will not open and close smoothly. In addition, misalignment of the drawer sometimes occurs when attempting to fasten the drawer rail to the bottom of the drawer, because the bottom of the drawer blocks the view of the installer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an improved pull-out guide, in particular, with a view to a fitting of the pull-out guide on the furniture item and/or of the drawer on the pull-out guide. 
     The present invention is based on a pull-out guide for the guidance of a drawer, comprising a cabinet rail for attachment to a furniture cabinet and a drawer rail for attachment to a drawer, wherein a roller unit, the rollers of which roll on a guide surface of the respective rail during a relative movement of the rails one to another, is provided. The cabinet rail comprises a low-profile side element, which in the fitting position is vertically oriented, and the drawer rail possesses a support surface for the fitting of a drawer on the pull-out guide. 
     The pull-out guide can have, in addition to the cabinet rail and the drawer rail, also a middle rail. Correspondingly, the roller unit is configured either between the cabinet rail and the middle rail and/or between the middle rail and the drawer rail. 
     The pull-out guide comprises, for instance, an automatic retraction mechanism for a damped closure of the drawer, which retraction mechanism is arranged, in particular, on the cabinet rail. 
     One aspect of the present invention lies in the fact that the low-profile side element of the cabinet rail does not extend above the upper support surface of the drawer rail over at least 75% of the total length of the cabinet rail. A vertically upwardly protruding flag-like element is provided on the low-profile side element of the cabinet rail, and the protruding element extends upwardly in the vertical direction from a region of the cabinet rail that defines a rearward one-third portion of the overall length of the cabinet rail. 
     In one embodiment, the protruding element extends above the support surface of the drawer rail in instances where the side wall of the drawer rail does not extend below any portion of the drawer rail itself. In instances where the side wall of the drawer extends below the upper support surface of the drawer rail, the protruding element would still extend upwardly from the drawer rail, but to a lesser extent. 
     Preferably the protruding element and the cabinet rail are formed as one integral piece so that a material and cost saving in the manufacture of the pull-out guide is obtained. 
     The protruding element is provided to guide the drawer, in the fitting process, to its final fitting position on the drawer rail. Fitting of the drawer on the drawer rail is thereby facilitated. 
     Viewed in the longitudinal direction of the drawer rail, the protruding element is, for instance, between 1 and 30 mm long, advantageously between 1 and 20 mm or between 1 and 10 mm. The protruding element is, for example, in its vertical extent, for example starting from a top edge of the low-profile side element, between 1 and 20 mm tall, advantageously between 1 and 15 mm or between 1 and 10 mm. 
     The protruding element has a thickness, for instance, perpendicular to the low-profile side element, between 0.5 and 30 mm, advantageously between 0.5 and 20 mm, 0.5 and 10 mm, 0.5 and 5 mm or 0.5 and 2 mm. In particular, the protruding element and the low-profile side element have the same thickness. 
     Advantageously, the low-profile side element is oriented substantially perpendicular to, in particular, a plane support element of the cabinet rail, so that, in the fitted state, the low-profile side element protrudes vertically upward and the support element runs horizontally. 
     Preferably, the support surface of the drawer rail is of plane configuration and is arranged horizontally or parallel to the support element of the cabinet rail. In one embodiment, the sides of the drawer act as the corresponding member. 
     For example, the drawer comprises a suitably corresponding member to the protruding element, which member is arranged, in particular, on a drawer side, so that the drawer, in a first fitting step, can be mounted onto the drawer rail and, in a further fitting step, guided by the protruding element in the direction of the rear wall of the furniture cabinet, can be slid and/or fitted onto the drawer rail. 
     Advantageously, the protruding element is arranged in the rear region of the cabinet rail. In particular, the protruding element is arranged on the cabinet rail between the frontal region of the cabinet rail and a fastening element which is provided to fasten the cabinet rail to the rear wall of the furniture cabinet. 
     In a basic variant of the pull-out guide, the protruding element further comprises a guide member, which is bent outward from the drawer rail, i.e., away from the drawer rail, in such a way that, in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the drawer rail, the guide member has from its bent-away end a diminishing distance to the remaining side element. 
     Advantageously, the guide member is bent outward in such a way that in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the drawer rail, starting from the frontal end of the drawer rail, the guide member has from its bent-away end a diminishing distance to the remaining side element of the cabinet rail. 
     Moreover, the guide member is bent away outward on the side element about an axis which is configured substantially perpendicular to the support surface of the drawer rail. 
     It is preferred that the protruding element and the guide member are configured in one piece. 
     Furthermore, it is preferred that the guide member comprises a guide surface and the guide surface is configured in such a way, during fitting of the drawer, to lead the drawer into a fitted position on the drawer rail. 
     The guide member of the protruding element serves to additionally simplify fitting of the drawer and to guide the drawer, during fitting on the drawer rail, in the direction of the final fitting position, in that the drawer, with a drawer rear wall or the drawer side wall, is guided, in particular, along a guide surface of the guide member during fitting of the drawer into the final fitting position and, to this end, slides or glides along the guide surface. 
     For example, the guide surface is designed substantially parallel to the low-profile side element of the cabinet rail and substantially perpendicular to the support surface of the drawer rail. 
     Advantageously, the guide member, for instance the guide surface, is of curved configuration, in particular, the guide member, from a view from above onto the pull-out guide, advantageously has a bend, in particular, a radius, perpendicular to the support surface of the drawer rail. 
     The guide surface can also be of helical design. For instance, the lower region of the bent-away end of the guide member, in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the drawer rail, is configured closer to the frontal end of the drawer rail than the upper region of the bent-away end of the guide member. The guide member thereby has the shape of a wave. 
     Furthermore, the cabinet rail can comprise on the low-profile side element a recess, wherein the size of the recess corresponds to a size of the protruding element. 
     The position of the recess and of the protruding element on the side element of the cabinet rail can be arranged such that, in a punching process, two cabinet rails can be punched side by side out of a single piece of sheet metal in a material-saving and cost-saving manner, with comparatively low or no material waste. 
     Preferably, the size of the recess corresponds to the size of the protruding element and the size of the guide member, in particular, when the protruding element and the guide member are configured in one piece. 
     It is also of advantage that the cabinet rail comprises on the low-profile side element a first fastening member, wherein the cabinet rail comprises on a support element running at a right angle to the low-profie side element a second fastening member, and wherein the cabinet rail can be fitted by means of the fastening members frontally in a plane of the furniture cabinet. 
     Advantageously, the fastening members are designed as through holes. The cabinet rail can hence be fixed to the furniture cabinet by means of screws at the through holes. 
     Preferably, the fastening members are configured on a frontal region of the cabinet rail. The cabinet rail can hereby be fixed, for instance, by the first fastening member to a vertically running support, and by the second fastening member to a running strut, running horizontally thereto, in the frontal region of the furniture cabinet. 
     Hence a comparatively simple, stable and cost-effective fitting of the pull-out guide in the frontal region on the furniture cabinet is possible. 
     The cabinet rail can also have on an underside facing away from the drawer rail a fastening point, wherein the fastening point is provided to arrange the cabinet rail on the furniture cabinet, wherein the fastening point comprises a mounting member, and wherein the cabinet rail is positionable by the mounting member on a frontal, horizontally running strut of the furniture cabinet. 
     Advantageously, the fastening point comprises two mounting members. 
     As a result, the cabinet rail can be fixed and/or clipped and/or plugged onto and/or oriented comparatively easily, by means of the fastening point, to a frontally horizontally running strut of the furniture cabinet. 
     For example, the mounting member is punched and/or cut out of the cabinet rail as a bent-out tongue and a bent-over element, or is bent out and/or edged on the cabinet rail. 
     Moreover it is important that on the rear region of the drawer rail is arranged a reinforcing member for the reinforcement of the drawer rail, which reinforcing member encloses the drawer rail at least at the top and side. 
     In the fitted state on the drawer rail, the, for instance, clamp-like reinforcing member encloses the drawer rail at least at the top and side in such a way that a weight of a drawer fitted on the drawer rail, in particular, with content, can be substantially increased, compared to a drawer rail without a reinforcing member fitted thereon. 
     The reinforcing member can be plugged and/or clamped and/or clipped onto the drawer rail. 
     Advantageously, the reinforcing member is formed of a metal, in particular, steel, or a stable plastic or a combination of materials. 
     As a result of the reinforcing member, a drawer rail of a pull-out guide, consisting only of a cabinet rail and a drawer rail, is reinforced such that an extension length of the drawer rail can be lengthened to match that of a three-piece pull-out guide. 
     Moreover, it is of advantage that the reinforcing member can be fitted without tools to, for example, snapped onto, the drawer rail by a latching member. For instance, the latching member is punched and/or bent out of the support surface of the drawer rail. 
     Advantageously, the drawer rail comprises a latching member, which is configured in the rear end region of the drawer rail on the support surface and which is designed to receive the reinforcing member for the reinforcement of the drawer rail. 
     As a result of the latching member, the reinforcing member can be fitted on the drawer rail in a comparatively simple, fast and cost-effective manner. 
     Moreover, it is significant that the roller unit has cylindrical rollers, which on opposite flat end faces comprise toroidally arched bearing surfaces of a bearing element which otherwise protrudes from the rest of the end face. This allows for a simple fitting of the rollers to the roller unit. 
     In an advantageous variant of the present invention, the roller unit is configured such that it functions as a middle rail. As a result of a lengthened design of the roller unit, it is possible to advantageously lengthen the extension distance of the drawer rail. To this end, in an extreme extension position of the drawer rail, a portion of the roller unit extends over an end of the cabinet rail in the direction of extension. 
     As a result of the lengthened design of the roller unit, in particular, all rollers of the roller unit support the weight of the drawer over the extension length on the drawer rail. While the remaining extension length extends over a portion of the roller unit on which rollers are arranged, one end of the cabinet rail, these cannot in this state support a weight of the drawer on the cabinet rail. 
     In a further embodiment of the present invention, the cabinet rail comprises a braking member for the roller unit. The braking member forms a friction stop, against which a counterpart of the roller unit, in the extended state of the drawer rail, abuts in such a way that the roller unit, when the drawer rail or the drawer fitted to the drawer rail is pulled out on the cabinet rail, remains on the latter. The contacting of the braking member with the roller unit happens, in particular, gradually, preferably without an abrupt abutment, but with increasing braking force. 
     The braking member can form a pure stop for the counterpart of the roller unit, so that the roller unit, when the drawer rail or the drawer fitted to the drawer rail is pulled out on the cabinet rail, remains on the latter. 
     The roller unit is, in particular, a cage roller unit. 
     Advantageously, the roller unit is designed lengthened such that the weight of a drawer fitted onto the drawer rail is distributed amongst at least 10 bearing rollers of the roller unit. 
     For instance, the roller unit comprises more than 10 rollers, advantageously between 11 and 20 rollers, for instance 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, for example, between 10 and 15 rollers, in particular, 15 rollers, which support the weight of the drawer and/or of the drawer rail. The weight capacity of a drawer can hereby advantageously be increased. The weight capacity of the drawer, in particular, with content, which acts on the rollers is hence also distributed among a plurality of rollers. 
     If the pull-out guide comprises, in addition to a cabinet rail and a drawer rail, also a middle rail, in which embodiment the roller unit is provided between the middle rail and the drawer rail and/or the cabinet rail and the middle rail, the advantageous design of the roller unit enables a lengthening of the extension length of the drawer and/or an increase in that weight of the drawer which is to be borne by the pull-out guide. 
     It is also of advantage that the drawer rail comprises a suspension element and the suspension element is punched out and bent out on the drawer rail. 
     For instance, the suspension element is in a first production step punched or cut or lasered out of the drawer rail, and in a second production step bent and/or pressed into its working shape. 
     The suspension element is designed such that the drawer is coupled with the drawer rail via the suspension element, or the drawer is fastened to the drawer rail by the suspension element. For instance, the drawer comprises on its rear region an opening, in which, in the fitted state, the suspension element engages. 
     In particular, the suspension element can prevent the drawer from being lifted off the pull-out guide in the opened state. 
     In addition, it is proposed that the suspension element has a bead. 
     Advantageously, the suspension element has for instance, in a middle region, a rib-shaped element, for instance a bead. The rib-shaped element is formed on the suspension element, for example, by a punching process. The rib-shaped element improves the stability of the suspension element. 
     It also proves advantageous that on the suspension element is arranged a damping element. 
     The damping element arranged on the suspension element serves, for instance, to damp or to wholly eliminate a noise which arises during the closing operation of the drawer and which can be generated when the rear wall of the drawer bumps against the suspension element. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, in which the low-profile side element of the cabinet rail does not extends above the support surface of the drawer rail over at least a dominant longitudinal extent, wherein on the low-profile side element is configured a vertically upwardly protruding flag-like element, wherein the protruding element juts over the support surface of the drawer rail upwardly in the vertical direction, wherein the protruding element comprises a guide member, which is bent outward away from the drawer rail in such a way that, in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the drawer rail, the guide member has from its bent-away end a diminishing distance to the remaining side element, it is preferred that in this modification the protruding element can be plugged onto the low-profile side element. 
     For instance, the protruding element is configured as a tab, which is clipped and/or plugged and/or clamped onto the low-profile side element. 
     The protruding element can hence be formed comparatively cost-effectively by plastic injection molding. The protruding element can be formed of metal, plastic or a combination of materials. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Several illustrative embodiments are explained more closely below, with mention of further advantages and details, on the basis of schematic drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view from above, from laterally at the front, of a pull-out guide according to the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2 a , 2 b    and  3  show a lateral view of a rear end of the pull-out guide from  FIG. 1 , with a partial sectional view through a drawer rail, a clamp and a latching member of the pull-out guide; 
         FIGS. 4 a  to 4 c    show a hook of the pull-out guide from  FIG. 1  in different views; 
         FIGS. 5 a  to 5 c  and 6 a  to 6 c    show further variants of a hook of a pull-out guide according to the present invention in different views; 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of a further pull-out guide according to the present invention with mounting brackets for the lateral fitting; 
         FIG. 8  shows a top view of the rear end of the pull-out guide from  FIG. 7 , without mounting brackets; 
         FIGS. 9 and 10  show perspective views from above, from laterally at the front, of a roller unit of a pull-out guide in the extended state at a front end of a cabinet rail; 
         FIGS. 11 a , 11 b  and 12 a , 12 b    show perspective sectional views from above, from laterally at the front, through a roller unit, and roller arranged thereon, in two different variants, wherein  FIGS. 11 b  and 12 b    respectively show the section through the roller unit in  FIGS. 11 a  and 12 a    in enlarged representation; 
         FIGS. 13 to 15  show perspective views from above, from laterally at the front, of fitting variants of pull-out guides according to the present invention on a furniture cabinet; 
         FIGS. 16 a -16 d    show a further variant of a pull-out guide; and 
         FIG. 17  shows a lateral sectional view, through a furniture cabinet, of a pull-out guide according to  FIG. 1  in the fitted state on the furniture cabinet, with a drawer arranged thereon; and 
         FIGS. 18 a -18 c    show an exploded perspective view of a pull-out guide according to the present invention, which includes a middle rail and a second roller unit. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In  FIG. 1 , a single extension pull-out guide  1  comprising a cabinet rail  2  and a drawer rail  3  is represented. At a frontal end  4  of the cabinet rail  2 , for attachment to or for contact against a cabinet crossbeam  5  ( FIG. 13 ), is configured a tongue  6 , which is bent over downward through 90° at the forward end of support element  2 ′, and a downwardly punched-out and angled-off fastening element  7 , in the form of a lip spaced a distance rearwardly from tongue  6  (see also  FIG. 17 ). The spacing distance matches the thickness of crossbeam  5 . Moreover, bores  8  and  9  are provided for the insertion of a locating screw. 
     The drawer rail  3  of the single extension pull-out guide  1  has an upper support surface  3 ′ on which a drawer  52  consisting of at least a drawer bottom  50  and a drawer front  51  ( FIG. 17 ) is secured. 
     On the cabinet rail  2  is configured at the frontal end  4  a protrusion  17   a  bent out from the material of the cabinet rail  2 , which slows down the roller unit  16  ( FIG. 9 ), as described in more detail below with respect to  FIGS. 9 and 10 . A portion of the cabinet rail  2  forward of protrusion  17   a  is bent out to form a stop member  17   b  and forms a stop for the roller unit  16 . As a result of the laterally projecting knob-like configuration of the protrusion  17   a  on a vertically running angled-off side element of the cabinet rail  2 , a motion of the roller unit  16  as it passes over the protrusion  17   a  is braked. Moreover, the roller unit  16  cannot pass fully over the protrusion  17   a , but rather, after a certain crossing distance, butts against stop member  17   b , so that the roller unit cannot slide off the cabinet rail  2 . There is also a stop (not shown) on the rear portion of the drawer rail  3  that engages the rear of the roller unit  16  to prevent the drawer rail  3  from sliding off the roller unit  16 . 
       FIG. 1  also shows a stop member  3 ″ fixed to a side of drawer rail  3 , which abuts against a stop surface  2 ″ ( FIG. 10 ) to limit the return distance of the drawer rail  3  when the drawer is closed. 
     Moreover, at the rear end  12  on the drawer rail  3  is configured a suspension element in the form of a hook  10 , as well as, at the frontal end  28  of the drawer rail  3 , a latching block  11  for latch-locking to a drawer  52  (see, in this regard,  FIG. 17 ). The latch-locking can be realized via a detent coupling which is configured on the drawer  52 . Moreover, at the rear end  12  of the cabinet rail  2 , a mounting slot  13  for a lateral adjustment of the single extension pull-out guide  1  is present. Over the drawer rail  3  is arranged, at the rear end  12 , a reinforcing member in the form of a clamp  15 , which encloses the drawer rail  3  at the top and side. 
     Furthermore, on the cabinet rail  2  is fitted an automatic retraction mechanism  14  to enable a damped retraction of the drawer rail  3  into the fully retracted state on the furniture cabinet  42 . 
     On the low-profile side element  18  of the cabinet rail  2 , a flag-like protruding element  19  integrally connected to the cabinet rail  2  is additionally present, protruding in the upward direction. A recess  55 , corresponding to the flag-like protruding element  19 , is shown in a front region of the side element  18  of the cabinet rail  2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the height of the low-profile side element  18  is very low. As such, when a drawer having a side wall that extends below the upper support surface  3 ′ of the drawer rail  3  is first positioned on the drawer rail  3 , it is possible that the side wall of the drawer can move in a direction beyond the low-profile side element  18 , in which case the holes in the back of the drawer will not align with the hook  10 . The presence of the protruding element  19  acts as a guide for the side wall of the drawer to ensure that the holes in the back of the drawer properly align with the hook  10 . 
     In  FIGS. 2 a , 2 b    and  3 , in a section through the drawer rail  3  and the clamp  15 , is shown a, for instance, hook-like latching member  20 , with which the clamp  15  is latched retentively in the fitted state on the drawer rail  3 . The drawer rail  3  comprises the latching member  20 , which is punched and/or bent, for example, out of the drawer rail  3 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the cross sectional shape of the drawer rail  3  is that of a partial polygon that includes first  3   a  and second  3   b  sides joined together by a top side  3   c , which opposes a partial bottom side  3   d . This shape allows the drawer rail  3  to be displaceably positioned around the upper guide surface  31  of the cabinet rail  2 . When the drawer rail  3  is in the fully extended position and a substantial weight is placed in the drawer, the rearward end of the drawer rail  3  can actually expand in its lateral dimension and become disconnected from the cabinet rail  2 . By positioning the reinforcing clamp  15  on the rear end portion of the cabinet rail  3  as shown in  FIG. 3 , the lateral expansion and separation problem was resolved, and the weight capacity of the drawer was increased substantially. Preferably, the reinforcing clamp  15  encloses at least part of at least three sides, more preferably four sides, of the drawer rail  3 . Preferably, the reinforcing clamp  15  is formed from heat-treated steel. 
     In  FIGS. 4 a  to 4 c   , the hook  10 , which has been punched out of the drawer rail  3  and is bent over, is shown in different perspective and enlargement. On the hook  10  is configured, on a middle region, a bead  21 , which lends stability to the hook  10  reinforce it. The hook  10  fits into corresponding holes in the rear wall of the drawer  52  to trap the drawer  52  by the rear region of the drawer  52  and to fix it or hold it on the drawer rail  3 . 
     In  FIGS. 5 a  to 5 c   , a further variant of a hook  10   a  is shown. On the perpendicularly protruding region  24  of the hook  10   a  can be provided a mounting opening  22 , by means of which a damper  23  can be arranged on the hook  10   a . The damper  23  is provided to damp or to prevent, in a closing operation of the drawer  52  which is fitted on the drawer rail  3 , a noise, for instance, a clicking noise, which is caused by a collision of the rear side of the drawer with the hook  10   a . More specifically, since the pull-out guide will be sold to a variety of furniture manufacturers, and since the holes in the rear wall of the drawer  52  will vary from manufacturer-to-manufacturer, it is necessary to provide the damper  23  to essentially make up the slack between the hook  10   a  and holes in the drawer. It is also common for the overall length of the drawer to vary among manufacturers, so the damper  23  can also make up for this variation to avoid movement of the drawer relative to the drawer rail. 
     In  FIGS. 6 a  to 6 c    is represented a further variant of a hook  10   b , which is welded, glued, soldered or riveted onto a top side  25  of the drawer rail  3 . All variants mentioned in relation to the embodiments of the hooks  10  or  10   a , for example, a bead or damper, are also applicable to the hook  10   b.    
     In  FIG. 7  is shown a variant of a single extension pull-out guide  26 , which, by means of mounting brackets  27   a  and  27   b , can be arranged on horizontally running cabinet supports (not shown) and/or on a cabinet side wall. The mounting brackets  27   a ,  27   b  are connected, at least on the bent-over side element  18  of the cabinet rail  2 , to the cabinet rail  2 . As a result, specifically at the front end  28  of the single extension pull-out guide  26 , the cabinet rail  2  can be fastened directly on the cabinet crossbeam  5  ( FIG. 17 ). In the rear region of the cabinet rail  2 , it is possible for the cabinet rail  2  to rest on the mounting bracket  27   b , which has a locking component that slides into the slot  12 ′ formed in the rear end  12  of the cabinet rail  2  ( FIG. 8 ). The cabinet rail  2  includes bores  8   a ,  8   b ,  8   c  and  9  for the insertion of locating screws. Bores  8   a - 8   c  allow the cabinet rail to be fixed directly to the bottom panel of a furniture cabinet, in which case the mounting brackets  27   a ,  27   b  would not be necessary. 
     The flag-like element  19   a  in this embodiment extends vertically upwardly above the upper support surface  3 ′ of the drawer rail  3 , because the pull-out guide depicted in  FIG. 7  is designed to work with a drawer that has side walls that do not extend below the upper support surface  3 ′ of drawer rail  3 . 
     The flag-like element  19   a  is configured in such a way on the cabinet rail  2  that it comprises a boss  53 , which protrudes forward in the fitted state in the direction of the furniture front, and which, for the easier fitting of a drawer  52 , is bent outward away from the drawer rail  3  at an acute angle ( FIG. 8 ). That inner face  54  of the boss  53  which points toward the drawer rail  3  hereby forms a guide for the sidewalls of the drawer  52  during a fitting operation of the drawer  52 . 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  show a roller unit  16 , which is movably fitted by means of 15 rollers  30   a  to  30   o  on a upper guide surface  31  of the cabinet rail  2 . In addition, the roller unit  16  comprises a carriage  29 , which laterally embraces the cabinet rail  2  and by which the roller unit  16  is laterally guided and stabilized on the cabinet rail  2 . 
     The rollers  30   a  to  30   i  are mounted in a projecting supporting portion  32  of the roller unit  16 , which extends in a cantilever-like manner beyond that part of the cabinet rail  2  which is embraced by the carriage  29  of the roller unit  16 . Depending on the length of the single extension pull-out guide  1 ,  26 ,  43 ,  46 , the complete length of the roller unit  16 , inclusive of the projecting supporting portion  32  with its rollers  30   a  to  30   i , can be used to support the drawer rail  3  arranged thereon, when the rollers  30   j  to  30   o  roll on the upper guide surface  31 . The roller unit  16  thus has the function of a middle rail having, in the present case, 15 rollers with comparatively large supporting length. As such, the cost of a separate middle rail can be eliminated. 
     If the drawer rail  3  is fully extended with a corresponding displacement of the roller unit  16  onto the frontal end  4  of the cabinet rail  2 , the maximum extension position is then ended when a stop surface  29 ′ of the carriage  29  of the roller unit  16  at the end of the cabinet rail  2  abuts the stop member  17   b  (see  FIGS. 1 and 9 ). Due to the projecting supporting portion  32 , the abutment does not take place at the rollers  30   a  to  30   i , but only once the stop surface  29 ′ of the carriage  29  engages the stop member  17   b . The drawer rail  3  can hence be extended comparatively further in relation to the cabinet rail  2 , because a comparatively large roller unit having more than 6 rollers, for example, 15 rollers, is available to provide support over a substantial region of the rail length during rolling on the upper guide surface  31 . 
     Just before the stop surface  29 ′ abuts the stop member  17   b , however, a resilient portion  29 ″ (see  FIG. 10 ) of the carriage  29  (which is made of plastic, for example) engages protrusion  17   a , which causes resilient portion  29 ″ to deflect outwardly toward the opposite side of the cabinet rail  2 . This interaction of  17   a  and  29 ″ acts as a brake before stop surface  29 ′ abuts stop member  17   b.    
     Moreover, the projecting protective portion  32 , in the region which overhangs in a cantilever-like manner, in the fully extended state according to  FIGS. 9  and  10 , can support the drawer rail  3  in a region where normally supporting of the above-situated rails does not take place, since the end of the underlying guiding upper guide surface  31 , on which the rollers of the roller unit  16  roll, is reached. 
     As a result of this measure, a drawer rail  3  with drawer  52  arranged thereon is not only able to be extended further, but it is also possible, given at least the same extension pull-out guide length, to fit the single extension pull-out guide  1 ,  26 ,  43 ,  46 ,  49  on the drawer  52  in somewhat set back arrangement, so that a drawer front  51  or an appropriately encompassing frame does not need to be unlatched. 
     In  FIGS. 11 a , 11 b  and 12 a , 12 b   , two different options for attaching rollers to the roller unit are shown. In  FIG. 11 b    is represented a roller  34 , which on one end face  35  has a toroidal, donut-like protruding bulge  36   a , by means of which the roller  34  can be clicked onto mounting shafts  36   b  of the carriage  29  of the roller unit in a rotatable and positionally fixed manner. From a view perpendicular to an end face  35  of the roller  34 , the toroidal bulge  36   a  is of annular design, having a ring center point which runs through a rotational axis of the roller  34 . In  FIG. 12 b   , on an end face  37  of a roller  38  is configured a pin-like bearing element  39 , by means of which the roller  38  can be clipped onto the carriage  29  of the roller unit in a rotatable and positionally fixed manner. 
     A further fastening variant of a single extension pull-out guide  1  is shown in  FIG. 13 . The single extension pull-out guide  1  is mounted at the frontal end on a cabinet crossbeam  5  and is fastened at the rear end, by means of a mounting member  40  formed of plastic or metal, to the rear wall  41  of a furniture cabinet  42 . The mounting member  40  is here designed such that the single extension pull-out guide  1 , at the rear region, can be laterally shifted or adjusted as explained below in more detail with respect to  FIGS. 16 a   - 16   c.    
     In  FIGS. 14 and 15 , further fitting variants of a single extension pull-out guide  43 ,  46  according to the present invention are shown. The single extension pull-out guides  43 ,  46  are fastened by means of mounting members  44 ,  45 ,  47 , designed as metal brackets, to the front and rear end of the furniture cabinet  42 . At the rear end of the furniture cabinet  42 , the single extension pull-out guide  43  is fastened by the mounting member  45  to the rear wall  41 . The single extension pull-out guide  46  is fitted, via the mounting member  47  at the rear end, on a side wall  48  of the furniture item  42 . 
       FIG. 14  also shows a front locking device  11 ′ that is secured to a drawer, and which locks into latching block  11  fixed to the drawer rail  3  (see  FIG. 13 ). 
       FIG. 14  also shows a tab member  44 ′ that extends outwardly from the mounting member  44  to assist an installer in aligning the mounting member correctly against the cabinet frame. 
       FIG. 14  also shows metal mounting member  45 , which has an upwardly extending locking component that slides into the slot  12 ′ on the rear end  12  of the cabinet rail  2  ( FIG. 8 ). 
     By forming the cabinet rail  2  with only a single mounting member  44  at the front end thereof, a substantial cost-savings is realized, because two cabinet rails can be stamped out of a single piece of sheet metal having a size that was normally required to stamp out a single cabinet rail. The presence of the low-profile side element  18  accounts for at least 75% of the total length of the cabinet rail. The absence of metal of any appreciable height along the length of the cabinet rail  2  necessitated the addition of protruding element  19  to guide the side wall of the drawer  52  to ensure that, when the drawer  52  is assembled to the drawer rail  3 , the holes (not shown) in the rear wall of the drawer  52  align with the hooks  10  on each drawer rail  3 . 
     The forward mounting member  44  extends vertically upwardly to an extent higher than that of the protruding element  19 , and extends longitudinally less than 25% of the total length of the cabinet rail  2 . 
       FIGS. 16 a -16 d    show another embodiment of a cabinet rail  2  and mounting member  40  connected to the rear wall  41  of the furniture cabinet. The rear end of the cabinet rail  2  includes a connection flange member  60  having a laterally extending slot  61  located between two support surfaces  62   a ,  62   b . The mounting member  40 , preferably made of injection-molded plastic, includes fastening members  71  (only one shown in  FIG. 16 c   ) that are inserted into corresponding holes formed in the inside rear wall  41  of the furniture cabinet. The mounting member  40  includes upper support surfaces  75   a ,  75   b  that align with the support surfaces  62   a ,  62   b  of flange member  60 . 
     The mounting member  40  also includes an elongated recess  72 , which extends into the mounting member  40  over the majority of the width of the mounting member  40 , for receiving the tip end of the flange member  60 . When the tip end of the flange member  60  is inserted into recess  72 , a flexible latch mechanism  73  bends down and then up again, and retention member  74  locks in slot  61  of flange member  60  to lock the cabinet rail  2  in the mounting member  40 . If necessary, flange member  60  can be unlocked from mounting member  40  by pushing down on retention member  74  and sliding the cabinet rail back away from elongated recess  72 . 
     The width of flange member  60  is less than the width of elongated recess  42 , and the width of retention member  44  is less than the width of slot  61 . This arrangement allows for the rear end of cabinet rail  2  to move laterally and essentially self-adjust its position relative to the other cabinet rail as the drawer is being installed on the drawer rails, as well as during subsequent open/close cycles. This self-adjustment feature is very advantageous to make up for tolerances in the cabinet and drawer dimensions, as well as the accuracy by which the mounting members  40  are fixed to rear wall  41 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 16 a -16 d   , the length of the steel cabinet rail  2  extends almost to the very rear wall  41  of the cabinet, which allows the length of the plastic mounting member  40  to be as short as possible. Maximizing the length of the steel cabinet rail  2  and minimizing the length of the mounting member  40  reduces the twist or binding of the overall pull-out guide when there is weight in the drawer. 
     In addition, in some instances the rigidity of the rear wall  41  of the furniture cabinet is sufficient that the slot  61  can be omitted from chair rail  2 , and the flexible latch mechanism  73  and retention member  74  can also be omitted from the mounting member  40 . Simply by fastening the cabinet rail  2  to the front end of the furniture cabinet is sufficient to prevent the cabinet rail  2  from becoming dislodged from the elongated recess  72  in the mounting member  40 . 
       FIGS. 18 a -18 c    show an exploded perspective view of a pull-out guide according to the present invention, which includes a middle rail  80  and a second roller unit  81 . The middle rail  80  is positioned between the cabinet rail  2  and drawer rail  3 . The rollers of the first roller unit  16  roll on respective upper and lower guide surfaces ( 31 ,  82 ) of the cabinet rail  2  and middle rail  80 , and the rollers of the second roller unit  81  roll on respective upper and lower guide surfaces ( 83 ,  84 ) of the middle rail  80  and drawer rail  3 . 
     Although not shown in the drawings, the rear portion of the drawer rail  3  includes a stop member that prevents the drawer rail  3  from extending beyond the carriage of the second roller unit  81 . Similarly, and also not shown in the drawings, the rear portion of the middle rail  80  also includes a stop member that prevents the middle rail  80  from extending beyond the carriage of the first roller unit  16 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 18 b   , the middle rail  80  has a stop member  85  that prevents the carriage of the second roller unit  81  from extending beyond the front end of the middle rail  80 , other than the cantilever-extension as described above with reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 18 c   , the cabinet rail  2  also includes a stop member  86  on the front end of the upper guide surface  31  that prevents the first roller unit  16  from extending beyond the front end of the cabinet rail beyond the extent shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
     There is also a stop surface  87  on the carriage of the second roller unit  81  that engages the stop member  85 , and a stop surface  88  on the carriage of first roller unit  16  that engages stop member  86 . 
     REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST 
     
         
           1  single extension pull-out guide 
           2  cabinet rail 
           2 ′ support element 
           2 ″ stop surface 
           3  drawer rail 
           3 ′ upper support surface 
           3 ″ stop member 
           3   a ,  3   b  first and second sides 
           3   c ,  3   d  top and bottom sides 
           4  end 
           5  cabinet crossbeam 
           6  tongue 
           7  fastening element 
           8  bore 
           8   a ,  8   b ,  8   c  bore 
           9  bore 
           10  hook 
           10   a ,  10   b  hook 
           11  latching block 
           11 ′ front locking device 
           12  rear end 
           12 ′ slot 
           13  mounting slot 
           14  automatic retraction mechanism 
           15  reinforcing clamp 
           16  roller unit 
           17   a  protrusion 
           17   b  stop member 
           18  low-profile side element 
           19 ,  19   a  element 
           20  latching member 
           21  bead 
           22  mounting opening 
           23  damper 
           24  region 
           25  top side 
           26  single extension pull-out guide 
           27   a ,  27   b  mounting bracket 
           28  end 
           29  carriage 
           29 ′ stop surface 
           29 ″ resilient portion 
           30   a - 30   o  rollers 
           31  upper guide surface 
           32  supporting portion 
           33  end 
           34  roller 
           35  end face 
           36   a  bulge 
           36   b  mounting shaft 
           37  end face 
           38  roller 
           39  bearing element 
           40  mounting member 
           41  rear wall 
           42  furniture cabinet 
           43  single extension pull-out guide 
           44  mounting member 
           44 ′ tab member 
           45  mounting member 
           46  single extension pull-out guide 
           47  mounting member 
           48  side wall 
           49  full extension pull-out guide 
           50  drawer bottom 
           51  drawer front 
           52  drawer 
           53  boss 
           54  face 
           55  recess 
           60  flange member 
           61  slot 
           62   a ,  62   b  lower support surfaces 
           71  fastening member 
           72  elongated recess 
           73  flexible latch mechanism 
           74  retention member 
           75   a ,  75   b  upper support surfaces 
           80  middle rail 
           81  second roller unit 
           82  lower guide surface of  80   
           83  upper guide surface of  80   
           84  lower guide surface of  3   
           85  stop member for  80   
           86  stop member for  16   
           87  stop surface on  81   
           88  stop surface on  16