Patent Publication Number: US-2022225767-A1

Title: Drawer and method for installing a drawer

Description:
The present invention relates to a drawer having a device for securing a movable rail of a pullout guide on the drawer, having a support arranged on a side panel, on which a U-shaped holder is provided, wherein the movable rail is insertable with a front end section into the U-shaped holder and the movable rail is lockable on the support and/or holder via at least one catch, which engages through at least one opening on the movable rail, wherein the drawer has a front panel, and a method for installing a drawer on a movable rail of a pullout guide. 
     WO 2012/068594 discloses a coupling device for fixing a drawer on an extendable rail of a pullout guide. The rail is fixed on a latch part, which has a bendable spring tongue to hold the rail in the locked position. To release the latch connection, the latch part can be disengaged from the rail via a handle part. The bendable spring tongue is reinforced via a reinforcing rib to limit the bendability. In such components made of plastic, however, flowing of the plastic material can occur, so that the retention forces of the connection are reduced. 
     It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a drawer having a device for securing a movable rail of a pullout guide on the drawer and a method for installing a drawer, which also ensure a secure and stable connection between the rail and the drawer for a long period of time. 
     This object is achieved by a drawer having the features of claim  1  and by a method having the features of claim  12 . 
     The drawer according to the invention comprises a device for securing a movable rail of a pullout guide having a U-shaped holder, into which an end section of the rail is insertable to be locked on at least one catch. The holder is supported indirectly or directly on the front panel on a support surface, so that a bending load can be supported on the holder, which increases the stiffness of the holder and the dimensional stability. This enables stable fixing of the rail in the U-shaped holder even for a long period of time. 
     The U-shaped holder preferably has a bendable arm on which the support surface is formed on the side facing toward the front panel. The U-shaped holder can have a slotted receptacle, wherein the support surface is arranged offset perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the slotted receptacle, so that a force on the support surface results in a pivot movement on the bendable arm. The bendable arm can thus be pre-tensioned by a force on the support surface toward the slotted receptacle. The movable rail is located in the slotted receptacle in the installed position, so that improved fixing of the rail in the holder is ensured. 
     The bendable arm can press against the movable rail in a clamping manner in the installed position here, to be pressed with a certain pre-tension via the support surface into the installed position. The support surface does not have to press directly against the front panel, but can also be indirectly in contact with it, thus with one or more further components interconnected. In any case, the support takes place via a component which is firmly connected to the front panel. The front panel can be pre-tensioned here via at least one spring toward the holder. Such a spring can be provided, for example, in a side panel on a device for fixing the front panel, by means of which the front panel is pre-tensioned toward the side panel. The front panel can then press on the support surface in order to act on the holder, in particular on the bendable arm of the holder. 
     According to a first variant, the catch for locking the movable rail can be formed integrally with the support, preferably on a bendable web. The catch can be produced by forming a projection which engages in an opening on the rail for the locking. Alternatively or additionally, the catch can be arranged on a separate pivotably mounted lever which is pre-tensioned via a spring in the locked position. Such a lever can be rotatably mounted on the support, for example. 
     The U-shaped holder has a surface, on which the support surface is formed, on the side facing toward the front panel with respect to the installed position. This support surface protrudes from the holder toward a front side and can be subjected to pressure by the front panel or a component connected to the front panel to pre-tension the holder, in particular a bendable arm on the holder. The U-shaped holder having the bendable arm can be produced here as a molded part made of plastic. The support is preferably produced from a bent metal plate on which the holder is fixed. 
     If the rail has two openings offset in the longitudinal direction for locking the rail on the catch, different installation positions can be provided depending on how the structure of the drawer is at the front panel and which retention forces the connection has to withstand. The arrangement of two openings offset in the longitudinal direction also enables a pre-installation of the drawer on the rail, to then in a second installation step fix the drawer in a final installation position on the movable rail. 
     In the method according to the invention, the drawer is placed on two movable rails of two pullout guides to then displace the drawer along the movable rails, wherein a front end section of each of the rails is inserted into a U-shaped holder, on which a bendable arm is spread out. The movable rail is then locked on a mobile rail by the further displacement of the drawer, wherein a support surface of the holder is supported indirectly or directly on the front panel and a bendable arm on the holder is pre-tensioned toward the movable rail. Support of the holder and optimization of the connection between drawer and rail can thus be achieved during the installation. 
    
    
     
       The invention is explained in more detail hereinafter on the basis of multiple exemplary embodiments with reference to the appended drawings. In the figures: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a drawer; 
         FIG. 2  shows a view of a side of the drawer of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a detail view of the drawer of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a view of a device for fixing a front panel of the drawer of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a view of a device for securing a movable rail on the drawer of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the device of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows a view of the device for securing a rail of  FIG. 5  during the installation of the rail; 
         FIG. 8  shows a detail view of the device of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  shows a view of the device of  FIG. 7  without rail; 
         FIG. 10  shows a view of the device of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  shows a view of the holder of the device during the installation; 
         FIG. 12  shows a view of the holder of the device after the tensioning; 
         FIG. 13  shows a perspective view of the holder of the device; 
         FIGS. 14A to 14D  show multiple schematic views of the device during the securing of a rail of a pullout guide, and 
         FIGS. 15A to 15D  show multiple schematic views of a modified device for securing a rail of a pullout guide. 
     
    
    
     A drawer  1  comprises two side panels  2  and one front panel  3 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , a bottom panel  4 , on which a movable rail of a pullout guide is fixable, is located between the side panels  2 . 
     As can be seen from the detail view of  FIG. 3 , a holder  6 , which is fixed on a support  5 , is located below the bottom panel  4 . The support  5  can be produced from a bent metal plate and integrally includes a catch  8 , which is formed as a projection or embossment and is connected via a bendable web to the support  5 . A slot  9  is provided for this purpose, so that the bendable web  7  arranged in the longitudinal direction of the rail of the pullout guide is flexible. 
     In  FIG. 4 , the side panel  2  is shown without a cover, so that the means  4  for fixing the front panel  3  are visible. The means  10  comprise two connecting parts  11 , which are fixable on a support  12  of the front panel  3 . The front panel  3  is locked via the connecting parts  11  and the support  12  and pre-tensioned via springs  13  toward the side panel  2 . The front panel  3  presses against the side panel  2  in an upper region here and is pre-tensioned in the lower region toward a support surface  14  on the holder  6 . It can also be provided that the front panel  3  is only secured via one or more than two connecting parts  11  on the side panel  2 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  show a bottom view of the drawer, on which the holder  6  is shown below the bottom panel  4 . The holder  6  comprises a slotted receptacle  15 , which extends in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rail of the pullout guide and is enclosed by the U-shaped holder  6 . A bendable arm  16 , which is integrally formed with the holder  6 , is provided on the slotted receptacle  15 . A support surface  14 , which presses against the front panel  3 , is formed on the bendable arm  16  on the side facing toward the front panel  3 . It is also possible to provide further components between the support surface  14  and the front panel  3 , so that the support of the support surface  14  on the front panel  3  only takes place indirectly via further components. 
     A catch  8 , which is arranged on the bendable web  7  of the support  5 , is provided on the slotted receptacle  15  on the side opposite to the bendable arm  16 . The catch  8  is provided in the region of a tip of the bendable arm  16 . 
     The installation of a movable rail  20  of a pullout guide is shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The movable rail  20  comprises two openings  21  and  22 , which are arranged offset in the longitudinal direction of the rail. An intermediate position during the installation is shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , in which the catch  8  is not locked on either of the two openings  21  and  22 . In this position, the bendable web  7  is deflected at the catch  8 , which protrudes as a projection in relation to the rail  20 . The rail  20  is thus pressed toward the bendable arm  16 , which is produced from plastic and can deform. To avoid this, the bendable arm  16  is supported via the support surface  14  on the front panel  3 , wherein the bendable arm  16  has multiple support ribs  60 , which extend essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rail  20 . The support surface  14  is arranged offset in relation to an end of the rail  20  in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rail  20 , for example, by 4 mm to 40 mm. 
     The device for securing the movable rail  20  of the pullout guide is shown without the rail  20  in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . It can be seen that the catch  8  is pivotable on the bendable web  7  and an end section of the rail  20  can be inserted into the slotted receptacle  15 . In the installation position, the catch  8  can be locked on one of the two openings  21  or  22 . 
     In  FIG. 11 , the arm  16  is shown in an installation position. During the installation, a force can act on the arm  16 , which arises, for example, during the locking of the rail  20  on the catch  8 , in particular if the catch  8  is not yet entirely locked on an opening. A force is then exerted via the rail  20  on the arm  16 , which pivots clockwise in  FIG. 11 . The slotted receptacle  15  thus spreads out slightly. 
     In  FIG. 12 , the rail  20  was then locked on the catch  8 . A force F acts on the support surface  14  due to the front panel  3 , for example, via the spring  13 , by means of which the front panel  3  is pre-tensioned toward the side panel  2 . The bendable arm  16  is thus pre-tensioned toward the slotted receptacle  15 , as shown by the force F in  FIG. 12 . The bendable lever  16  thus pivots counterclockwise, as the comparison of  FIGS. 11 and 12  shows. The contact surfaces opposite to one another on the slotted receptacle  15  are thus aligned essentially in parallel. 
     In  FIG. 13 , the holder  6  having the slotted receptacle  15  is shown without the support  5  and without the movable rail  20 . The holder  6  is produced as a molded part from plastic and can be inserted with a bar-shaped section  61  into the side panel  2  and into a receptacle on the support  5 . The bendable arm  16 , which is supported on the support surface  14  on the side facing toward the front panel  3 , is formed integrally with the bar-shaped section  61 . 
     In  FIGS. 14A to 14D , the installation of the movable rail  20  of a pullout guide on the U-shaped holder  6  is schematically shown. 
     In  FIG. 14A , the rail  20  is arranged in front of the bendable arm  16  of the holder  6 , and a wall section of the rail  20  presses against the catch  8 , which was pivoted via the bendable web  7 . If the rail  20  is displaced farther along the holder  6 , as shown in  FIG. 14B , an end section arrives in the slotted receptacle  15  of the U-shaped holder  6 . Furthermore, the catch  8  locks on the opening  22  of the rail  20 . In this locked position, the rail  20  is pre-installed on the U-shaped holder  6 . This position can be used for transport purposes, for example. 
     The position is shown in  FIG. 14C  when the rail  20  is inserted further into the slotted receptacle  15  of the holder  6 . Due to the contact with an intake bevel on the catch  8 , this is deflected again and presses against a wall section of the rail  20 , as shown by the arrow. The rail  20  presses in this position against the bendable arm  16 , as shown by the second arrow. The bendable arm  16  is supported by the support surface  14 , which presses against the front panel  3 . 
     The rail  20  can now be inserted further into the holder  6 , until the catch  8  locks on the second opening  21 . The catch  8  thus no longer presses against the rail  20 , and the bendable arm  16  can pivot back, wherein the pivot movement is supported by a force from the front panel  3  on the support surface  14 . 
     In the installation sequence of  FIGS. 14A to 14D , the latch  8  is integrally formed with the support  5 , which is produced from a bent metal plate. It is also possible to arrange a latch  8 ′ on a pivotable lever  7 ′, which is rotatably mounted on a bearing  70 . The lever  7 ′ can be rotatably mounted on the holder  6  or the support  5 . The installation of a modified device for securing the rail  20  is shown in  FIGS. 15A to 15D . 
     In  FIG. 15A , the rail  20  is arranged adjacent to the bendable arm  16  and presses the catch  8 ′ on the pivotable lever  7 ′ against the force of a spring  71 . If the rail  20  is now inserted further into the slotted receptacle  15  on the holder  6 , as shown in  FIG. 15B , the latch  8 ′ locks on the first opening  22  of the rail  20 . The lever  7 ′ thus pivots around the bearing  70  due to the force of the spring  71 . This position can be used as a transport position. 
     In  FIG. 15C , a further installation of the rail  20  takes place, which is moved in the direction of the front panel  3 , whereby the lever  7 ′ is rotated against the force of the spring  71 . In this position, the spring  71  presses against a wall section of the rail  20 , which thus presses on the bendable arm  16 , which can deform it. The bendable arm  16  is supported here by the support surface  14 , which presses against the front panel  3 . 
     In  FIG. 15D , the installed position of the rail  20  is shown, in which the catch  8 ′ is locked on the second opening  21 . The lever  7 ′ has thus again been pivoted by the force of the spring  71  and the bendable arm  16  has pivoted toward the slotted receptacle  15 , wherein this movement was assisted by the front panel  3  and the support surface  14 . The bendable arm  16  can press in a clamping manner against the rail  20  here. 
     In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, the rail  20  comprises two openings  21  and  22  for locking a catch  8  or  8 ′. Of course, it is also possible to provide only a single opening or more than two openings  21  and  22 . 
     The support surface  14  on the holder  6  is supported directly on the front panel  3 . Of course, it is also possible to provide further components between the front panel  3  and the support surface  14 . 
     In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, the arm  16  is integrally formed with the holder  6 . Of course, it is also possible to produce the arm  16  separately and mount it rotatably on the holder  6  via an axis. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
     
         
           1  drawer 
           2  side panel 
           3  front panel 
           4  bottom panel 
           5  support 
           6  holder 
           7  web 
           7 ′ lever 
           8 ,  8 ′ catch 
           9  slot 
           10  means for fixing 
           11  connecting part 
           12  support 
           13  spring 
           14  support surface 
           15  receptacle 
           16  arm 
           20  rail 
           21  opening 
           22  opening 
           60  support rib 
           61  bar-shaped section 
           70  bearing 
           71  spring