Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7472973?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2015-03-31 21:43:58
Document Index: 573594575

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 3']

Patent US7472973 - Automatic closing mechanism for a sliding track of a drawer - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn automatic closing mechanism for a slide track of a drawer according to present invention comprises a guide member, a connection member, a bendable member, and a hook stopper; the connection member is disposed on the inner wall of a furniture article and the hook stopper is disposed on the outer wall...http://www.google.com/patents/US7472973?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7472973 - Automatic closing mechanism for a sliding track of a drawerAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7472973 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/593,154Publication dateJan 6, 2009Filing dateNov 6, 2006Priority dateNov 7, 2005Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS20070132346Publication number11593154, 593154, US 7472973 B2, US 7472973B2, US-B2-7472973, US7472973 B2, US7472973B2InventorsKuo-sheng HuangOriginal AssigneeNan Juen International Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (4), Referenced by (20), Classifications (5), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetAutomatic closing mechanism for a sliding track of a drawer
US 7472973 B2Abstract
a guide member having a guide slot formed on a base and the guide slot having a rectilinear portion and an arrow portion interlinked with a front of the rectilinear portion;
a connection member having a driven slide and a swing part pivotedly connected on a front of the driven slide, a guide tenon is located on a bottom of the driven slide and a rectangle guide rod is located on a bottom of the swing part, the guide tenon and the rectangle guide rod are inserted into the guide slot, and one side of the swing part has a hook slot;
a bendable member has a first end connected with the driven slide and a second end connected to a first structure; and
wherein the connection member is located on an inner wall of the first structure and the hook stopper is located on a second structure in an opposite direction;
wherein, when the second structure is pulled outwardly, the bendable member is stretched to render the guide rod contacting an outer edge of the arrow portion, the swing part rotates to press against a slant wall of the arrow portion, the swing part is retained thereon and thus points downward, and the hook stopper is disengaged and thus separated from the engagement of the swing part; and when the second structure is being inserted inward, the engaged tooth of the hook stopper contacts the inner wall of the hook slot of the swing part at the arrow portion and is accommodated there to disengage therefrom, and thus the bendable member contracts and in turn drives the connection member and the hook stopper to move along the rectilinear portion and return to a final location.
2. Automatic closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first structure is selected from a group consisting of an inner wall of a first furniture body and a fixed track, and the second structure is selected from a group consisting of an outer wall of a second furniture body or a moving track.
3. Automatic closing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of catch slots are disposed at predetermined positions at the base, the base is riveted by clamp pieces located on a structure selected from the first furniture body, the second furniture body, and the fixed track.
4. Automatic closing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the guide member, the connection member, and the bendable member are mounted onto the fixed track, the hook stopper is mounted onto the moving track, and an intermediate track is disposed between the fixed track and the moving track.
5. Automatic closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the swing part is disposed with a hook head and a hook end on a front and rear thereof, the at least an engaged tooth of the hook stopper has two protruding engaged teeth corresponding to the swinging part so as to form a close engagement.
6. Automatic closing mechanism according to claim 5, wherein, when the hook stopper moves inward and an inner engaged tooth of the two protruding engaged teeth contacts the hook head to compress the bendable section formed by a fork slot in the rectilinear portion, at least one of the two protruding engaged teeth is located in the hook slot.
7. Automatic closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the base is longitudinally disposed with a plurality of catch tenons to be fastened with the hook slot of an upper cover.
8. Automatic closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a buffer member whose hydraulic cylinder is clamped between arc concave sections formed on an upper cover and a wall of the base, wherein a front of the cylinder extends to form an extension rod connected with the driven slide.
9. Automatic closing mechanism according to claim 8, wherein a front end of the extension rod is connected to an engaged tenon to be engaged with the connection slot.
10. Automatic closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the bendable member is a spring located in a spring slot formed by an upper cover and the base. Description
FIGS. 3 a and 3 b schematically illustrate perspective assembly views of the automatic closing mechanism for a slide track of a drawer from two different view angles according to the present invention;
FIGS. 6 a to 6 c schematically illustrate the operational flowcharts of the guide member, the connection member, and the hook stopper at a normal condition according to the present invention; and
With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 b, the automatic closing mechanism for slide track of a drawer according to present invention comprises a guide member 1, a connection member 2, a bendable member 3, and a hook stopper 4, wherein the automatic closing mechanism is used in an article of furniture having furniture components including a furniture body and a drawer slidable in opposite directions into and out of the furniture body, for moving the drawer to a fully inserted position within the furniture body.
The connection member 1 is disposed on the inner wall of the furniture body, a fixed track 61 of a slide track 6 for example, so as to the connection member 1 described later to be slidable thereupon. With reference to the figures, the guide member 1 has a guide slot 12 formed on a rectangular base 11, wherein the guide slot 12 comprises a rectilinear portion 121 and an arrow portion 122 interlinked with the front of the rectilinear portion 121. To fasten the base 11 onto the fixed track 61, a plurality of catch slots 13 are disposed at appropriate positions such that the clamp pieces of the fixed track 61 may be riveted with the base 11, the base may be riveted by the clamp pieces disposed on the furniture body or the fixed track which is a conventional art and will not be discussed furthermore. Also, the base 11 is longitudinally disposed with a plurality of catch tenons 14 to be fastened with the hook slot 151 of an upper cover 15, such that the top of the base 11 is sealed and a buffer member 5 is clamped therebetween. Consequently, the inner wall of the upper cover 15 and the base 11 are both provided with an arc concave section 16, respectively, for accommodation and retaining of the buffer member 5 described later. Further, the inner wall of the upper wall 15 and the base 11 is concavely disposed with a spring slot 17 for the accommodation and passing of the bendable member 3.
With reference to FIGS. 6 a to 6 c, when the drawer is being pulled out, the swing part 22 is resided at the rectilinear portion 121, and the two engaged teeth 41 and 42 of the hook stopper 4 are engaged in the hook slot 225 of the swing part 22 (as shown in FIG. 6 a) to drive the swing part 22 and the driven slide 21 to move outward with the bendable member 3 being extended. When the swing part 22 and the hook stopper 4 are moved to the area between the rectilinear portion 121 and the arrow portion 122, the two engaged teeth 41 and 42 of the hook stopper 4 are still engaged in the hook slot 225 of the swing part 22 (as shown in FIG. 6 b). With the drawer being pulled out continuously, the guide rod 211 on the bottom of the swing part 22 contacts the outer edge of the arrow portion 122 and is thus stopped moving forward. Then, the swing part 22 is driven to rotate to press against the slant wall of the arrow portion 122, and subsequently the swing part 22 is retained thereon and thus points downward. Consequently, the hook stopper 4 is disengaged and thus separated from the engagement of the swing part 22, such that the drawer may be pulled outward further (as shown in FIG. 6 c). Alternatively, when the drawer is being inserted in, the swing part 22 is resided at the arrow portion 122, while the rear engaged tooth 42 contacts the hook end 224 to disengage. Therefore, the swing part 3 swings upward to render the two engaged teeth 41 and 42 closely engaged in the hook slot 225. Consequently, the bendable member 3 contracts and thus drives the connection member 2 and the hook stopper 4 to move along the rectilinear portion 121 and return to the final location, so as to achieve the expected function of automatic closing for the drawer.
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