Abstract:
A cushion and stop detent member for a drawer slide includes cushioning arms, a detent projection and a frictional ramp or surface all embodied in a single element positioned to engage telescopic slide members of a drawer slide construction in a manner which cushions the movement of the slide members to the closed position, reduces any rebound, and provides a detent closure retention of the slide in the closed position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a utility application based upon provisional application Ser. No. 60/211,580, filed Jun. 15, 2000 for Drawer Slide Cushion And Stop Bumper Construction which is incorporated herewith by reference and for which priority is claimed. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a drawer slide assembly comprised of multiple telescopic channels or slide members. Separate channels of the assembly attach respectively to the side of a drawer and the side of a cabinet and telescope or slide with respect to each other to permit opening of the drawer from the cabinet while supporting the drawer. More particularly, the invention relates to a construction of a bumper and stop construction which is incorporated in a drawer slide assembly of the type described. 
     Use of drawer slides which are attachable to the inside walls of a cabinet for support of drawers that may be slidably pulled from the cabinet is well known. Typically, slides are constructed of two or more channels which telescopically slide with respect to one another. Normally, the outermost channel has the greatest width dimension and encloses or encompasses the inner sliding channels or slide members. The channels usually include ball bearings in raceways between the separate slides or channels to facilitate the sliding motion of the channels with respect to each other. 
     Movement of a drawer into and out of a cabinet can result in harsh sounds and rebound unless an appropriate bumper shock absorbing feature is incorporated in the slide assembly. Thus, there is a requirement for an improved slide stop, cushioned bumper construction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, the present invention comprises a drawer slide which includes an outer channel or slide with a telescopically mounted intermediate channel or slide mounted within the outer slide and an inner channel or slide telescopically and slidably mounted within the intermediate channel. A cushion and detent bumper construction made from a resilient material is attached to the inside end of the outer channel and includes projecting legs and a cam surface designed to engage and cushion the movement of the intermediate channel upon sliding movement thereof to the closed position. Further, the cushion construction includes a cam member which frictionally engages and holds the intermediate channel engaged with the outer channel when the intermediate channel is slidably moved to the closed position to thereby eliminate or greatly reduce rebound action. A resilient detent member is formed in the construction to cooperate with a receptor opening in the inner channel which is designed to releasably engage the receptor opening and thus hold the inner channel and an attached drawer in a closed position until the holding force associated therewith is overcome by pulling on the drawer. 
     Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved slide construction for drawers. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a slide construction for drawers which includes a resilient bumper and stop construction. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a drawer slide having a resilient bumper and stop construction which reduces rebound upon closure of the slide. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a resilient bumper and stop construction which includes a resilient member that releasably engages and holds the drawer slide assembly in the closed position. 
     These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In the detailed description which follows, reference will be made to the drawing comprised of the following figures: 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of slide channels including the bumper and stop construction of the invention incorporated in a cabinet with a drawer; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the inside or rear end of the outer channel or slide and the intermediate channel or slide incorporating the bumper and stop construction of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2 wherein the channel or slide members have been moved with respect to one another; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the construction of FIG. 3 taken along the line  4 — 4 ; 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of the intermediate and outer channels or slides in the fully closed position; 
     FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of FIG. 5 taken along the line  6 — 6 ; 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of the inner channel or slide moved to the fully closed or inner slide position; 
     FIG. 8 is an elevation of the bumper and stop construction of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view of FIG. 8 taken along the line  9 — 9 ; 
     FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line  10 — 10  in FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 11 is a plan view of the cam follower of the bumper and stop construction; 
     FIG. 12 is an end elevation of the follower of FIG. 11; and 
     FIG. 13 is a side elevation of the follower of FIG.  11 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, the drawer slide construction of the invention is comprised of an outer channel, slide or member  20 , an intermediate channel, slide or member  22  and an inner channel, slide or member  24 . The outer channel  20  is typically attached to the side wall  16  of a cabinet  18  and the inner channel, slide or member  24  is attached to the side wall  19  of a drawer  21 . Typically, one slide assembly is attached on each opposite side of a cabinet  18  enclosure. Each slide assembly then is also attached to one of the opposite sides of a drawer  21  which slides and thus moves into and out of the cabinet  18  in response to manual movement of the drawer  21 . Thus, the intermediate channel  22  and the inner channel or slide  24  telescopically slide outwardly from the cabinet  18  enclosure to permit the drawer  21  to be opened. The channels  20 ,  22  and  24  typically include ball bearings arranged in races intermediate the channels so that the channels  22 ,  24  may easily slide and telescope with respect to one another. 
     The subject matter of the invention relates to the construction of a bumper and stop at the inner end of the channels or slides  20 ,  22 ,  24  attached to outer channel  20 . The purpose or function of such a bumper and stop is to cushion the intermediate and inner channels  22 ,  24  as they move or slide to the closed position. Further, a function of the bumper and stop construction of the invention is to reduce any rebound action associated with the slides as the drawer  21  is moved to the closed position. Yet another function of the invention is to provide a detent mechanism which engages the inner channel or member  24  and holds it in the closed position until a positive force is imparted on the drawer  21  to remove the drawer  21  from its closed position and thus release the inner channel  24  from a detent lock position. 
     The various functions described are a result of the construction of a stop end bumper  30  mounted on the inner end of the outer channel  20  taken in combination with a cam follower  32  mounted in the intermediate channel  24  and further in combination with a detent reception opening or passage  34  defined in the inner channel or inner telescopic and sliding member  24 . The component parts referenced thus provide the function of cushioning the closure of a drawer  21  and, more particularly, cushioning the movement of the channels  22  and  24  to the closed position. The described components also reduce any rebound effect upon closing of a drawer  21  and, in particular, upon movement of the intermediate channel  22  and inner channel  24  to the closed position. Finally, the construction provides a holding or detent action in combination with the other features whereby the slide assembly and thus the drawer  21  is maintained in the closed position, but may be released by overcoming the detent force. 
     FIG. 8 depicts the construction of the bumper and stop member which is attached to the outer channel  20 . Thus, outer channel  20  includes a transversely or outwardly projecting mounting tab or tang  40  which slidably receives and retains the member  30 . Member  30  has an opening molded therein; namely, opening  42  so that the member  30  may fit onto the tab or tang  40 . Member  30  is made from a resilient material, such as a plastic material which has elastic characteristics. The member  30  includes a first flexible arm  44  and a second flexible arm  46  spaced from and generally parallel to the first arm  44 . The arms  44  and  46  extend in the direction of slide or channel movement. The first and second flexible arms  44  and  46  are connected respectively by hinge sections  48  and  50  to main body section  52  of the member  30 . Projecting from the center of the body section or body  52  in the same direction as the flexible arms  44  and  46  is a detent member  54 . 
     The member  30  further includes a planar ramp  56  projecting from the body member  52  in the direction of the detent member  54 . The ramp  56  has a limited thickness as depicted in FIG.  6 . This is to permit a cam follower  32  which is inserted into the inner end  58  of the intermediate channel  22  to slide over or engage the ramp or follower  56  when the intermediate channel  22  is moved to the closed position as illustrated in FIG.  5 . Thus, the follower  32  frictionally engages with the opposed surface of the camming member  56  to frictionally retain the intermediate member or channel as channel  22  is moved to the closed position. This construction also provides the function of reducing any rebound upon closure of the intermediate slide  22 . 
     Upon closure of the slide assembly and movement of the intermediate channel  22  to the closed position, the inner end  58  of the intermediate channel  22  will engage against the flexible arms  44  and  46 . This cushions the closure of the intermediate channel  22 . Note that the arms  44  and  46  will spread outwardly as they are engaged by the intermediate channel  22  and thus impact against the sides  60  and  62  of the outer channel  20 . However, because the arms  44  and  46  are flexible, they provide a continued cushioning effect even though they are constrained within the outer channel  20 . The combination of the arms  44  and  46  with the ramp  56  provides a cushioning as well as an anti-rebound effect upon closure of the intermediate channel  22 . 
     The inner channel  24  may slidably move within the intermediate channel  22  to the closed position as illustrated in FIG.  7 . When so moved, the inner channel  24  which includes a detent opening or receptor  70  at its inner end  72  will be engaged with and receive the detent  54  of the member  30 . The detent  54  thus is elastic and will deform so as to receive opposed side wings  74  and  76  of the receptor or detent opening  70 . In this manner, when a drawer is moved to the closed position and all of the sliding elements; namely, channels  22  and  24  are moved to the closed position, the inner channel or slide member  24  which is attached to the drawer will be retained by the detent construction described. A physical force is then required to overcome this closed position. The drawer  21  will then have “feel” with respect to being opened. 
     The member  30 , because of its construction which incorporates arms  44  and  46 , as well as detent member  54  and the ramp  56 , thus provides a multiplicity of functions associated with closure of the slide assembly and thus closure of a drawer  21  supported by the slide assembly. The specific construction and configuration of the various component parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Consequently, the number and shape of the arms  44  and  46  may be altered or varied. The shape and configuration of the ramp  56 , as well as the detent member  54 , may be altered or varied to accommodate compatible shapes associated with the intermediate channel  22  and outer channel  24 . The number of channels may be altered from two or more. Thus the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.