Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 14/821,979, filed Aug. 10, 2015, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 14/088,053, filed Nov. 22, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,101,213. Each patent application identified above is incorporated here by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This disclosure relates to the field of drawer slides for mounting drawers in cabinetry. More particularly this disclosure relates to an undermount drawer slide mounting clip for releasably coupling a drawer to a drawer slide assembly. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Drawer slide assemblies include slides or rails mounted on both the cabinet carcass and the drawer. The slides attached to the drawer cooperate with the slides mounted to the cabinet carcass to allow telescoping extensions while providing support for the drawer. Drawer slides typically are mounted either underneath the drawer or on the sides of a drawer. Both the undermount drawer slide and the sidemount drawer slide styles offer different advantages. A desirable advantage of the undermount drawer slide is that it is not visible when a drawer is open and the slide is extended. To consumers, the appearance of the drawer is enhanced. 
     Adjustment of the drawer face of a drawer mounted using an undermount drawer slide assembly is also important to appearance. Overcoming misalignment of an installed drawer relative to the cabinet and any adjacent drawers due to manufacturing tolerances is necessary. Adjustments are often necessary in three directions, “horizontal”, “vertical”, and “depth”. 
     Releasable coupling devices which allow a drawer to be fitted to an extendable rail of a drawer assembly are known in the art. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,334 to Weichelt discloses a device for establishing an adjustable connection between a drawer and a furniture guide rail. The device comprises a base part adapted for connection to the drawer and a detent recess adapted for connection to the guide rail. The tolerance between the drawer and the guide rail may be manually adjusted in two directions and the furniture guide rail must include a suitable detent for engagement with the detent recess. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,984 to Ritter discloses an apparatus for releasably coupling a drawer to a drawer pull-out guide. The apparatus comprises a holding part which interacts with a mating part of the guide rail. A region of the holding part which comes in contact with the mating part of the guide rail is flexible to compensate any longitudinal play of the drawer in relation to the rail. In addition to the flexible depth compensation, the apparatus provides the capability of a “horizontal” adjustment. 
     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0292465 to Holzer, et al. discloses a coupling device for a drawer. The device comprises a fixing portion mounted to the drawer and a coupling portion for releasably interacting with the guide rail. The device is capable of providing an adjustment in a “vertical” direction and a “horizontal” direction. 
     However, a simple, cost effective, and easy to operate solution providing a quick, releasable engagement to an existing drawer slide assembly capable of providing three directional adjustments is needed. Further, there is a need for an easily operated undermount drawer slide mounting clip capable of releasbly coupling a drawer to a drawer slide assembly and providing three-directional adjustment that can be operated by hand without removing the drawer from the cabinet carcass. 
     SUMMARY 
     The apparatus disclosed is an undermount drawer slide clip mounting apparatus configured to releasably attach a drawer to a drawer slide assembly mounted in a cabinet carcass and capable of effecting adjustments in three directions without removing the drawer from engagement with the cabinet. 
     Accordingly, the drawer slide assembly is comprised of a cabinet rail mounted to the cabinet carcass, an intermediate rail slidingly engaged with the cabinet rail, and a drawer rail slidingly engaged with the intermediate rail. The undermount drawer slide clip mounting apparatus is comprised of a body including a base slidingly engaged with a bonnet. A lever arm is pivotally engaged with the body and a spring loaded catch is slidable within the bonnet. A threaded spindle rotates within the base and affects the lateral position of the bonnet relative to the base. A height adjusting ramp is adjustably connected to the base. A depth adjuster is connected to the base and includes a lever pivotal within a housing and a cover. The lever includes gear teeth engaged with gear teeth on a plunger extending from the housing. 
     The base of the undermount drawer slide clip is mounted to the underside of a drawer. A trigger moves the catch for releasable engagement with the drawer rail of the drawer slide assembly. The drawer rail further engages the ramp. The position of the ramp relative to the base can be adjusted to affect the vertical position of the drawer. Rotation of the spindle moves the lateral position of the bonnet relative to the base and thus imparts a lateral adjustment of the drawer. When the drawer is closed, the cabinet rail of the drawer slide assembly contacts the plunger. Pivoting the lever moves the position of the plunger and provides a depth adjustment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       In the descriptions that follow, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and certain figures may be shown in exaggerated or generalized form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment attached to the underside of a drawer. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the depth adjuster. 
         FIG. 5  is a partially exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment showing attachment of the depth adjuster. 
         FIG. 6A  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the depth adjuster. 
         FIG. 6B  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the depth adjuster. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the underside of drawer  102  is shown. Undermount drawer slide clip mounting apparatus  100  is mounted on the underside of the drawer adjacent drawer face  104 . The front mounted location allows for easy adjustment by hand without disengaging the drawer from the drawer slide assembly. The drawer slide assembly is comprised of three slidingly engaged rails as is common in the art. Drawer rail  106  is removably engaged with mounting apparatus  100  and slidingly engaged with intermediate rail  108 . Intermediate rail  108  is slidingly engaged with cabinet rail  110  ( FIGS. 6A and 6B ). Cabinet rail  110  is mounted to the cabinet carcass with conventional mounting hardware such as wood screws. Drawer rail  106  includes tab  114  and is further fitted with shoe  112 . Tab  114  defines slot  115 . Both shoe  112  and tab  114  are positioned on the front end of drawer rail  106 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , undermount drawer slide clip mounting apparatus  100  is comprised of base  202  slidingly engaged with bonnet  204 . Base  202  is a generally flat, rectangular plate rigidly mounted to the underside of the drawer with convention mounting hardware such as wood screws through holes  212  and  213 . Base  202  includes ends  208  and  210 . End  208  is mounted adjacent drawer face  104 . End  208  includes holes  214  and  215 . Hole  214  passes completely though base  202  while hole  215  may or may not pass completely through. Recess  218  is a rectangular shaped cutout beneath hole  215 . 
     Saddles  226  and  227  project from base  202  near the longitudinal midpoint of base  202 . Bridge  220  extends from end  208  adjacent hole  215 , projects along an edge of base  202 , and reconnects to base  202  adjacent saddle  227  forming block  234 . Bridge  220  includes teeth  230  and recess  232 . Spindle  240  is a threaded shaft with knob  242  adjacent collar  250  on one end and barrel  244  on the opposite end. Spindle  240  has threaded section  246  flanked by two bare sections  248  and  249 . Bare sections  248  and  249  are seated in saddles  226  and  227  respectively. Collar  250  is adjacent saddle  226 . Barrel  244  is adjacent saddle  227 . 
     Height adjuster  252  is adjustably engaged with base  202  at bridge  220 . Height adjuster  252  is comprised of arms  254  and  256  extending generally parallel to each other from ramp  258 . Opposite ramp  258 , arm  254  includes hook  260 . Opposite ramp  258 , arm  256  includes teeth  262  adjacent extension  264 . Teeth  262  are sized to engage teeth  230  and hook  260  is sized to engage recess  218 . 
     Lever arm  228  is generally elbow shaped and comprised of strike  238  on one end and trigger  239  on an opposite end. Pivot hole  236  is displaced between the ends at the elbow bend. Lever arm  228  is pivotally connected between base  202  and bonnet  204  with screw  207  through pivot hole  236 . 
     Bonnet  204  is a generally flat, rectangular plate slidingly engaged with base  202 . Screws  206  and  207  affix bonnet  204  to base  202  through oblong holes  222  and  224  respectively. Stanchions  310  and  312  extend from bonnet  204 . Each stanchion includes a hole to receive screws  206  and  207 . The generally rectangular, hollow shape of box  313  forms channel  314  adjacent stanchion  312 . One side wall of box  313  includes gap  315 . Block  316  is positioned adjacent stanchion  310  and includes threaded slot  322 . The threads of threaded slot  322  are sized to engage threaded section  246  of spindle  240 . Arm  318  extends from bonnet  204  and further includes slot  320 . The longitudinal axes of channel  314  and threaded slot  322  are generally parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of slot  320 . In the preferred embodiment, stanchions  310  and  312 , box  313 , block  316 , and arm  318  are all integrally formed with bonnet  204 . 
     Catch  330  is sized to be slidably engaged with channel  314 . Catch  330  includes notch  332  adjacent angled edge  333  on a first end and spring  334  on an opposite end. Disposed between the two ends of catch  330  is slot  336 . Slot  336  is sized to accommodate strike  238  of lever arm  228 . 
     Referring additionally to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , depth adjuster  270  is comprised of housing  272  fitted with cover  274 . Housing  272  has a generally rectangular shaped, hollow body including pivot hole  294 . Stanchions  297  and  298  extend from one side of housing  272 . Stanchion  298  includes a hole sized to receive screw  308 . Adjacent pivot hole  294  is rib  296 . Partially surrounding pivot hole  294  and integrally formed into opposing sidewalls of housing  272  are arcuate guides  306 . 
     Cover  274  is a Z-shaped, generally rectangular plate releasably fitted to housing  272 . Cover  274  includes pivot hole  280  and arcuate slot  282 . Adjacent arcuate slot  282 , cover  274  further includes an arcuate strip of teeth  291 . Lever  276  includes axel  284  on a first end and teeth  290  adjacent extension  292  on its opposite end. Teeth  290  are sized to engage teeth  291 . Lever  276  is pivotally engaged with housing  272  and cover  274  by axel  284  through pivot holes  294  and  280 . Surrounding axel  284  is collar  286 . Collar  286  is sized to rotate freely between arcuate guides  306  and further includes teeth  288 . Plunger  278  has a hollow, T-shaped body where face  302  is positioned along the top of the “T”. Plunger  278  further includes slot  304  sized to accommodate rib  296  of housing  272  and teeth  300  sized to engage teeth  288  of lever  276 . 
     Depth adjuster  270  is rigidly connected to base  202  by screw  308  through hole  214  and the hole in stanchion  298 . Stanchion  297  is fitted to hole  215 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, components of undermount drawer slide clip mounting apparatus  100  including base  202 , bonnet  204 , lever arm  228 , spindle  240 , height adjuster  252 , depth adjuster  270 , and catch  330  are manufactured of a molded plastic such as polystyrene, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), or nylon. 
     In use, clip mounting apparatus  100  is affixed to the underside of the drawer, adjacent drawer face  104 , with screws through holes  212  and  213 . To releasably clip the drawer to drawer rail  106 , lever arm  228  is pivoted about pivot hole  236  by applying a force to trigger  239  in a direction generally parallel to the bottom surface of the drawer towards the drawer slide assembly. Trigger  239  is sized and shaped to be manipulated by hand without tools. Strike  238  projects through gap  315 , abuts catch  330  within slot  336 , and slides catch  330  within channel  314  against the bias of spring  334 . Tab  114  of drawer rail  106  is slidingly inserted into slot  320  and the front end of drawer rail  106  slides over ramp  258  on height adjuster  252 . Trigger  239  is released allowing notch  332  to pass through slot  115  and under shoe  112 . Angled edge  333  assists in the alignment of notch  332  with slot  115 . 
     To adjust the vertical position of the drawer relative to the cabinet carcass, a force is applied to extension  264  in a direction towards the bottom of the drawer. Teeth  262  are released from their engagement with teeth  230 . As long as teeth  262  and teeth  230  are disengaged, height adjuster  252  is free to slide relative to base  202  in a direction generally parallel with the opening and closing direction of the drawer. Sliding height adjuster  252  towards drawer rail  106  causes the front end of drawer rail  106  to move up ramp  258  and thus the drawer in an upward direction relative to the cabinet carcass. Sliding height adjuster away from drawer rail  106  causes the front end of drawer rail  106  to move down ramp  258  and thus the drawer in a downward direction relative to the cabinet carcass. Hook  260  engaged with recess  218  limits the sliding movement of height adjuster  252  and prevents height adjuster  252  from becoming disengaged with base  202 . Once the desired drawer height is reached, the force on extension  264  is released and teeth  262  reengage teeth  230 . 
     To adjust the horizontal position of the drawer relative to the cabinet carcass, a rotational force is applied to spindle  240  via knob  242 . During rotation, the spindle&#39;s horizontal position relative to base  202  is prevented from changing by barrel  244  abutting saddle  227  and collar  250  abutting saddle  226 . Threaded section  246  interacts with threaded slot  322 . As spindle  240  rotates, bonnet  204  moves horizontally with respect to base  202 . Drawer rail  106  is releasably clipped to bonnet  204  via arm  318  and slot  320 . Once the desired horizontal position is reached, rotation of spindle  240  is stopped. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , when the drawer is in a closed position, cabinet rail  110  abuts face  302  on plunger  278 . The position of plunger  278  and thus face  302  determines the depth of the drawer relative to the cabinet carcass. To adjust the depth the drawer closes to relative to the cabinet carcass, plunger  278  is extended from or retracted within housing  272 . As plunger  278  extends from housing  272 , the closed position of the drawer relative to the cabinet carcass is extended further out of the cabinet carcass. To extend plunger  278  out of housing  272 , a force is applied to extension  292  to release teeth  290  from engagement with teeth  291 . Once the teeth are disengaged, lever  276  is pivoted about pivot hole  280  via axel  284 . Rotation of collar  286  is confined by arcuate guides  306 . Teeth  288  engaged with teeth  300  convert the rotational movement of lever  276  into linear movement of plunger  278 . Movement of extension  292  from point  340  to point  342  translates into extending plunger  278  from housing  272  resulting in a closed position where the position of the drawer relative to the cabinet carcass is extended further out of the cabinet carcass. Movement of extension  292  from point  342  to point  340  translates into retracting plunger  278  back into housing  272  resulting in a closed position where the position of the drawer relative to the cabinet carcass is retracted, or less extended out of the cabinet carcass. Once the desired depth is achieved, the force on extension  292  is removed and teeth  290  reengage with teeth  291 . It is understood that extension  292  may also be positioned anywhere between points  340  and  342  along arcuate slot  282  to effect different drawer closing depths. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept. It is understood, therefore, that this disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments herein, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Category: 1