Granted Patent B2

US 9,872,563 · App. 15/081,636 · Granted Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

Claims (45)

1. A push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus for a drawer slide assembly, the apparatus comprising:

a housing mounted to a first rail of the drawer slide assembly;

a guide block mounted to a second rail of the drawer slide assembly;

an ejector slidably mounted to the housing and configured to abut the guide block;

a carriage slidably mounted to the housing and slidable in a generally longitudinal direction along the housing;

a damper supported by the housing and connected to the carriage;

a soft close bias member connected to the housing and the carriage;

an ejector bias member connected to the housing and the ejector;

a pin, slidable in a generally lateral direction within the carriage, having a first end extending from the carriage and a second end extending from the carriage; and,

the first end slidingly engaged with a groove in the housing and the second end slidingly engaged with the guide block.

2. The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein the guide block further comprises:

a stationary part mounted to the second rail of the drawer slide assembly;

a movable part slidably engaged with the stationary part and defining a first drawer position;

a threaded shaft extending from the movable part;

a thumbwheel contained within the stationary part and threadably engaged with the threaded shaft; and,

wherein rotation of the thumbwheel adjusts the first drawer position to a second drawer position.

3. The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein the guide block further comprises:

an inlet channel leading to a first redirecting surface;

a second redirecting surface leading to an outlet channel;

a first catch positioned between the first redirecting surface and the second redirecting surface; and,

the outlet channel leading to a second catch and the inlet channel.

4. The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing further comprises:

a base mounted to the first rail of the drawer slide assembly;

a soft close track attached to the base and defining a soft close catch and a recess;

the first end releasably engaged with the soft close track and the recess;

the soft close bias member providing a soft close force;

the ejector bias member providing an ejector force; and,

wherein the soft close force is greater than the ejector force.

5. The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein the carriage further comprises:

an oblong hole having a latitudinal axis generally perpendicular to the direction of travel of the drawer slide assembly;

a dog slidable within the carriage;

a step extending from the dog and slidably engaged with the oblong hole; and,

the soft close bias member providing a bias between the carriage and the housing.

6. The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the housing further comprises a base having a set of ridges;

a soft close track attached to the base and defining the groove;

a soft close catch and a recess formed in the groove;

the carriage slidably engaged with the soft close track; and,

the ejector slidingly engaged with the set of ridges.

7. The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the guide block further comprises a stationary part adjustably engaged with a movable part;

the movable part defines an inlet channel separated from an outlet channel by an island, wherein the island defines a first catch;

the inlet channel leads to a first redirecting surface;

the outlet channel leads to a second catch; and,

a threaded shaft extends from the movable part and engages a thumbwheel seated in the stationary part.

Assignments (9)