Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ELASTIC FORCE ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR SLIDE ASSEMBLY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an elastic force adjustment device, and
more particularly, to an elastic force adjustment device for adjusting the
elastic
force to control the distance that the rails travel in response to the load of
the rails.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Patent No. 7,374,261 discloses a push-open type slide structure
comprises a top fastener and a locking device between an outer slide rail and
a pull
rod. The loading plate is extended from one side of the center portion of the
main
body. Two pillars are extended from both sides of the main body. A positioning
fastener is coupled with the loading plate. A hook is mounted on the inner
edge of
the loading plate. A guide pillar is mounted on the rear end of the loading
plate. The
hook is inserted into the action trench of the main body and coupled with the
elastic
device. The locking device has a connection part for coupling with a guide
part and
a shaft holder. The push-open type slide structure is lockable or unlockable
by
pivotal rotation between the loading plate and the locking device. As a
result, the
push-open type slide structure can be controlled easily.
The push-open type slide structure is operated by the stored force of the
elastic device and the specification of the elastic device is chosen so as to
have a
fixed elastic force. When in use, the slide assembly is connected between the
furniture part and the drawer so that when the drawer is pushed inward, the
drawer
opens automatically from the furniture part. However, when the drawer has
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different loads, especially heavy objects, the load on the drawer applied to
the rails
cannot make the drawer to be opened to a desired position. Furthermore, when
the
furniture include multiple drawers and different loads are received in the
drawers,
the drawers open to different positions which may be confused to the users.
The inventor develops an elastic force adjustment device for the
push-open type slide assembly so as to improve the shortcomings of the
conventional push-open type slide assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention intends to provide an elastic force adjustment
device for the push-open type slide assembly, and the adjustment device
adjusts the
stored elastic force to adjust the travel distance of the rails.
The present invention relates to an elastic force adjustment device for
slide assembly which includes a first rail and a second rail slidably
connected to the
first rail. The elastic force adjustment device comprises a fixing member
fixedly
connected to the first rail and including a threaded rod and a longitudinal
body. The
longitudinal body has a first end and a second end which is located in
opposite to
the first end. A longitudinal guiding portion is located between the first and
second
ends. A movable member is slidably connected to the longitudinal guiding
portion
of the fixing member. An adjustment frame has a mounting portion connected to
the threaded rod of the fixing member. An adjustment member has a threaded
portion threadedly connected to the threaded rod of the fixing member. The
adjustment member contacts the adjustment frame. At least one elastic member
has
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two ends which are respectively connected to the movable member and the
adjustment frame. A force of the at least one elastic member or the position
of the
movable member is adjusted by rotating the adjustment member on the threaded
rod of the fixing member.
The fixing member has a stop located between the first and second ends
thereof. The movable. member is movable between the second end of the fixing
member and the stop.
A buffering coat is mounted to the stop.
The second rail includes a push member located corresponding to the
movable member.
The adjustment frame includes an urging member and the adjustment
member is located and in contact between the urging member and the mounting
portion.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following
description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which
show,
for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with
the
present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view to show the elastic force adjustment device of
the present invention is installed to the slide assembly;
Fig. 2 is an exploded view to show the elastic force adjustment device of
the present invention;
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Fig. 3 shows that the adjustment frame of the elastic force adjustment
device of the present invention is located at the first position;
Fig. 4 shows that the adjustment frame of the elastic force adjustment
device of the present invention is adjusted and located at the second
position;
Fig. 5 shows that the fixing member includes a stop;
Fig. 6 shows that the stop is mounted by a buffering coat, and
Fig. 7 shows the position of the movable member when the elastic
member is in compressed status.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the slide assembly comprises a first rail 12 and
a second rail 14 which is slidably and longitudinally connected to the first
rail 12.
An elastic force adjustment device 16 of the present invention is installed to
the
first rail 12 so as to provide an adjustable and elastic force to the second
rail 14
which is opened relative to the first rail 12.
The first rail 12 includes a bottom board 18 and a sidewall 20 which
extends perpendicularly from the bottom board 18.
The second rail 14 includes a push member 22.
The elastic force adjustment device 16 comprises a fixing member 24,'a
movable member 26, an adjustment frame 28, an adjustment member 30 and at
least one elastic member 32, wherein the fixing member 24 is fixedly connected
to
the first rail 12 and includes a threaded rod 34 and a longitudinal body 36.
The
longitudinal body 36 has a first end 35a and a second end 35b which is located
in
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opposite to the first end 35a. A longitudinal guiding portion 38 is located
between
the first and second ends 35a, 35b.
The movable member 26 is slidably connected to the longitudinal guiding
portion 38 of the fixing member 24 and movable along the longitudinal guiding
portion 38. The movable member 26 includes a contact portion 40 which is
located
corresponding to the push member 22 of the second rail 14 so that the movable
member 26 is moved with the movement of the push member 22 of the second rail
14 by the contact portion 40.
The adjustment frame 28 has a mounting portion 42 connected to the
threaded rod 34 of the fixing member 24.
The adjustment member 30 has a threaded portion 44 threadedly
connected to the threaded rod 34 of the fixing member 24.
The at least one elastic member 32 (or two elastic members 32) has two
ends which are respectively connected to the movable member 26 and the
adjustment frame 28.
Fig. 3 shows the second rail 14 is retracted relative to the first rail 12 and
the push member 22 on the second rail 14 contacts the contact portion 40 of
the
movable member 26 of the elastic force adjustment device 16. The movable
member 26 moves a pre-set distance along the longitudinal guiding portion 38
of
the fixing member 24, so that the at least one elastic member 32 of the
adjustment
frame 28 and the movable member 26 are pulled so as to store an elastic force
relative to the second rail 14. In this status, an engaging device (not shown)
is
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connected between the first and second rails 12, 14 to position the second
rail 14,
relative to the retracted first rail 12 by the engaging device. In other
words, the
movable member 26 applied by the at least one elastic member 32 cannot push
the
second rail 14 via the push member 22. The adjustment frame 28 is moved by the
adjustment member 30 and is set at the first position P1 on the threaded rod
34 of
the fixing member 24.
Fig. 4 shows that the adjustment member 30 of the elastic force
adjustment device 16 is rotated on the threaded rod 34 of the fixing member 24
to
contact and move the adjustment frame 28 from the first position PI on the
threaded rod 34 of the fixing member 24 to the second position P2, and the
adjustment frame 28 is positioned at the second position P2. In this status,
the
relative distance between the movable member 26 and the adjustment frame 28 is
adjusted, and the status of the at least one elastic member 32 of the
adjustment
frame 28 and the movable member 26 are adjusted. This is to say, the stored
elastic
force is adjusted.
Therefore, when the second rail 14 is retracted relative to the first rail 12
to extend the at least one elastic member 32 by the contact of the push member
22
and the contact portion 40 of the movable member 26, the movable member 26
applies the stored elastic force to the second rail 14, wherein the stored
elastic force
is formed according to the extension of the at least one elastic member 32.
The
elastic force from the at least one elastic member 32 is released and then
applies to
the contact portion 40 of the movable member 26 and moves the push member 22
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of the second rail 14 so that the second rail 14 is opened to a desired
position
relative to the first rail 12.
Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 5, considering that the movable member 26
is pulled by the at least one elastic member 32 and moves along the
longitudinal
guiding portion 38 of the fixing member 24. The fixing member 24 has a stop 46
located between the first and second ends 35a, 35b thereof. In this
embodiment, the
stop 46 is located close to the first end 35a, and the movable member 26 is
movable
between the second end 35b of the fixing member 24 and the stop 46. As shown
in
Fig. 6, a buffering coat 48 is mounted to the stop 46 so as to reduce the
noise when
the movable member 26 contacts the stop 46.
In another situation, as shown in Fig. 7, the stop position of the movable
member 26 applied by the elastic force of the at least one elastic member 32
can be
controlled by the compressed length of the at least one elastic member 32. The
adjustment member 30 and the adjustment frame 28 are adjusted to a third
position
on the threaded rod 34 of the fixing member 24. The third position allows the
movable member 26 not to contact the first end 35a of the longitudinal guiding
portion 38 of the fixing member 24 or the stop 46. The adjustment frame 28
further
includes an urging member 50 wherein the adjustment member 30 is located and
in
contact between the urging member 50 and the mounting portion 42. By this
arrangement, the adjustment member 30 and the adjustment frame 28 are moved
back and forth together.
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The elastic force adjustment device for slide assembly allows the users to
adjust the elastic force as needed. Especially when drawers are installed to
the slide
assembly and different weights of objects are received in the drawers, by the
adjustment of the elastic force, the elastic force of each drawer can be
properly
adjusted so that the drawers can be opened to a desired position for
convenience of
accessing the objects in the drawers when the drawers are operated under the
push-open mode.
While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with
the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that
further
embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention.
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