Retracting device for a drawer mechanism

Abstract

A retraction device for a drawer mechanism comprises a spring-loaded carriage that can be moved in the push-in/pull-out direction for temporary coupling to an inner rail of the drawer mechanism. The carriage can be clocked in a retraction position by means of a locking slide that can be moved transverse to the push-in/pull-out direction in a guide. For coupling to the inner rail the carriage has at least one pivot element, which can be pivoted about an axis oriented perpendicular to the push-in/pull-out direction and perpendicular to the direction of movement of the locking slide. The pivot element and guide are arranged in such a manner that, in a locking position, the locking slide blocks a pivoting movement of the pivot element.

Claims

1. Drawer mechanism having a fixed rail element for attaching to a furniture cabinet and at least one movable rail element mounted on said fixed rail element, comprising an inner rail being an innermost movable rail element to be fastened to an extendable furniture part, the drawer mechanism comprising a retraction device having a spring-loaded slide movable in the retraction/extension direction for temporarily coupling to a coupling element disposed in a region of a free end of the inner rail, wherein the slide is capable of being blocked in a retraction position by a blocking latch bolt that in a guide is movable transversely to the retraction/extension direction, wherein the slide for coupling to the coupling element of the inner rail has at least one pivot element which is pivotable about an axis that is oriented so as to be perpendicular to the retraction/extension direction and perpendicular to the movement direction of the blocking latch bolt, a geometry of the pivot element being adapted to a geometry of the coupling element, such that the pivot element interacts with the coupling element for temporary coupling the slide to the inner rail, wherein the pivot element and the guide are disposed in such a manner that the blocking latch bolt in a blocking position blocks a pivoting movement of the pivot element, the pivot element having a blocking portion which in the blocking position interacts with the blocking latch bolt and the blocking portion comprises a lug which in the blocking position engages behind a free end of the blocking latch bolt, such that the pivoting movement of the pivot element is avoided even when the blocking latch bolt is slightly displaced outward.

2. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivot element has a holding portion that in an extension movement interacts with the coupling element, wherein the pivot element is mounted on the slide in such a manner that the holding portion in a release position in relation to a holding position is pivoted in the direction of a longitudinal central axis of the slide.

3. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivot element has an eccentrically disposed cam pin which interact with a stationary curve for controlling the pivoting movement of the pivot element, when the slide is moved in the retraction/extension direction.

4. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stationary curve in a portion has an elastic delimitation wall such that the inner rail in a retracted position of the retraction device is capable, by overcoming an insertion force, of being coupled to the slide in that a holding portion of the pivot element is temporarily pivoted, wherein the cam pin temporarily deforms the elastic delimitation wall.

5. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 1, comprising a guide receptacle in which the slide is mounted so as to be movable in a linear manner in the retraction/extension direction.

6. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 3, comprising a guide receptacle in which the slide is mounted so as to be movable in a linear manner in the retraction/extension direction, wherein the stationary curve is configured on the guide receptacle.

7. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivot element has an activation portion that in an retraction movement interacts with the coupling element.

8. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slide has a blocking face which in the blocking position interacts with the blocking latch bolt.

9. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 8, wherein the blocking portion and the blocking face in the retracted state of the slide conjointly form a receptacle for the blocking latch bolt, said receptacle tapering in the direction of a longitudinal central axis of the slide.

10. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the holding portion of the pivot element is disposed on a first side of the slide that faces the inner rail, and in that the blocking portion of the pivot element is disposed on a second side of the slide that is opposite the first side.

11. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein two pivot elements are disposed so as to be symmetrical to the longitudinal central axis of the slide.

12. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 1, comprising a damping element that is received in the slide.

13. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 12, wherein a damper rod of the damping element interacts with a stationary element of the retraction device.

14. The drawer mechanism as claimed in claim 13, wherein the stationary element is disposed in the retraction direction of the slide.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings used for explaining the exemplary embodiment:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a drawer mechanism having a retraction device according to the invention, in a partially extended position;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the drawer mechanism in the retracted position;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the retraction device according to the invention, in the retracted position;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a first cross section through the retraction device according to the invention, in the retracted position;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a second cross section through the retraction device according to the invention, in the retracted position;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the retraction device according to the invention, in the standby position; and

(8) FIG. 7 shows a cross section through the retraction device according to the invention, in the standby position.

(9) Identical parts in the figures are in principle provided with the same reference signs.

WAYS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

(10) FIG. 1 shows a drawer mechanism having a retraction device according to the invention, in a partially extended position. FIG. 2 shows the drawer mechanism in the retracted position. The drawer mechanism 1 comprises an outer rail 2, a central rail 3, and an inner rail 4, said rails being mounted so as to be telescopic on one another. To this end, roller bearings 5, 6 are disposed in an manner known per se between the outer rail 2 and the central rail 3, as well as between the central rail 3 and the inner rail 4. The three rails can thus be mutually repositioned in a linear manner by way of little resistance. All three rails are in each case formed by a substantially U-shaped profile from sheet metal. The central rail 3 herein is completely received between the legs of the outer rail 2, the inner rail 4 is in turn completely received between the legs of the central rail 3.

(11) The retraction device 10 according to the invention is disposed on the free end of the outer rail 2.

(12) Said retraction device 10 is described in detail in the context of the further FIGS. 3 to 7. Two blocking latch bolts 21, 22, which are mounted on the retraction device 10 so as to be displaceable in a linear manner perpendicularly to the retraction/extension direction of the drawer mechanism 1 in the main plane of the drawer mechanism 1, interact with the retraction device 10, on the one hand. A contact piece 7 that is disposed on the end of the inner rail 4 that faces the retraction device 10 interacts with the retraction device 10, on the other hand. Said contact piece is made of plastics material and by way of a latching connection is disposed on the end of the inner real 4. Said contact piece on the side thereof that faces the outer rail 2 has two holding cams 7a, 7b (cf. also FIG. 5).

(13) As is described in detail further below, the blocking latch bolts 21, 22, in the retracted position of the retraction device 10, by way of the free ends thereof engage in the retraction device 10 and interact with the latter. The blocking latch bolts 21, 22 at the opposite end are fixedly connected to a blocking bar which at the other end is connected to a further blocking latch bolt which interacts with the retraction device of a neighboring drawer. The uppermost or lowermost drawer, respectively, interacts in each case only with one blocking latch bolt on the side that faces the next lower or next upper drawer, respectively. The blocking bars having the blocking latching bolts are vertically oriented and freely movable along a linear guide. In as far as the respective lower retraction device is located in the retracted position, the blocking latch bolt that is connected to the blocking bar, by virtue of the influence of gravity, will move into the retraction device, while the upper blocking latch bolt that is attached to the same blocking bar is moved out of the respective upper retraction device.

(14) FIGS. 3 to 5 show the retraction device according to the invention in the retracted position. FIG. 3 shows a rear view, FIG. 4 shows a first cross section parallel to the main plane of the drawer mechanism, and FIG. 5 shows a second cross section parallel to said main plane. The first cross section according to FIG. 4 herein runs in the plane of the blocking latch bolts 21, 22.

(15) The second cross section according to FIG. 5 runs in the plane of the pivot elements that interact with the holding cams 7a, 7b of the inner rail 4. The first cross section thus runs between the rear side shown in FIG. 3 and the second cross section.

(16) The retraction device 10 comprises a housing 30 which forms a guide receptacle and which is received between the legs of the U-shaped outer rail 2 (cf. FIGS. 4, 5). The housing 30 is made from a polymer and by virtue of the elasticity thereof is held on the outer rail 2 by a clip-fit connection. The housing 30 has lateral openings 31, 32 which in the attached state of the housing 30 correspond to openings 2a, 2b in the two legs of the outer rail 2. The openings 31, 32 are configured in mouthparts of the housing 30 which furthermore fix the retraction device 10 axially in the outer rail 2.

(17) The housing 30 likewise has a substantially U-shaped cross section. Longitudinal grooves are configured at the transition between the base and the two legs that project orthogonally from said base. Guide portions of a slide 40 are mounted so as to be movable in a linear manner in said longitudinal grooves. The slide 40 can thus be moved relative to the housing 30 in the retraction/extension direction.

(18) The slide 40 comprises a receptacle 41 for a damping element 50 (cf. FIG. 5), said receptacle 41 running along the centerline of said slide 40. Said receptacle has a rectangular base area and an approximately square cross section such that the main body 51 of the cylindrical damping element 50 can be received. The receptacle 41 on the end thereof that faces the inner rail has a support face 42 on which the rear end of the main body 51 of the damping element 50 is supported. The receptacle 41 at the opposite end has a passage opening 43 through which a damper rod 52 of the damper element 50 can enter.

(19) The damping element 50 is a fluid damper known per se, the damper rod 52 thereof by way of a spring being pretensioned to the extended position. The damper rod 52 in the assembled position contacts a detent 33 on the housing 30. Said detent 33 is configured on the internal side of an arcuate deflection element 34. A coil spring 60 (cf. FIG. 5; only indicated by a dashed line for the sake of better clarity) which by way of both ends is fastened to fastening pins 44a, 44b of the slide 40 runs about said deflection element 34, said coil spring 60 being mounted so as to slide on said deflection element 34. The slide 40 by way of the at all times pretensioned coil spring 60 is thus impinged by a force in the retraction direction.

(20) Two pivot elements 45, 46 are mounted on a base plate of the slide 40 so as to be pivotable about axes that are oriented so as to be perpendicular to the main plane of the retraction device 10 and disposed so as to be symmetrical to the central longitudinal axis of the retraction device 10 (cf. FIGS. 4, 5). The axes in the retraction/extension direction herein are located in front of a central axis of the blocking latch bolts 21, 22, that is to say so as to be closer to the inner rail 4 than the blocking latch bolts 21, 22. The pivot elements 45, 46 comprise a front part 45a, 46a which is located ahead of the pivot axis and faces the inner rail 4, and a rear part 45b, 46b which is located behind the pivot axis and faces the corresponding blocking latch bolt 21, 22. The front part 45a, 46a is received in a breakout of the base plate of the slide 40, while the rear part 45b, 46b is located on the rear side of the base plate.

(21) The rear part 45b, 46b of the pivot element 45, 46 in the plane illustrated in FIG. 4 has a receptacle 45c, 46c for the free end of the corresponding blocking latch bolt 21, 22. The geometry of the receptacle 45c, 46c is adapted to the geometry of the blocking latch bolt 21, 22; the receptacle 45c, 46c thus has a concave shape having a lug 45d, 46d which can engage behind an inserted blocking latch bolt 21, 22. The slide 40 in the same plane in which the rear part 45b, 46b of the pivot element 45, 46 can interact with the blocking latch bolt 21, 22 has a ramp-type interaction face 49a, 49b. Both the receptacle 45c, 46c in the region of the lug 45d, 46d as well as the interaction face 49a, 49b herein are at an angle of 45 in relation to the central longitudinal axis of the retraction device 10.

(22) The pivot elements 45, 46 on the rear side, in the region of the front part 45a, 46a, have a guide pin 45e, 46e. Said guide pin 45e, 46e interacts with a guide curve 35, 36 which is configured in the housing 30 of the retraction device 10. The guide curve 35, 36, in a manner analogous to that of the pivot elements 45, 46 and of the guide pins 45e, 46e, is configured so as to be symmetrical in relation to the central longitudinal axis of the retraction device 10. Said guide curve 35, 36 has a rear portion 35a, 36a that runs so as to be substantially axial (thus in the retraction/extension direction), a portion 35b, 36b which adjoins said guide curve 35, 36 at the front (thus in the direction of the inner rail 4) and tapers obliquely toward the central longitudinal axis, as well as a portion 35c, 36c which again adjoins at the front and runs transversely to the central longitudinal axis. The inner lateral delimitation of the rear portion 35a, 36a, thus the lateral delimitation that is closer to the central longitudinal axis of the retraction device 10, is formed by a resilient tongue 35d, 36d on the internal side.

(23) The blocking latch bolts 21, 22 have a substantially rectangular cross section. The width of the blocking latch bolts 21, 22 in the region of the free end is reduced in the plane that interacts with the pivot elements 45, 46 such that a symmetrical trapezoidal shape results in said region. The blocking latch bolts in a plane behind the pivot elements 45, 46 extend farther inward, said blocking latch bolts on the free end thereof having a step-type shaping such that forces acting along the blocking latch bolts and blocking bars can be transmitted from one side of the retraction device 10 to the other (cf. FIG. 3).

(24) The pivot elements 45, 46 in a plane ahead of the main body of the slide 40 have a receptacle 45f, 46f (cf. FIG. 5). Said receptacle 45f, 46f is open toward the outside, that is to say in the direction away from the central longitudinal axis of the retraction device 10, and on the side facing the inner rail 4 is delimited by a holding portion 45g, 46g, and on the side facing away from the inner rail 4 is delimited by an activation portion 45h, 46h.

(25) FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the retraction device according to the invention. Said FIG. 6 corresponds to the view according to FIG. 3, the device however is now located in the standby position. FIG. 7 shows a cross section through the retraction device according to the invention in the standby position. The illustration otherwise corresponds to that of FIG. 5. The functioning of the retraction device 10 will be explained hereunder by means of FIGS. 3 to 7.

(26) The two pivot elements 45, 46 in the retracted position according to FIGS. 3 to 5, by virtue of the interaction between the guide pins 45e, 46e and the guide curve 35, 36, by way of the front part 45a, 46a of said pivot elements 45, 46 are outwardly pivoted, and the holding cams 7a, 7b of the inner rail 4 are received behind the holding portion 45g, 46g in the receptacle 45f, 46f. When the respective drawer is now extended, the extension movement is transmitted directly to the inner rail 4. The holding cams 7a, 7b fixedly disposed on said inner real 4 by way of the holding portions 45g, 46g entrain the pivot elements 45, 46 and thus the slide 40 along the guide formed by the housing 30. The guide pins 45e, 46e herein are guided in the guide curves 35, 36. The coil spring 60 when extracting is moreover (further) tensioned. The damper rod 52 of the damping element 50 by virtue of the spring integrated in the damping element 50 is extended until the free end of said damper rod 52 impacts in each case again on the detent 33. In the case of a rapid extraction of the drawer the damper rod 52 can intermittently lose contact with the detent 33. This is irrelevant in the context of the extraction movement. However, by virtue of the respective arrangement, it is avoided that potentially arising high forces could be transmitted to the damping element and damage the latter.

(27) As soon as the guide pins 45e, 46e have left the rear portion 35a, 36a and are guided in the central portion 35b, 36g, a pivoting movement of the pivot elements 45, 46 results by virtue of the tapered geometry of said guide pins 45e, 46e. The holding portions 45g, 46g are steadily pivoted inward, toward the central longitudinal axis of the retraction device 10. A release of the holding cams 7a, 7b of the inner rail 4 is however performed only once the guide pins 45e, 46e are transferred into the portions 35c, 36c that run transversely to the central longitudinal axis. The inner rail is separated from the retraction device 10 by way of the release of the holding cams 7a, 7b. The guide pins 45e, 46e in the standby position thus reached are held on the rearward face of the transversely running portions 35c, 36c. The coil spring 60 thus remains tensioned, and the slide 40 remains in the position reached. The damper rod 52 of the damping element 50 is located in the elongated position, the free end of said damper rod 52 contacting the detent 33 on the housing 30 of the retraction device 10.

(28) The standby position as established in FIGS. 6 and 7 is now maintained until the drawer is closed again and the holding cams 7a, 7b in this context come into contact again with the pivot elements 45, 46 of the slide 40. The holding cams 7a, 7b herein initially contact the activation portions 45h, 46h of the pivot elements 45, 46. In the case of a slide 40 that is initially held firmly in the axial direction, the pivot elements 45, 46 are then pivoted outward such that the guide pins 45e, 46e enter the central portion 35b, 36b of the guide curve 35, 36, and the holding portions 45g, 46g of the pivot element again engage axially behind the holding cams 7a, 7b. The central and the rear portion 35b, 35a, 36b, 36a of the guide curve permit a retraction movement of the slide 40 caused by the coil spring 60, in which retraction movement the inner rail and thus the entire drawer mechanism is entrained. This movement is damped by the damping element 50 which is disposed between the slide 40 and the housing 30. The movement ends when the slide 40 by way of the rear end thereof meets the housing in the region of stroke-termination faces 61a, 61 b (cf. FIG. 4). The pivot elements 45, 46, by virtue of the interaction between the guide curves 35, 36 and the guide pins 45e, 46e, are again moved back to the pivoted position of said pivot elements 45, 46 in the retracted position.

(29) Should the retraction device 10 in the context of the assembly procedure or following an erroneous manipulation be located in the retracted position but the inner real not be coupled to the retraction device 10, the initial state according to FIGS. 3 to 5 can be established in a simple manner. To this end, the inner rail is moved toward the retraction device 10 (by inserting the drawer). The holding cams 7a, 7b herein come into contact with a front side of the holding portions 45g, 46g. The shaping of the latter is such that said holding portions 45g, 46g on account thereof are pushed inward and herein cause a corresponding pivoting movement of the pivot elements 45, 46 until the holding cams 7a, 7b have passed the holding portions 45g, 46g. The latter then snap back such that the holding cams 7a, 7b are received in the desired manner in the receptacles 45f, 46f. The corresponding pivoting movement of the pivot elements 45, 46 in the case of this procedure is enabled by the resilient tongues 35d, 36d which inwardly delimit the rear portions 35a, 36a of the guide curves 35, 36. The resilient tongues 35d, 35d moreover ensure that the holding portions 45g, 46g snap back after passing the holding cams 7a, 7b.

(30) The blocking latch bolts 21, 22 in the retracted position according to FIGS. 3 to 5 can be moved into the retraction device 10. The front end of said locking latch bolts 21, 22 is then initially received in the receptacle 45c, 46c of the corresponding pivot element 45, 46. Each of the blocking latch bolts 21, 22 can in principle now be freely movable in a linear manner. This is the case when none of the drawers of a plurality of drawers lying on top of one another is open. In this case, the drawer assigned to the retraction device 10 can be readily opened. Blocking latch bolts which are initially moved into the retraction device, in particular blocking latch bolts 21 which are disposed above the retraction device 10 and by virtue of gravity are located in the moved-in position, herein by the corresponding interaction face 49a, 49b of the slide 40 are steadily moved out of the retraction device 10.

(31) The coupling in the effective direction of the blocking latch bolts 21, 22 and the blocking bars by way of the step-type shaping thus leads to only one of a plurality of drawers disposed on top of one another being able to be opened at all times. The retraction devices of the further drawers are blocked by way of the blocking latch bolts and blocking bars such that the corresponding further draw mechanisms can no longer be extended.

(32) When one of the blocking latch bolts 21, 22 by virtue of a further drawer that has already been opened is now located in a blocking position, said blocking latch bolt 21, 22 cannot be moved in the linear movement direction of the blocking latch bolt 21, 22. An extraction movement of the retraction device 10 and thus a release of the holding cams 7a, 7b is thus prevented by virtue of the interaction between the blocking latch bolt 21, 22 and the corresponding pivot element 45, 46. By virtue of the shaping of the pivot element 45, 46 by way of the lug 45d, 46d this is also ensured when the blocking blocking latch bolt 21, 22 by virtue of production tolerances or thermal effects does not reach completely up to the end of the receptacle. The tapered region of the blocking latch bolt 21, 22 also in this case, optionally after a minimal axial movement of the slide 40, will interact across a large area with the face that delimits the lug 45d, 46d and prevent any pivoting movement (which otherwise would in principle be possible by virtue of the resilient tongue of the guide curve).

(33) The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment illustrated. Specifically the geometry of the individual elements of the retraction device can also be designed differently.

(34) Summarizing, it is to be stated that the invention achieves a retraction device which is simply constructed and mechanically robust.