SLIDE RAIL ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A slide rail assembly includes a first rail, a second rail, a synchronization member, an auxiliary member and a third rail. The synchronization member is movably mounted on the second rail. The third rail is arranged with a working feature. During a process of the third rail being moved along an opening direction, the third rail is configured to drive the second rail to synchronously move by the working feature abutting against the synchronization member. During a process of the third rail and the second rail being synchronously moved along the opening direction, the blocking feature is configured to abut against the auxiliary member to move the auxiliary member relative to the second rail, in order to drive the synchronization member to move to no longer abut against the working feature, so as to unsynchronize movement between the third rail and the second rail.

Claims

1. A slide rail assembly, comprising: a first rail arranged with a predetermined feature and a blocking feature; a second rail longitudinally movable relative to the first rail; a synchronization member, an engaging member and an auxiliary member movably mounted on the second rail; and a third rail longitudinally movable relative to the second rail and arranged with a working feature; wherein during a process of the third rail being moved along an opening direction, the third rail is configured to drive the second rail to synchronously move by the working feature abutting against the synchronization member in a first state; wherein during a process of the third rail and the second rail being synchronously moved along the opening direction, the blocking feature is configured to abut against the auxiliary member to move the auxiliary member from a first auxiliary position to a second auxiliary position relative to the second rail, in order to drive the synchronization member to switch from the first state to a second state, such that the working feature of the third rail no longer abuts against the synchronization member, so as to unsynchronize movement between the third rail and the second rail; wherein when the second rail is located at an extended position relative to the first rail, the engaging member is configured to be engaged with the predetermined feature, in order to prevent the second rail from being moved along a retracting direction from the extended position.

2. The slide rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the second rail is movably mounted between the first rail and the third rail.

3. The slide rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary member is longitudinally movable relative to the second rail.

4. The slide rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary member and the second rail respectively have a first limiting feature and a second limiting feature configured to interact with each other.

5. The slide rail assembly of claim 3, further comprising an elastic member configured to provide an elastic force to the auxiliary member.

6. The slide rail assembly of claim 5, wherein the elastic member is connected between the second rail and the auxiliary member.

7. The slide rail assembly of claim 3, wherein the synchronization member and the engaging member are pivotally connected to the second rail through a shaft member.

8. The slide rail assembly of claim 7, wherein the shaft member is arranged in a direction substantially identical to a height direction of the second rail.

9. The slide rail assembly of claim 7, further comprising an elastic structure configured to provide an elastic force to at least one of the synchronization member and the engaging member.

10. The slide rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the blocking feature is a protrusion.

11. A slide rail assembly, comprising: a first rail arranged with a blocking feature; a second rail longitudinally movable relative to the first rail; a synchronization member movably mounted on the second rail; an auxiliary member movable relative to the second rail between a first auxiliary position and a second auxiliary position; and a third rail longitudinally movable relative to the second rail and arranged with a working feature; wherein during a process of the third rail being moved along an opening direction, the third rail is configured to drive the second rail to synchronously move by the working feature abutting against the synchronization member; wherein during a process of the third rail and the second rail being synchronously moved along the opening direction, the blocking feature is configured to abut against the auxiliary member to linearly move the auxiliary member from the first auxiliary position to the second auxiliary position relative to the second rail, in order to drive the synchronization member to move, such that the working feature of the third rail no longer abuts against the synchronization member, so as to unsynchronize movement between the third rail and the second rail.

12. The slide rail assembly of claim 11, wherein the second rail is movably mounted between the first rail and the third rail.

13. The slide rail assembly of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary member is movably mounted on the second rail.

14. The slide rail assembly of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary member and the second rail respectively have a first limiting feature and a second limiting feature configured to interact with each other.

15. The slide rail assembly of claim 13, further comprising an elastic member configured to provide an elastic force to the auxiliary member.

16. The slide rail assembly of claim 15, wherein the elastic member is connected between the second rail and the auxiliary member.

17. The slide rail assembly of claim 13, wherein the synchronization member is pivotally connected to the second rail through a shaft member.

18. The slide rail assembly of claim 17, wherein the shaft member is arranged in a direction substantially identical to a height direction of the second rail.

19. The slide rail assembly of claim 17, further comprising an elastic structure configured to provide an elastic force to the synchronization member.

20. The slide rail assembly of claim 11, wherein the blocking feature is a protrusion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a slide rail assembly comprising a first rail, a second rail and a third rail according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0009] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the slide rail assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0010] FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the second rail according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 3A is diagram showing an auxiliary member according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 4 is a partial schematic diagram of the second rail according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 5 is a partial schematic diagram of the second rail in another viewing angle according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the slide rail assembly in a retracted state according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of an area A of FIG. 6;

[0016] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the second rail and the third rail being synchronously moved relative to the first rail according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the second rail and the third rail being further synchronously moved relative to the first rail according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of an area A of FIG. 9;

[0019] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the auxiliary member configured to unsynchronize movement between the third rail and the second rail according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the slide rail assembly in an extended state according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of an area A of FIG. 12; and

[0022] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a larger gap existing between the first rail and the second rail due to installation tolerance according to the embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a slide rail assembly 20 comprises a first rail 22, a second rail 24 and a third rail 26 longitudinally movable relative to each other according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figures, the X axis is a longitudinal direction (or a length direction or a moving direction of the slide rail), the Y axis is a transverse direction (or a lateral direction of the slide rail), and the Z axis is a vertical direction (or a height direction of the slide rail). Preferably, the second rail 24 (such as a middle rail) is movably mounted between the first rail 22 (such as an outer rail) and the third rail 26 (such as an inner rail).

[0024] The first rail 22 is arranged with a predetermined feature 28 and a blocking feature 30. Furthermore, the first rail 22 comprises a first wall 32a, a second wall 32b and a longitudinal wall 34 connected between the first wall 32a and the second wall 32b of the first rail 22. A first passage 36 is defined by the first wall 32a, the second wall 32b and the longitudinal wall 34 of the first rail 22, and configured to accommodate the second rail 24. Preferably, the predetermined feature 28 and the blocking feature 30 are arranged on the longitudinal wall 34 of the first rail 22. In the present embodiment, the first rail 22 is arranged with a predetermined component 38 connected to the longitudinal wall 34 of the first rail 22, and the predetermined component 38 comprises the predetermined feature 28. Preferably, the blocking feature 30 is a protrusion. In the present embodiment, the blocking feature 30 is a protruded wall extended along the transverse direction, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0025] The second rail 24 comprises a first wall 40a, a second wall 40b and a longitudinal wall 42 connected between the first wall 40a and the second wall 40b of the second rail 24. A second passage 44 is defined by the first wall 40a, the second wall 40b and the longitudinal wall 42 of the second rail 24, and configured to accommodate the third rail 26.

[0026] The third rail 26 comprises a first wall 46a, a second wall 46b and a longitudinal wall 48 connected between the first wall 46a and the second wall 46b of the third rail 26. The third rail 26 is arranged with a working feature 45 on the longitudinal wall 48 of the third rail 26. The working feature 45 can be a hole or a groove defined by a plurality of inner walls of the third rail 26, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0027] Preferably, a first slide assisting device 47 is arranged between the first rail 22 and the second rail 24. The first slide assisting device 47 comprises a plurality of balls configured to improve smoothness of movement of the second rail 24 relative to the first rail 22. A second slide assist device 49 is arranged between the second rail 24 and the third rail 26. The second slide assist device 49 comprises a plurality of balls configured to improve smoothness of movement of the third rail 26 relative to the second rail 24.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the slide rail assembly 20 further comprises a synchronization member 50, an engaging member 52 and an auxiliary member 54 arranged on the second rail 24. Preferably, the slide rail assembly 20 further comprises an elastic structure 56.

[0029] The second rail 24 has a first end part 24a and a second end part 24b, such as a front end part and a rear end part. Moreover, the second rail 24 has a first side L1 and a second side L2 opposite to each other, such as an outer side and an inner side. The first side L1 is adjacent to (or faces toward) the first rail 22, and the second side L2 is adjacent to (or faces toward) the third rail 26.

[0030] Preferably, the longitudinal wall 42 of the second rail 24 is formed with at least one through hole. In the present embodiment, the longitudinal wall 42 of the second rail 24 is formed with a first through hole H1 and a second through hole H2 communicating the first side L1 and the second side L2 of the second rail 24.

[0031] Preferably, the synchronization member 50, the engaging member 52 and the auxiliary member 54 are movably mounted on the second rail 24. The synchronization member 50 and the engaging member 52 are located at different height positions along the height direction of the second rail 24 (the Z-axis direction). The synchronization member 50 and the latch member 52 are pivotally connected to the second rail 24 through a shaft member 58, and the synchronization member 50 and the latch member 52 are respectively received in the first through hole H1 and the second hole H1. Perforated H2. The arrangement direction of the shaft member 58 is substantially the same as the height direction (Z axis direction) of the second rail 24.

[0032] Preferably, the synchronization member 50, the engaging member 52 and the auxiliary member 54 are adjacent to the second end part 24b of the second rail 24.

[0033] The synchronization member 50 comprises a first part 50a, a second part 50b and a middle part 50c located between the first part 50a and the second part 50b. On the other hand, the engaging member 52 comprises a first section 52a, a second section 52b and a middle section 52c located between the first section 52a and the second section 52b. Preferably, the shaft member 58 penetrates through the middle part 50c of the synchronization member 50 and the middle section 52c of the engaging member 52 to pivotally connect the synchronization member 50 and the engaging member 52 to the longitudinal walls 42 of the second rail 24.

[0034] The elastic structure 56 is configured to provide an elastic force to at least one of the synchronization member 50 and the engaging member 52. In the present embodiment, the elastic structure 56 is an elastic piece comprising a first elastic arm 56a and a second elastic arm 56b configured to provide elastic forces to the synchronization member 50 and the engaging member 52 respectively, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Preferably, the first elastic arm 56a and the second elastic arm 56b abut against the second part 50b of the synchronization member 50 and the second section 52b of the engaging member 52 respectively.

[0035] The auxiliary member 54 is linearly movable relative to the second rail 24. In the present embodiment, the auxiliary member 54 is linearly movable relative to the second rail 24 along the longitudinal direction (the X axis direction). Preferably, the auxiliary member 54 and the second rail 24 (the longitudinal wall 42 of the second rail 24) are respectively arranged with a first limiting feature 60 (at least one first limiting feature 60) and a second limiting feature 62 (at least one first limiting feature 60) configured to interact with each other. For example, the first limiting feature 60 can be a longitudinally elongated hole, and the second limiting feature 62 can be a protruded component (such as a pin or a bolt) passing through the longitudinally elongated hole, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0036] Preferably, the slide rail assembly 20 further comprises an elastic member 64 configured to provide and elastic force to the auxiliary member 54. The elastic member 64 is connected between the second rail 24 and the auxiliary member 54. In the present invention, the elastic member 64 is integrated to the auxiliary member 54, but the present invention is not limited thereto. One end 64 of the elastic member 64 is connected to the longitudinal wall 42 of the second rail 24.

[0037] Preferably, the auxiliary member 54 has a first end 54a and a second end 54b opposite to each other. The first end 54a and the elastic member 64 are connected to each other. The auxiliary member 54 has an auxiliary part 66 arranged adjacent to the first end 54a. The auxiliary part 66 can be a protruded wall extended along the transverse direction. The auxiliary member 54 has a guiding part 68 arranged adjacent to the second end 54b. The guiding part 68 has an inclined surface or an arc surface, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The auxiliary part 66 is configured to interact with the blocking feature 30 on the first rail 22, and the guiding part 68 is configured to interact with the second part 50b of the synchronization member 50.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the slide rail assembly 20 is in a retracted state, and the second rail 24 and the third rail 26 are located at a retracted position R relative to the first rail 22. The engaging member 52 is separated from the predetermined component 38 (the predetermined feature 28 of the predetermined component 38) by a first longitudinal distance along the longitudinal direction (the X axis direction). The auxiliary member 54 is separated from the blocking feature 30 by a second longitudinal distance along the longitudinal direction. The auxiliary member 54 is located at a first auxiliary position M1 relative to the second rail 24 in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. In addition, the first elastic arm 56a is configured to abut against and apply the elastic force to the second part 50b of the synchronization member 50, and the second elastic arm 56b is configured to abut against and apply the elastic force to the second section 52b of the engaging member 52. On the other hand, both the first part 50a of the synchronization member 50 and the first section 52a of the engaging member 52 abut against the longitudinal wall 48 of the third rail 26. The second section 52b of the engaging member 52 is arranged with a hook 70.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 8, during a process of the third rail 26 being moved from the retracted position R along an opening direction D1, the third rail 26 is configured to drive the second rail 24 to synchronously move along the opening direction D1 relative to the first rail 22 by the working feature 45 abutting against the synchronization member 50 in a first state S1.

[0040] Specifically, during the process of the third rail 26 being moved along the opening direction D1, the working feature 45 of the third rail 26 corresponds to an extension section 72 of the first part 50a of the synchronization member 50. On the other hand, the synchronization member 50 is configured to be held in the first state S1 in response to the elastic force of the first elastic arm 56a. Meanwhile, the extension section 72 and the working feature 45 of the third rail 26 are configured to contact each other (or abut against each other), such that the third rail 26 is configured to drive the second rail 24 to synchronously move along the opening direction D1.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 11, when the third rail 26 and the second rail 24 are synchronously moved to a predetermined position along the opening direction D1, the blocking feature 30 and the auxiliary part 66 of the auxiliary member 54 are configured to abut against each other, such that the blocking feature 30 provides an action force F to move the auxiliary part 66 of the auxiliary member 54. For example, the blocking feature 30 is configured to block the auxiliary part 66 of the auxiliary member 54, such that the auxiliary part 54 is longitudinally moved from the first auxiliary position M1 (as shown in FIG. 10) to a second auxiliary position M2 (as shown in FIG. 11) relative to the second rail 24 in response to the action force F. Accordingly, the guiding part 68 of the auxiliary member 54 is configured to abut against the second part 50b of the synchronization member 50 to overcome the elastic force of the first elastic arm 56a, in order to drive the synchronization member 50 to move (rotate) to switch from the first state S1 to a second state S2 (as shown in FIG. 11), such that the working features 45 of the third rail 26 no longer abuts against the extension section 72 of the synchronization member 50, so as to unsynchronize movement between the third rail 26 and the second rail 24.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, when the auxiliary member 54 is located at the second auxiliary position M2 relative to the second rail 24, the blocking feature 30 and the auxiliary part 66 of the auxiliary member 54 are configured to block each other, such that the second rail 24 is blocked to stop at an extended position E relative to the first rail 22. Accordingly, the second rail 24 is located at the extended position E relative to the first rail 22. Furthermore, the third rail 26 can be further moved along the opening direction D1 relative to the second rail 24 at the extended position E, such that the first section 52a of the engaging member 52 no longer abuts against the longitudinal wall 48 of the third rail 26. Accordingly, the second section 52b of the engaging member 52 is moved in response to the elastic force of the second elastic arm 56b, such that the hook 70 of the engaging member 52 is engaged with the predetermined feature 28, in order to prevent the second rail 24 from being moved along a retracting direction D2 from the extended position E relative to the first rail 22. As such, the slide rail assembly 20 is in an extended state.

[0043] Moreover, the third rail 26 has a first end part 26a and a second end part 26b, such as a front end part and a rear end part. During a process of the third rail 26 being moved back to the retracted position R from a predetermined extended position K along the retracting direction D2, a portion of the third rail 26 (such as the second end part 26b) is configured to abut against the first section 52a of the engaging member 52, in order to drive the hook 70 of the engaging member 52 to move to be no longer engaged with the predetermined feature 28, so as to allow the second rail 24 to be moved from the extended position E along the retracting direction D2 relative to the first rail 22.

[0044] In addition, as shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 14, a transverse gap exists between the second rail 24 and the first rail 22. For example, the second rail 24 (the longitudinal wall 42 of the second rail 24) and the first rail 22 (the longitudinal wall 34 of the first rail 22) are spaced apart from each other by an ideal first transverse distance T1 as shown in FIG. 10. Due to installation tolerance and some unexpected factors, the first transverse distance T1 between the second rail 24 (the longitudinal wall 42 of the second rail 24) and the first rail 22 (the longitudinal wall 34 of the first rail 22) may become larger to be a second transverse distance T2 as shown in FIG. 14. However, since both the auxiliary part 66 of the auxiliary member 54 on the second rail 24 and the blocking feature 30 on the first rail 22 are protruded walls extended along the transverse direction, reliability of interaction between the blocking feature 30 on the first rail 22 and the auxiliary part 66 of the auxiliary member 54 on the second rail 24 is not easily affected even if the second rail 24 (the longitudinal wall 42 of the second rail 24) and the first rail 22 (the longitudinal wall 34 of the first rail 22) are spaced apart from each other by the second transverse distance T2 during the process of the third rail 26 and the second rail 24 being synchronously moved along the opening direction D1 relative to the first rail 22. The blocking feature 30 still can provide the action force F to move the auxiliary member 54 to further drive the synchronization member 50 to switch from the first state S1 to the second state S2, so as to ensure that the synchronization mechanism between the third rail 26 and the second rail 24 are disabled. Such configuration is illustrated in FIG. 11 and related description, no further illustration is provided for simplification.

[0045] Therefore, the slide rail assembly 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention has the following technical features: during a process of the third rail 26 (such as the inner rail) and the second rail 24 (such as the middle rail) being synchronously moved relative to the first rail 22 (such as the outer rail) along the opening direction D1, the blocking feature 30 of the first rail 22 is configured to abut against the auxiliary part 66 of the auxiliary member 54 to move the auxiliary member 54 on the second rail 24 to further drive the synchronization member 50 on the second rail 24 to switch from the first state S1 to the second state S2, such that the working feature 45 of the third rail 26 no longer abuts against the extension section 72 of the synchronization member 50, so as to ensure that the synchronization mechanism between the third rail 26 and the second rail 24 are disabled.

[0046] Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.