RETURNING MECHANISM AND SLIDE RAIL ASSEMBLY USING SAME

Abstract

A returning mechanism and a slide rail assembly using the returning mechanism, which has a synchronous member disposed between a first engagement feature and a second engagement feature. When the synchronous member is displaced between the first end of the first engagement feature and the stroke of the second engagement feature, the synchronous member continues to abut against a first elastic body until the synchronous member is displaced to the second end of the second engagement feature to complete the return. When the synchronous member is between the stroke of the first engagement feature and the second end of the second engagement feature, the synchronous member continues to rest against the second elastic structure until the synchronous member moves to the first end of the first engagement feature to complete the return.

Claims

1. A returning mechanism, comprising: a first slide-assisting block comprising a first engagement feature and a first elastic structure, said first engagement feature having a first end and an opposing second end, said first elastic structure being located on one side of said first end of said first engagement feature; a second slide-assisting block comprising a second engagement feature; and a synchronous member located between said first engagement feature and said second engagement feature, so that when said synchronous member is displaced between said first end of said first engagement feature and the stroke of said second engagement feature, said synchronous member continues to abut against said first elastic structure until said synchronous member is displaced to said second end of said second engagement feature to complete the return.

2. The returning mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first elastic structure comprises a first arm and a first elastic body extending from said first arm, said first arm generating vibration to eliminate the load force when said first elastic body is subjected to the supporting force of said synchronous member.

3. A returning mechanism, comprising: a first slide-assisting block comprising a first engagement feature; a second slide-assisting block comprising a second engagement feature and a second elastic structure, said second engagement feature having a first end and an opposing second end, said second elastic structure being located on one side of said second end of said second engagement feature.; and a synchronous member located between said first engagement feature and said second engagement feature, so that when said synchronous member is displaced between said second end of said second engagement feature and the stroke of said second engagement feature, said synchronous member continues to abut against said second elastic structure until said synchronous member is displaced to said first end of said first engagement feature to complete the return.

4. The returning mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second elastic structure comprises a second arm and a second elastic body extending from said second arm, said second generating vibration to eliminate the load force when said second elastic body is subjected to the supporting force of said synchronous member.

5. A slide rail assembly, comprising: a rail slide comprising a first rail, a second rail and a third rail, said second rail being movable relative to said first rail, said third rail being installed between said first rail and said second rail; and a returning mechanism comprising a first slide-assisting block, a second slide-assisting block and a synchronous member, said first slide-assisting block being movably arranged between said first rail and said third rail to assist said third rail to move relative to said first rail, said first slide-assisting block comprising a first engagement feature and a first elastic structure, said first engagement feature having a first end and an opposing second end, said first elastic structure being located on one side of said first end of said first engagement feature, said second slide-assisting block being movably arranged between said third rail and said second rail to assist the second rail to move relative to the third rail, said second slide-assisting block comprising a second engagement feature, said synchronous member being located between said first engagement feature and said second engagement feature, so that when said synchronous member is displaced between said first end of said first engagement feature and the stroke of said second engagement feature, said synchronous member continues to abut against said first elastic structure until said synchronous member is displaced to said second end of said second engagement feature to complete the return, or when said synchronous member is displaced between said second end of said second engagement feature and the stroke of said second engagement feature, said synchronous member continues to abut against said second elastic structure until said synchronous member is displaced to said first end of said first engagement feature to complete the return.

6. The slide rail assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first elastic structure comprises a first arm and a first elastic body extending from said first arm, so that when said first elastic body is subjected to the supporting force of said synchronous member, said first arm vibrates to eliminate the load force.

7. The slide rail assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second elastic structure comprises a second arm and a second elastic body extending from said second arm, so that when said second elastic body is subjected to the supporting force of said synchronous member, said second arm vibrates to eliminate the load force.

8. The slide rail assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first slide-assisting block comprises at least one first rolling element used to assist the movable displacement of said third rail relative to said first rail.

9. The slide rail assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second slide-assisting block comprises at least one second rolling element used to assist the movable displacement of said second rail relative to said third rail.

10. The slide rail assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said third rail comprises a protrusion integrally formed on an inner side thereof to support a sliding surface of said first slide-assisting block.

11. The slide rail assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first elastic structure and said second elastic structure are cross-matched diagonally, so that said first elastic structure assists said synchronous member in completing the stroke that is not completed by displacement during the stroke of said second engagement feature, or said second elastic structure assists said synchronous member in completing the stroke that is not completed by displacement during the stroke of said first engagement feature.

12. The slide rail assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first elastic structure is respectively disposed at two opposite ends of said first slide-assisting block, and said second elastic structure is respectively disposed at two opposite ends of said second slide-assisting block.

13. The slide rail assembly as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a buffer installed at said first rail of said slide rail and a lever located on said second rail of said slide rail, said buffer comprising release claw, wherein when said slide rail is fully extended, said returning mechanism performs synchronous return with said first slide-assisting block, said second slide-assisting block and said synchronous member, and based on the synchronous return, said lever is moved to said release claw for buffering and fixing when said slide rail is retracted.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is an exploded three-dimensional diagram of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 2A is a three-dimensional diagram of the returning mechanism to the third rail of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram of the first elastic structure of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 2C is a schematic diagram of the second elastic structure of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 2D is a schematic diagram of the synchronous member of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 2E is a schematic diagram of the protrusion of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 3A is a three-dimensional diagram of the assembly of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 3B is a top view of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3C-3C in FIG. 3B.

[0023] FIG. 3D is a schematic diagram of the first elastic structure, the second elastic structure and the synchronous member of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3E is a bottom view of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the displacement of the slide rail of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram showing the return of the first elastic structure of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of FIG. 5B in FIG. 5A

[0028] FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram showing the return of the second elastic structure of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 6B is an enlarged view of FIG. 6B in FIG. 6A

[0030] FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram showing the returning mechanism of the present invention completing synchronous return.

[0031] FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of FIG. 7B in FIG. 7A.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the buffer of the present invention installed on a slide rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 7B , the present invention is a returning mechanism 10, comprising: a first slide-assisting block 11, which is provided with a first engagement feature 111 and a first elastic structure A, and the first elastic structure A is located at one side of a first end E1 of the first engagement feature 111; a second slide-assisting block 12 provided with a second engagement feature 121 and a second elastic structure B located at one side of a second end E2 of the second engagement feature 121; and a synchronous member 13 disposed between the first engagement feature 111 and the second engagement feature 121.

[0034] Referring also to 2A, 2B, 5A and 5B, the second slide-assisting block 12 also generates a load force F1 when sliding. In this embodiment, the first elastic structure A comprises a first arm A1 and a first elastic body A2 extending from the first arm A1. When the first elastic body A2 is subjected to the supporting force F2 of the synchronous member 13, the first arm A1 vibrates to eliminate the load force F1, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0035] Referring also to 2A, 2C, 6A and 6B, the first slide-assisting block 11 also generates a load force F1 when sliding. In this embodiment, the second elastic structure B comprises a second arm B1 and a second elastic body B2 extending from the second arm B1. When the second elastic body B2 is subjected to the supporting force F2 of the synchronous member 13, the second arm B1 generates vibration to eliminate the load force F1, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2D, the synchronous member 13 may be a gear, and the first engagement feature 111 and the second engagement feature 121 may be racks, so that the synchronous member 13 may be engaged between the first engagement feature 111 and the second engagement feature 121. In this embodiment, the synchronous member 13 can be installed in a holder base 131, but is not limited thereto.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, when the synchronous member 13 is displaced between the first end E1 of the first engagement feature 111 and the stroke of the second engagement feature 121, namely, the first stroke S1, the synchronous member 13 continues to abut against the first elastic structure A until the synchronous member 13 moves to the second end E2 of the second engagement feature 121 to complete the return. In other words, the returning direction of the second slide-assisting block 12 is the first direction D1 for returning displacement, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B, when the synchronous member 13 is displaced between the stroke of the first engagement feature 111, namely, the second stroke S2, and the second end E2 of the second engagement feature 121, the synchronous member 13 continues to abut against the second elastic structure B until the synchronous member 13 moves to the first end E1 of the first engagement feature 111 to complete the return. In other words, the returning direction of the first slide-assisting block 11 is the second direction D2 for returning displacement, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B, the first slide-assisting block 11, the first elastic structure A, the second slide-assisting block 12, the synchronous member 13, or the first slide-assisting block 11, the second slide-assisting block 12, the second elastic structure B, the synchronous member 13 can be two types of returning mechanisms 10, therefore, the first elastic structure A or the second elastic structure B can be used alone, or the first elastic structure A and the second elastic structure B can be used in conjunction with each other. When the synchronous member 13 is displaced to the second end E2 of the second engagement feature 121 by the first elastic structure A to complete the return, the load force F1 generated by the second slide-assisting block 12 during the sliding can be eliminated. Alternatively, when the synchronous member 13 is displaced to the first end E1 of the first engagement feature 111 by the second elastic structure B to complete the return, the load force F1 generated by the first slide-assisting block 11 during the sliding can be eliminated. In other words, the first elastic structure A compensates for the uncompleted displacement of the synchronous member 13 in the first stroke S1, or the second elastic structure B compensates for the uncompleted displacement of the synchronous member 13 in the second stroke S2. In this way, the first elastic structure A and the second elastic structure B are complementary to each other, so that the displacement stroke of the synchronous member 13 between the first slide-assisting block 11 and the second slide-assisting block 12 can complete synchronous return.

[0040] Referring again to FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B, FIG. 3C, FIG. 3D and FIG. 4, the present invention is a slide rail assembly having the above-described returning mechanism 10, wherein the returning mechanism 10 is integrated into the slide rail 20, and the slide rail 20 comprises a first rail 21, a second rail 22 and a third rail 23. The second rail 22 is movable relative to the first rail 21, and the third rail 23 is installed between the first rail 21 and the second rail 22. The first slide-assisting block 11 is movably arranged between the first rail 21 and the third rail 23 to assist the active displacement of the third rail 23 relative to the first rail 21. The second slide-assisting block 12 is movably arranged between the third rail 23 and the second rail 22 to assist the active displacement of the second rail 22 relative to the third rail 23. In this embodiment, the first slide-assisting block 11 comprises at least one first rolling element 112, and the first rolling element 112 is used to assist the movable displacement of the third rail 23 relative to the first rail 21; the second slide-assisting block 12 comprises at least one second rolling element 122, and the second rolling element 122 is used to assist the movable displacement of the second rail 22 relative to the third rail 23, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0041] As above, the first elastic structure A is provided at both ends of the first slide-assisting block 11 and the second elastic structure B is provided at both ends of the second slide-assisting block 12. The first elastic structure A and the second elastic structure B are cross-matched diagonally, so that the first slide-assisting block 11 and the second slide-assisting block 12 can be used regardless of whether the slide rail 20 is a left slide rail or a right slide rail, and it is a design suitable for either left side or right side, which greatly reduces the cost of the mold.

[0042] Referring again to FIG. 1, FIG. 2A, FIG. 2E and FIG. 3E, the inner side of the third rail 23 has a protrusion 231. The protrusion 231 and the third rail 23 are integrally formed, and the protrusion 231 supports the sliding surface 113 of the first slide-assisting block 11, so that the protrusion 231 is formed on the inner side of the third rail 23, and no accessories are required for assembly between the third rail 23 and the protrusion 231, which not only reduces the time for manual assembly, but also reduces the cost of assembly parts. The third rail 23 is provided with an opening 232, and the opening 232 provides the holder base 131 for installation, so that the synchronous member 13 can be fixed on the third rail 23, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 8, a buffer 30 may also be installed on the first rail 21 of the slide rail 20. The buffer 30 is provided with a release claw 31, and a lever 221 is provided on the second rail 22 of the slide rail 20. When the slide rail 20 is fully extended, the returning mechanism 10 performs synchronous return with the first slide-assisting block 11, the second slide-assisting block 12 and the synchronous member 13. Based on the synchronous return, when the slide rail 20 is folded, the lever 221 can be stably positioned and moved to the release claw 31 for buffering and fixing.