Pressure release slide latch mechanism
AssigneeHardware Resources, Inc.
InventorGrant Nuckolls
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure release slide latch mechanism for a drawer slide assembly comprises an outer slide, an intermediate slide mounted in the outer slide, and an inner slide mounted in the intermediate slide, a channel plate having a track portion and a guide block attached to the outer slide and a carriage slidingly engaged and biased along the track portion. A pin of a follower pivotally attached to the inner slide engages the guide block to releasably maintain the drawer slide assembly in a closed position and releases upon an inward force applied to the drawer slide assembly.
Claims20
A method for closing and opening a drawer using a pressure release slide latch mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a guide block, where an entrance to the guide block includes a first redirecting surface and a second redirecting surface;
- initiating a closing force in a proximal direction;
- urging a carriage against a spring bias in the proximal direction;
- directing a pin of a follower with the entrance;
- engaging the guide block with the pin;
- abutting the pin with a latch member of the guide block;
- maintaining the pin abutment with the spring bias of the carriage;
- initiating a secondary force in the proximal direction to disengage the pin from the latch member;
- and,
- disengaging the pin from the guide block in a distal direction with the spring bias.
A method for releasably maintaining a drawer of a piece of furniture in a closed position using push to open mechanism attached to a drawer slide assembly, the method comprising:
- providing a channel plate having a track and a guide block;
- providing the guide block with a ramp leading to an inlet shoulder having a first redirecting surface and an outlet shoulder having a second redirecting surface;
- providing the guide block with a latch member between the inlet shoulder and the outlet shoulder and having a third redirecting surface;
- providing the inlet shoulder adjacent an inlet channel;
- providing the inlet channel to lead to a first positioning recess;
- providing the guide block with a fourth redirecting surface between the first positioning recess and a second positioning recess;
- providing the second positioning recess to lead to an outlet channel;
- providing the outlet channel adjacent the outlet shoulder;
- slidingly engaging a carriage with the track;
- biasing the carriage along the track with a pair of springs connected to the track and the carriage;
- pivotally connecting a follower to the drawer slide assembly;
- releasably engaging a pin of the follower with the latch member;
- and,
- slidingly engaging a guide post of the follower with the drawer slide assembly.
A method using a pressure release mechanism that is attached to a drawer slide assembly including an outer slide, an intermediate slide telescopically mounted to the outer slide, and an inner slide telescopically mounted to the intermediate slide, comprising:
- connecting a channel plate having a track and a guide block to the outer slide;
- providing an entrance to the guide block that includes a first redirecting surface and a second redirecting surface;
- defining a circuitous path with the guide block, the circuitous path having a latch surface;
- attaching a pivoting follower to the inner slide, the pivoting follower having a latch pin;
- attaching a guide post to the pivoting follower;
- slidingly engaging the guide post with a guide slot in the inner slide;
- slidingly engaging a carriage with a linear path on the track;
- biasing the carriage along the linear path on the track;
- urging the carriage along the linear path with the intermediate slide and the inner slide and following, by the latch pin, the circuitous path to the latch surface to a closed retracted position during a closing sequence;
- and,
- disengaging the latch pin from the latch surface and following, by the latch pin, the circuitous path to an open position during an opening sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.