# US 9,872,563 B2 · Push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus and method of use

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- Number: US 9,872,563 B2
- Document ID: US9872563B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/081,636
- Filed: 2016-03-25
- Published: 2017-09-28
- Granted: 2018-01-23
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-25
- Assignees: Hardware Resources, Inc.
- Applicants: Hardware Resources, Inc.
- Inventors: Greg Davis
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9872563B2

## CPC

- A47B 88/47: having both self-opening and self-closing mechanisms which interact with each other
- A47B 88/473: Braking devices, e.g. linear or rotational dampers or friction brakes; Buffers; End stops
- A47B 2210/0094: Drawer damping device with 2 relatively movable parts to convert kinetic energy
- A47B: TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE (furniture jointing F16B)

## Abstract

A drawer slide apparatus mounted to a drawer slide assembly for moving a drawer slidingly within a cabinet provides push-to-open and soft close functionality while further providing a depth and alignment adjustment of the drawer relative to the cabinet carcass. The apparatus comprises a housing including a soft close track, a damper, and a carriage slidable within the soft close track. A guide block comprising a set of channels within a stationary part and a movable part for providing the depth and alignment adjustment. A pin, slidable within the carriage, has a first end engaged with the soft close track and a second end simultaneously engaged with the guide block provides the soft close and push-to-open functionalities.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus for a drawer slide assembly, the apparatus comprising:
a housing mounted to a first rail of the drawer slide assembly;
a guide block mounted to a second rail of the drawer slide assembly;
an ejector slidably mounted to the housing and configured to abut the guide block;
a carriage slidably mounted to the housing and slidable in a generally longitudinal direction along the housing;
a damper supported by the housing and connected to the carriage;
a soft close bias member connected to the housing and the carriage;
an ejector bias member connected to the housing and the ejector;
a pin, slidable in a generally lateral direction within the carriage, having a first end extending from the carriage and a second end extending from the carriage; and,
the first end slidingly engaged with a groove in the housing and the second end slidingly engaged with the guide block.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein the guide block further comprises:
a stationary part mounted to the second rail of the drawer slide assembly;
a movable part slidably engaged with the stationary part and defining a first drawer position;
a threaded shaft extending from the movable part;
a thumbwheel contained within the stationary part and threadably engaged with the threaded shaft; and,
wherein rotation of the thumbwheel adjusts the first drawer position to a second drawer position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein the guide block further comprises:
an inlet channel leading to a first redirecting surface;
a second redirecting surface leading to an outlet channel;
a first catch positioned between the first redirecting surface and the second redirecting surface; and,
the outlet channel leading to a second catch and the inlet channel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing further comprises:
a base mounted to the first rail of the drawer slide assembly;
a soft close track attached to the base and defining a soft close catch and a recess;
the first end releasably engaged with the soft close track and the recess;
the soft close bias member providing a soft close force;
the ejector bias member providing an ejector force; and,
wherein the soft close force is greater than the ejector force.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein the carriage further comprises:
an oblong hole having a latitudinal axis generally perpendicular to the direction of travel of the drawer slide assembly;
a dog slidable within the carriage;
a step extending from the dog and slidably engaged with the oblong hole; and,
the soft close bias member providing a bias between the carriage and the housing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the housing further comprises a base having a set of ridges;
a soft close track attached to the base and defining the groove;
a soft close catch and a recess formed in the groove;
the carriage slidably engaged with the soft close track; and,
the ejector slidingly engaged with the set of ridges.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The push-to-open, soft close drawer slide apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the guide block further comprises a stationary part adjustably engaged with a movable part;
the movable part defines an inlet channel separated from an outlet channel by an island, wherein the island defines a first catch;
the inlet channel leads to a first redirecting surface;
the outlet channel leads to a second catch; and,
a threaded shaft extends from the movable part and engages a thumbwheel seated in the stationary part.