Stay-closed drawer slide with socket

• US 20060076862A1
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hardware Resources Incorporated (Dimora Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mark Jeffrey Lowe
• Inventors: Lowe, Mark Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,331,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/333
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2210/0043 Wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2210/0059 Guide located at the side of the drawer
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/43 at cabinet side
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/463 self-opening

Abstract

A self-closing drawer slide assembly for installation between a drawer and the interior of a cabinet is disclosed in conjunction with a compatible mounting socket for mounting the rear of the cabinet member to the rear wall of the cabinet. The socket telescopically accepts the declining rear portion of the cabinet member and is telescopically adjustable to suit a range of variations in the length of the drawer slide or the length of the cabinet. The socket also has a range of lateral adjustment which is transferable into lateral adjustment for the drawer slides assembly once installed.

Claims

1. A self-closing drawer slide assembly for suspending a drawer within a cabinet comprising:

At least two drawer slides installable onto a drawer, where each of said drawer slides includes a rear declining portion for self-closing action; and

,

A socket assembly associated with each of said drawer slides, where each socket assembly further includes a declining receiver for compatibly receiving a part of said rear declining portion of the drawer slide, and where said socket assembly is mountable onto the interior of a cabinet.

2. A self-closing drawer slide assembly as set forth in claim 1, where said socket assembly mounts onto the rear wall of the cabinet.

3. A self-closing drawer slide assembly as set forth in claim 1, where said socket assembly is laterally adjustable.

4. A self-closing drawer slide assembly as set forth in claim 1, where said socket assembly can telescopically accept different lengths of the rear declining portion of the drawer slide.

5. A cabinet comprising:

A front, two sides, and a rear wall;

At least one drawer;

At least two drawer slides mounted on each of said drawers, where the drawer slides include a rear declining portion for promoting self-closing action;

A socket assembly associated with each of said drawer slides and mounted to the interior of said cabinet, where each socket assembly includes a declining receiver for installable telescopic engagement with the rear declining portion of each drawer slide; and

,

Where said socket assembly is laterally adjustable and receives more than one length of the rear declining portion of said drawer slides.

6. A cabinet as set forth in claim 5, where said socket assembly is mounted onto the rear wall of the cabinet.

7. A cabinet as set forth in claim 5, where said socket assembly is further comprised of a socket base and a socket receiver, and where said socket receiver and said socket base are slideably engaged and provide a range of lateral adjustment when installed in said cabinet.

8. A self-closing drawer slide assembly for suspending a drawer within a cabinet comprising:

At least two self-closing drawer slides for attachment to a drawer, where each of said drawer slides includes a rear declining portion for promoting a self-closing bias;

A socket assembly associated with each of said drawer slides where each socket assembly includes a receiver and a base; and

,

Further where said receiver telescopically accepts and retains the rear declining portion of a drawer slide, and the receiver and the base are slideably engaged for a range of lateral travel, and where the base is mounted onto the interior of the cabinet.

9. A self-closing drawer slide assembly as set forth in claim 8, where each of said drawer slides is laterally adjustable when engaged with said receiver.

10. A self-closing drawer slide assembly as set forth in claim 8, where the receiver can telescopically receive more than one length of the rear declining portion of a drawer slide when installed in the cabinet.

11. A self-closing drawer slide as set forth in claim 8, where the drawer slide and the socket are telescopically adjustable for accommodation of variations in the length of the cabinet.

12. A method for installing a self-closing drawer slide assembly onto a drawer and in a cabinet, the steps of which comprise:

Fitting a cabinet member from a self-closing drawer slide into a self-closing socket that is laterally adjustable;

Aligning the front end of the cabinet member with the drawer opening in the cabinet;

Positioning the front end of the cabinet member for appropriate height for installation in the drawer opening in the cabinet;

Securing the front end of the cabinet member to the cabinet;

Leveling the cabinet member within the cabinet;

Fastening the self-closing socket to the rear wall of the cabinet;

Inserting the drawer, with drawer members installed, into the cabinet and engaging the drawer members with the corresponding cabinet members;

Opening and closing the drawer to allow the lateral position of the drawer slide assembly to be adjusted.

13. A self-closing drawer slide socket compatible with the engagement of a cabinet member of a drawer slide, where the cabinet member retains a rear declining portion, but the drawer member and drawer slide assembly have been modified to operate in a non-self-closing manner.