DRAWER SLIDE AND LOCKING MECHANISM

• US 20130069514A1
• Filed: 11/12/2012
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accuride International Incorporated (Accuride Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Accuride International Incorporated (Accuride Corporation)
• Inventors: Hashemi, Darush David, Zhou, Xiaoping, Wang, Xiwen
• Granted Patent: US 10,448,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/333
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/40 Sliding drawers; Slides or guides therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/457 operated by electrically-powered actuation means
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/46 operated by mechanically-stored energy, e.g. by springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/463 self-opening
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/473 Braking devices, e.g. linear or rotational dampers or friction brakes; Buffers; End stops
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/477 Buffers; End stops
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/00 Operating or controlling locks or other fastening devices by electric or magnetic means electric permutation locks E05B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/462 for two or more drawers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/5215 sliding
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 3/12 with latching action devices in which the securing part is formed or merely carried by a spring and moves only by distortion of the spring, e.g. snaps, E05C19/06; tilt-plate latches E05C19/007
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1021 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1028 Sliding catch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1077 Cam

Abstract

A drawer slide with lock mechanism has an elongated outer slide member extendably coupled to an inner slide member. A latch arm or pin is fixed to the inner slide member for latching by a lock mechanism fixed to the outer slide member. The lock mechanism uses a latch receiver that rotates with respect to the lock mechanism and is in a travel path of the latch arm. A lever arm rotates with respect to the lock mechanism and is positionable to block rotation of the latch receiver in a locked position to retain the latch arm. A motor drives a cam to position the lever arm to free the latch receiver from the locked position.

Claims

1. A drawer slide with lock mechanism, comprising:

first slide member with an elongate web bounded by raceways and a second slide member with an elongate web bounded by raceways, with the first and second slide members extendably coupled by way of the raceways and with a one of the first and second slide members configured for mounting to a drawer;

a latch arm positioned on the first slide member;

a latch receiver rotatably mounted with respect to the second slide member, the latch receiver defining a basin in a travel path of the latch arm;

a lever arm rotatably mounted with respect to the outer slide member, the lever arm rotatable to a position to block rotation of the latch receiver in at least a first direction; and

a motor drivably coupled to the lever arm to rotate the lever arm in at least one direction.

51. The drawer slide with lock mechanism of claim 1, wherein the drive assembly includes the basin of the latch receiver is defined by the two legs of the latch receiver.

54. The drawer slide with lock mechanism of claim 1, wherein the latch arm is a pin extending from a web of the first slide member.

55. The drawer slide with lock mechanism of claim 1 wherein thickness of the latch receiver, lever arm, and motor is approximately ½

inch.

56. The drawer slide with lock mechanism of claim 1 wherein the latch receiver, lever arm, and motor are within a housing contained in an operating envelope of the first and second slide members.

2-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A locking drawer slide, comprising:

a first slide member;

a second slide member extendably coupled to the first slide member along a first axis;

a pin extending from the second slide member substantially perpendicular to the first axis; and

a latch receiver pivotably fixed with respect to the first slide member, the latch receiver positionable in an open position for receiving the pin and positionable in a closed position for retaining the pin;

a first spring configured to bias the position of the latch receiver towards the open position;

a lever arm pivotably fixed with respect to the first slide member, the lever arm positionable in an release position for allowing pivoting of the latch receiver and positionable in a locked position for holding the latch receiver in the closed position by blocking, rotation of the latch receiver toward the open position;

a second spring configured to bias the position of the lever arm towards the locked position; and

a shape memory alloy wire attached to the lever arm and arranged to pull the lever arm to the release position when heated.

27. A lock mechanism comprising:

a latch receiver rotatably mounted to a base;

a lever arm rotatably mounted to the base, the lever arm rotatable to a position such that a first end of the lever arm blocks rotation of the latch receiver in one direction; and

a motor drivably coupled to the lever arm to rotate the lever arm in at least one direction, the motor drivably coupled to the lever arm about a second end of the lever arm, the second end opposing the first end, with the lever arm rotatably mounted to the base between the two ends.

28. The lock mechanism of claim 27, wherein the position such that a first end of the lever arm blocks rotation of the latch receiver in one direction is a position such that a top edge of the first end of the lever arm blocks rotation of the latch receiver in one direction.

29. The lock mechanism of claim 28, wherein the top edge of the lever arm is substantially perpendicular to a direction defined by a length of the lever arm.

30. The lock mechanism of claim 28, wherein the latch receiver includes a basin to receive a pin, and further comprising a spring, coupled to the base, to normally bias the latch receiver to a position to receive the pin in the basin.

31. The lock mechanism of claim 27, wherein the motor is drivably coupled to the lever arm by a cam.

32. The lock mechanism of claim 27, wherein the cam is configured to rotate the lever arm out of the position to block rotation of the latch receiver in the at least first direction.

33. The lock mechanism of claim 27, further comprising a lever arm spring biasing the lever arm toward the position to block rotation of the latch receiver in the at least first direction.

34. The lock mechanism of claim 27, wherein the lever arm spring biases the lever arm in a direction opposite the one direction.

35. The lock mechanism of claim 27 further comprising a spring biasing the latch receiver to a normally open position, in which an opening to the basin is in the travel path of the latch arm.

36. The lock mechanism of claim 27, wherein a tail extends from the latch receiver, with the lever arm blocking rotation of the tail when the lever arm in position to block rotation of the latch receiver in the at least first direction.

37. The lock mechanism of claim 27, wherein thickness of the latch receiver, lever arm, and motor is approximately ½

inch.

63. The lock mechanism of claim 27, further comprising a housing enclosing at least the latch receiver and the lever arm, the housing including an extending lip for coupling to a slide member of a drawer slide.

64. The lock mechanism of claim 27, further comprising a housing enclosing at least the lever arm and the motor, the housing including at least part of a means for coupling the housing to a drawer slide.

38. A lock mechanism comprising:

a latch receiver rotatably mounted to a base;

a lever arm rotatably mounted to the base, the lever arm rotatable to a position such that the lever arm blocks rotation of the latch receiver in one direction; and

a motor drivably coupled to the lever arm by a cam, the cam configured to rotate the lever arm out of the position to block rotation of the latch receiver in the first direction;

wherein the cam includes at least one cam stop to prevent over rotation of the cam.

39. The lock mechanism of claim 38, wherein the at least one cam stop comprises an arm extending from the cam.

40. The lock mechanism of claim 39, wherein the cam stop is a camming stop.

41. The lock mechanism of claim 39, wherein the cam stop is an uncamming stop.

42. The lock mechanism of claim 38, wherein the at least one cam stop comprises two cam stops.

43. The lock mechanism of claim 42, wherein each of the two cam stops comprises an arm.

44. The lock mechanism of claim 43, wherein one of the two cam stops comprises a camming stop and the other of the two cam stops comprises an uncamming stop.

45. The lock mechanism of claim 38, wherein the latch receiver includes a basin to receive a pin, and further comprising a spring, coupled to the base, to normally bias the latch receiver to a position to receive the pin in the basin.

46. The lock mechanism of claim 38, further comprising a lever arm spring biasing the lever arm toward the position to block rotation of the latch receiver in the at least first direction.

47. The lock mechanism of claim 38, wherein the lever arm spring biases the lever arm in a direction opposite the one direction.

48. The lock mechanism of claim 38 further comprising a spring biasing the latch receiver to a normally open position, in which an opening to the basin is in the travel path of the latch arm.

49. The lock mechanism of claim 38, wherein a tail extends from the latch receiver, with the lever arm blocking rotation of the tail when the lever arm in position to block rotation of the latch receiver in the at least first direction.

50. The lock mechanism of claim 38, wherein thickness of the latch receiver, lever arm, and motor is approximately ½

inch.

57. A lock mechanism, adaptable for use with a drawer slide, the lock mechanism comprising:

a latch receiver rotatably mounted to a base;

a lever arm rotatably mounted to the base, the lever arm rotatable to a position such that the lever arm blocks rotation of the latch receiver in one direction;

a motor drivably coupled to the lever arm to rotate the lever arm in at east one direction; and

a housing enclosing the latch receiver, lever arm and motor, the housing including a lip for coupling to a slide member of a drawer slide.

58. The lock mechanism of claim 57, wherein the lip is an extending lip.

59. The lock mechanism of claim 57, wherein the base is part of the housing.

60. The lock mechanism of claim 57, wherein the housing includes an open slot about the extending lip.

61. The lock mechanism of claim 60, wherein the housing comprises the base and a cover.

62. The lock mechanism of claim 61, wherein the open slot is at least partially in the cover.