Latch mover for quick-mount telescoping slide support system

• US 6,957,878 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Devices Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: General Devices Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Greenwald, William B., Naue, Jeff L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilkens, Janet M.
• Application Number:
  US10/788,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20050189856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 312/334.4, 312/334.5, 312/330.1, 312/265.1, 312/265.4, 312/223.1, 312/334.7, 312/350, 211/26, 384/22, 361/725, 361/727
• US Class Current: 312/334.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/43 at cabinet side

Abstract

A telescoping slide support assembly includes a telescoping slide assembly, a vertical rack for use in an equipment cabinet, and a quick-mount support coupled to a stationary slide included in the telescoping slide assembly. The quick-mount support includes a movable latch and a linkage for moving the movable latch about a pivot axis to facilitate coupling and uncoupling of the quick-mount support and the vertical rack.

Claims

1. A telescoping slide assembly support system comprising

a telescoping slide assembly including load-carrying and stationary slides movable relative to one another to extend and retract the load-carrying slide relative to the stationary slide between fully extended and retracted positions;

a rack formed to include a series of latch apertures, and

a quick-mount support coupled to the stationary slide, the quick-mount support including a movable bottom latch arranged to extend through a first of the latch apertures and configured to include an arcuate first drive pin receiver, a movable top latch arranged to extend through a second of the latch apertures and configured to include an arcuate second drive pin receiver, and a latch mover including a first drive pin arranged to move relative to the bottom latch in the arcuate first drive pin receiver, a second drive pin arranged to move relative to the top latch in the arcuate second drive pin receiver, and a pin slider, the first and second drive pins being coupled to the pin slider to move therewith relative to the bottom and top latches, the pin slider being mounted to move relative to the bottom and top latches to cause the first drive pin to move in the arcuate first drive pin receiver and the second drive pin to move in the arcuate second drive pin receiver between latch-locking positions wherein the first and second drive pins move the bottom and top latches away from one another to a spread-apart position to mate the bottom and top latches with the rack to block uncoupling of the quick-mount support and the rack and latch-releasing positions wherein the first and second drive pins move the bottom and top latches toward one another to a drawn-together position to unmate the bottom and top latches from the rack to allow uncoupling of the quick-mount support and the rack.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the bottom latch is mounted for movement about a first latch pivot axis, the bottom latch includes a first base intersecting the first latch pivot axis, a first latch lug arranged to extend through the first of the latch apertures, and a first mid-section arranged to interconnect the first base and the first latch lug and formed to include a first slot defining the arcuate first drive pin receiver and receiving a drive tip of the first drive pin.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first mid-section includes a protruding portion arranged to bifurcate the first slot to provide a latch-locking lobe channel at one end of the first slot receiving the drive tip of the first drive pin upon movement of the pin slider in a first direction toward the rack to cause the drive tip to assume the latch-locking position and to provide a latch-releasing lobe channel at an opposite end of the first slot receiving the drive tip of the first drive pin upon movement of the pin slider in an opposite second direction away from the rack to cause the drive tip to assume the latch-releasing position.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein a reference line extends through the first latch pivot axis and the latch lug and the slot is sized and located in the mid-section to cause the drive tip of the first drive pin to lie at a first distance from the reference line upon movement of the drive tip into the latch-releasing lobe channel and to lie at a greater second distance from the reference line upon movement of the drive tip into the latch-locking lobe channel.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the top latch is mounted for movement about a second latch pivot axis, the top latch includes a second base intersecting the second latch pivot axis, a second latch lug arranged to extend through the second of the latch apertures, and a second mid-section arranged to interconnect the second base and the second latch lug and formed to include a second slot defining the arcuate second drive pin receiver and receiving a drive tip of the second drive pin, the second mid-section includes a protruding portion arranged to bifurcate the second slot to provide a latch-locking lobe channel at one end of the second slot receiving the drive tip of the second drive pin upon movement of the pin slider in a first direction toward the rack to cause the drive tip to assume the latch-locking position and to provide a latch-releasing lobe channel at an opposite end of the second slot receiving the drive tip of the second drive pin upon movement of the pin slider in an opposite second direction away from the rack to cause the drive tip to assume the latch-releasing position.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the first base is formed to include a first pivot aperture, the quick-mount support further includes a mount unit and first pivot mount arranged to extend through the first pivot aperture and coupled to the mount unit to establish the first latch pivot axis, and the pin slider is mounted to slide in a space between the mount unit and the bottom latch and is formed to include a first guide slot receiving the first pivot mount therein to allow movement of the pin slider relative to the first pivot mount as the first drive pin is moved back and forth between the latch-locking and latch-releasing positions.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first drive pin further includes a pin head and a neck interconnecting the pin head and the drive tip and extending through a first aperture formed in the pin slider, the quick-mount support further includes a deformable first drive pin retainer mounted on the neck and arranged to lie in the first aperture, and a portion of the first drive pin retainer is compressed in a space between the neck and an inner edge of the pin slider defining the first aperture upon movement of the first drive pin to the latch-locking position to create a locking action to retain the bottom latch in the spread-apart position.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the first drive pin extends through a first aperture formed in the pin slider and the quick-mount support further includes a ring-shaped first drive pin retainer mounted on the first drive pin and arranged to lie in the first aperture to abut the pin slider.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first drive pin further includes a pin head and a neck extending through the first aperture between the pin head and the drive tip and carrying the ring-shaped first drive pin retainer and the latch mover further includes a washer mounted on the neck and arranged to lie between the ring-shaped first drive pin retainer and the first base of the bottom latch to locate the ring-shaped first drive pin retainer between the pin head and the washer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the pin slider includes a slide plate arranged to move in a space between the stationary slide and the bottom and top latches in a first direction toward the rack to cause the first and second drive pins to move to assume the latch-locking positions and in an opposite second direction away from the rack to cause the first and second drive pins to move to assume the latch-releasing positions.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the pin slider further includes a push tab coupled to the slide plate and arranged to extend away from the load-carrying slide when the load-carrying slide has been moved to assume the retracted position and wherein the push tab is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the rack to locate the bottom and top latches therebetween when the bottom and top latches are mated to the rack.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first drive pin extends through a first aperture formed in the slide plate, the second drive pin extends through a second aperture formed in the slide plate, and the quick-mount support further includes a first drive pin retainer mounted on the first drive pin and arranged to lie in the first aperture for movement with the slide plate and a second drive pin retainer mounted on the second drive pin and arranged to lie in the second aperture for movement with the slide plate.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second drive pin retainers is ring-shaped, the first drive pin retainer is made of a deformable material to be compressed in a space between the first drive pin and a first inner edge of the slide plate defining the first aperture upon movement of the first drive pin to the latch-locking position to create a first locking action to retain the bottom latch in the spread-apart position, and the second drive pin retainer is made of a deformable material to be compressed in a space between the second drive pin and a second inner edge of the slide plate defining the second aperture upon movement of the second drive pin to the latch-locking position to create a second locking action to retain the top latch in the spread-apart position.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second drive pin retainers is ring-shaped.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first drive pin further includes a pin head, a drive tip, and a neck extending through the first aperture between the pin head and the drive tip and carrying the ring-shaped first drive pin retainer and the latch mover further includes a washer mounted on the neck and arranged to lie between the ring-shaped first drive pin retainer and a first base of the bottom latch to locate the ring-shaped first drive pin retainer between the pin head and the washer.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the first drive pin extends through a first aperture formed in the slide plate, the second drive pin extends through a second aperture formed in the slide plate, the quick-mount support further includes a mount unit coupled to the stationary slide and formed to include a pin head receiver channel, and each drive pin includes a pin head arranged to move in the pin head receiver channel during movement of the slide plate relative to the mount unit and a drive tip arranged to extend into one of the arcuate first and second drive pin receivers.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each drive pin further includes a neck interconnecting the drive head and the drive tip and a deformable ring-shaped drive pin retainer mounted on the neck.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the quick-mount support further includes a first pivot mount coupled to the bottom latch and to the mount unit to support the bottom latch for pivotable movement relative to the mount unit about a first pivot axis and arranged to extend through a first guide slot formed in the slide plate and a second pivot mount coupled to the top latch and to the mount unit to support the top latch for pivotable movement relative to the mount unit about a second pivot axis and arranged to extend through a second guide slot formed in the slide plate.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the quick-mount support unit further includes a mount unit coupled to the stationary slide and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the bottom and top latches to locate the slide plate therebetween, and the quick-mount support further includes a first pivot mount coupled to the bottom latch and to the mount unit to support the bottom latch for pivotable movement relative to the mount unit about a first pivot axis and arranged to extend through a first guide slot formed in the slide plate and a second pivot mount coupled to the top latch and to the mount unit to support the top latch for pivotable movement relative to the mount unit about a second pivot axis and arranged to extend through a second guide slot formed in the slide plate.

20. A telescoping slide assembly support system comprising

a telescoping slide assembly including load-carrying and stationary slides movable relative to one another to extend and retract the load-carrying slide relative to the stationary slide between fully extended and retracted positions,

a rack formed to include a series of latch apertures, and

a quick-mount support including a latch mount coupled to the stationary slide, a bottom latch arranged to extend into a first of the latch apertures, a first pivot mount coupled to the bottom latch and to the latch mount to support the bottom latch for pivotable movement relative to the latch mount about a first pivot axis, a top latch arranged to extend into a second of the latch apertures, a second pivot mount coupled to the top latch and to the latch mount to support the top latch for pivotable movement relative to the latch mount about a second pivot axis, and a latch mover mounted for movement relative to the bottom and top latches, the latch mover including a pin slider formed to include a first guide slot receiving and allowing sliding movement of the first pivot mount therein and a second guide slot receiving and allowing sliding movement of the second pivot mount therein, a first drive pin coupled to the pin slider and the bottom latch and arranged to pivot the bottom latch about the first pivot axis in response to sliding movement of the pin slider relative to the first pivot mount, and a second drive pin coupled to the pin slider and the top latch and arranged to pivot the top latch about the second pivot axis in response to sliding movement of the pin slider relative to the second pivot mount.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the bottom latch is formed to include a first drive pin receiver slot, the first drive pin is arranged to extend into the first drive pin receiver slot and move therein in response to sliding movement of the pin slider relative to the first pivot mount, the top latch is formed to include a second drive pin receiver slot, and the second drive pin is arranged to extend into the second drive pin receiver slot and move therein in response to sliding movement of the pin slider relative to the second pivot mount.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the first and second drive pin receiver slots is defined by a curved border edge to move each of the first and second drive pins along an arcuate path as the pin slider slides relative to the first and second pivot mounts.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the curved border edges are shaped to establish a first center of curvature for the arcuate path associated with the first drive pin and a second center of curvature for the arcuate path associated with the second drive pin and the first and second drive pin receiver slots are arranged to lie in a space located between the first and second centers of curvature.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the pin slider includes a slide plate arranged to move in a space between the latch mount and the bottom and top latches in a first direction toward the rack to cause the first and second drive pins to pivot the bottom and top latches away from one another to a spread-apart position to mate the bottom and top latches with the rack to block uncoupling of the quick-mount support and the rack and in an opposite second direction away from the rack to cause the first and second drive pins to pivot the bottom and top latches toward one another to a drawn-together position to unmate the bottom and top latches from the rack to allow uncoupling of the quick-mount support and the rack.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the slide plate is formed to include the first and second guide slots.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the pin slider further includes a push tab coupled to the slide plate and arranged to extend away from the load-carrying slide when the load-carrying slide has been moved to assume the retracted position and wherein the push tab is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the rack to locate the bottom and top latches therebetween when the bottom and top latches are mated to the rack.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the first drive pin extends through a first aperture formed in the slide plate, the second drive pin extends through a second aperture formed in the slide plate, and the quick-mount support further includes a first drive pin retainer mounted on the first drive pin and arranged to lie in the first aperture for movement with the slide plate and a second drive pin retainer mounted on the second drive pin and arranged to lie in the second aperture for movement with the slide plate.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein each of the first and second drive pin retainers is ring-shaped.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the first drive pin extends through a first aperture formed in the pin slider, the second drive pin extends through a second aperture formed in the pin slider, the latch mount is formed to include a pin head receiver channel, and each drive pin includes a pin head arranged to move in the pin head receiver channel during sliding movement of the pin slider relative to the slide base second pivot mount.

30. A telescoping slide assembly support system comprising

a telescoping slide assembly including load-carrying and stationary slides movable relative to one another to extend and retract the load-carrying slides relative to the stationary slide between fully extended and retracted positions,

a rack formed to include a series of latch apertures, and

a quick-mount support including a bottom latch mounted to pivot relative to the stationary slide about a first pivot axis and arranged to extend into a first of the latch apertures formed in the rack, a top latch mounted to pivot relative to the stationary slide about a second pivot axis and arranged to extend into a second of the latch apertures formed in the rack, and

means for selectively pivoting the bottom and top latches about the first and second pivot axis away from one another to assume a spread-apart position to mate the bottom and top latches with the rack to block uncoupling of the quick-mount support and the rack and toward one another to assume a drawn-together position to unmate the bottom and top latches away from the rack to allow uncoupling of the quick-mount support and the rack.