Synchronous mechanism for slide rail, drawer component and refrigerator having the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a synchronization mechanism for a slide rail, the slide rail includes a pair of slide rail brackets arranged in parallel and a pair of movable slide rails arranged on the pair of slide rail brackets, the synchronization mechanism includes: a pair of gears, respectively rotatably arranged on the inner rear parts of the pair of movable slide rails; a connecting rod, spanning between the slide rails, and its two ends are respectively connected to the pair of gears; a pair of racks, respectively arranged on the pair of slide rail brackets, and respectively meshed with the pair of gears; the front ends of the pair of racks along the pulling direction are both provided with toothless sections, so that when the movable slide rail is pulled forward to the limit position relative to the slide rail bracket, the pair of gears are separated from the pair of racks in the toothless sections. The synchronization mechanism for the slide rail of the present invention can adjust the positional relationship between the gears on both sides used for synchronization and their corresponding racks at the initial position of the slide rail, so that the gears on both sides always maintain a concentric state during the pushing process of the slide rail, ensuring the synchronous operation of the slide rails on both sides.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of sliding rails, in particular to a synchronization mechanism for sliding rails. Background Art

[0002] The existing slide rail assembly used for drawers and other pull-out parts may cause the two side slide rails to be out of sync due to uneven force during the push and pull process, thus causing the pull-out parts to swing during push and pull, which is not easy to use. The synchronization mechanism used for the slide rail assembly in the prior art has limited effect in forcing the two side slide rails to move synchronously by connecting the movable slide rails in the two side slide rail assemblies, and when the slide rails are already out of sync, the existing synchronization mechanism may cause more serious misalignment of the slide rails. Summary of the invention

[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a synchronization mechanism that improves the synchronization between the two sides of the slide rail.

[0004] A further object of the present invention is to enable the synchronization mechanism to have a self-adjusting function so as to adjust the movement state of the slide rail when the two sides of the slide rail are not synchronized.

[0005] Another further object of the present invention is to simplify the assembly of the slide rail and the synchronization mechanism.

[0006] In particular, the present invention provides a synchronization mechanism for a slide rail, wherein the slide rail comprises a pair of slide rail brackets arranged in parallel and a pair of movable slide rails arranged on the pair of slide rail brackets, and the synchronization mechanism comprises:

[0007] A pair of gears, rotatably disposed on the inner rear portions of the pair of movable slide rails;

[0008] A connecting rod, spanning between the slide rails, and having two ends respectively connected to the pair of gears, so that the pair of gears rotate synchronously;

[0009] A pair of racks are respectively arranged on the pair of slide rail brackets and are respectively meshed with the pair of gears; wherein

[0010] The installation direction of the pair of racks is consistent with the push-pull direction of the movable slide rail relative to the slide rail bracket, and the length of the racks corresponds to the push-pull stroke of the slide rail; and

[0011] The front ends of the pair of racks along the pulling direction are both provided with toothless sections, so that when the movable slide rail is pulled forward to the limit position relative to the slide rail bracket, the pair of gears are separated from the pair of racks in the toothless sections.

[0012] Furthermore, the synchronization mechanism further comprises:

[0013] A pair of fixed seats, respectively fixed to the inner rear portions of the pair of movable slide rails;

[0014] A pair of supporting sleeves are respectively mounted on the pair of fixing seats, and are arranged so that their central axes are respectively perpendicular to the pair of fixing seats; wherein

[0015] Each of the support sleeves has a first end facing the corresponding fixing seat and a second end facing away from the corresponding fixing seat;

[0016] Each of the fixing seats is provided with a receiving hole, and a shielding portion is provided on at least a portion of the edge of the receiving hole and is configured to extend from the portion of the edge to the inside of the receiving hole on the inner side of the fixing seat to shield a portion of the receiving hole; and

[0017] The first end of each supporting sleeve is detachably engaged in the receiving hole of the corresponding fixing seat, and the second end is rotatably connected to the corresponding gear.

[0018] Further, the accommodating hole is configured as an elongated square hole, and the front end hole wall of the square hole along the pulling-out direction and part of the upper end hole wall and part of the lower end hole wall connected to the front end hole wall are configured to extend from the plane where the accommodating hole is located to the inner side of the fixing seat to form a stop wall closed on three sides;

[0019] The extended ends of the stop wall formed by extending the part of the upper hole wall and the part of the lower hole wall are bent and extended toward each other to form two opposite shielding parts on the inner side of the fixing seat.

[0020] Further, the exterior of the first end of the support sleeve is in a square stepped shape and has a bottom plate portion and a connecting portion located inside the bottom plate portion;

[0021] The first end is configured such that when the bottom plate portion is completely embedded in at least a portion of the receiving hole, the bottom plate portion and the connecting portion are respectively in contact with any one of the shielding portions along two mutually perpendicular directions.

[0022] Furthermore, the square hole is formed with a resisting portion at the rear portion along the pulling-out direction, which can be moved by force and reset when the force is released, and the resisting portion is configured to extend from the rear end hole wall forward and obliquely toward the inner side of the fixing seat to the rear of the stop wall;

[0023] The extended end of the abutment portion is bent toward the outside of the fixing seat and continues to extend to the interface between the fixing seat and the movable slide rail to form an abutment end that passes through the accommodating hole; and

[0024] The resistance portion is configured to be able to be moved toward the fixing seat under force to the plane where the receiving hole is located, so as to allow the bottom plate portion to be inserted into the receiving hole from back to front, and after the bottom plate portion is fully embedded in the receiving hole, the resistance end can be reset and restored to the rear of the stop wall to prevent the bottom plate portion from detaching from the receiving hole.

[0025] Further, an annular boss is formed on the outside of the second end of the support sleeve;

[0026] An annular cavity is formed on the outer side of the gear facing the movable slide rail, and a plurality of hooks are formed on the bottom of the annular cavity and are configured to be rotatably engaged with the annular boss so as to be rotatably mounted on the movable slide rail through the support sleeve fixed on the fixing seat; and

[0027] The plurality of hooks are all located on an imaginary circular ring concentric with the annular cavity.

[0028] Furthermore, the number of the hooks is four, and they are arranged to be evenly spaced and distributed on the imaginary ring;

[0029] The hook is configured to extend perpendicularly to the cavity bottom to no more than the outer end face of the gear, and the end of the hook is bent toward the center of the imaginary circular ring to engage with the boss surface of the annular boss facing the first end, thereby limiting the axial movement of the gear relative to the supporting sleeve.

[0030] Furthermore, the interior of the support sleeve is annularly stepped and is configured such that the inner hole of the second sleeve located inside the second end is larger than the inner hole of the first sleeve located inside the first end, so as to form an internal boss at the internal junction of the first end and the second end.

[0031] The present invention further provides a drawer component, which is equipped with a slide rail according to any one of the above items and a synchronization mechanism for the slide rail, wherein:

[0032] Support irons are respectively provided on both lateral sides of the drawer component to connect the pair of movable slide rails; or

[0033] The pair of movable slide rails are respectively arranged on two lateral sides of the drawer component and are configured to be directly connected and fixed to the drawer component through a connecting piece.

[0034] The present invention further provides a refrigerator, comprising a box body defining a storage space, a drawer component arranged in the box body, and a slide rail according to any one of the above items and a synchronization mechanism for the slide rail, wherein:

[0035] The slide rail bracket is fixed inside the box;

[0036] The drawer component is mounted on the movable slide rail and is configured to be controllably moved horizontally into or out of the storage space.

[0037] The synchronization mechanism for the slide rail of the present invention can adjust the positional relationship between the gears on both sides used for synchronization and their corresponding racks at the initial position of the slide rail, so that the gears on both sides always maintain a concentric state during the push-in process of the slide rail, ensuring the synchronous operation of the slide rails on both sides.

[0038] Furthermore, the synchronization mechanism of the present invention ensures that when the movable slide rail is pulled out from the slide rail bracket, the gears and racks respectively connected to the two are not engaged. Therefore, when the movable slide rail is pushed into the slide rail bracket again, the engagement or contact position of the gear rack on one side can be adjusted with the position of the gear rack on the other side, thereby enabling the synchronization mechanism to achieve self-adjustment of the engagement positioning.

[0039] Furthermore, the support sleeve of the present invention can be embedded and fixed on the fixing seat without additional connecting parts, and can be fixed to the movable slide rail through the fixing seat, thereby simplifying the assembly of the synchronization mechanism.

[0040] Based on the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will become more aware of the above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Hereinafter, some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail in an exemplary and non-limiting manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings indicate the same or similar components or parts. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

[0042] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a slide rail and a synchronization mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic partial enlarged view of the slide rail and the synchronization mechanism shown;

[0044] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a side slide rail according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a rack according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 5 is a schematic exploded view of a synchronization mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 6 is a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a synchronization mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 7 is a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a synchronization mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 8 is a schematic side view of a fixing seat and a supporting sleeve according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Fig. 9 is along Figure 8 A schematic cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line AA in FIG.

[0051] Fig.10 is a schematic structural diagram of a drawer component according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Fig.11 is a partial schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Fig.12 is a partial schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator in another state according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a synchronization mechanism for a slide rail according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic partial enlarged view of the slide rail and synchronization mechanism shown. The slide rail may generally include a pair of slide rail brackets 101 arranged in parallel and a pair of movable slide rails 102 arranged on the pair of slide rail brackets 101. The synchronization mechanism may include a pair of gears 201, a connecting rod 203 connecting the pair of gears 201, and a pair of racks 202. Specifically, the pair of gears 201 may be rotatably arranged at the inner rear portions of the pair of movable slide rails 102. The connecting rod 203 may be configured to span between the slide rails, and the two ends of the connecting rod 203 are respectively connected to the pair of gears 201 so that the pair of gears 201 rotate synchronously. A pair of racks 202 may be respectively arranged on a pair of slide rail brackets 101, and configured to mesh with the pair of gears 201 respectively. The installation direction of the pair of racks 202 may be configured to be consistent with the push-pull direction of the movable slide rail 102 relative to the slide rail bracket 101, and the length of the rack 202 corresponds to the push-pull stroke of the slide rail.

[0055] It should be noted that the "inside" mentioned above and the "outside" that will appear later refer to relative positions. Specifically, the slide rail generally has a transverse central symmetry plane, and a pair of slide rail brackets 101 and a pair of movable slide rails 102 are configured to be symmetrical relative to the central symmetry plane, and the two sides of the central symmetry plane are respectively provided with a slide rail bracket 101 and a movable slide rail 102. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the side of each component of the synchronization mechanism facing or close to the transverse central symmetry plane is the "inside", and the side away from or away from the transverse central symmetry plane is the "outside". These terms are only for the convenience of describing and understanding the technical solution of the present invention, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present invention.

[0056] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a side slide rail according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a rack 202 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, the front ends of the pair of racks 202 in the synchronization mechanism of the present invention along the pulling direction are both provided with a toothless section 202a, so that when the movable slide rail 102 is pulled forward to the limit position relative to the slide rail bracket 101, the pair of gears 201 are separated from the pair of racks 202 in the toothless section 202a. That is, in the pull-out limit state, the gear 201 can move in multiple directions relative to the rack 202 without being restricted by the tooth meshing.

[0057] In the prior art, when the movable slide rail 102 is pulled out and then pushed back to the slide rail bracket 101, the lateral distance between the pair of movable slide rails 102 is generally large, so the slide rails on both sides are prone to being out of sync. In the prior art, the slide rails are synchronized by adding a gear 201 and a rack 202 combination that is always meshed to the slide rails. However, in this case, if the meshing position of the gear 201 and the rack 202 on one side does not correspond to the gear 201 and the rack 202 on the other side, the out of sync phenomenon of the slide rails will be aggravated, and even the slide rails will be damaged.

[0058] The synchronization mechanism of the present invention makes it possible that when the movable slide rail 102 is pulled out from the slide rail bracket 101, the gear 201 and the rack 202 respectively connected to the two do not mesh, and the rack 202 does not limit the rotation or movement direction of the gear 201. Therefore, when the movable slide rail 102 is pushed into the slide rail bracket 101 again, the meshing or contact position of the gear 201 and the rack 202 on one side can be adjusted along with the position of the gear 201 and the rack 202 on the other side. More precisely, the meshing or contact positions of the gears 201 and the rack 202 on both sides can affect and adjust each other, so that the synchronization mechanism can achieve meshing positioning self-adjustment.

[0059] Specifically, if the slide rail is tilted due to uneven thrust, so that the gear 201 on one side of the moving slide rail 102 meshes with the rack 202 before the gear 201 on the other side of the moving slide rail 102, the rack 202 on the meshing side will produce a certain resistance to prevent the gear 201 from continuing to rotate when the rotation direction of the gear 201 is deviated. At this time, since the gear 201 on the other side is not meshed with the rack 202, it will not be subject to resistance, so it can be relatively easy to continue to rotate until the gear 201 on the other side also meshes with the rack 202 and is located at the same lateral position as the gear 201 that has been meshed before. After self-adjustment, the two gears 201 that are already located at the same lateral position can be synchronously rotated to the rear end of the rack 202 through the connecting rod 203 while maintaining the meshing state, thereby ensuring the synchronization of the sliding of the two side rails, and avoiding the problem that the meshing positions of the gears 201 and the rack 202 cannot correspond to each other due to the asynchronism of the two side rails at the initial position of the push-in (that is, the extreme position of the pull-out).

[0060] The synchronization mechanism for the slide rail of the present invention can adjust the positional relationship between the gears 201 on both sides and their corresponding racks 202 for synchronization at the initial position of the slide rail, so that the gears 201 on both sides always maintain a concentric state during the push-in process of the slide rail, ensuring the synchronous operation of the slide rails on both sides.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present invention, the rear ends of the pair of racks 202 along the pulling direction are both provided with toothless sections 202a, so that when the movable slide rail 102 is pushed backward to the limit position relative to the slide rail bracket 101, the pair of gears 201 are disengaged from the pair of racks 202 in the toothless sections 202a. That is, each rack 202 has a toothless section 202a at both the front and rear ends. The function of the toothless section 202a at the rear end is similar to that of the toothless section 202a at the front end.

[0062] Specifically, in the synchronization mechanism of the prior art, when the sliding door body (or the structure such as the drawer front cover) guided by the slide rail is tilted due to the asynchronism of the slide rail, in some cases, the movable slide rail 102 can still slide to the rear end of the slide rail bracket 101 under the push of a large external force. However, since the sliding door body is always in a tilted state, when one side of the door body has been restored to the closed position, the other side of the door body cannot be completely closed due to the misaligned teeth of the gear 201 and the rack 202 and the resistance of the closed side of the door body. That is, the door body on one side fits the box body 1, while there is a gap between the door body on the other side and the box body 1.

[0063] Different from the prior art, the toothless section 202a at the rear end of the rack 202 of the synchronization mechanism of the present invention allows the gear 201 to move or rotate freely, that is, the resistance force on the closed door side can cause the gear 201 on the open door side to move to the correct meshing position with almost no resistance, thereby adjusting the gears 201 on both sides to the same lateral position, ensuring that both sides of the door can be closed normally.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present invention, the toothless section 202a may be configured to allow the gear 201 to rotate freely when the projection of the rotation center of the gear 201 on the rack 202 is located in the middle of the toothless section 202a. That is, the toothless section 202a has a space that allows the gear 201 to rotate freely in situ, so that the gear 201 can achieve misalignment adjustment in the lateral direction through free rotation.

[0065] Figure 5 is a schematic exploded view of a synchronization mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a synchronization mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a synchronization mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present invention, the synchronization mechanism further includes: a pair of fixed seats 300 and a pair of supporting sleeves 400. The pair of fixed seats 300 can be respectively fixed to the inner rear portions of the pair of movable slide rails 102. The pair of supporting sleeves 400 can be respectively mounted on the pair of fixed seats 300, and are arranged so that their central axes are respectively perpendicular to the pair of fixed seats 300. Each supporting sleeve 400 can have a first end 401 facing the corresponding fixed seat 300 and a second end 402 away from the corresponding fixed seat 300. That is, each gear 201 can be rotatably mounted on a supporting sleeve 400, and mounted on a fixed seat 300 through the supporting sleeve 400, and further mounted on a movable slide rail 102 through the fixed seat 300.

[0067] In some embodiments of the present invention, each fixing seat 300 is provided with a receiving hole 301, and at least a portion of the edge of the receiving hole 301 is provided with a shielding portion 301b, and is configured to extend from a portion of the edge to the inside of the receiving hole 301 on the inner side of the fixing seat 300, so as to divide the receiving hole 301 with the shielding portion 301b. The first end 401 of each supporting sleeve 400 is detachably engaged in the receiving hole 301 of the corresponding fixing seat 300, and the second end 402 is rotatably connected to the corresponding gear 201.

[0068] The gear 201 of the present invention is indirectly connected to the movable slide rail 102 through the support sleeve 400 and the fixed seat 300, so that each component can be manufactured separately, simplifying the manufacturing process. In particular, since the last step of the installation of the gear 201 can be achieved by the fixed seat 300 through any general connecting piece, the flexibility of the installation position of the gear 201 is enhanced, and the synchronization mechanism of the present invention is applicable to various different slide rails. In addition, compared with the sleeve directly formed for installing the gear 201, the movable slide rail 102 of the present invention, which only needs to be connected to the fixed seat 300, has greatly reduced requirements on the strength of the materials used for itself, thereby significantly reducing the manufacturing cost and allowing the manufacturer to have a wider range of choices when selecting materials for manufacturing the slide rail.

[0069] Figure 8 is a schematic side view of a fixing seat 300 and a supporting sleeve 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 is along Figure 8 A schematic cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line AA in FIG.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present invention, the receiving hole 301 is configured as an elongated square hole, and the front end hole wall of the square hole along the pulling direction and the part of the upper end hole wall and the part of the lower end hole wall connected to the front end hole wall are configured to extend from the plane where the receiving hole 301 is located to the inside of the fixing seat 300 to form a three-sided closed stop wall 301a. Further, the extended ends of the stop wall 301a formed by extending part of the upper end hole wall and part of the lower end hole wall are bent and extended toward each other to form two opposite shielding parts 301b on the inside of the fixing seat 300.

[0071] That is, the support sleeve 400 of the present invention can be embedded and fixed on the fixing base 300 without additional connecting parts, and can be fixed to the movable slide rail 102 through the fixing base 300, thereby simplifying the assembly of the synchronization mechanism.

[0072] In some embodiments of the present invention, the exterior of the first end 401 of the support sleeve 400 is in a square stepped shape, and has a bottom plate portion 401a and a connecting portion 401b located on the inner side of the bottom plate portion 401a. The first end 401 can be configured so that when the bottom plate portion 401a is completely embedded in at least a portion of the receiving hole 301, the bottom plate portion 401a and the connecting portion 401b are respectively in contact with any shielding portion 301b in two mutually perpendicular directions. That is, after the first end 401 of the support sleeve 400 is embedded in the receiving hole 301, its stepped bottom plate portion 401a and the connecting portion 401b can be simultaneously limited by the shielding portion 301b to move in two perpendicular directions, so as to completely lock the bottom plate portion 401a in the receiving hole 301.

[0073] Furthermore, the support sleeve 400 can also be configured so that the end surface of the second end 402 close to the first end 401 has a size greater than the cross-section of the connecting portion 401b, thereby making the bottom plate portion 401a and the end surface of the second end 402 close to the first end 401 respectively clamped on both sides of the shielding portion 301b, and the connecting portion 401b also abuts against the shielding portion 301b in another direction, further enhancing the clamping strength of the support sleeve 400 and the fixing seat 300, and preventing the bottom plate portion 401a from detaching from the accommodating hole 301 along a direction roughly perpendicular to the fixing seat 300.

[0074] In some embodiments of the present invention, the outer surface of the shielding portion 301b facing the receiving hole 301 may be located in the same plane as the inner surface of the fixing seat 300. That is, the shielding portion 301b may be configured to just cover the inner surface of the receiving hole 301, so that the bottom plate portion 401a embedded in the receiving hole 301 and the fixing seat 300 form a flat plate surface, so that the circumference of the bottom plate is in contact with the fixing seat 300, thereby enhancing the connection strength between the support sleeve 400 and the fixing seat 300, and making the fixed installation of the two more compact.

[0075] In some embodiments of the present invention, a resisting portion 301c is formed at the rear of the square hole along the pulling direction, which can be moved by force and reset when the force is released. The resisting portion 301c is configured to extend from the rear end hole wall forward and obliquely toward the inside of the fixing seat 300 to the rear of the stop wall 301a. The extended end of the resisting portion 301c is bent toward the outside of the fixing seat 300 and continues to extend to the interface between the fixing seat 300 and the movable slide rail 102 to form a resisting end that passes through the accommodating hole 301.

[0076] Furthermore, the resistance portion 301c is configured to be able to be forced to move toward the fixing seat 300 to the plane where the accommodating hole 301 is located, so as to allow the bottom plate portion 401a to be inserted into the accommodating hole 301 from back to front, and after the bottom plate portion 401a is fully embedded in the accommodating hole 301, it can be reset and the resistance end can be restored to the rear of the stop wall 301a to prevent the bottom plate portion 401a from detaching from the accommodating hole 301, thereby preventing the bottom plate portion 401a from detaching from the accommodating hole 301 in a direction roughly parallel to the fixing seat 300.

[0077] In some embodiments of the present invention, an annular boss 403 is formed on the outside of the second end 402 of the support sleeve 400. An annular cavity 201a is formed on the outer side of the gear 201 facing the movable slide rail 102, and a plurality of hooks 201c are formed on the cavity bottom 201b of the annular cavity 201a, and are configured to be rotatably engaged with the annular boss 403, so as to be rotatably mounted on the movable slide rail 102 through the support sleeve 400 fixed on the fixed seat 300. Specifically, the plurality of hooks 201c are all located on an imaginary ring concentric with the annular cavity 201a.

[0078] The second end 402 of the support sleeve 400 can be inserted into the annular cavity 201a so that the annular boss 403 on it is engaged with the hook 201c, that is, the second end 402 is located entirely or at least mostly inside the annular cavity 201a, so as to protect the connection portion 401b between the support sleeve 400 and the gear 201, and shorten the distance between the gear 201 and the fixed seat 300, thereby reducing the torque on the support sleeve 400. Further, the annular boss 403 of the second end 402 of the support sleeve 400 can be configured so that its outer peripheral side surface has a certain inclination angle. Specifically, the cross-sectional area of ​​the annular boss 403 near the cavity bottom 201b is smaller than the cross-sectional area away from the cavity bottom 201b, so that during the engagement process, the hook 201c can be gradually bent outward along the outer peripheral side surface of the annular boss 403, and reset after the engagement is completed, thereby preventing the hook 201c from detaching from the annular boss 403 without the action of external force.

[0079] Accordingly, the multiple hooks 201c of the gear 201 can also be configured so that the contact surface between the head of the hook 201c and the annular boss 403 has a certain inclination angle. Specifically, the contact surface can be arranged parallel to the outer peripheral side surface of the annular boss 403, that is, the intersection line between the two and any cross-section passing through the rotation center axis is parallel to each other. Thus, the resistance in the process of the hook 201c being connected to the annular boss 403 is further reduced.

[0080] In some embodiments of the present invention, the number of hooks 201c is four, and they are arranged to be evenly spaced on the imaginary ring. The hooks 201c are arranged to extend perpendicularly to the cavity bottom 201b to no more than the outer end surface of the gear 201, and the ends of the hooks 201c are bent toward the center of the imaginary ring to engage with the boss surface of the annular boss 403 toward the first end 401, thereby limiting the axial movement of the gear 201 relative to the support sleeve 400.

[0081] In some embodiments of the present invention, the interior of the support sleeve 400 is annularly stepped and is configured such that the second sleeve inner hole 4020 located inside the second end 402 is larger than the first sleeve inner hole 4010 located inside the first end 401, so as to form an internal boss 4030 at the internal junction of the first end 401 and the second end 402.

[0082] Furthermore, an axial tube column 201d is formed on the cavity bottom 201b of the gear 201, which is configured to be arranged inside the imaginary circular ring concentrically with the imaginary circular ring, and has an outer diameter equal to the inner diameter of the second sleeve inner hole 4020, so as to be inserted into the second sleeve inner hole 4020 concentrically with the support sleeve 400. The size matching of the two can limit the radial movement of the axial tube column 201d after it is inserted into the second sleeve inner hole 4020.

[0083] That is, the synchronization mechanism of the present invention realizes double center positioning through the cooperation of the annular boss 403 and the hook 201c and the configuration of the second sleeve inner hole 4020 and the axial tube column 201d, which is convenient for the assembly of the gear 201 and the support sleeve 400. Moreover, since the hook 201c has a certain elasticity, its position and shape are relatively flexible, which can avoid the occurrence of over-positioning problems.

[0084] In some embodiments of the present invention, the second end 402 of the support sleeve 400 has a stopper 404 protruding from the end face of the annular boss 403 away from the support sleeve 400, and is configured to abut against the cavity bottom 201b of the annular cavity 201a after the axial column 201d is inserted into the inner hole 4020 of the second sleeve, so as to limit the axial movement of the gear 201 relative to the support sleeve 400. The stopper 404 can be configured as a partial ring. Specifically, it can be two sections of arc protrusions arranged opposite to each other, and the end face of one side close to the annular cavity 201a has a smaller cross-sectional area, so as to reduce the contact area with the cavity bottom 201b and reduce the resistance to the rotation of the gear 201.

[0085] In some embodiments of the present invention, the internal boss 4030 can also limit the axial movement of the gear 201 under certain circumstances. Specifically, the shaft column 201d can be further configured to maintain a certain distance from the first sleeve inner hole 4010 after being inserted into the second sleeve inner hole 4020, that is, not contacting the internal boss 4030. Therefore, when the gear 201 rotates normally, the shaft column 201d does not contact the internal boss 4030 to reduce the resistance to the rotation of the gear 201. When the limit portion 404 and the cavity bottom 201b cannot effectively interfere, the shaft column 201d can abut against the internal boss 4030 to prevent the gear 201 from moving axially.

[0086] In some embodiments of the present invention, the outer portion of the inner boss 4030 (approximately the connecting portion 401b of the first end 401) may roughly correspond to the shielding portion 301b of the fixing base 300. That is, the outer side of the inner boss 4030 may be configured to have a recess to engage with the shielding portion 301b.

[0087] In some embodiments of the present invention, a connecting sleeve 201f is formed on the inner side of the gear 201 away from the movable slide rail 102 to allow the connecting rod 203 to be inserted into and connected to the connecting sleeve 201f. Further, both ends of the connecting rod 203 are configured to have a non-circular cross-section. At least part of the inner axial hole of the connecting sleeve 201f is configured to have a non-circular cross-section to prevent the connecting rod 203 from rotating relative to the connecting sleeve 201f, thereby ensuring that the gears 201 located on both sides of the connecting rod 203 always rotate synchronously.

[0088] See also Figures 5 to 7In some embodiments of the present invention, the synchronization mechanism further includes a stop snap ring 500. The stop snap ring 500 may be configured as a ring with an opening to be clamped on the outer side of the connecting sleeve 201f. The stop snap ring 500 may also have a stop rod 501. Accordingly, a through hole 201g is provided on the sleeve wall of the connecting sleeve 201f of at least one gear 201. The stop rod 501 may be configured to extend from the inner ring surface of the snap ring toward the annular center of the stop snap ring 500, and to be inserted into the through hole 201g when the stop snap ring 500 is clamped on the connecting sleeve 201f, so as to limit the axial movement of the connecting rod 203.

[0089] In this embodiment, the connecting sleeves 201f of the two gears 201 may have different lengths, that is, the connecting rod 203 may be inserted deeper into the connecting sleeve 201f of the gear 201 on one side, and the rod body located in the connecting sleeve 201f of the gear 201 on the other side may be shorter. Furthermore, the through hole 201g may be provided on one side of the longer connecting sleeve 201f.

[0090] The stopper ring 500 and the connecting sleeve 201f of the synchronization mechanism of the present invention can simplify the assembly of the connecting rod 203 and the two gears 201, especially when the distance between the two gears 201 is fixed. Specifically, during the assembly process, the connecting rod 203 can be first inserted into the longer connecting sleeve 201f and moved to the side until the other end of the connecting rod 203 moves to the inner side of the opening of the shorter connecting sleeve 201f. When the other end of the connecting rod 203 is opposite to the opening of the shorter connecting sleeve 201f, the connecting rod 203 can move to the other side until it is inserted into the end of the shorter connecting sleeve 201f and completely conflicts with the side gear 201. At this time, the stopper ring 500 is clamped on the longer connecting sleeve 201f to prevent the connecting rod 203 from continuing to move toward the longer connecting sleeve 201f, thereby realizing the axial positioning of the connecting rod 203.

[0091] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of through holes 201 g at different positions may be provided on the connecting sleeve 201 f to accommodate different fixed distances between the two gears 201 .

[0092] The synchronization mechanism of the present invention simplifies the assembly of the connecting rod 203 and the connecting sleeve 201f through the stop ring 500, and is applicable to slide rails with different spacings, thereby enhancing the flexibility and practicality of the synchronization mechanism for the slide rails.

[0093] Fig.101 is a schematic structural diagram of a drawer component 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The present invention also provides a drawer component 10, which is equipped with the aforementioned slide rail and a synchronization mechanism for the slide rail. In some embodiments of the present invention, support irons are respectively provided on both lateral sides of the drawer component 10 to connect a pair of movable slide rails 102. In other embodiments of the present invention, a pair of movable slide rails 102 can be respectively provided on both lateral sides of the drawer component 10, and are configured to be directly connected and fixed to the drawer component 10 through a connecting piece.

[0094] Fig.11 FIG. 1 is a partial schematic structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig.12 1 is a partial schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator in another state according to an embodiment of the present invention. The present invention also provides a refrigerator, comprising a box body 1 defining a storage space, a pull-out component 10, a slide rail, and the aforementioned synchronization mechanism. Specifically, a slide rail bracket 101 can be fixed inside the box body 1. The pull-out component 10 can be installed on a movable slide rail 102, and is configured to be controllably moved horizontally into or out of the storage space.

[0095] At this point, those skilled in the art should recognize that, although multiple exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications that conform to the principles of the present invention can still be directly determined or derived based on the content disclosed in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood and recognized as covering all these other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A synchronization mechanism for a slide rail, the slide rail comprising a pair of slide rail brackets arranged in parallel and a pair of movable slide rails arranged on the pair of slide rail brackets, the synchronization mechanism comprising: A pair of gears, rotatably disposed on the inner rear portions of the pair of movable slide rails; A connecting rod, spanning between the slide rails, and having two ends respectively connected to the pair of gears, so that the pair of gears rotate synchronously; A pair of racks are respectively arranged on the pair of slide rail brackets and are respectively meshed with the pair of gears; wherein The installation direction of the pair of racks is consistent with the push-pull direction of the movable slide rail relative to the slide rail bracket, and the length of the racks corresponds to the push-pull stroke of the slide rail; and The front ends of the pair of racks along the pulling direction are both provided with toothless sections, so that when the movable slide rail is pulled forward to the limit position relative to the slide rail bracket, the pair of gears are separated from the pair of racks in the toothless sections; and The rear ends of the pair of racks along the pulling direction are also provided with the toothless section, so that when the movable slide rail is pushed backward to the limit position relative to the slide rail bracket, the pair of gears are separated from the pair of racks in the toothless section; The synchronization mechanism also includes: A pair of fixed seats, respectively fixed to the inner rear portions of the pair of movable slide rails; A pair of supporting sleeves are respectively mounted on the pair of fixing seats, and are arranged so that their central axes are respectively perpendicular to the pair of fixing seats; wherein Each of the support sleeves has a first end facing the corresponding fixing seat and a second end facing away from the corresponding fixing seat; Each of the fixing seats is provided with a receiving hole, and a shielding portion is provided on at least a portion of the edge of the receiving hole and is configured to extend from the portion of the edge to the inside of the receiving hole on the inner side of the fixing seat to shield a portion of the receiving hole; and The first end of each supporting sleeve is detachably engaged with the receiving hole of the corresponding fixing seat, and the second end is rotatably connected with the corresponding gear; The receiving hole is configured as an elongated square hole, and the front end hole wall of the square hole along the pulling-out direction and part of the upper end hole wall and part of the lower end hole wall connected to the front end hole wall are configured to extend from the plane where the receiving hole is located to the inner side of the fixing seat to form a stop wall closed on three sides; The extended ends of the stop wall formed by extending the part of the upper hole wall and the part of the lower hole wall are bent and extended toward each other to form two opposite shielding parts on the inner side of the fixing seat; The first end of the support sleeve has a square stepped shape on the outside and has a bottom plate portion and a connecting portion located inside the bottom plate portion; The first end is configured so that when the bottom plate portion is completely embedded in at least a portion of the receiving hole, the bottom plate portion and the connecting portion are respectively in contact with any of the shielding portions along two mutually perpendicular directions; The square hole is formed with a resisting portion at the rear portion along the pulling-out direction, which can be moved by force and reset when the force is released, and the resisting portion is configured to extend from the rear end hole wall forward and obliquely toward the inner side of the fixing seat to the rear of the stop wall; The extended end of the abutment portion is bent toward the outside of the fixing seat and continues to extend to the interface between the fixing seat and the movable slide rail to form an abutment end that passes through the accommodating hole; and The resistance portion is configured to be able to be moved toward the fixing seat under force to the plane where the receiving hole is located, so as to allow the bottom plate portion to be inserted into the receiving hole from back to front, and after the bottom plate portion is fully embedded in the receiving hole, the resistance end can be reset and restored to the rear of the stop wall to prevent the bottom plate portion from detaching from the receiving hole.

2. The synchronization mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: An annular boss is formed on the exterior of the second end of the support sleeve; An annular cavity is formed on the outer side of the gear facing the movable slide rail, and a plurality of hooks are formed on the bottom of the annular cavity and are configured to be rotatably engaged with the annular boss so as to be rotatably mounted on the movable slide rail through the support sleeve fixed on the fixing seat; as well as The plurality of hooks are all located on an imaginary circular ring concentric with the annular cavity.

3. The synchronization mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: The number of the hooks is four, and they are arranged to be evenly spaced and distributed on the imaginary ring; The hook is configured to extend perpendicularly to the cavity bottom to no more than the outer end face of the gear, and the end of the hook is bent toward the center of the imaginary circular ring to engage with the boss surface of the annular boss facing the first end, thereby limiting the axial movement of the gear relative to the supporting sleeve.

4. The synchronization mechanism according to claim 3, wherein: The interior of the support sleeve is annularly stepped and is configured such that the inner hole of the second sleeve located inside the second end is larger than the inner hole of the first sleeve located inside the first end, so as to form an internal boss at the internal junction of the first end and the second end.

5. A drawer component, equipped with a slide rail according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and a synchronization mechanism for the slide rail, wherein: Support irons are respectively provided on both lateral sides of the drawer component to connect the pair of movable slide rails; or The pair of movable slide rails are respectively arranged on two lateral sides of the drawer component and are configured to be directly connected and fixed to the drawer component through a connecting piece.

6. A refrigerator, comprising a box body defining a storage space, a drawer member disposed in the box body, and a slide rail according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and a synchronization mechanism for the slide rail, wherein: The slide rail bracket is fixed inside the box; The drawer component is mounted on the movable slide rail and is configured to be controllably moved horizontally into or out of the storage space.

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