A torsion spring push mechanism and its locking and pushing method

Abstract

This invention relates to a torsion spring push mechanism and its locking and pushing method, comprising an unlocking rack and a push assembly. The unlocking rack is connected to the inner rail of a slide rail, and the push assembly is connected to the outer rail of the slide rail. The push assembly includes a base, a transmission gear, a spring gear, and a pin. The base is rotatably connected to the transmission gear through a through slot. One side of the transmission gear has an upper tooth that meshes with the unlocking rack, and the other side has a lower tooth. The base is rotatably connected to the spring gear on the side of the lower tooth of the transmission gear. The spring gear meshes with the lower tooth of the transmission gear and is connected to the base through a torsion spring. The pin is rotatably connected to the base at a position between the base and the spring gear. The spring gear has a first drive arm and a second drive arm on the side of the pin that drive the pin to rotate. The pin passes between the first drive arm and the second drive arm. The torsion spring push mechanism and its locking and pushing method can shorten the length of the push mechanism, thereby increasing the travel and load-bearing capacity of the slide rail.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to slide rails, and more particularly to a torsion spring push mechanism and its locking and push method. Background Technology

[0002] A drawer slide is a linear motion connector commonly used to connect drawers and other appliances that require linear sliding. Traditionally, drawers connected by drawer slides require manual operation to open and close. Closing the drawer is relatively simple; just push the drawer inward to close it. However, to open the drawer, you need to pull it outward, which requires a handle mechanism. But some drawers cannot have handle mechanisms due to aesthetic requirements or other reasons. Some modern drawer slides use a push-out mechanism. This mechanism locks the slide when the drawer is closed. To open the drawer, first push the drawer inward to unlock it. Then, the push-out mechanism will push the slide and drawer outward a certain distance. The drawer can then be opened through the gap between the drawer and the cabinet.

[0003] Existing push spring structures generally use tension springs or compression springs as the force storage structure (such as CN109757884A and CN213940197U, which both use spring structures). In order to ensure a certain force value and force storage effect, the free length and pre-tension length of the spring need to meet certain requirements, which results in the existing push spring structure being relatively long overall, sacrificing a large middle rail length of the slide rail, and causing poor travel and load-bearing capacity of the slide rail. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a torsion spring pushing mechanism to solve one or more problems in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A torsion spring push mechanism includes an unlocking rack and a push assembly. The unlocking rack is connected to the inner rail of a slide rail, and the push assembly is connected to the outer rail of the slide rail. The push assembly includes a base, a transmission gear, a spring gear, and a pin. The base is rotatably connected to the transmission gear through a through slot. The transmission gear has an upper tooth on one side that meshes with the unlocking rack and a lower tooth on the other side. The base is rotatably connected to the spring gear on the side of the lower tooth of the transmission gear. The spring gear meshes with the lower tooth of the transmission gear and is connected to the base through a torsion spring. The pin is rotatably connected to the base at a position between the base and the spring gear. The spring gear has a first drive arm and a second drive arm on the side of the pin that drive the pin to rotate. The pin passes between the first drive arm and the second drive arm.

[0007] As a further improvement to the above technical solution:

[0008] The unlocking rack is detachably engaged with the inner rail of the slide rail via a locking block.

[0009] The base has a first slot for accommodating the lower tooth of the transmission gear and a second slot for accommodating the spring gear on one side, and a third slot for connecting the pin is provided in the second slot of the base.

[0010] The second slot is provided with a first spring slot for engaging the torsion spring, and the inner side of the cooperating spring gear is also provided with a second spring slot for engaging the torsion spring. The two ends of the torsion spring are provided with spring claws for engaging the first spring slot and the second spring slot.

[0011] The pin includes a pin body and a connecting post. The connecting post passes through a third slot. The pin body has a pair of locking slots symmetrically arranged at both ends of the long axis and a pair of unlocking slots symmetrically arranged at both ends of the short axis.

[0012] The spring gear is located on the outer side of the second drive arm and has a guide pin on its guide arc.

[0013] The base is provided with a snap-fit ​​groove, and the outer rail of the slide rail is provided with a snap-fit ​​seat. The base is detachably snapped onto the outer rail of the slide rail through the snap-fit ​​seat and the snap-fit ​​groove.

[0014] The base is connected to a buffer spring on one side of the inner rail of the buffer slide.

[0015] A locking and pushing method for a torsion spring pushing mechanism includes the following steps:

[0016] 1) Slide rail locking: When the slide rail is closed, push the inner rail of the slide rail inward to move it. When the unlocking rack connected to the inner rail of the slide rail meshes with the upper tooth of the transmission gear, it can drive the transmission gear to rotate. When the transmission gear rotates, it can drive the spring gear meshing with it to rotate through the lower tooth. The first drive arm of the spring gear rotates towards the pin. The first drive arm will first contact the locking groove on one side of the pin, which can drive the pin to rotate and move the locking groove at the other end of the pin to the direction of movement of the second drive arm. At this time, due to the rotation of the spring gear, the torsion spring also rotates. When the slide rail is in a charging state, and the inner rail is no longer pushed, the spring gear will reverse under the action of the torsion spring. The second drive arm will move towards the pin and contact the locking groove of the pin. After the pin rotates a certain angle, the second drive arm and the pin will stop against each other when the second drive arm reaches the bottom of the locking groove. The pin and the second drive arm will stop rotating. That is, the spring gear is limited by the pin and stops rotating. Similarly, the transmission gear stops rotating and the unlocking rack meshed with the transmission gear stops moving. In other words, the inner rail of the slide rail is locked and the inner rail of the slide rail stops moving.

[0017] 2) Slide rail pop-out: When the slide rail needs to be opened, first apply an inward pushing force to the inner rail of the slide rail to push it inward. Similarly, the unlocking rack, in conjunction with the transmission gear, drives the spring gear to rotate. The first drive arm on the spring gear moves towards the pin. At this time, the unlocking slot on the side of the pin is located in the direction of movement of the first drive arm. The first drive arm will push into the unlocking slot of the pin and drive the pin to rotate, so that the pin no longer blocks the direction of movement of the second drive arm. At this time, the torsion spring is also in a charged state due to the rotation of the spring gear. Then, release the inward pushing force on the inner rail of the slide rail. The spring gear reverses under the action of the torsion spring. Since the pin no longer blocks the second drive arm, the spring gear can rotate and reset. It then drives the unlocking rack to move outward through the transmission gear. The unlocking rack drives the inner rail of the slide rail to move outward and pop out, thus opening the slide rail.

[0018] As a further improvement to the above technical solution:

[0019] During the reversal and reset process of the spring gear, the guide arc outside the spring gear will contact the outside of the pin unlocking groove to finely adjust the pin angle, which can ensure that the pin is reset in place, so that the locking groove on one side of the pin rotates and resets to the direction of movement of the first drive arm.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial technical effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0021] 1) The torsion spring push mechanism of the slide rail adopts an unlocking rack that can drive the transmission gear and spring gear to rotate. The spring gear is connected to the torsion spring, and the spring gear can be locked or unlocked through a pin. The torsion spring can drive the spring gear to rotate, and the spring gear drives the unlocking rack to move outward through the transmission gear, so that the slide rail pops out. The push mechanism is achieved through the torsion spring structure, which can greatly shorten the overall length of the push mechanism, thereby increasing the middle rail length of the slide rail, thus increasing the travel and load-bearing capacity of the slide rail.

[0022] 2) Both the unlocking rack and the pusher assembly are detachable, facilitating disassembly and maintenance;

[0023] 3) The pusher assembly covers the lower teeth of the transmission gear and the spring gear through the base to prevent foreign objects from entering and affecting the transmission between the transmission gear and the spring gear;

[0024] 4) The two ends of the torsion spring are connected by spring claws, spring gears, and the second and first spring slots on the base, which ensures reliable connection and facilitates disassembly and replacement.

[0025] 5) A guide arc for the guide pin is provided on the outer side of the second drive arm to guide the pin and ensure that the pin rotates into place;

[0026] 6) The buffer spring connected to the inner rail of the buffer slide on one side of the base can prevent damage from hard collisions between the slide rails. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 An exploded view of the installation of the torsion spring push mechanism in this embodiment is shown.

[0028] Figure 2 An exploded view of the spring-pushing mechanism pusher assembly of this embodiment is shown.

[0029] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the base of the torsion spring push mechanism in this embodiment is shown.

[0030] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the transmission gear of the torsion spring push mechanism in this embodiment is shown.

[0031] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the spring gear structure of the torsion spring push mechanism in this embodiment is shown.

[0032] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the pin structure of the torsion spring push mechanism in this embodiment is shown.

[0033] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the torsion spring in the torsion spring push mechanism of this embodiment is shown.

[0034] Figure 8 The diagram shows the first state of the torsion spring push mechanism in this embodiment when it is locked.

[0035] Figure 9 The diagram shows the second state when the torsion spring push mechanism of this embodiment is locked.

[0036] Figure 10 The diagram shows the third state of the torsion spring push mechanism in this embodiment when it is locked.

[0037] Figure 11 The diagram shows the first state of the torsion spring push mechanism in this embodiment when it is ejected.

[0038] Figure 12 The diagram shows the second state when the torsion spring push mechanism of this embodiment is ejected.

[0039] Figure 13 The diagram shows the third state when the torsion spring push mechanism of this embodiment is ejected.

[0040] Marked in the attached diagram:

[0041] 1. Unlocking rack; 11. Locking block; 2. Push spring assembly; 21. Base; 211. Through slot; 212. First locking slot; 213. Second locking slot; 214. Third locking slot; 215. First spring locking slot; 216. Snap-fit ​​slot; 217. Buffer spring; 22. Transmission gear; 221. Upper gear; 222. Lower gear; 23. Spring gear; 231. First drive arm; 232. Second drive arm; 233. Second spring locking slot; 234. Guide arc; 24. Pin; 241. Pin body; 242. Locking slot; 243. Unlocking slot; 244. Connecting post; 25. Torsion spring; 251. Spring claw; 3. Inner rail of slide rail; 4. Outer rail of slide rail; 41. Snap-fit ​​seat. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the device proposed by this invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The advantages and features of this invention will become clearer from the following description. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, only for the purpose of conveniently and clearly illustrating the embodiments of this invention. Please refer to the accompanying drawings to make the objectives, features, and advantages of this invention more apparent and understandable. It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of assisting those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to limit the implementation conditions of this invention. Therefore, they do not have substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportional relationships, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives achieved by this invention, should fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this invention.

[0043] like Figures 1 to 7As shown, the torsion spring push mechanism of this embodiment includes an unlocking rack 1 and a push assembly 2. The unlocking rack 1 is connected to the inner rail 3 of the slide rail, and the push assembly 2 is connected to the outer rail 4 of the slide rail. The push assembly 2 includes a base 21, a transmission gear 22, a spring gear 23, and a pin 24. The base 21 is rotatably connected to the transmission gear 22 through a through slot 211. One side of the transmission gear 22 is provided with an upper tooth 221 that meshes with the unlocking rack 1, and the other side is provided with a lower tooth 222. The base 21 is located on the side of the lower tooth 222 of the transmission gear 22 and is rotatably connected to the spring gear 23. The spring gear 23 meshes with the lower tooth 222 of the transmission gear 22, and the spring gear 24... 3. The pin 24 is connected to the base 21 via the torsion spring 25. The pin 24 is rotatably connected to the base 21 at the position between the base 21 and the spring gear 23. The spring gear 23 is located on one side of the pin 24 and is provided with a first drive arm 231 and a second drive arm 232 to drive the pin 24 to rotate. The pin 24 passes through the position between the first drive arm 231 and the second drive arm 232. The pin 24 includes a pin body 241 and a connecting post 244. The connecting post 244 passes through the third slot 214. The pin body 241 is provided with a pair of locking slots 242 symmetrically arranged at both ends of the long axis and a pair of unlocking slots 243 symmetrically arranged at both ends of the short axis.

[0044] The unlocking rack 1 is detachably snapped onto the inner rail 3 of the slide rail via the locking block 11. The base 21 is provided with a snap-fit ​​groove 216, and the matching outer rail 4 is provided with a snap-fit ​​seat 41. The base 21 is detachably snapped onto the outer rail 4 of the slide rail via the snap-fit ​​seat 41 and the snap-fit ​​groove 216, so that the unlocking rack 1 and the push spring assembly 2 are detachably connected to the inner rail 3 and the outer rail 4 of the slide rail respectively, which facilitates disassembly and maintenance.

[0045] The base 21 has a first slot 212 for accommodating the lower tooth 222 of the transmission gear 22 and a second slot 213 for accommodating the spring gear 23 on one side. The base 21 has a third slot 214 for connecting the pin 24 inside the second slot 213. That is, the lower tooth 222 of the transmission gear 22 and the spring gear 23 can be covered on the outer rail 4 of the slide rail through the base 21 to prevent foreign objects from entering the transmission gear 22 and the spring gear 23 directly and causing jamming.

[0046] The second slot 213 is provided with a first spring slot 215 for engaging the torsion spring 25. The inner side of the cooperating spring gear 23 is also provided with a second spring slot 233 for engaging the torsion spring 25. The two ends of the torsion spring 25 are provided with spring claws 251 for engaging the first spring slot 215 and the second spring slot 233. The torsion spring 25, the base 21 and the spring gear 23 are reliably connected and easy to disassemble.

[0047] The spring gear 23 is located outside the second drive arm 232 and has a guide arc 234 for the guide pin 24. The guide arc 234 can be used to guide the pin 24, which can ensure that the pin 24 is accurately reset.

[0048] The base 21 has a buffer spring 217 connected to the inner rail 3 of the buffer slide rail on one side, which can prevent damage from hard collisions between the slide rails.

[0049] like Figures 8 to 13 As shown: The locking and pushing method of the torsion spring pushing mechanism in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0050] 1) Slide rail locking: When the slide rail is closed, push the inner rail 3 inward to move it. When the unlocking rack 1 connected to the inner rail 3 meshes with the upper tooth 221 of the transmission gear 22, it can drive the transmission gear 22 to rotate counterclockwise. When the transmission gear 22 rotates, it can drive the spring gear 23 meshing with it to rotate clockwise through the lower tooth 222. The first drive arm 231 of the spring gear 23 rotates towards the pin 24. At this time, the long axis of the pin 24 is tangent to the circumferential direction of the spring gear 23. The first drive arm 231 will first contact the locking groove 242 on one side of the pin 24, which can drive the pin 24 to rotate clockwise until the pin 24 hits the bottom of the locking groove 242, and move the locking groove 242 at the other end of the pin 24 to the direction of movement of the second drive arm 232. At this time, due to the rotation of the spring gear 23, the torsion spring 25 also rotates and is in a charged state. When the inner rail 3 of the slide rail is no longer pushed, the spring gear 23 will rotate counterclockwise under the action of the torsion spring 25, and the second drive arm 232 will move towards the pin 24 and contact the locking groove 242 of the pin 24, causing the pin 24 to rotate a certain angle until the second drive arm 232 reaches the bottom of the locking groove 242. At this time, the line connecting the center of the spring gear 23 to the pin 24, and the line connecting the center of the spring gear 23 and the center of the pin 24 to the end of the second drive arm 232 form a triangle. At this time, the second drive arm 232 and the pin 24 are pressed against each other, and neither the second drive arm 232 nor the pin 24 will rotate. That is, the spring gear 23 is limited by the pin 24 and the spring gear 23 will no longer rotate. Similarly, the transmission gear 22 will no longer rotate, and the unlocking rack 1 meshed with the transmission gear 22 will no longer move. That is, the inner rail 3 of the slide rail is locked and the inner rail 3 of the slide rail will no longer move.

[0051] 2) Slide rail pop-out: When the slide rail needs to pop out and open, first apply an inward pushing force to the inner rail 3, pushing the inner rail 3 to move inward. Similarly, the unlocking rack 1, in conjunction with the transmission gear 22, drives the spring gear 23 to rotate clockwise. The first drive arm 231 on the spring gear 23 moves towards the pin 24. At this time, the unlocking slot 243 on one side of the pin 24 is located in the direction of movement of the first drive arm 231. The first drive arm 231 will push into the unlocking slot 243 of the pin 24 and drive the pin 24 to rotate, so that the pin 24 no longer blocks the direction of movement of the second drive arm 232. At this time, the torsion spring 25 is also in a state of storage due to the rotation of the spring gear 23. When the force is released, the inward pushing force on the inner rail 3 of the slide rail is removed. The spring gear 23 reverses under the action of the torsion spring 25. Since the pin 24 no longer blocks the second drive arm 232, the spring gear 23 can rotate and reset. During the reset process, the guide arc 234 outside the spring gear 23 will contact the outside of the unlocking groove 243 of the pin 24 to finely adjust the angle of the pin 24, so that the pin 24 is reset to a state of circumferential tangency with the spring gear 23. When the spring gear 23 rotates and resets, it drives the unlocking rack 1 to move outward through the transmission gear 22. The unlocking rack 1 drives the inner rail 3 of the slide rail to move outward and pop out, opening the slide rail a certain distance.

[0052] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0053] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements should all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A torsion spring pusher mechanism, characterized by: The unlocking rack is detachably clamped on the inner rail of the slide rail through the clamping block.

2. The torsion spring pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein: The second clamping groove is provided with a first spring clamping groove for clamping the torsion spring, and the inner side of the matched spring gear is also provided with a second spring clamping groove for clamping the torsion spring.

3. The torsion spring pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein: The spring gear is provided with a guide arc outside the second driving arm for guiding the plug.

4. The torsion spring pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein: The base is detachably clamped on the outer rail of the slide rail through the clamping groove matched with the clamping seat on the outer rail of the slide rail.

5. The torsion spring pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein: The base is connected with the buffer spring for buffering the inner rail of the slide rail.

6. The torsion spring pusher mechanism of claim 1, wherein:

7. A locking and pushing method of a torsion spring pushing mechanism, comprising the following steps: 1) slide rail locking: when the slide rail is closed, the inner rail of the slide rail is pushed inward to move, and when the unlocking rack connected to the inner rail of the slide rail is in meshing contact with the upper teeth of the transmission gear, the transmission gear is driven to rotate, and when the transmission gear rotates, the spring gear in meshing contact with the lower teeth of the transmission gear is driven to rotate, the first driving arm of the spring gear is moved in the direction of the plug, and the first driving arm is in contact with the locking slot on one side of the plug, thereby driving the plug to rotate and moving the locking slot on the other end of the plug to the movement direction of the second driving arm. At this time, the spring gear is rotated and the torsion spring is also rotated to be in a force storage state. When the inner rail of the slide rail is no longer pushed, the spring gear is reversed under the action of the torsion spring, the second driving arm moves in the direction of the plug, and is in contact with the locking slot of the plug. After the plug is rotated by a certain angle, the second driving arm abuts against the locking slot, the plug and the second driving arm are no longer rotated, the spring gear is limited by the plug, the spring gear is no longer rotated, the transmission gear is also no longer rotated, the unlocking rack in meshing contact with the transmission gear is also no longer moved, and the inner rail of the slide rail is locked and no longer moved. ​ 2) slide rail ejection: when the slide rail needs to be opened, first give the slide rail inner rail inward thrust, push the slide rail inner rail inward movement, similarly through the unlocking rack with transmission gear drive spring gear rotation, the first drive arm on the spring gear to the plug movement, at this time the unlocking slot on the side of the plug is located in the movement direction of the first drive arm, the first drive arm will be inserted into the plug unlocking slot, and drive the plug to rotate, so that the plug is no longer blocked in the movement direction of the second drive arm, and at this time the torsional spring is in the energy storage state due to the rotation of the spring gear, at this time the inward thrust of the slide rail inner rail is removed, the spring gear is reversed under the action of the torsional spring, and since the plug no longer blocks the second drive arm at this time, the spring gear can be reset, and the unlocking rack is driven outward by the transmission gear to drive the slide rail inner rail outward, and the slide rail inner rail is driven outward by the unlocking rack to eject, and the slide rail is opened.

8. The locking and ejecting method of the torsion spring ejector mechanism according to claim 7, wherein: In the process of reversing the spring gear to reset, the guide arc outside the spring gear will contact the outside of the plug unlocking slot to fine-tune the angle of the plug, which can ensure that the plug is reset in place, so that the locking slot on the side of the plug is rotated to the movement direction of the first drive arm.

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