Extraction guide

Abstract

Extension guide (1) with a stationary guide rail (2) on which a center rail (3) is movably mounted, and a running rail (4) movably mounted on the center rail (3), and a sequence control which, during an extension or retraction movement, connects two of the three rails (2, 3, 4) to form a motion unit, so that only one rail is movable relative to the other two rails, wherein the sequence control has a lever (5) pivotably mounted on the center rail (3) about an axis (13), on which two cam guides (16, 16') are provided, and on each cam guide (16, 16') a driver (14, 15) connected to the running rail (4) or the guide rail (2) can be engaged in order to pivot the lever (5) and release the other driver (14, 15), characterized in that the lever (5) interacts with a stop surface on a component to to prevent the lever (5) from pivoting in an extended position.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an extension guide with a stationary guide rail on which a central rail is movably mounted, and a running rail movably mounted on the central rail, and a sequence control which, during an extension or retraction movement, connects two of the three rails to a motion unit, so that only one rail is movable relative to the other two rails, wherein the sequence control has a lever pivotably mounted on the central rail about an axis, on which two cam guides are provided, and on each cam guide a driver connected to the running rail or the guide rail can be engaged in order to pivot the lever and release the other driver.

[0002] EP 2 144 530 B1 discloses a telescopic guide rail with a sequence control mechanism. This mechanism incorporates two cam guides, each of which can be engaged with cam blocks to couple two sections of the telescopic guide rail. The sequence control mechanism thus regulates the movement of the individual sections of the telescopic guide rail. While such a sequence control mechanism has proven effective, it suffers from the problem that, in various installation situations, the telescopic guide rail can be mis-switched by weight or other forces, such as vibrations, lateral forces from one-sided drawer operation, or shocks. Furthermore, the switching noises are audible when the telescopic guide rail is moved.

[0003] It is therefore an object of the present invention to create a drawer guide with a sequence control that has increased safety against incorrect switching.

[0004] This problem is solved by an extract guide with the features of claim 1.

[0005] The drawer slide according to the invention comprises a sequence control with a lever pivotably mounted about an axis, which couples two of the three rails to control the extension and retraction of the individual rails. The lever can be actuated via cam guides and drivers on the guide rail and the running rail. A component is provided on the drawer slide that has a stop surface to prevent the lever from pivoting in an extended position. This increases switching reliability, as, in addition to the holding forces of the driver on the cam guide, the component forms a stop surface to hold the lever in a preset switching position. This prevents incorrect switching in the extended position, particularly in the maximum extension position of the drawer slide.The component can be designed as a rail with a projection as a stop surface, or preferably as a self-closing mechanism with a housing as a stop surface. It can also be designed as a fastening element for the drawer guide on a cabinet or on a movable element, e.g., a drawer or a container, with a projection as a stop surface, or as a damping element with a housing as a stop surface.

[0006] In the self-closing version, the component comprises a housing on which a drive element, pre-tensioned by a power storage device, is movable along a guide track. The drive element can also be braked by a damper when the guide rail and the drive element move in the retraction direction. This allows for a particularly compact design of the self-closing mechanism. For mounting the self-closing mechanism, either the housing or the drive element can be fixed to the guide rail. The other component, i.e., the self-closing mechanism or the drive element, can then be fixed to the guide rail. This ensures that, in the event of relative movement of the guide rail to the guide rail, the mechanism retracts the guide rail just before it reaches the retraction position and, if necessary, brakes the movement.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, a rib-shaped extension is formed on the lever, which, in an extended position, preferably in the maximum extension position, rests against the stop surface of the component, preferably against the housing of the self-retracting mechanism, to prevent rotation of the lever. A contact area on the stop surface and / or on the extension can be designed, for example, as an undercut and / or corresponding cam or projection, to ensure a secure stop. If the extension has a small projection in the contact area, which is preferably located at the free end of the extension, contact between the extension and the component only occurs in the contact position. This prevents the extension from rubbing against the component over the entire travel distance.

[0008] The lever of the sequence control is preferably pivotable about a vertical axis, so that in the installation position the weight forces on the lever have a lesser influence than when the lever is arranged about a horizontal axis.

[0009] In a further embodiment, the lever is pre-tensioned relative to the axis by a spring and can therefore also be used for detent locking. For this purpose, a detent cam is preferably provided on the lever, which can be locked in the two switching positions of the lever. The detent cam can, for example, be located on a profile of the center rail or on a component connected to the center rail.

[0010] Preferably, the lever comprises a first lever part and a second lever part made of different materials. The second lever part can be made of a softer material than the first lever part, and preferably incorporates at least one cam guide, and in particular both cam guides. The second lever part can then be inserted into an opening in the first lever part. The first lever part can, for example, be made of a plastic, while the second lever part is made of a foam or rubber material.

[0011] The pull-out guide according to the invention can be used in particular in household appliances, such as refrigerators, or in furniture.

[0012] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment and the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B two perspective views of an extractor guide according to the invention in a retraction position; Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B two views of the extract guide of the Fig. 1 in a middle extension position; Fig. 3A to 3C three views of the extractor guide of the Fig. 1 in a maximum extension position; Fig. 4A to 4D show several views of the sequence control lever in different switching positions; Fig. 5A to 5C several views of the sequence control lever; Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B two perspective exploded views of the sequence control lever, and Fig. 7A to 7C show several views of the drawer guide with the sequence control in the locked position.

[0013] A drawer slide 1 comprises a stationary guide rail 2, a center rail 3, and a running rail 4, which are mounted to move relative to each other via rolling elements. The drawer slide 1 can be used to move drawers or other drawer elements and can be mounted on the body of a piece of furniture or a household appliance.

[0014] The retraction and extension movement is controlled by a sequence control system that includes a pivotable lever 5 with two switching positions to couple two of the three rails together as a unit, so that only one of the three rails is moved relative to the other two at any given time. In the illustrated embodiment, the following is derived from the Fig. In the closing position shown in 1, initially only the running rail 4 moves relative to the stationary unit consisting of guide rail 2 and center rail 3 until the Fig. 2A and Fig. The middle opening position shown in 2B is reached. In this position, the lever 5 of the sequence control is switched to couple the running rail 4 with the middle rail 3, which can then be moved as a unit to the maximum opening position, which is shown in the Fig. Figures 3A to 3C are shown. During a retraction movement from the maximum opening position, the center rail 3, together with the running rail 4, is initially moved relative to the guide rail 2 until the middle extension position is reached, as shown. Fig. 2 is reached, in which the lever 5 is switched, in order to then only move the running rail 4 relative to the unit consisting of guide rail 2 and center rail 3.

[0015] The drawer guide 1 comprises a self-closing mechanism 6, which includes a housing 10 on which a driver 9, pre-tensioned by an energy storage device, is movable along a guide track 11. The driver 9 is pre-tensioned by the energy storage device and preferably coupled to a damper, for example a linear damper, to decelerate the guide rail 4 shortly before reaching the closed position during a retraction movement. The energy storage device and the damper can be arranged in a cartridge 12, which is fixed to the housing 10 of the self-closing mechanism 6. To couple the driver 9 of the self-closing mechanism 6 to the guide rail 4, a holder 7 is fixed to the end of the guide rail 4. An activator 8, designed as a projection, is provided on a web extending longitudinally along the guide rail 4. This activator can be engaged with the driver 9, which is guided along the cam track, over a predetermined distance.

[0016] In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 10 of the self-closing mechanism 6 is fixed to the stationary guide rail 2, and the activator 8 to the running rail 4. Conversely, the housing 10 can also be fixed to the running rail 4 and the activator 8 to the guide rail 2 in order to retract the running rail 4 before reaching the closing position and, if necessary, to brake it.

[0017] To actuate the lever 5 of the sequence control, a driver 15, designed as a bolt, is fixed to the guide rail 4 and engages in a curved guide on the lever 5 in the area of ​​the middle extension position. Furthermore, a driver 14, also bolt-shaped, is fixed to the stationary guide rail 2 and can engage in a curved guide on the lever 5.

[0018] The lever 5 is pivotally mounted on a holder 35, which is rigidly connected to the center rail 3. It is also possible to pivot the lever 5 directly on the center rail 3. In this case, the lever 5 can rotate about a vertical axis 13 and can be locked in the two switching positions.

[0019] The movement of the sequence control is described with reference to the Fig. Sections 4A to 4D are described in more detail.

[0020] In Fig. Figure 4A shows the lever 5 in a first switching position, in which a detent is achieved via a detent cam 20, which is arranged in a detent recess 23 on the holder 35. The detent cam 20 is movable along a profile on the holder 35 with a projection 21, on which detent recesses 22 and 23 are provided on both sides. The detent cam 20 is biased towards the profile in order to be detented in the detent recesses 22 or 23.

[0021] To actuate the lever 5, the driver 15 of the guide rail 4 moves towards a first cam guide 16, which has an entry area 17 and a ramp 18. The driver 15 moves across an opening area of ​​the cam guide 16 to the ramp 18 and moves the lever 5 about the axis 13 by exerting a force on the ramp 18, as shown in Fig. 4B is shown. This moves the locking cam 20 out of the locking recess 23 and towards the projection 21. If the driver 15 is moved further along the guide rail 4 along the approach ramp 18, the lever 5 pivots according to Fig. 4C into the second switching position, in which the detent cam 20 rests in the detent recess 22. By pivoting the lever 5, the second driver 14, which is arranged on the guide rail 2 and engages with a second cam guide 16' located on the opposite side of the lever 5, is released. While the driver 14, shown with dashed lines, is in the Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B in the stage guide 16', the driver 14 is located in Fig. 4C outside the cam guide 16', and the lever 5 can be moved together with the center rail 3 relative to the guide rail 2. The first driver 15, however, is held in the cam guide 16 after reaching the second switching position, whereby when the guide rail 4 moves in the closing direction, the driver 15 abuts against a stop surface 19 in the cam guide 16 and is thus held in the cam guide 16.

[0022] In Fig. Figure 4D shows how the driver 14 moves into the second cam guide on the guide rail 2 and the driver 15 is held in the cam guide 16. The driver 14, similar to the first driver 15, can pivot the lever 5 from the second switching position to the first switching position about the axis 13, so that the driver 15 is then positioned in the area of ​​the opening of the cam guide and is released.

[0023] In the Fig. Figures 5A to 5C show the lever 5 of the sequence control in detail. The lever 5 comprises an arm 25 with an elongated slot 27 through which the axis 13 passes. Therefore, the lever 5 can be rotated about the axis 13 and also displaced within a certain range. The arm 25 also has an opening 26 for the passage of the locking cam 20, which is fixedly connected to the lever 5. On the side opposite the opening 26, a web-shaped extension 30 is formed, which holds the lever 5 in a switching position when the extension guide 1 is in its maximum extension position. For this purpose, the web-shaped extension 30 rests against a stop surface of the housing 10 of the self-closing mechanism.

[0024] Furthermore, a spring 24 is provided in the lever 5, which preloads the lever 5 relative to the axis 13, as shown in Fig. 5C is shown. This presses the locking cam 20 against the profile on the holder 35, thus enabling the locking cam 20 to engage in the locking recesses 22 or 23 with a predetermined locking force.

[0025] In the Fig. 6A and Fig. Figure 6B shows the lever 5 in exploded view. The lever 5 is a multi-part design consisting of a first lever part 50 made of a dimensionally stable material and a second lever part 51 made of a softer material, such as foam or rubber. The second lever part 51 incorporates the cam guides 16 and 16' for the drivers 14 and 15. The cam guides 16 and 16' are located on opposite sides of the second lever part 51 and are preferably mirror images of each other. The second lever part 51, made of the softer material, can be positively inserted into an opening 52 on the first lever part 50 to transmit forces from the second lever part 51 to the first lever part 50. The use of a softer material in the second lever part 51 reduces impact noise when a driver 14 or 15 engages the cam guide 16 or 16'.In addition, the spring-loaded mounting of the lever 5 on the holder 35 ensures low noise levels.

[0026] In the Fig. Figures 7A to 7C show the sequence control with lever 5 in the maximum extension position of the drawer guide 1. Lever 5, with its web-shaped extension 30 and contact area 32 (preferably a small projection), rests against a stop surface 31 on the housing 10 of the self-closing mechanism 6. This prevents the lever 5 from being switched in this position, thus eliminating the risk of incorrect switching, for example, due to lateral or weight forces. Lever 5 is pivotably mounted about a vertical axis 13, and its switching position is further secured by the locking cam 20, which is movable along the profile on the holder 35. Reference symbol list 1 Extraction guide 2 guide rails 3 Middle rail 4 running rail 5 levers 6 Self-collection 7 holders 8 Activator 9 drivers 10 cases 11 Guide rail 12 cartridges 13th axis 14 drivers 15 drivers 16, 16' Backstage tour 17 Entry area 18 Approach ramp 19 contact surface 20 Locking cam 21 Survey 22 Resting recess 23 Resting recess 24 springs 25 Arm 26 Opening 27 elongated holes 30 booms 31 Stop surface 32 Contact area 35 holders 50 lever part 51 Lever part 52 Opening

Claims

[1] Extension guide (1) with a stationary guide rail (2) on which a center rail (3) is movably mounted, and a running rail (4) movably mounted on the center rail (3), and a sequence control which, during an extension or retraction movement, connects two of the three rails (2, 3, 4) to form a motion unit, so that only one rail is movable relative to the other two rails, wherein the sequence control has a lever (5) pivotably mounted on the center rail (3) about an axis (13), on which two cam guides (16, 16') are provided, and on each cam guide (16, 16') a driver (14, 15) connected to the running rail (4) or the guide rail (2) can be engaged in order to pivot the lever (5) and release the other driver (14, 15), characterized by , that the lever (5) interacts with a stop surface on a component to prevent the lever (5) from pivoting in an extended position. [2] Extraction method according to claim 1, characterized by , that the lever (5) has a web-shaped extension (30) which, in an extension position, preferably in the maximum extension position, can be applied to the stop surface of the component of the extension guide (1) to prevent a rotational movement of the lever (5). [3] Extraction method according to claim 2, characterized by , that the web-shaped extension arm (30) has a contact area (32), and in an extended position only with this contact area (32) rests against the stop surface (31) of the component. [4] Extraction method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that a self-retracting mechanism (6) is provided as a component which has a stop surface on a housing (10). [5] Extraction method according to claim 4, characterized by , that the self-retracting mechanism (6) comprises a housing (10) on which a driver (9) pre-tensioned by a power storage device can be moved along a guide track (11). [6] Extraction according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the lever (5) can be pivoted about a vertical axis (13) in the installation position. [7] Extraction according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the lever (5) is pre-tensioned relative to the axis (13) by a spring (24). [8] Extraction according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that a locking cam (20) is provided on the lever (5) which can be locked in both switching positions of the lever (5). [9] Extraction method according to claim 6, characterized by that the locking cam (20) is movable along a profile on the center rail (3) or a component connected to the center rail (3). [10] Extraction according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the lever (5) has a first lever part (50) and a second lever part (51) which are made of different materials. [11] Extraction method according to claim 9, characterized by , that the second lever part (51) is made of a softer material than the first lever part (50) and that at least one cam guide (16, 16') is formed in the second lever part (51). [12] Extraction method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by , that the first lever part (50) has an opening (52) into which the second lever part (51) is inserted and two cam guides (16, 16') are formed on opposite sides of the second lever part (51). [13] Household appliance with at least one pull-out guide according to one of the preceding claims. [14] Furniture with at least one drawer guide according to one of the preceding claims.

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