Drawer anti-tip device

Abstract

A drawer unit comprising at least two drawers, (12, 14), and drawer lock mechanism to permit the opening of a single drawer at a time. Each drawer includes a cam lever 38 and a cam follower 32. The cam lever is operable to be rotated by action of the opening of its respective drawer and engage with said cam follower causing compression of one or more compression means 26 for example via drive bar (24a) preventing any other drive bar, cam lever and drawer from moving (fig.12). In a first aspect the surface of the cam follower operable to engage with said cam lever is slanted at an angle of 15⁰ to 25⁰, ideally 20⁰. In a second aspect the cam lever 38 includes a slider 36 which slidably extends during rotation of the cam lever and engages with the cam follower. Preferably the slider 36 is driven by a second camming action to provide a second stage of movement of cam follower and sliding of drive bar 24a and eliminate any free play in drive bars for other drawers to move.

Claims

1. A drawer unit comprising at least two drawers, each drawer comprising respective drawer runners to allow each drawer to move with respect to the drawer unit so as to open and close, the drawer unit further comprising a drawer lock mechanism to permit the opening of a single drawer at a time in said drawer unit, said lock mechanism comprising a cam unit incorporating at least a cam lever, and a cam follower comprising a surface operable to engage with said cam lever associated with each drawer, wherein the cam lever is operable to be rotated by action of the opening of its respective drawer, and engage with said cam follower, wherein movement of the cam follower and / or the cam unit causes compression of one or more compression means, and wherein the surface of the cam follower operable to engage with said cam lever is slanted when the drawer unit is in standard orientation at an angle of 15° to 25°.

2. A drawer unit according to claim 1, wherein the cam lever comprises a slider operable to reciprocally move substantially within the cam lever, a first end of the slider engaging said cam follower.

3. A drawer unit according to claim 2, wherein the cam unit comprises a cam base, with said cam lever being rotatably mounted thereon.

4. A drawer unit according to claim 3, wherein the cam unit comprises a cam surface operable to engage with a second end of said slider.

5. A drawer unit according to claim 4, wherein the cam surface has a continuously increasing eccentricity for at least a significant section thereof.

6. A drawer unit according to claim 5, wherein the cam surface has a first portion with a continuously increasing eccentricity and a second portion with a continuously decreasing eccentricity.

7. A drawer unit according to any of claims 4 to 6, wherein rotation of the cam lever urges the slider across the cam surface on the cam base.

8. A drawer unit according to any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the slider is retained within the cam lever, but not connected thereto.

9. A drawer unit comprising at least two drawers, each drawer comprising drawer runners to allow each drawer to move with respect to the drawer unit to open and close, the drawer unit comprising a lock mechanism to permit opening of only one drawer at a time, the lock mechanism comprising: a cam unit with a cam lever rotatably mounted thereon, cam follower, and a slider operable to slide with respect to the cam unit on rotation of the cam lever and engage with the cam follower, and a compression means, wherein movement of the cam follower and / or the cam unit is operable to compress the compression means and lock movement of the other drawer.

10. A drawer unit according to claim 9, wherein the slider engages with a camming surface, whereby, for at least the initial opening of the first drawer, the camming surface has increasing eccentricity.

11. A drawer unit according to claim 10, wherein the camming surface has continuously increasing eccentricity.

12. A drawer unit according to claim 11, wherein the cam surface has a first portion with a continuously increasing eccentricity and a second portion with a continuously decreasing eccentricity.

13. A drawer unit according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the cam follower comprises a slanted cam surface.

14. A drawer unit according to claim 13, wherein the slant is 15° to 25°.

15. A drawer unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the drawer runner, directly or indirectly, activates the cam lever.

16. A drawer unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the lock mechanism comprises means to prevent any drawer being opened.

Images