Drawer Slide Rail Bracket with Elastic Arms for Tolerance Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drawer system mounting technologies face challenges in securely attaching rail members due to manufacturing tolerances, leading to instability and improper fitting between hanging members and corresponding holes.
Innovation Solution
A slide rail assembly with a bracket featuring a first and second arm, and a body with a positioning hole, where the hanging member of the rail member is connected to the sidewall, and the bracket's supporting sections press against the rail member's walls, along with an engaging protuberance for secure attachment, utilizing elastic fastening to compensate for tolerance issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple bracket with mounting tab and aperture is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirement increases due to tolerance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is divided into multiple functional arms (first arm with supporting section, second arm with supporting section, and body) that independently engage with different parts of the rail member (upper wall, lower wall, and sidewall). This segmentation allows each part to tolerate manufacturing variations while maintaining overall secure mounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The hanging member acts as an intermediary element between the rail member and the bracket. It provides a flexible connection that accommodates tolerance variations, allowing the bracket to securely mount the rail member even when manufacturing dimensions vary within acceptable ranges.
2Productivity
If hanging member is force fitted into hole, then the mounting speed is improved, but the reliability of secure mounting decreases due to tolerance accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket employs elastic arms that can flex and adapt during the mounting process. The supporting sections are designed to elastically press against the rail member walls, creating a dynamic connection that maintains secure engagement while accommodating tolerance variations without requiring force fitting.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket design changes the engagement parameters from rigid fixed dimensions to elastic press-fit dimensions. The supporting sections apply continuous elastic pressure against the rail member walls, transforming the mounting relationship from a static tolerance-dependent fit to a dynamic elastic constraint that maintains reliability across tolerance ranges.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid and secure mounting of rail members to drawer housings, ensuring stable drawer operation by compensating for manufacturing tolerances through elastic fastening and precise alignment, enhancing the reliability of the drawer system.
Implementation Method 1
the fastening portion is elastically pushed away from the sidewall of the rail member by the body of the bracket
Data Source
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AI summary
A slide rail assembly (16) for a drawer system (10) includes a rail member (26) and a bracket (20). The rail member (26) includes upper and lower walls (28a, 28b) and a sidewall (30) with a hanging member (34). The bracket (20) includes first and second arms (40, 42) and a body (44) extending and connected between the first and second arms (40, 42). A portion of the first arm (40) is configured to press against the upper wall (28a) of the rail member (26), and a portion of the second arm (42) is configured to press against the lower wall (28b) of the rail member (26). The body (44) has a positioning hole (58) corresponding in position to the hanging member (34) of the rail member (26) so that the bracket (20) can be mounted to the rail member (26).