Slide Rail Assembly with Operating Member for Single-Person Retraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing slide rail assemblies are inadequate for single-person operation in confined spaces, as they require a trolley to disengage a chassis with a third rail from the second rail, and mechanisms with recovering elastic members fail to meet industry requirements when multiple slide rails are installed on a chassis.

Innovation Solution

A slide rail assembly with a blocking member and an operating member that allows the second rail to be retracted from an extending position by moving the operating member from a first to a second operating position, engaging with a predetermined portion to retain the operating member and prevent the blocking member from blocking the retracting direction, enabling single-person operation in confined spaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a traditional slide rail assembly with a third rail is used, then the assembly can be adapted to confined spaces, but a trolley is required to disengage the chassis from the second rail, making single-person operation difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to confined spacesVSAvoidsingle-person operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the third rail from the slide rail assembly, extracting the component that necessitated the use of a trolley for disengagement. This leaves only the first and second rails, which can be operated manually without requiring an additional trolley mechanism, thereby enabling single-person operation while maintaining adaptability to confined spaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The operating member is designed to preliminarily disengage the blocking member from the blocking feature before the second rail is fully retracted. This preliminary action allows the second rail to be pulled back without requiring a trolley, as the blocking feature is already released in advance, facilitating single-person operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If a recovering elastic member mechanism is used to return the operating member to the initial position, then the operating member can be automatically reset, but the mechanism fails to meet industry requirements when multiple slide rails are installed on a chassis

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic resetting of operating memberVSAvoidcompatibility with multiple slide rails

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The operating member is designed with a universal structure that can be used across multiple slide rail assemblies without requiring separate recovering elastic members for each rail. The operating member can sequentially operate blocking members on different rails, making the mechanism adaptable to chassis with multiple slide rails while maintaining the automatic resetting function through a single elastic member.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the blocking member is blocked by the blocking feature at the first state, then the second rail is prevented from moving in the retracting direction, but the blocking member must be released to allow rail retraction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of extended positionVSAvoidoperation for releasing blocking

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The operating member serves as an intermediary tool between the user and the blocking member. Instead of directly manipulating the blocking member, the user operates the operating member, which in turn actuates the blocking member to move between blocked and released states. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the operation required to release the blocking feature while maintaining stable positioning when blocked.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11641939B2Slide rail assembly and slide rail kit thereof

Publication Date: 2023.05.09 KING SLIDE WORKS CO LTD

AI summary

A slide rail assembly and a slide rail kit are provided. The slide rail assembly includes a first rail, a second rail, a blocking member, and an operating member. The blocking member is movably mounted on the second rail. When the second rail is positioned at an extending position relative to the first rail, a blocking feature of the first rail blocks the blocking member at a first state, so as to prevent the second rail from being moved from the extending position in a retracting direction. The operating member is operated to be positioned at a position that moves the blocking member from the first state to a second state, such that the blocking feature is unable to block the blocking member at the second state. The operating member is engaged with the predetermined portion of the second rail to be retained at the position.