Telescoping Slide Rail Structure for Heavy Chassis Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional slide assemblies for server chassis installation face structural weakness due to thin rails and limited space, which compromises the ability to carry heavy loads and maintain structural strength, especially when holes are drilled from the top to the central portion of the rails.
Innovation Solution
A slide assembly design featuring an outer rail, an inner rail with top and bottom flanges, and a stop plate, where the inner rail has engaging portions with recessed holes and a stop plate that allows for a three-stage telescoping mechanism, enabling the chassis to be securely installed and pulled out without compromising rail strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If holes are drilled from top to central portion of rails to enable perpendicular pull-out action, then chassis can be detached perpendicularly from rails, but area at hole position is reduced causing weak structure for rails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the orientation of holes from vertical (top to central portion) to horizontal (side to side) in the connection wall. This dimensional change allows the chassis to be pulled out horizontally rather than perpendicularly, eliminating the need for large vertical holes that compromise rail strength while still achieving easy installation and removal.
2Volume of moving object
If rails are made thin to maximize chassis inner space, then chassis has maximum inner space, but structural strength is severely challenged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure where the rail consists of a flange and a connection wall with different thicknesses. The flange maintains sufficient thickness for structural strength, while the connection wall is thinner to reduce overall rail profile. This composite approach allows thin rails to provide maximum chassis inner space while maintaining necessary structural strength through strategic thickness distribution.
3Strength
If hooks with fixed thickness are used to maintain strength, then hook strength is ensured, but room between hooks and holes becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the engagement function from the traditional hook-hole configuration and relocates it to the connection wall where horizontal holes are positioned. This separation allows hooks to maintain their fixed thickness for strength while creating sufficient room between the hooks and the horizontally-oriented holes in the connection wall, resolving the spatial constraint issue.
Data Source
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AI summary
A slide assembly (16) includes an outer rail (18), an inner rail (20) and a stop plate (58). The inner rail (20) is longitudinally and slidably movable relative to the outer rail (18). The inner rail (20) has a top flange (36) and a bottom flange (38) which is located opposite to the top flange (36). A connection wall (40) is connected between the top and bottom flanges (36, 38). At least two engaging portions (50) are located in the inner rail (20) and each have a hole (52) defined in the connection wall (40) of the inner rail (20). A recessed inner wall (54) is defined in the inner rail (20) and extends from the hole (52) to the top flange (36). The stop plate (58) is connected to the inside of the connection wall (40) of the inner rail (20) and has a stop portion (60) which is located corresponding to the hole (52) of one of the engaging portions (50).