Drawer slide assembly with tapered runner

Claim 2

A drawer slide assembly for slidably mounting a drawer in a cabinet, said slide assembly comprising a first elongated track member adapted to be mounted in use substantially horizontally on the inside of the associated cabinet and having a first elongated support portion, a second elongated track member adapted to be mounted in use substantially horizontally on the outside of the associated drawer and having a second elongated support portion, and an elongated runner having first and second support arms respectively extending laterally in opposite directions and respectively provided with longitudinally extending and substantially parallel lower and upper bearing surfaces, each of said lower and upper bearing surfaces having inclined end portions terminating at end corners at the opposite ends thereof so that said inclined end portions of said lower bearing surface respectively converge with said inclined end portions of said upper bearing surface toward the adjacent ends thereof, said runner being disposed in use between said first and second track members with said lower bearing surface being supported upon said first support portion in longitudinal sliding engagement therewith and with said second support portion being supported upon said upper bearing surface in longitudinally sliding engagement therewith thereby slidably to support the associated drawer on the associated cabinet, whereby said end corners of said lower and upper bearing surfaces are disposed in use out of engagement with said first and second support portions thereby to prevent snagging thereof.

Claim 3

The drawer slide assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein said runner comprises two members fixedly secured together and respectively carrying said first and second support arms.

Claim 4

The drawer slide assembly set forth in claim 1, and further including retaining means carried by said first and second track members for cooperation with said first and second support arms effectively to limit movement of said runner and said track members with respect to one another except longitudinally thereof.

Claim 5

The drawer slide assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second track members is generally C-shaped in transverse cross section and defines upper and lower longitudinally extending channels, said runner having a pair of said first support arms respectively disposed in use in the upper and lower channels of said first track member and a pair of said second support arms respectively disposed in use in the upper and lower channels of said second track member, said support arms respectively cooperating with said channels effectively to limit movement of said runner and said track members with respect to one another except longitudinally thereof.

Claim 6

The drawer slide assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second support arms has tapered portions at the opposite ends thereof, said inclined portions of said upper and lower bearing surfaces being respectively formed on said tapered portions of said second and first support arms.

Claim 7

The drawer slide assembly set forth in claim 1, and further including stop means carried by said runner and said first and second track members for limiting longitudinal movement thereof with respect to one another in the opening direction of the associated drawer.

Claim 8

A drawer slide assembly for slidably mounting a drawer in a cabinet, said slide assembly comprising a first elongated track member adapted to be mounted in use substantially horizontally on the inside of the associated cabinet and having a first elongated substantially flat planar support surface, a second elongated track member adapted to be mounted in use substantially horizontally on the outside of the associated drawer and having a second elongated substantially flat planar support surface, and an elongated runner having first and second support arms respectively extending in opposite directions therefrom, said first support arm having a lateral flange and a vertical flange extending from said lateral flange substantially normal thereto and provided with a longitudinally extending substantially flat planar lower bearing surface, said second support arm having a lateral flange and a vertical flange extending from said lateral flange substantially normal thereto and provided with a longitudinally extending substantially flat planar upper bearing surface, each of said lower and upper bearing surfaces having inclined end portions terminating at end corners at the opposite ends thereof so that said inclined end portions of said lower bearing surface respectively converge with said inclined end portions of said upper bearing surface toward the adjacent ends thereof, said runner being disposed in use between said first and second track members with said lower bearing surface being supported upon said first support surface parallel thereto and in longitudinal sliding engagement therewith and with said second support surface being supported upon said upper bearing surface parallel thereto and in longitudinal sliding engagement therewith thereby slidably to support the associated drawer on the associated cabinet, whereby said end corners of said lower and upper bearing surfaces are disposed in use out of engagement with said first and second support surfaces thereby to prevent snagging thereof.

Claim 9

A drawer slide assembly for slidably mounting a drawer in a cabinet, said slide assembly comprising a first elongated track member adapted to be mounted in use substantially horizontally on the inside of the associated cabinet and having a first elongated substantially flat planar support surface, a second elongated track member adapted to be mounted in use substantially horizontally on the outside of the associated drawer and having a second elongated substantially flat planar support surface, and an elongated runner having first and second support arms respectively extending in opposite directions therefrom, said first support arm having a lateral flange and a vertical flange extending from said lateral flange substantially normal thereto and provided with a longitudinally extending substantially flat planar lower bearing surface, said second support arm having a lateral flange and a vertical flange extending from said lateral flange substantially normal thereto and provided with a longitudinally extending substantially flat planar upper bearing surface, each of said lower and upper bearing surfaces having inclined end portions terminating at end corners at the opposite ends thereof so that said inclined end portions of said lower bearing surface respectively converge with said inclined end portions of said upper bearing surface toward the adjacent ends thereof, said runner being disposed in use between said first and second track members with said lower bearing surface being supported upon said first support surface parallel thereto and in longitudinal sliding engagement therewith and with said second support surface being supported upon said upper bearing surface parallel thereto and in longitudinal sliding engagement therewith thereby slidably to support the associated drawer on the associated cabinet, whereby said end corners of said lower and upper bearing surfaces are disposed in use out of engagement with said first and second support surfaces thereby to prevent snagging thereof.

Claim 10

The drawer slide assembly set forth in claim 7, wherein said first and second track members respectively include retaining flanges respectively extending from said first and second support surfaces substantially normal thereto along substantially the entire length thereof for cooperation respectively with said first and second support arms effectively to limit movement of said first and second track members and said runner with respect to one another except longitudinally thereof.

Claim 11

The drawer slide assembly set forth in claim 7, wherein each of said first and second track members is generally C-shaped in transverse cross section and defines upper and lower longitudinally extending channels, said runner having a pair of said first support arms respectively disposed in use in the upper and lower channels of said first track member and a pair of said second support arms respectively disposed in use in the upper and lower channels of said second track member, said support arms respectively cooperating with said channels effectively to limit movement of said runner and said track members with respect to one another except longitudinally thereof.

Claim 12

A sliding drawer cabinet comprising: a generally rectangular open-front housing having a pair of opposed upstanding side walls; a drawer dimensioned to be received in the open front of said housing; and two drawer slide assemblies respectively disposed for slidably connecting the opposite sides of said drawer to the adjacent side walls of said housing; each of said slide assemblies including a first elongated track member mounted substantially horizontally on the inner surface of the associated one of said cabinet side walls and having a first elongated support portion, a second elongated track member mounted substantially horizontally on the adjacent side of said drawer and having a second elongated support portion, and an elongated runner having first and second support arms respectively extending laterally in opposite directions and respectively provided with longitudinally extending and substantially parallel lower and upper bearing surfaces, each of said lower and upper bearing surfaces having inclined end portions terminating at end corners at the opposite ends thereof so that said inclined end portions of said lower bearing surface respectively converge with said inclined end portions of said upper bearing surface toward the adjacent ends thereof, said runner being disposed in use between said first and second track members with said lower bearing surface being supported upon said first support portion in longitudinal sliding engagement therewith and with said second support portion being supported upon said upper bearing surface in longitudinal sliding engagement therewith thereby slidably to support said drawer on said cabinet side walls; whereby said end corners of said lower and upper bearing surfaces are disposed in use out of engagement with said first and second support portions thereby to prevent snagging thereof.

Claim 13

A sliding drawer cabinet comprising: a generally rectangular open-front housing having a pair of opposed upstanding side walls; a drawer dimensioned to be received in the open front of said housing; and two drawer slide assemblies respectively disposed for slidably connecting the opposite sides of said drawer to the adjacent side walls of said housing; each of said slide assemblies including a first elongated track member mounted substantially horizontally on the inner surface of the associated one of said cabinet side walls and having a first elongated support portion, a second elongated track member mounted substantially horizontally on the adjacent side of said drawer and having a second elongated support portion, and an elongated runner having first and second support arms respectively extending laterally in opposite directions and respectively provided with longitudinally extending and substantially parallel lower and upper bearing surfaces, each of said lower and upper bearing surfaces having inclined end portions terminating at end corners at the opposite ends thereof so that said inclined end portions of said lower bearing surface respectively converge with said inclined end portions of said upper bearing surface toward the adjacent ends thereof, said runner being disposed in use between said first and second track members with said lower bearing surface being supported upon said first support portion in longitudinal sliding engagement therewith and with said second support portion being supported upon said upper bearing surface in longitudinal sliding engagement therewith thereby slidably to support said drawer on said cabinet side walls; whereby said end corners of said lower and upper bearing surfaces are disposed in use out of engagement with said first and second support portions thereby to prevent snagging thereof.