Unit case housing apparatus

Claim 2

A unit case housing apparatus comprising: a unit case, a unit case housing for storing the unit case in the fashion of a drawer, at least one energizing means between said housing and unit case for drawing the unit case in the direction of the front face of the housing, an engaging means on said housing for releaseably retaining the unit case in stored condition in the housing against the force of the energizing means, at least one pusher linked with the energizing means for urging the unit case from behind and pushing it out from the front face of the housing, and a release means for releasing the engaging means, said pusher comprising a damper for mitigating the force of the energizing means and causing the unit case to be pushed out of the housing slowly, said damper including a drive element positioned for engagement with a complementary member mounted in said housing during movement of the unit case outwardly from said housing, said drive element being pivotally supported adjacent said complementary member for effective disengagement with said complementary member during movement of the unit case into said housing whereby the damper is inoperative during movement of the unit case into the housing.

Claim 3

A unit case housing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the energizing means is a spring.

Claim 4

A unit case housing apparatus comprising: a unit case, a housing for storing the unit case in the fashion of a drawer, housing guide means and complementary unit case guide means respectively located adjacent opposite ends of said housing and said unit case for guiding the unit case into and out of the housing, one of said guide means including an elongated fixed portion and an auxiliary pivotally supported portion, said pivotally supported portion being located for enabling the unit case to tilt relative to the housing when the unit case is in a position substantially out of said housing, spring means between said housing and unit case for biasing said unit case toward a position out of said housing, releaseable engaging means on said housing for releasably retaining the unit case in a stored position within the housing, said housing guide means comprising elongated rigid rails respectively adjacent opposite ends of the housing and short pivotally supported rail elements located adjacent a front face of the housing, said spring means comprising pushers respectively slidable on said rails and engagable with said unit case and spring elements connected between said housing and said pushers for biasing the pushers toward a front face of the housing, and damper means connected with one of said pushers for controlling movement of the unit case out of the housing under the force of said spring means, said damper means comprising a rotatable damper unit connected for movement in unison with one of said pushers and including a drive wheel, a complementary drive element disposed within said housing for engagement with the drive wheel during movement of the unit case out of the housing, said damper unit being pivotally supported with respect to said complementary drive element for effectively disengaging said drive wheel from said complementary drive element during movement of the unit case into the housing whereby the damper unit is inoperative during movement of the unit case into the housing.

Claim 5

A unit case housing apparatus comprising: a unit case, a housing for storing the unit case in the fashion of a drawer, housing guide means and complementary unit case guide means respectively located adjacent opposite ends of said housing and said unit case for guiding the unit case into and out of the housing, one of said guide means including an elongated fixed portion and an auxiliary pivotally supported portion, said pivotally supported portion being located for enabling the unit case to tilt relative to the housing when the unit case is in a position substantially out of said housing, spring means between said housing and unit case for biasing said unit case toward a position out of said housing, releaseable engaging means on said housing for releasably retaining the unit case in a stored position within the housing, said housing guide means comprising elongated rigid rails respectively adjacent opposite ends of the housing and short pivotally supported rail elements located adjacent a front face of the housing, said spring means comprising pushers respectively slidable on said rails and engagable with said unit case and spring elements connected between said housing and said pushers for biasing the pushers toward a front face of the housing, and damper means connected with one of said pushers for controlling movement of the unit case out of the housing under the force of said spring means, said damper means comprising a rotatable damper unit connected for movement in unison with one of said pushers and including a drive wheel, a complementary drive element disposed within said housing for engagement with the drive wheel during movement of the unit case out of the housing, said damper unit being pivotally supported with respect to said complementary drive element for effectively disengaging said drive wheel from said complementary drive element during movement of the unit case into the housing whereby the damper unit is inoperative during movement of the unit case into the housing.