Drawer slide assembly

Abstract

A drawer slide assembly includes an outer slide member securable to a side wall of a piece of furniture. An inner slide member with an inverted U-like shape is securable to a drawer and has two free ends bent inwards and a wave-like portion formed between the two free ends. An intermediate slide member is received in the inner member and defined with three raceways, wherein one raceway is defined between a lateral portion of the intermediate slide member and the wave-like portion, and the other two raceways are symmetrically defined at two opposite sides of the intermediate slide member. Three groups of rolling elements are respectively received in the raceways for slidingly coupling the inner slide member and the intermediate slide member. Axes of the rolling elements constitute a triangle. Whereby, the drawer slide assembly has good upright stability and low elastic deformation.

1 . A drawer slide assembly comprising: 
 an outer slide member ( 11 ) securable to a side wall of a piece of furniture;    an inner slide member ( 21 ) securable to a drawer, the inner slide member ( 21 ) formed with an inverted U-like shape and having two free ends ( 23 ) bent inwards and a wave-like portion ( 22 ) formed between the two free ends ( 23 );    an intermediate slide member ( 30 ) received in the inner slide member ( 21 ), the intermediate slide member ( 30 ) defined with three raceways, wherein one of the raceways ( 32 ) is defined between a lateral portion of the intermediate slide member ( 30 ) and the wave-like portion ( 22 ) of the inner slide member ( 21 ), and the other two raceways ( 32 ) are symmetrically defined at two opposite sides of the intermediate slide member ( 30 ); and    three groups of rolling elements ( 40 ) respectively received in the raceways ( 32 ) for slidingly coupling the inner slide member ( 21 ) and the intermediate slide member ( 30 ), axes of the rolling elements ( 40 ) constitute a triangle.    
   
   
       2 . The drawer slide assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate slide member ( 30 ) is integrally formed with the outer slide member ( 11 ).  
   
   
       3 . The drawer slide assembly as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a sleeve ( 41 ) provided between the intermediate slide member ( 21 ) and the inner slide member ( 31 ) for positioning the rolling elements ( 40 ).  
   
   
       4 . The drawer slide assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the axes of the rolling elements constitute an isosceles triangle.  
   
   
       5 . The drawer slide assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the axes of the rolling elements constitute an equilateral triangle.  
   
   
       6 . A drawer slide member comprising: 
 an outer slide member ( 11 ) securable to a side wall of a piece of furniture;    two inner slide members ( 21 ) provided in a face-to-face arrangement, wherein a lower one of the inner slide members ( 21 ) with a U-like cross section is mounted on the outer slide member ( 11 ), and an upper one of the inner slide members ( 21 ) with an inverted U-like cross section is securable to a drawer, each of the inner slide members ( 21 ) has two free ends ( 23 ) bent inwards and a wave-like portion ( 22 ) is formed between the two free ends ( 23 );    two intermediate slide members ( 30 ) respectively received in the inner member ( 21 ) and symmetrically connected together by a linkage ( 33 ), each of the intermediate slide members ( 30 ) defined with three raceways, wherein one of the raceways is defined between a lateral portion of the intermediate slide member ( 30 ) and the wave-like portion ( 22 ) of the inner slide member ( 21 ), and the other two raceways ( 32 ) are symmetrically defined at two opposite sides of the intermediate slide member ( 30 ); and    six groups of rolling elements ( 40 ) respectively received in the raceways, whereby axes of the rolling elements ( 40 ) constitute two triangles.    
   
   
       7 . The drawer slide assembly as claimed in  claim 6  further comprising two sleeves ( 41 ) respectively provided between the inner slide member ( 21 ) and the intermediate slide member ( 31 ) for positioning the rolling elements ( 40 ).  
   
   
       8 . The drawer slide assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the outer slide member ( 11 ) is defined with a U-like slot for receiving the lower inner slide member ( 21 ).