Drawer structure with hand free releasing lock

Abstract

A drawer releasing device for a cabinet having a drawer compartment includes a docking frame and a locking arrangement. The docking frame includes a mounting base and a slider platform slidably and inclinedly mounted on the mounting base to slide between a slide-in storage position that the slider platform is disposed within the drawer compartment and a slide-out accessing position that the slider platform is slid out of the drawer compartment. The locking arrangement includes a locking unit and an actuation unit positioned out of the drawer compartment via an actuating cable, in such a manner that when the actuator is operated to release an engagement of the locking unit through the actuating cable, the slider platform is automatically sliding out of the drawer compartment in a hand-free manner.

1 . A drawer releasing device for a cabinet having a drawer compartment, comprising: 
 a docking frame, which is adapted for supporting within said drawer compartment of said drawer, comprising a mounting base and a slider platform slidably and inclinedly mounted on said mounting base to slide between a slide-in storage position that said slider platform is disposed within said drawer compartment and a slide-out accessing position that said slider platform is slid out of said drawer compartment; and    a locking arrangement, which comprises:    a locking unit substantially mounted on said mounting base to releasably engage with said slider platform to lock up said slider platform at said storage position; and    an actuation unit which comprises an actuator positioned out of said drawer compartment and an actuating cable which is extended from said locking unit to said actuator and is arranged in such a manner that when said actuator is operated to release an engagement of said locking unit through said actuating cable, said slider platform is automatically sliding out of said drawer compartment in a hand-free manner.    
   
   
       2 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said locking unit comprises two locking arms, which are pivotally connected to said mounting base, having two driving ends engaging with said actuating cable and two engaging ends to securely clip to said slider platform to retain said slider platform at said storage position and arranged in such a manner that when said actuating cable is slid to move said driving ends of said locking arms towards each other, said engaging ends thereof are pivotally moved to release said slider platform from said locking arms so as to unlock said slider platform for freely sliding out of said drawer compartment.  
   
   
       3 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said locking unit further comprises two locking rotors rotatably mounted at said engaging ends of said locking arms respectively to engage with said slider platform for allowing said slider platform being manually slid out from said drawer compartment when a pulling force is applied on said slider platform.  
   
   
       4 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said driving end of one of said locking arms is affixed to said actuating cable while said driving end of another said locking arm is slidably mounted to said actuating cable, such that when said actuating cable is pulled by said actuator to move said driving ends of said locking arms towards each other, said engaging ends of said locking arms are moved away from each other to release said slider platform.  
   
   
       5 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said driving end of one of said locking arms is affixed to said actuating cable while said driving end of another said locking arm is slidably mounted to said actuating cable, such that when said actuating cable is pulled by said actuator to move said driving ends of said locking arms towards each other, said engaging ends of said locking arms are moved away from each other to release said slider platform.  
   
   
       6 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said locking unit further comprises a resilient element having two ends biasing against said driving ends of said locking arms respectively so as to apply an urging force on said locking arms to ensure said slider platform being clipped by said engaging ends of said locking arms.  
   
   
       7 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said locking unit further comprises a resilient element having two ends biasing against said driving ends of said locking arms respectively so as to apply an urging force on said locking arms to ensure said slider platform being clipped by said engaging ends of said locking arms.  
   
   
       8 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each of said locking arms has gear joint formed between said driving end and said engaging end, wherein said gear joints of said locking arms are coupled with each other to control said engaging ends of said locking arms engaging with said slider platform in a coordinating manner.  
   
   
       9 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein each of said locking arms has gear joint formed between said driving end and said engaging end, wherein said gear joints of said locking arms are coupled with each other to control said engaging ends of said locking arms engaging with said slider platform in a coordinating manner.  
   
   
       10 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein each of said locking arms has gear joint formed between said driving end and said engaging end, wherein said gear joints of said locking arms are coupled with each other to control said engaging ends of said locking arms engaging with said slider platform in a coordinating manner.  
   
   
       11 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said mounting base comprises a pair of sliding tracks adapted for inclinedly providing on two inner sidewalls of said drawer compartment, wherein said slider platform is slidably mounted with said sliding tracks in a speed controlling manner to slide between said storage position and said accessing position along said two sliding tracks.  
   
   
       12 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said mounting base comprises a pair of sliding tracks adapted for inclinedly providing on two inner sidewalls of said drawer compartment, wherein said slider platform is slidably mounted with said sliding tracks in a speed controlling manner to slide between said storage position and said accessing position along said two sliding tracks.  
   
   
       13 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said mounting base comprises a pair of sliding tracks adapted for inclinedly providing on two inner sidewalls of said drawer compartment, wherein said slider platform is slidably mounted with said sliding tracks in a speed controlling manner to slide between said storage position and said accessing position along said two sliding tracks.  
   
   
       14 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said actuating cable, which is embodied as a metal wire enclosed with durable and flexible plastic material, has a driven end portion operatively connect with said locking unit within said drawer compartment and a driving end portion extended away from said drawer compartment to connect with said actuator so as to allow said actuator being selectively located away from said docking frame.  
   
   
       15 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said actuating cable, which is embodied as a metal wire enclosed with durable and flexible plastic material, has a driven end portion operatively connect with said locking unit within said drawer compartment and a driving end portion extended away from said drawer compartment to connect with said actuator so as to allow said actuator being selectively located away from said docking frame.  
   
   
       16 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said actuating cable, which is embodied as a metal wire enclosed with durable and flexible plastic material, has a driven end portion operatively connect with said locking unit within said drawer compartment and a driving end portion extended away from said drawer compartment to connect with said actuator so as to allow said actuator being selectively located away from said docking frame.  
   
   
       17 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said actuation unit further comprises two resilient members mounted at said mounting base for normally exerting a forward pushing force towards said slider platform so as to initially push said slider platform out of said drawer compartment when said engagement of said locking unit is released.  
   
   
       18 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said actuation unit further comprises two resilient members mounted at said mounting base for normally exerting a forward pushing force towards said slider platform so as to initially push said slider platform out of said drawer compartment when said engagement of said locking unit is released.  
   
   
       19 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said actuation unit further comprises two resilient members mounted at said mounting base for normally exerting a forward pushing force towards said slider platform so as to initially push said slider platform out of said drawer compartment when said engagement of said locking unit is released.  
   
   
       20 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said docking frame further comprises an inclination adjuster which has a slider slot formed on said mounting base and comprises a slider member which is extended from said slider platform and is slidably engaged with said slider slot to selectively adjust an inclination angle of said slider platform with respect to said mounting base.  
   
   
       21 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said docking frame further comprises an inclination adjuster which has a slider slot formed on said mounting base and comprises a slider member which is extended from said slider platform and is slidably engaged with said slider slot to selectively adjust an inclination angle of said slider platform with respect to said mounting base.  
   
   
       22 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 19 , wherein said docking frame further comprises an inclination adjuster which has a slider slot formed on said mounting base and comprises a slider member which is extended from said slider platform and is slidably engaged with said slider slot to selectively adjust an inclination angle of said slider platform with respect to said mounting base.  
   
   
       23 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said docking frame further comprises a drawer panel support upwardly and pivotally extended from a front edge of said slider platform for mounting with a front panel of a drawer so as to allow said front panel to be selectively adjusted in a vertical orientation to fittingly enclose said drawer compartment when said slider platform is slid thereinto at said storage position.  
   
   
       24 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said docking frame further comprises a drawer panel support upwardly and pivotally extended from a front edge of said slider platform for mounting with a front panel of a drawer so as to allow said front panel to be selectively adjusted in a vertical orientation to fittingly enclose said drawer compartment when said slider platform is slid thereinto at said storage position.  
   
   
       25 . The drawer releasing device, as recited in  claim 22 , wherein said docking frame further comprises a drawer panel support upwardly and pivotally extended from a front edge of said slider platform for mounting with a front panel of a drawer so as to allow said front panel to be selectively adjusted in a vertical orientation to fittingly enclose said drawer compartment when said slider platform is slid thereinto at said storage position.