Drawer assembly with roller bearings

Abstract

A drawer assembly having a drawer frame, a drawer having at least one side wall and a drawer roller mounted on the drawer is provided. A drawer frame track is located on the drawer frame for slideably receiving the drawer roller. A drawer track, located on the drawer side wall, includes an upper track having a downwardly depending member. A drawer frame roller, mounted on the drawer frame, is slideably movable with respect to the drawer track. The drawer frame roller includes a channel which receives the downwardly depending drawer track member for lessening lateral (e.g., substantially horizontal) play of the drawer relative to said drawer frame. Similarly, the drawer frame track includes an upper track member and a lower track member, with the lower track member having an upwardly depending wall. A channel located in the drawer roller receives the upwardly depending wall of the drawer frame track also for lessening the lateral or horizontal play of the drawer relative to the drawer frame.

1 . A drawer assembly comprising: 
 a drawer frame;    a drawer having at least one side wall;    a drawer roller mounted on said drawer;    a drawer frame track located on said drawer frame for slideably receiving said drawer roller;    a drawer track located on said drawer side wall, said drawer track including an upper track having a downwardly depending member; and    a drawer frame roller mounted on said drawer frame, said drawer track slideably movable with respect to said drawer frame roller, said drawer frame roller including a guide which receives said downwardly depending drawer track member for lessening play of said drawer relative to said drawer frame.    
   
   
       2 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said drawer frame roller guide and said depending drawer track member lessens lateral play of said drawer relative to said drawer frame.    
   
   
       3 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said drawer frame track includes an upper track member and a lower track member, said lower track member having an upwardly depending wall; and    said drawer roller includes a guide which receives said upwardly depending wall of said drawer frame track for lessening the play of said drawer relative to said drawer frame.    
   
   
       4 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 3  wherein: 
 said drawer roller guide and said upwardly depending wall of said drawer frame track member lessens lateral play of said drawer relative to said drawer frame.    
   
   
       5 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said drawer frame roller includes a retaining ring for mounting said drawer frame roller on said drawer frame.    
   
   
       6 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 5  wherein: 
 said drawer frame includes an aperture for receiving said drawer frame roller, said retaining ring maintaining said drawer frame roller within said drawer frame aperture.    
   
   
       7 . A drawer frame assembly according to  claim 3  wherein: 
 said drawer roller includes a retaining ring for mounting said drawer roller on said drawer.    
   
   
       8 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 6  wherein: 
 said drawer includes an aperture for receiving said drawer roller, said retaining ring maintaining said drawer roller within said drawer aperture.    
   
   
       9 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said drawer has a back wall; and    said drawer frame track and said drawer track are angled downwardly toward said drawer back wall to facilitate self-closing of said drawer.    
   
   
       10 . A drawer assembly comprising: 
 a drawer frame;    a drawer slidably placed within said frame;    a track located on one of said drawer frame or said drawer; and    a roller having a groove, said roller mounted on the other of said drawer frame or said drawer;    wherein said roller has a cylindrical outer wall rotatably engaging said track as said drawer is moved in and out of said frame, said track including a longitudinal wall extending along the path of movement of said drawer and extending into said groove for lessening the lateral play of said drawer relative to said frame.    
   
   
       11 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 10  wherein: 
 said track is located on said drawer frame;    said roller is mounted on said drawer; and    said longitudinal wall of said track extends downwardly into said groove.    
   
   
       12 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 11  wherein: 
 said roller includes a retaining ring for mounting said roller on said drawer.    
   
   
       13 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 12  wherein: 
 said drawer includes an aperture for receiving said roller, said retaining ring maintaining said roller within said aperture.    
   
   
       14 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 13  wherein: 
 said retaining ring is a snap ring and said roller includes a shoulder for abutting said drawer and a channel for receiving said snap ring, said snap ring maintaining said shoulder against said drawer.    
   
   
       15 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 10  wherein: 
 said track is located on said drawer;    said roller is mounted on said drawer frame; and    said longitudinal wall of said track extends upwardly into said groove.    
   
   
       16 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 15  wherein: 
 said roller includes a retaining ring for mounting said roller on said drawer frame.    
   
   
       17 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 16  wherein: 
 said drawer frame includes an aperture for receiving said roller, said retaining ring maintaining said roller within said aperture.    
   
   
       18 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 17  wherein: 
 said retaining ring is a snap ring and said roller includes a shoulder for abutting said drawer frame and a channel for receiving said snap ring, said snap ring maintaining said shoulder against said drawer frame.    
   
   
       19 . A drawer assembly comprising: 
 a drawer frame;    a drawer slideably placed within said frame, said drawer having a side wall;    a track mounted on said drawer frame;    a track mounted on said drawer side wall;    a first roller having a groove, said first roller mounted on said drawer;    a second roller having a groove, said second roller mounted on said frame;    wherein said first roller has a cylindrical outer wall rotatably engaging said drawer frame mounted track, said drawer frame mounted track including a longitudinal wall extending along the path of movement of said drawer and extending into said groove of said first roller for lessening the lateral play of said drawer relative to said frame; and    wherein said second roller has a cylindrical outer wall rotatably engaging said drawer mounted track, said drawer mounted track including a longitudinal wall extending along the path of movement of said drawer and extending into said groove of said second roller for lessening the lateral play of said drawer relative to said frame.    
   
   
       20 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 19  wherein: 
 said longitudinal wall of said drawer frame mounted track extends upwardly into said groove of said first roller; and    said longitudinal wall of said drawer mounted track extends downwardly into said groove of said second roller.    
   
   
       21 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 19  wherein: 
 said first roller and said second roller each includes a retaining ring for mounting said first roller to said drawer and for mounting said second roller to said drawer frame.    
   
   
       22 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 21  wherein: 
 said drawer includes an aperture on said drawer side wall for receiving said first roller and said frame includes an aperture for receiving said second roller, said retaining ring of said first roller maintaining said first roller within said drawer aperture and said retaining ring of said second roller maintaining said second roller within said drawer frame aperture.    
   
   
       23 . A drawer assembly according to  claim 22  wherein: 
 said retaining rings are snap rings;    said first roller includes a shoulder for abutting said drawer side wall and includes a channel for receiving said snap ring, said snap ring maintaining said shoulder against said drawer side wall; and    said second roller includes a shoulder for abutting said drawer frame and includes a channel for receiving said snap ring, said snap ring maintaining said shoulder against said drawer frame.