Undermount drawer slide

Abstract

A drawer slide including a base member, a roller support, ball bearings and roll pins. The base member a track base and first and second walls. The first and second walls and the track base define a first channel. The first wall has a first race and the second wall has a second race. The roller support is within the first channel. The roller support has first and second side walls and a center section disposed between the first and second side walls. The first and second side walls are disposed adjacent the first and second walls. The center section is disposed adjacent the track base. The first and second side walls have bearing apertures. The center section has roller openings. The ball bearings are disposed the first and second races. The roll pins are in the roller openings in rolling contact with the track base.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drawer slide comprising:
 a base member having a track portion with a track base and first and second outer walls extending from the track base, the first and second outer walls and the track base defining a first channel along a longitudinal axis, the first outer wall having a first outer race and the second outer wall having a second outer race;   a lower roller support slidably disposed within the first channel along the longitudinal axis, the lower roller support having a first and second lower inner side walls and a lower center section disposed between the first and second lower inner side walls, the first and second lower inner side walls respectively disposed adjacent the first and second outer walls of the track portion, the lower center section disposed adjacent the track base, the first and second lower inner side walls respectively having lower bearing apertures formed there through, the lower center section having lower roller openings formed there through;   a first plurality of ball bearings respectively disposed in the lower bearing apertures and the first and second outer races; and   a first plurality of roll pins respectively disposed orthogonal to the longitudinal axis in the lower roller openings in rolling contact with the track base.   
     
     
         2 . The drawer slide of  claim 1  wherein the base member is formed from a singular piece of material. 
     
     
         3 . The drawer slide of  claim 1  wherein the base member is formed of a single piece of milled metal. 
     
     
         4 . The drawer slide of  claim 1  wherein the drawer slide is for use with a drawer and a drawer surround sized and configured to receive the drawer, the track portion has a mounting hole formed there through for mounting the base member to the drawer surround with a fastener. 
     
     
         5 . The drawer slide of  claim 4  wherein the base member has an elongate flange extending along the track portion, the flange is orthogonally disposed with regard to the track base. 
     
     
         6 . The drawer slide of  claim 1  wherein the drawer slide is for use with a drawer and a drawer surround sized and configured to receive the drawer, the flange has a mounting hole formed there through for mounting the base member to the drawer surround with a fastener. 
     
     
         7 . The drawer slide of  claim 1  wherein the first and second lower inner side walls and the lower center section form a lower roller channel. 
     
     
         8 . The drawer slide of  claim 7  further includes an elongate support bar disposed in the lower roller channel and sized and configured to longitudinally slide relative to the lower roller support, the elongate support bar has a top face and an opposing bottom face, the support bar further has a first side face and an opposing second side face with the first and second side faces being respectively disposed between the top and bottom faces. 
     
     
         9 . The drawer slide of  claim 8  wherein the bottom face is disposed in rolling contact with the first plurality of roll pins. 
     
     
         10 . The drawer slide of  claim 8  wherein the first side face has a first lower inner race, the second side face has a second lower inner race, the first plurality of ball bearings are respectively disposed between the first outer race and the first lower inner race and between the second outer race and the second lower inner race. 
     
     
         11 . The drawer slide of  claim 10  wherein the first side face has a first upper inner race, the second side face has a second upper inner race. 
     
     
         12 . The drawer slide of  claim 11  further includes an upper roller support sized and configured to longitudinally slide relative to the support bar, the upper roller support has first and second upper inner side walls and an upper center section disposed between the first and second upper inner side walls, the first upper inner side wall is disposed adjacent the first side face, the second upper inner side wall is disposed adjacent the second side face, the upper center section is disposed adjacent the top face. 
     
     
         13 . The drawer slide of  claim 12  wherein the first side face has a first upper inner race, the second side face has a second upper inner race, and the drawer slide further has a second plurality of ball bearings respectively disposed in the first and second upper inner races. 
     
     
         14 . The drawer slide of  claim 13  wherein the first and second upper inner side walls respectively have upper bearing apertures formed there through, the second plurality of ball bearings are respectively disposed in the upper bearing apertures. 
     
     
         15 . The drawer slide of  claim 12  wherein the upper center section has upper roller openings formed there through, the drawer slide further includes a second plurality of roll pins respectively disposed in the lower roller openings in rolling contact with the top face. 
     
     
         16 . The drawer slide of  claim 12  further includes an upper track member sized and configured to longitudinally slide relative to the upper roller support, the upper track member has third and fourth outer walls and a track center section disposed between the third and fourth outer walls, the third and fourth outer walls and the track center section defining a second channel, the upper roller support is slidably disposed within the second channel. 
     
     
         17 . The drawer slide of  claim 16  wherein the first side face has a first upper inner race, the second side face has a second upper inner race, the third outer wall has a third outer race, the fourth outer wall has a fourth outer race, the drawer slide further has a second plurality of ball bearings respectively disposed in the first and second upper inner races and the third and fourth outer races. 
     
     
         18 . The drawer slide of  claim 17  wherein the first and second upper inner side walls respectively have upper bearing apertures formed there through, the second plurality of ball bearings are respectively disposed in the upper bearing apertures and the third and fourth outer races. 
     
     
         19 . The drawer slide of  claim 16  wherein the upper center section has upper roller openings formed there through, the drawer slide further includes a second plurality of roll pins respectively disposed in the lower roller openings in rolling contact with the top face and the track center section. 
     
     
         20 . The drawer slide of  claim 1  wherein the drawer slide is for use with a drawer and a drawer surround sized and configured to receive the drawer, the track portion has a mounting hole formed there through for mounting the base member to the drawer surround with a fastener, the drawer slide further includes a drawer attachment member longitudinally attached to the upper track member, the drawer attachment member has a mounting hole formed there through for mounting the drawer attachment member to the drawer with a fastener. 
     
     
         21 . A drawer slide comprising:
 a base member having a track portion with a track base and first and second outer walls extending from the track base, the first and second outer walls and the track base defining a first channel along a longitudinal axis;   a lower roller support slidably disposed within the first channel along the longitudinal axis, the lower roller support having first and second lower inner side walls and a lower center section disposed between the first and second lower inner side walls, the first and second lower inner side walls respectively disposed adjacent the first and second outer walls of the track portion, the lower center section disposed adjacent the track base, the first and second lower inner side walls and the lower center section forming a lower roller channel, the lower center section having lower roller openings formed there through;   an elongate support bar disposed in the lower roller channel and sized and configured to longitudinally slide relative to the lower roller support, the elongate support bar having a top face and an opposing bottom face, the support bar further having a first side face and an opposing second side face with the first and second side faces being respectively disposed between the top and bottom faces;   an upper roller support sized and configured to longitudinally slide relative to the support bar, the upper roller support having first and second upper inner side walls and an upper center section disposed between the first and second upper inner side walls, the first upper inner side wall disposed adjacent the first side face, the second upper inner side wall disposed adjacent the second side face, the upper center section is disposed adjacent the top face;   an upper track member sized and configured to longitudinally slide relative to the upper roller support, the upper roller support having third and fourth outer walls and a track center section disposed between the third and fourth outer walls, the third and fourth outer walls and the track center section defining a second channel, the upper roller support slidably disposed within the second channel, the upper center section having upper roller openings formed there through;   a first plurality of roll pins respectively disposed orthogonal to the longitudinal axis in the lower roller openings in rolling contact with the track base and the bottom face; and   a second plurality of roll pins respectively disposed orthogonal to the longitudinal axis in the upper roller openings in rolling contact with the top face and the track center section.   
     
     
         22 . The drawer slide of  claim 21  wherein the first outer wall has a first outer race, the second outer wall has a second outer race, the third outer wall has a third outer race, the fourth outer wall has a fourth outer race, the first side face has a first lower inner race and a first upper race, the second side face has a second lower inner race and a second upper inner race. 
     
     
         23 . The drawer slide of  claim 22  further includes a first plurality of ball bearings respectively disposed in the first and second lower inner side walls, the first plurality of ball bearings are further respectively disposed between the first outer race and the first lower inner race and between the second outer race and the second lower inner race, the drawer slide further includes a second plurality of ball bearings respectively disposed in the first and second upper inner side walls, the second plurality of ball bearings are further respectively disposed between the third outer race and the first upper inner race and between the fourth outer race and the second upper inner race. 
     
     
         24 . A drawer slide comprising:
 a first track portion having a first center section, a first upper wall extending from the first center section and a first lower wall extending from the first center section, the first upper wall, the first lower wall and the first center section defining a first support bar channel, the first upper wall having a first upper race, the first lower wall having a first lower race;   a second track portion having a second center section, a second upper wall extending from the second center section and a second lower wall extending from the second center section, the second upper wall, the second lower wall and the second center section defining a second support bar channel, the second upper wall having a second upper race, the second lower wall having a second lower race;   an elongate support bar having a top face and an opposing bottom face, the support bar further has a first side face and an opposing second side face with the first and second side faces being respectively disposed between the top and bottom faces, the top face, the first side face and the bottom face being disposed in the first support bar channel, the top face, the second side face and the bottom face being disposed in the second support bar channel, the elongate support bar being sized and configured to longitudinally slide relative to the first track portion, the top face having a first top race and a second top race, the bottom face having a first bottom race and a second bottom race;   a first plurality of ball bearings respectively disposed in the first upper race and the first top race;   a first plurality of spacers distributed among the first plurality of ball bearings and respectively disposed in the first upper race and the first top race;   a second plurality of ball bearings respectively disposed in the second upper race and the second top race;   a second plurality of spacers distributed among the second plurality of ball bearings and respectively disposed in the second upper race and the second top race;   a third plurality of ball bearings respectively disposed in the first lower race and the first bottom race;   a third plurality of spacers distributed among the third plurality of ball bearings and respectively disposed in the first lower race and the first bottom race;   a fourth plurality of ball bearings respectively disposed in the second lower race and the second bottom race; and   a fourth plurality of spacers distributed among the fourth plurality of ball bearings and respectively disposed in the second lower race and the second bottom race.   
     
     
         25 . The drawer slide of  claim 24  wherein the first and second track members are each formed from a singular piece of material. 
     
     
         26 . The drawer slide of  claim 24  wherein the first and second track members are each formed of a single piece of milled metal. 
     
     
         27 . The drawer slider of  claim 24  wherein the first, second, third and fourth ball bearings are respectively in rolling contact with the first upper race, the first top race, the second upper race, second top race, the first lower race, the first bottom race, the second lower race, and the second bottom race. 
     
     
         28 . The drawer slide of  claim 24  wherein the drawer slide is for use with a drawer and a drawer surround sized and configured to receive the drawer, the first center section has a mounting hole formed there through for mounting the first track member to the drawer surround with a fastener. 
     
     
         29 . The drawer slide of  claim 24  wherein the drawer slide is for use with a drawer and a drawer surround sized and configured to receive the drawer, the first track member is connectable to the drawer surround, the second track member is connectable to the drawer. 
     
     
         30 . The draw slide of  claim 29  wherein the second upper wall has an upper surface disposed opposite the second upper race, the drawer is connectable at the upper surface.