Securing mechanism for a drawer slide in a domestic home appliance

Abstract

A drawer slide assembly for use with a domestic home appliance having a main body and a drawer. The assembly includes a slide bracket configured to be non-movably attached to the main body, the slide bracket having a first engagement portion; a slide having a first part having a second engagement portion, the first part being attached to the slide bracket by the second engagement portion slidably engaging the first engagement portion, and a second part configured to be non-movably attached to the drawer such that the second part is positionally fixed relative to the drawer; and a slide retainer attached to the slide bracket and preventing the second part of the slide from moving.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A domestic home appliance, comprising:
 a main body;   a drawer that slides relative to the main body between an open position and a closed position;   a slide bracket that is non-movably attached to the main body such that the slide bracket is positionally fixed relative to the main body when the slide bracket is in an operating position, the slide bracket having a first engagement portion;   a slide having
 a first part having a second engagement portion, the first part being attached to the slide bracket by the second engagement portion slidably engaging the first engagement portion as the first part is moved in a first direction relative to slide bracket, and 
 a second part that is non-movably attached to the drawer such that the second part is positionally fixed relative to the drawer when the second part is in an operating position, the second part moving in the first direction relative to the first part as the drawer slides from the closed position to the open position; and 
   a slide retainer attached to the slide bracket and preventing the second part of the slide from moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The domestic home appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the slide retainer is non-destructively removably attached to the slide bracket. 
     
     
         3 . The domestic home appliance of  claim 1 , wherein a back end of the second part of the slide contacts the slide retainer to prevent the second part of the slide from moving in the second direction. 
     
     
         4 . The domestic home appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the slide retainer comprises a plate-like portion, and the back end of the second part of the slide contacts the plate-like portion to prevent the second part of the slide from moving in the second direction. 
     
     
         5 . The domestic home appliance of  claim 3 , further comprising a slide stop at a front end of the second part of the slide, the front end being located opposite the back end. 
     
     
         6 . The domestic home appliance of  claim 5 , wherein contact between the slide stop and the first part of the slide is prevented by the back end of the second part of the slide contacting the slide retainer. 
     
     
         7 . The domestic home appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the slide stop prevents movement in the second direction of the second part of the slide relative to the first part of the slide by the slide stop contacting the first part of the slide. 
     
     
         8 . The domestic home appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the slide stop contacts the first part of the slide simultaneously with the back end of the second part of the slide contacting the slide retainer. 
     
     
         9 . The domestic home appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the slide retainer comprises a plate-like portion, and the second part of the slide contacts the plate-like portion to prevent the second part of the slide from moving in the second direction. 
     
     
         10 . The domestic home appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first part of the slide is removable from the slide bracket by moving the first part of the slide in the second direction relative to the slide bracket when the slide retainer is detached from the slide bracket. 
     
     
         11 . The domestic home appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a second one of the slide. 
     
     
         12 . A drawer slide assembly for use with a domestic home appliance having a main body and a drawer that slides relative to the main body between an open position and a closed position, the assembly comprising:
 a slide bracket configured to be non-movably attached to the main body such that the slide bracket is positionally fixed relative to the main body when the slide bracket is in an operating position, the slide bracket having a first engagement portion;   a slide having
 a first part having a second engagement portion, the first part being attached to the slide bracket by the second engagement portion slidably engaging the first engagement portion as the first part is moved in a first direction relative to slide bracket, and 
 a second part configured to be non-movably attached to the drawer such that the second part is positionally fixed relative to the drawer when the second part is in an operating position, the second part moving in the first direction relative to the first part; and 
   a slide retainer attached to the slide bracket and preventing the second part of the slide from moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         13 . The drawer slide assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the slide retainer is non-destructively removably attached to the slide bracket. 
     
     
         14 . The drawer slide assembly of  claim 12 , wherein a back end of the second part of the slide contacts the slide retainer to prevent the second part of the slide from moving in the second direction. 
     
     
         15 . The drawer slide assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the slide retainer comprises a plate-like portion, and the back end of the second part of the slide contacts the plate-like portion to prevent the second part of the slide from moving in the second direction. 
     
     
         16 . The drawer slide assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a slide stop at a front end of the second part of the slide, the front end being located opposite the back end,
 wherein the slide stop contacts the first part of the slide simultaneously with the back end of the second part of the slide contacting the slide retainer.   
     
     
         17 . The drawer slide assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a slide stop at a front end of the second part of the slide, the front end being located opposite the back end,
 wherein contact between the slide stop and the first part of the slide is prevented by the back end of the second part of the slide contacting the slide retainer.   
     
     
         18 . The drawer slide assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the slide retainer comprises a plate-like portion, and the second part of the slide contacts the plate-like portion to prevent the second part of the slide from moving in the second direction. 
     
     
         19 . The drawer slide assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first part of the slide is removable from the slide bracket by moving the first part of the slide in the second direction relative to the slide bracket when the slide retainer is unattached to the slide bracket. 
     
     
         20 . The drawer slide assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a second one of the slide.