US20040108797A1

US20040108797A1 - Track set

Info

Publication number: US20040108797A1
Application number: US10/310,878
Authority: US
Inventors: Ken-Ching Chen; I-Ming Tseng; Chun-Chiang Wang
Original assignee: King Slide Works Co Ltd
Current assignee: King Slide Works Co Ltd
Priority date: 2002-12-06
Filing date: 2002-12-06
Publication date: 2004-06-10

Abstract

An track set includes a pair of positioning members adapted to be mounted in place on a component, a track member having a pair of positioning holes defined therein, and a retaining member pivotally connected to the track member in a location adjacent to one of the positioning hole. The positioning members have respective enlarged heads extendable through the positioning holes, but each of the positioning holes has an additional narrow portion with a width smaller than the enlarged heads of the positioning members. Furthermore, the pivoted retaining member has an end adapted to hold the positioning member motionlessly in the narrow portion and prevent the track member from moving relative to the component after the positioning members have been extended into the positioning holes and then moved into the narrow portions.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a track set and, more particularly, to a track set in which a track member can be attached to and removed from a component easily and quickly.

2. Description of Related Art

As shown in FIG. 7, a conventional track set typically includes a

track member

90 having a plurality of positioning holes 91 defined therein. The track member 90 can be attached to a component 93, such as a side-wall of a drawer or of a piece of furniture, by means of positioning members 92 that extend through the holes 91 and screwed into the component 93.

In this conventional track set, however, the

track member

90 is not easily to be attached and removed, since it must taken time to screw or unscrew the positioning members 92. Furthermore, the positioning members 92 may not be fastened to the component 92 if they are repeatedly screwed and unscrewed.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a track set in which a track member can be attached to and removed from a component easily and quickly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an track set including at least two positioning members adapted to be mounted in place on a component, a track member having at least two positioning holes defined therein, and a retaining member pivotally connected to the track member in a location adjacent to one of the positioning hole. The positioning members have respective enlarged heads extendable through the positioning holes of the track member, but each of the positioning holes has an additional narrow portion with a width smaller than the enlarged heads of the positioning members. Furthermore, the pivoted retaining member has an end adapted to hold the positioning member motionlessly in the narrow portion and prevent the track member from moving relative to the component after the positioning members have been extended into the positioning holes and then moved into the narrow portions.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a track set in accordance with the present invention; [0009]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional top view of the track set of FIG. 1; [0010]
FIG. 3 is a front view of the track set of FIG. 1, showing a pair of positioning members extended into positioning holes of a track member; [0011]
FIG. 4 is a front view of the track set of FIG. 1, showing the positioning members moving into narrow portions of the positioning holes, with one end of a pivoted retaining member being lifted; [0012]
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional top view of the track set of FIG. 1, showing the one end of the pivoted retaining member holding the positioning members motionlessly in the narrow portions of the positioning holes; [0013]
FIG. 6 is a front view of the track set of FIG. 1, showing the one end of the pivoted retaining member being lowered and holding the positioning members motionlessly in the narrow portions of the positioning holes; and [0014]
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional track set.[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is now to be described in detail hereinafter by way of a preferred embodiment in reference to drawings. [0016]
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a track set in accordance with the present invention. The inventive track set includes a [0017] component 1, a track member 2 and a retaining member 3.
The [0018] component 1 may be a side-wall of a drawer or of a piece of furniture, with two positioning members 11 mounted on the side-wall in a place where the track member 2 is intended to be attached to the component 1. The positioning members 11 can be any fastenings that each have an enlarged head, such as screws.
The [0019] track member 2, which may be made into various configurations, is provided with two positioning holes 21, each having a large portion and a narrow portion communicating with the large portion. As clearly shown, the large portion has a diameter larger than a diameter of the enlarged head of the positioning member 11 but the narrow portion has a width smaller than the diameter of the enlarged head of the same positioning member 11.
This allows the [0020] positioning members 11 to be easily extended into the large portions of the positioning holes 21 and moved into the narrow portions as the result of a longitudinal movement of the track member 2 relative to the component 1, thereby holding the track member 2 between the component 1 and the two enlarged heads of the positioning members 1 and thus preventing the track member 2 from separating from the component 1 in a direction in which the two positioning members 11 extend from the component 1.
The retaining [0021] member 3 is pivotally connected to the track member 2 by means of a pivot 33, such as a pin, and has a first end 31 and a second end 32 at respective sides of the pivot 33. The retaining member 3 is pivotally connected in a location so adjacent to the large portion of one positioning hole 21 that the first end 31 of the retaining member 3 may be moved upward and downward about the pivot 33.
The retaining [0022] member 3 is additionally spring-loaded by a back-moving spring 34, e.g. a torsion spring mounted around the pivot 33 or, preferably, a curved wire spring which has a first end engaged with the second end 32 of the retaining member 3 and a second end engaged with an orifice 22 defined in the track member 2. The retaining member 2 is spring-loaded in such a way that the first end 31 of the retaining member 3 is normally positioned near the edge of the large portion of the positioning hole 21 and tends to move back to the position after the first end 31 is moved away from the positioning hole 21.
The retaining [0023] member 3 is designed to be turned about the pivot 33 within a predetermined angular range. In the illustrated embodiment, the retaining member 3 is formed between its ends 31 and 32 with a top 35 that can be brought into contact with a part of the track member 2, for example, a right-angled upper wall 23 of the track member 2, as shown in FIG. 3, while the first end 31 of the retaining member 3 is shaped to slope downward and can be brought into contact with the upper wall 23 when the first end 31 is moved far away from the hole 21. This surely limits the turning of the retaining member 3 within the predetermined angular range.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the [0024] track member 2 can be attached to the component 1 by extending the positioning members 11 into the large portions of the positioning holes 21 until their enlarged head pass through the two large portions. At this time, the first end 31 of the spring-loaded retaining member 3 is still positioned near the edge of the large portion of one positioning hole 21.
Referring to FIG. 4, the [0025] track member 2 is then moved relative to the component 1 in a longitudinal direction as designated by an arrow shown in FIG. 4, so that the positioning members 11 are moved from the large portions of the positioning holes 21 into the narrow portions. During the meantime, the first end 31 of the retaining member 3 is moved upward by the enlarged head of one positioning member 11.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, as soon as the [0026] positioning members 11 are moved fully into the narrow portions of the positioning holes 21, the first end 31 of the retaining member 3 is lowered by the action of the back-moving spring 34 and is engaged with the enlarged head of one positioning member 11 in a point about 9 o'clock, thereby holding the positioning members 11 motionlessly in the narrow portions of the positioning hole 21 and thus preventing the track member 2 from moving in its longitudinal direction with respect to the component 1.
Being movable neither in its longitudinal direction due to the [0027] retaining member 3 nor in its lateral direction due to the enlarged heads of the positioning members 1, the track member 2 is then fixedly attached to the component 1.
The [0028] track member 2 can be removed from the component 1 by depressing the second end 32 of the retaining member 3. This forces the first end 31 of the retaining member 3 to be lifted and disengaged from the enlarged head of the positioning member 1, as clearly shown in FIG. 4. As a result, the track member 2 can be moved relative to the component 1 in its longitudinal direction, making the positioning members 11 move from the narrow portions 21 back to the large portions of the positioning holes, where the track member 2 can be easily removed from the component 1.
From the foregoing, it is apparent that this invention has the advantage of enabling the track member to be attached to the component easily and quickly. Furthermore, the track member can be removed from the component simply by depressing the second end of the retaining member. This depression disengages the first end of the retaining member from the positioning member and allows the track member to moved relative to the component until the positioning members move back to the large portions of the positioning holes, where the track member can be removed from the component. In one word, the inventive track set can be attached to and removed from the component easily and quickly. [0029]
While the principles of this invention have been disclosed in connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that these descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, and that any modification and variation without departing the spirit of the invention is intended to be covered by the scope of this invention defined only by the appended claims. [0030]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A track set comprising:

a positioning member adapted to be mounted in place on a component, said positioning member having an enlarged head formed thereon;

a track member provided with a positioning hole having a large portion and a narrow portion communicating with said large portion, said large portion having a size allowing said enlarged head of said positioning member to be extendable through said large portion, said narrow portion having a width smaller than a diameter of said enlarged head of said positioning member;

a retaining member pivotally connected to said track member in a location adjacent to one of said positioning holes by means of a pivot, said retaining member having two ends movable about said pivot; and

wherein one of said ends of said retaining member can hold said positioning member motionlessly in said narrow portion of said positioning hole and prevent said track member from moving relative to said component in a longitudinal direction after said positioning members have been extended into said large portions and then moved into said narrow portions of said positioning holes.

2. The track set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retaining member is spring-loaded in such a way that said one of said ends of said retaining member is normally located near the edge of said large portion of said positioning hole and can hold said positioning member motionlessly in said narrow portion of said positioning hole.

3. The track set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one of said ends of said retaining member is shaped to slop downward.

4. The track set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retaining member has a top formed between said ends thereof, and wherein said top can be brought into contact with a part of said track member.

5. The track set as claimed in claim 4, wherein said part is a right-angled upper wall of said track member.

6. The track set as claimed in claim 2, wherein said retaining member is spring-loaded by means of a wire spring, and wherein said wire spring has a first end engaged with said retaining member and a second end engaged with an orifice defined in said track member.