AU2011100347A4 - Drawer assembly that is locked automatically when it is closed - Google Patents

Description

DRAWER ASSEMBLY THAT IS LOCKED AUTOMATICALLY WHEN IT IS CLOSED The present utility model relates to a drawer and, more particularly, to a drawer assembly for a desk, cabinet, rack and the like. 5 A conventional drawer assembly comprises a housing and a drawer body retractably mounted on the housing. Thus, the drawer body can be retracted into the housing to close the drawer assembly and can be pulled outward from the housing to open the drawer assembly. However, the drawer body will be moved outward from the housing easily when the drawer 10 assembly is transported or declined, thereby causing inconvenience or even danger to the user when moving or transporting the drawer assembly. In accordance with the present utility model, there is provided a drawer assembly, comprising a housing, a drawer body retractably mounted on the housing, two locking members mounted in the housing, and a control bar 15 pivotally mounted on the drawer body to move in concert with the drawer body and having two opposite ends each provided with a locking end that is movable to lock a respective one of the two locking members when the drawer body is retracted into and received in the housing so as to lock the drawer body onto the housing. 20 The primary objective of the present utility model is to provide a drawer assembly that is locked automatically when it is closed.

According to the primary advantage of the present utility model, when the drawer body is retracted into and received in the housing, the locking end of the control bar is locked onto the respective locking member to lock the drawer body onto the housing so that the drawer body is locked onto the 5 housing when the drawer assembly is closed and will not be moved outward from the housing when the drawer assembly is moved or declined to facilitate the user moving or transporting the drawer assembly. According to another advantage of the present utility model, the locking end of the control bar is directly locked onto the respective locking 10 member when the drawer body is retracted into and received in the housing, so that the drawer body is locked onto the housing automatically when the drawer assembly is closed to facilitate the user locking the drawer assembly. Further benefits and advantages of the present utility model will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with 15 appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a drawer assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present utility model. Fig. 2 is a partially perspective broken cross-sectional view of the 20 drawer assembly as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the drawer assembly as shown in Fig. 2. 2 Fig. 4 is a side operational assembly view of the drawer assembly as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a schematic operational view of the drawer assembly as shown in Fig. 4. 5 Fig. 6 is a schematic operational view of the drawer assembly as shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a partially perspective broken cross-sectional view of a drawer assembly in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present utility model. 10 Fig. 8 is a partially perspective broken cross-sectional view of a drawer assembly in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present utility model. Fig. 9 is a locally enlarged view of the drawer assembly as shown in Fig. 8. 15 Referring to the drawings and initially to Figs. 1-3, a drawer assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present utility model comprises a housing 10, a drawer body 20 retractably mounted on the housing 10, two locking members 12 mounted in the housing 10, a control bar 30 pivotally mounted on the drawer body 20 to move in concert with the 20 drawer body 20 and having two opposite ends each provided with a locking end 31 that is movable to lock a respective one of the two locking members 12 when the drawer body 20 is retracted into and received in the housing 10 so as 3 to lock the drawer body 20 onto the housing 10, a pull handle 24 mounted on the drawer body 20 to cover the control bar 30, a guide track 11 mounted in the housing 10, and a sliding rail 21 mounted on the drawer body 20 to move in concert with the drawer body 20 and slidably mounted in the guide track 11 to 5 guide movement of the drawer body 20 relative to the housing 10. The drawer body 20 has a surface provided with a plurality of mounting brackets 22 for mounting the control bar 30 and a plurality of limit plates 23 for limiting the control bar 30. The mounting brackets 22 are covered by the pull handle 24. Each of the mounting brackets 22 has a substantially 10 L-shaped profile. The limit plates 23 are covered by the pull handle 24. Each of the limit plates 23 is located above each of the mounting brackets 22. Each of the limit plates 23 is inclined relative to the surface of the drawer body 20 and is extended outward and downward from the surface of the drawer body 20. The pull handle 24 is inclined relative to the surface of the drawer 15 body 20 and is extended outward and downward from the surface of the drawer body 20. Each of the two locking members 12 is fixedly mounted on an inner wall of the housing 10 and is fully hidden in the housing 10. Each of the two locking members 12 has a distal end provided with a locking hook 121 20 detachably locked onto the respective locking end 31 of the control bar 30. The control bar 30 is disposed between the drawer body 20 and the pull handle 24 and is limited between the mounting brackets 22 and the limit 4 plates 23 as shown in Fig. 2. The control bar 30 has a surface provided with a plurality of mounting holes 32 pivotally mounted on the mounting brackets 22 respectively. The control bar 30 has a substantially L-shaped profile and is inclined relative to the surface of the drawer body 20. The locking end 31 of 5 the control bar 30 has a side provided with a locking recess 310 locked onto the locking hook 121 of the respective locking member 12. In operation, referring to Figs. 4-6 with reference to Figs. 1-3, when the drawer body 20 is retracted into and received in the housing 10, the control bar 30 touches and is pushed by the respective locking member 12 to pivot 10 upward relative to the drawer body 20 so that the locking end 31 of the control bar 30 is locked onto the locking hook 121 of the respective locking member 12 as shown in Fig. 4 to lock the drawer body 20 onto the housing 10. In such a manner, the drawer body 20 is locked onto the housing 10 when the drawer assembly is closed so that the drawer body 20 will not be moved outward from 15 the housing 10 when the drawer assembly is moved or declined to facilitate a user moving or transporting the drawer assembly. On the contrary, when the control bar 30 is driven upward by the user to pivot upward toward the pull handle 24, the locking end 31 of the control bar 30 is detached from the locking hook 121 of the respective locking member 12 as shown in Fig. 5 to unlock the 20 drawer body 20 from the housing 10. In such a manner, the drawer body 20 can be moved outward from the housing 10 as shown in Fig. 6 to open the drawer assembly. 5 As shown in Fig. 7, each of the two locking members 12a is integrally formed on and protruded outward from a distal end of the guide track 11. Preferably, each of the two locking members 12a is located at a middle position of the guide track 11. 5 As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, each of the two locking members 12b is located at a top position of the guide track 11. Accordingly, when the drawer body 20 is retracted into and received in the housing 10, the locking end 31 of the control bar 30 is locked onto the respective locking member 12 to lock the drawer body 20 onto the housing 10 10 so that the drawer body 20 is locked ontp the housing 10 when the drawer assembly is closed and will not be moved outward from the housing 10 when the drawer assembly is moved or declined to facilitate the user moving or transporting the drawer assembly. In addition, the locking end 31 of the control bar 30 is directly locked onto the respective locking member 12 when the 15 drawer body 20 is retracted into and received in the housing 10, so that the drawer body 20 is locked onto the housing 10 automatically when the drawer assembly is closed to facilitate the user locking the drawer assembly. The terms "comprise(s)" and "comprising" as used in the specification and claims mean "consisting at least in part of', that is to say 20 when interpreting statements in the specification and claims which include any of those terms, the features, prefaced by any of those terms in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. 6 Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. 5 Although the utility model has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present utility model. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that 10 fall within the true scope of the utility model. 7

Claims (5)

1. A drawer assembly, comprising: a housing; a drawer body retractably mounted on the housing; 5 two locking members mounted in the housing; and a control bar pivotally mounted on the drawer body to move in concert with the drawer body and having two opposite ends each provided with a locking end that is movable to lock a respective one of the two locking members when the drawer body is retracted into and received in the housing so 10 as to lock the drawer body onto the housing.

2. The drawer assembly of claim 1, wherein the drawer assembly further comprises: a pull handle mounted on the drawer body to cover the control bar.

3. The drawer assembly of claim 1, wherein the drawer assembly 15 further comprises: a guide track mounted in the housing; a sliding rail mounted on the drawer body to move in concert with the drawer body and slidably mounted in the guide track to guide movement of the drawer body relative to the housing. 20

4. The drawer assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the two locking members has a distal end provided with a locking hook detachably locked onto the respective locking end of the control bar. 8

5. The drawer assembly of claim 2, wherein the drawer body has a surface provided with a plurality of mounting brackets for mounting the control bar and a plurality of limit plates for limiting the control bar; 5 the control bar has a surface provided with a plurality of mounting holes pivotally mounted on the mounting brackets respectively. 9