SLIDE RAIL DEVICE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001]This application claims priority to Taiwanese Invention Patent Application No. 113136956, filed on Sep. 27, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

[0002]The disclosure relates to a slide rail device, and more particularly to a slide rail device that has a blocking function.

BACKGROUND

[0003]An existing slide rail device is disposed on a server cabinet for a server chassis to be placed on the existing slide rail device. The existing slide rail device includes an outer slide rail, an intermediate slide rail moveably disposed on the outer slide rail, an inner slide rail moveably disposed on the intermediate slide rail, a pair of stop members disposed between the intermediate slide rail and an end of the outer slide rail, and a pair of sliding assistance members disposed between the outer slide rail and the intermediate slide rail. The inner slide rail is connected to the server chassis. When the server chassis needs to be maintained, the server chassis is pulled out of the server cabinet such that the existing slide rail device is in an extended state, i.e., the inner slide rail and the intermediate slide rail are moved away from each other, and the intermediate slide rail and the outer slide rail are moved away from each other. When the intermediate slide rail is moved, the sliding assistance members abut against the stop members so as to prevent the intermediate slide rail from being detached from the outer slide rail. For long-term use, because the sliding assistance members repeatedly hit against the stop members, deformation of or damage to components of the existing slide rail device may thereby occur. There is room for improvement of the existing slide rail device.

SUMMARY

[0004]Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a slide rail device that can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0005]According to the disclosure, a slide rail device includes a first slide rail unit and a second slide rail unit.

[0006]The first slide rail unit includes a first slide rail that has a stop block.

[0007]The second slide rail unit includes a second slide rail and a reinforcement member. The second slide rail is moveably disposed on the first slide rail. The reinforcement member is disposed on the second slide rail, and has at least one reinforcement body part and an engagement part. The at least one reinforcement body part extends along the second slide rail. The engagement part protrudes from the at least one reinforcement body part and is engageable with the stop block.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment(s) with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noted that various features may not be drawn to scale.

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a slide rail device according to a first embodiment of the disclosure.

[0010]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment illustrating the slide rail device.

[0011]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment illustrating the slide rail device from another view angle.

[0012]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the first embodiment illustrating a first slide rail unit of the slide rail device.

[0013]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the first embodiment illustrating a second slide rail unit of the slide rail device.

[0014]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the first embodiment illustrating a second side rail of the second slide rail unit and a third slide rail moved to an extended position relative to the first slide rail unit.

[0015]FIG. 7 is a rear view of the first embodiment illustrating the second side rail moved to the extended position relative to a first slide rail of the first slide rail unit.

[0016]FIG. 8 is a front view of the first embodiment illustrating the second slide rail moved to the extended position relative to the first slide rail.

[0017]FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a slide rail device according to a second embodiment of the disclosure.

[0018]FIG. 10 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the second embodiment illustrating a second slide rail unit of the slide rail device.

[0019]FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the second embodiment illustrating the second slide rail and a third slide rail moved to an extended position.

[0020]FIG. 12 is a fragmentary rear view of the second embodiment illustrating the second slide rail moved to the extended position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021]Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.

[0022]It should be noted herein that for clarity of description, spatially relative terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “on,” “above,” “over,” “downwardly,” “upwardly” and the like may be used throughout the disclosure while making reference to the features as illustrated in the drawings. The features may be oriented differently (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

[0023]Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a slide rail device 10 according to a first embodiment of the disclosure is adapted to be mounted on a server cabinet (not shown) for a server chassis (not shown) to be placed on the slide rail device 10. The slide rail device 10 includes a first slide rail unit 1, a second slide rail unit 2, and a third slide rail 3.

[0024]Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the first slide rail unit 1 includes a first slide rail 11. The first slide rail 11 includes a rail plate 111, two side walls 112, and a stop block 12. The rail plate 111 is elongated in a longitudinal direction, and has a first end 111a, a second end 111b, and a sliding surface 111c. The first end 111a and the second end 111b are opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction. The sliding surface 111c extends from the first end 111a to the second end 111b, and faces the second slide rail unit 2. The stop block 12 is formed on the sliding surface 111c. The side walls 112 are disposed between the first end 111a and the second end 111b of the rail plate 111, and respectively and transversely extend from a top side and a bottom side of the rail plate 111. The first slide rail unit 1 further includes two ball strips 13 and two blocking members 14. The ball strips 13 are respectively and moveably disposed on the side walls 112. The blocking members 14 are respectively fixed to the side walls 112 and are adjacent to the first end 111a of the rail plate 111.

[0025]Referring to FIGS. 3, 5, 6, and 7, the second slide rail unit 2 includes a second slide rail 21, a reinforcement member 22, and two abutment members 23. The second slide rail 21 is moveably disposed on the first slide rail 11, and has a first surface 211 and a second surface 212. The first surface 211 faces the sliding surface 111c. The second surface 212 is opposite to the first surface 211. The reinforcement member 22 is disposed on the first surface 211 of the second slide rail 21, is made of a metallic material having high hardness, and has a reinforcement body part 221 and an engagement part 222. The reinforcement body part 221 is substantially rectangular and extends along the second slide rail 21. The engagement part 222 protrudes from the reinforcement body part 221 and is engageable with the stop block 12. The abutment members 23 are respectively and co-movably disposed on a top side and a bottom side of the second slide rail 21. The third slide rail 3 is movably disposed on the second slide rail 21 such that the second surface 212 of the second slide rail 21 faces the third slide rail 3. The server chassis (not shown) is disposed on the third slide rail 3.

[0026]Referring to FIGS. 3, 6, 7, and 8, the second slide rail 21 is movable relative to the first slide rail 11 along an axis extending in the longitudinal direction between an initial position and an extended position. When the second slide rail 21 is in the initial position, the reinforcement body part 221 completely overlaps the first slide rail 11, the engagement part 222 is spaced apart from the stop block 12, and the abutment members 23 are adjacent to the second end 111b of the rail plate 111 and are respectively spaced apart from the ball strips 13. When the second slide rail 21 is moved toward the extended position, the abutment members 23 respectively drive movement of the ball strips 13 toward the first end 111a of the rail plate 111. When the second slide rail 21 is in the extended position, a portion of the reinforcement body part 221 does not overlap and extends out from the first slide rail 11, the engagement part 222 is engaged with the stop block 12, and the ball strips 13 respectively abut against the blocking members 14, thereby preventing the second slide rail 21 from being slidingingly detached from the first slide rail 11. By virtue of the reinforcement member 22 being disposed on the second slide rail 21, an entire structure of the second slide rail unit 2 may be enhanced so as to reduce deformation of or damage to the second slide rail 21. Furthermore, because the engagement part 222 is engageable with the stop block 12, when the second slide rail 21 is in the extended position and is driven by an external force to move out of the first slide rail 11, the engagement part 222 engaged with the stop block 12 may share a reaction force caused by abutment of the ball strips 13 respectively against the blocking members 14. As a result, risk of deformation of or damages to the ball strips 13 may be reduced.

[0027]FIGS. 9 to 12 illustrate a slide rail device 10 according to a second embodiment of the disclosure, which has a structure generally similar to that of the first embodiment. However, a reinforcement member 22′ of the second embodiment has a structure different from that of the first embodiment. The reinforcement member 22′ has three reinforcement body parts 221′ and an engagement part 222′. The three reinforcement body parts 221′ are spaced apart from each other and are arranged along the second slide rail 21. The engagement part 222′ protrudes from one of the reinforcement body parts 221′. The middle one of the reinforcement body parts 221′ is substantially in a trapezoidal shape. Each of the other two of the reinforcement body parts 221′ has an obliquely straight side spaced apart from a respective one of two opposite nonparallel sides of the middle reinforcement body part 221′ along the second slide rail 21. The reinforcement body parts 221′ are substantially arranged in a rectangular manner, but the disclosure is not limited hereto. When the second slide rail 21 is in the extended position, a portion of the middle reinforcement body part 221′ does not overlap and extends out from the first slide rail 11 (not shown), the engagement part 222′ is engaged with the stop block 12 (not shown), and the ball strips 13 respectively abut against the blocking members 14 (similarly as shown in FIG. 8), thereby preventing the second slide rail 21 from being slidingingly detached from the first slide rail 11. By virtue of the reinforcement member 22′ being disposed on the second slide rail 21, an entire structure of the second slide rail unit 2 may be enhanced so as to reduce deformation of or damage to the second slide rail 21. Furthermore, because the engagement part 222′ is engageable with the stop block 12, when the second slide rail 21 is in the extended position and is driven by an external force to move out of the first slide rail 11, the engagement part 222′ engaged with the stop block 12 may share a reaction force caused by abutment of the ball strips 13 respectively against the blocking members 14. As a result, risk of deformation of or damages to the ball strips 13 may be reduced.

[0028]It should be noted that the third slide rail 3 may be omitted. That is to say, in some embodiments, the server chassis (not shown) is disposed on the second slide rail 21 when the third slide rail 3 is omitted. Specifically, in some embodiments, the quantity of the reinforcement body parts 221′ is not limited to three.

[0029]In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment(s). It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects; such does not mean that every one of these features needs to be practiced with the presence of all the other features. In other words, in any described embodiment, when implementation of one or more features or specific details does not affect implementation of another one or more features or specific details, said one or more features may be singled out and practiced alone without said another one or more features or specific details. It should be further noted that one or more features or specific details from one embodiment may be practiced together with one or more features or specific details from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure.

[0030]While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is (are) considered the exemplary embodiment(s), it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s) but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.