Slider mechanism
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorRyszard Gordecki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A slider mechanism (414) includes a first element (516), a second element (518) and a biasing device (590). The second element (518) slides with respect to the first element (516) along a path. The biasing device (590) functions as an over-center mechanism, such that external force is required to move the slider mechanism (414) for an initial range of its travel, and stored energy is used to move the slider mechanism (414) along a subsequent range of its travel. The biasing device (590) includes a pair of springs (524, 522) that are under compression. The springs (524, 522) are accommodated in openings (530, 532, 534) formed in the first and second elements (516, 518) and the springs (524, 522) move in a plane of the mechanism (414) to reduce the thickness of the slider mechanism (414).
Claims20
A sliding mechanism that permits relative motion along a path, wherein the device comprises:
- a first element;
- a second element, wherein the second element faces the first element and slides with respect to the first element along the path;
- a guide, which is fixed to one of the first and second elements, for limiting movement of second element with respect to the first element to the path;
- a biasing device, wherein the biasing device has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the first element, and the second end is coupled to the second element, and wherein the biasing device changes position according to the position of the second element with respect to the first element on the path such that the biasing device has the following modes:
- a first mode, in which the biasing device urges the second element in a first direction of the path toward a first position;
- a second mode, in which the biasing device urges the second element in a second direction of the path toward a second position, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction;
- and
- a neutral mode, in which the force of the biasing device is applied to the second element in a direction that is transverse to the path.
A sliding mechanism for permitting relative motion of a second element with respect to a first element between a first position and a second position, the mechanism comprising:
- a first element;
- a second element, wherein the second element is adjacent to the first element;
- a guide that is fixed to one of the first and second elements, wherein the guide limits relative movement of the second element with respect to the first element to a predetermined path;
- a compression spring that has the following modes:
- a first mode, in which the compression spring applies an urging force to the second element to urge the second element in a first direction of the path toward the first position;
- a second mode, in which the compression spring applies an urging force to the second element to urge the second element along the path in a second direction toward the second position, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction;
- and
- a neutral mode, in which the force of the compression spring is applied to the second element in a direction that is transverse to the path;
- wherein, a first range of positions of the second element with respect to the first element along the path corresponds to the first mode, a second range of positions of the second element with respect to the first element corresponds to the second mode, and a neutral position of the second element with respect to the first element corresponds to the neutral mode, and the neutral position is between the first and the second ranges of positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.