Low profile baseframe with ballbearing slides

A low profile baseframe for use with a desk or other support, said baseframe comprising a longitudinal outer frame, said outer frame having two ends and two sides, each of said two sides having a ball race integrally formed in said outer frame, each ball race being sized and shaped to receive a ball retainer having two rows of ballbearings, there being two ball retainers, said ball races and said ball retainers being oriented to face inward, a slide plate having two side edges that movably fit between said rows on each side of said outer frame, said ball retainers enabling said slide plate to move longitudinally relative to said outer frame between said ends.

A low profile baseframe for use with a desk or other support, said baseframe comprising a longitudinal outer frame having two ends and two sides with a ball race along each side, each ball race being shaped to receive a ball retainer having two rows of ballbearings, said rows being oriented to be substantially vertical relative to one another, said ball retainers facing each other with a slide plate having two side edges that movably fit between said rows within said ball retainers to enable said slide plate to move longitudinally between said ends of said outer frame.

A low profile baseframe for use with a desk or other support, said baseframe comprising a longitudinal outer frame having two ends and two sides, each of said sides having a C-shaped race integrally formed therein, each race being sized and shaped to receive a ball retainer to movably support a slide plate in such a manner that said slide plate can move longitudinally relative to the outer frame, said ball retainers each having two vertically oriented rows of ballbearings and being movably mounted within each race, said ball retainers being sized and shaped to receive an edge of said slide plate.

A low profile baseframe for use with a desk or other support, said baseframe comprising a longitudinal outer frame, said outer frame having two ends and two sides, each of said two sides having a ball race integrally formed in said outer frame, said ball race being sized and shaped to receive a ball retainer having two rows of ballbearings, there being two ball retainers, said ball races and said ball retainers being oriented to face inward, a slide plate having two side edges that movably fit between said rows and each side of said outer frames, said ball retainers enabling said slide plate to move longitudinally relative to said outer frame between said end, said ball retainers fitting snugly within said ball races and being held therein by said slide plate, there being no fastening means to hold said ball retainers in said ball races and no fastening means to hold said slide plate in said ball retainers.

A low profile baseframe comprising an elongated outer frame with integral ball races along each side, two ball retainers each containing two rows of ballbearings, said ball retainers having a U-shaped cross-section when in a folded position, one ball retainer being inserted in each ball race in said folded position with said two rows of ballbearings having a vertical orientation, said movable plate having side edges that are sized and shaped to fit into said ball retainers on either side of said outer frame between said two rows of ballbearings.

A method of constructing a low profile baseframe, said method comprising forming a longitudinal outer frame with C-shaped races along each side, forming a ball retainer with a plurality of pockets therein to receive ballbearings, mounting said ballbearings in said pockets and folding said ball retainer to a generally U-shape, inserting one of said ball retainers into each ball race, orienting said ball retainers to face one another, choosing a slide plate to fit within said races and inserting a side edge of a slide plate in each of said ball retainers to enable said slide plate to move longitudinally along said outer frame.

A ball retainer formed of moulded flexible material for use with ballbearings, said ball retainer comprising a folded position with a base and two sides, each side having an inside and an outside, said ball retainer having an unfolded position, each side having a plurality of spaced pockets therein, each pocket being sized and shaped to receive and rotatably retain one ballbearing, each side having an imaginary longitudinal centerline extending through a center of each pocket, said ballbearings being offset from said centerline to an outside of each pocket.

A ball retainer formed of mouldable flexible material, said ball retainer comprising a base and two sides, said sides having a plurality of pockets therein, said pockets being spaced apart from one another, each pocket having détentes to narrow said pocket on an inside, said retainer being moulded flat and being foldable into a substantial U-shape, said retainer having a plastic memory to move to an unfolded position when folded, said pockets being sized and shaped to support ballbearings, one ball bearing being in each pocket, said retainer being flexible and resilient enough to receive and retain each ball bearing in said pockets with the ballbearings being biased to an outside of each pocket when said retainer is folded.