Bearings – Linear bearing – Ball bearing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-20
2002-11-12
Hannon, Thomas R. (Department: 3682)
Bearings
Linear bearing
Ball bearing
C384S018000, C312S334170
Reexamination Certificate
active
06478466
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an auxiliary sliding device and more particularly to an elastic sliding mechanism mounted on one member for reducing friction with the other member and maintaining a permanent contact when two members are relatively moving.
2. Related Art
A variety of improved and even novel products are commercially available everyday. For example in the field of computer industry, a motherboard is threadedly secured to the casing of a computer in a conventional technique. As such, a person has to unscrew a plurality of screws in order to remove motherboard from computer when a repair or component replacement of motherboard is necessary. It is a tedious job. An improvement has been disclosed wherein motherboard is releasably secured to a mounting plate. A plurality of parallel rails are provided on mounting plate. Correspondingly, a plurality of parallel grooves are provided on the casing of computer. Thus, mounting plate may be slidably secured to the casing of computer. With this, a person may simply directly pull mounting plate out of computer when a repair or component replacement of motherboard is necessary. This facilitates the assembly/disassembly of computer. Following is a description of a similar problem occurred on a notebook computer. Notebook computer comprises a computer body with a keyboard fixed thereon and a display pivotably secured to computer body. Such fixed keyboard is not convenient in operation. As such, an improvement has been disclosed wherein keyboard is slidably secured to computer body. That is, keyboard is received in computer body when not in use, while being pulled out of computer body when in use. This fulfils most needs.
Above two examples are effected through sliding means. The sliding means is typically movable within a predetermined range or effected by a rail-and-groove technique. In the later, the rail (on one member) and groove (on the other member) configuration is disadvantageous for being large in friction and wear loss because rail is directly slid on the groove. It is also known that many members are made of plastic material. As such, wear or deformation may occur on rails and/or grooves after a limited period of time of use. In addition, noise or not so smooth operation may occur when worn or deformed rails are slid on worn or deformed grooves.
Moreover, keyboard and computer are required to be electrically connected when above sliding keyboard is mounted on notebook computer. Conventionally, a conductive metal contact is provided on groove of motherboard so as to form an electrical connection between keyboard and computer by engaging conductive metal contact with metal rail of keyboard. However, such electrical connection is not secured after a limited period of time of use. Likewise, this is caused by the worn or deformed rails and/or grooves.
Thus, it is desirable to provide an improved sliding mechanism in order to overcome the above drawbacks of prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an elastic sliding mechanism mounted on one member for reducing friction with the other member and maintaining a permanent contact when two members are relatively moving.
The advantages of the present invention are realized by providing a sliding mechanism comprising a sleeve member, two balls in the sleeve member, and an elastic member biased between the balls for urging each ball to project above either opening of the sleeve member. When the sliding mechanism is mounted on a second member, a reduction of friction and a permanent contact between the first and a second members are effected because the second member is slidable with respect to the first member with balls being in elastic contact with the first member.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1963956 (1934-06-01), Craig
patent: 2250895 (1941-07-01), Premo
patent: 2267043 (1941-12-01), Premo
Chang Sung-Po
Cheng Chang-I
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Hannon Thomas R.
Inventec Appliances Corp.
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