Sliding mechanism apparatus and appliance integrated with the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a sliding mechanism apparatus used for slidably opening and closing a slider-type cellular phone. A guide member and a slider member are engaged with each other so as to enable to slide relative to each other. The end of one arm of a first torsion spring is connected to the slider member near the left edge thereof. The end of the other arm thereof is coupled to the right half area of the guide member. The end of one arm of a second torsion spring is connected to the slider member near the right edge thereof. The end of the other arm thereof is coupled to the left half area of the guide member. From the expanded original state of the first and second torsion springs, if an external force is exerted on the slider member or the guide member, the torsion springs are compressed into an acute angle and then spread again by means of the elastic force thereof. In this way, the slider member can move to the lowermost position or the lowermost position. In the first and second torsion springs, the distance between the ends of two arms is larger than at least half of the width of the slider member. Therefore, the first and second torsion springs can maximally utilize the width of the guide member while turning, thereby extending the maximum travel distance of the slider member.

1 . A sliding mechanism apparatus comprising:
 a) a guide member;   b) a slider member coupled to the guide member so as to enable to slide thereon in a linear direction;   c) a first spring disposed in a space between the slider member and the guide member, wherein one end of the first spring is connected to a first position placed near a left edge of the guide member, and the other end of the first spring is connected to a second position of the slider member; and   d) a second spring disposed in a space between the slider member and the guide member, wherein one end of the second spring is connected to a third position placed near a right edge of the guide member, and the other end of the second spring is connected to a fourth position of the slider member.   
   
   
       2 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first spring is a first torsion spring including a first coil wound in a circular form and two first arms extended from both ends of the first coil by a certain length, the end of one of the two first arms is connected to a first position placed near a left edge of the guide member, and the end of the other first arm is connected to a second position of the slider member and the second spring is a second torsion spring including a second coil wound in a circular form and two second arms extended from both ends of the second coil by a certain length, the end of one of the two second arms is connected to a third position placed near a right edge of the guide member, and the end of the other second arm is connected to a fourth position of the slider member. 
   
   
       3 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the second position is placed within a right half area of the slider member and the fourth position is placed within a left half area of the slider member, and a distance between the first position and the second position is the same as a distance between the third position and the fourth position. 
   
   
       4 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the second position is placed within a right half area of the slider member and the fourth position is placed within a left half area of the slider member, and the guide member formed of a first rectangular plate is provided with a first and second guide rail extended along a left and right edge on the top face of the first rectangular plate and having a height so as to allow for a free movement for the first and second torsion spring, the first and second guide rail is provided with a first and second guide rail groove extended along the outer lateral face thereof, and a first connection hole and a second connection hole are formed respectively in the first position of the first guide rail and the third position of the second guide rail; and wherein the slider member formed of a second rectangular plate is provided with a first and second rail formed along a left and right edge on the bottom face of the second rectangular plate so as to be engaged with the first and second guide rail groove respectively, and a third and fourth connection hole is formed respectively in the second and fourth position of the second rectangular plate such that a bent end portion of the first and second torsion spring is inserted respectively into the third and fourth connection hole. 
   
   
       5 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the second position is placed within a right half area of the slider member and the fourth position is placed within a left half area of the slider member, and the guide member is provided with a first and second guide bar extended along both lateral faces of a first rectangular plate, and a first connection hole and a second connection hole are formed in the first position and the third position placed in both edges of the first rectangular plate; and wherein the slider member is provided with a coupling hand formed in a left and right edge of a second rectangular plate so as to slidably grip the first and second guide bar, and a third and fourth connection hole is formed respectively in the second and fourth position placed in the second rectangular plate. 
   
   
       6 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the slider member and the guide member are provided, in the outer face thereof, with a plurality of screw holes for attaching respectively a first and second component of an appliance using a screw. 
   
   
       7 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the slider member and the guide member constitute part of a first and second component of an appliance such that the first and second components of the appliance can be opened and closed relatively to each other in a sliding mode. 
   
   
       8 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the guide member includes a rectangular plate having a first and second guide dam along both longitudinal edges thereof and a first and second guide bar installed in parallel to the first and second guide dam, and the slider member is provided with a first and second slide-coupling hand formed to the left and right thereof, the first and second slide-coupling hand including a first and second guide hole inserted respectively into the first and second guide bar and a first and second rail engaged with the first and second guide dam provided in the left and right side so as to face each other. 
   
   
       9 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the first and second guide dam are structured in such a manner i) that the dam is protruded along both lateral edges of the rectangular plate in the form of a continuous straight line, or ii) that the dam is divided into an upper portion and a lower portion along both lateral edges of the rectangular plate such that the upper portion is protruded rearwards of the lateral face to thereby support a bottom face of the first and second slide-coupling hand and the lower portion is protruded frontward of the lateral face to thereby be inserted into the first and second rail. 
   
   
       10 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the second position and the fourth position are placed respectively in a left half area and a right half area of the slider member. 
   
   
       11 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the first and second guide hole for the first and second guide bar to be inserted thereinto is provided with a cylinder-shape bearing in the inner wall thereof so as to allow for a smooth sliding movement of the guide bar, and the first and second guide bar each is provided with a buffer rubber at both end portions thereof such that the buffer rubber is hit with an end of the bearing when the slider member slides and hits the top face or the bottom face of the guide member, thereby alleviating sliding impact between the slider member and the guide member. 
   
   
       12 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a resilient contact plate is fixed to a certain desired area in an inner face of at least one of the guide member and the slider member, the slider member and the guide member remain in an electrical contact with each other by means of the contact plate even when in a relative sliding motion, and at least one of the guide member and the slider member is electrically connected to a reference potential point of a device in which the guide member and the slider member are installed. 
   
   
       13 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a variable link is fixed to a central position of the slider member in such a way that the center portion of the link is rotatably fixed through a link shaft thereof, the variable link having two arms extended to the left and right from the center portion thereof by a certain length, the second position of the slider member is the left end portion of the variable link and the fourth position of the slider member is the right portion of the variable link. 
   
   
       14 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the guide member and the slider member are slidably engaged in such a manner i) that the rectangular plate of the guide member is provided with a first and second guide dam at the left and right side thereof, and the slider member is provided with a first and second rail at the left and right side thereof so as to slidably engaged with the first and second guide dam; and/or ii) that the guide member is provided with a first and second guide bar installed in parallel at the left and right side of the rectangular plate, and the slider member is provided with a first and second guide hole to be inserted respectively into the first and second guide bar. 
   
   
       15 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the first and second guide dam is protruded along both lateral edges of the rectangular plate in the form of a straight line having a “ ” shape cross-section, and the first and second rail is protruded only in a front and rear portion thereof excepting an intermediate portion thereof so as to be engaged with the first and second guide dam. 
   
   
       16 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the variable link is further provided with a pivot guide projection having a first slant face and a second slant face formed at both sides of the link shaft so as to face each other, the first slant face rotates contacted with the variable arm of the first torsion spring, and the second slant face rotates contacted with the variable arm of the second torsion spring. 
   
   
       17 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the variable arms of the first and second torsion spring, which are fixed to the variable link, are bent outwardly, thereby further expanding an angle between the arms of the first and second torsion spring. 
   
   
       18 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first spring and the second spring is a cylinder-type spring structured such that the length thereof can be extended and retracted resiliently, wherein both ends of the cylinder-type spring are pivotably connected to the left and right side edge or the right and left side edge of the guide member and the slider member. 
   
   
       19 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the cylinder-type spring comprises a cylinder connected to one of the guide member and the slider member, a coil spring housed inside the cylinder, and a rod resiliently supported by the coil spring and connected to the other one of the guide member and the slider member. 
   
   
       20 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the cylinder-type spring comprises a cylinder connected to one of the guide member and the slider member, a coil spring housed inside the cylinder, a rod resiliently supported by the coil spring, and a variable link rotatably connected to the other one of the guide member and the slider member through a link shaft positioned in the center of the variable link and pivotably connected to the rod at a position spaced apart from the link shaft in such a way as to move with the rod. 
   
   
       21 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first spring is a first cylinder-type spring structured such that the length thereof can be extended and retracted resiliently, wherein both ends of the first cylinder-type spring are pivotably connected respectively to a first position placed near a right edge of the guide member and to a second position placed within a left half area of the slider member and the second spring is a second cylinder-type spring structured such that the length thereof can be extended and retracted resiliently, wherein both ends of the second cylinder-type spring are pivotably connected respectively to a third position placed near a left edge of the guide member and to a fourth position placed within a right half area of the slider member. 
   
   
       22 . The sliding mechanism apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a resilient contact plate is fixed to a certain desired area in an inner face of at least one of the guide member and the slider member, the slider member and the guide member remain in an electrical contact with each other by means of the contact plate even when in a relative sliding motion, and at least one of the guide member and the slider member is electrically connected to a reference potential point of a device in which the guide member and the slider member are installed.