Slide element employing balls and slide structure including said element
First Claim
1. An inner element of a slide mechanism employing balls, for combination with an outer U-section element provided with flanges, said inner element being formed by a tube which has in a given part of the tube on cross section a shape of a relatively flattened initially circular tube section, which shape has a corrugated lower side defining a downwardly projecting convex curvilinear centre portion having adjoining each side of the centre portion a first concave curvilinear portion, and a convex curvilinear wing portion adjoining each concave portion and an upper side having at each end a second concave curvilinear portion adjoining the respective wing portion, said concave portions being the cross-sectional shape of longitudinally extending grooves of the inner element, and said convex portion and said wing portions being the cross-sectional shapes of longitudinally extending ribs of the inner element, said grooves being provided for receiving balls of the slide mechanism, the first concave portions being symmetrical relative to a vertical plane so as to extend equally on each side of the respective balls.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a slide structure employing balls comprising an outer element formed by a U-section element 1 provided with flanges 2, the inner element 8 is constituted by a tube which is deformed in such manner as to include two lateral wings 10 each one of which is between two concave grooves for receiving the balls 16. Beyond the portion of the tube deformed in this way, the tube is bent and devoid of flanges so as to enable it to extend through the opening 3 of the U-section element 1 before resuming its initial section. The tube terminates in fixing tabs. Sheared and deformed portions which are evenly spaced apart along a central longitudinally extending boss 18 of the inner element constitute a rack for driving or locking the inner element relative to the outer element.
24 Citations
9 Claims
- 1. An inner element of a slide mechanism employing balls, for combination with an outer U-section element provided with flanges, said inner element being formed by a tube which has in a given part of the tube on cross section a shape of a relatively flattened initially circular tube section, which shape has a corrugated lower side defining a downwardly projecting convex curvilinear centre portion having adjoining each side of the centre portion a first concave curvilinear portion, and a convex curvilinear wing portion adjoining each concave portion and an upper side having at each end a second concave curvilinear portion adjoining the respective wing portion, said concave portions being the cross-sectional shape of longitudinally extending grooves of the inner element, and said convex portion and said wing portions being the cross-sectional shapes of longitudinally extending ribs of the inner element, said grooves being provided for receiving balls of the slide mechanism, the first concave portions being symmetrical relative to a vertical plane so as to extend equally on each side of the respective balls.
- 5. A slide mechanism comprising an outer substantially U-section element having two flanges defining an opening, an inner element disposed within the outer element with interposition of balls between the inner element and outer element, said inner element being formed by a tube which has in cross section a shape of a relatively flattened initially circular tube section, which shape has a corrugated lower side defining a downwardly projecting convex curvilinear centre portion having adjoining each side of the centre portion a first concave curvilinear portion, and a convex curvilinear wing portion adjoining each concave portion and an upper side having at each end a second concave curvilinear portion adjoining the respective wing portion, and said concave portions being the cross-sectional shape of longitudinally extending grooves of the inner element, and said convex portion and said wing portions being the cross-sectional shapes of longitudinally extending ribs of the inner element, said grooves receiving said balls of the slide mechanism, the first concave portions being symmetrical relative to a vertical plane so as to extend equally on each side of the respective balls, said inner element having arms adjacent opposite ends of said given part of the inner element, an intermediate portion having a section capable of extending through the opening defined by the flanges of the U-section element connecting each arm to the corresponding end of said deformed portion so that said arms can be moved along said opening.
Specification