Sliding mechanisms and systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
- a pair of guide members spaced apart from each other, each of the guide members defining an interior channel;
a pair of sliding members each of which is at least partially disposed in the interior channel defined by a corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members;
a pair of gears each of which engages a corresponding sliding member from the pair of sliding members, the pair of gears being used to move the pair of sliding members relative to the pair of guide members; and
a support element coupled between to pair of guide members to provide a rigid base assembly, the support element being separate from a frame of the vehicle;
wherein the pair of guide members and the pair of sliding members cooperate with each other to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position and a retracted position; and
wherein each guide member from the pair of guide members is open on a longitudinal side and wherein each sliding member from the pair of sliding members is positioned between a corresponding gear from the pair of gears and the longitudinal side of the corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A quick-release mechanism that allows a motor to be quickly and easily released from a motorized activation assembly to activate a sliding mechanism thereby extending or retracting a slide-out compartment of a recreational vehicle.
326 Citations
54 Claims
-
1. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
-
a pair of guide members spaced apart from each other, each of the guide members defining an interior channel; a pair of sliding members each of which is at least partially disposed in the interior channel defined by a corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members; a pair of gears each of which engages a corresponding sliding member from the pair of sliding members, the pair of gears being used to move the pair of sliding members relative to the pair of guide members; and a support element coupled between to pair of guide members to provide a rigid base assembly, the support element being separate from a frame of the vehicle; wherein the pair of guide members and the pair of sliding members cooperate with each other to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position and a retracted position; and wherein each guide member from the pair of guide members is open on a longitudinal side and wherein each sliding member from the pair of sliding members is positioned between a corresponding gear from the pair of gears and the longitudinal side of the corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11)
-
-
7. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
-
a pair of guide members spaced apart from each other, each of the guide members defining an interior channel; a pair of sliding members each of which is at least partially disposed in the interior channel defined by a corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members; a pair of gears each of which engages a corresponding sliding member from the pair of sliding members, the pair of gears being used to move the pair of sliding members relative to the pair of guide members; and a support element coupled between the pair of guide members to provide a rigid base assembly, the support element being separate from a frame of the vehicle; wherein the pair of guide members and the pair of sliding members cooperate with each other to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position end a retracted position; and wherein each guide member from the pair of guide members is open on a longitudinal side and wherein each sliding member from the pair of sliding members is positioned to support the slide-out compartment through the longitudinal side of the corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members.
-
-
10. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
-
a pair of guide members spaced apart from each other, each of the guide members defining an interior channel; a pair of sliding members each of which is at least partially disposed in the interior channel defined by a corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members; a pair of gears each of which engages a corresponding sliding member from the pair of sliding members, the pair of gears being used to move the pair of sliding members relative to the pair of guide members; and a support element coupled between the pair of guide members to provide a rigid base assembly, the support element being separate from a frame of the vehicle; wherein the pair of guide members and the pair of sliding members cooperate with each other to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position and a retracted position; and wherein each sliding member from the pair of sliding members has a first end and a second end, and wherein the sliding mechanism includes a pair of supports one of which is coupled between the first ends of the pair of sliding members and another one of which is coupled between the second ends of the pair of sliding members, the supports and the pair of sliding members forming a rigid sliding assembly.
-
-
12. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
-
a pair of guide members spaced apart from each other, each of the guide members defining an interior channel; a pair of sliding members which cooperate with the pair of guide members to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position and a retracted position; a pair of gears each of which is at least partially disposed in the interior channel defined by a corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members and engages a corresponding sliding member from the pair of sliding members, the pair of gears being used to move the pair of sliding members relative to the pair of guide members; and a support element coupled between the pair of guide members to provide a rigid base assembly, the support element being separate from a frame of the vehicle; wherein each guide member from the pair of guide members is open on a longitudinal side and wherein each sliding member from the pair of sliding members is positioned between a corresponding gear from the pair of gears and the longitudinal side of a corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22)
-
-
18. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
-
a pair of guide members spaced apart from each other, each of the guide members defining an interior channel; a pair of sliding members which cooperate with the pair of guide members to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position and a retracted position; a pair gears each of which is at least partially disposed in the interior channel defined by a corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members and engages a corresponding sliding member from the pair of sliding members, the pair of gears being used to move the pair of sliding members relative to the pair of guide members; and a support element coupled between the pair of guide members to provide a rigid base assembly, the support element being separate from a frame of the vehicle; wherein each guide member from the pair of guide members is open on a longitudinal side and wherein each sliding member from the pair of sliding members is positioned to support the slide-out compartment through the longitudinal side of a corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members.
-
-
21. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
-
a pair of guide members spaced apart from each other, each of the guide members defining an interior channel; a pair of sliding members which cooperate with the pair of guide members to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position and a retracted position; a pair of gears each of which is at least partially disposed in the interior channel defined by a corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members and engages a corresponding sliding member from the pair of sliding members, the pair of gears being used to move the pair of sliding members relative to the pair of guide members; and a support element coupled between the pair guide members to provide a rigid base assembly, the support element being separate from a frame of the vehicle; wherein each sliding member from the pair of sliding members has a first end and a second end, and wherein the sliding mechanism includes a pair of supports one of which is coupled between the first ends of the pair of sliding members and another one of which is coupled between the second ends of the pair of sliding members, the supports and the pair of sliding members forming a rigid sliding assembly.
-
-
23. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
-
a pair of guide members spaced apart from each other, each of the guide members defining an interior channel; a pair of sliding members each of which is at least partially disposed in the interior channel defined by a corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members, each of the sliding members from the pair of sliding members having a first end and a second end; a pair of gears each of which engages a corresponding sliding member from the pair of sliding members, the pair of gears being used to move the pair of sliding members relative to the pair of guide members; and a pair of supports one of which is coupled between the first ends of the pair of sliding members and another one of which is coupled between the second ends of the pair of sliding members, the supports and the pair of sliding members forming a rigid sliding assembly; wherein the pair of guide members and the pair of sliding members cooperate with each other to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position and a retracted position. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
-
a pair of guide members spaced apart from each other, each of the guide members defining an interior channel; a pair of sliding members each of which has a first end and a second end; a pair of gears each of which is at least partially disposed in the interior channel defined by a corresponding guide member from the pair of guide members and engages a corresponding sliding member from the pair of sliding members, the pair of gears being used to move the pair of sliding members relative to the pair of guide members; and a pair of supports one of which is coupled between the first ends of the pair of sliding members and another one of which is coupled between the second ends of the pair of sliding members, the pair of supports and the pair of sliding members forming a rigid sliding assembly; wherein the pair of guide members and the pair of sliding members cooperate with each other to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position and a retracted position. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
-
-
46. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
-
a first guide member and a second guide member; a first sliding member and a second sliding member which cooperate with the first guide member and the second guide member, respectively, to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position and a retracted position; a first gear and a second gear which engage the first sliding member and the second sliding member, respectively, to move the first sliding member and the second sliding member relative to the first guide member and the second guide member; and a timing assembly including a first shaft member and a second shaft member, wherein the first shaft member and the second shaft member move telescopically between one position where the first shaft member and the second shaft member rotate in unison so that the first gear and the second gear rotate in unison and another position where the first shaft member and the second shaft member rotate independently of each other so that the first gear and the second gear rotate independently of each other;
wherein the first gear and the second gear engage the first sliding member and the second sliding member in the another position;wherein the first guide member and the second guide member are open on a longitudinal side and wherein the first sliding member and the second sliding member are positioned between the first gear and the second gear and the longitudinal side of the first guide member and the longitudinal side of the second guide member, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 52, 53)
-
-
49. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
-
a first guide member and a second guide member; a first sliding member and a second sliding member which cooperate with the first guide member and the second guide member, respectively, to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position and a retracted position; a first gear and a second gear which engage the first sliding member and the second sliding member, respectively, to move the first sliding member and the second sliding member relative to the first guide member and the second guide member; and a timing assembly including a first shaft member and a second shaft member, wherein the first shaft member and the second shaft member move telescopically between one position where the first shaft member and the second shaft member rotate in unison so that the first gear and the second gear rotate in unison and another position where the first shaft member and the second shaft member rotate independently of each other so that the first gear and the second gear rotate independently of each other;
wherein the first gear and the second gear engage the first sliding member and the second sliding member in the another position;wherein the first guide member and the second guide member are open on a longitudinal side and wherein the first sliding member and the second sliding member are positioned to support the slide-out compartment through the longitudinal side of the first guide member and the longitudinal side of the second guide member, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
-
-
54. A sliding mechanism for moving a slide-out compartment of a vehicle, the sliding mechanism comprising:
-
a first guide member and a second guide member; a first sliding member and a second sliding member which cooperate with the first guide member and the second guide member, respectively, to move the slide-out compartment between an extended position and a retracted position; a first gear and a second gear which engage the first sliding member and the second sliding member, respectively, to move the first sliding member and the second sliding member relative to the first guide member and the second guide member; supports coupled between the ends of the pair of sliding members to provide a rigid slider assembly; and a timing assembly including a first shaft member and a second shaft member, wherein the first shaft member and the second shaft member move telescopically between one position where the first shaft member and the second shaft member rotate in unison so that the first gear and the second gear rotate in unison and another position where the first shaft member and the second shaft member rotate independently of each other so that the first gear and the second gear rotate independently of each other;
wherein the first gear and the second gear engage the first sliding member and the second sliding member in the another position.
-
Specification