Rail slider and assembly comprising a rail slider and a suspension rail

Abstract

A rail glider for use in a suspension rail for suspending an object or cloth from the rail, the rail glider comprising a holder element for securing the object or cloth thereto and a glider head shaped to be attached to the suspension rail in a movable or fixed manner, the glider head having a first and a second side which, in use, are parallel to the direction of movement of the rail glider, wherein the slider head comprises a common upper part, and wherein the first and second sides each have a cantilevered support part, wherein the cantilevered support parts extend from the slider head such that, in use, they cooperate with at least two longitudinal inner surfaces of the suspension rail to support the rail slider when suspended from the rail, wherein the upper part forms a connection between the cantilevered support parts and has a flexible section, the slider head on each of the first and second sides further comprises a guide flange extending at least partially along the respective first or second side for guiding the rail slider through the suspension rail, the slider head being connected to the holder element via a bridge extending from the first side to the holder section, the slider head being free from a connection to the holder element on its second side, so that the guide flange of the second side is allowed to deflect towards the first side via the flexible section to enable insertion of the slider head into or removal from the suspension rail; further comprising a second limiting portion extending from the guide flange on the second side of the slider head in a direction transverse to the second side so as to be parallel to the longitudinal inner surfaces of the suspension rail in use.

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a rail slider for use in a suspension rail for suspending an object or sheet from the rail, the rail slider comprising a holder element for securing the object or sheet thereto and a slider head shaped to be movably secured to the suspension rail to permit, in use, movement of the rail slider in a longitudinal direction of the suspension rail, the slider head comprising first and second sides which, in use, are parallel to the direction of movement of the rail slider. The invention further relates to an assembly comprising a suspension rail and a rail slider. background

[0002] Track gliders for a suspension track used to hang objects (such as curtains) are typically inserted into the track through its open ends. The open ends are sealed with a stopper unit or end cap to prevent the glider from falling out of the track during use.

[0003] However, alternatives are available that are easier to insert into the rails, for example directly through the rail opening. One such rail glider is disclosed, for example, in European patent application number EP 2 612 576 A2. This document discloses a rail glider comprising a head and a holder connected by a bridge. The glider can be bent into the rail by bending the sides of the glider head towards the connecting bridge in the middle part of the glider, in order to temporarily reduce the size of the head so that it fits through the rail opening. Although this glider advantageously simplifies the insertion of the glider into and removal from the rail, this improvement unfortunately comes with some disadvantages.For example, to allow for deflection, the slider head includes flexible sections that are very thin, making them expensive and difficult to manufacture. Furthermore, these sections are susceptible to wear, deformation, and breakage during use. For standard small-gauge slides, which have a 4-millimeter-wide slide opening, the space to allow for deflection is very small (see, for example, the . Fig. 18 to 20 of EP 2 612 576 A2). This requires that the slider head also be made much smaller. The thin bending sections of the slider thus become increasingly thinner and therefore weaker. Summary of the invention

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a rail slider which can be bent into a suspension rail, the design of which is easily scalable to any desired size at relatively low manufacturing costs.

[0005] For this purpose, a rail slider for use in a suspension rail for suspending an object or cloth from the rail is provided, the rail slider comprising a holder element for securing the object or cloth thereto and a slider head shaped to be attached to the suspension rail in a movable or fixed manner to permit, in use, movement of the rail slider in a longitudinal direction of the suspension rail, the slider head having first and second sides which, in use, are parallel to the direction of movement of the rail slider, the slider head comprising a common upper part, and the first and second sides each having a projecting support part, the projecting support parts extending from the slider head such that, in use, they cooperate with at least two longitudinal inner surfaces of the suspension rail,to support the rail slider when suspended from the rail, wherein the upper part forms a connection between the projecting support parts and has a flexible section, the slider head on the first and second sides each further has a guide flange extending at least partially along the corresponding first or second side to guide the rail slider through the suspension rail, wherein the slider head is connected to the holder element via a bridge extending from the first side to the holder section, wherein the slider head is free from a connection to the holder element on its second side, so that deflection of the guide flange of the second side towards the first side is permitted via the flexible section to enable insertion of the slider head into or removal from the suspension rail. The rail slider of the present invention is asymmetrically shaped,to allow one of the guide flanges to be freely deflected inwardly to a central space between the first and second sides of the slider head. The other guide flange, i.e., the one on the first side, is fixed relative to, or extends into, the connecting bridge that forms the connection between the slider head and the holder element. Preferably, the guide flange on the first side extends into the bridge as an integral part, although other fixings may equally be used. To insert or release the rail slider into or from the rail, force can be applied to the holder section. The moment of the force applied via the bridge to the first side of the slider head causes the guide flange on the second side to be deflected via the flexible section at the top. The flexible section thus provides a hinge function,i.e., articulation on one or more sides.

[0006] As a result of the asymmetric shape and the absence of connecting parts except for the connecting bridge on the first side, the flexible section can be sufficiently thick at small dimensions while still providing sufficient flexibility (for example, greater than 0.7 mm and less than 1.2 mm, for example 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm or 1.0 mm, for a rail slider suitable for a rail with a rail opening of a width of 4.0 or 3.3 or 6.8 or 5.6 mm; (these sizes are merely examples and are not intended to limit the claimed invention (for example 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm or even greater (0.5 mm to 3.0 mm) depending on the application))).This is possible because the presence of the connecting bridge on the head side, in the absence of other connecting parts, allows the flexible section (measured in the direction from the first to the second side of the slider head) to be designed with a sufficient length to still provide sufficient flexibility to accommodate the deflection of the guide flanges at such a thickness. Furthermore, by applying the moment of force directly to the first side of the slider head, it is optimally used to provide the bending moment necessary for deflection. In this way, due to the large bending moment, the flexible section can be kept sufficiently thick relative to the other components to allow parametric scaling of the design to very small rail sizes (less than 30 mm, even less than 10 mm, and even less than 5 mm for the size of the rail opening; for example, 4.0 mm, 3.3 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.0 mm).This does not significantly affect the robustness of the design.

[0007] The asymmetric design provides additional advantages. For example, the rail slider can only be released from the rail by bringing the guide flanges closer together due to deflection. By applying the moment of force to deflect the first side, bringing the flanges closer together can only be achieved by pushing the bridge toward the second side. If, instead, a tensile force is applied to the bridge to pull it in one direction away from the second side, the rail slider will not release from the rail. This way, the sliders can only be released by a single-directional action of the bridge.Therefore, in environments where curtains are likely to be subjected to tensile forces (for example, curtains covering the windows of a bus or train), the track sliders of the present invention allow the curtains to be hung in such a way that the curtains are prevented from accidentally falling. This simply requires correct installation of the track slider so that the second side of the slider head faces toward the window or wall, while the first side faces into the room. Releasing the curtains then requires deliberately applying a compressive force to the bridge toward the second side (or window side).

[0008] The same can be done in situations where very easy removal of the curtains is desired. In this case, the track glider is installed the other way around in the track, i.e., the first side, which includes the bridge, is installed in the track in such a way that it is on the wall or window side (or at least on the side opposite the location from which the release pulling force is to be applied). A tilting pulling force will then pull the bridge towards the second side, causing deflection of the guide flanges and release of the glider head. This can be advantageous, for example, in situations where accidental damage to the curtains must be prevented.

[0009] By allowing the flexible section and other sections to be sufficiently thick, the robustness of the rail slider is significantly increased. The compact design does not break easily and can even withstand inadvertently applied forces for which the slider was not actually designed (for example, a person accidentally stepping on a slider that has fallen to the floor). The flexible section does not significantly deform or crack even after frequent use, thereby enabling the rail slider to maintain its maximum load-bearing capacity over a long period of time. Furthermore, the simple design of the rail slider of the present invention makes it easy to manufacture, thereby reducing its production costs.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the rail slider further comprises a first limiting portion extending from the first-side guide flanges of the slider head in the transverse direction to the first side such that, in use, it is parallel to the longitudinal inner surfaces of the suspension rail. The first limiting portion prevents outward deflection of the first-side guide flange (or the bridge connecting the slider head to the holder element) in an outward direction (away from the second side). In this case, the first limiting portion then prevents further movement of the guide flange or the bridge in the outward direction by being held by the suspension rail. Although the first limiting portion provides additional structural stability to the rail slider, this portion is optional and not essential to the rail slider of the present invention.

[0011] According to the further embodiment, the rail slider further comprises a second limiting portion extending from the guide flange on the second side of the slider head in a transverse direction to the second side so as to be parallel to the longitudinal inner surfaces of the suspension rail during use. The second limiting portion extending from the guide flange on the second side of the slider head then prevents the slider head from accidentally sliding completely into the suspension rail and becoming stuck in the event that the force applied to the bridge portion for inserting the rail slider into the rail becomes too great. The second limiting portion simply prevents the rail slider from "falling" into the rail opening due to a continuation of the force applied to insert the rail slider.Furthermore, in a further embodiment, the second limiting portion may extend from the second side guide flange to form a handle for actuating the rail slider to deflect the guide flange. For example, if the second limiting portion extends to a position outside and beyond the side of the rail, it may be easily manipulated by a user to exert a clamping or squeezing force to enable deflection of the guide flange. In some embodiments, the use of such a handle may even further increase the bending moment that can be exerted on the rail slider, potentially allowing for a further reduction in the size of the rail slider, if desired.

[0012] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the support element is arranged in a central portion below the upper part to allow the center of gravity of the suspended object or cloth (or curtain) to be aligned with the upper part and the rail. For example, the support element allows the object to be attached to the rail (for example, a curtain, a painting, or another element) to be suspended neatly below the central portion of the rail slider, thus aligning the gravitational forces with the location of the rail. This avoids undesirable situations, such as the object being suspended in a crooked position.

[0013] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the holding element comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of: a fastening eyelet which, in use, is parallel, perpendicular, or rotatable relative to the direction of movement of the rail slider; a clamping device or clamping part; a hook; a projection part for hooking, gripping, or suspending; a receiving part for receiving a correspondingly shaped gripping part; or a gripping part for receiving a correspondingly shaped receiving part. As will be appreciated, the holding element may comprise any suitable means for enabling an object to be suspended from the suspension rail by means of the rail slider.For example, for hanging a curtain from the track glider, the use of a fastening eyelet that is parallel, perpendicular, or rotatable relative to the direction of movement of the track glider may be a suitable means of hanging. However, in the case where a wall panel is to be attached to the suspension rail by means of the track glider, instead of an eyelet, the holding element may comprise a gripper part or slider or other element that cooperates with the panel (or the fastening element). Those skilled in the art may recognize other means for attaching or hanging objects from the holding element within the scope of the present invention.

[0014] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the guide flanges of the first and second sides of the slider head define a deflection space between the flanges. Such a deflection space may be free of any elements of the rail slider, allowing the full space for deflection of the flanges relative to each other. Preferably, the deflection space is located below the flexible section.

[0015] According to a further embodiment of the invention, at least one of the (or all) guide flanges defines a height h between the corresponding cantilevered support part and the first or second limiting part, wherein the height corresponds to a thickness of the rail part of the suspension rail comprising the longitudinal inner surface of the rail. For example, the suspension rail may consist of an upper section, two side walls and two lower rail sections which define the interior of the rail in cross-section. The two lower sections on the inner side (i.e. the side facing the interior of the rail) may form the longitudinal inner surfaces on either side of the rail opening. The rail opening is defined by two lower rail sections as a groove or a slot between the lower rail sections in the longitudinal direction of the rail.By making the height h between the cantilevered support members and the first or second limiting member equal to the thickness of the rail member, the play in the vertical direction (i.e., transverse to the longitudinal surfaces) is reduced. Consequently, the rail slider moves smoothly through the suspension rail while still being easily removable from the rail (if the height h is too large, the play may become excessive, likely preventing the slider from being removed from the rail). The upper part of the slider can therefore be prevented from contacting the upper wall of the rail, enabling the aforementioned smooth sliding.

[0016] According to a further embodiment, the rail slider, which comprises the slider head, the retaining element, and the bridge, is formed as a single-piece element; that is, the entire rail slider is formed as a single-piece element made of a single piece of material. This results in a robust construction of the rail slider and makes it easier to manufacture, for example, using a suitable polymer material.

[0017] According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assembly comprising a suspension rail for suspending an article or fabric from the rail and a rail slider according to the first aspect or any embodiments thereof, the rail slider being arranged to cooperate with the suspension rail and comprising a slider head shaped to be attached to the suspension rail in a movable manner to permit, in use, movement of the rail slider in a longitudinal direction of the suspension rail.

[0018] According to yet another embodiment of the second aspect, the suspension rail has at least two longitudinal inner surfaces which are parallel to one another and define a rail opening which cooperates with the slider head so as to allow insertion of the slider head into the rail by bending the guide flange of the second side towards the first side via the rail opening, wherein the longitudinal inner surfaces, when suspended from the rail, further allow support of the projecting support parts of the slider head in a non-bent state of the guide flanges.

[0019] According to yet another embodiment of the second aspect, the rail opening between the longitudinal inner surfaces of the suspension rail has a width selected from the group consisting of: approximately 3.3 mm, approximately 4.0 mm, approximately 5.6 mm, approximately 6.0 mm, or less than 30 mm. As will be appreciated, the rail opening widths defined herein are merely examples, and many other rail opening widths may be used. The invention is not limited to any particular rail opening width. Short description of the drawings

[0020] The invention will be further explained by describing some of its specific embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The detailed description provides examples of possible practical implementations of the invention, but should not be understood as describing only the embodiments included within its scope. The scope of the invention is described in the claims, and the description is to be understood as illustrative without limiting the invention. In the drawings: Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows an arrangement according to the second aspect of the present invention, comprising a rail slider according to the present invention; Fig. 2A is a side view of a rail slider according to the present invention; Fig. 2B a cross-section of the rail slider of Fig. 2A; and Fig. 3 a perspective view of a rail slider according to the present invention. Detailed description

[0021] Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a suspension rail 1 in cross-section and a rail slider 3 which is movably suspended from the rail 1. The suspension rail 1 comprises an upper wall 9 and side walls 5 and 6. The side walls 5 and 6 are curved in the present embodiment and curve into lower rail sections 7 and 8, respectively. Together, the upper wall 9, the side walls 5 and 6 and the lower rail sections 7 and 8 define an interior space 10 of the rail. The ends of the lower rail sections 7 and 8 together define a rail opening 4 which in Fig. 1 is schematically indicated with an arrow. In another embodiment, the suspension rail may have a different shape, for example, the lower rail sections 7 and 8 may extend transversely from the side walls 5 and 6, thereby forming a kink with them (instead of the curved sections shown in Fig. 1). However, the rail 1 may comprise further parts that allow the suspension rail 1 to be attached, for example, to a ceiling or to a wall of a building. For example, parts such as a kink 11 (and the corresponding kink on the opposite side of the rail) allow the rail to be attached to a fixing element (not shown). In general, instead of the Fig. 1 shown rail of the Fig. 1 can be used in combination with any rail of a different shape and design, as long as the rail opening 4 corresponds to the shape and size of the rail slider 3, as will be apparent to the person skilled in the art.

[0022] The rail slider 3 comprises the holder element 16, a slider head 17, and a bridge 18 connecting the holder element 16 to the slider head 17. The slider head 17 comprises an upper part 20 connecting a first guide flange 25 to a second guide flange 26 on opposite sides of the slider head 17. The upper section 20 comprises a flexible section 22 in its central part between the first guide flange 25 and the second guide flange 26. A first cantilevered support part 32 and a second cantilevered support part 33 extend from the upper part 20, each on the side of the slider head 17. The cantilevered support parts 32 and 33 correspond on their lower sides to the longitudinal inner surfaces 12 and 13 of the lower rail sections 7 and 8, respectively.In addition, the size of the upper section 20 with the cantilevered support parts 32 and 33 as well as the distance between the guide flanges 25 and 26 is designed such that the shape of the guide head 17 corresponds to the shape of the suspension rail 1, as shown in . Fig. 1. Therefore, after its insertion into the suspension rail 1, the rail slider can be moved in the longitudinal direction (the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing of Fig. 1) slide through the rail.

[0023] In addition, the first guide flange 25 comprises, on its other side relative to the rail slider 3, a first limiting part 35 which limits the upward movement of the slider head 17 relative to the rail 1. Similarly, the guide flange 26 comprises a second limiting part 36 which extends therefrom, as shown in Fig. 1, extends in an outward direction. The height h between the cantilevered support part 32 and the first limiting part 35 of the first guide flange 25 and the height h between the cantilevered support part 33 and the second limiting part 36 of the second guide flange 26 are indicated in the figure. The height h is, as indicated, preferably selected to provide sufficient clearance to allow the rail slider 3 to slide through the rail 1 while simultaneously preventing contact between the upper part 20 of the slider 3 and the upper wall 9 of the rail 1. As a result, the height is selected to enable smooth movement of the slider 3 through the rail 1. The flanges 25 and 26 define an internal deflection space 30 between the flanges 25 and 26.The limiting members 35 and 36 preferably extend, but not substantially, over a distance such that the width of the slider head from end to end becomes wider than the width of the upper member 20 through the limiting members. This prevents the slider head from becoming stuck in the rail during insertion due to the limiting members being inadvertently inserted through the rail opening into the interior of the rail.

[0024] In Fig. 1, the rail slider 3 is shown in a position inserted into the rail 1. However, to allow insertion of the rail slider 3 into the rail 1, the second guide flange 26 can be bent toward the first guide flange 25 (and / or vice versa) to reduce the size of the slider head 17 so that it fits through the rail opening 4. To insert the rail slider into the rail 1 in the case where the rail slider 3 is not suspended from the rail 1, the user can bring the outer side of the first guide flange 25 (the portion between the cantilevered support part 32 and the first limiting part 35) against the side of the lower rail part 7.Then, by rotating the holder element 16 and the bridge 18 towards the lower rail section 8, a force is exerted on the upper part 20 above the second guide flange 26, causing the second guide flange 26 to deflect inwardly towards the first guide flange 25. At a certain point, the second guide flange 26 has deflected sufficiently into the deflection space 30 so that the cantilevered support part 33 fits into the rail opening 4. At this point, the rail slider 3 clicks into position, providing tactile and audible feedback to the user. The result is that the rail slider 3 is inserted into the rail 1, as shown in FIG. Fig. 1 shown.

[0025] Alternatively, it is also possible to insert the rail slider 3 into the rail 1 by bringing the outer side of the second guide flange 26 (between the cantilevered support part 33 and the second limiting part 36) against the side of the lower rail section 8. Then, by exerting a certain force on the holder element 16 and the bridge 18 directed towards the lower rail section 8, the flexible section 22 allows the guide flanges 25 and 26 to bend sufficiently towards each other to allow the cantilevered support part 32 to fit through the rail opening 4. At this point, the rail slider 3 then clicks into position.

[0026] To release the rail slider 3 from the rail 1, the holder element 16 and the bridge 18 must be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow 40 visible on the rail slider 3. This then causes the first guide flange 25 to bend toward the second guide flange 26 as a result of the flexible portion 22.

[0027] The rail slider 3 then releases once the size of the slider head 17 has been reduced sufficiently to allow the first cantilevered support part 32 to pass outward from the rail 1 through the rail opening 4. However, if the holder element 16 and the bridge 18 are rotated in the opposite direction (in the opposite direction of the arrow 40), a reduction in the size of the slider head 17 is not achieved and, at a certain point, the deflection is limited by the first limiting part 35. In this way, even if insertion of the rail slider 3 can be accomplished by inserting either the second guide flange 26 or the first guide flange 25 into the rail 1 first, release of the rail slider 3 from the rail 1 can only be achieved in one direction, as indicated by the arrow 40.This is advantageous because it allows the rail slider to be suspended from the rail 1 in such a way that it cannot be accidentally released from the rail 1 due to a tensile force. At the same time, if a simple release of the rail slider 3 from the rail 1 is to be carried out intentionally, it allows the rail slider 3 to be suspended relative to . Fig. 1 mirror image on the rail 1 in response to a tensile force in a downward right direction.

[0028] The Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B further show the rail slider 3 of the present invention. In the side view of Fig. 2A, the slider head 17, the bridge 18, and the holder element 16 are clearly visible. The holder element 16 is shaped as a fastening eyelet, although any other type of holder element may be used, as mentioned here and above. Fig. 2B is a cross section along the line AA of Fig. 2A. From the cross section of Fig. 2B, the holder element 16, the bridge 18 and the slider head 17 can be seen. The reference numerals 14 and 15 denote the first side 14 and the second side 15 of the rail slider 3, respectively. In addition, the cantilevered support part 32 comprises a lower surface 38, while the cantilevered support part 33 comprises a lower surface 39. The lower surfaces 38 and 39 can be longitudinal inner surfaces 12 and 13 of a rail, as shown, for example, in Fig. 1 (or another embodiment, a suspension rail). It is evident that this is not essential. An additional gap 42 is inserted between the first limiting part 35 and the bridge 18 to further save material and reduce the production costs of the rail slider 3. This gap 42 is, of course, optional.

[0029] Fig. Figure 3 further illustrates a perspective view of the rail slider 3 of the present invention. The various parts and elements of the holder element 16, the bridge 18 and the slider head 17 are shown in Fig. 3 indicated by the reference numerals.

[0030] A rail slider according to the present invention can be manufactured using a suitable polymer, such as a suitable polyoxymethylene (POM). Optionally, additives can be included to obtain desired properties. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to these materials, but can also be made from another material. The present invention has been described with reference to some specific embodiments. It is understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described herein are intended to be illustrative only and are not intended to limit the invention in any way. It is believed that the operation and construction of the present invention will be apparent from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings.It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to any embodiment described herein, but that modifications are possible and should be considered within the scope of the appended claims. Kinematic reversals are also intended to be inherently disclosed and considered within the scope of the invention. In the claims, reference numerals are not to be construed as limiting. The terms "comprising" and "including," when used in the present description or the appended claims, should not be construed in an exclusive or exhaustive sense, but rather in an inclusive sense. In this way, the term "comprising," as used herein, does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps in addition to those listed in any claim.Furthermore, the words "a" and "an" should not be interpreted to imply a limitation as "only one," but are used to mean "at least one" and do not preclude a plurality. Features not specifically or expressly described or claimed may additionally be included in the structure of the invention within the scope. Terms such as "means for..." should be understood to mean "component configured to..." or "element constructed to..." and should be interpreted to include equivalents for the disclosed structures. The use of terms such as "critical," "preferred," "particularly preferred," etc., are not intended to limit the invention.Additions, deletions, and modifications within the skill of the art are generally made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. The invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein and is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

[1] A rail slider for use in a suspension rail for suspending an object or cloth from the rail, the rail slider comprising a holder element for securing the object or cloth thereto and a slider head shaped to be secured to the suspension rail in a movable or fixed manner, the slider head having first and second sides which, in use, are parallel to the direction of movement of the rail slider, wherein the slider head comprises a common upper part, and wherein the first and second sides each have a cantilevered support part, wherein the cantilevered support parts extend from the slider head such that, in use, they cooperate with at least two longitudinal inner surfaces of the suspension rail to support the rail slider when suspended from the rail, wherein the upper part forms a connection between the cantilevered support parts and has a flexible section, the slider head on each of the first and second sides further comprises a guide flange extending at least partially along the respective first or second side for guiding the rail slider through the suspension rail, the slider head being connected to the holder element via a bridge extending from the first side to the holder section, the slider head being free from a connection to the holder element on its second side, so that the guide flange of the second side is allowed to deflect towards the first side via the flexible section to enable insertion of the slider head into or removal from the suspension rail; further comprising a second limiting portion extending from the guide flange on the second side of the slider head in a direction transverse to the second side so as to be parallel to the longitudinal inner surfaces of the suspension rail in use. [2] A rail slider according to claim 1, further comprising a first limiting part extending from the guide flange on the first side of the slider head in a direction transverse to the first side so as to be parallel to the longitudinal inner surfaces of the suspension rail in use. [3] A rail slider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second limiting part extends from the guide flange of the second side so as to form a handle for actuating the rail slider to deflect the guide flange. [4] Rail slider according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder element is arranged in a central section below the upper part. [5] A rail slider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder element comprises at least one element selected from a group comprising: a fastening eyelet which, in use, is parallel, perpendicular or rotatable relative to the direction of movement of the rail slider, a clamping device or clamping part, a hook, a projection part for hooking, gripping or suspending, a receiving part for receiving a correspondingly shaped gripping part, or a gripping part for receiving a correspondingly shaped receiving part. [6] A rail slider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein guide flanges of the first and second sides of the slider head define a deflection space between the flanges. [7] The rail slider according to claim 6, wherein the deflection space is arranged below the deflection portion. [8] Rail slider according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the guide flanges defines a height (h) between the corresponding cantilevered support part and the second limiting part, the height corresponding to a thickness of the rail part of the suspension rail comprising the longitudinal inner surface of the rail. [9] A rail slider according to any one of the preceding claims and at least dependent on claim 2, wherein at least one of the guide flanges defines a height (h) between the corresponding cantilevered support part and the first limiting part, the height corresponding to a thickness of the rail part of the suspension rail comprising the longitudinal inner surface of the rail. [10] Rail slider according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rail slider comprising the slider head, the holder element and the bridge is formed as a one-piece element. [11] Rail slider according to one of the preceding claims, made of a suitable polymer, such as a suitable type of polyoxymethylene (POM), which optionally also contains additives. [12] An assembly comprising a suspension rail for suspending an article or fabric from the rail, and a rail slider according to any one of the preceding claims arranged to cooperate with the suspension rail and comprising a slider head shaped to be attached to the suspension rail in a movable manner to permit, in use, movement of the rail slider in a longitudinal direction of the suspension rail. [13] An arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the suspension rail has at least two longitudinal inner surfaces which are parallel to one another and define a rail opening which cooperates with the slider head so as to allow insertion of the slider head into the rail by deflecting the guide flange of the second side towards the first side via the rail opening, the longitudinal inner surfaces, when suspended from the rail, further allowing support of the cantilevered support parts of the slider head in a non-deflected state of the guide flanges. [14] The assembly of claim 13, wherein the rail opening between the longitudinal inner surfaces of the suspension rail has a width that is at least one selected from the group comprising: 3.3 mm, 4.0 mm, 5.6 mm, 6.0 mm, or less than 30 mm.

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