Slide Rail Locating Structure With Ball-Spring Snap Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current slide rail systems for flip cover mobile phones have precision and manufacturing issues due to casting methods, leading to complex assembly and high costs, with delicate springs and small dimensions complicating the assembly of springs and steel balls.
Innovation Solution
A locating structure for slide rail using a rectangular guide rail with inward-turn slide grooves, a short slider frame with slide wings, and an elastic spring frame that compresses and snaps into place, eliminating the need for fine springs and simplifying assembly, while a friction plate enhances wear resistance and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a casting method is used to form the slider, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the precision and quality of the slider are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the slider body and spring groove into a single injection-molded component, eliminating the need for separate casting and subsequent assembly operations. This integrated design maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving superior precision through molding technology, directly resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision.
2Volume of moving object
If the slider dimension is made small to achieve compact design, then the overall size is reduced, but the spring becomes very fine and delicate making assembly complicated
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the spring groove directly into the slider body through injection molding, the patent eliminates the need for separate spring assembly operations. The spring is retained within the molded groove, transforming a complex multi-step assembly process into a simpler single-step operation, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection-molded spring groove is designed to automatically retain the spring during the molding process itself, eliminating the need for separate assembly operations. The groove geometry is configured to self-secure the spring, making the assembly process self-completing and significantly reducing operational complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a separate bottom plate and top cover are used to form the slide rail, then the structural design is flexible, but the manufacturing cost and assembling process are enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the bottom plate and top cover into a single injection-molded component, combining two separate parts with multiple assembly steps into one monolithic structure. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly operations, reducing both manufacturing cost and assembling process complexity while maintaining the necessary structural functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The single injection-molded component performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the slide rail structure, contains the spring groove, and integrates the locating hole features. This multi-functional design replaces the need for separate bottom plate and top cover components, simplifying both manufacturing and assembly processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides improved precision, reduced manufacturing costs, and simplified assembly, along with enhanced toughness and wear resistance, resulting in a longer service life and easier operation of the slide rail system.
Implementation Method 1
a spring frame, disposed on the bottom of the slide plate and manufactured to form a ball hole on its bottom to socketingly connected with a rolling ball, extends upward an predetermined length from its both sides, respectively, and then bends inward to form a turn portion
Implementation Method 2
when the slider slides, the two slide wings slide along the two slide grooves, respectively, and thus the rolling ball compresses the spring plate and moves along the bottom plate
Implementation Method 3
a friction plate enhances wear resistance and stability
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a locating structure for slide rail, comprising a guide rail which is a rectangular plate disposed with a respective inward-turn slide groove on both sides of its bottom plate, wherein at least two locating holes at the predetermined locating positions are machined to form on the surface of the bottom plate; a slider which is a short frame whose slide plate on top extends to form a respective slide wing on its both sides corresponding to the slide grooves to form a socketingly connection, wherein a respective receiving hole is manufactured to form on both sides of the slide plate, a spring frame, disposed on the bottom of the slide plate and manufactured to form a ball hole on its bottom to socketingly connected with a rolling ball, extends upward an predetermined length from its both sides, respectively, and then bends inward to form a turn portion, respectively, one of which connects downward with a spring plate whose bottom contacts with the rolling ball and the other of which maintains a gap with the spring plate; when the slider slides, the two slide wings slide along the two slide grooves, respectively, and thus the rolling ball compresses the spring plate and moves along the bottom plate until the rolling ball reaches the locating hole to stretch the spring plate, such that the rolling ball falls into the locating hole to form a snapping engagement.