Granted Patent B2

US 7,178,888 · App. 10/996,300 · Granted Feb 20, 2007

Abstract

Claims (45)

1. A slide assembly, comprising:

a first slide segment having a forward end, a rearward end and defining a channel;

a second slide segment movable within said channel from a retracted position to an extended position relative to said first slide segment, said second slide segment being removable from said forward end of said first slide segment;

a bearing assembly configured to facilitate sliding movement of said second slide segment relative to said first slide segment, said bearing assembly being movable within said channel toward said forward end of said first slide segment along wit movement of said second slide segment toward said extended position, said bearing assembly defining a first engagement surface;

a latch defining a second engagement surface wherein said latch does not contact said bearing assembly when said second slide segment is in said retracted position relative to said first slide segment;

wherein, when said second slide segment is removed from engagement with said bearing assembly, said first engagement surface is positioned adjacent said second engagement surface such that upon rearward movement of said bearing assembly said second engagement surface contacts said first engagement surface to inhibit further rearward movement until said latch is contacted and biased to a release position by a component of said slide assembly other than said bearing assembly.

2. The slide assembly of claim 1 , wherein said component is said second slide segment.

3. The slide assembly of claim 1 , additionally comprising a third slide segment defining a channel, said first slide segment being movable within said channel of said third slide segment.

4. A slide assembly, comprising:

a first slide segment having a forward end, a rearward end and defining a channel;

a second slide segment movable within said channel from a retracted position to an extended position relative to said first slide segment, said second slide segment being removable from said forward end of said first slide segment;

a bearing assembly configured to facilitate sliding movement of said second slide segment relative to said first slide segment, said bearing assembly being movable within said channel toward said forward end of said first slide segment along with movement of said second slide segment toward said extended position, said bearing assembly defining a first engagement surface;

a latch defining a second engagement surface;

wherein, when said second slide segment is removed from engagement with said bearing assembly, said latch is moved from a first position towards a second position and then moves back towards said first position wherein said first engagement surface is positioned adjacent said second engagement surface such that upon rearward movement of said bearing assembly said second engagement surface contacts said first engagement surface to inhibit further rearward movement;

and wherein said first and second engagement surfaces are configured such that when a rearward force is applied to said bearing assembly, no force component is applied to said latch in a direction tending to move said latch towards said second position.

5. The slide assembly of claim 4 , wherein said latch includes a first surface, wherein said beating assembly contacts said first surface when said second slide segment is removed from said first slide segment to bias said latch towards said second position.

6. The slide assembly of claim 4 , additionally comprising a third slide segment defining a channel, said first slide segment being movable within said channel of said third slide segment.

7. A slide assembly, comprising:

a first slide segment having a forward end, a rearward end and defining channel;

a second slide segment movable within said channel from a retracted position to an extended position relative to said first slide segment, said second slide segment being removable from said forward end of said first slide segment;

a bearing assembly configured to facilitate sliding movement of said second slide segment relative to said first slide segment, said bearing assembly being movable within said channel toward said forward end of said first slide segment along with movement of said second slide segment toward said extended position, said bearing retainer defining a first engagement surface;

a latch defining a second engagement surface;

wherein, when said second slide segment is removed from engagement with said bearing assembly, said latch is moved from a first position towards a second position and then moves back towards said first position wherein said first engagement surface is positioned adjacent said second engagement surface such that upon rearward movement of said bearing assembly said second engagement surface contacts said first engagement surface to inhibit further rearward movement;

wherein said first and second engagement surfaces are configured such that when a rearward force is applied to said bearing assembly, no force component is applied to said latch in a direction tending to move said latch towards said second position, wherein said latch includes a first surface, wherein said bearing assembly contacts said first surface when said second slide segment is removed from said fast slide segment to bias said latch towards said second position; and

wherein said latch additionally includes a second surface and said second slide segment comprises a tab, said tab configured to contact said second surface and bias said latch towards said second position when said second slide segment is inserted into said channel and moved towards said rearward end of said first slide segment, thereby releasing said bearing assembly from said latch and permitting rearward movement of said bearing assembly.

8. The slide assembly of claim 7 , wherein said first surface is inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis of said slide assembly.

9. The slide assembly of claim 8 , wherein said second surface is inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis of said slide assembly.

10. The slide assembly of claim 7 , wherein said tab is spaced from a rearward end of said second slide segment.

11. A slide assembly, comprising:

a first slide segment having a forward end, a rearward end and defining a channel;

a second slide segment movable within said channel from a retracted position to an extended position relative to said first slide segment, said second slide segment being removable from said forward end of said first slide segment;

a bearing assembly configured to facilitate sliding movement of said second slide segment relative to said first slide segment, said bearing assembly being movable within said channel toward said forward end of said first slide segment along with movement of said second slide segment toward said extended position;

a latch secured proximate a forward end of said first slide segment; wherein, during removal of said second slide segment from said first slide segment, said bearing assembly moves into a locked position relative to said first slide segment wherein rearward movement of said bearing assembly relative to said first slide segment is blocked by said latch, said bearing assembly and said latch being configured such that said bearing assembly is not released from said locked position in response to a rearward force exerted on said bearing retainer, wherein a component of said slide assembly other than said bearing retainer is configured to move said latch to release said bearing assembly from said locked position daring reinsertion of said second slide segment into said first slide segment.

12. The slide assembly of claim 11 , wherein said component is said second slide segment.

13. The slide assembly of claim 11 , additionally comprising a third slide segment defining a channel, said first slide segment being movable within said channel of said third slide segment.

14. A slide assembly, comprising:

a first slide segment;

a second slide segment movable from a retracted position to an extended position relative to said first slide segment and being removable from a forward end of said first slide segment, said second slide segment comprising a tab;

a bearing assembly configured to facilitate sliding movement of said second slide segment relative to said first slide segment, said bearing assembly being movable toward said forward end of said first slide segment along with movement of said second slide segment toward said extended position, said bearing assembly defining a first engagement surface;

a latch secured proximate a forward end of said first slide segment, wherein said latch does not contact said bearing assembly when said second slide segment is in said retracted position relative to said first slide segment, said latch defining a second engagement surface, said latch being movable between a first position wherein said second engagement surface is positioned adjacent said first engagement surface to inhibit rearward movement of said bearing assembly and a second position wherein rearward movement of said bearing assembly is permitted;

wherein when said second slide segment is inserted into said channel and moved toward a rearward end of said first slide segment said tab is configured, if said latch is in said first position, to contact said first surface and move said latch from said first position toward said second position.

15. The slide assembly of claim 14 , wherein said latch is configured to remain in said first position to inhibit rearward movement of said beating assembly until said latch is moved toward said second position by said tab.

16. The slide assembly of claim 14 , additionally comprising a third slide segment defining a channel, said first slide segment being movable within said channel of said third slide segment.

17. The slide assembly of claim 14 , wherein said first surface is inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis of said slide assembly.

18. The slide assembly of claim 14 , wherein said tab is spaced from a rearward end of said second slide segment.

Assignments (10)