Ball sleeve for use in the inner sliding rail of a hidden sliding track assembly

A ball sleeve coupled between inner sliding rail and outer sliding rail of a hidden sliding track assembly is disclosed having four longitudinal rows of openings for accommodating balls, a narrow thin wall portion longitudinally extended on the middle between two distal ends of the top wall thereof through which the user can expand said sleeve body for easy installation of the balls in the openings and easy coupling of the ball sleeve to the inner sliding rail of a hidden sliding track assembly, and a plurality of recessed bearing portions respectively disposed at two sides of each of opening for supporting the balls in the openings.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hidden sliding track assembly for drawer or the like and more specifically, to a ball sleeve for use in the inner sliding rail of a hidden sliding track assembly, which has a narrow thin wall portion on the middle of the top wall of the sleeve body thereof for easy installation, and recessed bearing portions for supporting balls in respective openings in the sleeve body.

A regular ball sleeve6for use in a hidden sliding track assembly (seeFIG. 1) has a sleeve body61of substantially η-shaped cross section. The sleeve body has four longitudinal rows of openings611respectively arranged in four angles of the inside space. Balls7are respectively mounted in the openings611by means of the application of a special mold and a special machine. After installation of the balls7in the openings611, the ball sleeve6is coupled to the inner sliding rail8and the outer sliding rail9. This ball sleeve installation procedure is complicated. In order to prevent falling of balls7out of the openings611of the sleeve body61, the sleeve body61must be coupled to inner sliding rail8and the outer sliding rail9step by step each time a limited number of balls7have been installed in the openings611. Further, the mounting tools are expensive.

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a ball sleeve for use in the inner sliding rail of a hidden sliding track assembly, which is easy to install. It is another object of the present invention to provide a ball sleeve for use in the inner sliding rail of a hidden sliding track assembly, which is inexpensive to manufacture.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the ball sleeve has a narrow thin wall portion longitudinally extended on the middle between the two ends of the top wall of the sleeve body thereof through which the user can expand the sleeve body for easy installation of balls in the openings and easy coupling of the ball sleeve to the inner sliding rail of a hidden sliding track. According to another aspect of the present invention, the sleeve body of the ball sleeve further has a plurality of recessed bearing portions respectively disposed at two sides of each opening for supporting the balls in the openings, keeping the balls rotatably in close contact between the inner sliding rail and outer sliding rail of the hidden sliding track assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 3˜6, a ball sleeve1is shown comprising a sleeve body11of substantially η-shaped cross section, having four longitudinal rows of openings111˜114respectively arranged in four angles of the inside space, and a plurality of balls2respectively mounted in the openings111˜114. After coupling of the ball sleeve1to a hidden sliding track assembly's inner sliding rail3, the balls2in the four rows of openings111˜114are respectively maintained in contact between respective sliding grooves31˜34of the inner sliding rail3and respective sliding grooves41˜44of the sliding track assembly's outer sliding rail4to support the outer sliding rail4on the inner sliding rail3.

The main features of the present invention are outlined hereinafter. The sleeve body11of the ball sleeve1has a narrow thin wall portion1101longitudinally extended on the middle between the two ends of the top wall110thereof through which the user can expand the sleeve body11for easy installation of the balls2in the openings111˜114and easy coupling of the ball sleeve1to the inner sliding rail3, and a plurality of recessed bearing portions1111˜1141respectively disposed at two sides of each of the openings111˜114for supporting two sides21of each of the balls2in the openings111˜114, keeping the balls2in close contact between the inner sliding rail3and the outer sliding rail4.

Further, slots1102are formed in the narrow thin wall portion1101of the sleeve body11of the ball sleeve1, thereby making the narrow thin wall portion1101more flexible for expanding.

Further, recessed bearing portions1111˜1141are smoothly curved inwards to fit the spherical shape of the balls2so that the balls2can be rotated smoothly in the respective openings1111˜1141.

As indicated above, the invention has the following advantages:

1. The sleeve body11of the ball sleeve1has a narrow thin wall portion1101longitudinally extended on the middle between the two ends of the top wall110thereof through which the user can expand the sleeve body11for easy installation of the balls2in the openings111˜14and easy coupling of the ball sleeve1to the inner sliding rail3.

2. The sleeve body11of the ball sleeve1further has a plurality of recessed bearing portions1111˜1141respectively disposed at two sides of each of the openings111˜114for supporting two sides21of each of the balls2in the openings111˜114, keeping the balls2in close contact between the inner sliding rail3and the outer sliding rail4and preventing falling of the balls2out of the sleeve body11.