Abstract:
A slide mechanism includes a fixing plate, a slide plate, and a slide assembly. The fixing plate defines a slide groove and forms a pair of slide rails on opposite sides of the slide groove. The slide plate is positioned on the fixing plate. The slide assembly is positioned between the fixing plate and the slide plate and is allowed an assisted back and forth movement on the slide assembly, and a rotation subjected to friction at the front end of the slide assembly and the slide plate.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to slide mechanisms, and particularly, to a slide mechanism for electronic device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Many slide mechanisms include a slide plate, a fixing plate, and a slide assembly. The slide plate defines a slide groove. The slide assembly includes a resilient member, two active arms, and two connecting assemblies. One end of each active arm is rotatably connected to the slide plate via the connecting assemblies, and the other end of each active arm forms a slide post. The slide posts are slidably engaged in the slide groove of the slide plate, and form a V-shaped frame. The resilient member connects the active arms to each other, and generates an elastic force to drive the active arms to rotate, such that the slide plate slides relative to the fixing plate. However, many slide mechanisms of this type have a complex structure, and a correspondingly higher cost of manufacture. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0006]    The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an embodiment of an assembled slide mechanism including a fixing plate, a slide plate, and a slide assembly. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the slide mechanism of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 1 , and showing the slide plate sliding on the fixing plate. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 1 , and showing the slide plate rotating relative to the fixing plate. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Referring to the  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a slide mechanism  100  for an electronic device (not shown) includes a fixing plate  10 , a slide plate  20  slidably positioned on the fixing plate  10 , and a slide assembly  30  positioned between the fixing plate  10  and the slide plate  20 , and the slide assembly  30  is slidably connecting the slide plate  20  to the fixing plate  10 . 
         [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the fixing plate  10  includes a main body  11 , two slide rails  13 , and two guiding flanges  15 . In the illustrated embodiment, the main body  11  is substantially rectangular, and defines a slide groove  110  in a middle portion of the main body  11 . The slide groove  110  is a thin rectangular slot. 
         [0013]    The slide rails  13  are formed on opposite sides of the slide groove  110 . The slide rails  13  are in the form of very shallow triangular structures. Each slide rail  13  includes a top surface  131 , and the top surface  131  includes a first sloping slide surface  1311  and a second sloping slide surface  1312 . The first sloping slide surface  1311  and the second sloping slide surface  1312  are symmetrical, and are risen up to intersect with each other at a top line  130 . 
         [0014]    The guiding flanges  15  are formed on opposite sides of the main body  11 , and are shorter than the main body  11 , respectively. Each guiding flange  15  includes a connecting portion  151  extending from one side of the main body  11 , and a guiding portion  153  extending from one side of the connecting portion  151  away from the main body  11 . 
         [0015]    The slide plate  20  includes a main portion  21  and two sliding portions  23 . In the illustrated embodiment, the main portion  21  is substantially rectangular, and defines an assembly hole  211  approximately in the center of the main portion  21 . The sliding portions  23  are formed on opposite sides of the main portion  21 , and each sliding portion  23  together with the main portion  21  define a guiding groove  231  corresponding to the guiding flange  15  of the fixing plate  10 . 
         [0016]    The slide assembly  30  includes a slide member  31 , a washer  33 , a friction member  35 , and a resilient member  37 . The slide member  31  includes a positioning portion  311 , a sliding portion  313 , and a connecting post  315 . The positioning portion  311  is circular, and has a diameter larger than a width of the slide groove  110 . In plan view, the sliding portion  313  is oval in shape, so as to be capable of sliding but not rotating in the slide groove  110 . The connecting post  315  extends from the sliding portion  313 , and has a shaft portion  3151  and a fixing portion  3153 . 
         [0017]    The washer  33  and the friction member  35  are annular, and are sleeved on the connecting post  315 . The resilient member  37  also is sleeved on the connecting post  315 , and positioned between the washer  33  and the friction member  35 . In the embodiment, the resilient member  37  is a compression spring. 
         [0018]    In assembly, the slide member  31  is engaged into the slide groove  110  of the fixing plate  10  with a plurality of slide surfaces  3131  attaching to the inner sidewalls of the slide groove  110 . The washer  33 , the resilient member  37 , and the friction member  35  are sleeved on the connecting post  315  of the slide member  31 , and then the washer  33  abuts the slide rails  13 . The slide plate  20  is sleeved on the connecting post  315  with the guiding portions  153  slidably engaging in the guiding groove  231  of the slide plate  20 . The fixing portion  3153  of the connecting post  315  is punched to form a deformed portion (not shown) having a larger diameter than that of the shaft portion  3151 , to fasten the fixing plate  10  and the slide plate  20  together as if being riveted. Then, the resilient member  37  finds itself being compressed between the fixing plate  10  and the slide plate  20 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in use, an external force is applied on the slide plate  20 , and the resilient member  37  thereby accepts the corresponding compression force. When the washer  33  is abutting on the top line  130  of the slide rails  13 , the resilient member  37  is in a state of maximum compression. After the washer  33  has passed over and beyond the top line  130 , the external force may be removed, and the resilient energy of the resilient member  37  is released, such that the slide plate  20  is sliding simply by virtue of the inherent resilient force possessed by the resilient member  37  when naturally being released. When the washer  33  has slid to the end of the first sloping slide surface  1311  adjacent to the main body  11 , the sliding portions  23  of the slide plate  20  are disengaged from the guiding flanges  15 , and the slide plate  20  is then capable of rotating relative to the fixing plate  10 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the slide plate  20  may be rotated by hand through a predetermined angle relative to the fixing plate  10 , and the slide plate  20  will remain in the configuration or direction to which it was rotated, because of the friction created between the friction member  35  and the slide plate  20 . 
         [0021]    The substantially triangular shape of the slide rails  13  assists the slide plate  20  in sliding relative to the fixing plate  10 , when the washer  33  rests on the first sloping slide surface  1311 . Moreover, the slide plate  20  can rotate relative to the fixing plate  10  when the sliding portions  23  are disengaged from the guiding flanges  15 , and can be positioned in any angular position due to the friction between the friction member  35  and the slide plate  20 . Therefore, the slide mechanism  100  has a very simple structure, and the slide plate  20  can both slide and rotate relative to the fixing plate  10 . 
         [0022]    In other embodiments, the slide mechanism  100 , the washer  33 , the friction member  35 , and the resilient member  37  may not be directly positioned between the slide plate  20  and the slide rails  13 . The first sloping slide surface  1311  and the second sloping slide surface  1312  may be curved. A restricting groove acting as an end stop (not shown) may be defined in the end of the first sloping slide surface  1311  adjacent to the main body  11 , for restricting the range of movement of the slide plate  20 . In addition, the fixing plate  10  may be formed of only one or of more than two slide rails  13 , and the slide rails  13  may be formed and shaped accordingly. 
         [0023]    While the present disclosure has been described with reference to particular embodiments, the description is illustrative and is not to be construed as limiting the disclosure. Therefore, various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure, as defined by the appended claims.