Patent Abstract:
An elastic assembly for a portable electronic device includes at least two springs and two bushings. Each spring has a different curvature radius and two annular connecting portions at two ends, the connecting portion of each spring having a different diameter relative other connecting portion of other springs. The springs are substantially arranged in a plane, the two connecting portions of each spring are respectively coiled around and secured to another two connecting portion of another spring, the two bushings are respectively secured to the two connecting portion having the smallest diameter. The disclosure also discloses a slide mechanism using the elastic module.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The disclosure relates to an elastic assembly and a slide mechanism using the elastic module. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Typical slide-type portable electronic devices have a cover, a housing, and a slide mechanism connecting the cover to the housing. The slide mechanism enables the cover to slide over the housing, opening or closing the portable electronic device. 
         [0005]    Slide mechanisms for slide-type portable electronic devices usually include a linear spring. The linear spring is typically too small to provide sufficient compression for the portable electronic devices. The linear spring is also weaker, so it easily fails with repeated use. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the various drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the diagrams. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an elastic assembly according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an assembled view of the elastic assembly shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of an elastic assembly according to another exemplary embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an assembled view of the elastic assembly shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a slide mechanism using the elastic assembly shown in  FIG. 4  in closed position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the slide mechanism shown in  FIG. 5  in open position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a portable electronic device using the slide mechanism shown in  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an exemplary embodiment of an elastic assembly  10  which can be used in a slide mechanism of a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone, or PDA (personal digital assistant), for example. The elastic assembly  10  includes a first spring  12 , a second spring  13  and two bushings  14 . 
         [0016]    The first spring  12  and the second spring  13  can be arcuate and made of metal or other hard, pliable material such as plastic. Each of the first and second springs  12  and  13  has a rectangular or round cross-section, for example. The first spring  12  forms annular first connecting portions  122  at the two ends. The second spring  13  can be arcuate and has a different curvature radius than the first spring  12 . The second spring  13  forms annular second connecting portions  132  at the two ends. The first connecting portion  122  can be coiled around and can be welded to the second connecting portion  132 . The bushing  14  can be received in and can be welded to the smaller diameter connecting portion from one of the first connecting portions  122  or the second connecting portion  132 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the elastic assembly  10  can further include two shaft members  16 . Each shaft member  16  rotatably engages with the bushing  14 . The shaft member  16  includes a shaft portion  162 , a first end portion  164 , and a second end portion  166 . The first and the second end portions  164  and  166  are larger in diameter than the shaft portion  162 , and the first end portion  164  has a larger diameter than the second end portion  166 . The shaft portion  162  and the second end portion  164  can pass through bushing  14 . In order to engage the bushing  14 , the bushing  14  defines an annular receiving groove  142  at an end, the receiving groove  142  has a same diameter as the first end portion  164 . 
         [0018]    During assembly of the elastic assembly  10 , the first spring  12  and the second spring  13  are substantially in the same plane and the first connecting portion  122  engages with and welds to the second connecting portion  132 . The bushing  14  is placed into and welds to the smaller diameter connecting portion from one of the first connecting portions  122  and the second connecting portions  132 . The shaft member  16  is assembled to the bushing  14 . The shaft portion  162  and the first end portion  164  pass through the bushing  14 . The second end portion  166  is substantially received in the receiving groove  142 . Therefore, the elastic assembly  10  is assembled. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the elastic assembly  10  is applied to a slide mechanism  30 . The slide mechanism  30  includes an upper plate  32  and a lower plate  34 . The upper plate  32  defines two first assembly holes  322  to assemble ends of the elastic assembly  10 . The first assembly hole  322  includes a first hole portion  3222  and a second hole portion  3224  communicating with the first hole portion  3222 , and the first hole portion  3222  is larger than the second hole portion  3224 . The first hole portion  3222  has the same diameter as the second end portion  166  of the shaft member  16 . The diameter of the second hole portion  3224  in general, corresponds to the diameter of the shaft portion  162 . The second end portion  166  can run through the first hole portion  3222  and the shaft portion  162  can slide into and be received the second hole portion  3224 , thus, the second end portion  166  cannot pull out from the second hole portion  3224 . The lower plate  34  defines two second assembly holes  342  to assemble the other ends of the elastic assembly  10 , and the second assembly hole  342  is structurally the same as the first assembly hole  322 . The lower plate  34  also forms two parallel rails  344  for slidably engaging with two sides of the lower plate  34 . 
         [0020]    To assemble the slide mechanism  30 , the two sides of the upper plate  32  engage with the two rails  344  of the lower plate  34 . The two elastic assemblies  10  are assembled between the upper plate  32  and the lower plate  34 . The second end portion  166  runs through the first hole portion  3222  of the upper plate  32 , then, the shaft portion  162  is pulled laterally and slid into the second hole portion  3224 . Meanwhile, the second end portion  166  cannot pass through the second hole portion  3224 . Thus, an end of the elastic assembly  10  is positioned in the second hole portion  3224 . The other end of the elastic assembly  10  is positioned in the lower plate  34  by the same way as described above. The first spring  12  and the second spring  13  are compressed between the first assembly hole  322  and the second assembly hole  342 . The two shaft portions  162  can be firmly secured in the second hole portions  3224 . Therefore, the slide mechanism  30  is assembled. 
         [0021]    When subjected to an external force, the upper plate  32  slides along direction A shown in  FIG. 5 . The first spring  12  and the second spring  13  compress and accumulate potential energy. After the upper plate  32  slides over a predetermined position, the first spring  12  and the second spring  13  release the potential energy, and the upper plate  32  slides automatically until the slide mechanism  30  opens. During this course, the first spring  12  and the second spring  13  restore to their original states. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the slide mechanism  30  is applied in a portable electronic device  40  such as a mobile phone. The electronic device  40  includes a cover  42  and a housing  44  engageable with the cover  42 . The cover  42  forms a display screen  422 , the housing  44  has a plurality of keys  442  arranged thereon. The cover  42  is secured to the upper plate  32 , and the housing  44  is secured to the lower plate  34 . Thus, the portable electronic device  40  opens or closes with the slide mechanism  30 . 
         [0023]    It is noteworthy that, the shaft member  16  can be omitted, in this case the elastic assembly  10  is connected to the upper plate  32  and the lower plate  34  by the bushing  14 . 
         [0024]    It is noteworthy that, the elastic assembly can have at least two springs structurally the same as the first and second springs  12  and  13 . Where all of the springs are arranged and are secured by their ends. 
         [0025]    It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of structures and functions of various embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5