Patent ID: 7831285

Claim:
A handheld electronic device comprising: a first panel; a second panel slidable with respect to the first panel; a first slider secured to the first panel, a second slider secured to the second panel, wherein the second slider is slidably engaged with the first slider and slidable relative to the first slider; a link assembly linking between the first and second sliders, the link assembly comprising: a first link member comprising a first pivot end and a first opposing end, the first link member being pivotally connected to the first slider at or near the first pivot end, a second link member comprising a second pivot end, and a second opposing end, the second link member being pivotally connected to the second slider at or near the second pivot end, wherein the first and second link members are engaged with each other such that sliding of the first slider relative to the second slider causes linear sliding of the first link member relative to the second link member and further causes a swivel movement of the first link member relative to the first slider and a swivel movement of the second link member relative to the second slider, and a spring interconnecting the first and second link members and configured to apply resilient force as the first and second link members slide relative to each other; and wherein the second slider is movable relative to the first slider between a first relative position and a second relative position, wherein the link assembly is configured to exert force on the second slider to spontaneously move toward the first relative position when the second slider is located between the first and second relative positions.