Sliding mechanism

Abstract

A sliding mechanism includes an inner rail with a first protrusion and a second protrusion. An outer rail with a third protrusion and a stopping surface; a middle rail slidably mounted between the inner rail and the outer rail along a first direction, and having a resisting portion; a positioning member being slidably mounted on the middle rail in a second direction. The inner rail non-slidably latches with the middle rail when the inner rail slides a first predetermined distance. The resisting portion latches with the stopping surface to enable the middle rail to be non-slidably relative to outer rail after the inner rail together with the middle rail slides a second predetermined distance; and the positioning member slides relative to the second protrusion in the second direction to release the positioning member.

1 . A sliding mechanism, comprising:
 an outer rail;   an inner rail;   a middle rail between the outer rail and the inner rail, the middle rail having a resisting portion protruding therefrom, the middle rail slidably mounted to the outer rail in a first direction and the inner rail slidably mounted to the middle rail in the first direction;   a latching assembly including a first protrusion positioned at the inner rail, a second protrusion positioned at the inner rail and spaced from the first protrusion, a third protrusion positioned at the outer rail, a roller being slidably mounted on the middle rail in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a stopping surface formed near the third protrusion;   wherein when the inner rail slides relative to the middle rail in the first direction, the roller slides to and latches the second protrusion to make the middle rail sliding with the inner rail; and then the roller slides to and along the third protrusion until the resisting portion resists the stopping surface to prevent the middle rail from sliding relative to the outer rail and the roller slides relative to the middle rail in the second direction to release the roller from the second protrusion such that the roller slides along the first protrusion to make the inner rail further extends relative to the middle rail.   
     
     
         2 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inner rail includes two sliding plates respectively located at opposite sides thereof; the middle rail includes two sliding blocks respectively positioned at opposite sides thereof, each sliding block defines a sliding groove which slidably engages one of the sliding plates to enable the middle rail to slide relative to the inner rail. 
     
     
         3 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the outer rail has two sliding slots respectively defined at opposite sides thereof, each sliding slot slidably engages with one of the sliding blocks so the outer rail can slide relative to the middle rail. 
     
     
         4 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are both positioned at one side of the inner rail facing the middle rail. 
     
     
         5 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the first protrusion includes a first protrusion valley and a first protrusion peak; the second protrusion includes a second protrusion valley and a second protrusion peak; the third protrusion includes a third protrusion valley and a third protrusion peak. 
     
     
         6 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the middle rail further defines a guiding groove to guide the roller to slide relative to the middle rail in the second direction. 
     
     
         7 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the roller includes a main body, a first pin protruding from one side of the main body, a second pin protruding from another side of the main body; the first pin slides along the first protrusion when the inner rail slides relative to the middle rail, and the second pin slides along the third protrusion when the middle rail slides together with the inner rail relative to the outer rail. 
     
     
         8 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the roller further defines a securing slot around the second pin near the main body, the securing slot slidably secures with the portions of the middle rail surrounding the guiding groove so the roller is slidably secured to the middle rail. 
     
     
         9 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the roller further defines a retaining slot defined around the first pin near the main body; the sliding mechanism further includes an elastic element including a retaining ring formed one end thereof and wrapping in the retaining slot to latch the roller to the elastic element. 
     
     
         10 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the elastic element further includes a latching portion formed at the center thereof; the middle rail further includes a hook latching the latching portion to hold the elastic element to the middle rail. 
     
     
         11 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the middle rail further includes a opening; the elastic element further includes a inserting portion formed another end thereof which is inserted in the opening to assist the elastic element to hold on the middle rail. 
     
     
         12 . A sliding mechanism, comprising:
 an inner rail including a first protrusion and a second protrusion spaced from the first protrusion;   an outer rail including a third protrusion and a stopping surface located near the third protrusion;   a middle rail slidably mounted between the inner rail and the outer rail along a first direction, the middle rail having a resisting portion protruding toward the outer rail;   a positioning member being slidably mounted on the middle rail in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;   wherein the positioning member latches with the second protrusion to enable the inner rail non-slidably latched with the middle rail when the inner rail slides a first predetermined distance relative to the middle rail in the first direction with the positioning member sliding along the first protrusion; the resisting portion is used to latch with the stopping surface to enable the middle rail non-slidably relative to outer rail after the inner rail together with the middle rail slides a second predetermined distance relative to the outer rail in the first direction with the positioning member sliding along the third protrusion; and the positioning member slides relative to the second protrusion in the second direction to release the positioning member from the second protrusion after the positioning member slides along the third protrusion so the inner rail can further slide relative to the middle rail in the first direction.   
     
     
         13 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are both positioned at one side of the inner rail facing the middle rail, the first protrusion includes a first protrusion valley and a first protrusion peak; the second protrusion includes a second protrusion valley and a second protrusion peak; the third protrusion includes a third protrusion valley and a third protrusion peak. 
     
     
         14 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein when the inner rail slides the first predetermined distance relative to the middle rail in the first direction, the positioning member slides from the first protrusion peak to the first protrusion valley. 
     
     
         15 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein when the inner rail together with the middle rail slides the second predetermined distance relative to the outer rail in the first direction, the positioning member slides from the third protrusion valley to the third protrusion peak; 
     
     
         16 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein after the positioning member releases from the second protrusion, the positioning member slides from the second protrusion peak to the second protrusion valley so the inner rail further slide relative to the middle rail in the first direction 
     
     
         17 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the sliding mechanism further includes an elastic element mounted between the middle rail and the positioning member; when the positioning member slides from the first protrusion peak to the first protrusion valley, the elastic element is expanded. 
     
     
         18 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein when the positioning member slides from the third protrusion valley to the third protrusion peak, the elastic member is compressed. 
     
     
         19 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein when the positioning member slides from the second protrusion peak to the second protrusion valley, the elastic member is expanded. 
     
     
         20 . The sliding mechanism as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the middle rail further defines a guiding groove to guide the positioning member to slide relative to the middle rail in the second direction.