SLIDING ASSEMBLY FOR PORTABLE HANDSET

A self-contained sliding assembly for use with a sliding handset of the type having a keyboard part and a display part that are configured to slidably engage one another into fully open and fully closed positions, where the sliding assembly includes at least one elongated guide rail, a housing configured to engage the at least one guide rail and to move slidably along a length thereof, and a biasing assembly for biasing relative sliding movement of the guide rail and the housing, where the biasing assembly is configured to include open and closed stop positions and a maximum load position at a predetermined point between the open and closed stop positions.