Angled Roller Contour for Multi-Directional Load Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sliding door guides for motor vehicles are primarily designed to absorb tensile loads and are not effective in handling other forces or torques, leading to inefficiencies and additional stress on other components.

Innovation Solution

A sliding door guide with a roller assembly featuring two engagement surfaces at an angle, allowing for absorption of forces in multiple directions through a form fit and spring arrangement, which relieves other guide rails and enhances torque absorption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a conventional roller design with a single contact surface is used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the guide can only absorb tensile loads and cannot handle forces in other directions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidload absorption capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The roller contour is designed with engagement surfaces that extend in multiple directions, creating a multi-dimensional contact geometry with the rail. This allows the roller to absorb forces not only in the tensile direction but also in vertical and lateral directions, effectively adding dimensional capability to the load absorption without complicating the basic roller structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The roller assembly is designed to perform multiple functions: it absorbs tensile loads, vertical loads, and lateral forces simultaneously through its multi-surface engagement geometry. This universal design eliminates the need for separate components for different load directions, achieving versatility while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional tracks are added to absorb different loads, then load absorption capability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload absorption capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple load absorption functions are merged into a single roller-rail interface. The roller contour integrates engagement surfaces for tensile loads, vertical loads, and lateral forces, combining what would traditionally require multiple separate tracks into one unified component system, thereby reducing overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The roller assembly is designed as a universal component that can handle multiple types of loads (tensile, vertical, lateral) through its multi-surface engagement geometry, eliminating the need for additional specialized tracks and reducing the overall complexity of the sliding door guide system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a roller assembly with multi-surface engagement is used, then load absorption in multiple directions is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload absorption capabilityVSAvoidease of manufacture
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The roller contour is designed with engagement surfaces that extend in multiple directions, creating a multi-dimensional contact geometry with the rail. This allows the roller to absorb forces not only in the tensile direction but also in vertical and lateral directions, effectively adding dimensional capability to the load absorption without complicating the basic roller structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The roller assembly is designed to perform multiple functions: it absorbs tensile loads, vertical loads, and lateral forces simultaneously through its multi-surface engagement geometry. This universal design eliminates the need for separate components for different load directions, achieving versatility while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution enables the sliding door guide to effectively absorb vertical loads and torques, reducing the load on other guide rails and improving the overall structural efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the sliding door system.

Implementation Method 1

a roller assembly (3) attached to the door bracket (1). The roller assembly (3) has a plurality of rollers (4) with a roller contour (5) for rolling on a rail contour (6)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling: Roller

Implementation Method 2

spring arrangement (15), which relieves other guide rails and enhances torque absorption

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3231975B1Sliding door guide for a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2019.06.12 GEBR BODE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3231975B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3231975B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3231975B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a sliding door guide for a motor vehicle with a door holder (1) for attachment to a sliding door, with a rail (2) for guiding the door holder (1) and with a roller arrangement (3) attached to the door holder (1), wherein the roller arrangement (3) has a roller (4a-d) with a roller contour (5) for rolling on a rail contour (6) of the rail (2), so that the roller arrangement (3) is displaceable along the rail (2), characterized in that the roller contour (5) engages in the rail contour (6) in such a way that two engagement surfaces (7a, b) arranged at an angle to each other are created.