Three-Stage Ball Bearing Slide Dancer Lock for Synchronous Retraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional three-stage ball bearing slides face challenges in synchronously extending and retracting the mobile and carrier tracks without disengagement, particularly in maintaining the carrier track's position when fully extended and facilitating smooth retraction into a fixed track.
Innovation Solution
A dancer mechanism is introduced with a pivoted arch surface, elastic member, and a resisting bit that interacts with a compression bit and slot to secure and release the carrier track's position, allowing synchronous extension and retraction with the mobile track, ensuring the carrier track remains linked to the fixed track without excessive effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mobile track is pulled to extend and link the carrier track to slide synchronously, then the synchronization between mobile and carrier tracks is improved, but the carrier track positioning stability at terminal location deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The dancer mechanism serves as an intermediary component between the mobile track and carrier track. It includes a pivoted body with a resisting bit that interacts with the compression bit on the carrier track, enabling temporary positioning at terminal location while maintaining synchronous movement during extension and retraction
Solution Approach 2:
The dancer mechanism employs dynamic elements including a pivoted body that can swing, an elastic member providing resilient force, and movable resisting bit that engages and disengages from the compression bit. This dynamic structure allows the system to transition between synchronous movement mode and temporary positioning mode
2Reliability
If the carrier track is secured in position when pulled to extreme location, then the positioning function is improved, but the retraction effort required deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The dancer mechanism acts as a mediator that stores potential energy through its elastic member during extension, then releases this energy during retraction. The pivoted body with resisting bit temporarily engages the compression bit to hold position, then easily disengages to allow smooth retraction without excessive force
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member in the dancer mechanism provides beforehand cushioning by storing elastic potential energy during the extension phase. This pre-stored energy cushions the retraction process, reducing the effort needed to retract the carrier track from its extended position
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 dancer mechanism ensures secure extension and effortless retraction of the carrier track by maintaining constant swing and elastic interaction, enhancing the synchronization and positioning strength between the mobile and carrier tracks within the ball bearing slide system.
Implementation Method 1
An elastic member is connected between the hook and one side of a pivoted end of the dancer to maintain constant swing of the dancer
Data Source
AI summary
A synchronous system for a three-stage ball bearing slide includes a carrier track being inserted into a fixed track to carry a mobile track. Both of the mobile and the carrier tracks engage in reciprocal movement along the same axis direction in relation to the fixed track. A dancer is pivoted to the rear end of the carrier track. The carrier track synchronously slides with the mobile track by a protruding tongue on the mobile track upholding the dancer, and is held in position by having the dancer to uphold a compression bit on the fixed track. A direct push on the extreme where the carrier track is extended releases the dancer from the compression bit to retract once again the carrier track into the fixed track.