Ball Connect Device for Linear Guideway Friction Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ball retainers in linear guideways face issues with increased friction, noise, and high production costs due to tight ball contact and stringent material quality requirements, and existing solutions are not optimally designed for linear guideways.
Innovation Solution
A ball connect device featuring a ribbon-shaped connecting portion with retaining holes of varying diameters and integral ring portions that allow for adjustable ball spacing and retention, enabling efficient linear circulation and reduced friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If neighboring balls are separated by ball retainers, then friction and noise are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball retainer is divided into multiple partition walls that create separate retaining spaces for individual balls. Each partition wall independently separates adjacent balls, allowing them to rotate without interfering with each other while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition walls are integrated within the ball retainer body structure, with the retaining spaces nested within the retainer component. This nested design allows the ball separation function to be incorporated without adding significant external complexity to the system.
2Ease of manufacture
If balls are placed into mold in advance for production, then ball retainer can be manufactured, but production cost increases and manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ball retainers are designed to be manufactured separately from the balls, allowing the balls to be placed into the retainers after the retainers are already formed. This eliminates the need for preliminary ball placement during molding and reduces requirements for mold quality and material properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process is segmented into separate steps: first manufacturing the ball retainers, then separately placing the balls into the retainers. This separation of manufacturing steps reduces the stringency of requirements for the molding process and material quality.
3Reliability
If balls are tightly contacted with partition walls, then balls are retained securely, but rotating resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The partition walls are designed with specific local characteristics: they provide sufficient contact surfaces to secure ball retention, but the contact is optimized to minimize friction. The geometry of the partition walls and retaining spaces is tailored to achieve secure retention while allowing smooth ball rotation with minimal resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
A ball connect device for a linear guideway comprises: at least one ribbon-shaped connecting portion in which being formed a plurality of retaining holes for retaining a plurality of balls, and a plurality ring portions being protruded out a surface of the connecting portion and each of the ring portions being formed around the respective retaining holes to circle around the balls. The retaining holes each has two open ends that are located at both sides of the ribbon-shaped connecting portion, a diameter of one of the two open ends is near a diameter of the balls for easy installation of the balls into the ball connect device, and a diameter of another one of the two open ends is smaller than the diameter of the balls so as to prevent disengagement of the balls.