Ball Retainer Hook-Slot Structure for Stronger Chain Belt Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ball retainer structures lack sufficient connection strength, leading to separation of chain belt ends during operation, resulting in abnormal noises and inefficient rolling element movement, especially at turning points.
Innovation Solution
A ball retainer design featuring a hook with a neck portion, leaning protrusions, and a limiting protrusion that engages with a slot portion on the chain belt, providing enhanced connection strength through elastic material and fiber reinforcement, preventing detachment and ensuring smooth operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional connection structures (bolt, concave-convex, ball joint) are used to connect chain belt ends, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the connection strength is insufficient causing separation at turning points
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structure is divided into multiple functional components: hook body, neck portion, leaning protrusions, limiting protrusion, slot portion, and reinforcing elements. Each segment serves a specific function in preventing separation while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining the hook and slot portion structures with chain belts, using materials with different properties to achieve both flexibility and strength. The connection structure integrates multiple material layers to prevent separation under tension.
2Reliability
If the chain belt ends are connected with sufficient strength to prevent separation, then reliability improves, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structure incorporates dynamic elements including the elastic chain belt that can flex during operation, and the geometric design of the hook and slot that allows controlled movement while maintaining connection integrity during turning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection reliability is enhanced by adding dimensional complexity through three-dimensional geometric features: the curved hook shape, the angled leaning protrusions, and the multi-faceted slot portion design that prevents separation from multiple directions.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the chain belt ends are not strongly connected, then the structure remains simple, but abnormal noises occur during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structure is designed to be self-aligning and self-latching through the geometric relationship between the hook and slot portion, with the leaning protrusions automatically engaging the slot walls to prevent noise-causing separation without requiring additional active components.
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 enhanced connection strength between the hook and slot portions prevents separation of chain belt ends, ensuring smooth operation and reducing noise, even at turning points, by leveraging the elastic properties and structural integrity of the materials used.
Implementation Method 1
a ball retainer with a hook structure... formed by covering an elastic material with a fiber material through injection molding
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
A ball retainer (100) includes a chain belt (10), a hook (20), and a slot portion (30). The hook (20) is arranged on the first end (11) of the chain belt (10). The hook (20) includes a neck portion (21), a hook body (22), two leaning protrusions (23), and a limiting protrusion (24). The hook body (22) is connected to the neck portion (21). The two leaning protrusions (23) extend outward along the short side direction of the chain belt (10) toward two sides of the hook body (22), respectively. The slot portion (30) is arranged on the second end (12) of the chain belt (10). The slot portion (30) includes a slot (31), two abutting portions (32), a connecting portion (33), and a receiving portion (34). After the hook (20) is correspondingly engaged with the slot portion (30), the hook body (22) is accommodated in the slot (31), the two leaning protrusions (23) correspondingly lean against the two abutting portions (32), the neck portion (21) leans against the connecting portion (33), and the limiting protrusion (24) is correspondingly accommodated in the receiving portion (34).