Ball Screw Return Guide Fixation With Flush Metal Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ball screw drive securing mechanisms, such as sleeves and snap-on devices, face challenges in withstanding the forces exerted by balls and require precise production tolerances, complicating the assembly and fastening process.
Innovation Solution
The use of small metal plates arranged in radial through-openings of the spindle nut, which are offset inwardly and span the ball return guide, providing a secure fixing mechanism without protruding beyond the spindle nut's surface, and can be fastened via spot welding, adhesive bonding, or clamping, allowing for a resilient contact and compensation of production tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If sleeves are used to secure ball deflectors, then assembly is simplified, but the ball screw drive cannot be fastened in the region of the sleeve
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the securing function from the sleeve and transfers it to the ball return guide itself through integrated securing elements (latching tongues or snap-on devices). This allows the sleeve to be removed or made thinner, restoring the ability to fasten the ball screw drive while maintaining easy assembly through the self-securing ball return guide.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the securing function into the ball return guide structure by integrating latching tongues or snap-on devices directly into the ball return guide. This combination eliminates the need for a separate sleeve while maintaining assembly simplicity and restoring fastening capability.
2Device complexity
If latching tongues and snap-on devices are used to secure ball deflectors, then additional mechanical securing devices can be dispensed with, but the devices must be robust enough to withstand ball forces and require accurate production tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs resilient securing elements (latching tongues or snap-on devices) that can flex and deform elastically to accommodate tolerance variations during assembly. This flexibility allows the securing mechanism to function reliably without requiring extremely tight production tolerances, while still withstanding the forces exerted by the balls.
3Reliability
If robust latching tongues and snap-on devices are used to withstand ball forces, then securing reliability is improved, but production tolerances must be sufficiently accurate
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient nature of the latching tongues and snap-on devices allows them to flex and compensate for tolerance variations, maintaining reliable securing function without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances. The elasticity provides a tolerance buffer that ensures consistent performance across production variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the elastic properties of the securing elements, changing the mechanical parameter from rigid to flexible. This parameter change allows the system to accommodate a wider range of production tolerances while maintaining securing reliability under ball forces.
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
This solution ensures a secure and simplified ball return guide fixation that does not interfere with the external contour of the ball screw drive, facilitating assembly and reducing structure-borne noise, while maintaining the integrity of the ball screw drive's operation.
Implementation Method 1
The fastening of the small metal plates in or adjacent to the through-openings of the spindle nut is carried out by spot welding, adhesive bonding or clamping
Implementation Method 2
The fastening of the small metal plates in or adjacent to the through-openings of the spindle nut is carried out by spot welding, adhesive bonding or clamping
Implementation Method 3
allowing for a resilient contact and compensation of production tolerances
Data Source
AI summary
A ball screw drive includes a threaded spindle and a spindle nut with a plurality of balls that circulate endlessly in the intermediate space between the nut and the spindle. A ball return guide guides balls at one location out of the helical ball race by a ball deflector and feeds the balls back via a transition channel and another ball deflector. The ball deflectors are arranged in radial through-openings in the lateral surface of the nut. One or more small metal plates are provided on the nut, and are arranged in and/or adjacent to the radial through-openings and offset inwardly away from the lateral surface, and span the ball return guide in a planar manner. The ball return guide is fixed in a target position in the lateral surface of the nut, and when fully assembled the small metal plates do not protrude beyond the lateral surface.