Carriage for a linear guidance system and linear guidance system comprising such a carriage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Linear guide systems with a single pair of support elements and rolling elements experience significant height play, leading to acoustic and haptic disadvantages due to increased movement and friction, making precise force adjustment and positioning challenging.
Innovation Solution
The carriage incorporates a second pair of support elements and spring elements that are movably mounted to engage with the rail element's surfaces, allowing for adjustable spring force and reduced play, along with a third pair for torque support, using sliders and rolling bodies to provide defined friction and precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single pair of support elements with rolling elements is used, then the structure is simple, but vertical play increases leading to acoustic and haptic disadvantages
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is segmented into multiple independent pairs of support elements (first pair, second pair, and third pair) distributed along the extension direction. Each pair independently contacts the running surfaces, dividing the load and constraint functions across multiple locations, thereby reducing vertical play without requiring a monolithic complex structure
Solution Approach 2:
Support elements are added in the extension direction (longitudinal dimension) rather than only increasing vertical stiffness. The third pair of support elements positioned at a distance in the extension direction provides torque support and additional vertical constraint, solving the play problem by utilizing the longitudinal dimension
2Force
If rolling elements are used between carriage and rail element, then friction is reduced, but precise force adjustment and positioning become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support elements are designed with movable mounting on the base body, allowing them to move in the vertical direction. This dynamic capability enables the support elements to adapt to load variations and achieve precise positioning, while the spring elements provide adjustable pretension forces to control the contact force between support elements and running surfaces
Solution Approach 2:
Spring elements are introduced to provide adjustable pretension forces on the support elements. By changing the spring stiffness and pretension parameters, the contact force between support elements and running surfaces can be precisely controlled, enabling both low friction (through rolling elements) and precise force adjustment
3Measurement precision
If support elements are mounted to move in vertical direction, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable mounting mechanism for vertical movement is merged with the spring element attachment. The spring elements are directly mounted on the base body and connect to the support elements, combining the positioning function with the force application function in a single integrated structure, thereby reducing overall complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The spring elements serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide pretension force to the support elements, enable vertical movement capability, and contribute to positioning precision. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby managing complexity while achieving precise positioning
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 configuration reduces play and friction, enhances stability, and allows for precise adjustment and positioning of the carriage relative to the rail element, improving the overall performance and user experience by minimizing tactile and acoustic issues.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one first support spring element pretensions the sliders of the first pair of support elements away from one another in the vertical direction
Implementation Method 2
the at least one second support spring element pretensions the support elements of the second pair of support elements away from one another in the vertical direction
Implementation Method 3
each of the sliders can be brought into frictional engagement with one of the running surfaces
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Slide (1) for a linear guide system, wherein the guide system comprises a rail element with two mutually facing running surfaces and the slide movable relative to the rail element in and against an extension direction. The slide has a base body (2), a first pair of support elements (8) in the form of slides, and at least one first support spring element (13). Each of the slides from the first pair of support elements is movably mounted on the base body in a vertical direction perpendicular to the extension direction, such that each of the slides can be brought into frictional engagement with one of the running surfaces, wherein the at least one first support spring element is mounted on the base body such that the at least one first support spring element biases the slides of the first pair of support elements away from each other in the vertical direction.According to the invention, the slide additionally comprises a second pair of support elements (16) and at least one second support spring element (17), wherein the second pair of support elements is arranged spaced apart from the first pair of support elements in the extension direction, wherein each of the support elements from the second pair of support elements is movably mounted on the base body in the vertical direction, so that each of the support elements can be brought into engagement with one of the running surfaces, and wherein the at least one second support spring element is mounted on the base body in such a way that the at least one second support spring element pre-tensions the support elements of the second pair of support elements away from each other in the vertical direction.