Chain Belt Retainer Slots for Ball Retention in Curved Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ball retainers in linear moving apparatuses face issues with decreased ball retention and loosening when bent, due to increased spacer intervals and stress, leading to potential collisions and noise during operation.
Innovation Solution
A chain belt retainer with flexible chain belts and spacers, where long slots on the spacers allow for elastic displacement to increase retention by opening towards rolling elements when bent, accommodating various circulation channel shapes and preventing loosening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the ball retainer is bent to accommodate curved circulation channels, then the ball retainer can adapt to various linear moving apparatus configurations, but the spacers are stressed and intervals between spacers increase, resulting in decreased ball retention
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is designed with a dynamic long slot that allows the retaining slices to move relative to each other. When the ball retainer bends to accommodate curved circulation channels, the retaining slices can dynamically adjust their positions through the long slot, maintaining ball retention despite the stress and interval changes caused by bending.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer is segmented into multiple retaining slices by the long slot, allowing each slice to independently respond to bending stresses. This segmentation enables the spacer to maintain its ball-retaining function even when bent, as each slice can adjust its position to compensate for the stress-induced interval changes.
2Device complexity
If conventional spacers are used in bent positions, then the ball retainer structure remains simple, but ball loosening occurs due to increased spacer intervals
Solution Approach 1:
The long slot introduces dynamic adjustability to the spacer structure. The retaining slices can move along the long slot to compensate for interval changes, providing a simple yet effective solution that maintains ball retention without complex additional components.
3Shape
If the ball retainer is bent along the ball circulation channel, then it can follow the curved path, but frictions and collisions between balls increase due to decreased retention
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic long slot allows the retaining slices to adjust their positions in response to bending, maintaining consistent ball retention along the curved circulation channel. This prevents ball loosening and the resulting frictions and collisions that would occur in conventional rigid spacers.
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 chain belt retainer effectively enhances ball retention and prevents loosening in curved grooves, ensuring smooth operation and reduced noise in linear moving apparatuses by allowing spacers to stress and open towards rolling elements, maintaining secure retention.
Implementation Method 1
each first separator includes a far end away from the central surface, the far end is provided with a long slot... the long slot divides the first separator into a first elastic retaining slice and a second elastic retaining slice... the far ends of the spacers located in the curved groove can be stressed to open towards the rolling elements
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 8~9
AI summary
A chain belt retainer (1) includes two flexible chain belts (10) and a plurality of spacers (11). The two flexible chain belts (10) are parallel to each other and extend in the same extending direction, and the two flexible chain belts (10) define a central surface (C). The plurality of spacers (11) are arranged at equal intervals and along the extending direction, the spacers (11) are separately connected between the two flexible chain belts (10), the spacers (11) are divided into first separators (12) and second separators (13) by the central surface (C), the plurality of first separators (12) are located on the same side of the central surface (C), each first separator (12) includes a far end (14) away from the central surface (C), the far end (14) is provided with a long slot (15), and the long slot (15) is perpendicular to the extending direction. The chain belt retainer (1) may be applied to a linear moving apparatus (2).