Circular Sleeve Elastic Deformation for Compact Slider Durability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Roller-type linear motion guide units face challenges in downsizing the slider while maintaining durability and ensuring smooth sliding movement, as the miniature sleeve's reduced thickness compromises its ability to undergo elastic deformation effectively.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a circular sleeve with bridged and cantilevered beam portions that allow for independent elastic deformation, featuring a rectangular through-hole and rounded dents for enhanced flexibility, along with lubricating members for smooth operation, enabling the slider to handle heavy loads and maintain durability even in compact dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the sleeve is made short and small to downsize the slider, then the slider length is reduced, but the sleeve thickness becomes too small to ensure durability
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is divided into multiple beam portions (first bridged beam portion, second bridged beam portion, and cantilevered beam portion) with different structural characteristics. Each portion is supported at both ends or as a cantilever, creating regions with varying flexibility and strength distributions along the sleeve length, allowing the sleeve to maintain durability while accommodating compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the sleeve are designed with different structural properties - the bridged beam portions provide rigidity and strength where needed, while the cantilevered beam portion provides flexibility for elastic deformation. This local differentiation of structural quality allows the sleeve to meet both durability and compactness requirements in different locations.
2Length of moving object
If the sleeve is made short and small to downsize the slider, then the slider length is reduced, but the sleeve cannot undergo elastic deformation effectively to ensure smooth sliding movement
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is segmented into multiple beam portions with different support conditions. The cantilevered beam portion, being supported at only one end, is specifically designed to undergo elastic deformation more easily, while the bridged beam portions provide structural stability. This segmentation allows the sleeve to maintain smooth sliding movement capability despite reduced overall length.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve incorporates local regions with different flexibility characteristics - the cantilevered beam portion provides localized flexibility for elastic deformation to reduce sliding resistance, while the bridged beam portions maintain structural integrity. This local differentiation enables effective elastic deformation in a compact sleeve design.
3Strength
If the sleeve thickness is increased to improve durability, then the sleeve becomes stronger, but the sleeve cannot undergo elastic deformation easily
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is divided into multiple beam portions with different support configurations. The cantilevered beam portion, supported at only one end, is designed to undergo elastic deformation easily, while the bridged beam portions, supported at both ends, provide structural strength and stability. This segmentation allows the sleeve to exhibit both durability and elastic deformation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the sleeve are designed with different structural properties - the bridged beam portions provide rigidity and strength where structural integrity is needed, while the cantilevered beam portion provides flexibility for elastic deformation where needed. This local differentiation of structural quality resolves the contradiction between strength and deformability.
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 ensures smooth sliding motion and high load-carrying capacity, as the cantilevered and bridged beam portions can deform flexibly under impact, reducing sliding resistance and maintaining durability, even in compact and short slider designs.
Implementation Method 1
circular sleeves that fit into lengthwise bores in the carriage to provide the return passages; wherein the circular sleeves each have two members of regions susceptible to elastic deformation lying in opposition to each other with leaving clearances between the circular sleeves and the lengthwise bore to make it easier to undergo the elastic deformation under an impact force caused by the rolling elements
Data Source
AI summary
A circular sleeve is disclosed which fits into a lengthwise bore in a slider to provide a return passage to make sure of smooth rolling in a slider downsized or compact in length. The sleeve is inserted with leaving circular clearances inside the lengthwise bore in the slider. The sleeve has a bridged beam portion and cantilevered beam portions all of which may undergo elastic deformation under urging or impact force caused by rollers while rolling through the return passage. The bridged beam portion is flanked by support beam portions forming the outside circular surface of the sleeve and the cantilevered beam portions are fastened at their inward ends to a middle support beam portion and freed at their outside ends to bend or warp.