Connecting Piece With Localized Elevations For Guide Rail Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing connectors for C-shaped guide rails suffer from wobbling and deformation due to tolerance deviations, leading to noise and assembly difficulties, and often result in gaps between connected rails.

Innovation Solution

A connecting piece with elevations on its base, allowing non-positive connection of guide rails, eliminating the need for the entire outer surface grinding and preventing gaps between rails, thereby enhancing stability and ease of assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire outer surface of guide rails is ground on the body of the connecting piece, then the guide rails are held by friction, but this makes assembly difficult and causes wobbling due to tolerance deviations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveholding stabilityVSAvoidease of assembly

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The base surface is segmented into multiple localized grinding areas instead of grinding the entire outer surface. This creates discrete contact points that reduce friction during assembly while maintaining holding stability through distributed friction zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the base surface have different properties: localized areas are ground to create high-friction contact points for holding, while other areas remain unground to reduce assembly friction. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between holding stability and ease of assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If tolerance deviations of ±0.3 mm are present in manufacturing, then production is easier, but wobbling of connected guide rails and deformation occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing toleranceVSAvoidstability of connected guide rails

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The localized grinding areas are designed to accommodate tolerance variations by creating multiple potential contact points. The friction-based holding mechanism inherently cushions against tolerance deviations, preventing wobbling and deformation while maintaining ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Manufacturing precision

If stops are provided at the front to prevent guide rail movement, then positioning is achieved, but intermediate spaces remain between adjacent end faces causing noise and carriage entrapment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidnoise and carriage entrapment

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using stops to prevent movement (which creates gaps), the invention allows controlled movement through localized friction zones. The grinding areas create enough friction to prevent excessive movement while eliminating the need for stops that create harmful intermediate spaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Reliability

If the connecting piece is made longer to accommodate stops and friction surfaces, then connection stability is improved, but material consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidmaterial consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The base surface has localized grinding areas rather than extended friction surfaces. This concentrates the functional properties in small regions, maintaining connection stability through targeted friction zones while minimizing the overall length and material consumption of the connecting piece.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 solution prevents wobbling and deformation, eliminates noise and material waste, and ensures stable assembly by compensating for tolerance deviations, while allowing for a shorter connecting piece design.

Implementation Method 1

the guide rails in the body can be inserted... they are held by friction... at least one elevation is provided in the base area of the body... which is the only grinding surface on the base of the body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2009214B1Connecting piece for connecting two guide rails and guide rail

Publication Date: 2014.12.17 ASSA ABLOY ENTRANCE SYST AB

Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
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AI summary

Connecting piece (10) comprises protrusions (15) in a base surface (12) arranged on both sides of a stop (17) and dimensioned so that guide rails (20) are joined together via the connecting piece. : Independent claims are also included for Guide rail for an element of a door to be guided; and Combination of a connecting piece and at least two guide rails. Preferred Features: The protrusions are 0.5-0.7 mm, preferably 0.6 mm high and have a surface area of 2-6, preferably 3 mm 2>. The stop is formed by an emboss from the lower side of the base surface. USE : For joining C-shaped guide rails for a carriage of a drive for a door. ADVANTAGE : The combination of the connecting piece and guide rails has high stability. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS : The drawing shows a perspective view of the connecting piece with the guide rails. 10 : connecting piece 12 : base surface 15 : protrusions 17 : stop 20 : guide rails.