Elastomer Guide Carriage Sealing and Rolling Body Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guide carriages with elastomer longitudinal seals have a poorer sealing effect when not on the guide rail, and require additional components for holding the rolling bodies in place, leading to inefficiencies and increased complexity.
Innovation Solution
A guide carriage design featuring a rolling element guide part made of elastomer with two deflection sections and a longitudinal sealing lip, where the sealing lip is continued on the end cap and a holding projection is integrated to secure the rolling bodies without additional components, using a metal main body with raceway inserts under prestress to ensure smooth operation and sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If longitudinal seals are made of hard plastic to reduce component complexity, then the number of components is reduced, but the sealing effect deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The longitudinal seal is made of elastomer material that combines the sealing effectiveness of soft materials with the structural integrity needed for a single-component design. The elastomer provides both the necessary compliance for good sealing contact and sufficient mechanical strength to function as a complete integrated component without additional retention features.
2Reliability
If additional components are added to improve sealing effect, then the sealing effect is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The longitudinal seal integrates multiple functions into a single component: sealing contact with the guide rail, retention of rolling bodies through its structural design, and guidance function. This merging eliminates the need for separate retention components while maintaining effective sealing through the elastomer material's inherent properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomer longitudinal seal serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the primary sealing interface with the guide rail, acts as a retention structure for rolling bodies through its geometric configuration, and contributes to the guidance of the carriage. This multi-functionality reduces the overall component count while maintaining or improving sealing performance.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate components are used for guide sections and sealing lips, then manufacturing precision can be improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide sections and sealing lips are integrated into a single elastomer longitudinal seal component. The elastomer material's inherent elasticity and compliance provide sufficient sealing precision without requiring separate precision-machined components, while the integrated design simplifies the overall device structure.
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 provides a robust, cost-effective guide carriage with improved sealing and reduced component count, ensuring efficient operation and secure retention of rolling bodies, enhancing load capacity and rigidity while maintaining a quiet and smooth running mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
The longitudinal seal has a good sealing effect because it is made of an elastomer. An elastomer should preferably be understood to mean an elastically deformable plastic whose glass transition point is below the ambient temperature.
Implementation Method 2
The guide carriage comprises four rows of roller-shaped rolling bodies, each of which is accommodated in an associated endless circulation channel
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a guide carriage (20) for use with an elongated guide rail, wherein the guide carriage (20) has at least a series of rolling elements which are received in an associated circulation channel (22), wherein the circulation channel (22) has a support section and a return channel (32) which are connected to each other at their opposite ends via a curved deflection channel (24), wherein the support section is bounded by a carriage raceway (41) extending in a longitudinal direction (11) on the guide carriage and a rail raceway on the guide rail, wherein at least one longitudinal sealing lip extending in a longitudinal direction (11) is provided, which is arranged such that it is in sealing engagement with the guide rail when the guide carriage (20) is mounted on the guide rail.According to the invention, at least one separate rolling element guide part (80) is provided, which consists in one piece of an elastomer, wherein the rolling element guide part (80) has two deflection sections (85) between which at least one guide section (83) extending in the longitudinal direction (11) is arranged, wherein an associated longitudinal sealing lip is arranged at least section by section on the guide section (83), wherein at least one radially inner deflection surface (81) of a deflection channel (24) is arranged on each of the two deflection sections (85).