Flat Protective Cover With Orthogonal Sliding Guide Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional flat protective covers for tool machines are bulky and heavy due to their design, which slows down the telescopic movement and complicates cleaning, leading to production and economic drawbacks.
Innovation Solution
A flat protective cover with two degrees of freedom, featuring an intermediate frame and specific guide and retaining means, such as L-shaped linear guides and blades, that allow sliding along orthogonal directions, reducing thickness and weight while enabling easy cleaning and modular assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional guide and retaining means with turned up frames and appendices are used, then the covering elements can slide along orthogonal directions, but the thickness and weight of the protective cover increase considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is divided into multiple thin covering elements that can slide relative to each other, with each element having reduced thickness compared to traditional single-piece designs. The guide means are segmented into separate linear guides and blades that work together, allowing each component to be optimized for minimal thickness while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide and retaining means utilize a blade-linear guide configuration where blades extend in one dimension and linear guides in another, creating a two-dimensional guidance system that achieves orthogonal sliding capability without increasing thickness in the third dimension. This dimensional arrangement allows sliding functionality while maintaining thin profile.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional guide and retaining means with increased thickness are used, then cleaning means can be provided on covering elements, but the protective cover becomes bulky and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
Cleaning means such as scrapers or wipers are integrated into the blade structure itself, with cleaning surfaces formed on the faces of the thin blades. This nesting of cleaning functionality within the existing blade geometry allows cleaning capability to be provided without adding separate thick components or increasing overall cover thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The blades serve dual functions: guiding the covering elements through orthogonal sliding and providing cleaning surfaces for the operating member. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cleaning components that would increase thickness, as the same thin blade structure performs both guidance and cleaning roles.
3Strength
If heavier covering elements are used, then the structural strength is improved, but the telescopic movement speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The covering elements and guide components are made from composite materials or optimized metal alloys that provide high strength-to-weight ratio. This allows the thin blades and linear guides to maintain sufficient structural strength for guiding and cleaning functions while minimizing mass to enable fast telescopic movement of the operating member.
Solution Approach 2:
The design optimizes the thickness and material properties of the covering elements to achieve the minimum thickness required for structural integrity. By precisely controlling the thickness parameter and selecting appropriate materials, the cover elements maintain sufficient strength while minimizing weight to enable high-speed telescopic movement.
Data Source
AI summary
Flat protective cover (1) with two degrees of freedom for tool machines, which can be associated with an operating member (A) movable along at least two main directions (D1, D2), includes:at least a first flat covering element (2), operatively connected to the operating member (A);at least a second flat covering element (3);guide and retaining elements (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b) to mutually couple in a sliding way the covering elements,wherein the protective cover (1) further includes an intermediate frame (4) between the first (2) and second (3) flat covering element, arranged for allowing mutual sliding of the flat elements (2,3) along the two mutually orthogonal main directions (D1, D2), and the guide and retaining elements (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b) include pairs of linear guides (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b) arranged for co-operating by mutual sliding with pairs of blades (7a, 7b, 8a, 8b).