Floating Unit Rolling Element Guide Surface Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional article support apparatuses with floating units face issues in uniformly moving the movable portion in all horizontal directions due to slipping between rolling elements and the contact surfaces, leading to inconsistent movement ranges and improper return of the rolling type support to its reference position, which affects the accurate positioning of articles for transfer.
Innovation Solution
A floating unit design that includes a stationary and movable portion supported by a rolling type support with rotatably held rolling elements, along with a movable portion returning device and support returning means, utilizing coil springs or magnetic attraction to bias the movable portion and support back to their respective reference positions, ensuring uniform movement and accurate positioning in all horizontal directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rolling type support with rolling elements is used to support the movable portion, then the movable portion can move in all horizontal directions, but slipping occurs between the rolling elements and contact surfaces leading to inconsistent movement ranges
Solution Approach 1:
A guide surface is introduced as an intermediary between the rolling elements and the contact surfaces. This guide surface constrains the rolling elements to roll along a predetermined path, preventing slipping and ensuring consistent movement ranges while maintaining the ability to move in all horizontal directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The geometry of the guide surface is designed to change the movement parameters of the rolling elements. By controlling the shape and orientation of the guide surface, the system ensures that rolling elements maintain consistent contact and rolling behavior, eliminating slipping and ensuring uniform movement characteristics.
2Ease of operation
If the rolling type support moves with the movable portion, then the support can follow the article positioning, but the support does not return to its reference position, affecting accurate positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is segmented into two independent components: the movable portion that moves with the article, and the rolling type support that remains stationary or returns to reference position. This segmentation allows the movable portion to follow article positioning while the support maintains accurate reference positioning for transfer operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of the support moving with the movable portion, the design inverts the relationship by keeping the support stationary or returning it to reference position while the movable portion adapts to article positioning. This inversion ensures that the reference position accuracy is maintained while still enabling article positioning functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the movable portion is allowed to move freely for article positioning, then positioning flexibility is improved, but the movable portion does not return to reference position for receiving next article
Solution Approach 1:
A returning mechanism is implemented that automatically returns the movable portion to its reference position after article positioning operations. This self-service function ensures that the movable portion maintains positioning flexibility during operation while reliably returning to reference position to receive the next article, without requiring manual intervention.
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 enables the floating unit to uniformly move the movable portion in all horizontal directions, ensuring that articles can be reliably positioned and transferred to a reference position for receiving and holding, thereby addressing the inconsistency in movement ranges and improving the overall efficiency of the article support apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
support returning means for biasing the support horizontally relative to the stationary portion toward a reference position
Implementation Method 2
movable portion returning means for moving the movable portion relative to the stationary portion back to a reference position
Data Source
AI summary
A floating unit comprises: a stationary portion; a movable portion supported to be movable relative to the stationary portion and including an article support; a support disposed between the stationary portion and the movable portion, the support having a plurality of rolling elements rotatably held by a holder between an upwardly facing first contact surface provided on the stationary portion and a downwardly facing second contact surface provided on the movable portion, whereby the support is movable in all horizontal directions relative to the movable portion and the stationary portion; a movable portion returning device for biasing the movable portion relative to the stationary portion toward a reference position for receiving an article; and a support returning device for biasing the support horizontally relative to the stationary portion toward a reference position for holding the movable portion.