Guide Rail Fingers for Controlled Bending and Load Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guide rail configurations face challenges in reducing weight and manufacturing costs while maintaining structural integrity and accurate tolerancing, particularly in the deformation and loading of support ribs during assembly.
Innovation Solution
The guide rail design features a base rail with fingers that extend laterally from its grooves, which are deformed into a state of bending during assembly to support race inserts with non-parallel load transmission directions, ensuring controlled deformation and consistent loading for improved tolerancing and structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If support ribs are deformed during assembly to support race inserts, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to deformation control difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The fingers are pre-formed with specific geometry and material properties before assembly, allowing them to deform in a controlled and predictable manner during race insert installation. This preliminary preparation ensures that the deformation achieves the desired structural integrity while maintaining manufacturing precision through consistent, pre-planned deformation characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in material parameters (selecting materials with appropriate yield strengths and ductility) and geometric parameters (finger dimensions, spacing, and initial shape) to enable controlled deformation. By carefully selecting and optimizing these parameters, the fingers can deform to provide structural support while maintaining precise tolerancing and repeatable deformation behavior during assembly.
2Weight of moving object
If base material is changed to lighter weight material, then weight is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to material property limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail employs a composite structure combining a lightweight base material (such as aluminum) with finger elements made of different material properties. This composite approach allows the base rail to achieve weight reduction while the finger elements, with their tailored material properties, provide the necessary structural support and dimensional stability to maintain manufacturing precision and tolerancing.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the guide rail have different material properties optimized for their specific functions. The base rail uses lightweight material for weight reduction, while the finger elements use materials with appropriate mechanical properties for controlled deformation and precise positioning. This local differentiation of material quality enables both weight reduction and maintenance of manufacturing precision in critical areas.
3Ease of operation
If fingers are deformed into bending state during assembly, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to deformation variability
Solution Approach 1:
The fingers are pre-formed with specific geometry, dimensions, and material properties that enable them to deform in a controlled and predictable manner during assembly. This preliminary preparation ensures that the deformation process is easy to perform while maintaining consistent results and precise tolerancing, as the fingers are designed to deform along predetermined paths with controlled magnitudes.
Solution Approach 2:
By carefully selecting and optimizing material parameters (yield strength, ductility) and geometric parameters (finger thickness, length, initial shape) the patent enables the fingers to deform in a controlled manner during assembly. This parameter optimization ensures that the deformation is sufficient to achieve easy assembly and proper race insert positioning while maintaining manufacturing precision and consistent tolerancing across production.
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 design achieves more accurate tolerancing and consistent loading of race inserts, enhancing the structural integrity and reducing manufacturing costs by maintaining a constant thickness of fingers and promoting uniform bending forces during assembly.
Implementation Method 1
the fingers are deformed into a state of bending during assembly to support race inserts with non-parallel load transmission directions, ensuring controlled deformation and consistent loading
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
A guide rail includes a base rail with at least one finger extending from a first portion of the base rail, and at least one finger extending from a second portion of the base rail. A race insert is mounted against the fingers. A first race way is associated with the at least one finger extending from the first portion of the base rail. A second race way is associated with the at least one finger extending from the second portion of the base rail. The first and second race ways have different load transmission directions. The load transmission direction of the first race way is non-parallel to the at least one finger extending from the first portion of the base rail. The load transmission direction of the second race way is non-parallel to the at least one finger extending from the second portion of the base rail.