Straight-Curved Guide Rail Layout for Shorter Swing Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing straight-curved guide devices face challenges in reducing the length of the arm due to the requirement of a dedicated space for the slewing bearing, which restricts the arm's length reduction.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a rail with a straight and curved part, featuring a movable element with a frame, first and second swing portions, and bearing portions that include track members and rolling elements, allowing the arm to be reduced in length without the need for a dedicated slewing bearing space by supporting the swing portions in a cantilever fashion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a slewing bearing is arranged on the arm at a position between the pair of rollers and mounted to the lower surface of the table, then the swing portion can be supported stably, but a space for the arrangement of the slewing bearing is required around the arm, making reduction in length of the arm difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the slewing bearing function from the arm structure and relocates it to the frame. Specifically, the outer ring of the slewing bearing is fitted into a recessed portion formed in the lower surface of the table (frame), while the inner ring is fixed to the rotary shaft. This separation removes the space requirement from the arm, enabling arm length reduction while maintaining stable swing support through the bearing's rotation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the spatial arrangement by moving the bearing mounting location from the arm (one-dimensional constraint) to the frame/table structure (different spatial dimension). The outer ring fits into a recessed portion in the table's lower surface, creating a three-dimensional solution that resolves the two-dimensional space conflict on the arm, allowing the arm to be shorter without compromising stability.
2Volume of moving object
If the arm length is reduced for compactness, then the overall device size is reduced, but the space required for the slewing bearing arrangement cannot be secured
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the slewing bearing's outer ring with the frame structure by fitting it into a recessed portion of the table. This integration eliminates the need for separate mounting spaces on the arm, reducing overall device volume while simplifying the bearing arrangement. The bearing becomes part of the frame assembly rather than a separate component requiring dedicated arm space.
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 configuration enables a reduction in the length of the arm of the swing portion, enhancing the design's compactness and stability while maintaining the functionality of the guide device.
Implementation Method 1
The first rolling elements are arranged in a first rolling passage having a circular annular shape defined by the first raceway surface and the third raceway surface. The second rolling elements are arranged in a second rolling passage having a circular annular shape defined by the second raceway surface and the fourth raceway surface.
Data Source
AI summary
A straight-curved guide device includes a rail and a movable element. The movable element includes a frame, a first swing portion, and a second swing portion. Each of the first swing portion and the second swing portion includes an arm portion, a first bearing portion, and a second bearing portion. The first bearing portion includes a first track member, a second track member, a third track member, a plurality of first rolling elements, and a plurality of second rolling elements. The second bearing portion includes a fourth track member, a fifth track member, and third rolling elements. The second track member of each of the first swing portion and the second swing portion is connected to the frame, and the second bearing portion of each of the first swing portion and the second swing portion is separate from the frame.