Integrated Plastic Elevator Guide Shoe for Lower Assembly Effort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sliding guide shoes for elevators are complex and expensive to manufacture, require significant assembly effort, and are difficult to handle and replace due to the use of mechanical fasteners and separate components.
Innovation Solution
A composite sliding guide shoe is designed with a guide shoe housing and sliding element permanently connected as a single unit, manufactured using 2K or 3K injection molding, eliminating the need for mechanical fasteners and allowing for easy assembly and disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate components with mechanical fasteners are used, then the sliding guide shoe can be assembled and disassembled, but the assembly effort and manufacturing complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the guide shoe housing and sliding element into a single integrated component manufactured via injection molding. This eliminates the need for separate parts and mechanical fasteners, directly resolving the contradiction by reducing both assembly effort and manufacturing complexity while maintaining functional integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection-molded guide shoe serves multiple functions simultaneously: structural support, sliding surface provision, and self-retention. The integrated design combines what were previously separate functional elements into one universal component, reducing the number of assembly steps and manufacturing processes required.
2Ease of repair
If separate components are used, then individual elements can be replaced, but the overall structure requires significant assembly and disassembly effort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the disposable principle by designing the guide shoe as an integrated component that is replaced as a whole rather than having individual elements serviced. This eliminates complex assembly and disassembly operations, making replacement simple and quick while the integrated structure remains intact throughout its service life.
3Reliability
If multiple separate components are used, then functional requirements can be met, but manufacturing cost and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional components into a single injection-molded part, maintaining all necessary functions (structural support, sliding surface, self-retention features) while eliminating the need for separate manufacturing processes and assembly operations, thereby significantly improving manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameter from multi-step assembly of separate components to single-step injection molding. This parameter change in the manufacturing process maintains functional performance while dramatically improving production efficiency and reducing costs.
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 simplifies manufacturing, reduces assembly effort, and enables cost-effective mass production of a disposable guide shoe with improved handling and reduced maintenance, offering enhanced ride comfort through damping elements and reduced wear.
Implementation Method 1
manufactured using 2K or 3K injection molding
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5a~5f
AI summary
The invention relates to a guide shoe for a lift (1), consisting entirely of plastic materials and comprising a guide shoe housing (5), a damping element (6) and a guide element (7), which are integrally bonded to one another and form a one-piece composite component. Said composite component is produced by a three-component injection molding process.