Lead Screw with Integral Flange for Bearing Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing small-sized sliding devices for micromachines and semiconductor equipment face challenges with increased production costs due to the need for unique parts and complex assembly methods, such as adhesion and press-fitting, which complicate the use of universal components and lead to instability under high torque.
Innovation Solution
A small-sized sliding device with a pair of tables for back-and-forth movement along a linear motion guide unit, featuring a lead screw with varying diameters and threads, and angular-contact bearings supported by a bearing house, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, and utilizing a coupling member to connect the motor to the lead screw, enabling precise control of the tables' movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a collar is used around the outside diameter of the axial end of the sliding screw to fasten the angular bearing, then the angular-contact bearing can be supported, but the collar and the end of the angular-contact bearing slide each other after the torque of the motor becomes large, causing instability
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is merged with the flange to form a single integral structure. This eliminates the separate collar component and its associated fastening issues, while maintaining the bearing support function. The integral structure ensures stability under motor torque without the sliding problem between separate collar and bearing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The lead screw is designed with a universal coupling end that can directly mate with motor shafts of standard sizes. This universal design eliminates the need for unique coupling components for different motor types, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable torque transmission.
2Reliability
If press-fitting and adhesion are used for fixing the bearing, then the angular-contact bearing can be secured, but the assembly process becomes troublesome and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The collar and flange are merged into an integral structure that is directly formed on the lead screw. This eliminates the need for separate press-fitting and adhesion processes to secure the bearing, as the integral structure provides inherent mechanical support and positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing support structure is preliminarily formed as an integral part of the lead screw during manufacturing. This preliminary formation of the support structure eliminates the need for subsequent complex assembly operations like press-fitting and adhesion, while ensuring reliable bearing fixation.
3Volume of moving object
If the lead screw at the axial end is made less in outside diameter to mate with a nut, then the overall size can be reduced, but a unique angular-contact bearing less in inside diameter is needed, increasing production cost
Solution Approach 1:
The lead screw coupling end is designed with a universal interface that can mate with standard motor shafts. This universal design allows the use of standard angular-contact bearings and motor components, eliminating the need for unique custom-made parts and reducing production costs while maintaining compact overall size.
4Reliability
If the coupling end is made with a size different from the motor shaft diameter, then the bearing can be supported, but it becomes tough to use any universal parts or components, requiring production of unique parts
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling end of the lead screw is designed with a universal interface that accommodates standard motor shaft diameters. This universal design maintains bearing support capability while enabling the use of standard motor components and reducing the need for custom-made unique parts, thereby improving adaptability and versatility.
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 easy assembly and replacement of components, reduces production costs by allowing the use of universal parts, and ensures stable and accurate movement of the tables, minimizing the risk of parts slipping and maintaining steadiness under motor torque.
Implementation Method 1
a lead screw supported for rotation on the bed to extend in a lengthwise direction of the bed, the screw being mated with nuts fastened to the tables
Implementation Method 2
a bearing house fastened to the bed to bear an axial end of the lead screw through a bearing
Data Source
AI summary
Tables having nuts are easily assembled and/or replaced on a lead screw from an open side thereof. The lead screw has a large screw near a motor and a small screw remote from the motor. A right-handed screw mating with one of the nuts and a left-handed screw mating with the other of the nuts lie adjacent to each other in the lengthwise direction. A stepped portion of flange coming into an inner ring of a bearing is placed on an end shaft in adjacency to the large screw. The pair of the tables after energization of the motor is controlled to come to a preselected phase in which the tables get closer or nearer each other or come to another preselected phase in which the tables go away from each other.