Linear Guide Ball Cage Tapered Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Linear guide systems for vehicle sliding doors and other applications face issues with visibility, corrosion, noise, and poor running properties when guide rails are mounted externally, and existing solutions compromise on load capacity, noise, or smooth operation.
Innovation Solution
A linear guide system featuring a strip-shaped ball cage with tapered through-openings and elastically deformable holding means to secure balls against falling out, combined with a flexible ball cage design that maintains ball contact with the guide rail surfaces for reduced noise and improved running properties, and a C-shaped carriage with a plate for enhanced load capacity and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If guide rails are mounted on the outside of the body, then high stability and load capacity are achieved, but visibility is spoiled and corrosion resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail mounting position is inverted from external to internal location. Instead of mounting the guide rail on the outside of the vehicle body where it provides stability but suffers from corrosion and visibility issues, the invention mounts the guide rail internally between the door panel and the door inner panel, reversing the conventional approach to eliminate exposure to external environmental factors while maintaining structural stability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If guide rails are mounted on the inside of the door, then corrosion and visibility issues are reduced, but running properties deteriorate and noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The geometry of the ball cage is optimized by changing parameters such as the curvature radius of the ball guide surfaces and the spacing between guide surfaces. These parameter changes enable the ball cage to maintain proper ball contact and running properties even in the internal mounting configuration, reducing noise and improving smooth operation while preserving corrosion protection benefits.
3Ease of manufacture
If through-openings in ball cage are not tapered, then manufacturing is simpler, but balls fall out when not in contact with running surface
Solution Approach 1:
The through-openings are given a tapered geometry with specific angle parameters, changing from cylindrical to conical shape. This parameter change creates a self-retaining structure where the tapered walls naturally prevent ball dropout during assembly and storage, while the taper angle is optimized to minimize manufacturing complexity.
4Stability of the object's composition
If ball cage is rigid, then structural stability is maintained, but ball contact with running surface is not ensured under vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The ball cage is designed with elastic deformation capability, transitioning from a completely rigid structure to a dynamically adaptable one. The cage can elastically deform to maintain ball contact with the running surface under varying loads and vibrations, while the overall structural stability is preserved through optimized geometry and material selection.
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 provides a compact, high-load capacity, low-noise, and cost-effective linear guide system with improved running smoothness and resilience, while minimizing corrosion and visibility issues by maintaining ball contact and using a flexible design to ensure consistent performance.
Implementation Method 1
elastically deformable holding means are provided at the through-openings of the ball cage, which are designed in such a way that they secure the balls against falling out of the through-openings
Implementation Method 2
a carriage (2) which can be moved on the guide rail (1) via at least two ball bearings (3), the ball bearings each comprising a plurality of balls (4)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6
AI summary
The invention relates to a linear guidance system comprising a guide rail (1) and a carriage (2) that is guided along said rail by means of at least two roller bearings (3, 3'), the roller bearings comprising several ball bearings (4) and a bar-type bearing cage (5) and the guide rail (1) having running surfaces (9, 9') and the carriage (2) also having running surfaces (10, 10') in order for the ball bearings (4) of the roller bearings (3, 3') to roll. The aim of the invention is to provide a linear guidance system that can support high loads, that has a quiet operation and a compact construction, that permits long travel paths, is relatively inexpensive to produce and is suitable e.g. for vehicle sliding doors, loading areas, length-adjustable consoles in the vehicle interior etc. To achieve this aim, the bearing cage (5) has several substantially circular through-passages (7) arranged in a row, one behind the other, into which the ball bearings (4) are inserted, the inner diameter of the through-passages tapering conically to an inner diameter from a running surface (9, 9') of the guide rail to the corresponding running surface (10, 10') of the carriage (2), or being restricted by limiting means to an inner diameter, said inner diameter being less than the diameter of the ball bearings, thus preventing the ball bearings in the through-passages (7) from falling out of the latter (7) towards the running surface (10, 10') of the carriage. In addition, the bearing cage (5) is elastically deformable and fixed to the guide rail (1) and the ball bearings (4) of the bearing cage (5) are held against the running surfaces (9, 9') of the guide rail by a pre-tension.