Limited-Stroke Linear Guide Cage Locking for Compact Travel Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing linear guide devices experience positional displacement of the cage relative to the guide and shaft members during reciprocating motion, leading to excessive restriction of the stroke range and the need for a reset operation, which can cause buckling of the regulating hole and locking protrusion, making it difficult to reduce the device size.
Innovation Solution
A linear guide device design where the locking protrusion is provided upright on the cage and inserted into a regulating hole formed in the shaft member, allowing for sufficient strength and minimizing the gap between the guide and shaft members, preventing deformation and enabling size reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the locking protrusion is inserted into the regulating hole to restrict the stroke range of the cage, then the stroke range is restricted, but the resetting operation causes buckling of the regulating hole and locking protrusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional configuration by providing the locking protrusion on the cage instead of in the guide member, and the regulating hole in the guide member instead of in the cage. This inversion allows the regulating hole to be formed in a more rigid structure (the guide member) that can better withstand the buckling forces during resetting operations, while maintaining the stroke restriction function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the regulating hole in the guide member in the longitudinal direction to create a longer engagement path for the locking protrusion. This dimensional extension distributes the buckling stress over a longer distance, reducing the stress concentration and preventing buckling during resetting operations.
2Strength
If the wall thickness of the cage is increased to ensure strength, then the strength is improved, but the gap between the shaft member and guide member must be enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the stroke restriction function from the cage structure and relocates it to the guide member through the regulating hole mechanism. This extraction eliminates the need for a thick-walled cage to provide structural strength for stroke restriction, allowing the cage to maintain thin walls and minimizing the required gap between the shaft member and guide member.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the stroke range is excessively restricted due to cage positional displacement, then the positional stability is improved, but the stroke range is reduced and reset operations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The regulating hole and locking protrusion mechanism provides continuous feedback control of the cage position during operation. The locking protrusion engages with the regulating hole to prevent excessive displacement, while still allowing controlled movement within the stroke range. This feedback mechanism maintains positional stability without requiring excessive stroke restriction.
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 ensures the strength of the locking protrusion and regulating hole during reset operations, enhances design freedom, and minimizes the gap between the guide and shaft members, achieving a reduced size for the linear guide device while preventing deformation.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of rolling elements 2 configured to roll between a rolling groove 33 of the guide member 3 and a rolling groove 41 of the shaft member 4 while bearing a load
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a finite stroke type linear guide device including: a guide member (3) including a guide groove (30) and formed into a channel shape; a shaft member (4) configured to move inside the guide groove (30) along a longitudinal direction of the guide groove (30); a large number of rolling elements configured to roll between the guide member (3) and the shaft member (4) while bearing a load; and a cage (5) configured to be arranged inside the guide groove (30) of the guide member (3) so as to be present in a gap between the guide member (3) and the shaft member (4), the large number of rolling elements being rotatably arranged in the cage (5). Stoppers (6) are provided at both ends of the guide member (3) in a longitudinal direction, respectively, and are configured to allow the cage (5) to be brought into abutment against each of the stoppers (6). While the shaft member (4) has a regulating hole (42) which is elongated along a moving direction of the shaft member (4), the cage (5) has a locking protrusion (50) provided upright on the cage (5) and having a distal end part inserted into the regulating hole (42).