Linear Motion Guide Tubular Skeleton Flexible Spine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional linear motion guide units face challenges in maintaining lubrication for cylindrical rollers over long-lasting service life without mechanical deformation and ensuring sustainable lubricant application, particularly in high-temperature environments or clean rooms, while minimizing lubricant consumption and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A linear motion guide unit with a tubular composition comprising a tubular skeleton and a porous compact, where a clearance between the porous compact and flexible spine allows for stress relief and lubricant application, reducing mechanical strength requirements and enabling smooth roller circulation with reduced maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid tubular structure is used for the return passage, then mechanical strength is sufficient, but stress concentration occurs and lubricant application becomes unsustainable
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular structure is segmented into a rigid tubular skeleton and a flexible spine component. The flexible spine is inserted into the tubular skeleton to create a composite structure that combines rigidity with flexibility, allowing stress relief while maintaining overall structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining a rigid tubular skeleton (providing mechanical strength) with a flexible spine (providing stress relief and motion accommodation). This composite approach resolves the contradiction between needing strength and needing flexibility for sustainable lubrication.
2Ease of operation
If the tubular structure is made flexible to relieve stress, then smooth roller circulation is enabled, but mechanical strength and stiffness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The structure is divided into segments with different mechanical properties: a rigid tubular skeleton for strength and a flexible spine for smooth operation. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the structure have different mechanical qualities - the tubular skeleton maintains rigidity where structural support is needed, while the flexible spine provides local flexibility where roller circulation and stress relief are required.
3Reliability
If lubricant is continuously applied to maintain adequate lubricant film, then metal-to-metal contact is prevented, but lubricant consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible spine is pre-filled with lubricant during manufacturing. This preliminary action ensures that lubricant is already present and can be gradually released as needed, reducing the need for continuous external lubricant application while preventing metal-to-metal contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible spine acts as a self-contained lubricant reservoir that automatically supplies lubricant to the roller circulation path as rollers pass by. This self-service mechanism reduces dependency on external lubrication systems and minimizes lubricant consumption while maintaining reliable lubrication.
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 ensures sustainable lubricant application and long-lasting smooth travel of rollers, reducing maintenance needs and lubricant consumption, while maintaining mechanical strength and stiffness for high-temperature and clean room environments.
Implementation Method 1
a porous compact (8) impregnated with lubricant to be applied on the rollers (5)
Implementation Method 2
a flexible spine (25) to guide a circular rolling surface of the roller (5), wherein a clearance (26) is left between an outward surface of the flexible spine (25) and an inward surface of the porous compact (8) to permit flexing of the flexible spine (25) to relieve an stress that is applied to the flexible spine (25) by circulating motion of the rollers (5)
Data Source
AI summary
A linear motion guide unit is disclosed in which a tubular composition to provide a return passage is high in mechanical stiffness and also makes certain of sustainable application of lubricant to rolling elements rolling through the return passage, thereby ensuring proper lubrication under maintenance-free operation. The tubular composition to make the return passage is composed of a tubular skeleton to guide the rollers, and a porous compact impregnated with lubricant. The tubular skeleton is made up of forward and aft ends, a lengthwise column and a flexible spine, which extend between the ends. The flexible spine includes lengthwise opposite relief portions and a flexible middle section, which fit into the porous compact with separating from the porous compact to make a clearance between them. The flexible spine deflects as the rollers roll through the return passage, permitting the rollers coming into touch with the porous compact to lubricate the rollers.