Linear Guide Side Seal with Gate Burr Housing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing side seals for linear guides require complex constructions and additional components to securely hold the seal member, necessitating labor-intensive gate burr removal and posing challenges in assembly and orientation.

Innovation Solution

A side seal design featuring a seal main body formed by shaping elastic material using a mold, with a holder incorporating a gate burr housing to accommodate the gate burr, eliminating the need for complete cutting or elimination of the gate burr and facilitating assembly by distinguishing orientation and preventing false assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the gate burr is completely cut or eliminated to be made flat with the surface of the seal main body, then the sealing surface quality is improved, but the labor work and manufacturing complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing surface qualityVSAvoidlabor work
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The gate burr is extracted and separated from the seal main body by providing a dedicated gate burr housing in the holder. This allows the gate burr to be accommodated separately without interfering with the sealing surface, eliminating the need for labor-intensive cutting or elimination operations while maintaining sealing quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The holder is segmented into distinct functional areas: a seal main body housing for the seal and a separate gate burr housing for the gate burr. This segmentation allows each component to serve its specific function without compromising the other, enabling the gate burr to remain attached while the sealing surface remains flat and functional

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If additional components or complicated constructions are used to securely hold the seal member, then the holding security is improved, but the device complexity and assembly difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveholding securityVSAvoidconstruction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The holder combines multiple functions into a single integrated component: it provides structural support for the seal main body, houses the gate burr separately, and secures both elements through its design. This merging eliminates the need for additional separate components while maintaining secure holding of the seal member

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The holder serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it acts as a mounting structure, a protective housing, a positioning element, and a securement mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed while ensuring reliable holding of the seal assembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If the gate burr is retained without complete elimination, then the manufacturing work is reduced, but the gate burr may interfere with the sealing function or cause false assembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidsealing function
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The gate burr is extracted from the seal main body and placed in a dedicated gate burr housing, removing it from the sealing area. This allows the gate burr to be retained for manufacturing efficiency while preventing any interference with the sealing function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The gate burr housing is positioned in a different spatial dimension or location relative to the seal main body housing, separating the gate burr from the sealing surface area. This dimensional separation allows both the retained gate burr and functional seal to coexist without interference

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2607729B1Side seal for linear guide
Publication Date: 2019.03.13 NSK LTD
  • EP2607729B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2607729B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2607729B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~5

AI summary

A side seal of a linear guide is provided which needs no complete cutting or elimination of the gate burr of a seal main body and which is good at assembling performance. A side seal (8) attached to each of both ends of a slider (2) of a linear guide in a sliding direction and sliding in contact with a guide rail (1) includes: a seal main body (14) formed by shaping an elastic material using a mold and sliding in contact with the guide rail (1) ; and a holder (13) for housing and holding the seal main body (14). A gate burr housing (25) for housing an elastic-material gate burr (24) of the seal main body (14) is formed in a seal main body housing (21) of the holder (13). This eliminates the need of complete cutting or elimination of the elastic-material gate burr (24) of the seal main body (14), and improves the assembling performance. The gate burr housing (25) is formed at a front or rear side of the seal main body housing (21) of the holder (13), and the elastic-material gate burr (24) of the seal main body (14) is formed at a corresponding portion to the gate burr housing (25). This prevents false assembling.