Linear Guide Slider Crowning for Vibration Suppression

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional linear guide apparatuses face issues with durability at high speeds, productivity, and increased risk of rolling element damage due to vibrations and collisions, particularly when driven at high speeds, leading to potential peeling and reduced rigidity.

Innovation Solution

The linear guide apparatus incorporates inclined portions at the slider-side rolling element raceway groove, featuring a curved first crowning with a large radius, a straight-line second crowning steeper than the first, and a slope between the second crowning and the end face, designed to reduce rolling element passing vibrations and enhance durability without compromising load-carrying capacity or rigidity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If crownings are formed at both end portions of the slider-side rolling element raceway groove to suppress rolling element passing vibrations, then vibration suppression is improved, but durability at high speeds deteriorates due to collisions with stepped portions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverolling element passing vibrationsVSAvoiddurability at high speeds

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the conventional sharp-edged chamfer with a curved surface having a specific radius of curvature (R1). This curved surface continuously transitions from the crowning portion to the end face, eliminating stepped portions that cause collisions. The curvature allows rolling elements to smoothly transition from the loaded area to the unloaded area without impact, thereby maintaining vibration suppression while improving durability at high speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies different surface characteristics to different regions of the inclined portion. The first region (from crowning to curved surface) has a specific curvature radius (R1) for smooth transition, while the second region (from curved surface to end face) has a different curvature radius (R2). This local differentiation optimizes both vibration suppression and durability by tailoring the surface geometry to specific functional requirements of each region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional chamfers are formed at both end portions of the slider-side rolling element raceway groove, then manufacturing is simplified, but rolling element damage occurs due to collisions at high speeds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoiddurability at high speeds

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the conventional sharp-edged chamfer with a curved surface having a specific radius of curvature (R1). This curved surface continuously transitions from the crowning portion to the end face, eliminating stepped portions that cause collisions. The curvature allows rolling elements to smoothly transition from the loaded area to the unloaded area without impact, thereby maintaining vibration suppression while improving durability at high speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Strength

If steeply inclined slopes are formed to suppress reduction in rigidity, then rigidity is maintained, but rolling element passing vibrations increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproverigidityVSAvoidrolling element passing vibrations

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the conventional sharp-edged chamfer with a curved surface having a specific radius of curvature (R1). This curved surface continuously transitions from the crowning portion to the end face, eliminating stepped portions that cause collisions. The curvature allows rolling elements to smoothly transition from the loaded area to the unloaded area without impact, thereby maintaining vibration suppression while improving durability at high speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention optimizes the curvature radius parameters (R1 and R2) of the inclined portions to achieve the best balance between rigidity and vibration suppression. By carefully selecting these geometric parameters, the invention maintains the necessary structural rigidity while minimizing the harmful effects of rolling element passing vibrations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS7771119B2Linear guide apparatus

Publication Date: 2010.08.10 NSK LTD

AI summary

Inclined portions 15 which are provided at both end portions of a slider-side rolling element raceway groove 11 are each made up of a first crowning 18 which is formed into a curved surface shape with a large radius of curvature so as to be inclined moderately and continuously from the slider-side rolling element raceway groove, a planar second crowning 19 which neighbors the first crowning and extends towards an inner circumferential surface of a direction turning path and which is steeper in inclination than the first crowning and shorter in axial length than the first crowning, and a slope 20 which is provided between the second crowning and an end face of a slider main body and is formed steeper than the first and second crownings.