Linear Guide Stopper Welding to Eliminate Tapping and Screws

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional guide mechanisms require a tapping process and screwing operations to fix stoppers, increasing the number of processing and assembly steps, which can be cumbersome, especially when using thin slide members.

Innovation Solution

A guide mechanism with a structure that uses welding instead of screws to fix stoppers in linear grooves, allowing for the reduction of processing and assembly steps, and enabling the use of thin slide members by employing resistance welding with electrodes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If stoppers are fixed by screws, then the stoppers can be securely attached to prevent disengagement of rolling bodies, but the number of processing steps and assembly steps increases due to required tapping and screwing operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure attachment of stoppersVSAvoidnumber of processing and assembly steps

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical screw-fixing system with a welding system. Instead of using screws that require tapping holes and screwing operations, the stoppers are directly welded to the guide member, eliminating the need for threaded holes and mechanical fastening while achieving secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the screw-fixing mechanism (screws, tapped holes, and associated assembly steps) from the system. By eliminating this mechanical fastening subsystem, the design achieves secure stopper attachment through welding alone, reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If stoppers are fixed by screws, then the attachment method is reliable, but the processing becomes difficult or impossible when using thin slide members

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure attachment of stoppersVSAvoiddifficulty of tapping process on thin members

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical screw-fixing system with a welding system. Instead of using screws that require tapping holes and screwing operations, the stoppers are directly welded to the guide member, eliminating the need for threaded holes and mechanical fastening while achieving secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If stoppers are fixed by welding, then the number of processing steps and assembly steps is reduced, but the attachment method changes from mechanical to thermal joining

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of processing and assembly stepsVSAvoidmanufacturing process change

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical screw-fixing system with a welding system. Instead of using screws that require tapping holes and screwing operations, the stoppers are directly welded to the guide member, eliminating the need for threaded holes and mechanical fastening while achieving secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 approach eliminates the need for tapping and screwing operations, simplifying the attachment process and reducing the number of steps required for preventing disengagement of rolling bodies from guide grooves, while allowing for efficient attachment of stoppers using resistance welding.

Implementation Method 1

a welding step of joining a stopper and the first groove or the second groove together by resistance welding

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResistance welding: Welding

Data Source

PatentUS9989089B2Guide mechanism and method for manufacturing same

Publication Date: 2018.06.05 SMC CORP

AI summary

A guide mechanism includes: a guide member having a first groove; a slide member having a second groove; and rolling bodies arranged in a guide groove comprising the first groove and the second groove. A stopper for preventing the rolling bodies from moving out of the guide groove is affixed to the second groove by welding. A method for manufacturing the guide mechanism includes a welding step in which the second groove and the stopper are welded by resistance welding while the stopper is pressed against the second groove.