Linear Guideway Slider with Curved Carrying Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional miniature linear guideways require extremely high manufacturing precision due to small assembly tolerance between the circulator and slider, leading to instability in their relative position, which affects the operation of the guideway.
Innovation Solution
A linear guideway design featuring a slider with elongated inner and carrying surfaces, and a circulator with circulating bases and bridges, allowing for precise alignment and absorption of manufacturing tolerances through a circulation channel system, ensuring stable and firm combination of the slider and circulator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the circulator is pressed onto the slider with small assembly tolerance, then the manufacturing precision requirement is high, but the relative position between circulator and slider changes easily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs circular arc segments with different radii on the carrying surfaces of the slider. The first circular arc segment has a smaller radius than the second circular arc segment, creating a curved interface that allows the circulator to be pressed onto the slider while maintaining stable relative position. The curved surfaces enable tolerance absorption through geometric compatibility rather than relying solely on tight tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the contact surfaces by using circular arc segments with specifically designed radii. The radius relationship (first circular arc radius < second circular arc radius) creates a parameter mismatch that actually benefits the assembly by allowing tolerance compensation while maintaining positional stability during the pressing operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the assembly tolerance is extremely small, then the manufacturing precision is high, but the operation stability is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The curved surfaces with different radii create a geometric relationship that stabilizes the circulator-slider assembly during operation. The circular arc geometry provides a self-centering effect that maintains operational stability even when assembly tolerances are small, preventing the relative position changes that would otherwise affect operation stability.
3Device complexity
If the circulator and slider are directly pressed together, then the structure is simple, but the relative position changes easily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains structural simplicity by directly pressing the circulator onto the slider without additional fastening mechanisms. The circular arc segments with different radii on the carrying surfaces provide the geometric constraint needed to prevent relative position changes, achieving reliability through clever surface geometry rather than complex structural features.
Data Source
AI summary
A circulating module of a linear guideway includes a slider and a circulator. The slider has two carrying surfaces arranged on two opposite outer surface thereof. Each carrying surface includes a first circular-arc segment and two second circular segments respectively arranged at two opposite sides of the first circular-arc segment, and a radius of each first circular-arc segment is smaller than that of each second circular-arc segment. The circulator includes two inner circular-arc surfaces. The slider is inserted into the circulator, the carrying surfaces stretch a distance between the inner circular-arc surfaces, each inner circular-arc surface is abutted against the two second circular-arc segments of the corresponding carrying surface, and a gap is formed between each inner circular-arc surface and the corresponding first circular-arc segments.