Lubricating Member for Linear Guide Rail Orientation Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lubricating members in linear motion rolling guide units fail to provide uniform lubrication on rails fixed to horizontal, vertical, tilted, or ceiling surfaces, leading to uneven lubricant distribution and a shortened effective lubrication period.
Innovation Solution
A lubricating member with an embedding portion and an impregnation holding member, where the impregnation holding member has a greater lubricant capacity per unit volume and equal or lesser suction force, ensuring uniform lubrication by maintaining the embedding portion at a level higher than the rail's raceway sections, and an oil reservoir is created between the embedding portion and the impregnation holding member for efficient lubricant supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the embedding portion is positioned at the lower level when the rail is fixed to a vertical or tilted surface, then lubricant can be easily supplied by gravity, but uneven lubrication occurs and the effective lubrication period is shortened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the orientation reference from gravitational vertical to rail-aligned horizontal. The embedding portion is positioned at a level equal to or higher than the higher-level raceway section along the rail's longitudinal axis, creating a dimensionally adaptive structure that works regardless of the rail's mounting orientation (horizontal, vertical, or tilted). This dimensional reorientation ensures uniform lubricant distribution by preventing gravity-induced accumulation at one end.
2Reliability
If the embedding portion is positioned at the higher level to ensure uniform lubrication, then lubrication uniformity is improved, but lubricant supply becomes less efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The impregnation holding member is pre-filled with lubricant before installation, and the embedding portion is designed with sufficient initial lubricant capacity. This preliminary action ensures that even when the embedding portion is positioned at a higher level where gravity-assisted supply is less effective, there is adequate lubricant already in place to maintain uniform lubrication throughout the operational period.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the impregnation holding member has greater lubricant capacity per unit volume, then lubricant supply duration is extended, but the suction force balance with the member body becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts physical parameters of both the impregnation holding member and member body to achieve suction force balance. The impregnation holding member uses materials with specific porosity and surface properties that provide high lubricant capacity while maintaining appropriate suction force. Similarly, the member body's material composition and structural characteristics are optimized to create a suction force gradient that enables controlled lubricant transfer from the impregnation holding member to the member body, extending lubrication duration without requiring complex balancing mechanisms.
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 consistent lubrication across various surface orientations, maintaining the lubricating capability for a longer period without frequent re-injection, and prevents inadequate lubrication by uniformly distributing lubricant within the embedding portion.
Implementation Method 1
the force sucking the lubricant into the impregnation holding member 9 is equal to or smaller than that into the member body 4... the relationship between the sucking forces in the impregnation holding member 9 and the member body 4 is required to be a relationship such that the lubricant seeps from the impregnation holding member 9 into the member body 4
Data Source
AI summary
A lubricant can be evenly applied onto raceway faces or raceway grooves of a rail even when fixed to a horizontal, vertical, tilted, or ceiling surface. One or a plurality of embedding portions (26e) having a recess or a hole is formed in a member body (26) straddling the rail (R). An impregnation holding member (30) holding a lubricant is embedded in the embedding portion. The lubricating member supplies the impregnating lubricant onto the rail raceway faces while making contact with them. Even when the rail is fixed to a horizontal, vertical, tilted or a ceiling surface, the embedding portion of the member body straddling the rail has at least a part maintained in position at a level equal to or higher than the level of at least a part of one of the raceway sections (21a, 21b) of the rail located higher relative to the other raceway section.