Magnet-Assisted Linear Guidance for Near-Zero Clearance Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guidance systems for precision positioning applications are not suitable due to lack of rigidity, require significant displacement forces, are temperature-dependent, and are costly to manufacture, with limited clearance and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A guidance system with a linear actuator and two guide axes, utilizing rolling bodies and magnetic forces to minimize clearance, ensuring rigidity, reduced displacement force, temperature independence, and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional guidance systems are used, then the structure is simple, but the positioning precision is insufficient and clearance is significant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical contact-based guidance with a magnetic field-based guidance system. Magnets embedded in the guide rail interact with ferromagnetic materials on the carriage to provide guidance forces without physical contact, eliminating mechanical clearance and improving positioning precision to less than 50 μm while maintaining system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a magnetic field as an intermediary between the guide rail and carriage. The magnetic field acts as a non-contact mediator that transmits guidance forces through the air gap, eliminating the need for direct mechanical contact and the associated clearance problems
2Force
If traditional guidance systems are used, then the structure is rigid, but significant displacement forces are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical friction-based force transmission with magnetic field-based force transmission. The magnetic attraction and repulsion forces between the guide rail magnets and carriage ferromagnetic materials enable movement with significantly reduced displacement forces while maintaining system rigidity through the magnetic field
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional guidance systems are used, then the design is simple, but temperature dependence affects accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces temperature-sensitive mechanical contact guidance with temperature-insensitive magnetic field guidance. Since the magnetic field interacts through the air gap without physical contact, thermal expansion and contraction of mechanical components do not affect the guidance accuracy, maintaining precision across varying temperatures
4Manufacturing precision
If traditional guidance systems are used, then the manufacturing cost is low, but the system lacks precision for high-accuracy applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces precision-critical mechanical machining with simpler magnetic component embedding. Instead of requiring extremely precise mechanical tolerances, the system uses magnets embedded in the guide rail and ferromagnetic materials on the carriage, which can be manufactured with standard tolerances while achieving sub-50 μm positioning precision
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
Enables precise positioning with minimal clearance, lower displacement force requirements, and temperature stability, while allowing wider tolerances and reduced manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
the fixed element or the movable element comprises a first magnet, and the movable element respectively the fixed element comprises a ferromagnetic support and/or a second magnet, wherein the first magnet and the ferromagnetic support respectively the second magnet are arranged to generate a magnetic force
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a guidance system (100) for guiding the displacement of a movable element (13) with respect to a fixed element (14), the guidance system (100) comprising - a linear actuator (6), - the fixed element (14) comprising - a main guide axis (5), - a secondary guide axis (4), - the movable element (13) being arranged to be displaced by the linear actuator (6) with respect to the fixed element (14) along a first axis (z), the movable element (14) comprising: - a first rolling bodies guide device (50) cooperating with the main guide axis (5), arranged to block four degrees of freedom of the movable element, - a second rolling bodies guide device (40) cooperating with the secondary guide axis (4), arranged to block a rotation of the movable element about a third axis (z). The fixed element (14) or the movable element (13) comprises a first magnet (20), and the movable element (13) respectively the fixed element (14) comprises a ferromagnetic support (15, 16) and/or a second magnet, wherein the first magnet (20) and the ferromagnetic support (15, 16) and/or the first magnet (20) and second magnet are arranged to generate a magnetic force (FA) which is arranged to reduce or avoid a clearance, thereby enabling guidance with little or no clearance.