Motion Guide Body Structure to Prevent Rail Disengagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motion guide devices using low-rigidity materials like resin or aluminum for track rails and guide bodies face disengagement issues due to corrugated rolling surfaces, leading to accuracy, cost, and weight concerns, especially in applications like furniture and aircraft interior.
Innovation Solution
A guide body design featuring an endless circulation path with rolling elements and a guide portion that projects towards the track rail, ensuring sliding contact and preventing disengagement even with corrugated surfaces, allowing for the use of low-rigidity materials and reducing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If low-rigidity materials such as resin material and aluminum are used for the track rail, then weight is reduced and production cost is reduced, but the rolling surface becomes corrugated causing gaps between the rolling surface and rolling elements leading to disengagement
Solution Approach 1:
The guide portion extends in the vertical dimension beyond the rolling elements, creating a new spatial zone for engagement. This additional dimensional presence ensures contact with the track rail even when rolling elements disengage due to surface corrugation, thereby maintaining reliability while using lightweight materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide portion acts as an intermediary element between the rolling elements and the track rail. When rolling elements fail to maintain contact due to surface irregularities, the guide portion provides an intermediate contact interface that prevents complete disengagement, bridging the gap caused by surface corrugation.
2Ease of manufacture
If low-rigidity materials such as resin material and aluminum are used for the track rail, then production cost is reduced, but the rolling surface becomes corrugated causing gaps between the rolling surface and rolling elements leading to disengagement
Solution Approach 1:
By extending the guide portion vertically beyond the rolling elements, the design adds a dimensional feature that ensures engagement reliability without requiring expensive high-rigidity materials or precision grinding processes, thus maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameter of the guide body by adding a protruding guide portion that extends beyond the rolling elements. This parameter modification ensures continuous engagement with the track rail even when rolling elements disengage, maintaining reliability while using cost-effective low-rigidity materials.
3Ease of manufacture
If the rolling surface is formed directly along the structure without using the track rail, then production cost is reduced, but the rolling surface becomes corrugated causing gaps between the rolling surface and rolling elements leading to disengagement
Solution Approach 1:
The guide portion serves as an intermediary contact element between the rolling elements and the structure. When the rolling surface formed directly on the structure becomes corrugated, the guide portion provides an intermediate engagement interface that prevents disengagement, ensuring reliability in cost-effective direct-forming applications.
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 guide body effectively prevents disengagement from the track rail, enabling smooth motion and weight reduction while lowering production costs, enhancing versatility and accuracy in motion guide devices.
Implementation Method 1
a large number of rolling elements that roll on a rolling surface formed along a structure
Implementation Method 2
a guide portion formed on at least one side of the load opening portion so as to project toward the structure side with respect to projecting ends of the large number of rolling elements
Data Source
AI summary
A guide body can be prevented from being disengaged from a track rail even where the track rail is made of a low-rigidity material, thereby securing reliable movement along the track rail. The guide body includes: a large number of rolling elements that roll on a rolling surface formed along a structure, the guide body being movable relative to the structure; an endless circulation path through which the large number of rolling elements circulate; a load opening portion for allowing the large number of rolling elements in the endless circulation path to be held in contact with the rolling surface of the structure; and a guide portion formed on at least one side of the load opening portion so as to project toward the structure side with respect to projecting ends of the large number of rolling elements projecting from the load opening portion toward the structure side.