Mobile Partition Guide System With Differential Height Rollers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile partition wall systems face challenges in ease of setup, safety, and handling, particularly at branching points and changes in direction, where increased force and wear occur due to the need for continuous running surfaces and orientation adjustments of guide rollers.
Innovation Solution
The system employs cross slides with four guide rollers of the same height and load rollers on horizontal axes, combined with a guide body having a concave run-off surface and a centering body, allowing for orthogonal and rotating movements without orientation changes, and featuring guide rollers of different heights to enable coding for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If unidirectional rollers are used for guiding partition wall elements, then forward and backward movement within a rail is enabled, but transverse movement at rail intersections is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The carriage is divided into multiple independent roller units (unidirectional rollers and guide rollers) that can function separately. The unidirectional rollers handle longitudinal movement while guide rollers handle transverse guidance, allowing the system to achieve both movement types through segmented functional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The carriage design integrates multiple roller types that can adapt to different movement requirements. The same carriage structure can accommodate both unidirectional rollers for straight movement and guide rollers for directional changes, making the system versatile for various rail configurations including intersections and curves.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cross slides with guide rollers of different heights are used at branching points, then transverse movement and direction changes are enabled, but increased force and wear occur due to continuous running surfaces requirement
Solution Approach 1:
Guide rollers of different heights are positioned specifically at branching points and curve locations where directional changes are needed. This localized differentiation allows the system to achieve adaptability only where necessary, while maintaining simple unidirectional roller configurations in straight sections, thereby reducing overall wear and force requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of guide rollers with different heights creates a curved running surface profile that allows smooth transition through branching points and intersections. This curved geometry enables the cross slide to follow the rail's directional changes without requiring continuous flat running surfaces, reducing friction and wear.
3Reliability
If guide rollers are extended beyond the carriage end to support against side walls, then straight-line travel guidance is improved, but complexity of the carriage structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rollers are integrated into the existing carriage structure as extensions of the roller body rather than separate components. This merging of functions allows the same roller element to provide both load-bearing capability and lateral guidance, reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining guidance accuracy.
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 design simplifies the setup and handling of mobile partition walls by reducing the force required for direction changes and minimizing wear, ensuring safe and efficient guidance through branching points and changes in direction without tilting, while allowing for flexible installation and space-saving configurations.
Implementation Method 1
two opposing load rollers of the roller body roll on running surfaces of the support rail
Implementation Method 2
The carriages are rotatable relative to the partition wall elements around their central vertical axis, which also houses the support rods for the movable wall elements
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3A~3E
AI summary
The invention relates to a system for suspending and guiding partition elements (61-64) of a mobile partition, which are each movably suspended by means of at least one cross slide (21) in ceiling-side support rails (1-1""') having guide slots (2), wherein each cross slide (21) comprises a roller body (11) having four guide rollers (14, 24-26) of identical height with vertical rotational axes (16) and having on the four lateral faces thereof four load rollers (13-13", 23) on two horizontal rotational axes (15) intersecting each other at right angles. In each case two opposite load rollers (13-13") of the roller body (11) roll on running surfaces of the support rail (1-1""'), whilst the two other load rollers (13-13") align with the guide slot (2) of the support rail (1-1). On at least one branching of support rails (1-1""') a guide body (4, 31-33) having a concave run-off surface for guide rollers (24- 26) is provided in a support rail (1-1""') on the ceiling side. The invention further relates to a guide body (4, 31-33), to a use thereof and to a mobile partition. The system according to the invention is characterised in that the heights of the guide rollers (24-26) of at least two different cross slides (21) differ from each other in such a manner that cross slides (21) having guide rollers of at least a first height (24-26) are deflected by the at least one guide body (4, 31-33) and cross slides (21) having guide rollers (24-26) of at least a second height are not deflected by the at least one guide body.