Pivotable Carriage Suspension for Sliding Door Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sliding door suspension systems face issues with sagging guiding rails and transverse loads due to stationary carriages, leading to uneven movement and potential damage to the rails, especially with heavy glass door leaves.
Innovation Solution
A carriage design with pivotally supported rollers that automatically compensate for transverse inclinations, featuring multiple rollers with axes of rotation aligned to stabilize the carriage and distribute load evenly across guiding rails, and a suspension system that allows for adjustable height readjustment and resilient support to dampen jerky movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If carriages are stationarily connected to the sliding door leaf, then the structure is simple and stable, but transverse loads increase and guiding rails may bend or warp
Solution Approach 1:
The carriage is designed with a dynamically adjustable connection to the sliding door leaf through the first suspension member that can pivot about a horizontal axis. This allows the carriage to adapt its position and orientation during movement, converting the stationary rigid connection into a dynamic adjustable one, thereby reducing transverse loads while maintaining structural stability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of connection rigidity by introducing a pivotable suspension member. The connection transitions from a fixed rigid state to an adjustable state where the angle and position can vary, allowing the system to optimize load distribution and reduce transverse forces on the guiding rails
2Ease of operation
If guiding rails are used to support rollers, then the panel can move along a defined path, but sagging of the guiding rail causes the sliding door leaf to drag on the floor
Solution Approach 1:
The first suspension member with pivotable support about a horizontal axis provides dynamic height adjustment capability. When the guiding rail sags, the suspension member can pivot to compensate for the height change, maintaining proper clearance between the sliding door leaf and the floor, thus preserving both movement guidance and height stability
Solution Approach 2:
The pivotable suspension member automatically adjusts the carriage height in response to guiding rail sagging without external intervention. The system self-compensates for rail deformation through the natural pivoting motion of the suspension member, eliminating the need for manual readjustment or external correction mechanisms
3Ease of manufacture
If carriages are not precisely guided in the guiding rails, then installation is easier, but transverse inclination causes excessive load and rubbing on the rollers and guiding rails
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable first suspension member allows the carriage to dynamically adjust its orientation to match the actual guiding rail alignment during operation. This dynamic adaptation compensates for installation tolerances and prevents persistent transverse inclination, reducing excessive loading and rubbing while maintaining easy installation requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The suspension member acts as a passive feedback mechanism that automatically responds to misalignment conditions. When transverse inclination occurs, the pivotable connection allows the carriage to shift its position, creating a self-correcting effect that reduces harmful loads on rollers and rails without requiring active control or precise initial alignment
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 smooth, stable movement of sliding door leaves by compensating for inclinations and uneven loads, reducing wear on guiding rails and preventing damage, while allowing for easy installation and adjustment.
Implementation Method 1
a first suspension member, which, with an upper terminal section, is supported at or in the body and, with regard to the body, is pivotally supported about at least one axis of rotation extending parallel with regard to a longitudinal extension of the carriage
Implementation Method 2
at least one first roller is freely rotatably disposed on the body, an axis of rotation of the at least one first roller extending transversely to a longitudinal extension of the carriage and transversely to a tangent of the travel path
Data Source
AI summary
A carriage includes body, at which at least one first roller is freely rotatably mounted, as well as a carriage suspension member with an upper terminal section is supported at or in the body and, with regard to the body, is pivotable about at least one axis of rotation extending parallel to the longitudinal extension of the carriage. A lower terminal section, the carriage suspension member is configured to extend in a downward direction towards a panel to be moved. The lower terminal section is adapted to suspend the panel to be moved therefrom. An axis of rotation of the at least one first roller extends transversely to the downward direction and transversely to a tangent of the travel path of the at least one panel to be moved in an area of the at least one first roller.