Push Chain Elastic Backing Belt Linear Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing push chains that transmit both tensile and thrusting forces face challenges in maintaining a straight, linear alignment due to play in hinge connections, leading to deflection and increased production complexity.
Innovation Solution
A push chain design featuring chain links attached to an elastically deformable backing belt, which maintains alignment through contact surfaces and recesses/projections, eliminating the need for direct articulated connections and reducing play, allowing for precise and linear travel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If chain links are connected by hinge joints to enable pushing and pulling, then the chain can transmit both tensile and thrusting forces, but play in the hinge connections causes deflection and prevents reliable linear alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a linear guide element as an intermediary component between the chain links. This guide element has guiding surfaces that engage with corresponding surfaces on the chain links, constraining them to move in a linear fashion. The intermediary element absorbs the play and misalignment issues, allowing the hinge connections to function while maintaining precise linear alignment through the guiding mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If chain links are connected by hinge joints to enable pushing and pulling, then the chain can transmit both tensile and thrusting forces, but the production complexity increases due to difficulty in producing and permanently connecting the chain links
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the chain into modular chain links that can be independently produced and then assembled. Each chain link is a separate component with standardized features for connection to the linear guide element and adjacent links. This segmentation allows for simplified production of individual components using standard manufacturing processes, and the modular design enables easy assembly and disassembly, reducing overall production complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the push chain is designed with simple components for inexpensive production, then manufacturing cost decreases, but achieving minimal play and precise linear movement becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The linear guide element serves as a simple intermediary component that provides precise linear guidance without requiring complex manufacturing. The guide element with its guiding surfaces is a straightforward mechanical component that can be produced inexpensively using standard machining or molding processes. This simple intermediary structure effectively constrains the chain links to linear motion, achieving precise alignment at low manufacturing cost.
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 enables a push chain to be produced inexpensively with minimal play, ensuring precise and linear movement, and can be used in applications like guiding sensors through hollow shafts with improved alignment and reduced torsion.
Implementation Method 1
The backing belt holds the chain links exactly in position and exerts return forces that always drive the push chain back into the extended, straight form after a deflection.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a push chain (20). This chain has: a plurality chain links (22) situated one behind another along a longitudinal axis x-x of the push chain (20), which each have two side plates (24) that are situated on opposite sides from each other and oriented parallel to each other and that are connected to each other by a connecting plate (26); the side plates (24) and the connecting plate (26) together form an approximate U-shape in cross-section and an elastically deformable backing belt (30), which is attached to the connecting plates (26) of the chain links (22), wherein with an approximately straight alignment of the push chain (20), the chain links (22) rest against one another with contact surfaces (32).