Quick-Mount Slide Assembly With Ball Bearings for Smooth Server Rails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slide assemblies with quick-mount systems face significant friction issues due to the lack of bearings between slides, making them difficult to operate, and require costly reconfiguration of ball bearing retainers when server sizes change, leading to uneven support forces.
Innovation Solution
A slide assembly with an outer rail, intermediate rail, and inner rail, featuring inner ball bearings and a ball bearing retainer with spaced retaining sections, allowing for smooth sliding and adaptable mounting without reconfiguring the retainer, enabling efficient support of installed members of varying sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If no bearings are used between slides, then the structure is simpler, but significant friction exists making it difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces ball bearings as intermediary elements between the slides to reduce friction. The ball bearings are positioned in bearing recesses and facilitate smooth rolling motion between the stationary slide, intermediate slide, and movable slide, resolving the contradiction by adding a mediating component that enables easy operation without significantly complicating the overall structure.
2Reliability
If the ball bearing retainer is reconfigured for different server sizes, then the support is optimized, but manufacturing cost increases due to new molds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the ball bearing retainer with a universal structure that can accommodate different server sizes without requiring reconfiguration. The retainer includes multiple bearing recesses and mounting positions that can adapt to various server dimensions, allowing the same retainer design to serve multiple functions and different product variants, thereby maintaining reliable support force distribution while avoiding the need for new molds and reducing manufacturing costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the ball bearing retainer has a longer upper space, then it can accommodate different server sizes, but the support forces become uneven affecting load support
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different bearing arrangements in different regions of the retainer. The upper and lower portions of the retainer have specifically positioned ball bearings and support structures that ensure even force distribution. This localized optimization of bearing positions and support features allows the retainer to accommodate various server sizes while maintaining balanced load support and preventing uneven force distribution that would compromise reliability.
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 reduces friction, allows for easy installation and operation of installed members on both sides, and maintains even support forces, accommodating different sizes without increasing manufacturing costs or reconfiguring the ball bearing retainer.
Implementation Method 1
At least one inner ball bearing set is located between the outer rail and the intermediate rail
Implementation Method 2
significant friction exists between the slides so that the users have to take much effort to pull the slides
Data Source
AI summary
A slide assembly with quick-mount system includes an outer rail, an intermediate rail, an inner rail and a ball bearing retainer. The intermediate rail has a notch. The inner rail has a first slot and a second slot to accommodate first and second mounts of an installed member. The ball bearing retainer has an upper member and a bottom member. The upper and bottom members each have retaining sections. Each retaining section has a ball bearing. The distance between adjacent retaining sections is larger than the diameter of the first mount. When the inner rail is pulled out relative to the intermediate rail, the first slot is located corresponding to the notch and between any two of the retaining sections, the first mount extends through the notch and enters into the first slot to be positioned. The second mount is engaged with the second slot of the inner rail.