Rail Holding Mechanism for Stable Gap-Tolerant Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rail systems lack sufficient lateral support during installation, causing rails to slide and requiring time-consuming repositioning due to gaps between the rail and support profiles, especially for longer rails or when gaps are present on both sides.
Innovation Solution
A holding device is introduced between the clamping device and the rail, which clamps the rail in a predefined position in the support device during installation, using a pivotable and movable design with an expansion spring-based clamping mechanism to ensure secure positioning without additional fastening means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a gap is located between the rail and sidewall of the support profile to allow easy dislocation during installation, then the rail can be positioned in the rail bed, but the rail lacks sufficient lateral support and slides into the gap during installation
Solution Approach 1:
A holding device is introduced as an intermediary element between the rail and the support profile. This holding device fills the gap space and provides lateral support to the rail during installation, preventing the rail from sliding into the gap while still allowing the rail to be positioned in the rail bed. The holding device acts as a mediator that resolves the contradiction between needing a gap for positioning and needing lateral support for stability.
2Length of moving object
If the rail has significant length to cover the base, then the rail provides sufficient coverage, but the rail requires sectional repositioning when it slides into gaps, making installation elaborate and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The holding device is installed beforehand in the support profile before the rail is placed. This preliminary action ensures that lateral support is already in place to prevent the rail from sliding into gaps during installation. By preparing the holding device in advance, the need for time-consuming sectional repositioning of long rails is eliminated, significantly reducing installation time while maintaining the necessary rail length for coverage.
3Reliability
If the holding device is fixed in position to provide stable support, then the rail is securely held, but the holding device is difficult to install and require precise alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The holding device is designed with movable and pivotable characteristics during installation, allowing it to be easily positioned and aligned. Once installed, the holding device transitions to a stable, fixed state that provides reliable lateral support. This dynamic design enables the holding device to be easily installed without precise alignment requirements while still providing secure, stable support for the rail once in place.
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 solution simplifies the installation process by providing interim support and ensuring precise rail positioning, reducing the risk of sliding and eliminating the need for manual guidance of the holding device, while allowing easy insertion of the clamping device without tools, resulting in a more efficient and secure rail system.
Implementation Method 1
The clamping device is a clamping profile, which has a first clamping profile structure surface for abutting on the holding profile structure surface and a second clamping profile structure surface for abutting on the support device
Data Source
AI summary
A rail system (1) has a rail (20), a support device (10) for the rail (20), and a clamping device (40) for fixedly clamping the rail (20) in the support device (10). The clamping device (40) fixedly clamps the rail (20) in the support device (10) only in an operating situation. In the operating situation, a holding device (30) is arranged between the clamping device (40) and the rail (20) and releasably clamps the rail (20) in an installation situation in a predetermined position in the support device (10).