Linear Roller Guide Recirculation Layout for Reduced Stroke Pulsation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional linear roller profile rail guides experience stroke pulsations due to varying numbers of rollers in the load zone, leading to localized elastic deformations and reduced positioning accuracy, which is problematic for high-precision applications.

Innovation Solution

A linear roller profile rail guide with fully roller-designed deflection devices featuring a separating web that separates adjacent rows of rollers, ensuring they circulate side by side without contact, guided by a fixed separating web and base body surfaces, reducing wear and stabilizing roller movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If rollers circulate through a single-row recirculation channel, then the structure is simple, but stroke pulsations occur due to varying roller counts in the load zone

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller circulation structureVSAvoidpositioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The recirculation channel is divided into multiple parallel rows (at least two rows) that circulate rollers simultaneously. This segmentation distributes the load across multiple roller rows, preventing the periodic variation in roller count within the load zone that causes stroke pulsations, thereby improving positioning accuracy while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If multiple rows of rollers circulate adjacent to each other without separation, then the device complexity is low, but roller wear increases due to contact between adjacent rollers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller arrangement structureVSAvoidroller service life
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A separator element is introduced as an intermediary component between adjacent roller rows. This separator prevents direct contact between rollers of different rows while allowing both rows to circulate independently through the same recirculation channel, thereby reducing roller wear and extending service life without significantly increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If a separator element is introduced between roller rows, then roller wear is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller service lifeVSAvoidrecirculation channel structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The separator element is designed with locally differentiated features: a first section that contacts rollers of a first row and a second section that contacts rollers of a second row. This local quality approach allows the separator to efficiently manage multiple roller rows with a single compact component, minimizing the increase in device complexity while maximizing the protective function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4707626A1Linear roller guide with several rows of rollers circulating parallel to each other in order to reduce lifting pulsations
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 SCHNEEBERGER HLDG AG
  • EP4707626A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4707626A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4707626A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The linear roller profile rail guide comprises a profile guide rail with at least four roller raceway surfaces and a guide carriage (10) movable in the longitudinal direction of the profile guide rail, with at least four roller raceway surfaces formed on a base body (11). At least four roller deflection devices (UV1, UV2) with full rollers are arranged on the guide carriage (10), each for several adjacent rows of rollers (R1, R2). In a roller circulation channel, one of the roller deflection devices (UV1, UV2) causes the rollers (R1) of a first row of rollers and the rollers (R2) of a second row of rollers to circulate side by side along an annular closed roller circulation track, parallel to a predetermined first plane (E1, E2), when the guide carriage (10) moves in the longitudinal direction of the profile guide rail.In the roller circulation channel of the respective roller deflection device (UV1, UV2) a separating web (TS) is arranged, which extends between the first row of rollers (R1) and the second row of rollers (R2) and spatially separates the rollers (R1) of the first row of rollers from the rollers (R2) of the second row of rollers.