Rotatable Roller Support for Rail Trolley Cornering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport trolleys for rail systems face challenges in cornering ability, load-bearing capacity, profile accuracy, noise reduction, and cost-effectiveness, particularly when dealing with rectangular rails that require precise alignment and adaptability to varying rail configurations.
Innovation Solution
A transport trolley design featuring a base body with a roller support system comprising at least three rotatably supported rollers, an alignment system, and a counter-pressure element, which allows flexible alignment and adaptation to rails with multiple running surfaces, ensuring high load-bearing capacity, accurate positioning, and reduced noise, while being cost-effective and easy to assemble.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a transport trolley uses a fixed roller support configuration, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the cornering ability and adaptability to varying rail configurations deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The roller support is made rotatable relative to the base body, allowing it to dynamically adapt its orientation to the rail configuration. This rotational degree of freedom enables the roller support to automatically align with curved or angled rail sections, improving cornering ability without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms or multiple specialized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable roller support serves multiple functions: it provides stable support on straight rails, enables smooth cornering on curved rails, and adapts to various rail configurations. This single component replaces what would otherwise require separate specialized components for different rail types, reducing overall system complexity and manufacturing cost.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the roller support is made rotatable to improve cornering ability, then the adaptability to rail configurations is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment system is segmented into two independent functional modules: the roller support alignment device that positions the roller support relative to the base body, and the roller alignment device that positions the rollers relative to the roller support. This segmentation allows each device to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall adjustment process.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller support alignment device performs preliminary alignment by positioning the roller support in the correct orientation relative to the base body before the rollers are engaged with the rail. This preliminary action ensures that subsequent roller adjustments are more precise and reduces the complexity of achieving final alignment.
3Manufacturing precision
If precise alignment devices are added to maintain high profile accuracy, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but the manufacturing cost and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable roller support automatically self-aligns with the rail configuration through its rotational degree of freedom, eliminating the need for complex precision alignment devices. The system uses the rail geometry itself as the reference for alignment, allowing the roller support to self-adjust to the correct position and orientation without requiring additional alignment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The orientation parameter of the roller support is made variable through rotation, allowing it to adapt to different rail configurations. This parameter change enables the system to maintain high profile accuracy across various rail geometries without requiring separate precision alignment devices for each configuration.
4Strength
If the transport trolley is designed for high load-bearing capacity, then the strength is improved, but the cornering ability and flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable roller support introduces dynamic adaptability to an otherwise static load-bearing structure. The roller support can rotate to follow curved rail paths while maintaining its load-bearing function, allowing the transport trolley to corner smoothly without compromising its strength or load capacity.
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 the transport trolley to corner smoothly and maintain high accuracy and load-bearing capacity on rectangular rails, extending service life and simplifying assembly, while being adaptable to various rail configurations and reducing noise.
Implementation Method 1
a roller support (22) which is rotatably supported—e.g. by means of at least one rolling element bearing (24) or sliding bearing—at the base body (16)
Data Source
AI summary
A transport trolley for transporting objects for a rail system having at least one rail that has at least three running surfaces, said transport trolley comprising:a base body having an object carrier for receiving at least one object;a roller support which is rotatably supported at the base body and at which at least a first, a second, and a third roller are rotatably supported; andan alignment system having a roller support alignment device for aligning the roller support relative to the base body and having a roller alignment device for a relative alignment of the rollers with respect to one another and/or to the base body.