Segmented Retainer Roller Chain Direction Change
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional roller screw retainers limit the degree of freedom of roller chains, making it difficult for rollers to change direction smoothly along complex paths, leading to potential gaps, excessive force application, and slip between rollers and retainers.
Innovation Solution
Dividing each retainer into two parts allows for relative rotation between the first and second divided members, providing additional degrees of freedom for the retainer and enabling smooth direction changes by allowing the first divided member to rotate relative to the second, which is coupled with an elastic member for assembly assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional retainers are used to prevent roller contact, then roller spacing is maintained, but the roller chain cannot change direction smoothly along twisted paths
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is divided into two separate retainers, each contacting one roller. This segmentation allows each retainer to independently adjust to the twisted circulation path, enabling smooth direction changes while maintaining reliable contact with individual rollers.
Solution Approach 2:
The divided retainers are allowed to rotate relative to each other around the moving direction axis of the rollers. This dynamic capability enables the retainer system to adapt to the twisted path geometry, allowing smooth direction changes along the circulation path while maintaining stable contact.
2Adaptability or versatility
If retainers are fixed relative to each other, then structural simplicity is maintained, but gaps and excessive force application occur on twisted paths
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer structure is segmented into two independent retainers that can rotate relative to each other. This segmentation provides adaptability to follow twisted paths while keeping each individual retainer structurally simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainers are given rotational freedom around the moving direction axis, adding a rotational degree of freedom in another dimension. This enables the retainer system to adapt to three-dimensional twisted paths while maintaining simple linear retainer structures.
3Force
If rollers are arranged in cross-configuration, then load capacity is increased, but direction change flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The divided retainers can rotate relative to each other, providing dynamic attitude adjustment capability that works in conjunction with the cross-arranged rollers. This maintains the load capacity benefits of cross-arrangement while enabling the rollers to properly orient themselves on twisted paths.
Data Source
AI summary
A motion guide device is provided which comprises a chain of rollers in which retainers are interposed, in which the chain of rollers is given a degree of freedom of rotation. The motion guide device comprises a track member (5) on which a roller rolling part (5a) is formed which allows rollers (7) to roll on along the roller rolling part; a moving member (6) on which a loaded roller rolling part (6a) facing the roller rolling part (5a) is formed; a plurality of rollers (7) arranged on a roller circulation path containing a loaded roller rolling path (9) formed between the roller rolling part (5a) of the track member (5) and the roller rolling part (6a) of the moving member (6); and a plurality of retainers (8) respectively interposed between rollers of the plurality of rollers (7). The plurality of retainers (8) are mutually separated, each of the retainers (8) which is divided into a first divided member (31) contacting one roller of a pair of rollers (7) with each retainer (8) sandwiched therebetween and a second divided member (32) contacting the other roller (7) of the pair of rollers, and the first divided member (31) is allowed to rotate relative to the second divided member (32).