Slide Rail Assembly with Flexible Working Member to Reduce Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slide rail assemblies experience wear and failure in their positioning function due to the lack of flexible deformation space in the buffer member, leading to frictional contact and subsequent wear down of the clamping part when the movable rail is moved between retracted and open positions.
Innovation Solution
A slide rail assembly design featuring a working member with flexible deformation capabilities, allowing the contact feature to cross the working member along different directions, and a foolproof mechanism to prevent incorrect mounting, ensuring stable and smooth movement between predetermined positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the sleeve groove of the buffer member has a straight contour that tightly fits the sheet body, then the positioning function is initially precise, but the clamping part wears down easily due to frictional contact during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the straight contour of the sleeve groove to a curved contour. This curvature allows the buffer member to have flexible deformation space while maintaining tight fitting with the sheet body. The curved design enables the clamping part to move smoothly without excessive frictional contact, thereby reducing wear and improving durability while preserving positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the sleeve groove from a straight linear form to a curved form with specific radius of curvature. This parameter change provides the necessary flexible deformation space for the buffer member, allowing it to accommodate movement variations without compromising the tight fit or positioning accuracy, thus reducing frictional wear on the clamping part.
2Manufacturing precision
If the buffer member is tightly fitted to the sheet body with no additional space, then the positioning accuracy is maintained, but the clamping part experiences excessive friction and wears down
Solution Approach 1:
The curved contour of the sleeve groove creates flexible deformation space within the tight fit. This curvature allows the buffer member to deform slightly during movement, reducing frictional contact between the clamping part and the buffer member, thereby eliminating wear without compromising positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic flexibility to the previously static tight fit by using a curved contour that allows controlled deformation. This dynamic capability enables the buffer member to adapt during movement, reducing frictional harmful factors while maintaining positioning accuracy throughout the movement range.
3Reliability
If the working member is made rigid for stable positioning, then the positioning function is reliable, but the contact feature cannot cross smoothly during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The working member is designed with flexible material properties, allowing it to deform elastically when the contact feature passes through. This flexibility enables smooth crossing during movement while maintaining stable positioning when at rest, combining reliability with ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the working member from rigid to flexible. This parameter change allows the working member to provide both stable positioning (when undeformed) and smooth movement (when deformed during contact feature crossing), resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
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 flexible deformation of the working member reduces wear and enhances the positioning function, allowing for stable movement between retracted and extended states while preventing incorrect mounting, thus improving the durability and functionality of the slide rail assembly.
Implementation Method 1
the working member is flexibly deformed through the first space, in order to allow the contact feature to cross the working member along the first direction
Data Source
AI summary
A slide rail assembly includes a first rail, a second rail, a working member and a contact feature. The second rail and the first rail are movable relative to each other. The working member is mounted to a connecting part arranged on one of the first rail and the second rail. The contact feature is arranged on the other one of the first rail and the second rail. At least one space is defined between the working member and the connecting part. When the slide rail assembly is in a retracted state, the working member is configured to block the contact feature, in order to prevent the second rail from being moved from a predetermined position along one direction.