Slide Rail Assembly With Elastic Positioning for Smooth Travel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slide rail assemblies face issues with movement smoothness due to manufacturing tolerances, leading to inefficiencies when trying to drive a slide assisting device to a predetermined position.
Innovation Solution
A slide rail assembly comprising a first rail, a second rail, a slide assisting device, an elastic member, and a working member, where the elastic member is used to drive the slide assisting device to a predetermined position by releasing elastic force through a predetermined space in the first rail, ensuring smooth movement and preventing further movement by a blocking feature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the contact part of the ball retainer is designed as a fixed portion to be separated from the limiting part of the blocking base, then the ball retainer can be temporarily held and stopped at a predetermined position, but such separation requires more space and affects movement smoothness when manufacturing tolerance is exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a working member as an intermediary component between the elastic member and the ball retainer. The working member includes a contact portion that contacts the elastic member and transmits its movement to the ball retainer, enabling precise positioning without requiring excessive separation space between components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the elastic properties of the elastic member to change the contact force and position parameters dynamically. The elastic member can be compressed and expanded to drive the ball retainer to predetermined positions while maintaining smooth movement through controlled elastic deformation
2Ease of operation
If manufacturing tolerance is controlled within strict limits to ensure movement smoothness, then component separation and contact are optimized, but this increases manufacturing complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs the elastic member's ability to deform and adapt to dimensional variations. The elastic member compensates for manufacturing tolerances by adjusting its compression and expansion parameters, maintaining smooth movement without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member automatically adjusts its state based on the positions of the working member and ball retainer, providing self-compensation for dimensional variations. The system uses the elastic member's inherent properties to maintain optimal contact conditions without requiring precise manual adjustment
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
Ensures the slide assisting device moves smoothly and accurately to a predetermined position while preventing unwanted movement, addressing the issues of manufacturing tolerance-related inefficiencies.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic member is configured to release an elastic force through the predetermined space of the first rail to be switched from the initial state to a non-initial state
Data Source
AI summary
A slide rail assembly includes a first rail, a second rail, a slide assisting device, an elastic member and a working member. The second rail and the first rail are movable relative to each other. The elastic member is arranged on the second rail. During a process of the second rail being moved relative to the first rail along an opening direction, the working member is configured to contact the elastic member in an initial state in order to drive the slide assisting device to move along the opening direction to a predetermined position. When the slide assisting device is located at the predetermined position, the elastic member releases an elastic force through a predetermined space of the first rail, such that the elastic member is no longer in the initial state with the working member no longer contacting the elastic member.