Linear Guide Slider Leg Rigidity for Error Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional linear guide devices with flexible guide rails face issues of early breakage under high loads, increased manufacturing costs, and reduced mountability due to stress concentration and large deformation, which limits their load capacity and durability.
Innovation Solution
A linear guide device with flexible leg parts on the slider, having a lower rigidity than the contact parts, absorbs mounting errors and high loads through elastic deformation, reducing stress concentration and enabling high load capacity while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the guide rail is made as a flexible structure part to absorb mounting error, then the centering ability improves, but the strength decreases causing stress concentration and early breakage under high loads
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail is divided into a rigid section and a flexible section, with the rigid section providing strength and the flexible section absorbing mounting errors. This segmentation allows each part to fulfill its specific function without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the guide rail have different rigidity characteristics - the mounting surface section is rigid to ensure precision, while the flexible section has reduced rigidity to absorb errors. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between strength and error absorption.
2Force
If the guide rail is made as a flexible structure part, then the load capacity increases, but the manufacturing cost increases due to complex drawing processes
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail is segmented into rigid and flexible portions, allowing the flexible section to be designed with simpler geometry that is easier and cheaper to manufacture while still achieving the required deformation characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigidity parameter is adjusted locally in the flexible section by changing geometric parameters (such as thickness or cross-sectional shape) rather than making the entire guide rail complex, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining load capacity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the guide rail is made as a flexible structure part, then the centering ability improves, but the mountability deteriorates due to requiring large number of mounting bolts
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail is divided into rigid and flexible sections, where the rigid section provides stable mounting surfaces that require fewer bolts and are easier to install, while the flexible section handles error absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting surfaces are located on the rigid section of the guide rail, ensuring stable and easy installation with fewer bolts, while the flexible section below handles the deformation and error absorption functions.
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 effectively absorbs mounting errors and high loads, enhancing the device's centering ability and load capacity while reducing production costs and preventing premature breakage, thus improving durability and operational stability.
Implementation Method 1
the two leg parts of the slider body have flexible structure parts... the rigidity of the two leg parts of the slider body which is smaller than the rigidity of the contact parts of the rolling elements and rolling grooves
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A linear guide device which can be configured inexpensively while realizing both a centering ability (absorption of mounting error) and high load capacity is provided. This linear guide device (1) has a rigidity of two leg parts (4s) of a slider (3) which is smaller than a rigidity of contact parts of rolling elements constituted by rollers (12) and rolling grooves (4a) of the slider (3).