Sliding Door Guiding Device Monolithic Plate Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sliding door guiding devices are mechanically complex and require additional parts with different material properties for flexibility, which complicates their design and durability.
Innovation Solution
A guiding device with a chassis made from a single metallic, plastic, or composite plate, featuring rotatable rollers and a bow-shaped arm for resilience, using the same material for both rigid and flexible elements to achieve sufficient stiffness and elasticity, allowing for smooth door movement along guide rails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional parts with different material properties are used for flexibility, then the device can achieve necessary elasticity and resiliency, but the design complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the rigid chassis structure and flexible elastic arm into a single integrated component made from one plate. The plate is formed with a chassis portion for structural support and an elastic arm portion for flexibility, eliminating the need for separate parts with different material properties. This integration maintains both stiffness and elasticity while reducing design complexity and component count.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different functional zones within the same plate: the chassis portion has geometric features (triangular supports, rectangular openings) that provide rigidity and mounting capability, while the elastic arm portion has a bow-shaped configuration that provides flexibility. Both zones are made from the same material but exhibit different mechanical properties due to their geometric design.
2Reliability
If multiple parts with different material properties are used, then the device can achieve both stiffness and flexibility, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the stiff chassis and flexible elastic arm into a single monolithic plate structure that can be manufactured in one process. The plate includes mounting holes for attachment and integrated roller supports, eliminating the need for assembly of multiple parts with different materials. This simplifies manufacturing while maintaining both stiffness and flexibility through geometric design.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate is segmented into functional regions (chassis portion with mounting features, elastic arm portion with bow-shaped configuration, roller support areas) that can be designed and manufactured together as a single integrated component, reducing manufacturing complexity compared to assembling multiple separate parts.
3Device complexity
If a single plate is used for the chassis, then the design complexity is reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but achieving both stiffness and flexibility becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves different mechanical properties in different regions of the same plate through geometric design. The chassis portion has triangular support structures and rectangular openings that provide rigidity for mounting, while the elastic arm portion has a bow-shaped configuration that provides flexibility for resiliency. This local differentiation of geometric features enables both stiffness and flexibility in a single homogeneous material.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic arm portion is formed with a bow-shaped (curved) configuration that provides inherent flexibility and resiliency. The curvature allows the arm to deflect and return to its original position, providing the necessary elasticity without requiring different materials or additional components.
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 simplifies the design while maintaining durability and ensuring smooth, stable sliding door movement by leveraging the material properties of the plate for both support and flexibility, reducing complexity and improving durability.
Implementation Method 1
The arm (3) has a bow-shaped segment between the vertical intermediate part (1a) and the second horizontal support (4) to ensure resiliency of the arm (3)
Implementation Method 2
First roller (6) is horizontal and is mounted on vertical axle (5) assembled on first horizontal support (2), and second roller (7) is also horizontal and is mounted on vertical axle (5) on second horizontal support (4)
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~8
Figure 9~11
AI summary
A guiding device for a sliding door, comprises a chassis and rollers rotatable around axles mounted on supports fastened to the chassis. This is shaped from a single plate and comprises a fixing part (1), a vertical intermediate part (1a), first horizontal support (2), an arm (3), and second horizontal support (4). The fixing part (1) has at least two fixing holes (8) suitable to fix the chassis of the guiding device to the sliding door wing (17) with screws (10), bolts, pins, rivets, etc. First horizontal support (2) is protruding from the fixing part (1), and second horizontal support (4) is protruding from an arm (3) having vertically oriented cross-section and which is joined to the fixing part (1) through vertical intermediate part (1a) protruding from the fixing part (1). The arm (3) has a bow-shaped segment between vertical intermediate part (1a) and second horizontal support (4) to ensure resiliency of the arm (3). Both rollers (6, 7) are horizontal and are mounted on vertical axles (5) on, respectively, first horizontal support (2), and second horizontal support (4). The plate of the chassis is made of a material having Young's modulus ranging from 160 to 210 GPa, yield strength of 760-800 MPa, preferably 780 MPa for 0.2% elongation, and tensile strength of 1100-1300 MPa, preferably 1180 MPa. This plate can be made of low carbon steel comprising 17.0% of chromium, 6.7% of nickel, and 0.9% of manganese. The fixing part (1) can be fixed to the door wing (17) with use of C-shaped intermediate stiffening washer (16) protecting against delamination of the door wing plate. The guiding device can cooperate equally with upper and bottom guiding rails.