Spring-Loaded Longitudinal Seal for Linear Guide Carriage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guide carriages with longitudinal seals face issues of sagging and inadequate contact pressure, requiring additional means to secure the seal along its axial extent on the guide rail.
Innovation Solution
A guide carriage design featuring angled legs with rod-shaped longitudinal seals that are spring-loaded, where the seals are held by their axial ends on the guide carriage and supported by angled supporting grooves, preventing sagging and ensuring consistent contact pressure through internal spring force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the longitudinal seal is inserted into pockets or held with hooks in prior art designs, then the seal can be held on the guide carriage, but the seal sags and insufficient contact pressure is maintained along its axial extent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the seal by introducing an internal spring mechanism that continuously applies elastic force, transforming the seal from a passive component into an active pressure-maintaining element. This ensures consistent contact pressure along the entire axial extent of the seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal is designed with self-supporting capabilities through the spring mechanism that automatically maintains contact pressure without requiring external adjustment or additional securing means. The seal serves itself by generating the necessary contact force through its internal spring structure.
2Reliability
If additional means are added to secure the seal along its axial extent, then seal stability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the seal retention function and the contact pressure maintenance function into a single integrated spring mechanism. This eliminates the need for separate securing means while achieving both positioning accuracy and stable contact pressure along the seal's axial extent.
3Device complexity
If the seal is supported from one end only, then device complexity is reduced, but the seal sags in the middle section
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the seal from a gravity-dependent structure into a spring-loaded structure that actively maintains its shape and contact pressure through internal elastic forces, eliminating sagging without requiring support at both ends.
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 design reliably prevents sagging of the longitudinal seal and maintains sufficient contact pressure along its axial extent without the need for additional securing means, ensuring effective sealing when the guide carriage is displaced on the rail.
Implementation Method 1
the rod-shaped body of the longitudinal seal is held with its two axial rod ends on the guide carriage and is spring-loaded with its internal spring force against the abutment
Implementation Method 2
If the longitudinal seal is now bent straight, this bending takes place in a spring elastic way and a spring force is generated in the rod-shaped body of the longitudinal seal
Implementation Method 3
the sealing lips contact the guide rail and form a sealing contact with it
Data Source
AI summary
A guide carriage of a linear guide, which guide carriage has a back (1) and legs (2) bent away from the back (1) and disposed along a longitudinal axis of the guide carriage for engaging over a guide rail (7), the two legs (2) are each provided with a longitudinal seal (5) having rod-shaped bodies (12) each of which has a sealing lip (8) on sides facing one another. The rod-shaped body (12) is supported on an abutment (9a) of the leg (2) provided along the longitudinal axis, wherein the rod-shaped body (12) is retained on the guide carriage together with the two axial rod ends (13, 15, 18) of the rod-shaped body (12) and is spring-loaded against the abutment (9a) by means of the inherent spring force of the rod-shaped body (12).