Track Roller Slide With Clearance-Fit Pin to Prevent Binding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current food table slides tend to bind or stick when in use, hindering smooth operation and ease of movement.
Innovation Solution
A slide design featuring a bar with a roller assembly and casing, where the rollers are connected by a pin that allows for clearance fit, enabling the rollers to move within tracks without altering their axis relative to the casing, reducing binding and sticking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional slides are used for food tables, then the structure is simple and cost-effective, but the slides bind or stick during operation, hindering smooth movement
Solution Approach 1:
The slide mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: a bar, a casing with tracks, and a roller assembly with multiple rollers. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, enabling smooth motion while maintaining structural simplicity. The rollers are separated and positioned within tracks, preventing binding while avoiding excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller assembly acts as an intermediary element between the bar and the casing, facilitating smooth relative motion. The rollers rotate within the tracks of the casing, mediating the interaction between the sliding bar and the stationary casing, thereby eliminating direct friction and preventing binding during operation.
2Ease of operation
If rollers are rigidly connected to the bar, then the structure is stable, but the rollers bind when the bar moves, preventing ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The roller assembly is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing the rollers to rotate freely on their axis while the entire assembly can pivot or adjust its orientation relative to the bar. This dynamic design enables the rollers to adapt to minor misalignments and maintain smooth motion, preventing binding while preserving stability through controlled flexibility.
3Ease of operation
If tight-fitting pins are used to connect rollers, then the roller axis remains stable, but the rollers bind during sliding motion
Solution Approach 1:
The pin connection is designed with intentional clearance, changing the dimensional parameter from a tight fit to a loose fit. The pin hole in the bar is larger than the pin diameter, allowing the pin to move or pivot within the hole. This parameter change enables the roller assembly to adjust its position and orientation, preventing binding during sliding while maintaining adequate manufacturing precision through controlled tolerances.
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 allows for smooth sliding motion without binding or sticking, enhancing ease of operation and reducing the need for lubrication, while maintaining structural integrity and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
The roller assembly includes rollers that travel within tracks of the casing
Implementation Method 2
The rollers can be connected by a pin positionable in a pin hole of the bar, the pin hole providing a clearance fit for the pin
Data Source
AI summary
An anti-binding slide is disclosed. In certain embodiments, the slide includes a bar having a pin hole adjacent the distal end of the bar. A rolling assembly includes rollers connected by a pin along a roller axis, the pin being positionable in the pin hole. A casing accepts the distal end of the bar. The rollers are positionable within tracks of the casing. The rollers, and thus the distal end of the bar, are able to move within the casing between a compressed position and an extended position. The pin hole provides a clearance fit for the pin, such that small movements of the bar do not interfere with the orientation of the roller axis with respect to the casing.