Two-Color Molded Roller Structure for Smaller Omni Wheels
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rollers attached to wheel main bodies, which include a pipe member and a rubber member, are not suitable for downsizing due to the required thickness of the rubber member for strength, hindering the miniaturization of mecanum and omni wheels.
Innovation Solution
A roller with a first member having a through hole for the support shaft and a second member covering the outer circumference, integrally formed by two-color molding, where the first member provides high sliding properties and the second member is a durable, ground-touching material, allowing for reduced thickness and size without compromising strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rubber member is fitted onto a pipe member to form a roller, then the roller has sufficient strength not to break, but the roller size cannot be reduced due to the required thickness of the rubber member
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses two-color molding to create a composite roller structure where a resin material (first member) and a rubber material (second member) are integrally formed. The resin first member provides structural strength and supports the shaft, while the rubber second member provides ground-contacting properties. This composite approach allows the rubber layer to be thinner than in conventional designs because the resin core bears the structural load, thus resolving the contradiction between strength requirements and size reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller is segmented into two functional parts: a first member (resin) for structural support and shaft insertion, and a second member (rubber) for ground contact. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the first member can be designed with sufficient thickness for strength while the second member can be made thinner for downsizing, as they serve different functional purposes.
2Length of moving object
If the rubber member is made thinner to downsize the roller, then the roller size is reduced, but the rubber member may break during fitting or use
Solution Approach 1:
By using composite materials with a resin first member and rubber second member integrally formed through two-color molding, the structure provides both the thin profile needed for downsizing and the reliability needed to prevent breaking. The resin material offers higher strength and rigidity to support thin-walled construction, while the integral formation ensures no weak points from assembly interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The first member and second member are merged into a single integrally formed component through two-color molding. This eliminates the need for separate assembly of the rubber member onto the pipe member, removing potential weak points at interfaces and ensuring uniform structural integrity throughout the roller, thereby maintaining reliability even with reduced thickness.
3Ease of manufacture
If a conventional roller structure with pipe member and rubber member is used, then the roller can be assembled, but the mecanum wheel and omni wheel cannot be downsized
Solution Approach 1:
The two-color molding process merges the formation of the first member and second member into a single manufacturing step, creating an integrally formed roller. This eliminates the need for separate assembly operations while enabling downsizing, as the integral structure allows for optimized thin-walled design without the constraints of assembling pre-formed components.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of composite materials with different properties (resin for structure, rubber for contact) allows the roller to be manufactured as a single integrated component with optimized thickness distribution. The two-color molding process can directly form the composite structure in one operation, maintaining ease of manufacture while enabling wheel downsizing.
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
Enables the downsizing of rollers and wheels by maintaining strength and reducing frictional resistance, while ensuring consistent ground contact and minimizing wear, thus facilitating the miniaturization of omnidirectional movement mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
The first member and the second member are integrally formed by two-color molding
Implementation Method 2
the first member provides high sliding properties and the second member is a durable, ground-touching material, allowing for reduced thickness and size without compromising strength
Implementation Method 3
the second member is a durable, ground-touching material, allowing for reduced thickness and size without compromising strength
Data Source
AI summary
A roller includes a first member having a through hole into which a support shaft is inserted and a second member that covers an outer circumference surface of the first member. The first member and the second member are integrally formed by two-color molding. Although covering most part of the outer circumference surface including a central region of the first member, the second member does not cover outer circumference surfaces of both end portions.