Vertical-Channel Sliding Support With Anti-Disengagement Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sliding supports with elongate members fail to maintain engagement when channels open vertically, leading to disengagement under loads that cause a moment, making them unusable for applications like supporting bodies where one channel is mounted underneath.
Innovation Solution
A sliding support design featuring a first elongate slide member with a channel section, a second slide member that fits within, and locating means to align them without contact, along with a damping mechanism like a friction member or rotary damper to resist sliding movement and define intermediate positions, ensuring consistent effort and preventing disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the channels of the elongate members are oriented vertically to provide compact dimensions, then the sliding support becomes suitable for mounting underneath bodies, but the members disengage under loads that cause a moment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces locating means as an intermediary element between the first and second slide members. This locating means prevents direct contact between the sliding surfaces while maintaining proper alignment, thereby preventing disengagement under moment loads while preserving the compact vertical orientation of the channels
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the alignment and location function from the sliding contact interface itself, separating it into a distinct locating means component. This allows the sliding members to maintain their compact vertical channel orientation without relying on contact between the channels for alignment, thus preventing disengagement under load
2Reliability
If the channels of the elongate members are oriented horizontally to maintain engagement, then the sliding support bears vertical load effectively, but it occupies more lateral space
Solution Approach 1:
The locating means acts as an intermediary that enables the second slide member to remain properly positioned within the first slide member without requiring horizontal contact between the channel walls. This maintains engagement stability while allowing the compact vertical orientation that minimizes lateral space
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying on horizontal contact between channel walls to maintain engagement (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by using non-contact locating means that work with the vertical channel orientation, thereby achieving engagement stability without increased lateral space occupation
3Reliability
If the second slide member contacts the channel side wall to maintain alignment, then engagement is maintained, but the retaining lip cannot effectively retain the member
Solution Approach 1:
The locating means serves as an intermediary that provides alignment between the first and second slide members without requiring contact between the second member and the channel side walls. This allows the retaining lips to effectively retain the second member by maintaining the proper gap relationship without side wall contact
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the alignment function from the side wall contact interface, assigning it to the locating means instead. This separation allows the retaining lips to perform their retention function effectively without the interference of side wall contact, thereby resolving the contradiction between alignment maintenance and retaining effectiveness
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 maintains consistent sliding effort and prevents disengagement, allowing the sliding support to function effectively even under vertical orientation and varying loads, enhancing its usability and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a friction member mounted on one of the slide members and movably biased towards the other slide member, the other slide member including a surface along which the friction member can ride as the slide members slide relative to one another
Implementation Method 2
The friction member may be rotatably mounted. The friction member is preferably a roller, and the roller is preferably mounted on a spring member to provide bias towards the surface
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus including sliding supports and particularly sliding supports having two elongate members of channel section which slide one within the other. The apparatus addresses the problem of using such sliding supports in an orientation where the channels of the elongate members open vertically rather than horizontally. The sliding support preferably includes a damping mechanism for resisting relative sliding movement of the elongate members. The sliding support also preferably includes a mechanism for defining one or more intermediate positions between extended and shortened positions of the sliding support.