ROLLER TENSIONING ASSEMBLY

Abstract

An adjustable roller assembly for a linear rail system carriage has an indexing collar, an eccentric bushing, an adjustable roller, a suspension element, and an adjustment collar. The indexing collar has a first indexing structure. The adjustable roller is rollably mounted to a roller side end of the eccentric bushing. A rolling axis of the adjustable roller is offset from the axis of the adjustable roller assembly. The suspension element is mounted in axial alignment with an adjustment side end of the eccentric bushing. The adjustment collar has a circumferential flange having a second indexing structure. The first indexing structure and the second indexing structure are coupled to rotationally couple the adjustment collar with the suspension element.

Claims

1. An adjustable roller assembly for a linear rail system carriage, the adjustable roller assembly having an axis and comprising: as indexing collar having a first indexing structure; an eccentric bushing having an adjustment side end and a roller side end opposite the adjustment side end; an adjustable roller rollably mounted to the roller side end of the eccentric bushing, wherein a rolling axis of the adjustable roller is offset from the axis of the adjustable roller assembly; a suspension element comprising an inner core and an outer sleeve torsionally elastically coupled to the inner core, wherein the inner core is fixedly mounted to the adjustment side end of the eccentric bushing with the suspension element in axial alignment with the eccentric bushing; and an adjustment collar having a circumferential flange having a second indexing structure, wherein the first indexing structure and the second indexing structure are coupled to rotationally couple the adjustment collar with the suspension element.

2. The adjustable roller assembly of claim 1, wherein: the first indexing structure comprises a plurality of circularly-spaced indexing holes; and the second indexing structure comprises at least one indexing slot positioned for selective alignment with the indexing holes of the indexing collar.

3. The adjustable roller assembly of claim 2, further comprising: at least one indexing pin, wherein each indexing pin is positioned in a corresponding indexing slot and a corresponding indexing hole to rotationally couple the adjustment collar with the indexing collar, thereby maintaining a rotational position of the eccentric bushing.

4. The adjustable roller assembly of claim 3, wherein: the at least one indexing pin is a threaded fastener, and each of the at least one indexing hole is a corresponding tapped hole.

5. The adjustable roller assembly of claim 2, wherein: the indexing collar has an annular face and the plurality of indexing holes are formed and circumferentially spaced in the annular face; and the circumferential flange of the adjustment collar has a plurality of the indexing slots circumferentially-spaced for selective alignment with corresponding ones of the indexing holes of the indexing collar.

6. The adjustable roller assembly of claim 1, wherein: the outer sleeve of the suspension element has a first mating structure; the adjustment collar has a second mating structure; and the adjustment collar is removably coupled with the suspension element by mating of the first mating structure and the second mating structure.

7. The adjustable roller assembly of claim 6, wherein: the suspension element is cylindrical; the first mating structure is formed on a radially outer surface of the outer sleeve; the adjustment collar forms a cylindrical channel, and the second mating structure is formed at an inner surface of the cylindrical channel; and the suspension element is nested in axial alignment with the cylindrical channel, with the first mating structure and the second mating structure mated.

8. The adjustable roller assembly of claim 6, wherein: the first mating structure and the second mating structure form a spline-and-groove arrangement.

9. The adjustable roller assembly of claim 1, wherein: the eccentric bushing has at least one tapped adjustment side fastener bore formed in the adjustment side end; and the suspension element is mounted to the eccentric bushing by at least one suspension element threaded fastener mated with the one tapped adjustment side fastener bore.

10. The adjustable roller assembly of claim 1, wherein: the eccentric bushing has a tapped roller side fastener bore formed in the roller side end; and the adjustable roller is mounted to the eccentric bushing by an adjustable roller threaded fastener mated with the tapped roller side fastener bore of the eccentric bushing.

11. The adjustable roller assembly of claim 10, wherein: the tapped roller side fastener bore is axially aligned with the rolling axis of the adjustable roller offset from the axis of the adjustable roller assembly.

12. A carriage for a linear rail system, the carriage comprising: a platform having a roller side, an adjustment side opposite the roller side, and a bushing bore; a fixed roller assembly mounted to the platform, the fixed roller assembly comprising a fixed roller rollably mounted at the roller side of the platform; and the adjustable roller assembly of claim 1 mounted to the platform, wherein: the indexing collar is fixed at the adjustment side of the platform in axial alignment with the bushing bore; the eccentric bushing is installed in the bushing bore; and the adjustable roller is rollably mounted to the roller side end of the eccentric bushing at the roller side of the platform.

13. The carriage of claim 12, wherein: the adjustment collar is rotatable to adjust a spacing between a fixed rolling axis of the fixed roller and a rolling axis of the adjustable roller.

14. The carriage of claim 13, wherein: the suspension element is operable to vary the spacing between the rolling axis of the fixed roller and the rolling axis of the adjustable roller within predetermined limits responsive to forces applied to at least one of the fixed roller and the adjustable roller.

15. The carriage of claim 13 comprising multiple pairs of the fixed roller assembly and the adjustable roller assembly.

16. A kit for an adjustable roller assembly for a linear rail system carriage, the kit comprising: as indexing collar having a first indexing structure; an eccentric bushing having an adjustment side end and a roller side end opposite the adjustment side end; a suspension element comprising an inner core and an outer sleeve torsionally elastically coupled to the inner core, wherein the inner core is fixedly mountable to the adjustment side end of the eccentric bushing with the suspension element in axial alignment with the eccentric bushing; and an adjustment collar having a circumferential flange having a second indexing structure, wherein the first indexing structure and the second indexing structure are couplable to rotationally couple the adjustment collar with the suspension element.

17. The kit of claim 16, further comprising: instructions for assembling the adjustable roller assembly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures.

[0005] FIGS. 1 & 2 show overside and underside perspective views, and

[0006] FIGS. 3 & 4 show front and rear elevation views, respectively, of a linear rail system.

[0007] FIGS. 5 & 6 show overside and underside perspective views, respectively, of a linear rail system carriage with an adjustable roller assembly.

[0008] FIGS. 7 & 8 show overside and underside perspective views, respectively, of the linear rail system carriage of FIG. 5 where the adjustable roller assembly is shown in an exploded view.

[0009] FIGS. 9 & 10 show overside and underside perspective views, respectively, of an eccentric bushing of the adjustable roller assembly.

[0010] FIGS. 11 & 12 show overside and underside perspective views, respectively, of an adjustment collar of the adjustable roller assembly.

[0011] FIGS. 13 & 14 show overside and underside perspective views, respectively, of a suspension element of the adjustable roller assembly.

[0012] FIGS. 15 & 16 show overside and underside perspective views, respectively, of an indexing collar of the adjustable roller assembly.

[0013] Throughout the drawings, sometimes only one or fewer than all of the instances of an element visible in the view are designated by a lead line and reference character, for the sake only of simplicity and to avoid obfuscation. It will be understood, however, that in such cases, in accordance with the corresponding description, that all other instances are likewise designated and encompassed by the corresponding description.

[0014] In the drawings and this description, the use of a brace ({ or }) between reference characters designates a genus and species relationship, such that X {Y indicates that X is a species of a broader genus Y. A numerical reference character suffixed by a letter (e.g. 800A, 900B) designates a separate instance of the element designated by the numerical reference character (e.g. 800A, 800B are each separate instances of the element designated by 800).

DESCRIPTION

[0015] The systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may address at least some of the shortcomings or disadvantages of previous solutions, and may provide yet further benefits or advantages, with respect to the adjustment and use of roller assemblies for linear rail systems.

[0016] A linear rail system 100 is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. The linear rail system 100 includes a rail 101 and a carriage 300. The rail 101 has a first end 102 and a second end 103 opposite the first end 102 along a longitudinal axis L of the linear rail system 100. The linear rail system 100 further has a transverse axis T perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L, and a normal axis N perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis L and the transverse axis T.

[0017] The carriage 300 is shown in isolation in FIGS. 5 and 6, and has a platform 301, at least one fixed roller assembly 302 (fixed roller assemblies 302A,302B shown, each being an instance of fixed roller assembly 302), and at least one adjustable roller assembly 200 (adjustable roller assemblies 200A,200B shown, each being an instance of adjustable roller assembly 200). For each adjustable roller assembly 200, the platform 301 has a corresponding bushing bore 307 passing through the platform 301, and through which the adjustable roller assembly 200 passes. The platform 301 is planar, in the plane P.sub.LT, which corresponds to the plane of the drawings page containing FIGS. 3 & 4, although other embodiments having a platform 301 of other shapes are possible and contemplated.

[0018] The platform 301 has a roller side 303, and an adjustment side 304 opposite the roller side 303 along the normal axis Nthat is, on opposite sides of plane P.sub.LT. Each fixed roller assembly 302 comprises a fixed roller 308 (fixed rollers 308A,308B shown, each being an instance of fixed roller 308) rollably mounted at the roller side 303 of the platform 301. Each adjustable roller assembly 200 comprises an adjustable roller 206 (adjustable rollers 206A,206B shown, each being an instance of adjustable roller 206) rollably mounted at the roller side 303 of the platform 301. Each adjustable roller assembly 200 has a central axis C and an adjustable rolling axis R extending along the normal axis N. Similarly, each fixed roller 308 has a fixed rolling axis F extending along the normal axis N.

[0019] The carriage 300 is rollably mountable to the rail 101, with the fixed roller 308 of each fixed roller assembly 302 and the adjustable roller 206 of each adjustable roller assembly 200 in contact with the rail 101, wherein at least some of the fixed rollers 308 and the adjustable rollers 206 are on transversely opposite sides of the rail 101 so as to bracket and hug the rail 101. In this way, the carriage 300 is mounted to the rail 101 and can travel along the longitudinal axis L of the rail 101. As described below, the adjustable roller assemblies 200 are operable to vary alignment between the adjustable rolling axis R and the central axis C of the respective adjustable rollers 206 thereof, to thereby adjust relative spacing between the fixed rolling axis F of at least some of the fixed rollers 308 and the adjustable rolling axis R of at least some of the adjustable rollers 206, thereby to adjust contact forces between the rail 101 and at least some of the fixed rollers 308 and/or the adjustable rollers 206that is, to adjust a degree of squeezing force applied to the rail 101.

[0020] The carriage 300 may have any number of fixed roller assemblies 302 and adjustable roller assemblies 200. In different embodiments, one or more fixed roller assemblies 302 are paired with one or more transversely opposing adjustable roller assemblies 200 such that the fixed roller assemblies 302 are longitudinally aligned on one transverse side of the platform 301, and the adjustable roller assemblies 200 are longitudinally aligned on an opposite transverse side of the platform 301. In some embodiments there are at least two pairs of the fixed roller assemblies 302 and the adjustable roller assemblies 200, as shown in the drawings, although other embodiments with any numbers or pairs of the fixed roller assemblies 302 and the adjustable roller assemblies 200 are possible and contemplated. Furthermore, other embodiments having the fixed roller assemblies 302 and the adjustable roller assemblies 200 in other configurations are possible and contemplated, for example, in a staggered configuration, wherein at least some fixed roller assemblies 302 are longitudinally aligned with at least some adjustable roller assemblies 200.

[0021] The adjustable roller assemblies 200 are operable as a tensioning mechanism to adjust, set and hold the contact force between the fixed rollers 308 and the adjustable rollers 206 of the carriage 300 on the rail 101. The adjustable roller assemblies 200 may provide a constant force against changing dynamic forces such that the fixed rollers 308 and the adjustable rollers 206 remain in constant uniform contact against the rail 101 throughout travel of the carriage 300, or at least tend to do so. Such changing dynamic forces may include, without limitation, varying forces based on the weight of the object being moved by the linear rail system 100 and the accelerating forces applied to the object.

[0022] An embodiment of the carriage 300 comprising the adjustable roller assembly 200 are shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, with FIGS. 7 & 8 showing exploded views of the adjustable roller assembly 200. The adjustable roller assembly 200 has an indexing collar 201, an eccentric bushing 203, an adjustable roller 206, a suspension element 207, and an adjustment collar 210. In different embodiments, the adjustable roller assembly 200 also has one or more of an adjustable roller threaded fastener 225, at least one indexing pin 215, at least one suspension element threaded fastener 223, a washer 226, at least one screw 227, and a roller axle 228.

[0023] As described and shown in further detail below, and with reference to FIGS. 7 & 8, in operation of the adjustable roller assembly 200, the adjustment collar 210 is turnable to adjust a relative rotational position of (that is, to turn) the eccentric bushing 203 about the central axis C thereby to adjust a relative transverse spacing S between the adjustable rolling axis R of the corresponding adjustable roller 206 and a fixed rolling axis F of a paired fixed roller 308. The at least one indexing pin 215 is operable to couple the indexing collar 201, which is fixed to the platform 301, to the adjustment collar 210, thereby to fix a rotational position thereof, and therefore likewise to set a rotational position of the eccentric bushing 203. The eccentric bushing 203 is coupled to the adjustment collar 210 via the suspension element 207, which is at least somewhat elastic, thereby permitting at least some variability in the rotational position of the eccentric bushing 203and therefore variability in the relative transverse spacing Swhile urging the rotational position of the eccentric bushing 203 back to the setpoint of the adjustment collar 210.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 9 & 10, the eccentric bushing 203 has an adjustment side end 204 and a roller side end 205 opposite the adjustment side end 204. The adjustable roller assembly 200 further has a tapped roller side fastener bore 224 aligned with the rolling axis R, and therefore transversely displaced, or off-center, from a central axis C of the eccentric bushing 203 by an offset O. As shown particularly in FIG. 8, the adjustable roller 206 is mounted to the eccentric bushing 203 by passing the threaded fastener 225 through the hub 242 of the adjustable roller 206which may include through the roller axle 228 of the adjustable roller 206and into the tapped roller side fastener bore 224. The threaded fastener 225 may be screwed into the fastener bore 224 to rollably couple the adjustable roller 206 to the eccentric bushing 203. Other means and ways of rollably coupling the adjustable roller 206 to the eccentric bushing 203 are possible and contemplated, so long as the rolling axis R of the adjustable roller 206 is off-centerthat is, transversely displacedfrom the central axis C of the eccentric bushing 203.

[0025] As shown particularly in FIGS. 7 & 8, the eccentric bushing 203 is coupled to the suspension element 207 by passing the adjustment side end 204 of the eccentric bushing 203 through the bushing bore 307 of the platform 301 and the indexing collar 201. In particular, and with reference to FIGS. 15 & 16, the indexing collar 201 defines a cylindrical channel 248 sized and shaped to slidingly and fittingly receive the adjustment side end 204 of the eccentric bushing 203 thereby exposing the adjustment side end 204 of the eccentric bushing 203 on the adjustment side 304 of the platform 301. In particular, washer 226 may be provided on the adjustment side 304 of the platform 301, aligned and nested with the adjustment side end 204 of the eccentric bushing 203 exposed on the adjustment side 304 of the platform 301, and coupled with the eccentric bushing 203 by the at least one screw 227 screwed into corresponding tapped retaining bores 249 in the adjustment side end 204 of the eccentric bushing 203 (shown in FIG. 9), in order thereby to retain the eccentric bushing 203 in the bushing bore 307 of the platform 301 and the cylindrical channel 248 of the indexing collar 201.

[0026] The suspension element 207 is coupled with the eccentric bushing 203. In particular, and as shown in FIGS. 13 & 14, the suspension element 207 is cylindrical, with a circular cross-section, although other embodiments with other shapes are possible and contemplated. The suspension element 207 comprises an inner core 208 and an outer sleeve 209 that is torsionally elastically coupled to the inner core 208. The suspension element 207 also has at least one suspension element fastener bore 230 provided in the inner core 208. The suspension element 207 is coupled with the eccentric bushing 203 by aligning the at least one suspension element fastener bore 230 with corresponding tapped adjustment side fastener bores 222 formed in the adjustment side end 204 of the eccentric bushing 203 (shown in FIG. 9), and in each instance a fastener 223 is passed through both to screw the suspension element 207 to the eccentric bushing 203. Other means and methods for rotationally coupling the suspension element 207 to the eccentric bushing 203 are possible and contemplated. The suspension element 207 may be made of any suitable material having a predetermined degree of rigidity and/or elasticity sufficient to allow for torsional elastic compression with reliable rebound. Such materials may include rubber. One well-known embodiment of the suspension element 207 is the DK-A rubber suspension element (Part number DK-A18X30) from ROSTA, which is available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20240221205201/https://www.rosta.com/en/suspension-2/.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 7 & 8, the adjustment collar 210 is rotationally coupled with the suspension element 207. As shown particularly in FIGS. 11 & 12, the adjustment collar 210 may be annular in shape. The adjustment collar 210 has a circumferential flange 211 having an indexing structure, which as shown includes a plurality of indexing slots 214 circumferentially-spaced around the circumferential flange 211, although other indexing structures are possible and contemplated. Further, the adjustment collar 210 forms a cylindrical channel 220 with an inner surface 221. The adjustment collar 210 has a mating structure, which is formed at the inner surface 221 of the cylindrical channel 220. As shown, the mating structure may include at least one longitudinally extending spline 219. Turning to FIGS. 13 & 14, the outer sleeve 209 of the suspension element 207 has a radially outer surface 218, including a mating structure which, as shown, may include at least one longitudinally extending grooves 217. The suspension element 207 and the adjustment collar 210 are slidingly nested together using a spline-and-groove arrangement. More specifically, the adjustment collar 210 is removably coupled with the suspension element 207 by slidingly mating the splines 219 of the adjustment collar 210 with the grooves 217 of the suspension element 207that is, by sliding the adjustment collar 210 over the suspension element 207 with the splines 219 and grooves 217 aligned. In this way, the suspension element 207 is nested in axial alignment with the cylindrical channel 220, with the grooves 217 and splines 219 mated, thereby rotationally fixing the adjustment collar 210 and the suspension element 207 together.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 15 & 16, the indexing collar 201 has an annular face 216 on an adjustment side end 229 of the indexing collar 201, and an indexing structure which, as shown, may include a plurality of indexing holes 213 formed and circumferentially spaced in the annular face 216. Turning to FIGS. 7 & 8, and with reference to FIGS. 11 & 12, the indexing collar 201 and the adjustment collar 210 may be rotationally coupled together using a pin, hole, and slot arrangement. Specifically, as described above, the indexing slots 214 of the adjustment collar 210 are circumferentially spaced around the circumferential flange 211 for selective alignment with one of the indexing holes 213 of the indexing collar 201. By turning the adjustment collar 210 about the central axis C, longitudinally aligning at least one of the indexing slots 214 with a paired indexing hole 213, and positioning, which may be by screwing, at least one of the indexing pins 215 through the indexing slot 214 and into one of the corresponding indexing hole 213, the adjustment collar 210 may be rotationally coupled with the indexing collar 201.

[0029] When assembled as described above, the adjustable roller 206 of each adjustable roller assembly 200 is rollable about an adjustable rolling axis R transversely offset O from a central axis C of the adjustable roller assembly 200. The fixed roller 308 is rollable about the fixed rolling axis F of the corresponding fixed roller assembly 302. Each adjustable roller assembly 200 is operable as described to adjust the transverse spacing S (shown in FIG. 8) between the adjustable rolling axis R of its adjustable roller 206 and the fixed rolling axis F of the fixed roller 308 of a paired fixed roller assembly 302. As described, the suspension element 207 may be made of any suitable material having a predetermined degree of rigidity and/or elasticity sufficient to allow for torsional compression with reliable rebound. As such, the adjustment collar 210 is operable, as described, to set a rotational setpoint position of the eccentric bushing 203 to provide a selected transverse spacing S between the adjustable rolling axis R of the corresponding adjustable roller 206 and the fixed rolling axis F of a paired fixed roller 308, with a preconfigured degree of surface force between the adjustable roller 206 and the fixed roller 308, on the one hand, and respective surfaces of the rail 101, on the other handthat is, a preconfigured squeezing force or a degree of squeezing of the rail 101due to the torsional compressibility of the suspension element 207. As described, the adjustment collar 210 may be secured in rotational position by the use of indexing pins 215 rotationally coupling the adjustment collar 210 with the indexing holes 213 of the indexing collar 201, which is fixed to the platform 301. Such surface or squeezing forces are variable, however, given the torsionally elasticity of the suspension element 207, which is thus responsive to variation in the contact forces between the adjustable rollers 206 and the fixed rollers 308, on the one hand, and the rail 101, on the other hand, as the carriage 300 travels along the rail 101 in use.

[0030] The embodiments of the carriage 300, and particularly the adjustable roller assembly 200 disclosed herein may provide numerous advantages over conventional mechanisms. Use of some embodiments may improve operations such as robotic automation. Some embodiments may provide superior uniform stability to the linear rail system 100, which can be achieved by simple and quick adjustments that can easily be made to the adjustable roller assembly 200 which remains readily accessible on the carriage 300.

[0031] The embodiments of the adjustable roller assembly 200 and its parts described herein may be formed by any suitable manufacturing techniques and methods, and may be comprised of any suitable materials which will provide the required weight, strength, elasticity, hardness and wear resistance for use with for the linear rail system 100.

[0032] The adjustable roller assembly 200 as a kit in order to retrofit an existing linear rail system carriage, or in order to assembly a new one. The kit for the adjustable roller assembly 200 comprises substantially the same parts of the adjustable roller assembly 200 described herein. In particular, the kit comprises the indexing collar 201, the eccentric bushing 203, the suspension element 207, and the adjustment collar 210. In some embodiments, the kit also includes the indexing pins 215, the suspension element threaded fasteners 223, the washer 226, and the bolts 227. In some embodiments, the kit further comprises assembly instructions.

[0033] The following are non-limiting embodiments of the subject-matter disclosed herein.

[0034] Embodiment 1. An adjustable roller assembly for a linear rail system carriage, the adjustable roller assembly having an axis and comprising: as indexing collar having a first indexing structure; an eccentric bushing having an adjustment side end and a roller side end opposite the adjustment side end; an adjustable roller rollably mounted to the roller side end of the eccentric bushing, wherein a rolling axis of the adjustable roller is offset from the axis of the adjustable roller assembly; a suspension element comprising an inner core and an outer sleeve torsionally elastically coupled to the inner core, wherein the inner core is fixedly mounted to the adjustment side end of the eccentric bushing with the suspension element in axial alignment with the eccentric bushing; and an adjustment collar having a circumferential flange having a second indexing structure, wherein the first indexing structure and the second indexing structure are coupled to rotationally couple the adjustment collar with the suspension element.

[0035] Embodiment 2. The adjustable roller assembly of Embodiment 1, wherein: the first indexing structure comprises a plurality of circularly-spaced indexing holes; and the second indexing structure comprises at least one indexing slot positioned for selective alignment with the indexing holes of the indexing collar.

[0036] Embodiment 3. The adjustable roller assembly of Embodiment 2, further comprising: at least one indexing pin, wherein each indexing pin is positioned in a corresponding indexing slot and a corresponding indexing hole to rotationally couple the adjustment collar with the indexing collar, thereby maintaining a rotational position of the eccentric bushing.

[0037] Embodiment 4. The adjustable roller assembly of Embodiment 3, wherein the at least one indexing pin is a threaded fastener, and each of the at least one indexing hole is a corresponding tapped hole.

[0038] Embodiment 5. The adjustable roller assembly of Embodiment 2, wherein: the indexing collar has an annular face and the plurality of indexing holes are formed and circumferentially spaced in the annular face; and the circumferential flange of the adjustment collar has a plurality of the indexing slots circumferentially-spaced for selective alignment with corresponding ones of the indexing holes of the indexing collar.

[0039] Embodiment 6. The adjustable roller assembly of Embodiment 1, wherein: the outer sleeve of the suspension element has a first mating structure; the adjustment collar has a second mating structure; and the adjustment collar is removably coupled with the suspension element by mating of the first mating structure and the second mating structure.

[0040] Embodiment 7. The adjustable roller assembly of Embodiment 6, wherein: the suspension element is cylindrical; the first mating structure is formed on a radially outer surface of the outer sleeve; the adjustment collar forms a cylindrical channel, and the second mating structure is formed at an inner surface of the cylindrical channel; and the suspension element is nested in axial alignment with the cylindrical channel, with the first mating structure and the second mating structure mated.

[0041] Embodiment 8. The adjustable roller assembly of Embodiment 6, wherein: the first mating structure and the second mating structure form a spline-and-groove arrangement.

[0042] Embodiment 9. The adjustable roller assembly of Embodiment 1, wherein: the eccentric bushing has at least one tapped adjustment side fastener bore formed in the adjustment side end; and the suspension element is mounted to the eccentric bushing by at least one suspension element threaded fastener mated with the one tapped adjustment side fastener bore.

[0043] Embodiment 10. The adjustable roller assembly of Embodiment 1, wherein: the eccentric bushing has a tapped roller side fastener bore formed in the roller side end; and the adjustable roller is mounted to the eccentric bushing by an adjustable roller threaded fastener mated with the tapped roller side fastener bore of the eccentric bushing.

[0044] Embodiment 11. The adjustable roller assembly of Embodiment 10, wherein: the tapped roller side fastener bore is axially aligned with the rolling axis of the adjustable roller offset from the axis of the adjustable roller assembly.

[0045] Embodiment 12. A carriage for a linear rail system, the carriage comprising: a platform having a roller side, an adjustment side opposite the roller side, and a bushing bore; a fixed roller assembly mounted to the platform, the fixed roller assembly comprising a fixed roller rollably mounted at the roller side of the platform; and the adjustable roller assembly of Embodiment 1 mounted to the platform, wherein: the indexing collar is fixed at the adjustment side of the platform in axial alignment with the bushing bore; the eccentric bushing is installed in the bushing bore; and the adjustable roller is rollably mounted to the roller side end of the eccentric bushing at the roller side of the platform.

[0046] Embodiment 13. The carriage of Embodiment 12, wherein: the adjustment collar is rotatable to adjust a spacing between a fixed rolling axis of the fixed roller and a rolling axis of the adjustable roller.

[0047] Embodiment 14. The carriage of Embodiment 13, wherein: the suspension element is operable to vary the spacing between the rolling axis of the fixed roller and the rolling axis of the adjustable roller within predetermined limits responsive to forces applied to at least one of the fixed roller and the adjustable roller.

[0048] Embodiment 15. The carriage of Embodiment 13 comprising multiple pairs of the fixed roller assembly and the adjustable roller assembly.

[0049] Embodiment 16. A kit for an adjustable roller assembly for a linear rail system carriage, the kit comprising: as indexing collar having a first indexing structure; an eccentric bushing having an adjustment side end and a roller side end opposite the adjustment side end; a suspension element comprising an inner core and an outer sleeve torsionally elastically coupled to the inner core, wherein the inner core is fixedly mountable to the adjustment side end of the eccentric bushing with the suspension element in axial alignment with the eccentric bushing; and an adjustment collar having a circumferential flange having a second indexing structure, wherein the first indexing structure and the second indexing structure are couplable to rotationally couple the adjustment collar with the suspension element.

[0050] Embodiment 17. The kit of Embodiment 16, further comprising: instructions for assembling the adjustable roller assembly.

[0051] So that the present disclosure may be more readily understood, certain terms are defined. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which embodiments of the invention pertain. While many methods and materials similar, modified, or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the embodiments of the present invention without undue experimentation, the preferred materials and methods are described herein.

[0052] All terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting in any manner or scope. For example, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms a, an and the can include plural referents unless the content clearly indicates otherwise.

[0053] Numeric ranges recited within the specification are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range. Throughout this disclosure, various aspects of this invention are presented in a range format. It should be understood that the description in range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the description of a range should be considered to have specifically disclosed all the possible sub-ranges, fractions, and individual numerical values within that range. For example, description of a range such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specifically disclosed sub-ranges such as from 1 to 3, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 5, from 2 to 4, from 2 to 6, from 3 to 6, etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and decimals and fractions, for example, 1.2, 3.8, 1, and 4. This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.

[0054] The terms about or approximately as used herein refer to variation in the numerical quantity that can occur, for example, through typical measuring techniques and equipment, with respect to any quantifiable variable, including, but not limited to, mass, volume, time, distance, voltage, and current. Further, given solid and liquid handling procedures used in the real world, there is certain inadvertent error and variation that is likely through differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of the ingredients used to make the compositions or carry out the methods and the like. The terms about and approximately also encompass these variations. Expressions which combine the terms about or approximately with one or more bounds of a range refer to a union of the bound modified by the term about or approximately as described above, and the range having the unmodified bound. Thus, for example, the expression at least about X means the union of at least X and about X. Similarly, at most about Y means the union of at most Y and about Y.

[0055] The phrase and/or, as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean either or both of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with and/or should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., one or more of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the and/or clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to A and/or B, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as comprising can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

[0056] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, or should be understood to have the same meaning as and/or as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, or or and/or shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as only one of or exactly one of, or when used in the claims, consisting of will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term or as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. one or the other but not both) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as either, one of, only one of, or exactly one of. Consisting essentially of, when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0057] Embodiments of the disclosed subject-matter are described herein using the auxiliary verb may. When used herein, unless required otherwise by the context of usage, the auxiliary verb may designates an embodiment of the disclosed subject-matter which possesses the addressed object without requiring necessarily that any other embodiment of the disclosed subject-matter possesses the addressed object. Thus, a statement such as X may include Y indicates that the disclosed subject-matter includes embodiments where X includes Y, without requiring that all disclosed embodiments include Y, and without excluding any other embodiments which do not include Y.

[0058] While the disclosed subject-matter may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein specific embodiments. The present disclosure is an exemplification of the principles of the disclosed subject-matter and is not intended to limit the disclosed subject-matter to the particular embodiments illustrated. Furthermore, the disclosed subject-matter encompasses any possible combination of some or all of the various embodiments mentioned herein. In addition the disclosed subject-matter encompasses any possible combination that also specifically excludes any one or some of the various embodiments mentioned herein.

[0059] In the preceding description, for purposes of explanation, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that these specific details are not required. In particular, it will be appreciated that the various additional features shown in the drawings are generally optional unless specifically identified herein as required. The above-described embodiments are intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations can be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the particular embodiments set forth herein, but should be construed in a manner consistent with the specification as a whole.