KR100713151B1 - linear guide apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a linear guide apparatus including a block linearly moving along a guide rail and integrally formed with a main body and a return member, and a slider block of the upper linear guide apparatus.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a linear guide apparatus,

1 is a perspective view showing a conventional linear guide device.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 separated; Fig.

3 is a perspective view showing a linear guide device according to the present invention in a coupled state.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the linear guide device of the present invention. Fig.

5 is a perspective view showing a bottom surface of the slider of the present invention.

6A is a perspective view showing a block of the present invention;

6B is a front view of the block.

Figure 6c is a side view of the block.

7A is a front view of the end cap of the present invention.

7B is a side view of the end cap.

7C is a bottom view of the end cap.

8 is a perspective view of the end seal.

Description of the Related Art

1: Guide rail 3: Ball

11: electric groove 21: load ball electric groove

90: retainer 1100: slider

1200: main body 220:

230: Table 232: Outer protrusion

330: No-load ball electric hole 360: Ball inner return groove

1500: End cap 1520: Ball outer return electric groove

700: End seal

U.S. Patent No. 6,170,986

Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0068842

The present invention relates to a linear guide apparatus including a block linearly moving along a guide rail and integrally formed with a main body and a return member, and a slider block of the upper linear guide apparatus.

The publication of U.S. Patent No. 6,170,986 discloses an invention relating to a linear guide apparatus.

This linear guide device is composed of a guide rail, a slider, and a plurality of balls interposed between the guide rail and the slider. On the left and right side surfaces of the guide rail, rolling grooves for rolling balls are formed. The slider includes a main body constituted by a leg having a corresponding electric groove corresponding to the electric groove and a table connecting the leg, a pair of synthetic resin frames coupled to the body, an end cap coupled to the front and rear of the frame, And an end seal coupled to the front and rear surfaces.

In the conventional linear guide device as described above, since the frame is separated from the left and right, it is necessary to (1) mold the mold to form the fastening structure of the frame, and (2) ④ It is disadvantageous in terms of rigidity compared to the integral type because it is a separate type.

In order to solve the problems of the conventional linear guide device as described above, the present invention of the patent application no. 10-2004-0068842 filed by the present applicant and not disclosed at present has a structure of an integral frame which can be assembled by one- A linear guide device is proposed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a guide rail 1, a slider 100, and a plurality of balls interposed between the guide rail 1 and the slider 100. In the first aspect of the invention, the left and right side surfaces of the guide rail 1 are provided with rolling grooves 11 on which balls roll.

The slider 100 includes a main body 200, a frame 300 coupled to the main body 200, an end cap 500 disposed on the front and rear surfaces of the frame 300, And an engaging member 600 that engages with the frame 300. Further, an end chamber 700 is further coupled to the end cap 500.

On the other hand, the main body 200 is a saddle-shaped metal material, and is composed of a pair of legs 220 and a table 230 connecting upper ends of the legs 220. A load ball transmission groove 21 corresponding to the transmission groove 11 is formed on the inner side of the leg portion 220. A concave portion 221 and a step portion 223 are formed on the outside of the leg portion 220.

The frame 300 is integrally formed by injection molding of left and right frames 310 assembled with the outside of the leg portion 220 and front and rear frames 320 connecting both front and rear ends of the left and right frames 310 . Each of the left and right frames 310 is provided with a no-load ball transmission hole 330 and a ball inner return groove 360 connecting the no-load ball transmission hole 330 and the load ball transmission groove 21. The right and left frames 310 are provided with a convex portion 311 on which the concave portion 221 is seated and a placement portion 313 on which the step portion 223 is placed.

The end cap 500 is injection molded with a ball outer return rolling groove 520 which is coupled with the ball inner return groove 260 to form a ball return passage. Therefore, the load ball rolling groove 21, the ball return passage, and the no-load ball rolling hole 330 form the endless circulation passage of the ball 3. [

A snap-on coupling member is adopted as the coupling member 600 for coupling the end cap 500 to the frame 300. That is, the front and rear frames 320 include hooks 39 formed on the right and left of each of the front and rear frames 320, and a slot 51 coupled with the hooks 39. The end seal 700 is also injection molded and coupled to the end cap 500 in a one-touch manner.

The end cap 500 is formed with projections 57 and tapered grooves 231 and 321 are formed on the lower surface of the table 230 and the lower surfaces of the front and rear frames 320 to engage with the projections 57 . That is, on both sides of the tapered grooves 231 and 321, an inclined surface 233 is formed. Therefore, when coupling with the projection 57, it is possible to reliably prevent vertical movement as well as lateral movement. The end cap 500 is formed with recesses 530 and 540 and the frame 300 is formed with protrusions 330 and 340 which are engaged with the recesses 530 and 540.

The retainer 90 is assembled to the recess 59 of the end cap 500 so that the slider and the guide rail 1 can be separated without dropping the ball 3. [

The body of the conventional linear motion guide as described above is manufactured through a polishing process after forming a shape through a process such as drawing, extrusion or forging, and then performing a turning process such as a hole process. In addition, in order to smoothly move the ball, the ball should be assembled to the main body after forming the frame with the injection molding to form the ball inner return groove and the no-load hole. In this process, a step due to an assembly error occurs between the main body and the frame, which is a major factor for hindering smooth circulation of the ball.

Further, in the case of drilling a no-load hole formed in the main body, a long processing time is required, and a manufacturing process for assembling the main body and the frame is required.

In addition, when the hook is formed on the frame formed by the injection molded body and coupled with the end cap, rigidity is weak due to injection or loosely coupled to the end cap, and the ball may not be in a good rolling state.

Particularly, in the case of a miniature linear guide system (Miniature Linear Rail System) used for a semiconductor device, a wafer transfer device, a medical device, and an OA device, it is necessary to minimize the assembly error while ensuring the coupling structure of the end cap. The error has been inevitable due to the structure that is divided into two.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a slider which can reduce the number of assembling steps while securing the rigidity of the slider, prevent quality deterioration due to assembly errors, reduce the number of parts, contribute to mold cost and cost reduction, And it is an object of the present invention to provide a linear guide device capable of eliminating the hole forming process and a block used in the above device.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a linear guide apparatus including a guide rail, a slider disposed linearly movably in the guide rail, and a plurality of balls interposed between the guide rail and the slider, However,

Wherein the rolling grooves of the balls are formed on the left and right outer sides of the guide rails,

The slider

A leg portion formed on left and right inner sides of the load ball transmission groove corresponding to the transmission groove and formed with a no-load ball transmission hole on the outer side of the load ball transmission groove, a table disposed on the upper portion of the guide rail, ;

A return member connecting the load ball transmission groove with the no-load ball transmission hole and forming a ball inner return groove;

An end cap disposed on the front and rear sides of the main body and coupled with the ball inner return groove to form a ball return passage;

And a coupling member coupling the end cap to the main body,

The main body and the return member are integrally formed by metal powder injection molding.

According to this configuration, the rigidity of the slider can be secured while molding the body and the return member at one time by metal powder injection molding, the number of parts can be reduced, the assembly work of the body and the return member can be omitted, The load ball rolling groove, the ball inner return groove, and the surface of the no-load ball rolling hole can be continuously formed.

In the above-described configuration, the engaging member includes: a hook integrally formed with the end cap; And a coupling groove formed on a side surface of the table and coupled with the hook.

According to this configuration, since the engaging groove is formed on the side surface of the table constituting the main body, the main body can be lightened.

Further, the slider block of the linear guide device of the present invention is characterized in that the slider block of the present invention comprises: a leg portion in which a load ball rolling groove is formed on the right and left inner side, and in which a no-load ball rolling hole is formed outside the load ball rolling groove; And a table for connecting the legs; And a return member connecting the load ball transmission groove with the no-load ball transmission hole and having a ball inner return groove formed therein; And the main body and the return member are integrally formed by metal powder injection molding.

According to the above configuration, the rigidity can be ensured while integrally molding the slider block of the linear guide device, and the load ball rolling groove, the ball inner return groove and the no-load ball rolling hole can be formed at the same time during block molding, It becomes extremely easy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate like elements to those of the prior art and detailed description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the linear guide device according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the linear guide device of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a bottom surface of the slider of the present invention. 7A to 7C are a front view, a side view, and a bottom view, respectively, of the end cap of the present invention, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the end seal of the present invention. Fig. to be.

3, the linear guide device of this embodiment includes a slider 1100 including a guide rail 1, a block composed of a main body 1200 and a return member 1360 and an end cap 1500, And a plurality of balls (3) interposed between the rail (1) and the slider (1100).

On both left and right side surfaces of the guide rail 1, there is formed a rolling groove 11 in which the ball 3 rolls.

4, the slider 1100 includes a body 1200 and a return member 1360. The slider 1100 is disposed on the front and rear sides of the main body 1200 and is coupled with the ball inner return groove 360, An end cap 1500 forming a return passage, and a coupling member coupling the end cap 1500 to the main body 1200. The main body 1200 and the return member 1360 are integrally formed by metal powder injection molding.

Further, it is preferable that the end cap 700 is further coupled to the end cap 500.

The main body 1200 is a saddle type and is composed of a pair of legs 220 and a table 230 connecting the upper ends of the legs 220.

The load ball transmission grooves 21 corresponding to the transmission grooves 11 are formed along the longitudinal direction of the main body at the right and left inner sides of the leg portion 220.

In the leg portion 220, a no-load ball transmission hole 330 spaced apart from the load ball transmission groove 21 is formed so as to pass through the longitudinal direction of the main body.

Return members 1360 connecting the load ball transmission grooves 21 and the no-load ball transmission holes 330 and having the ball inner return grooves 360 are located on the left and right sides of the front and rear sides of the main body 1200, respectively . It is preferable that the surface of the loaded ball transmission groove 21, the surface of the ball inner return groove 360, and the surface of the no-load ball transmission hole 330 form a continuous surface. It may be directly adjacent to the ball inner return groove 360 and the no-load ball transmission hole 330, or may be connected by a tapered inclined surface. In this case also, the ball inner return groove 360, the inclined surface, and the no-load ball transmission hole 330 are continuous surfaces.

A corner portion 1362 having an angular shape is formed between the leg portion 220 and the return member 1360 and the upper corner portion 1362 is fitted into the end cap 1500 described later. Grooves 1364 are formed on the front and rear of the legs 220 so that cap protrusions 1524 of an end cap 1500 to be described later are inserted.

On both sides of the table 230, engagement grooves 1051 for engaging hooks 1039 to be described later are formed on the front and rear sides, respectively. The shape of the front engagement groove 1051 is a groove shape with front and side openings, and generally corresponds to the shape of a hook 1039 described later.

The front and rear surfaces of the table 230 are formed with an outer projection 232 to be fitted into a cap recess 1560 to be described later. An inner projecting portion 236 is formed on the inner side of the outer projecting portion 232. An oil groove 234 having an inverted U-shape is formed between the outer projecting portion 232 and the inner projecting portion 236. The oil flowing through the oil groove 234 flows between the semicircular portion and the upper end of the groove portion 1364 through the upper semicircular portion of the return member 1360 and flows into the no-load ball electric hole 230.

The table 230, the leg portion 220, and the return member 1360 are integrally formed by metal powder injection molding (MIM). That is, the body and the return member constituted by the table and the leg portion form a block integrally formed by metal powder injection molding. Therefore, both the load ball rolling groove 21, the no-load ball rolling hole 330, and the ball inner return groove 360 formed in the block are simultaneously formed at the time of metal powder injection molding. That is, the load ball rolling groove 21, the no-load ball rolling hole 330, and the ball inner return groove 360 can be formed as continuous surfaces.

Metal powder injection molding combines the advantages of sintering technology of metal powder developed in injection molding and powder metallurgy industry used in plastics industry. That is, it is a well-known technique for manufacturing parts by heating and degreasing and sintering an injection-molded product of a mixture of a metal powder and a binder by changing ceramics powder as a raw material in a ceramics injection molding method which is one of manufacturing methods of ceramic parts.

In the present invention, the metal powder injection molding known in the block constituting the slider 1100 is not simply applied. Instead, the body 1200 and the return member 1360, The metal mold for metal powder injection molding is reduced in size, and the rigidity of the molded product can be ensured and the weight can be reduced.

That is, in the present invention, a coupling groove 1051 is formed on both sides of the table 230, a load ball rolling groove 21 and a no-load ball rolling hole 330 are formed in the leg portion 220, Since the block made up of the table 230 and the return member 1360 is metal powder injection molded with the return member 1360 positioned between the groove 21 and the no-load ball transmission hole 330, The mold size may be small.

In addition, since the table 230 and the leg portion 220 are integrally formed, it is possible to reduce the weight of the molded block because of the engagement groove 1051 on the side surface of the table 230, while securing the overall rigidity.

In addition, since the model name can be stamped on the side of the table 230 in the process of metal powder injection molding of the block including the table 230 and the return member 1360, a separate marking process can be omitted.

The end cap 1500 is disposed on the front and rear sides of the main body 1200 and has a ball outer return groove 1520 formed therein. A ball return passage is formed by the ball inner return groove 360 of the return member 1360 and the ball outer return groove 1520 of the end cap 1500. [

The end cap 1500 is integrally formed with a hook 1039 protruding forward. The upper hook 1039 is integrally formed in the process of injection molding the end cap 1500. The hook 1039 is composed of a straight member extending in a linear form and a loop member formed in the end of the straight member. A groove 1038 is formed on the upper surface of the ring member. When the end cap 1500 is coupled to the main body 1200, the hook 1039 is inserted into the coupling groove 1051 of the main body 1200 and is engaged by the elastic force of the hook.

The upper cap protrusion 1524 is fitted in the groove portion 1364 formed in the leg portion 220 of the main body 1200. The cap protrusion 1524 is formed in a substantially U- .

A half-circular groove 1522 is formed in an upper portion and a lower portion of the ball outer return rolling groove 1520 of the end cap 1500. When the end cap 1500 is coupled to the main body 1200, the semicircular grooves formed in the upper and lower portions of the return member 1360 are fitted in the upper half-

A capillary 1560 is formed on the front surface of the end tab 1500. The outer shape of the capillary 1560 corresponds to the outline of the outer projecting portion 232 so that the outer projecting portion 232 of the table 230 is fitted.

An oil groove 1540 is formed in the capillary 1560 of the end cap 1500 so that the oil introduced from the oil inlet of the back surface of the end cap 1500 flows into the oil groove 1540 of the end cap, And flows into the no-load ball electric hole 330 through the oil groove 234.

When a separate oil inlet 1542 is formed on the side surface of the end cap 1500, the disturbance due to the guide rail 1 is reduced and the oil inflow operation becomes convenient.

A recess 59 is formed in the rear surface of the end cap 1500. The retainer 90 is attached to the recess 59 of the end cap 1500 so as to prevent the ball 3 from falling off when the slider 1100 is separated from the guide rail 1. [ .

A flange protrudes along the outer circumferential surface of the end cap 1500, and an end seal assembly 1550 for joining the end seal 700 is formed on both sides of the end cap 1500. The end seal assembly 1550 includes a groove formed in the rear surface of the end cap 1500 and a hole formed in the flange of the end cap adjacent to the groove. The engaging protrusion 750 formed in the end seal 700 is fitted into the upper end seal assembling portion 1550.

The end cap 1500 is coupled to the main body 1200 by a coupling member. In this embodiment, as an example of the striking member, a coupling groove 1051 formed in the table 230 and a hook 1039 formed in the end cap 1500 are shown.

When the length of the hook 1039 is made smaller than the length of the coupling groove 1051, the hook 1039 does not completely cover the coupling groove 1051 in a state where the hook 1039 is engaged with the coupling groove 1051 . Therefore, when the tool is inserted into the groove 1038 of the hook 1039, the end of the hook 1039 can be pulled out and the end cap 1500 can be separated.

In the present invention, the upper engagement member is not limited to the hook 1039 and the engagement groove 1051, and a bolt conventionally used in general may be used. That is, when the end cap 1500 is formed with a locking hole, the end cap 1500 can be fixed to the main body 1200 by connecting the bolt passing through the upper hole to the female screw.

The linear guide device according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments but can be variously modified and embraced within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

As is apparent from the above description, the linear guide apparatus of the present invention has the following effects.

First, since the block composed of the main body and the return member is integrally formed by the metal powder injection molding, the frame of the prior art can be omitted, the mold ratio can be reduced, the assembling process can be reduced, The rigidity of the moving body (table and return member) is enhanced, the dimensional accuracy of the moving body is high, the constant dimension control is possible, and the difficult and complicated shape can be realized, so that the design of the moving body is free.

Second, all of the load ball transmission holes, the ball inner return grooves, and the surface of the unloaded ball transmission hole are continuously formed, so that the ball can circulate smoothly, and a step may be generated between the return member and the unloaded ball transmission hole and the load ball transmission groove There is no need for additional crowning processing.

Third, it is possible to secure the rigidity of the block by integrally forming the table, the leg portion, and the return member, but also by forming the coupling groove on the side surface of the table, the weight of the block can be reduced. That is, with the structure in which the table and the end cap are joined to each other by the hook and the coupling groove, the coupling groove is formed on the table manufactured by metal powder injection molding, and the hook is formed on the end cap manufactured by injection molding, It is possible to reduce the weight.

Fourthly, according to the present invention, in the state where the coupling groove is formed on both sides of the table, the load ball rolling groove and the no-load ball rolling hole are formed in the leg portion, and the return member is positioned between the load ball rolling groove and the no- , The mold composed of the table and the return member is injection-molded by metal powder, the mold size for block molding may be small, and the molded block may be lightweight while securing rigidity due to the coupling groove.

Fifth, since the model name can be stamped on the side of the table during the metal powder injection molding process of the table and return member, a separate marking process can be omitted.

Claims (4)

delete A guide rail, a slider arranged to be linearly movable on the guide rail, and a plurality of balls interposed between the guide rail and the slider and endlessly circulating, Wherein the rolling grooves of the balls are formed on the left and right outer sides of the guide rails, The slider A leg portion formed on left and right inner sides of the load ball transmission groove corresponding to the transmission groove and formed with a no-load ball transmission hole on the outer side of the load ball transmission groove, a table disposed on the upper portion of the guide rail, ; A return member connecting the load ball transmission groove with the no-load ball transmission hole and forming a ball inner return groove; An end cap disposed on the front and rear sides of the main body and coupled with the ball inner return groove to form a ball return passage; And a coupling member coupling the end cap to the main body, The coupling member includes: a hook integrally formed with the end cap; And a coupling groove formed on a side surface of the table and coupled with the hook, Wherein the main body and the return member are integrally formed by metal powder injection molding. A leg portion in which a load ball rolling groove is formed in the right and left inner side and a no-load ball rolling hole is formed outside the load ball rolling groove; And a table for connecting the legs; And a return member connecting the load ball transmission groove with the no-load ball transmission hole and having a ball inner return groove formed therein; Wherein the main body and the return member are integrally formed by metal powder injection molding. The method of claim 3, And a coupling groove is formed on a side surface of the table.

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