JP2000161356A - Linear guide device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance pressing force on a guide rail of a lubricant-containing member by assembling the lubricant-containing member together with an end cap at both ends of a slider freely slidable along the guide rail via a rolling body and pressing this lubricant-containing member on a guide rail side by a pressing member having elasticity. SOLUTION: In a device provided with a rolling body rolling groove on an outside face and sliding a slider assembled across a guide rail extending in an axial direction via many rolling bodies, an end cap, a reinforcing plate 10 as a planar member, a lubricant-containing member 11 and a side seal 12 are fixed to both ends of the slider in an overlapped state. The lubricant- containing member 11 is formed into a substantially U-shape according to an external shape of the end cap and the inside face is formed into a slidable shape on an upper surface of the guide rail and an outside surface including a rolling body rolling groove according to a sectional shape of the guide rail. At the outside of this lubricant containing member 11, a pressing member 29 having elasticity is mounted. The member 11 is energized to a guide rail side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a method of pressing a lubricant-containing member of a linear guide device (linear guide bearing device) against a guide rail.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the structure of a conventional linear guide device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-112552. As shown in FIG. 8, a conventional linear guide device has a guide rail 101 having rolling element rolling grooves 103A and 103B on its outer surface and extending in the axial direction,
And a slider 102 that is assembled across the two.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of one end of the slider 102 (the other end has the same configuration). Of the side surfaces of the slider 102, the guide rail 1
01 are provided on both sides in the longitudinal direction with end caps 102B having a substantially U-shaped cross section. And
A reinforcing plate 110 as a plate-like member, a lubricant-containing member 111, and a side seal 112 as a seal member are fixed on the outer surface side of each end cap 102B from the side close to the end cap 102B in an overlapping state. Each of them has a substantially U-shape adapted to the outer shape of the end cap 102B. Of these,
The inner peripheral surfaces of the lubricant containing member 111 and the side seal 112 are shaped to match the cross-sectional shape of the guide rail 101, and are formed on the outer surface 101b including the upper surface 101a of the guide rail 101 and the rolling element rolling grooves 103A and 103B. Sliding contact is possible.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a lubricant containing member 111.
As shown in FIG. 10A, which is a side view, and in FIG. 10B, which is a side view, the lubricant-containing member 111 has a sleeve portion 111A, 111B connected via a connecting portion 111C, and a penetration as an attachment portion. Holes 111a and 111b are provided. The through holes 111a and 111b are respectively provided on the sleeve portions 111.
A and 111B are open to the outer side, and ring-shaped members 115A and 115B as hollow members are fitted into these. This ring-shaped member 115A, 1
15B is a short cylindrical member as shown in FIG. 11A which is a front view thereof, and FIG. 11B which is a side view thereof, and its outer diameter can be easily fitted into the through holes 111a and 111b. The dimensions are of the order.

FIG. 12 shows a ring-shaped member 115.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the lubricant containing member 111 in a state where A and 115B are fitted into through holes 111a and 111b. The length V of the ring members 115A and 115B is slightly larger than the thickness W of the lubricant containing member 111. That is,
The ring-shaped members 115A and 115B are formed through the through holes 111a,
111a, the ring-shaped members 115A and
The end of 5B protrudes from the front surface or the back surface of the lubricant containing member 111. Therefore, the lubricant-containing member is not integrally fixed to the slider but has a degree of freedom in the longitudinal direction and the rail width direction.

The reinforcing plate 110 and the side seal 11
2 are connecting portions 110C, 112C and a pair of left and right sleeve portions 110A, 110 connected via the connecting portions, respectively.
B, 112A, and 112B.
0A, 110B, 112A, 112B have through holes 110a, 110b, 112a,
112b is formed.

As shown in FIG. 9, the reinforcing plate 110, the lubricant-containing member 111, and the side seal 112 penetrate through the through holes 102a and 102b of the end cap 102B, and are screwed into the main body 2A. 117A,
117B is a through hole 112a of the side seal 112;
12b, ring-shaped member 115 in lubricant-containing member 111
A, 115B hollow hole and reinforcing plate 110 through hole 110
a, 110b and screwed into 102a, 102b to form a body 10 integral with end cap 102B.
Fixed to 2A.

On the surface of the lubricant containing member 111 on the side seal 112 side, as shown in FIG. 10, there is formed a continuous concave groove 130 having a substantially U-shaped cross section and a rectangular cross section. A pressing member 131 as shown in FIG. 13A which is a front view and FIG. 13B which is a bottom view is fitted into the concave groove 130. Pressing member 1
Reference numeral 31 denotes an elastically deformable member made of steel, synthetic resin, or hard rubber, and is formed in a substantially U-shape according to the shape of the groove 130. Then, in a natural state in which no force is applied from the outside, the U-shaped opening side is slightly narrowed.

Further, if the pressing member 131 is fitted in the concave groove 130, the sleeve 111A and 111B can be easily restored inward even when the sleeves 111A and 111B are pushed right and left outward when the lubricant containing member 111 is attached. Therefore, the lubricant-containing member 111
Guide rail 101 instead of pushing it in from the end of the rail.
The work of straddling and attaching in the middle of can be easily performed.

During operation of the linear guide device, when the slider 2 moves on a guide rail 1 fixed to a machine base (not shown), the rolling elements in the slider 2 roll on the rolling element rolling paths while rolling in the rolling element rolling path. In the moving direction at a speed lower than that of the slider 2, making a U-turn on the curved path on one end side and moving while rolling in the reverse direction on the rolling element return path, and making a reverse U-turn on the curved path on the other end side. The circulation returning to the rolling element rolling path is repeated.

At that time, the pressing member 131 is
The lubricant-containing member 111 also moves while being in contact with the guide rail 101, and the lubricant gradually seeps out of the lubricant-containing member 111 over time due to the influence of frictional heat during the movement. The exuded lubricant passes through the rolling element rolling grooves 103A and 103B of the guide rail 101,
The rolling elements are automatically supplied to the rolling elements rolling in the rolling grooves 103A and 103B. Due to this self-lubricating property, stable and smooth operation of the slider is performed for a long time,
Therefore, good operation with low torque can be continued for a long time without supplying lubricant to the slider 102 from the outside.

On the other hand, since the inner shape of the concave portion of the lubricant containing member 111 is matched with the cross sectional shape of the guide rail 101 as described above, as shown in FIG. Can be in close contact with the upper surface 101a and the side surface 101b of the
11, the lubricant-containing member 1
11 itself self-shrinks, so that the lubricant-containing member 11
Due to the contraction force, the contact member 1 is always in close contact with the surface to be sealed of the guide rail 101, and has an effect of performing a sealing function and a lubricating function. Further, the lubricant-containing member 111
Since the side seals 112 are provided on the outer surface side, the sealing performance is further improved. In particular, in the present embodiment, when the lubricant containing member 111 is straddled on the guide rail 101, as shown in FIG. Of the sleeves 111A and 111B inside the guide rail 101
An urging force is generated that presses toward. For this reason, even if there is a slight manufacturing error in the dimensions of the lubricant-containing member 111, and even if the lubricant-containing member 111 is slightly worn, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the lubricant-containing member 111 can be more reliably brought into close contact with the surface to be sealed of the guide rail 101 at all times.

[0013]

However, in the above-described conventional example, since the pressing member is fitted into the lubricant-containing member, the outer shape of the lubricant-containing member is small or thin. That is, when the slider and, consequently, the linear guide device are small, it is difficult to provide a space for forming a concave groove for fitting the pressing member into the lubricant-containing member.

[0014] Even if the groove can be formed, the proportion of the groove in the lubricant-containing member increases, and the groove becomes thinner as a whole, and the strength of the lubricant-containing member decreases.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a sufficient pressing force of the lubricant-containing member against the guide rail even when the external dimensions of the lubricant-containing member are small or the thickness of the lubricant-containing member is small. It is to provide a linear guide device that can be secured.

[0016]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, there is provided a guide rail which has a rolling element rolling groove on an outer surface and extends in the axial direction, and is loosely fitted to the guide rail.
A slider having a rolling element circulating path including a load rolling element rolling groove opposed to the rolling element rolling groove of the guide rail and a rolling element return path connected to both ends of the load rolling element rolling groove via curved portions; A linear guide device in which a number of rolling elements for relatively moving the slider along the guide rails are mounted in the rolling element circulation path, the linear guide apparatus is made of rubber or synthetic resin containing a lubricant, and straddles the guide rails. A lubricant-containing member provided between the end face of the slider and the seal member, and a corner of the upper surface of the lubricant-containing member on the outer peripheral surface of the lubricant-containing member. A pressing member that is mounted with a gap therebetween and presses the inner surfaces of both sleeve portions of the lubricant-containing member against the guide rail by elasticity.

[0017]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a linear guide device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the linear guide device of this embodiment has rolling element rolling grooves 3A, 3B on its outer surface.
A guide rail 1 having B and extending in the axial direction is provided, and a slider 2 is assembled so as to straddle the guide rail 1. Hereinafter, the guide rail 1 and the slider 2 will be described.

On both side surfaces 1b of the guide rail, rolling element rolling grooves 3B having a substantially semicircular cross section are formed. In the groove bottom of the rolling element rolling groove 3B, an escape groove 3 of a retainer for preventing the rolling element from falling off when the slider 2 is not assembled to the guide rail 1.
a is formed.

The slider 2 comprises a bearing 2A and end caps 2B attached to both ends thereof. The bearing 2A axially penetrates through an inner surface of the sleeve 4 on both sides of the bearing 4 with a load rolling element rolling groove (not shown) facing the rolling element rolling groove 3B of the guide rail 1 and a thick portion of the sleeve 4. Rolling element return path. On the other hand, end cap 2B
Has a curved path (not shown) that connects the rolling groove for the load rolling element of the bearing 2A and the rolling element return path parallel to the load groove, and the load rolling element rolling groove, the rolling element return path and both ends of the both ends. The rolling element circulation circuit is formed by the curved path. A number of rolling elements made of, for example, steel balls are loaded in the rolling element circulation circuit. The end cap 2B is an injection-molded product of a synthetic resin material or the like, and has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and has through holes 10a, 1
0b is formed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of one end of the slider 2 (the other end has the same configuration). As shown in FIG. 2, a reinforcing plate 10, a lubricant-containing member 11, and a side seal 12 as a seal member are superimposed on the outer surface side of the end cap 2B from the side near the end cap 2B from the side near the end cap 2B. It is fixed in the state where it was set. Hereinafter, the reinforcing plate 10, the lubricant-containing member 11, and the side seal 12 will be described.

The reinforcing plate 10 is a substantially U-shaped steel thin plate conforming to the outer shape of the end cap 2B.
A connecting portion 10C connecting A and 10B is formed with through holes 10a and 10b for penetrating mounting screws. The reinforcing plate 10 is not in contact with the guide rail 1.

The side seal 12 is provided with an end cap 2B.
, And a rubber having a shape similar to that of the steel sheet and integrally formed on the outer surface thereof. Guide rail 1 for side seal 12
The upper surface 1a and the outer surface of the guide rail 1 are adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the guide rail 1 so as to seal a gap between the slider 2 and the guide rail 1 at a portion which comes into contact with the guide rail 1. 1b (specifically, the rolling element rolling groove 3B and the relief groove 3a) can be slidably contacted.
A connecting portion 12C for connecting the two sleeve portions 12A and 12B of the side seal 12 has a through hole 1 through which a mounting screw passes.
2a and 12b are formed.

The lubricant-containing member 11 sandwiched between the side seal 12 and the reinforcing plate 10 is formed in a substantially U-shape according to the outer shape of the end cap 2B.
The inner surface has a shape that can slide on the upper surface 1a of the guide rail 1 and the outer surface 1b including the rolling element rolling groove 3B according to the cross-sectional shape of the guide rail 1, similarly to the inner surface of the lip portion 13 of the side seal 12. It has become. The lubricant-containing member 1
The connecting portion 11C connecting the two sleeve portions 11A and 11B has through holes (mounting portions) 11a, 1
1b is formed, and the through holes 11a and 11b are open to the outer surface side of the connecting portion 11C.

FIG. 3 shows a collar 15A as a hollow member.
FIG. 4 is a front view of the lubricant-containing member 11 in a state where 15B and the pressing member 29 are mounted, and FIG. 4 is a side view thereof. The collars 15A and 15B and the pressing member 2 are described below.
9 will be described.

The collars 15A and 15B are short cylindrical members as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and have through holes 11a and 11b formed in the lubricant containing member 11, respectively.
It is to be fitted. Color 15A, 15B
Has an outer diameter that can be easily fitted into the through holes 11a and 11b, and the thickness Tc of the lubricant-containing member 1
1 is slightly (for example, about 0.2 mm) thicker than the thickness T. That is, when the collars 15A, 15B are fitted into the through holes 11a, 11b, the ends of the collars 15A, 15B project from the front surface or the back surface of the lubricant containing member 11, as shown in FIG. I have.

By fitting the collars 15A and 15B into the through holes 11a and 11b, the fixing screws 17A and 17B as fixing members are respectively connected to the through holes 12a and 12b of the side seal 12 and the lubricant containing member. Inner collar 15 attached to 11 through holes 11a and 11b
A, 15B and the through-holes 10a, 10b of the reinforcing plate 10 so that the bearing 2A is integrated with the end cap 2B.
Can be fixed.

FIG. 5A is a front view showing the shape of the pressing member 29 mounted on the lubricant-containing member 11, and FIG.
(B) is a side view thereof. The pressing member 29 is made of an elastically deformable plate-shaped member made of steel, synthetic resin, or hard rubber, and has a substantially U shape in accordance with the outer peripheral shape of the lubricant-containing member 11. The upper portion 29A of the pressing member 29 has a curvature R, and the corner portions 29B and 29C have a curvature R smaller than R.
Has _two opening side of the U-shape is formed in such a manner as to narrow slightly. Also, the side portions 29D and 29E and the lower sleeve portions 29F and 2F
9G is bent at an angle of about 90 degrees. On the other hand, cutouts 11D and 11E for mounting the pressing member 29 are provided below the sleeve portions 11A and 11B on both sides of the lubricant containing member 11 (FIG. 3). The pressing member 29 is mounted with predetermined gaps G1 and G2 between the upper surface corners 11F and 11G of the lubricant containing member 11 and the corresponding corners 29B and 29C of the pressing member 29. The end cap 2B fixed to the bearing 2A, the reinforcing plate 10,
The upper surface and the side surfaces of the lubricant-containing member 11 and the side seal 12 to which the pressing member 29 is attached are respectively "flat", that is, form the same plane.

When the lower sleeve portions 29F, 29G of the pressing member 29 are engaged with the cutout portions 11D, 11E, the pressing member 29 is elastically deformed, as shown in FIG. An urging force (pressing force f) that presses 11B against the guide rail 1 is generated. Thus, the sleeve portions 11A and 11B of the lubricant-containing member 11 can be firmly fixed to the lubricant-containing member 11 and pressed against the rolling element rolling grooves 3B of the guide rail 1.

Further, by providing predetermined gaps G1 and G2 between the lubricant containing member 11 and the pressing member 29, the urging force of the pressing member 29 is effectively applied to the sleeve portions 11A and 11B of the lubricant containing member 11. By acting, the contact between the lubricant containing member and the rolling element rolling groove 3B of the guide rail 1 is further ensured. On the other hand, due to the action of the collars 15A and 15B, a slight gap is generated between the lubricant-containing member 11 and the reinforcing plate 10 or the side seal 12, and these are not completely fixed, so that the deformation of the pressing member 29 is reinforced. It is not limited by the pressing force from the plate 10 or the side seal 12.

In summary, the pressing member 29 is mounted on the outer periphery of the lubricant containing member 11, and the upper corners 11F and 11G of the lubricant containing member and the corner 29 of the pressing member 29 are attached.
By providing the gaps G1 and G2 between B and 29C, even when the outer dimensions of the lubricant-containing member 11 are small or thin, a sufficient pressing force of the lubricant-containing member 11 against the guide rail 1 is provided. Can be secured. That is, the entire side surface portion 1b of the guide rail 1 can be pressed with a uniform force. Further, the lubricant-containing member 11 having a small or thin external dimension and a low strength can be reinforced by attaching the pressing member 29. Further, a lubricant capable of maintaining a smooth rolling motion of the rolling element can be constantly supplied. Further, by providing the pressing member 29 on the outer periphery of the lubricant-containing member 11, the lubricant-containing member 11 can be protected from welding spatter and metal cutting powder.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The description of the same configuration as that of the first embodiment is omitted. FIG. 7A illustrates a pressing member 32 according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 7B is a front view showing the shape of FIG. The pressing member 32 is an elastically deformable member made of steel, synthetic resin, or hard rubber, and is substantially U-shaped in accordance with the outer peripheral shape of the lubricant-containing member 11.
2A and 32B are bent inward, and the bending angle θ is set to be larger than 90 degrees. Preferably 95
~ 120 degrees is good. By setting the shape of the pressing member 32 in this way, the pressing member 32 can be more easily attached to and detached from the lubricant-containing member 11. Other operations and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment. As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, the case where the rolling element rolling grooves formed on the guide rail 1 are arranged in one row on one side surface is described.
Not limited to linear guide devices in a row
There may be more than one row.

[0032]

According to the present invention, the pressing member is mounted on the outer periphery of the lubricant-containing member, and the clearance is provided between the upper corner of the lubricant-containing member and the corner of the pressing member. It is possible to provide a linear guide device capable of securing a sufficient pressing force of the lubricant-containing member on the guide rail even when the external dimensions of the agent-containing member are small or thin. In other words, even when the outer dimensions of the lubricant-containing member are small or thin, there is no space for fitting the pressing member into the lubricant-containing member, the entire side surface of the guide rail can be pressed with a uniform force. . Further, a lubricant-containing member having a small or thin external dimension and a low strength can be reinforced by attaching a pressing member. Further, it becomes possible to protect the lubricant-containing member from welding spatter and metal cutting powder. Thus, it is possible to provide a linear guide device capable of constantly supplying a lubricant capable of maintaining a smooth rolling motion of a rolling element.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a linear guide device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of an end portion of the slider according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the lubricant-containing member with the collar and the pressing member mounted thereon according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the lubricant-containing member with the collar and the pressing member attached thereto according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a front view showing the shape of the pressing member according to the first embodiment of the present invention. b is a side view thereof.

FIG. 6 is a view showing an urging force for pressing the sleeve of the lubricant-containing member against the guide rail according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7A is a front view showing a shape of a pressing member according to a second embodiment of the present invention. b is a side view thereof.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a conventional linear guide device.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of a slider end in a conventional linear guide device.

FIG. 10A is a front view of a lubricant-containing member in a conventional linear guide device. b is a side view thereof.

FIG. 11A is a front view of a ring-shaped member in a conventional linear guide device. b is a side view thereof.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a lubricant-containing member in a state where a ring-shaped member in a conventional linear guide device is fitted into a through hole.

FIG. 13A is a front view of a pressing member in a conventional linear guide device. b is a bottom view thereof.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state in which a lubricant-containing member is in close contact with an upper surface and a side surface of a guide rail in a conventional linear guide device.

FIG. 15 is a view showing an urging force for pressing a sleeve portion of a lubricant-containing member against a guide rail in a conventional linear guide device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Guide rail 2 Slider 2A Bearing 3A, 3B Rolling element rolling groove 10 Reinforcement plate 11 Lubricant containing member 11A, 11B Sleeve portion 11C Connecting portion 11a, 11b Through hole 12 Side seal 15A, 15B Ring-shaped member 29, 32 Pressing member

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3J016 AA08 BB03 3J101 AA02 AA43 AA52 AA64 AA87 CA01 CA14 FA32 FA53 3J104 AA03 AA23 AA34 AA64 AA69 AA74 AA76 BA22 DA05

Claims (2)

[Claims] An axially extending guide rail having a rolling element rolling groove on an outer surface, and a load rolling element rolling loosely fitted to the guide rail and facing the rolling element rolling groove of the guide rail. A groove and a slider having a rolling element circulating path composed of a rolling element return path connected to both ends of the load rolling element rolling groove via a curved portion, along the guide rail along the rolling element circulating path. In a linear guide device loaded with a number of rolling elements for relatively moving the slider, the linear guide device is made of rubber or synthetic resin containing a lubricant, straddles the guide rail, and is attached in a state where at least a part thereof is in contact with the guide rail. A lubricant-containing member provided between an end surface of the slider and a seal member; and a peripheral portion of the lubricant-containing member mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the slider while leaving a gap between an upper surface corner of the lubricant-containing member. Is elastic Ri linear guide device according to claim both sleeves inner surface of the lubricant-containing member having a pressing member pressed against the guide rail. 2. The linear guide device according to claim 1, wherein said pressing member is a substantially U-shaped thin plate-like elastic member.