JP2001227540A - Linear guide device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensively manufacturable linear guide device for establishing a no-load passage without forming a through hole in a guide block, enhancing a degree of freedom of design of the guide block and preventing an enlargement and a weight increase. SOLUTION: In this linear guide device for sliding the guide block 12 on a track rail 30 by infinitely circulating a large number of rolling bodies 11, a placing surface 12a for placing a moving object is provided on an upper surface. Opposed surfaces of both side surfaces 12b, 12c of the guide block 12 for forming installing screw holes 16 in the placing surface 12a and an inside surface of the track rail 30 or either one opposed surface in opposed surfaces of an under surface of the guide block 12 and the inside surface of the track rail 30 opposed to this under surface cooperate to form a load transfer passage. The no-load passage 15 is featured by being constituted on the other opposed surface different from one opposed surface for forming the load transfer passage 13 in cooperation with these opposed surfaces.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a linear guide device, and more particularly, to a load in which a guide block is slidably mounted on a track rail via a number of rolling elements, and the plurality of rolling elements are connected to each other. The present invention relates to a linear guide device configured to endlessly circulate through a transfer path, a turning path, and a no-load path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a guide block is slidably mounted on a track rail via a number of rolling elements, and a number of rolling elements are infinitely circulated through a load transfer path, a direction change path, and a no-load path which are mutually connected. The linear guide device configured to
For example, JP-A-2-12554 and JP-A-4-53.
It is well known as disclosed in US Pat. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each of the conventional linear guide devices disclosed in these publications has a rolling element 1.
The no-load passage 3 for infinitely circulating from the load transfer path 2 via the direction change path is constituted by a through hole (passage) formed in the guide block 4.

[0003]

However, the conventional linear guide device has a through-hole formed in the guide block 4 itself, as is apparent from FIGS.
Therefore, there is a problem that machining in the block 4 is restricted by the existence of the no-load passage 3.

[0004] For example, when an installation hole is to be formed on the upper surface of a guide block in order to mount a table for loading a work on the guide block, it is necessary to avoid a through hole formed in the guide block. If the mounting hole formed on the upper surface of the guide block must be located at a position crossing the through hole due to a design problem of the work loading table, a spacer or the like may be placed on the upper surface of the guide block. In order to prevent the mounting hole from reaching the through hole, the height of the guide block itself must be increased by changing the dimensions of the guide block itself.

Further, when a drive mechanism such as a ball screw is provided inside the guide block, a screw groove for the drive mechanism must be formed so as to avoid the above-mentioned through hole, and as a result, the dimensions of the guide block are reduced. Had to be increased in the width direction. Such a problem not only limits the degree of freedom in designing the guide block, but also increases the size and weight.

Further, when a through hole for a no-load passage is formed in the guide block, drilling is generally performed by a drill or the like. Such drilling with a drill or the like needs to be performed with relatively high precision, and therefore, the associated processing is troublesome and requires high processing cost, which has been a factor of increasing the cost of the linear guide device itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, and to create a no-load passage without forming a through hole in a guide block, and at the same time, to increase the degree of freedom in designing the guide block. An object of the present invention is to provide a linear guide device that can be manufactured at a low cost while preventing increase in size and weight and increasing the cost.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a linear guide device, and is configured as follows to solve the above-mentioned technical problem. That is, in the present invention, the guide block is slidably mounted on the track rail via a number of rolling elements, and the rolling elements circulate indefinitely through the load transfer path, the direction change path, and the no-load path which are connected to each other. Linear guide device further comprising a mounting surface on which the guide block mounts the moving object, and mounting means formed inward from the mounting surface to support the moving object on the mounting surface. The load due to either one of the opposing surfaces of the guide block and the opposing inner surface of the track rail or the opposing surface of the lower surface of the guide block and the inner surface of the opposing track rail. A transfer path is configured, and the no-load path is configured by the other opposing surface different from the one opposing surface on which the load transfer path is formed.

<Concrete Configuration of the Present Invention> The linear guide device of the present invention is composed of the essential components described above. However, the present invention is applicable even when the components are specifically as follows. The specific constituent element is a non-load passage constituted by the other opposing surface, a rolling element only in the sliding direction of the guide block on one or both surfaces of the guide block and the track rail. It can be constituted by a groove formed in a movable cross-sectional shape. In that case,
The cross-sectional shape of the groove is preferably formed by an arc having a radius slightly larger than the radius of the rolling element.

According to the linear guide device of the present invention having the above-described features, when the guide block linearly moves with low friction along the track rail by using a plurality of rolling elements arranged in the load transfer path, Rolling elements move sequentially from the load transfer path to the no-load path via the direction change path and circulate indefinitely. At this time, the no-load passage is configured such that the opposing surfaces cooperate with the other opposing surface different from the one opposing surface where the load transfer path is formed.

For example, assuming that one of the opposing surfaces is composed of both side surfaces of the guide block and the inner surface of the track rail opposed thereto, the load transfer path is formed between both side surfaces of the guide block and the opposing track rail. The no-load passage is constituted by the other opposing surface different from the one opposing surface, for example, the opposing surface composed of the bottom surface of the guide block and the inner surface of the track rail opposing it.

"The non-load passage is constituted by the opposing surface of the guide block and the track rail" means, for example, that the bottom surface of the guide block and the inner surface of the track rail opposed thereto cooperate to form a no-load passage. As an example thereof, there can be mentioned an example in which a groove having a concave cross section is formed in one or both of the opposing surfaces to form a no-load passage.

In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the groove serving as a component of the no-load passage is not particularly limited. However, as described above, the groove is formed by an arc having a radius slightly larger than the radius of the rolling element. preferable. From such a thing,
The rolling element moves in the sliding direction of the guide block by contacting one or both surfaces of one of the opposing surfaces of the guide block and the track rail.

The formation of the no-load passage as described above facilitates the manufacture of the guide block and reduces the design of the guide block as compared with a conventional structure in which a through-hole is formed and this is used as a no-load passage. And the performance of the linear guide device itself can be expected to be improved.

[0015]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a linear guide device according to the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 2 shows a linear guide device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The main part of 0 is shown. The linear guide device 10 according to this embodiment basically includes the track rail 3
A guide block 12 is slidably mounted on a plurality of rolling elements 11 via a number of rolling elements 11, and these rolling elements 11 are infinitely circulated by a load transfer path 13, a direction change path 14, and a no-load path 15 which are communicated with each other. I do.

That is, the track rail 30 is a long body having a concave cross-sectional shape, and its concave portion, that is, the groove portion 3 is formed.
A guide block 12 that slides in the groove is disposed in the inside 1. In the linear guide device 10 of this embodiment, the guide block 12 is, for example, a work (not shown).
And the like, and moves on a straight line along the track rail 30 to position the work at a predetermined position.

Therefore, the upper surface 12 of the guide block 12
As is clear from FIG. 1, a is formed flat to be a mounting surface for supporting a moving object (not shown) such as a work, for example, and the flat mounting surface 12a is used for loading a work. A plurality of mounting screw holes 16 for mounting a table (not shown) are provided on the guide block 12 as shown in FIG.
It is formed by drilling inward. Further, the guide block 12 is provided with a thread groove 17 penetrating in the sliding direction in order to incorporate a drive mechanism such as a ball screw therein.

Further, both side surfaces 1 of the guide block 12
2b, 12c, and two transfer path grooves 33, 18 constituting the load transfer path 13 for the rolling elements 11 are formed on inner side surfaces 32a, 32b in the concave portion 31 of the track rail 30 facing the respective side surfaces. Are formed opposite to each other.

The plurality of rolling elements 11 arranged in the load transfer path 13 constituted by the opposed transfer path grooves 33 and 18 receive the load of the guide block 12 and reduce the friction of the guide block 12 with low friction. 31 is made slidable. Many rolling elements 11 located on the load transfer path 13 sequentially move to the no-load path 15 via the direction change path 14 communicating with the load transfer path 13 as the guide block 12 slides.

The no-load passage 15 includes a lower surface 12d of the guide block 12 and the track rail 3 facing the lower surface 12d.
The groove 31 is formed on the bottom surface 32c of the 0 concave portion 31 so as to face each other. These grooves 21 and 34 are preferably formed in a cross-sectional shape that allows the rolling element 11 to move only in the sliding direction of the guide block 12, for example, an arc shape with a radius slightly larger than the radius of the rolling element 11. .

In the linear guide device 10 of this embodiment, the lower surface of the guide block 12 in which the no-load passage 15 is formed and the inner bottom surface of the concave portion 31 of the track rail 30 are partially enlarged from FIG. As described above, these grooves 21 and 34 are formed on both of the pair of surfaces 12d and 32c facing each other.

On the other hand, the direction change path 14 is
And a semicircular guide piece (not shown) having a guide surface continuous with the no-load passage 15 is formed in a groove formed in a lid body 19 attached to each end face on the front and rear sides in the sliding direction of the guide block 12. It is configured in the lid 19 by being fitted into a (not shown) leaving a space in which a turning path is formed.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, the lid 19 having the lips 20a and 20b protruding from the groove 33 of the load transfer path 13 and the groove 34 of the no-load path 15 is attached to the end face of the guide block. The load transfer path 1
A rolling element circulation path that connects and connects both ends of the no-load passage 3 and the no-load passage 15 is formed.

In the linear guide device of the embodiment described above, the no-load passage 15 is formed by the grooves formed on the lower surface 12d of the guide block 12 and the inner bottom surface 32c of the concave portion 31 of the track rail 30, respectively. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and the groove forming the no-load passage 15 is formed on the lower surface 12 d of the guide block 12.
Alternatively, it may be formed only on one of the inner bottom surfaces 32c of the concave portions 31 of the track rail 30.

Next, according to the linear guide device 10 of the present embodiment configured as described above, both side surfaces of the guide block 12 and the opposing surfaces formed on the inner surface of the concave portion 31 of the track rail 30 opposed thereto. The rolling elements 11 arranged in the load transfer path 13 formed by the grooves are guide blocks 12
, The guide block 12 is slid along the track rail 30 with low friction. At this time, a large number of rolling elements 11 move along the load transfer path 1
3 sequentially enters the no-load passage 15 through the turning path 14 and circulates infinitely.

As described above, the no-load passage 15 has a groove formed on one or both of the lower surface 12d of the guide block 12 and the inner bottom surface 32c of the concave portion 31 of the track rail 30 opposed thereto. Lower surface 12d and inner bottom surface 32 of concave portion 31 of track rail 30 opposed thereto
c, as compared with a conventional structure in which a through hole is formed and used as a no-load passage, the manufacture of the guide block is facilitated and the design flexibility is improved, Further, the performance of the linear guide device itself can be expected to be improved.

Further, the no-load path 15 is connected to the load transfer path 13.
Are formed on both side surfaces of the guide block 12 on which the inner surface of the guide block 12 and the inner surface of the concave portion 31 of the track rail 30 opposite thereto, that is, the lower surface 1 of the guide block 12
The outer peripheral surface of the guide block 12 is effectively used by being constituted by 2d and the inner bottom surface 32c of the concave portion 31 of the track rail 30 opposed thereto, so that the guide block 12 is not enlarged. Various effects can be obtained, such as easy manufacture of the above-described guide block, improvement in design freedom, and improvement in performance of the linear guide device itself.

In the linear guide device of the above-described embodiment, the load transfer path 13 is formed on both side surfaces 12 of the guide block 12.
b, 12c and the inner surface 3 of the track rail 30 opposed thereto
2a, 32b are formed by the grooves 18, 33 formed therein, and the no-load passage 15 is formed by the opposing surfaces 12b, 32a, and 1
The grooves 21 and 3 formed on another opposing surface different from 2c and 32b, that is, the opposing surface between the lower surface 12d of the guide block 12 and the inner bottom surface 32c of the concave portion of the track rail 30 facing the lower surface 12d.
4, the linear guide device of the present invention is not limited to such an example, and the load transfer path 13 and the no-load path 15 are opposite to those described above. May be formed on the opposing surface of.

More specifically, the load transfer path 13 includes a lower surface 12d of the guide block 12 and the track rail 3 facing the lower surface 12d.
No-load passage 15 is formed by a groove formed on the opposite surface to the inner bottom surface 32c of the recessed portion 0.
This is the case where it is constituted by grooves formed on the respective opposing surfaces with the inner side surfaces 32a and 32b.

In addition, the linear guide device 1 of the above-described embodiment
At 0, the direction change path 14 is configured by fitting the guide piece into the groove 14a formed on the end face of the guide block 12 and closing the guide surface of the guide piece with the lid 19, but the inner surface of the lid is A groove may be formed in the groove, and a guide piece may be fitted and mounted in this groove, and this may be attached to the guide block.

[0031]

As described above, according to the linear guide device of the present invention, the no-load passage is constituted by one of the two opposing surfaces existing in the guide block and the track rail. As a result, the guide block can be manufactured easily and inexpensively, and the degree of freedom in the design can be improved. An improvement in the performance of the guide device itself can be expected.

That is, since the no-load passage is constituted by the opposing surfaces existing in the guide block and the track rail instead of the through hole as in the conventional case, drilling or the like becomes unnecessary, and therefore, the machining of the through hole is not required. Even in the case of a difficult guide block, it can be formed only by a drawing process, so that its manufacture is easy and inexpensive.

The guide block is generally provided with a screw groove for incorporating a driving mechanism such as a ball screw therein, and a screw hole for mounting the moving object from the mounting surface toward the inside. However, even in such a case, the guide block does not have a through hole for a no-load passage as in the past, so that the degree of freedom in designing the guide block can be increased and the size of the guide block can be reduced. Can be planned.

Further, according to the linear guide device of the present invention, the no-load passage is different from the inner surfaces of the side surfaces of the guide block in which the load transfer path is formed and the groove surface of the track rail opposed thereto. , The outer peripheral surface of the guide block can be used effectively, thereby facilitating the manufacture of the above-described guide block without increasing the size of the guide block.
The degree of freedom in design and the performance of the linear guide device itself can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a linear guide device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the linear guide device shown in FIG. 1 cut along line 2-2.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a direction change path formed on an end face of a guide block and a rolling element passing through the direction change path in the linear guide device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the linear guide device in a state where a cover plate is attached to an end face of the guide block shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged sectional view showing a lower surface of a guide block in which a no-load passage is formed and an inner bottom surface of a groove of a track rail;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a main part of a conventional linear guide device.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a main part of another conventional linear guide device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 linear guide device 11 rolling element 12 guide block 12a mounting surface 12b side surface 12c side surface 13 load transfer path 14 direction change path 14a groove 15 no-load path 16 mounting screw hole (mounting means) 17 screw groove 18 transfer path groove 19 Cover plate 20a Projection 20b Projection 21 Groove 30 Track rail 31 Concave portion 32a Inner surface inside groove 32b Inner surface inside groove 33 Transfer path groove 34 Groove

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A guide block is slidably mounted on a track rail via a number of rolling elements, and the rolling elements circulate endlessly through mutually connected load transfer paths, direction change paths, and no-load paths. The guide block further includes a mounting surface on which the moving object is mounted, and mounting means is formed inward from the mounting surface to support the moving object on the mounting surface. In the linear guide device, any one of an opposing surface between both side surfaces of the guide block and an inner surface of the track rail opposed thereto or an opposing surface of a lower surface of the guide block and an inner surface of the track rail opposed thereto. The load transfer path is constituted by the one opposing surface, and the no-load passage is constituted by the other opposing surface different from the one opposing surface on which the load transfer path is formed. Linear guide apparatus characterized by being. 2. The non-load passage formed by the other opposing surface is provided on one or both surfaces of the guide block and the track rail only in the sliding direction of the guide block. The linear guide device according to claim 1, wherein the linear guide device is configured by a groove formed in a cross-sectional shape that allows the rolling element to move. 3. The linear guide device according to claim 2, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the groove is formed by an arc having a radius slightly larger than the radius of the rolling element.