JP2007170558A - Linear motion guide device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a linear motion guide device capable of circulating a rolling body without reducing operability and raising a noise level. <P>SOLUTION: A return guide 19 is molded by resin so that height of a step D caused in a connection part of a return guide side direction conversion face 20a of a direction conversion passage 20 and a slider side rolling body track 14 does not exceed 10% of the diameter of a roller 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a linear motion guide device that is used as a device for guiding machine parts that reciprocate linearly in a moving direction in various industrial machines such as machine tools.

  2. Description of the Related Art In various industrial machines such as machine tools, linear motion guide devices as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 are conventionally used as devices for guiding machine parts that reciprocate linearly move in the moving direction. This linear motion guide device includes a guide rail 11, a slider 12, and a number of rollers 15, as described in, for example, Patent Document 1, and a planar shape is provided on the left side surface and the right side surface of the guide rail 11. Two rail-side rolling element tracks 13 (see FIG. 7) are formed along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 11. These rail-side rolling element tracks 13 are opposed to the planar slider-side rolling element tracks 14 formed on the left inner surface and the right inner surface of the slider 12, respectively. A large number of rollers (rolling elements) 15 provided between the track 14 and the rolling element rolling path 16 formed between the rail-side rolling element track 13 and the slider-side rolling element track 14 (see FIG. 8). Rolling with the linear motion of the slider 12 or the guide rail 11.

  The slider 12 has block-like rolling element circulation portions 12a (see FIG. 7) on both sides of the guide rail 11, and a rolling element return passage 17 is provided inside each rolling element circulation portion 12a. It is formed corresponding to. The slider 12 has a front side end face 12b and a rear side end face 12c (see FIG. 6). A pair of end caps 18 and 18 are formed in the opening parts of the rolling element return passage 17 on these end faces 12b and 12c. It is mounted so as to cover.

The end caps 18 and 18 are formed by injection-molding a synthetic resin material. Between these end caps 18 and 18 and the front side end surface 12b and the rear side end surface 12c of the slider 12, the traveling direction of the roller 15 is formed. A plurality of resin return guides 19 are provided between the end cap 18 and the direction changing path 20 (see FIG. 8) for changing the direction.
The direction changing path 20 communicates with the rolling element rolling path 16 and the rolling element return path 17. Therefore, the roller 15 that has rolled on the rolling element rolling path 16 passes through the direction changing path 20 and the rolling element return path 17. It is returned to the rolling element rolling path 16.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-10820

In such a linear motion guide device, the roller 15 that is a rolling element can be circulated indefinitely, but the following problems may occur. That is, in the linear motion guide device described above, if a molding error occurs when the return guide 19 is molded with resin, the step D as shown in FIG. 9 or the step E as shown in FIG. Occurs at the connecting portion between the side direction changing surface 20a and the slider-side rolling element raceway 14, and the operability of the linear motion guide device is lowered or the roller 15 collides with the step when the roller 15 is caught by this step. As a result, the noise level sometimes increased.
The present invention has been made paying attention to the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide a linear motion guide device that can circulate rolling elements without causing a decrease in operability or an increase in noise level. There is.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a linear motion guide device according to the invention of claim 1 of the present invention includes a guide rail and a plurality of slider sides facing a plurality of rail-side rolling element tracks formed on the guide rail. Many sliders having rolling element tracks, and rolling elements rolling paths formed between the rail-side rolling element tracks and the slider-side rolling element tracks with the linear motion of the slider or the guide rail. A plurality of returns that form between the end caps, a pair of end caps mounted on the front and rear end surfaces of the slider, and a direction changing path that changes the traveling direction of the rolling members. In the linear motion guide device comprising a guide, the slider-side rolling element track is generated at a connecting portion between a return guide-side direction changing surface of the direction changing path and the slider-side rolling element track. Characterized in that the height of the step forms projecting guide rail side of the return guide side diverting surface to 10% or less of the diameter of the rolling element.

  A linear motion guide device according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a guide rail and a slider having a plurality of slider-side rolling element tracks opposed to the plurality of rail-side rolling element tracks formed on the guide rail. A number of rolling elements that roll along a linear motion of the slider or the guide rail on a rolling element rolling path formed between the rail-side rolling element raceway and the slider-side rolling element raceway, and the slider A pair of end caps mounted on the front end surface and the rear end surface of the front end, and a plurality of return guides forming a direction changing path for changing the traveling direction of the rolling elements between the end caps. In the movement guide device, the return guide side direction changing surface of the direction changing path and the slider side rolling element raceway are connected to each other, and the return guide side direction changing surface is the slider side turning surface. The height of the step forms than the body trajectory projecting guide rail side, characterized in that the 6% or less of the diameter of the rolling element.

According to the linear motion guide device of the first aspect of the present invention, the height of the step generated at the connection portion between the return guide side direction change surface of the direction change path and the slider side rolling element track is larger than the diameter of the rolling element. Since it is 10% or less, the rolling elements can be circulated without causing a decrease in operability or an increase in noise level.
According to the linear motion guide device of the second aspect of the present invention, the height of the step generated at the connection portion between the return guide side direction changing surface of the direction changing path and the slider side rolling element track is larger than the diameter of the rolling element. Since it is 6% or less, the rolling elements can be circulated without causing a decrease in operability or an increase in noise level.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same parts as those shown in FIGS. 5 to 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
FIG. 1 is a view showing a first embodiment of the present invention. The first embodiment is different from the conventional example described above in that the return guide side direction changing surface 20a of the direction changing path 20 and the slider side rolling element. The height of the step D generated at the connecting portion with the track 14 (in this case, the step indicates a step in a form in which the slider-side rolling element track 14 protrudes further toward the guide rail 11 than the return guide-side turning surface 20a). That is, the return guide 19 is resin-molded so that the length does not exceed 10% of the diameter of the roller 15.

  Using the roller 15 having a diameter of 3.4 mm, the height of the step generated at the connecting portion between the return guide side direction changing surface 20 a of the direction changing path 20 and the slider side rolling element track 14 is set to the diameter of the roller 15. FIG. 2 shows the results of testing the operability of the linear motion guide device when 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%, 12%, and 14%. As shown in the figure, when the height of the step D generated at the connecting portion between the return guide side direction changing surface 20 a of the direction changing path 20 and the slider side rolling element raceway 14 exceeds 10% of the diameter of the roller 15. It can be seen that the operability of the linear motion guide device is lowered.

  Therefore, a step generated at the connection portion between the return guide side direction changing surface 20a of the direction changing path 20 and the slider side rolling element track 14 (the slider side rolling element track 14 is closer to the guide rail than the return guide side direction changing surface 20a). If the return guide 19 is resin-molded so that the height of the protruding step) does not exceed 10% of the diameter of the roller 15, the return guide side direction changing surface 20a of the direction changing path 20 and the slider side rolling element track 14 Since the height of the step generated at the connecting portion is 10% or less with respect to the diameter of the roller 15, the roller 15 can be circulated without causing a decrease in operability and an increase in noise level.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the conventional example described above in that the return guide side direction changing surface 20a of the direction changing path 20 and the slider side rolling element. The height of the step generated at the connecting portion with the track 14 (the step in this case indicates the step in which the return guide side turning surface 20a protrudes more toward the guide rail than the slider side rolling member track 14). The return guide 19 is resin-molded so that it does not exceed 6% of the diameter of the roller 15.

  Using the roller 15 having a diameter of 2.5 mm, the height of the step generated at the connecting portion between the return guide side direction changing surface 20 a of the direction changing path 20 and the slider side rolling element track 14 is set to the diameter of the roller 15. FIG. 4 shows the results of testing the operability of the linear motion guide device when 0%, 3%, 6%, and 8%. As shown in the figure, when the height of the step generated at the connecting portion between the return guide side direction changing surface 20a of the direction changing path 20 and the slider side rolling element raceway 14 exceeds 6% of the diameter of the roller 15, It turns out that the operativity of a linear motion guide apparatus falls.

  Therefore, a step generated at the connecting portion between the return guide side direction changing surface 20a of the direction changing path 20 and the slider side rolling element track 14 (the return guide side direction changing surface 20a is closer to the guide rail than the slider side rolling element track 14 is. When the return guide 19 is resin-molded such that the height of the protruding step) does not exceed 6% of the diameter of the roller 15, the return guide side direction changing surface 20a of the direction changing path 20 and the slider side rolling element track 14 Since the height of the step generated at the connecting portion is 6% or less with respect to the diameter of the roller 15, the roller 15 can be circulated without causing a decrease in operability and an increase in noise level.

In the first and second embodiments of the present invention described above, the rail-side rolling element track 13 is illustrated as being formed on each of the left side surface and the right side surface of the guide rail 11, but the present invention is limited to this. For example, a linear motion guide device in which the rail-side rolling element track is formed on the left and right side surfaces and the upper surface of the guide rail one by one, or a linear motion in which the rail-side rolling element track is formed on the left and right side surfaces of the guide rail. The present invention can also be applied to a guide device.
In the first and second embodiments of the present invention described above, the rolling element is exemplified as being formed in a cylindrical shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the rolling element is formed in a spherical shape. The present invention can also be applied to the linear motion guide device.

It is sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the linear guideway which is the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The height of the step generated at the connection between the return guide side direction change surface of the direction change path and the slider side rolling element raceway is 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10% of the rolling element diameter. It is a figure which shows the result of having tested about the operativity of the linear motion guide apparatus in the case of 12% and 14%. It is sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the linear guideway which is the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. Linear motion guidance when the height of the step generated at the connection between the return guide side direction change surface of the direction change path and the slider side rolling element raceway is 0%, 3%, 6%, and 8% of the rolling element diameter. It is a figure which shows the result tested about the operativity of an apparatus. It is a top view of a linear motion guide apparatus. It is a side view of a linear motion guide apparatus. It is a front view of a linear motion guide device. It is a figure which shows the direction change path formed between the end cap and return guide of a linear guideway. It is a figure for demonstrating the level | step difference which arises in the connection part of the return guide side direction change surface of a direction change path, and a slider side rolling element track | orbit. It is a figure for demonstrating the level | step difference which arises in the connection part of the return guide side direction change surface of a direction change path, and a slider side rolling element track | orbit.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Guide rail 12 Slider 13 Rail side rolling element track 14 Slider side rolling element track 15 Roller 16 Rolling element rolling path 17 Rolling element return path 18 End cap 19 Return guide 20 Direction change path 20a Return guide side direction change surface

Claims (2)

A guide rail, a slider having a plurality of slider-side rolling element tracks opposed to the plurality of rail-side rolling element tracks formed on the guide rail, and between the rail-side rolling element track and the slider-side rolling element track A number of rolling elements that roll along the linear motion of the slider or the guide rail, and a pair of end caps mounted on the front end face and the rear end face of the slider, In the linear motion guide device comprising a plurality of return guides that form a direction change path for changing the traveling direction of the rolling elements between the end caps,
It is generated at a connection portion between the return guide side direction changing surface of the direction changing path and the slider side rolling element track, and the slider side rolling element track protrudes to the guide rail side from the return guide side direction changing surface. A linear guide device characterized in that the height of the step is 10% or less of the diameter of the rolling element. A guide rail, a slider having a plurality of slider-side rolling element tracks opposed to the plurality of rail-side rolling element tracks formed on the guide rail, and between the rail-side rolling element track and the slider-side rolling element track A number of rolling elements that roll along the linear motion of the slider or the guide rail, and a pair of end caps mounted on the front end face and the rear end face of the slider, In the linear motion guide device comprising a plurality of return guides that form a direction change path for changing the traveling direction of the rolling elements between the end caps,
It is generated at a connection portion between the return guide side direction changing surface of the direction changing path and the slider side rolling element raceway, and the return guide side direction changing surface protrudes to the guide rail side from the slider side rolling element raceway. A linear guide device characterized in that the height of the step is 6% or less of the diameter of the rolling element.

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