JP2008128357A - Spherical bearing with multiple degree of freedom - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a spherical bearing with a multiple degree of freedom which can adjust an angle of object to be held, and absorb a difference of distance, additionally, obtain a sufficient stiffness. <P>SOLUTION: The bearing is characterized in that it includes an outer cylinder 11 inside which a concave spherical surface is formed, and a centroid sphere 12 in which its periphery is supported to be rocked by a concave spherical surface of the outer cylinder 11, in that in the centroid sphere 12, a through hole 12b is formed in a center of the centroid sphere 12, and a sliding surface 12c perpendicularly crossing the through hole and parallel mutually is formed in a portion of the centroid sphere 12 corresponding to both ends of the through hole, and in that an axis 15 can be moved along the sliding surface 12c of the centroid sphere by a flange surface 15a formed in both ends of the axis 15 idly fit in the through hole of the centroid sphere. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing, and in particular, a through-hole is provided in the center of a central sphere, and the central axis is inserted into the through-hole so that the central axis can also move in a direction perpendicular to the through-hole And a multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing

Conventionally, spherical bearings are used to hold an object to be held and adjust the angle of the object. This spherical bearing has an outer peripheral member, a cage, a plurality of steel balls, and a rod tip. The tip of the rod has a spherical shape, and the cage is disposed in the recess of the outer peripheral member. A plurality of steel balls are arranged between the tip of the rod and the cage, and the tip of the rod can swing with respect to the outer peripheral member via the plurality of steel balls (for example, , See Patent Document 1).
By the way, an aggregate of a large number of panels as an object to be held, for example, a large parapolar antenna, is fixed by adjusting the panels constituting the individual reflecting surfaces to different predetermined angles. An antenna surface is formed.

  However, in such a parabolic antenna, a panel angle adjusting device is used to attach a panel constituting each reflecting surface. Since the panel angle adjusting device has a base body, and the base body is a large welded frame, it cannot be expected that the mounting position for attaching the reflecting surface on the base body is finished with high accuracy. . For this reason, after attaching the panel used as each reflective surface, it becomes necessary to adjust the angle of the reflective surface of each panel, respectively.

  And since such a large parabolic antenna is installed outdoors near the top of the mountain, once installed, the parabolic antenna is then installed outdoors over a long period of time exposed to large changes in outdoor temperature and wind and snow. Will be. For this reason, the parabolic antenna must be firmly fixed to withstand strong winds so that the angle of the adjusted reflecting surface does not change over a long period of time. Further, the support portion should not be constrained with respect to the expansion / contraction direction of the panel so that the stress is not applied to the panel even when the outside air temperature changes greatly and the panel itself expands and contracts.

An example of such a panel angle adjusting device is shown in FIGS.
Here, FIG. 8 is a plan view of the panel 50 whose angle is adjusted. The angle of the panel 50 is adjusted by adjusting the heights of the three adjustment positions 51a, 51b, 51c provided on the back surface of the panel 50 shown in FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG. 8. For example, the angle adjusting device 52 having the structure shown in FIG. 9 is configured to adjust the angle of the panel 50.

The angle adjusting device 52 shown in FIG. 9 adjusts the tilt direction and angle of the panel 50 by adjusting the height from the base 53 at the three adjustment positions 51a, 51b, 51c of the panel 50. The spherical bearings 54 a, 54 b, 54 b attached to the panel 50 are moved up and down with the adjusting screws 55 to arbitrarily adjust the inclination direction and angle of the panel 50. A knob 56 is provided at the lower end of the adjustment screw 55 as the simplest drive source for rotating the adjustment screw 55.
JP 2002-339947 A

  However, in the angle adjustment device 52 having such a structure, by tilting the panel 50, the distance L1 from the adjustment position 51a to the adjustment positions 51b and 51c shown in FIG. 8 and the distance between the spherical bearings 54a and 54b shown in FIG. A difference from the distance occurs between the distance L2 and the distance L2. In order to absorb this difference in distance (L2−L1), an absorption device of some distance difference is provided between the panel 50 and the spherical bearings 54a and 54b, or the panel 50 and the spherical bearing 54a, 54b must be fixed.

However, if an absorption device having a difference in distance is provided between the panel 50 and the spherical bearings 54a and 54b, the ordinary absorption device inevitably has low rigidity, is exposed to wind and snow for a long time, and is difficult to withstand strong winds. . On the other hand, if the panel 50 and the spherical bearings 54a and 54b are fixed after adjusting the angle, sufficient rigidity can be obtained. However, it takes time to install the panel 50, and in particular, the angle must be adjusted locally. In some cases, it is necessary to carry out the troublesome work of installing the panel 50 in a dangerous place such as a high place.
Therefore, the present invention can adjust the angle of the object to be held and can also absorb the difference in distance in order to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, thereby obtaining sufficient rigidity. It is an object to provide a multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention includes an outer cylinder having a concave spherical surface formed therein, and a center that is supported by the concave spherical surface of the outer cylinder so that the outer periphery can swing. A spherical bearing having a sphere,
The central sphere has a through hole formed in the center of the central sphere, and the central sphere corresponding to both ends of the through hole has a sliding surface orthogonal to the through hole and parallel to each other. Each formed,
A central axis that is loosely fitted into the through-hole of the central sphere, the central axis being movable along the sliding surface of the central sphere by flange surfaces formed at both ends of the central axis; It is characterized by.

The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention is preferably a ball bearing in which a plurality of small spheres are arranged between the concave spherical surface of the outer cylinder and the outer periphery of the central sphere, and the sliding of the central sphere is performed. A large number of small balls are arranged between a surface and the flange surface of the central shaft to form another ball bearing.
The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention preferably has a plurality of rolling grooves for rolling the small spheres on at least one of the sliding surface of the central sphere and the flange surface of the central shaft. Are formed parallel to each other.

  The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing according to the present invention is preferably characterized in that the plurality of rolling grooves are formed only on one side of the sliding surface of the central sphere and the flange surface of the central shaft. .

  According to the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention, the angle of the object to be held can be adjusted and the difference in distance can be absorbed, so that sufficient rigidity can be obtained.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the second embodiment.
FIG. 3A shows the flange surface 23a of the flange of the central axis of the second embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a panel whose angle is adjusted by an angle adjusting device using the embodiment of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention, and FIG. It is sectional drawing in the CC line of FIG. 4 which shows the structure of 1st Example of the angle adjusting device in which the Example of a multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing is used.
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a second embodiment of the panel in which the angle is adjusted by the angle adjusting device in which the embodiment of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention is used. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a second embodiment of the angle adjusting device in which the embodiment of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention is used.

A multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
A multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10 in FIG. 1 is a spherical bearing having an outer cylinder 11 and a central sphere 12. A concave spherical surface 11 a is formed inside the outer cylinder 11. The outer peripheral surface 12 a of the central sphere 12 is spherical, and the outer peripheral surface 12 a is supported by the concave spherical surface 11 a of the outer cylinder 11 so as to be swingable.

  In the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10, a large number of small spheres 14 separated from each other by a retainer 13 are arranged between the concave spherical surface 11 a of the outer cylinder 11 and the outer periphery 12 a of the central sphere 12. The retainer 13 and a large number of small balls 14 constitute a ball bearing 161. Thereby, the central sphere 12 can swing along the R direction with respect to the outer cylinder 11 via the many small balls 14 of the ball bearing 161.

The central sphere 12 has a through hole 12b formed in the center thereof, and both end portions (one end portion and the other end portion) of the through hole 12b are orthogonal to the through hole 12b and parallel to each other. Sliding surfaces 12c and 12c are formed. The upper sliding surface 12c and the lower sliding surface 12c are parallel surfaces.
A central shaft 15 is loosely fitted in the through hole 12 b of the central sphere 12. That is, since the diameter of the central shaft 15 is smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 12b, the central shaft 15 is formed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction Z of the central shaft 15 in the through hole 12b. In the plane (in the XY plane of FIG. 1).

Flanges 150 and 151 are fixed to both end portions 15F and 15G of the central shaft 15 using screws 152, respectively. On the inner surface side of the flanges 150 and 151, flange surfaces 15a orthogonal to the central axis 15 and parallel to each other are formed. The flanges 150 and 151 are part of the assembly of the central shaft 15.
The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10 is provided between the sliding surface 12c of the central sphere 12 and the flange surface 15a of the flange 150, and between the sliding surface 12c of the central sphere 12 and the flange surface 15a of the flange 151, respectively. A retainer 16 is provided. Each retainer 16 has a large number of small spheres 17 spaced apart from each other. The retainer 16 and the large number of small balls 17 constitute a ball bearing 160.
As a result, the assembly of the center shaft 15 and the flanges 150 and 151 extends along the flange surface 15a of the first flange 150, the flange surface 15a of the second flange 151, and the sliding surfaces 12c and 12c of the center sphere 12. The ball bearings 160 and 160 are movable in the XY plane.

In this multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10, ball bearings 160 and 161 are shown, but there is no necessity of being ball bearings. For example, the small balls 14 and 17 may be a bearing material such as oil-impregnated sintered metal or plastic.
Alternatively, the ball bearings 160 and 161 or the bearing material itself is eliminated, the concave spherical surface 11 a of the outer cylinder 11 supports the outer periphery 12 a of the central sphere 12, and the sliding surface 12 c of the central sphere 12 is the flange of the central shaft 15. The surface 15a may be supported. With this configuration, smooth adjustment in the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10 is somewhat difficult, but the structure can be simplified and higher rigidity can be obtained.

  Since the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10 is configured as described above, the central sphere 12 can freely swing in the outer cylinder 11 along the R direction. In an orthogonal plane, the center sphere 12 can move in any direction.

Next, the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 in FIG. 2 is a spherical bearing having an outer cylinder 19 and a central sphere 20. A concave spherical surface 19 a is formed inside the outer cylinder 19. The outer peripheral surface 20a of the central sphere 20 is spherical, and the outer peripheral surface 20a is supported by the concave spherical surface 19a of the outer cylinder 19 so as to be swingable along the R direction.

  In the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18, a large number of small spheres 22 separated from each other by a retainer 21 are arranged between the concave spherical surface 19 a of the outer cylinder 19 and the outer periphery 20 a of the central sphere 20. The retainer 21 and the large number of small balls 22 constitute a ball bearing 161. Thereby, the central sphere 20 can swing in the R direction with respect to the outer cylinder 19 via the large number of small balls 22 of the ball bearing 161.

The central sphere 20 has a through hole 20b formed at the center thereof, and sliding surfaces 20c and 20c perpendicular to the through hole 20b and parallel to each other are formed at both ends of the through hole 20b. . The upper sliding surface 20c and the lower sliding surface 20c are parallel.
A central shaft 23 is loosely fitted in the through hole 20 b of the central sphere 20. That is, since the diameter of the central shaft 23 is smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 20b, the central shaft 23 is formed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction Z of the central shaft 23 in the through hole 20b. In the plane (in the XY plane of FIG. 2).

Flanges 250 and 251 are fixed to both end portions 23F and 23G of the central shaft 23 using screws 152, respectively. On the inner surface side of the flanges 250 and 251, flange surfaces 23 a that are orthogonal to the central axis 23 and parallel to each other are formed.
The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 includes retainers between the sliding surface 20c of the central sphere 20 and the flange surface 15a of the flange 250, and between the sliding surface 20c of the central sphere 20 and the flange surface 15a of the flange 251. 24. Each retainer 24 has a large number of small spheres 25 spaced apart from each other. The retainer 24 and the large number of small balls 25 constitute a ball bearing 160.
Thereby, the assembly of the center shaft 23 and the flanges 250 and 251 is along the flange surface 23a of the first flange 250, the flange surface 23a of the second flange 251 and the sliding surfaces 20c and 20c of the center sphere 12. The ball bearings 160 and 160 are movable in the X direction in the XY plane. The reason why the assembly of the central shaft 23 and the flanges 250 and 251 can be moved only in the X direction is described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 2 for the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18. This is because the moving direction restricting portion 99 is provided. The moving direction restricting portion 99 restricts the moving direction so that the assembly of the central shaft 23 and the flanges 250 and 251 can move along only the X direction in the XY plane.

FIG. 3A shows the flange surface 23a of the flanges 250 and 251 of the central shaft 23 of the second embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional structure taken along line BB of FIG. 3A. Is shown.
Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, an example of the shape of the flange surface 23a of the flanges 250 and 251 of the central shaft 2 is shown in detail.
As shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, a plurality of rolling grooves 23 b are formed on the flange surface 23 a of the central shaft 23 in parallel with each other.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of rolling grooves 20 d are formed on the sliding surface 20 c of the central sphere 20 in parallel with each other. The plurality of rolling grooves 23b and the plurality of rolling grooves 20d are formed at positions facing each other, and the plurality of rolling grooves 23b and the plurality of rolling grooves 20d are both perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. A plurality of small spheres 25 are arranged between the rolling groove 23b and the rolling groove 20d at the corresponding positions. The plurality of small spheres 25 are separated by a retainer 24. The plurality of rolling grooves 23b, the plurality of rolling grooves 20d, and the plurality of small spheres 25 constitute the moving direction regulating portion 99 described above.

  Thereby, the plurality of rolling grooves 23b and the plurality of rolling grooves 20d serve to roll the plurality of small balls 25. By providing the rolling grooves 20d and 23b, the movement of the central shaft 23 can be performed only in the X direction (perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 2) in the XY plane perpendicular to the axial direction Z of the through hole 23b of the central sphere 23. Can be limited.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, rolling grooves 20d and 23b are formed on the sliding surface 20c formed on both end surfaces of the central sphere 20 and the upper and lower flange surfaces 23a of the central shaft 23, respectively. ing.
However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and as another embodiment of the present invention, rolling grooves 20d and 23b are formed on the upper sliding surface 20c of the central sphere 20 and the upper flange surface 23a of the central shaft 20, respectively. The same effect can be obtained even when the lower sliding surface 20c of the sphere 20 and the lower flange surface 23a of the central shaft 20 are formed in a flat shape without grooves. Thereby, the structure of a multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing can be simplified.

  As still another embodiment of the present invention, rolling grooves 23b are formed only on the upper and lower flange surfaces 23a, 23a of the central shaft 23, and rolling is performed on the upper and lower sliding surfaces 20c, 20c of the central sphere 20. It is also possible not to form the groove 20d. In this case, of course, the rolling grooves 23b formed on the upper and lower flange surfaces 23a must be parallel to each other. With this configuration, since the rolling grooves 20d are not formed on the sliding surfaces 20c, 20c of the central sphere 20, the central sphere 20 can rotate with respect to the central axis 23. Since the moving surfaces 20c are formed in parallel with each other, no trouble occurs even if the central sphere 20 rotates.

  As still another embodiment of the present invention, the position where the rolling groove 23b is provided may be limited to the flange surface 23a of the flange 250 on the upper side of the center shaft 23. In addition, when a sliding bearing using a bearing material such as oil-impregnated sintered metal or plastic is used instead of the small sphere, the sliding surface 20c of the central spherical body 20 and the flange surface 23a of the central shaft 23 are not rolled. By forming a fitting groove similar to the moving groove and forming a protrusion that fits into the fitting groove with respect to the bearing material instead of the small ball, it can be configured in exactly the same manner. it can.

As described above, in the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rolling groove 20d is provided on both the upper sliding surface 20c and the lower sliding surface 20c, and the rolling groove 23b. Are provided on both the upper flange surface 23a and the lower flange surface 23a. Alternatively, although the rolling grooves 20d and 23b are formed on the upper sliding surface 20c of the central sphere 20 and the upper flange surface 23a of the central shaft 20, respectively, the lower sliding surface 20c and the center of the central sphere 20 are centered. The flange surface 23a on the lower side of the shaft 20 has a flat shape without a groove. Further, the rolling grooves 23b are formed only on the upper and lower flange surfaces 23a, 23a of the central shaft 23, and the rolling grooves 20d are not formed on the upper and lower sliding surfaces 20c, 20c of the central sphere 20. You can also.
Thus, the rolling grooves 20d and 23b can be arbitrarily selected and formed with respect to the sliding surface 20c and the flange surface 23a. In any case, in the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 shown in FIG. 2, the central sphere 20 can freely swing along the R direction inside the outer cylinder 19, and the central shaft 23 is connected to the central sphere 20. On the other hand, it can move only in a certain direction (X direction) along the rolling groove 20d or the rolling groove 23b.

Next, the structure for angle adjustment in the case where the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10 shown in FIG. 1 or the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 shown in FIGS. 4 and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a flat plate whose angle is adjusted by an angle adjusting device in which the embodiment of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention is used. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 4 showing the structure of the first embodiment of the angle adjusting device in which the embodiment of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention is used.

  The panel angle adjusting device 300 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is configured to adjust the direction and angle of a flat plate 30 such as a reflector of a parabolic antenna. The panel 30 can be adjusted in any direction and angle by adjusting the height at three adjustment positions 30 a, 30 b, 30 c provided on the back surface of the panel 30.

As shown in FIG. 5, height adjustment mechanisms 31A, 31B, and 31C are arranged at three adjustment positions 30a, 30b, and 30c. The height adjusting mechanism 31A has a spherical bearing 32a. The height adjusting mechanism 31B has the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 shown in FIG. The height adjusting mechanism 31C has the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10 shown in FIG.
The spherical bearing 32a employs a spherical bearing having a normal structure, and the spherical bearing 32a is fixed to the support 38A. The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 is fixed to the support 38B, and the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10 is fixed to the support 38C.

  The supports 38A, 38B, and 38C are held with respect to the substrate 34 by adjusting screws 33, respectively. A knob 35 for rotating the adjustment screw 33 is provided at the lower end of the adjustment screw 33. By operating the knob 35 and rotating the adjusting screw 33, the support bodies 38A, 38B, and 38C can be raised and lowered to adjust the heights of the support bodies 38A, 38B, and 38C in the Z direction, respectively.

As described above, in the example shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the spherical bearing 32a attached to the adjustment position 30a is a spherical bearing that only rotates and swings, similar to the conventional spherical bearing. On the other hand, the spherical bearing attached to the adjustment position 30b shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 of FIG. 2, and the rolling of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 shown in FIGS. The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 is attached to the support 38B so that the grooves 20d and 23b are formed along the line L connecting the arrow adjustment position 30a and the adjustment position 30c.
The spherical bearing attached to the adjustment position 30c shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10 of FIG.

  Thus, by arranging the spherical bearings 32a, 18, 10 at the respective adjustment positions 30a, 30b, 30c, the panel 30 can be moved as follows. That is, at the adjustment position 30a, the flat plate 30 only swings, and the positional relationship between the spherical bearing 32a and the panel 30 does not change. However, at the adjustment position 30b, as indicated by an arrow P in FIG. 4, the panel 30 can move along a line L connecting the adjustment position 30a and the adjustment position 30b. At the adjustment position 30c, the cross arrow in FIG. As indicated by P1 and P2, the panel 30 is movable in any direction. For this reason, the panel angle adjustment device 300 can constitute a distance difference absorption device with the adjustment position 30a as a reference position.

  The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 18 and 10 can move smoothly by applying an appropriate preload, and sufficient rigidity can be obtained. By adopting 18, 10, even if exposed to wind and snow for a long time, it can withstand strong winds. In addition, the panel angle adjusting device 300 functions as a distance difference absorbing device that can easily adjust the angle of the panel 30 and can absorb the difference in distance between the panels 30.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a second embodiment when three multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 18 are employed for the panel angle adjustment panel device 400. FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a second embodiment of the angle adjusting device in which the embodiment of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention is used.
Referring to FIG. 6, the angle adjustment device 400 includes three multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 18, 18, 18 that move only in a certain direction. Multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 18, 18, and 18 are arranged at adjustment positions 30a, 30b, and 30c, respectively, and the moving directions are indicated by arrows PT. If the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 18, 18, 18 are arranged so that the moving direction PT of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 18, 18, 18 is directed to the center position O of the panel 30, three adjustment positions 30a, Even if the height of the panel 30 is adjusted at 30b and 30c, the angle of the panel 30 can be adjusted without the center position O of the panel 30 moving.

  As in the first embodiment, the angle adjustment device 400 shown in FIG. 6 adjusts the height of the panel 30 at three adjustment positions 30a, 30b, and 30c provided on the back surface, and the orientation of the flat plate 30 And adjust the angle arbitrarily. The height adjustment mechanisms 31A, 31B, and 31C at the three adjustment positions 30a, 30b, and 30c move the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 18, 18, and 18 attached to the panel 30 up and down with the adjustment screws 33, respectively. By changing the height from 34, the inclination direction and angle of the panel 30 are arbitrarily adjusted. A knob 35 for rotating the adjustment screw 33 is provided at the lower end of the adjustment screw 33.

  The adjustment screw 33 is rotatably supported by a ball bearing 37 provided in a bearing housing 36 fixed to the substrate 34. Since the support 38 of the spherical bearing into which the adjusting screw 33 is screwed cannot be rotated with respect to the bearing housing 36 by the rotation stop 39, the support 38 is not rotated by the rotation of the adjusting screw 33.

  By configuring in this manner, the position of the knob 35 can be prevented from moving even if the height of the panel 30 is adjusted. Instead of the knob 35 being a gear, the driving means such as an arbitrary motor can be used. It is also possible to automatically adjust the height of the panel 30. Such a structure in which the support 38 does not rotate due to the rotation of the adjusting screw 33 can also be adopted in the angle adjusting device 300 of FIG.

  As described above, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the spherical bearing 32a attached to the adjustment position 30a of the angle adjusting device 300 is a spherical bearing similar to the spherical bearing of the prior art and is attached to the adjustment position 30b. 2 employs the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 of FIG. 2, and the spherical bearing attached to the adjustment position 30c employs the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 10 of FIG. The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 is attached so that the rolling grooves 20d and 23b of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 of FIG. 2 are along a line L connecting the adjustment position 30a and the adjustment position 30b.

  Thereby, by arranging the spherical bearings at the adjustment positions 30a to 30c, the position of the spherical bearing 32a and the panel 30 does not change only by swinging at the adjustment position 30a, and the adjustment position 30a and the adjustment position 30b are not changed at the adjustment position 30b. Can be moved along a line L connecting the two, and at the adjustment position 30c, it can be moved in any direction P1, P2. For this reason, the angle adjusting device 300 can constitute a distance difference absorbing device with the adjustment position 30a as a reference position.

  On the other hand, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 18 that moves only in a certain direction with respect to all the adjustment positions 30a, 30b, and 30c has a moving direction indicated by an arrow PT. It arrange | positions so that the center position O of the panel 30 may be headed. If the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 18, 18, 18 are arranged so that the moving direction is directed toward the center position O of the panel 30, the height of the panel 30 can be adjusted at the three adjustment positions 30 a, 30 b, 30 c. The angle of the panel 30 can be adjusted without the center position O of the panel 30 moving.

  Since the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 10 and 18 according to the embodiment of the present invention are configured as described above, the object to be held is installed outdoors like a flat plate, for example, a large parabolic antenna. It can be used in an angle adjustment device for adjusting the angle of a panel exposed to wind and snow outdoors for a long period of time. By adopting the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 10 and 18, the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 10 and 18 have sufficient rigidity to withstand strong winds without changing the angle of the adjusted reflecting surface. The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearings 10 and 18 of the panel angle adjusting device can also be used as an absorbing device for the difference in distance due to the change in angle and the expansion and contraction of the panel itself due to the temperature.

  A multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing according to an embodiment of the present invention includes outer cylinders 11 and 19 each having a concave spherical surface formed therein, and a central spherical body whose outer periphery is swingably supported by the concave spherical surfaces of the outer cylinders 11 and 19. 12 and 20. The central spheres 12 and 20 have through holes 12b and 20b formed in the center of the central spheres 12 and 20, and the central spheres 12 and 20 corresponding to both ends of the through holes are orthogonal to the through holes and The sliding surfaces 12c and 20c that are parallel to each other are formed, and the center shafts 15 and 23 are formed by flange surfaces 15a and 23a formed at both ends of the center shafts 15 and 23 that are loosely fitted in the through holes of the center sphere. It is movable along the sliding surfaces 12c and 20c. Thereby, the angle of the object to be held can be adjusted, the difference in distance can be absorbed, and sufficient rigidity can be obtained.

  The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention is a ball bearing in which a plurality of small spheres are arranged between the concave spherical surface of the outer cylinder and the outer periphery of the central sphere, and the sliding surface of the central sphere and the flange surface of the central shaft A large number of small balls are arranged between them to form another ball bearing. As a result, the central sphere of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing can smoothly swing in the R direction using the ball bearing with respect to the outer cylinder, and the center axis smoothly moves and holds with respect to the central sphere. The angle of the object can be adjusted and the difference in distance can be absorbed.

In the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention, a plurality of rolling grooves for rolling small balls are formed in parallel with each other on at least one of the sliding surface of the central sphere and the flange surface of the central shaft. ing. Thereby, the direction which absorbs the difference of the distance of the target object to hold | maintain can be controlled to a fixed direction along a rolling groove.
In the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention, a plurality of rolling grooves are formed only on one side of the sliding surface of the central sphere and the flange surface of the central shaft. Thereby, the direction which absorbs the difference of the distance of the target object to hold | maintain can be controlled to a fixed direction along a rolling groove.

In the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention, a plurality of rolling grooves are formed on the flange surface of the central axis. Thereby, the direction which absorbs the difference of the distance of the target object to hold | maintain can be controlled to a fixed direction along a rolling groove.
In the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of the present invention, a plurality of rolling grooves are formed only on the flange surface on one side of the central shaft. Thereby, the direction which absorbs the difference of the distance of the target object to hold | maintain can be controlled to a fixed direction along a rolling groove.

By the way, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various modified example is employable.
The outer cylinders 11 and 19 can also be called a main body, and can have, for example, a cylindrical shape or a prismatic shape. In addition, the panel 30 that is an object to be held is not limited to the plate shape having the uniform thickness shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, and may have another shape such as a rectangle or a circle. The object to be held is not limited to a panel, but may be a thick object such as a base for leveling an apparatus or a component.

It is sectional drawing which shows the 1st Example of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the 2nd Example of the multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing of this invention. (A) is AA sectional drawing of FIG. 2 which shows the flange surface of the central axis of 2nd Example, (b) is BB sectional drawing of (a). It is a top view which shows the 1st Example of the panel in which an angle is adjusted. It is CC sectional drawing of FIG. 4 which shows the structure of 1st Example of an angle adjustment apparatus. It is a top view which shows the 2nd Example of the panel in which an angle is adjusted. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the 2nd Example of an angle adjustment apparatus. It is a top view of the panel in which the angle which shows a prior art is adjusted. It is DD sectional drawing of FIG. 8 which shows the structure of the Example of the angle adjusting device which shows a prior art.

Explanation of symbols

10, 18 Multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing 11, 19 Outer cylinder 11a, 19a Concave spherical surface 12, 20 Central spherical body 12a, 20a Outer periphery 12b, 20b Through hole 12c, 20c Sliding surface 13, 21 Retainer 14, 22 Small ball 15, 23 Central shaft 15a, 23a Flange surface 16, 24 Retainer 17, 25 Small ball 20d, 23b Rolling groove 30 Panel (an example of an object to be held)
30a, 30b, 30c Adjustment position 31 Adjustment mechanism 32a, 32b, 32c Spherical bearing 33 Adjustment screw 34 Substrate 35 Knob
36 Bearing housing 37 Ball bearing 38 Support 39 Non-rotating 150, 151 Flange 250, 251 Flange 300, 400 Angle adjustment device for panel

Claims (4)

In a spherical bearing having an outer cylinder in which a concave spherical surface is formed, and a central sphere that is supported by the concave spherical surface of the outer cylinder so that the outer periphery can swing.
The central sphere has a through hole formed in the center of the central sphere, and the central sphere corresponding to both ends of the through hole has a sliding surface orthogonal to the through hole and parallel to each other. Each formed,
A central axis that is loosely fitted into the through-hole of the central sphere, the central axis being movable along the sliding surface of the central sphere by flange surfaces formed at both ends of the central axis; Multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing characterized by   A plurality of small spheres are arranged between the concave spherical surface of the outer cylinder and the outer periphery of the central sphere to form a ball bearing, and between the sliding surface of the central sphere and the flange surface of the central shaft 2. A multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of small balls are arranged to form another ball bearing.   A plurality of rolling grooves for rolling the small spheres are formed in parallel to each other on at least one of the sliding surface of the central sphere and the flange surface of the central axis. The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing according to claim 1 or 2.   The multi-degree-of-freedom spherical bearing according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of rolling grooves are formed only on one side of the sliding surface of the central sphere and the flange surface of the central axis.

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