JP2010266018A - Linear guide device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a linear guide device of such a type that a cage is longer than a slider and rolling elements are not circulated, wherein the rolling elements can be stably held in the cage by preventing the deposition of foreign matters such as dust on the rolling elements in parts of the cage deviating from the slider. <P>SOLUTION: At both ends of the slider 2 in the direction of linear motion, first covers 5 are provided extending along a guide rail 1 for covering parts of the cage 4 deviating from the slider 2. At both ends of the cage 4 in the direction of linear motion, second covers 6 slidably inserted into the first covers 5 are provided for covering the guide rail 1. All parts of the cage 4 deviating from the slider 2 are always covered in the movable range of the slider 2 with the first covers 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a linear guide device in which a rolling element does not circulate and a cage is longer than a slider.

  A conventional general linear guide device includes a guide rail, a slider, and a plurality of rolling elements. When the rolling element circulates in a circulation path, one of the guide rail and the slider is relative to the other. Is configured to linearly move. The circulation path is composed of a rolling path formed by a rolling surface disposed opposite to the guide rail and the slider, and a return path and a direction changing path of the rolling element formed in the slider, and the direction changing path is defined as a return path. The rolling elements are circulated by connecting the rolling passages.

  In recent years, the need for ultra-precision machining has been increasing in the machine tool industry. However, in the linear guide device of the type in which the rolling element circulates, the minute undulation associated with the circulation of the rolling element cannot be avoided. When this is applied to an ultra-precision processing machine that processes a mold such as an optical component, there has been a problem that minute waviness occurs in the workpiece. Therefore, post-processing such as polishing is required for the workpiece.

In Patent Document 1 below, a linear guide that does not circulate the rolling element, which is not an expensive device such as an air slide device, but can prevent the above-described problem from occurring using a linear guide device having an existing rolling element. A device (moving device) is described.
In this linear guide device, the rolling element is rotatably held by a cage extending along the guide rail, and the length of the cage along the guide rail is longer than the slider. Then, while the rolling element rotates in the cage pocket, it rolls along the rolling path formed by the rolling surface disposed opposite to the guide rail and the slider, thereby extending the length along the guide rail of the cage. One of the guide rail and the slider moves linearly relative to the other within a predetermined distance range corresponding to the distance.

JP 2008-115921 A

However, since the linear guide device described in Patent Document 1 has a longer length along the guide rail of the cage than the slider, the portion of the cage that is detached from the slider is exposed. Therefore, depending on the usage environment, foreign substances such as dust may adhere to the rolling elements at the part of the cage that is removed from the slider, which may cause damage.
In a general linear guide device that circulates rolling elements, an extendable cover such as a bellows or a telescopic cover is fixed to a slider to cover a guide rail that is removed from the slider. When the bellows are used, an intermediate plate matching the shape of the guide rail is attached to guide the guide rail, thereby preventing the bellows from being lifted. However, in a linear guide device in which the cage is exposed, it is difficult to guide the intermediate plate by the cage, so it is not practical to use the bellows. In the case of using a telescopic cover, guidance for the telescopic cover is required and the equipment becomes large.

  The problem of the present invention is that the rolling element does not circulate, and in the linear guide device in which the cage is longer than the slider, it has a simple structure, and foreign matters such as dust adhere to the rolling element at a portion that is separated from the slider of the cage. Is to prevent.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a linear guide device according to the present invention includes a guide rail, a slider, and a plurality of rolling elements, and the guide rail and the slider are arranged to face each other and the rolling passage of the rolling element. The rolling element is rotatably held by a cage extending along the guide rail, the length of the cage along the guide rail is longer than the slider, and the rolling element is of the cage. A linear guide device in which one of the guide rail and the slider moves linearly relative to the other by rolling in the rolling passage while rotating in a pocket, and at both ends of the slider in the linear motion direction, A first cover that extends along the guide rail and covers a portion of the cage that is removed from the slider is provided, and is inserted into both ends of the cage in the linear motion direction so as to cover the guide rail and be slidable on the first cover. Characterized in that a second cover that.

  According to the linear guide device of the present invention, by providing the first and second covers, it is possible to prevent foreign matters such as dust from adhering to the rolling elements held by the cage. Compared to a linear guide device having a structure in which the cage and the guide rail are covered only by the first cover, the entire length of the cover extending in the same direction from the slider in a state where the slider is at one end of the movable range. The length can be shortened.

When the linear guide device of the present invention includes a seal that closes the space between the first cover and the second cover, the dustproof effect on the rolling elements held by the cage is improved.
If the linear guide device of this invention is provided with the seal | sticker which blocks between the 1st cover and the 2nd cover, and the attaching part of a guide rail, the dust-proof effect with respect to the rolling element currently hold | maintained at the holder | retainer will improve.

If the linear guide device of this invention is provided with the seal | sticker which covers between the 1st cover and the 2nd cover, and the side surface of a guide rail, the dust-proof effect with respect to the rolling element currently hold | maintained at the holder | retainer will improve.
In the linear guide device according to the present invention, the columnar member penetrating the second cover is fixed to both ends of the guide rail in the linear motion direction, and the space between the columnar member and the second cover is sealed with a seal, It is possible to simplify the shape of the seal that closes the end portion in the linear motion direction opposite to the cover retainer.

  According to the linear guide device of the present invention, it is possible to prevent foreign matters such as dust from adhering to the rolling elements at a portion that is removed from the slider of the cage with a simple structure. Moreover, the length of the whole cover extended from a slider can be shortened compared with the linear guide apparatus of the structure which covers a holder | retainer and a guide rail only with a 1st cover.

It is a side view which shows the linear guide apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is the perspective view which removed the cover and the seal | sticker from the linear guide apparatus of FIG. FIG. 2 is a view taken in the direction of arrow X in FIG. 1. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the holder | retainer of the linear guide apparatus of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the inner surface side of the holder | retainer of FIG. In the linear guide apparatus of FIG. 1, it is a schematic diagram which shows the motion of a holder | retainer and a cover when a slider moves. It is a side view which shows the linear guide apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 10 is a view on arrow X in FIG. 9. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is a side view which shows the linear guide apparatus of 3rd Embodiment. FIG. 14 is a view taken in the direction of arrow X in FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the linear guide device according to the first embodiment includes a guide rail 1, a slider 2, a plurality of balls (rolling elements) 3, a cage 4, and a first cover 5. The second cover 6, the first seal 7, the second seal 8, and the third cover 9 are configured.
As shown in FIG. 5, the guide rail 1 and the slider 2 have rolling grooves (rolling surfaces) 11, 12, 21, and 22 that face each other and form a rolling path of the ball 3. One rolling groove 11 of the guide rail 1 is formed on a side surface facing the leg portion 2 </ b> A of the slider 2. The other rolling groove 12 of the guide rail 1 is formed at the upper corner.

  Concave portions 23 and 24 are formed in the leg portion 2 </ b> A and the trunk portion 2 </ b> B of the slider 2 to secure a space for the cage 4 to enter between the guide rail 1 and the slider 2. One rolling groove 21 of the slider 2 is formed in a protrusion 25 that faces the guide rail 1 from the lower side of the recess 23 of the leg 2A. The other rolling groove 22 of the slider 2 is formed at the boundary between the recess 24 of the body 2B and the recess 23 of both legs 2A.

5-7, the holder | retainer 4 is arrange | positioned at the longitudinal direction both ends of the upper member 41 which covers the upper side of the guide rail 1, the side member 42 arrange | positioned at the side surface of the guide rail 1, and the side member 42. As shown in FIG. And an end member 43 and a number of partition plates 44 arranged in parallel with the end member 43.
The length of the cage 4 along the guide rail 1 is longer than that of the slider 2. In addition, the retainer 4 is formed with an opening extending in the longitudinal direction at a corner between the upper member 41 and the side member 42. The partition plate 44 has a shape that bends at a right angle at the opening and reaches the lower end along the side member 42.

  A portion of the opening portion partitioned by the adjacent partition plate 44 and a portion between the end member 43 and the partition plate 44 are opposed to the rolling groove 12 formed in the upper corner portion of the guide rail 1. It is a pocket 47 of the ball 3 disposed between the rolling groove 22 of the slider 2. Since the opening dimension of the pocket 47 on the slider 2 side (A in FIG. 5) is smaller than the diameter of the ball 3, the ball 3 does not come out of the pocket 47 in a normal use state.

  Further, a portion partitioned by the adjacent partition plate 44 at the lower part of the side member 42 and a portion between the end member 43 and the partition plate 44 are formed in the rolling groove 11 formed on the side surface of the guide rail 1 and the rolling groove 11. It is a pocket 48 of the ball 3 disposed between the opposing rolling grooves 21 of the slider 2. In the pocket 48, since the side member 42 and the partition plate 44 hold the ball 3 to a position slightly below the center line (line B in FIG. 5), the ball 3 does not come out of the pocket 48 in a normal use state. .

As shown in FIG. 1, the first cover 5 extends along the guide rail 1 from both ends of the slider 2 in the linear movement direction, and covers a portion of the cage 4 that is removed from the slider 2. The second cover 6 extends along the guide rail 1 from both ends of the cage 4 in the linear motion direction, covers the guide rail 1, and is slidably inserted into the first cover 5.
As shown in FIG. 4, the first cover 5 includes an upper member 51 along the body portion 2 </ b> B of the slider 2, and side members 52 continuous to both ends thereof. The side member 52 extends along the leg portion 2A of the slider 2 and reaches a little above the mounting base (mounting portion) D of the guide rail 1. The first cover 5 is fixed to both ends of the slider 2 in the linear motion direction by screws or bonding.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second cover 6 includes an upper member 61 along the body 2 </ b> B of the slider 2 inside the first cover 5, side members 62 continuous at both ends thereof, and end members. 63. The side member 62 extends along the leg 2 </ b> A of the slider 2 and reaches a little above the mounting base D of the guide rail 1. The end member 63 closes one end surface of the second cover in the linear movement direction.
As shown in FIG. 1, the second cover 6 is disposed so that the linear motion direction end portion that is not blocked by the end member 63 overlaps the linear motion direction end portion of the cage 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper member 61 of the second cover 6 overlaps the upper member 41 of the cage 4, and the side member 62 of the second cover 6 overlaps the side member 42 of the cage 4. Is fixed by a method such as screwing or bonding.

As shown in FIG. 1, the third cover 9 is a plate-like member disposed at a position along the first cover 5 below the leg 2 </ b> A of the slider 2. Both ends of the third cover 9 in the linear motion direction may be fixed to the end portions of the two first covers 5, or may be formed integrally with the first cover 5.
As shown in FIG. 3, the first seal 7 includes end seals 71 and 72 fixed to the end of the first cover 5 opposite to the slider 2 side, and a side member 52 of the first cover 5. And a lower seal 73 fixed along the lower side of the third cover 9. The end seals 71 and 72 block between the first cover 5 and the second cover 6. The lower seal 73 closes between the lower side of the side member 52 of the first cover 5 and the lower side of the third cover 9 and the mounting base D of the guide rail 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second seal 8 includes a side lower seal 81 fixed along the lower side of the side member 62 of the second cover 6 and an end member 63 of the second cover 6. It comprises an end lower seal 82 fixed to the lower side. The side lower seal 81 blocks between the lower side of the side member 62 of the second cover 6 and the mounting base D of the guide rail 1. The lower end seal 82 closes between the lower side of the end member 63 of the second cover 6 and the mounting base D of the guide rail 1.

The first cover 5, the second cover 6, and the third cover 9 can be produced, for example, by bending, pulling out, and roll forming a metal plate made of steel or aluminum. The first seal 7 and the second seal 8 made of rubber or synthetic resin are fixed to these covers by integral molding or adhesion.
In the linear guide device of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8A, most of the second cover 6 on the left side is in the first cover 5 with the slider 2 being on the leftmost side of the movable range S. In other words, most of the second cover 6 on the right side protrudes from the first cover 5. That is, the cover protrusion length from the left slider 2 is about half of the right side.

On the other hand, in the linear guide device having a structure in which the cage 4 and the guide rail 1 are covered only by the first cover 5, the cover projecting length from the slider 2 is always left and right as shown in FIG. The same. Therefore, as compared with the linear guide device of this embodiment, the cover protrusion length from the slider 2 on the left side is longer in the state where the slider 2 is on the leftmost side of the movable range S.
That is, according to the linear guide device of this embodiment, by providing the first cover 5 and the second cover 6, foreign matters such as dust adhere to the balls 3 held by the cage 4. Not only can this be prevented, but the overall length of the cover extending from the slider 2 can be shortened and made compact. Further, by providing the first and second seals 7 and 8 and the third cover 9, foreign matters such as dust enter from the lower side of the first and second covers 5 and 6 and the slider 2. Therefore, the dustproof effect becomes higher compared to the case where these are not provided.

As described above, in the linear guide device of the first embodiment, the mounting base D exists in the movable range of the second cover 6, and the first to third covers 5, 6, 9 and the mounting base D are connected. The space is closed by the lower seal 73 and the second seal 8 of the first seal 7.
On the other hand, in the linear guide device according to the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 to 12, the side members 52 and 62 of the first and second covers 5 </ b> A and 6 </ b> A do not extend right above the mounting base D, but the guide rails. The first and second covers 5A, 6A and the side surfaces of the guide rail 1 are closed by first and second seals 7A, 8A. The guide rail 1 is formed longer than the movable range of the cage 4.

That is, the linear guide device of the second embodiment includes a guide rail 1, a slider 2, a plurality of balls (rolling elements) 3, a cage 4, a first cover 5A, and a second cover 6A. The first seal 7A and the second seal 8A are included. The guide rail 1 is formed longer than the movable range of the cage 4 and penetrates through the second cover 6A.
As shown in FIG. 9, the first cover 5 </ b> A extends along the guide rail 1 from both ends of the slider 2 in the linear motion direction, and covers a portion of the cage 4 that is removed from the slider 2. The second cover 6A extends along the guide rail 1 from both ends of the cage 4 in the linear motion direction, covers the guide rail 1, and is slidably inserted into the first cover 5A.

  As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the first cover 5A includes an upper member 51 along the body 2B of the slider 2, a side member 52 extending from both ends of the upper member 51 along the leg 2A, and a side member 52. And a lower member 53 heading toward the guide rail 1 side. The length of the lower member 53 is set such that a tip of the lower member 53 generates a predetermined gap on the side surface of the guide rail 1. The first cover 5 </ b> A is fixed to both ends of the slider 2 in the linear movement direction by a screwing method or an adhesive method.

As shown in FIG. 11, the second cover 6A includes an upper member 61 along the body 2B of the slider 2 inside the first cover 5A, and a side extending from both ends of the upper member 61 along the legs 2A. It consists of the member 62 and the lower member 63 which goes to the guide rail 1 side from the side member 62. The length of the lower member 63 is set such that a tip of the lower member 63 generates a predetermined gap on the side surface of the guide rail 1.
As shown in FIG. 9, one end portion of the second cover 6 </ b> A in the linear motion direction is disposed so as to overlap with the linear motion direction end portion of the cage 4. As shown in FIG. 11, the upper member 61 of the second cover 6 </ b> A overlaps the upper member 41 of the cage 4, and the side member 62 of the second cover 6 </ b> A overlaps the side member 42 of the cage 4. Is fixed by a method such as screwing or bonding.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the first seal 7A includes end seals 71, 72, 74 fixed to the end of the first cover 5A opposite to the slider 2 side, and the bottom of the first cover 5A. It consists of a lower seal 75 fixed to the surface of the member 53 along the guide rail 1. The end seals 71, 72, and 74 close the space between the first cover 5 and the second cover 6 </ b> A at the end of the first cover 5 </ b> A opposite to the slider 2 side. The lower seal 75 closes the space between the lower member 53 of the first cover 5 </ b> A and the side surface of the guide rail 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the second seal 8 </ b> A is fixed to the end of the second cover 6 </ b> A opposite to the cage 4 side, and closes the gap between the second cover 6 </ b> A and the guide rail 1. It consists of an end seal 83 and a lower seal 84 that is fixed along the lower member 63 of the second cover 6A and closes the space between the second cover 6A and the side surface of the guide rail 1. The end seal 83 has a lip portion 83 a corresponding to the rolling grooves 11 and 12 of the guide rail 1.

  In the linear guide device of the second embodiment described above, the guide rail 1 is formed longer than the movable range of the retainer 4, whereas in the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the guide rail 1 is retained. Columnar members 10 are fixed to both ends of the guide rail 1 so as to be slightly longer than the movable range of the vessel 4. By doing so, as shown in FIG. 14, the end seal 85 of the second seal 2A has a simpler shape than the end seal 83 of the second embodiment. As a result, the linear guide device of the third embodiment can more easily ensure the sealing performance than the linear guide device of the second embodiment.

  In each of the above embodiments, the rolling element is an example of a ball. However, when the rolling element is a roller, a roller retainer is used, and a cover having a shape covering the first cover is provided. That's fine. Further, when the linear guide device is provided with a position shift mechanism of the cage 4 composed of a rack and pinion mechanism or the like, troubles such as biting of foreign matters can be prevented by providing this in the first cover. .

1 Guide rail 11, 12 Rolling groove (rolling surface) of guide rail
2 Slider 21 and 22 Rolling groove (rolling surface) of slider
3 balls (rolling elements)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 4 Cage 5 1st cover 6 2nd cover 7 1st seal | sticker 7A 1st seal | sticker 8 2nd seal | sticker 8A 2nd seal | sticker 9 3rd cover 10 Columnar member D Mounting stand (attachment part)

Claims (5)

A guide rail, a slider, and a plurality of rolling elements,
The guide rail and the slider have a rolling surface that is disposed opposite to each other and forms a rolling passage of the rolling element,
The rolling element is rotatably held by a cage extending along the guide rail, and the length of the cage along the guide rail is longer than the slider.
A linear guide device in which one of the guide rail and the slider linearly moves relative to the other by rolling the rolling element while rotating in the pocket of the cage.
A first cover that extends along the guide rail and covers a portion of the cage that is removed from the slider is provided at both ends of the slider in the linear motion direction, and the guide rail is covered at both ends of the cage in the linear motion direction. A linear guide device comprising a second cover slidably inserted in one cover.   The linear guide device according to claim 1, further comprising a seal that closes between the first cover and the second cover.   The linear guide device according to claim 1, further comprising a seal that closes a space between the first cover, the second cover, and the guide rail mounting portion.   The linear guide device according to claim 1, further comprising a seal that closes a space between the first cover and the second cover and a side surface of the guide rail.   5. The linear guide according to claim 1, further comprising a seal that fixes a columnar member penetrating the second cover to both ends of the guide rail in the linear motion direction and closes a gap between the columnar member and the second cover. apparatus.

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