JP2023170321A - Nut and ball screw device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a nut having high positioning accuracy of a circulation component.SOLUTION: The nut includes a nut main body and a circulation component. The nut main body has a housing portion, a bearing surface, a through hole, a pair of side surfaces, and a return passage. The circulation component has: a circulation component main body disposed on the housing portion and the through hole; and an arm portion extending in a bearing surface direction from the circulation component main body and kept into contact with the bearing surface. The pair of side surfaces have: a first side surface provided with an opening of the return passage; and a second side surface disposed on the other side in an axial direction with respect to the circulation component. The circulation component main body has: a ball passage in which balls roll; a first opposite surface opposed to the first side surface; and a second opposite surface opposed to the second side surface. At least one of the first side surface and the second side surface is axially recessed and provided with a positioning hole opened on an outer peripheral surface of the nut main body. One or both opposed to the side surface provided with the positioning hole, of the first opposite surface and the second opposite surface is provided with a positioning projection to be inserted to the positioning hole.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11A

Description

The present disclosure relates to nuts and ball screw devices.

A ball screw device includes a nut, a screw shaft passing through the nut, and a plurality of balls rolling on orbits between the nut and the screw shaft. The nut includes a nut body and a circulating component. The circulating component is a component that circulates the balls that have moved from one end of the track to the other end of the track to one end of the track.

One of the circulating parts is a middle deflector. The middle deflector is generally arranged in a recess provided in the outer peripheral surface of the nut body. As a method for fixing such a middle deflector, in the following patent document, a through hole is provided in each of the nut body and the middle deflector, extending in the axial direction from the end surface of the nut body. Then, a pin is inserted into the through hole. Therefore, the middle deflector is caught on the pin and does not separate from the nut body.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-289302

According to the invention disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document, the circulating component is positioned (fixed) to the nut via the pin. In other words, the positioning of the circulating parts depends on the precision of the pins and the precision of the through holes. For this reason, the positioning accuracy of the circulating component with respect to the nut is low. If a positional shift occurs in the circulating component, the entrance/exit of the ball passage of the nut and the entrance/exit of the return path of the nut will be misaligned, and the balls will not be transferred smoothly. Further, the ball cannot be scooped up smoothly by the tongue. From the above, it is desired to develop a nut with high positioning accuracy for circulating parts.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a nut and a ball screw device with high positioning accuracy of circulating components.

In order to achieve the above object, a nut according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a nut body that has a cylindrical shape and is penetrated by a screw shaft, and a circulating component that is assembled to the nut body. The nut main body is a recess provided on the outer circumferential surface of the nut main body, and includes an accommodating part that is arch-shaped when viewed from an axial direction parallel to the screw shaft, a seat surface forming a bottom surface of the accommodating part, and the seat. a through hole passing through a surface and an inner circumferential surface of the nut body; a pair of side surfaces facing each other and arranged on both sides of the housing part in the axial direction; and a return path extending in the axial direction. are doing. A direction parallel to the seat surface when viewed from the axial direction is the direction of the seat surface. The circulating component includes a circulating component main body disposed in the accommodating portion and the through hole, and an arm extending from the circulating component main body toward the seating surface and in contact with the seating surface. The pair of side surfaces include a first side surface disposed on one side of the axial direction relative to the circulation component and provided with an opening for the return path, and a second side surface disposed on the other side of the circulation component in the axial direction. It has a side surface. The circulation component main body includes a ball passage in which a ball rolls, a first opposing surface that is provided with an opening for the ball passage, and that faces the first side surface, and a second opposing surface that faces the second side surface. have. At least one of the first side surface and the second side surface is provided with a positioning hole that is recessed in the axial direction and opens to the outer circumferential surface of the nut main body. A positioning protrusion that is inserted into the positioning hole is provided on one or both of the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface that faces the side surface provided with the positioning hole.

According to the invention, the arm portion of the circulating component contacts the seat surface. Therefore, the circulating component is positioned at a predetermined assembly position with respect to the vertical direction of the seat surface. Further, the positioning protrusion contacts the inner surface of the positioning hole. Therefore, the circulating component is positioned at a predetermined assembly position with respect to the seating surface direction. Furthermore, since the circulating component is directly positioned with respect to the nut without intervening other components, the positioning accuracy is high.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, a nut according to a second aspect of the present disclosure includes a nut body that is cylindrical and penetrated by a screw shaft, and a circulating component that is assembled to the nut body. There is. The nut main body is a recess provided on the outer circumferential surface of the nut main body, and includes an accommodating part that is arch-shaped when viewed from an axial direction parallel to the screw shaft, a seat surface forming a bottom surface of the accommodating part, and the seat. a through hole passing through a surface and an inner circumferential surface of the nut body; a pair of side surfaces facing each other and arranged on both sides of the housing part in the axial direction; and a return path extending in the axial direction. are doing. A direction parallel to the seat surface when viewed from the axial direction is the direction of the seat surface. The circulating component includes a circulating component main body disposed in the accommodating portion and the through hole, and an arm extending from the circulating component main body toward the seating surface and in contact with the seating surface. The pair of side surfaces includes a first side surface disposed on one side in the axial direction of the circulating component, and a second side surface disposed on the other side of the circulating component in the axial direction. The circulating component main body has a ball passage through which the balls roll, a first opposing surface facing the first side surface, and a second opposing surface facing the second side surface. The first side surface is provided with a positioning hole that is recessed in the axial direction and opens on the outer peripheral surface of the nut body. The first opposing surface is provided with a positioning protrusion that protrudes in the axial direction and is inserted into the positioning hole. An opening for the return path is provided on a first surface of the inner surface of the positioning hole facing the other axial direction. An opening for the ball passage is provided on a second surface of the side surface of the positioning protrusion that faces the first surface.

According to the invention, the arm portion of the circulating component contacts the seat surface. Therefore, the circulating component is positioned at a predetermined assembly position with respect to the vertical direction of the seat surface. Further, in the circulating component, the positioning protrusion contacts the inner surface of the positioning hole. Therefore, the circulating component is positioned at a predetermined assembly position with respect to the seating surface direction. Furthermore, since the circulating component is directly positioned with respect to the nut without intervening other components, the positioning accuracy is high. Further, the opening of the return path and the opening of the ball passage are provided in the positioned positioning hole (first surface) and positioning protrusion (second surface). Therefore, the degree of coaxiality between the opening of the return path and the opening of the ball passage is high, and the ball can be transferred more smoothly.

In a preferred embodiment of the nut described above, at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface is provided with a positioning hole that is recessed in the axial direction and that opens on the outer peripheral surface of the nut body. A positioning protrusion that is inserted into the positioning hole is provided on one or both of the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface that faces the side surface provided with the positioning hole.

According to the configuration, the positioning protrusion comes into contact with the inner surface of the positioning hole, and the circulating component is positioned at a predetermined assembly position with respect to the seating surface direction. Therefore, positioning accuracy becomes even higher.

In a preferred embodiment of the nut described above, the direction perpendicular to the seating surface and the direction toward which the seating surface faces is a first vertical direction. The circulating component includes a rib that protrudes from the arm in the first vertical direction and extends along the side surface toward the seating surface, and a crimping device in which at least a portion of the rib is crimped toward the side surface. It has a section and. The pair of side surfaces are provided with a recess that is a groove extending in the direction of the seating surface, faces the rib in the axial direction, and into which the caulking portion enters.

According to the configuration, when a load in the first vertical direction is applied to the circulating component, the caulking portion is caught in the recess. Therefore, the circulating component does not move in the first vertical direction. In other words, the circulating component does not separate from the nut body.

In a preferred embodiment of the nut described above, the through hole passes through a central portion of the seat surface in the direction of the seat surface. The seat surface has a first seat surface disposed on one side of the seat surface direction from the through hole, and a second seat surface disposed on the other side of the seat surface direction from the through hole. ing. The arm portion extends from the circulating component main body in one direction of the seat surface and comes into contact with the first seat surface, and the arm portion extends from the circulating component main body in the other direction of the seat surface and includes a second It has a second arm portion that comes into contact with the seat surface. The rib and the caulking portion are provided on each of the first arm portion and the second arm portion.

If the circulating component and the seat surface come into contact only on one side from the through hole to the seat surface, there is a possibility that the circulating component may tilt. Note that when the circulating component is tilted, a portion of the circulating component main body falls into the through hole, and the arm portion is lifted off the seat surface. Furthermore, when the circulating component is tilted, the tongue is misaligned. Therefore, the ball cannot be scooped up smoothly. On the other hand, according to the above configuration, the circulating component has the first arm and the second arm. That is, the circulating component is in contact with the seat surface on both sides in the direction of the seat surface with the through hole in between. Therefore, the posture of the circulating component is stabilized, and the ball can be scooped up smoothly. Moreover, the crimping part is provided on each arm part, and since there are many crimping parts, it is possible to firmly prevent the circulating component from coming off.

In a preferred embodiment of the nut described above, the rib includes a first rib extending along the first side surface and a second rib extending along the second side surface. The crimped part is a part of the first rib, and the first crimped part is crimped towards the first side surface, and the crimped part is part of the second rib, which is crimped towards the second side surface. and a second crimped part crimped.

According to the configuration, the crimping part has a first crimping part that is caught in the recess on the first side surface, and a second crimping part that is caught in the recess on the second side surface, and since there are many crimping parts, the circulating parts can be strongly prevented from falling off.

In a preferred embodiment of the nut described above, the thickness of the second rib in the axial direction is smaller than the thickness of the first rib in the axial direction.

When the first rib and the second rib are crimped at the same time, the second rib, which is thinner in the axial direction, starts to collapse (begins to deform) earlier than the first rib. The crimped portion of the second rib (second crimped portion) contacts the recess before the first rib and further presses the recess. As a result, the second rib receives a reaction force from the inner surface of the recess, and the circulating component moves toward the first side surface. Therefore, the first opposing surface and the first side surface are in contact with each other, and the ball path and the return path are continuous. This allows the ball to move smoothly.

In a preferred embodiment of the nut described above, the first rib has a first crimping surface that faces the other side of the axial direction and is crimped when generating the first crimped portion. The first crimping surface is inclined toward the first side surface as it goes in the first vertical direction.

When the inclined surface (first crimping surface) is crimped with a jig, a portion of the crimping load (load in the first side direction) is converted into a load in a direction perpendicular to the seat surface. In other words, the load acting on the first rib in the first side direction is reduced. Further, since the base side (portion closer to the arm) of the first rib is thick, the rigidity is high, and the first rib is difficult to deform. From the above, when the first rib and the second rib are crimped at the same time, the first rib collapses (deforms) more slowly than the second rib. Therefore, the crimped portion of the second rib (second crimped portion) contacts the recess before the first rib and further presses the recess. As a result, the second rib receives a reaction force from the inner surface of the recess, and the circulating component moves toward the first side surface. Therefore, the first opposing surface and the first side surface are in contact with each other, and the ball path and the return path are continuous. This allows the ball to move smoothly.

In a preferred embodiment of the nut described above, the nut body has a second end face facing the other axial direction, and a through hole that axially penetrates the other end face and the second side face and is coaxial with the return path. ,have.

According to the configuration, the cutting tool can be inserted into the through hole and the tip of the cutting tool can be applied to the first side surface, that is, the first side surface can be cut (forming a return path). Therefore, it becomes easy to form a return path.

In a preferred embodiment of the nut described above, the second opposing surface is provided with a hole that is recessed in one direction in the axial direction and that is adjacent to the through hole in the axial direction. A pin is inserted into the through hole. One end of the pin in the axial direction is inserted into the hole.

According to the configuration, when a load is applied to the circulating component in the direction of the seating surface and in the vertical direction, the inner surface of the hole is caught on the pin. Therefore, the circulating component does not shift in position in the direction of the seating surface and in the vertical direction.

In a preferred embodiment of the nut described above, the pin fits into the through hole.

According to the above configuration, the pin does not fall out from the through hole.

In a preferred embodiment of the nut described above, the second opposing surface is provided with at least one convex portion that protrudes in the other direction in the axial direction and abuts on the second side surface. The convex portion is crushed between the circulating component main body and the second side surface.

According to the above configuration, when the circulating component is placed in the housing portion, the convex portion is collapsed between the circulating component and the second side surface, and the circulating component is placed closer to the first side surface. That is, the circulating component is arranged closer to the first side surface, and the first opposing surface and the first side surface are in contact with each other. As a result, the ball path and the return path are continuous, and the ball moves smoothly.

In a preferred embodiment of the nut described above, the seat surface is an edge of the through hole and has an expanded seat surface disposed in the axial direction with respect to the through hole. The circulating component main body has an expanded seating surface that abuts the expanded seating surface.

According to the above configuration, the number of parts that come into contact with the seat surface increases, and the posture of the circulating component becomes more stable. Therefore, the ball can be scooped up smoothly.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, a ball screw device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a nut, a screw shaft passing through the nut, and a plurality of balls arranged between the nut and the screw shaft. It is equipped with. The nut has a cylindrical shape and includes a nut body that is penetrated by a screw shaft, and a circulating component that is assembled to the nut body. The nut main body is a recess provided on the outer circumferential surface of the nut main body, and includes an accommodating part that is arch-shaped when viewed from an axial direction parallel to the screw shaft, a seat surface forming a bottom surface of the accommodating part, and the seat. a through hole passing through a surface and an inner circumferential surface of the nut body; a pair of side surfaces facing each other and arranged on both sides of the housing part in the axial direction; and a return path extending in the axial direction. are doing. A direction parallel to the seat surface when viewed from the axial direction is the direction of the seat surface. The circulating component includes a circulating component main body disposed in the accommodating portion and the through hole, and an arm extending from the circulating component main body toward the seating surface and in contact with the seating surface. The pair of side surfaces include a first side surface disposed on one side of the axial direction relative to the circulation component and provided with an opening for the return path, and a second side surface disposed on the other side of the circulation component in the axial direction. It has a side surface. The circulation component main body includes a ball passage in which a ball rolls, a first opposing surface that is provided with an opening for the ball passage, and that faces the first side surface, and a second opposing surface that faces the second side surface. have. At least one of the first side surface and the second side surface is provided with a positioning hole that is recessed in the axial direction and opens to the outer circumferential surface of the nut main body. A positioning protrusion that is inserted into the positioning hole is provided on one or both of the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface that faces the side surface provided with the positioning hole.

Furthermore, in order to achieve the above object, a ball screw device according to a second aspect of the present disclosure includes a nut, a screw shaft passing through the nut, and a plurality of balls arranged between the nut and the screw shaft. It is equipped with. The nut has a cylindrical shape and includes a nut body that is penetrated by a screw shaft, and a circulating component that is assembled to the nut body. The nut main body is a recess provided on the outer circumferential surface of the nut main body, and includes an accommodating part that is arch-shaped when viewed from an axial direction parallel to the screw shaft, a seat surface forming a bottom surface of the accommodating part, and the seat. a through hole passing through a surface and an inner circumferential surface of the nut body; a pair of side surfaces facing each other and arranged on both sides of the housing part in the axial direction; and a return path extending in the axial direction. are doing. A direction parallel to the seat surface when viewed from the axial direction is the direction of the seat surface. The circulating component includes a circulating component main body disposed in the accommodating portion and the through hole, and an arm extending from the circulating component main body toward the seating surface and in contact with the seating surface. The pair of side surfaces includes a first side surface disposed on one side in the axial direction of the circulating component, and a second side surface disposed on the other side of the circulating component in the axial direction. The circulating component main body has a ball passage through which the balls roll, a first opposing surface facing the first side surface, and a second opposing surface facing the second side surface. The first side surface is provided with a positioning hole that is recessed in the axial direction and opens on the outer peripheral surface of the nut body. The first opposing surface is provided with a positioning protrusion that protrudes in the axial direction and is inserted into the positioning hole. An opening for the return path is provided on a first surface of the inner surface of the positioning hole facing the other axial direction. An opening for the ball passage is provided on a second surface of the side surface of the positioning protrusion that faces the first surface.

According to the ball screw devices of the first aspect and the second aspect, the circulating component is positioned without intervening other components, so the positioning accuracy is high.

According to the nut and ball screw device of the present disclosure, the positioning accuracy of the circulating components is high. Therefore, the ball can be transferred smoothly.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the ball screw device of Embodiment 1 viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the nut of Embodiment 1 taken in the axial direction. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the nut body taken along the line III--III in FIG. 1 and viewed from the direction of the arrow. 4 is a side view seen from the direction of arrow IV in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a side view seen from the direction of arrow V in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the middle deflector of FIG. 1 and its surroundings. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the middle deflector before crimping according to the first embodiment viewed from a first vertical direction. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the middle deflector before crimping according to the first embodiment, viewed from a second vertical direction. FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG. 6. 11A is a sectional view taken along the line XIA-XIA in FIG. 6. FIG. 11B is a sectional view taken along the line XIB-XIB in FIG. 6. FIG. FIG. 12 is a side view seen from the direction of arrow XII in FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a preparation step of the assembly method of the first embodiment. FIG. 14 is a side view of the state before crimping seen from the direction of the second seat surface in the crimping process of the assembly method of the first embodiment. FIG. 15 is a side view of the state after crimping seen from the direction of the second seat surface in the crimping process of the assembly method of the first embodiment. FIG. 16 is a plan view of the crimping process of Embodiment 1 viewed from the first vertical direction. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the state in which two jigs are used to crimp in the crimping process of the first embodiment. FIG. 18 is a side view of the nut of Embodiment 2 before the ribs are crimped, as viewed from the direction of the second seating surface. FIG. 19 is a side view of the nut of Embodiment 2 after the ribs are crimped, as viewed from the direction of the second seating surface. FIG. 20 is a side view of the nut of Embodiment 3 before the ribs are crimped, as viewed from the direction of the second seating surface. FIG. 21 is a side view of the nut of Embodiment 3, after the ribs are crimped, as viewed from the direction of the second seating surface. FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the middle deflector of Embodiment 4 viewed from the second axis direction. FIG. 23 is an enlarged view of the gap between the second side surface and the second opposing surface in the nut of Embodiment 4, viewed from the first vertical direction. FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the middle deflector of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 25 is a side view of the middle deflector of Embodiment 6, viewed from the first axis direction. FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the middle deflector of Embodiment 6 taken along a plane extending in the direction of the seat surface and in the vertical direction. FIG. 27 is a side view of the middle deflector of Embodiment 7 viewed from the first axis direction. FIG. 28 is a diagram of the middle deflector and its surroundings according to the eighth embodiment, viewed from the outer circumferential side. FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the middle deflector before crimping according to the eighth embodiment, viewed from the first axis direction. FIG. 30 is a diagram of the first side surface of Embodiment 8 viewed from the second axial direction. FIG. 31 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXI-XXXI in FIG. 28. FIG. 32 is a diagram of the middle deflector and its surroundings according to the ninth embodiment, viewed from the outer circumferential side. FIG. 33 is a perspective view of the middle deflector before crimping according to the ninth embodiment, viewed from the first axis direction. FIG. 34 is a perspective view of the nut main body of Embodiment 9 viewed from the second axial direction. FIG. 35 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXI-XXXI in FIG. 32. FIG. 36 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXVI-XXXVI in FIG. 32. FIG. 37 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXVII-XXXVII in FIG. 32.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Modes for carrying out the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the content described in the following description. Further, the constituent elements described below include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the components described below can be combined as appropriate.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a side view of the ball screw device of Embodiment 1 viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the ball screw device 100 includes a nut 101, a screw shaft 102 passing through the nut 101, and a plurality of balls 103 (see FIG. 2) arranged between the nut 101 and the screw shaft 102. It is equipped with The screw shaft 102 is a cylindrical component made of steel. A spiral outer circumferential raceway surface 102a is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the screw shaft 102. Hereinafter, the direction parallel to the axis O of the screw shaft 102 will be referred to as the axial direction.

The ball screw device 100 is a device that converts rotational motion into linear motion, or converts linear motion into rotational motion. In this embodiment, an inner ring 104 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the nut 101. Further, the inner ring 104 is arranged near the end in the axial direction of the outer circumferential surface of the nut 101. Hereinafter, the direction in which the inner ring 104 is arranged when viewed from the axial center of the nut 101 will be referred to as a first axial direction (one axial direction) X1. Further, the direction opposite to the first axial direction X1 is referred to as a second axial direction (the other axial direction) X2.

The inner ring 104 is a part of a bearing that rotatably supports the nut 101. An outer circumferential raceway surface 105 on which balls roll is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 104. Therefore, in this embodiment, the nut 101 is rotatably supported by a housing or the like (not shown), and the screw shaft 102 moves linearly in the axial direction. In other words, the ball screw device 100 of this embodiment is designed to convert rotational motion into linear motion. Note that although the present embodiment exemplifies a nut in which the inner ring is integrally formed, the present disclosure may be applied to a nut in which the inner ring is not integrally formed. Further, the present disclosure may be applied to a ball screw device that converts linear motion into rotational motion.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the nut of Embodiment 1 taken in the axial direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the nut 101 includes a nut body 1, and a middle deflector (circulation device) 30 and an end deflector 110 assembled to the nut body 1.

The nut body 1 is a cylindrical component made of steel. An inner peripheral surface 2 of the nut body 1 is provided with a spiral inner peripheral raceway surface 3. A spiral track 106 is formed between the inner circumferential raceway surface 3 and the outer circumferential raceway surface 102a. A plurality of balls 103 are arranged on this track 106. When the nut 101 rotates, the balls 103 roll on the inner circumferential raceway surface 3 and the outer circumferential raceway surface 102a, and move in a spiral direction along the track 106.

A first accommodating portion (accommodating portion) 5 that is recessed radially inward from the outer circumferential surface 4 of the nut main body 1 is provided near the end of the outer circumferential surface 4 of the nut main body 1 in the second axial direction X2. A second accommodating portion 7 recessed in the second axial direction X2 is provided on the end surface 6 of the nut body 1 in the first axial direction X1. Further, the nut body 1 is provided with a return path 8 that passes through the nut body 1 in the axial direction and communicates the first accommodating portion 5 and the second accommodating portion 7 . The middle deflector 30 is housed in the first housing section 5 . Further, the end deflector 110 is housed in the second housing section 7.

When the ball screw device 100 is driven, the balls 103 that have moved in the second axial direction X2 along the track 106 are scooped up by the middle deflector 30 and guided to the return path 8. The ball 103 rolls on the return path 8 in the first axial direction X1 and enters the end deflector 110. Then, the end deflector 110 circulates the ball 103 to the end of the track 106 in the first axial direction X1. Further, when the rotation direction of the nut 101 is reversed, the end deflector 110 scoops up the balls 103 from the raceway 106, and the middle deflector 30 circulates the balls 103 in the rolling path. This causes the ball 103 to continue rolling on the track 106.

Note that, although the present embodiment includes the middle deflector 30 and the end deflector 110 as two circulating components, the present disclosure may also include both middle deflectors (circulating components). Next, details of the nut main body 1 and the middle deflector 30 will be explained.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the nut body taken along the line III--III in FIG. 1 and viewed from the direction of the arrow. As shown in FIG. 3, the nut main body 1 has a first accommodating part 5, a seat surface 10 forming the bottom surface of the first accommodating part 5, a through hole 17 penetrating the seat surface 10, and a first accommodating part 5. It has a pair of side surfaces 20 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 3) arranged on both sides in the axial direction.

The first accommodating portion 5 is an arch-shaped space when viewed from the axial direction. Note that the bow shape is a shape formed by combining a circular arc portion that overlaps with the outer circumferential surface 4 of the nut body 1 and a straight portion that overlaps with the seat surface 10 (straight line portion that connects both ends of the circular arc portion) when viewed from the axial direction. It is.

The seat surface 10 is a surface on which the middle deflector 30 comes into contact (seats). Moreover, the seat surface 10 is a plane that is perpendicular to an imaginary line K1 extending in the radial direction from the axis O when viewed from the axial direction. Hereinafter, when viewed from the axial direction, the direction in which the seat surface 10 extends (the direction perpendicular to the imaginary line K1 and the axial direction) will be referred to as the seat direction. On the other hand, a direction parallel to the virtual line K1 (a direction perpendicular to the seat surface) is referred to as a vertical direction. Further, among the vertical directions, the direction in which the seat surface 10 faces is referred to as a first vertical direction Z1. A direction opposite to the first vertical direction Z1 is referred to as a second vertical direction Z2. In addition, in this embodiment, the seat surface 10 (first accommodating portion 5) extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis O when viewed from the outer circumferential side (see FIG. 4).

The through hole 17 extends vertically and passes through the seat surface 10 and the inner circumferential surface 2 of the nut body 1. Further, the through hole 17 passes through the central portion of the seat surface 10 in the direction of the seat surface. Therefore, the seat surface 10 includes a first seat surface 11 disposed on one side in the seat direction from the through hole 17, and a second seat surface 12 disposed on the other side in the seat surface direction from the through hole 17. It is divided into Hereinafter, regarding the seat direction, the direction in which the first seat surface 11 is arranged when viewed from the through hole 17 will be referred to as a first seat direction Y1. Further, the direction opposite to the first seat direction Y1 is referred to as a second seat direction Y2.

4 is a side view seen from the direction of arrow IV in FIG. 3. FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the through hole 17 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the first vertical direction Z1. The through hole 17 passes through the central portion of the seat surface 10 in the axial direction. Further, the axial length L1 of the through hole 17 is shorter than the axial length L2 of the seat surface 10. Therefore, the seat surface 10 has an expanded seat surface 13 that forms the edge 17a of the through hole 17 and is adjacent to the through hole 17 on both sides in the axial direction. Note that although the four corners of the through hole 17 in this embodiment have a right-angled shape, they may have rounded corners. Further, the through hole 17 is not limited to a rectangular shape.

The expansion seat surface 13 includes a first expansion seat surface 14 arranged in the first axial direction X1 with respect to the through hole 17, and a second expansion seat surface 15 arranged in the second axial direction X2 with respect to the through hole 17. have. The first expanded seat surface 14 and the second expanded seat surface 15 each extend in the direction of the seat surface, and both ends thereof are connected to the first seat surface 11 and the second seat surface 12.

Note that the extended seat surface 13 only needs to be able to abut (seat) the middle deflector 30, and does not need to be continuous in the direction of the seat surface as in the embodiment. Therefore, the present disclosure may be an expanded seat surface in which a portion in the direction of the seat surface is cut out and is not continuous in the direction of the seat surface.

As shown in FIG. 4, the pair of side surfaces 20 include a first side surface 20a disposed in a first axial direction X1 with respect to the seat surface 10, and a second side surface 20a disposed in a second axial direction X2 with respect to the seat surface 10. 20b. The first side surface 20a and the second side surface 20b are opposed to each other in the axial direction. Hereinafter, the details of the pair of side surfaces 20 will be described, but regarding the technical contents common to each of the first side surface 20a and the second side surface 20b, the subject of explanation will be the "side surface 20." Regarding the technical content provided on the first side surface 20a or the second side surface 20b, the explanation will be based on each of them.

As shown in FIG. 3, the side surface 20 has an arcuate shape. Therefore, the side surface 20 has an arcuate outer peripheral edge 21. The side surface 20 is provided with a recess 22 that is recessed in the axial direction from the side surface 20 and extends in the direction of the seat surface. One end of the recess 22 extends to the outer peripheral edge 21. Therefore, the recess 22 is open toward the first accommodating section 5 and toward the outer circumferential side of the nut body 1.

Two recesses 22 are provided on one side surface 20. One of the two recesses 22 is disposed in the first seat direction Y1 relative to the through hole 17, and is opened in the first seat direction Y1 by cutting out the outer peripheral edge 21. Further, the other of the two recesses 22 is disposed in the second seating surface direction Y2 relative to the through hole 17, and is opened in the second seating surface direction Y2 by cutting out the outer peripheral edge portion 21. That is, the two recesses 22 provided in one side surface 20 are divided into one side and the other side in the seating surface direction, with the through hole 17 as a boundary.

5 is a side view seen from the direction of arrow V in FIG. 3. FIG. The recess 22 is spaced apart from the seat surface 10 in the first vertical direction Z1. The cross-sectional shape of the recess 22 is triangular. Therefore, the inner surface of the recess 22 has a first slope 23 that is separated from the first housing part 5 as it goes in the first vertical direction Z1, and a second slope 24 that approaches the first housing part 5 as it goes in the first vertical direction Z1. ,have.

Hereinafter, the recess 22 provided on the first side surface 20a will be referred to as a first recess 22a, and the recess 22 provided on the second side surface 20b will be referred to as a second recess 22b. Further, the first slope 23 and the second slope 24 provided in the first recess 22a are a first slope 23a and a second slope 24a. The first slope 23 and the second slope 24 provided in the second recess 22b are a first slope 23b and a second slope 24b.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first side surface 20a is provided with an opening 8a, which is an entrance and exit of the return path 8, and a positioning hole 26. The positioning hole 26 is a hole depressed in the first axial direction X1 from the first side surface 20a. Further, the positioning hole 26 is also opened toward the outer circumferential surface 4 of the nut body 1. The inner surface of the positioning hole 26 includes a pair of opposing surfaces 26a that sandwich the positioning hole 26 from the seating surface direction, a side surface 26b arranged in the first axial direction X1 with respect to the positioning hole 26, and a second vertical direction with respect to the positioning hole 26. and a bottom surface 26c located at Z2. Next, the middle deflector 30 will be explained.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the middle deflector of FIG. 1 and its surroundings. The middle deflector 30 is a metal component manufactured by a method such as metal powder injection molding, cutting, or forging. As shown in FIG. 6, the middle deflector 30 is arranged in the first housing part 5. Therefore, when viewed from the outer circumferential side, the middle deflector 30 extends in the same direction as the first accommodating portion 5 (seat surface 10) (direction perpendicular to the axis O; see FIG. 4). The middle deflector 30 includes a deflector main body (circulating component main body) 31, an arm portion 50 protruding from the deflector main body 31 in the direction of the seating surface, a rib 60 protruding from the arm portion 50 in the first vertical direction Z1, and one portion of the rib 60. A crimping part 70 formed by crimping the parts is provided. Note that the caulking portion 70 is generated by caulking the rib 60 when the middle deflector 30 is assembled to the nut body 1. Therefore, the caulking portion 70 is not shown in the drawing showing the middle deflector 30 before assembly.

7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 7, a ball passage 34 through which the ball 103 passes is provided inside the deflector body 31. Further, the deflector main body 31 has a main body portion 32 disposed in the first accommodating portion 5 and a scooping portion 33 disposed in the through hole 17 . The ball passage 34 extends in a tangential direction (see virtual line K2) of a virtual circle C connecting the centers of the balls 103 on the track 106. The scooping section 33 is provided with a tongue 35 that scoops up the ball 103 from the track 106.

The outer circumferential surface 32a of the main body portion 32 in the first vertical direction Z1 has an arc shape. Further, when viewed from the axial direction, the outer circumferential surface 32a of the main body portion 32 overlaps with the outer circumferential surface 4 of the nut main body 1. That is, the distance from the axis O to the outer peripheral surface 32a of the middle deflector 30 is the same as the outer diameter of the nut body 1. Therefore, the middle deflector 30 does not protrude from the first housing part 5.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the middle deflector before crimping according to the first embodiment viewed from a first vertical direction. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the middle deflector before crimping according to the first embodiment, viewed from a second vertical direction. FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG. 6. 11A is a sectional view taken along the line XIA-XIA in FIG. 6. FIG. 11B is a sectional view taken along the line XIB-XIB in FIG. 6. FIG. FIG. 12 is a side view seen from the direction of arrow XII in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the main body portion 32 has a first opposing surface 36 as a side surface facing in the first axial direction X1. The first opposing surface 36 faces the first side surface 20a. Further, the first opposing surface 36 is provided with an opening 37 that is an entrance/exit of the ball passage 34 . As shown in FIG. 10, the opening 37 is continuous with (adjacent to) the opening 8a of the return path 8 in the axial direction. Thereby, the ball 103 can move from the ball path 34 to the return path 8 or from the return path 8 to the ball path 34. Further, in order to smoothly transfer the ball 103, the opening 8a and the opening 37 are rounded (see FIGS. 2 and 10). Note that in the present disclosure, regarding the chamfering of the opening 8a and the opening 37, corner chamfering may be used instead of round chamfering.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the first opposing surface 36 is provided with a positioning protrusion 38 that protrudes in the first axial direction X1. The positioning protrusion 38 has a quadrangular column shape. As shown in FIG. 6, the positioning protrusion 38 is inserted into the positioning hole 26.

As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the positioning protrusion 38 has a top surface 38a (not shown in FIG. 11A, see FIG. 11B) facing the first axial direction X1, and a bottom surface facing the second vertical direction Z2. 38b, and a pair of side surfaces 38c (not shown in FIG. 11B, see FIG. 11A) facing toward the seating surface.

As shown in FIG. 11A, the pair of side surfaces 38c of the positioning projection 38 are in contact with the pair of opposing surfaces 26a of the positioning hole 26. Therefore, the middle deflector 30 is regulated so as not to shift in the first seating surface direction Y1 or the second seating surface direction Y2 from a predetermined assembly position. Further, the pair of side surfaces 38c and the pair of opposing surfaces 26a are linear in the vertical direction. In other words, the pair of side surfaces 38c and the pair of opposing surfaces 26a are in surface contact. Therefore, the middle deflector 30 is prevented from being tilted about the positioning protrusion 38. Note that in the present disclosure, the pair of side surfaces 38c may have a tightening margin with respect to the pair of opposing surfaces 26a. In other words, the positioning protrusion 38 may be held between the pair of opposing surfaces 26a. Alternatively, there may be a minute gap due to tolerance between the pair of side surfaces 38c and the pair of opposing surfaces 26a. Furthermore, the pair of side surfaces 38c and the pair of opposing surfaces 26a are not limited to linear shapes. For example, the pair of side surfaces 38c may have an arc shape, and the contact with the pair of opposing surfaces 26a may be a line contact. Even in such a shape, the middle deflector 30 does not deviate from the predetermined assembly position in the seating surface direction.

As shown in FIG. 11B, the distal end surface 38a of the positioning protrusion 38 is separated from the side surface 26b of the positioning hole 26. In other words, a gap S10 is created between the tip end surface 38a and the side surface 26b. According to this, when the positioning protrusion 38 is manufactured to be larger than a predetermined protrusion amount, the manufacturing error is absorbed by the gap S10. In other words, it is avoided that the positioning protrusion 38 hits the side surface 26b of the positioning hole 26 and the first side surface 20a and the first opposing surface 36 are separated from each other.

Note that the separation between the first side surface 20a and the first opposing surface 36 causes separation between the opening 8a of the return path 8 and the opening 37 of the ball passage 34, so that the ball 103 cannot be transferred smoothly. Therefore, in order to smoothly transfer the ball 103, it is desirable that the first side surface 20a and the first opposing surface 36 are in contact with each other.

As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the bottom surface 38b of the positioning protrusion 38 is separated from the bottom surface 26c of the positioning hole 26. That is, a gap S11 is created between the bottom surface 38b and the bottom surface 26c. According to this, when the positioning protrusion 38 is manufactured with a vertical thickness larger than a predetermined amount, the manufacturing error is absorbed by the gap S11. Therefore, it is avoided that the positioning protrusion 38 comes into contact with (catch) the bottom surface 26d of the positioning hole 26 and the middle deflector 30 does not sit on (come into contact with) the seat surface 10.

In addition, the positioning protrusion 38 and the positioning hole 26 are provided only in the first axial direction X1 with respect to the middle deflector 30. Therefore, when placing the middle deflector 30 in the first accommodating portion 5, it is possible to prevent the positioning protrusion 38 from being incorrectly placed facing the second axis direction X2 (with the opening 37 facing the second axis direction). Avoided.

As shown in FIG. 7, a length L3 of the main body portion 32 in the seating surface direction is longer than a length L4 of the scooping portion 33 in the seating surface direction. For this reason, the main body portion 32 has a seating surface 40 that faces in the second vertical direction Z2 and contacts (seats on) the seating surface 10 . Further, the seating surface 40 has a first seating surface 41 that contacts the first seating surface 11 and a second seating surface 42 that contacts the second seating surface 12 . That is, the middle deflector 30 has seating surfaces 40 on both sides in the seating surface direction with the through hole 17 in between.

As shown in FIG. 11B, the axial length L5 of the main body portion 32 is longer than the axial length L6 of the scooping portion 33. For this purpose, the seating surface 40 has an extended seating surface 43 arranged axially with respect to the scoop 33. The extended seating surface 43 includes a first extended seating surface 44 arranged in the first axial direction X1 with respect to the scooping part 33, and a second extended seating surface 45 arranged in the second axial direction X2 with respect to the scooping part 33. It has . The first expanded seating surface 44 is in contact with the first expanded seating surface 14 of the seating surface 10 . The second expansion seating surface 45 is in contact with the second expansion seating surface 15 .

As shown in FIG. 11B, the main body portion 32 has a second opposing surface 46 as a side surface facing in the second axial direction X2. The second opposing surface 46 faces the second side surface 20b. Further, the second opposing surface 46 is a flat surface. Further, due to tolerances, the axial length L5 of the main body portion 32 is slightly smaller than the axial width L7 of the first accommodating portion 5. That is, a minute gap (not shown) is generated between the first side surface 20a and the first opposing surface 36, between the second side surface 20b and the second opposing surface 46, or between both. Therefore, the middle deflector 30 can be reliably accommodated in the first accommodating portion 5.

As shown in FIG. 7, the arm portion 50 includes a first arm portion 51 extending from the main body portion 32 in the first seat direction Y1, a second arm portion 52 extending from the main body portion 32 in the second seat direction Y2, have. The first arm portion 51 has a first arm seating surface 53 as a side surface facing in the second vertical direction Z2. The second arm portion 52 has a second arm seating surface 54 as a side surface facing in the second vertical direction Z2. The first arm seating surface 53 is in contact with the first seating surface 11 . The second arm seating surface 54 is in contact with the second seating surface 12 .

Next, the rib 60 will be explained. As shown in FIG. 6, the rib 60 is provided on each of the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52. Therefore, in the following description, the rib 60 provided on the second arm portion 52 will be described, and the description of the first arm portion 51 will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8, the rib 60 is a protrusion that protrudes from the plane 55 of the second arm portion 52 facing in the first vertical direction Z1 and extends linearly in the direction of the seat surface. The length of the rib 60 in the seating surface direction is the same as that of the second arm portion 52. An end portion of the rib 60 in the first seating surface direction Y1 is connected to the main body portion 32 (deflector main body 31). Hereinafter, the end of the rib 60 that is connected to the main body 32 will be referred to as a base 60a, and the opposite end will be referred to as a tip 60b.

The rib 60 includes a first rib 61 extending along the edge of the plane 55 in the first axial direction X1, and a second rib 62 extending along the edge of the plane 55 in the second axial direction X2. have. The first rib 61 extends along the first side surface 20a and is adjacent to the first recess 22a in the axial direction (see FIG. 14). Further, the second rib 62 extends along the second side surface 20b and is adjacent to the second recess 22b of the second side surface 20b in the axial direction (see FIG. 14).

As shown in FIG. 6, the caulking portion 70 is formed by caulking a rib 60 extending along the side surface 20 to the side surface 20. As shown in FIG. A caulking portion 70 is provided only at the tip end portion 60b of the rib 60. The crimping part 70 has a first crimping part 71 provided on the first rib 61 and a second crimping part 72 provided on the second rib 62.

As shown in FIG. 12, the first crimped portion 71 has entered the first recess 22a. Further, the first crimped portion 71 has a shape that follows the inner surface of the first recess 22a. Specifically, the first crimped portion 71 is inclined so as to be located in the first axial direction X1 as it goes from the plane 55 toward the first vertical direction Z1. A side surface 71a of the first crimped portion 71 facing in the first axial direction X1 is in contact with the first slope 23a. Further, an end surface 71b of the first crimped portion 71 facing in the first vertical direction Z1 is in contact with the second slope 24a.

The second crimped portion 72 fits into the second recess 22b. The second crimped portion 72 has a shape along the inner surface of the second recess 22b. Specifically, the second crimped portion 72 is inclined so as to be located in the second axial direction X2 as it goes from the plane 55 toward the first vertical direction Z1. A side surface 72a of the second crimped portion 72 facing the second axial direction X2 is in contact with the first slope 23b. Further, an end surface 72b of the second crimped portion 72 facing the first vertical direction Z1 is in contact with the second slope 24b. From the above, the first crimping part 71 and the second crimping part 72 are inclined so as to be separated from each other in the axial direction as they move toward the first vertical direction Z1.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the middle deflector 30 of this embodiment is formed by combining two parts (an inner peripheral part 81 and an outer peripheral part 82) divided along a dividing surface 80. As shown in FIG. 7, the dividing surface 80 extends in the axial direction. The dividing surface 80 is parallel to a tangent to the virtual circle C (see virtual line K2) when viewed from the axial direction. That is, the dividing surface 80 is inclined so as to be located in the first vertical direction Z1 as it goes toward the first seating surface direction Y1. Hereinafter, of the two components that make up the middle deflector 30, the one placed on the inner side of the dividing surface 80 will be referred to as the inner peripheral part 81, and the one placed on the outer peripheral side of the dividing surface 80 will be referred to as the outer peripheral part 82. .

Moreover, each structure of the middle deflector 30 is divided into an inner peripheral part 81 and an outer peripheral part 82 with the dividing surface 80 as a boundary line. In this embodiment, the inner peripheral part 81 includes a first arm portion 51, a tongue 35, and an extended seating surface 43 (see FIG. 9). On the other hand, the outer peripheral part 82 has the second arm part 52. Hereinafter, the end surface of the inner peripheral part 81 extending along the dividing surface 80 will be referred to as an inner peripheral dividing surface 83. Further, the end surface of the outer peripheral part 82 extending along the dividing surface 80 is referred to as an outer peripheral dividing surface 84.

The dividing surface 80 overlaps with the outer peripheral side of the ball passage 34. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11B, the inner dividing surface 83 of the inner circumferential part 81 has an inner circumferential rolling surface that is a C-shaped or U-shaped groove opening in the first vertical direction Z1. 85 are provided. On the other hand, the outer circumferential side dividing surface 84 of the outer circumferential side component 82 is a flat surface. A part of the outer circumferential dividing surface 84 forms an outer circumferential rolling surface 86 that covers the inner circumferential rolling surface 85 from the first vertical direction Z1. In addition, since the outer circumferential side dividing surface 84 is a flat surface, manufacturing of the outer circumferential side part 82 is facilitated.

The inner peripheral part 81 and the outer peripheral part 82 are manufactured separately. Then, the inner circumferential side dividing surface 83 and the outer circumferential side dividing surface 84 are joined, and the inner circumferential side part 81 and the outer circumferential side part 82 are integrated. Note that the joining method includes thermal welding, adhesion, and the like.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the end of the dividing surface 80 in the first seating surface direction Y1 extends in the first vertical direction Z1. In other words, the stepped surface 87 extending in the first vertical direction Z1 and facing in the second seating surface direction is provided at the end of the inner peripheral side dividing surface 83 in the first seating surface direction Y1. On the other hand, an end surface 88 extending in the first vertical direction Z1 and facing in the first seating surface direction Y1 is provided at an end portion of the outer peripheral side dividing surface 84 in the first seating surface direction Y1. The stepped surface 87 and the end surface 88 are in contact with each other. Therefore, when joining the inner circumferential side part 81 and the outer circumferential side part 82, they are regulated so as not to shift in the direction of the seat surface.

Next, an assembly method S for assembling the middle deflector 30 to the nut body 1 will be explained. The assembly method S includes a preparation step S1 and a crimping step S2.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a preparation step of the assembly method of the first embodiment. The preparation step S1 is a step of seating the middle deflector 30 on the seat surface 10 of the nut body 1. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, first, the middle deflector 30 is placed in the first vertical direction Z1 of the first accommodating portion 5 of the nut body 1. The posture of the middle deflector 30 is such that the seating surface 40 (not shown in FIG. 13) and the scooping part 33 face the first accommodating part 5. Further, the positioning protrusion 38 of the middle deflector 30 is made to point in the first axial direction X1. Note that the middle deflector 30 of this embodiment has the positioning protrusion 38, but if the middle deflector 30 does not have the positioning protrusion 38, the opening 37 instead of the positioning protrusion 38 faces the first axial direction X1. Check that the

Next, the middle deflector 30 is moved in the second vertical direction Z2 (see arrow A1 in FIG. 13), and the middle deflector 30 is inserted into the first accommodating portion 5. Further, the position of the middle deflector 30 is adjusted in the axial direction and the seating surface direction so that the scooping part 33 is inserted into the through hole 17 and the positioning projection 38 is inserted into the positioning hole 26. Then, after the scooping part is inserted into the through hole 17 and the positioning protrusion 38 is inserted into the positioning hole 26, when the middle deflector 30 is further moved in the second vertical direction Z2, the seating surface 40 of the middle deflector 30 is moved into the seat. Abuts against surface 10. Thereby, the middle deflector 30 is seated on the seat surface 10, and the preparation step S1 is completed.

FIG. 14 is a side view of the state before crimping seen from the direction of the second seat surface in the crimping process of the assembly method of the first embodiment. The crimping process S2 is a process in which the rib 60 is crimped using the jig 120. Note that, as shown in FIG. 14, the amount of gap in the axial direction between the first rib 61 and the second rib 62 is L8.

The jig 120 includes a head 121 inserted between the first rib 61 and the second rib 62, and a grip part 122 arranged in the first vertical direction Z1 of the head 121. A tip 123 is provided at the end of the head 121 in the second vertical direction Z2. The width of the tip portion 123 in the axial direction becomes narrower toward the second vertical direction Z2.

The tip portion 123 has a tip surface 124 facing in the second vertical direction Z2, a first pressing surface 125A facing in the first axial direction X1, and a second pressing surface 125B facing in the second axial direction X2. . The axial width L9 of the tip surface 124 is smaller than the distance L8 between the first rib 61 and the second rib 62.

Further, the width in the axial direction of the first pressing surface 125A and the second pressing surface 125B gradually increases toward the first vertical direction Z1, and reaches a maximum of L10. The maximum width L10 in the axial direction of the first pressing surface 125A and the second pressing surface 125B is larger than the separation distance L8 between the first rib 61 and the second rib 62.

In the crimping method using the jig 120, first, the tip 123 of the jig 120 is inserted between the first rib 61 and the second rib 62 from the first vertical direction Z1 (see arrow A2 in FIG. 14). According to this, although not particularly shown, the tip surface 124 is inserted between the first rib 61 and the second rib 62, the first pressing surface 125A is in contact with the first rib 61, and the second pressing surface 125B is in contact with the first rib 61. 2 ribs 62. Further, the distal end surface 124 is in a state floating (separated) from the plane 55 of the arm portion 50.

FIG. 15 is a side view of the state after crimping seen from the direction of the second seat surface in the crimping process of the assembly method of the first embodiment. Then, as shown in FIG. 15, the jig 120 is pushed in the second vertical direction Z2 so that the distal end surface 124 comes into contact with the flat surface 55. Thereby, the first rib 61 is crimped in the first axial direction X1 by the first pressing surface 125A. Further, the second rib 62 is crimped in the second axial direction X2 by the second pressing surface 125B.

Then, the crimped portion of the first rib 61 tilts toward the first recess 22a arranged in the first axial direction X1, and becomes the first crimped portion 71. Further, the first crimped portion 71 is compressed in the axial direction between the inner surface of the first recess 22a and the first pressing surface 125A, and has a shape that follows the inner surface of the first recess 22a. That is, the first crimped portion 71 has a side surface 71a extending along the first slope 23a and an end surface 71b extending along the second slope 24a.

Similarly, the crimped portion of the second rib 62 is inclined toward the second recess 22b arranged in the second axial direction X2, and becomes the second crimped portion 72. Further, the second crimped portion 72 is compressed in the axial direction between the inner surface of the second recess 22b and the second pressing surface 125B, and has a shape that follows the inner surface of the first recess 22a. That is, the second crimped portion 72 has a side surface 72a extending along the first slope 23b and an end surface 72b extending along the second slope 24b.

Then, once the first crimped portion 71 and the second crimped portion 72 are generated, the jig 120 is removed in the first vertical direction Z1, and the crimped step S2 is completed.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the crimping process of Embodiment 1 viewed from the first vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 16, in the crimping step S2, the part to be crimped with the jig 120 is not the entire rib 60 but the tip 60b of the rib 60. This is because the base portion 60a of the rib 60 is connected to the deflector main body 31 and is difficult to tilt. Further, if the base portion 60a of the rib 60 is forcibly tightened, the deflector main body 31 may be deformed.

Then, when the tip end portion 60b of the rib 60 is crimped, the first crimped portion 71 and the second crimped portion 72 form a substantially V-shape when viewed from the first vertical direction Z1. That is, the first crimped part 71 and the second crimped part 72 are tilted in the axial direction by an increasing amount as they move toward the tip end 60b. In addition, not only the caulked tip portion 60b but also the central portion of the rib 60 in the direction of the seat surface is slightly tilted in the axial direction.

On the other hand, during the crimping work, a load acts on the middle deflector 30 in a direction in which the rib 60 escapes the load from the jig 120 (see arrows A3 and A4). Specifically, when tightening the rib 60 of the first arm portion 51, a load in the second seating surface direction Y2 acts on the middle deflector 30 (see arrow A3). On the other hand, when tightening the rib 60 of the second arm portion 52, a load in the first seating surface direction Y1 acts on the middle deflector 30 (see arrow A4). Therefore, the positioning protrusion 38 may be deformed and the middle deflector 30 may be displaced.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the state in which two jigs are used to crimp in the crimping process of the first embodiment. Therefore, in the crimping step S2, as shown in FIG. 17, it is desirable to prepare two jigs 120 and crimp the ribs 60 of the first arm part 51 and the ribs 60 of the second arm part 52 at the same time. According to this, the load acting on the first arm 51 (see arrow A3 in FIG. 16) and the load acting on the second arm 52 (see arrow A4 in FIG. 16) are opposed to each other and cancel each other out. . Therefore, deformation of the positioning protrusion 38 is avoided.

Moreover, the step surface 87 and the end surface 88 of the inner peripheral part 81 having the first arm part 51 and the outer peripheral part 82 having the second arm part 52 are in contact with each other (see FIG. 7). Therefore, even if the first arm part 51 and the second arm part 52 are simultaneously crimped with the two jigs 120, the connection between the inner peripheral part 81 and the outer peripheral part 82 is not released.

Next, the effects of the ball screw device 100 of the first embodiment will be explained. In the first embodiment, when a load is applied to the middle deflector 30 in the first vertical direction Z1, the caulking portion 70 is caught in the recess 22. Therefore, the middle deflector 30 is not displaced in the first vertical direction Z1. That is, the middle deflector 30 does not separate from the nut body 1. Further, in this embodiment, the base portion 60a of the rib 60 is connected to the deflector main body 31, and the rib 60 and the caulking portion 70 have high rigidity and are difficult to tilt. Therefore, even if a load is applied to the middle deflector 30 in the first vertical direction Z1 and the crimped part 70 is caught on the second slope 24, the crimped part 70 is difficult to deform (and is also difficult to tilt). This also prevents the middle deflector 30 from shifting in the first vertical direction Z1.

Further, the crimping portion 70 is provided on each of the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52. That is, according to the first embodiment, there are more crimped parts (crimped parts 70) than in the case where the crimped parts 70 are provided on only one of the two arm parts 50. Therefore, the middle deflector 30 is strongly prevented from coming off. Furthermore, one of the two arm portions 50 is provided on the inner peripheral part 81 and the other is provided on the outer peripheral part 82. Therefore, even if the connection between the inner circumferential side part 81 and the outer circumferential side part 82 is released, each of the inner circumferential side part 81 and the outer circumferential side part 82 will not separate from the nut body 1.

Further, the crimping part 70 has a first crimping part 71 and a second crimping part 72 for one arm part 50 . In other words, there are more crimped parts (crimped parts 70) than in the case where one crimped part 70 is provided for one arm part 50. Therefore, the middle deflector 30 is more strongly prevented from coming off.

Note that if the middle deflector 30 comes into contact with the seat surface 10 only on one side in the axial direction of the seat surface with respect to the through hole 17, the deflector body 31 will fall into the through hole 17 and the middle deflector 30 will tilt. There is a possibility that it will happen. As a result, the tongue 35 is displaced and the ball 103 is not scooped up smoothly. On the other hand, the middle deflector 30 of the present embodiment includes a first seating surface 41 and a first arm seating surface 53 arranged in the first seating surface direction Y with respect to the through hole 17 as the seating surface 40; The second seating surface 42 and the second arm seating surface 54 are arranged in the second seating surface direction Y2 with respect to the second seating surface direction Y2. That is, the middle deflector 30 has seating surfaces 40 on both sides in the seating surface direction with the through hole 17 in between. Therefore, the deflector main body 31 does not fall into the through hole 17, and the posture of the middle deflector 30 is stable. As a result, the ball 103 can be scooped up smoothly.

Furthermore, the middle deflector 30 has an extended seating surface 43 that comes into contact with the extended seating surface 13 of the seating surface 10 . Therefore, the posture of the middle deflector 30 becomes more stable. Further, the extended seating surface 43 is provided on the inner circumference side component 81. Therefore, even if the connection between the inner peripheral part 81 and the outer peripheral part 82 is released, the extended seating surface 43 is caught on the extended seating surface 13, and the inner peripheral part 81 is prevented from falling into the through hole 17. .

Further, a dividing surface 80 between the inner peripheral part 81 and the outer peripheral part 82 extends in the axial direction along the ball passage 34. If the dividing plane is set in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (a plane extending both in the direction of the seating surface and in the perpendicular direction), the tongue will be divided in the axial direction and the strength of the tongue will decrease. That is, in this embodiment, by cutting the ball passage 34 in the axial direction, the inner peripheral part 81 is configured without dividing the tongue 35. Therefore, the strength of the tongue 35 is maintained.

As described above, the ball screw device 100 of the first embodiment includes the nut 101, the screw shaft 102 passing through the nut 101, and the plurality of balls 103 arranged between the nut 101 and the screw shaft 102. The nut 101 has a cylindrical shape and includes a nut body 1 penetrated by a screw shaft 102, and a circulating component (middle deflector 30) assembled to the nut body 1. The nut body 1 is a recess provided in the outer circumferential surface 4 of the nut body 1, and includes an arch-shaped accommodating part (first accommodating part 5) and a bottom surface of the accommodating part when viewed from the axial direction parallel to the screw shaft 102. A pair of seats facing each other and arranged on both sides in the axial direction with respect to the seat surface 10, the through hole 17 passing through the seat surface 10 and the inner peripheral surface 2 of the nut body 1, and the accommodating section (first accommodating section 5). side surface 20 and a return path 8 extending in the axial direction. The direction parallel to the seat surface when viewed from the axial direction is the direction of the seat surface. The circulating component (middle deflector 30) includes a circulating component main body (deflector main body 31) disposed in the housing portion and the through hole 17, and an arm portion 50 that extends from the circulating component main body toward the seat surface and comes into contact with the seat surface. have. The pair of side surfaces 20 are arranged on one side in the axial direction (first axial direction a second side surface 20b disposed in the second axial direction X2). The circulating component main body (deflector main body 31) is provided with a ball passage 34 in which the ball 103 rolls and an opening 37 of the ball passage 34, and has a first opposing surface 36 facing the first side surface 20a, and a second side surface 20b. It has opposing second opposing surfaces 46. At least one of the first side surface 20a and the second side surface 20b is provided with a positioning hole 26 that is recessed in the axial direction and opens to the outer circumferential surface 4 of the nut body 1. A positioning protrusion 38 to be inserted into the positioning hole 26 is provided on one or both of the first facing surface 36 and the second facing surface 46 facing the side surface 20 in which the positioning hole 26 is provided.

According to the first embodiment, the middle deflector 30 is arranged by the arm portion 50 and the positioning protrusion 38 without being displaced from a predetermined assembly position in the direction perpendicular to the seat surface direction. Further, the middle deflector 30 is directly positioned on the nut body 1 without using other parts. Therefore, positioning accuracy is extremely high. Therefore, the ball 103 is smoothly transferred between the ball path 34 and the return path 8. Further, the tongue 35 is arranged at a predetermined position, so that the ball 103 can be scooped up smoothly.

Further, in the first embodiment, the direction is parallel to the perpendicular line (imaginary line K1) to the seat surface, and the direction in which the seat surface 10 faces is the first vertical direction Z1. It has a rib 60 that protrudes from the arm portion 50 in the first vertical direction Z1 and extends toward the seat surface along the side surface 20, and a caulking portion 70 in which at least a portion of the rib 60 is caulked toward the side surface. are doing. The pair of side surfaces 20 are provided with a recess 22 which is a groove extending in the direction of the seating surface, faces the rib 60 in the axial direction, and into which the caulking part 70 is inserted.

According to the first embodiment, the circulating component (middle deflector 30) does not separate from the nut body 1. Further, a pin for fixing the circulating component (middle deflector 30) is not required, and an increase in the number of components is suppressed.

Further, in the first embodiment, the through hole 17 penetrates the central portion of the seat surface 10 in the direction of the seat surface. The seat surface 10 has a first seat surface 11 disposed on one side of the seat surface relative to the through hole 17, and a second seat surface 12 disposed on the other side of the seat surface direction relative to the through hole 17. ing. The arm portion 50 includes a first arm portion 51 that extends from the circulating component main body (deflector main body 31) in one direction of the seat surface and comes into contact with the first seat surface 11, and a first arm portion 51 that extends from the circulating component main body (deflector main body 31) in the other direction of the seat surface and contacts the first seat surface 11. The second arm portion 52 is in contact with the second seat surface 12. The rib 60 and the caulking portion 70 are provided on the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52, respectively.

According to the first embodiment, the deflector main body 31 does not fall into the through hole 17. Therefore, the posture of the middle deflector 30 is stabilized, and the ball 103 can be scooped up smoothly. Furthermore, there are many crimped parts (the crimped parts 70), and the middle deflector 30 is strongly prevented from coming off.

The rib 60 has a first rib 61 extending along the first side surface 20a and a second rib 62 extending along the second side surface 20b. The crimped part 70 is a part of the first rib 61, which is crimped toward the first side surface 20a, and a part of the second rib 62, which is crimped toward the first side surface 20b. It has a second crimped part 72 which is crimped in the opposite direction.

According to the first embodiment, there are many crimped parts (the crimped parts 70), and the middle deflector 30 is more strongly prevented from coming off.

Further, the seat surface 10 of the first embodiment is an edge 17a of the through hole 17, and has an expanded seat surface 13 arranged in the axial direction with respect to the through hole 17. The circulating component main body (deflector main body 31) has an extended seating surface 43 that comes into contact with the extended seating surface 13.

According to the first embodiment, the number of parts that come into contact with the seat surface 10 increases, and the posture of the middle deflector 30 is further stabilized. Further, it is possible to prevent the inner peripheral part 81 from falling into the through hole 17.

The ball screw device 100 of the first embodiment has been described above. Note that in the present disclosure, the side surface of the scooped-up portion 33 of the middle deflector 30 facing toward the seat surface is brought into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 17, so that the middle deflector 30 is positioned in the direction of the seat surface. It may also be a ball screw device. Next, another embodiment in which the nut of Embodiment 1 is partially modified will be described. From the viewpoint of tolerance, the nut 101 of Embodiment 1 has a minute gap between the first side surface 20a and the first opposing surface 36, between the second side surface 20b and the second opposing surface 46, or between both. (not shown) has occurred. If the gap between the first side surface 20a and the first opposing surface 36 is large, the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 and the opening 8a of the return path 8 will be separated, and the ball 103 will not be transferred smoothly. The second to fourth embodiments that improve this point will be described below. Note that the following description focuses on changes from the first embodiment.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 18 is a side view of the nut of Embodiment 2 before the ribs are crimped, as viewed from the direction of the second seating surface. FIG. 19 is a side view of the nut of Embodiment 2 after the ribs are crimped, as viewed from the direction of the second seating surface. As shown in FIG. 18, the middle deflector 30A of the second embodiment differs from the middle deflector 30 of the first embodiment in that it includes a first rib 61A and a second rib 62A having different thicknesses in the axial direction. Although FIG. 18 only shows the ribs of the second arm, the first arm 51 is also provided with a first rib 61A and a second rib 62A.

The axial thickness L12 of the second rib 62A is smaller than the axial thickness L11 of the first rib 61A. When the first rib 61A is crimped with a jig 120 (see FIG. 14, etc.), a first crimped portion 71A is generated as shown in FIG. Further, when the second rib 62A is crimped with a jig 120 (see FIG. 14, etc.), a second crimped portion 72A is generated.

When the first rib 61A and the second rib 62A are simultaneously crimped with the jig 120, the second rib 62A, which has a small thickness in the axial direction and low rigidity, starts to collapse (begins to deform) earlier than the first rib 61A. The swaged portion of the second rib 62A (second swaged portion 72A) is fastened to the inner surface of the recess 22 earlier than the swaged portion of the first rib 61A (first swaged portion 71A). and presses the inner surface of the recess 22. Therefore, a reaction force (see arrow A5) acting against the pressing force of the second crimped portion 72A acts on the middle deflector 30A. Then, the middle deflector 30A moves in the first axial direction X1, and the first opposing surface 36 comes into contact with the first side surface 20a.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 and the opening 8a of the return path 8 are continuous (adjacent), and the delivery of the ball 103 becomes smooth.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 20 is a side view of the nut of Embodiment 3 before the ribs are crimped, as viewed from the direction of the second seating surface. FIG. 21 is a side view of the nut of Embodiment 3, after the ribs are crimped, as viewed from the direction of the second seating surface. As shown in FIG. 20, the middle deflector 30B of the third embodiment is different from the middle deflector of the first embodiment in that it includes a first rib 61B and a second rib 62B instead of the first rib 61 and the second rib 62. It is different from 30.

The first rib 61B has a first crimping surface 61a facing in the second axial direction X2. The second rib 62B has a second crimping surface 62a facing in the first axial direction X1. The first crimping surface 61a and the second crimping surface 62a are opposed to each other. The first crimping surface 61a is an inclined surface that is inclined so as to approach the first side surface 20a (in the direction of the first axis direction X1) as it goes in the first vertical direction Z1.

When the first crimping surface 61a is crimped with the jig 120, a part of the crimping load (load in the first axial direction X1) acting on the first crimping surface 61a is converted into a load in the second vertical direction Z2. be done. That is, the load acting on the first rib 61B in the first axial direction X1 is reduced. Further, the base side (portion near the arm portion 50) of the first rib 61B has a large thickness in the axial direction and high rigidity. From the above, the first rib B is more difficult to deform than the second rib 62B. Therefore, when the first rib 61B and the second rib 62B are simultaneously crimped with the jig 120, the first rib 61B falls down more slowly than the second rib 62B. Therefore, the crimped portion of the second rib 62B (second crimped portion 72B) contacts the inner surface of the recess 22 before the first rib 61B, and further presses the inner surface of the recess 22. As a result, the second crimped portion 72B receives a reaction force (see arrow A7) from the inner surface of the recess 22, the middle deflector 30B moves in the first axial direction X1, and the first opposing surface 36 comes into contact with the first side surface 20a. become in contact.

As described above, according to the third embodiment, the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 and the opening 8a of the return path 8 are continuous (adjacent), and the delivery of the ball 103 becomes smooth.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the middle deflector of Embodiment 4 viewed from the second axis direction. FIG. 23 is an enlarged view of the gap between the second side surface and the second opposing surface in the nut of Embodiment 4, viewed from the first vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 22, the middle deflector 30C of the fourth embodiment differs from the middle deflector 30 of the first embodiment in that a plurality of convex portions 47 are provided on the second opposing surface 46.

The protrusion 47 is a protrusion that is integrally formed on the middle deflector 30C. The convex portion 47 has a hemispherical shape. Therefore, a cross section of the convex portion 47 taken along a plane extending in the direction perpendicular to the seat surface has a circular shape. The amount of axial protrusion of the convex portion 47 is larger than the minute gap (tolerance) in the axial direction that occurs between the first accommodating portion 5 and the middle deflector 30C.

As shown in FIG. 23, when the middle deflector 30C of the fourth embodiment is inserted into the first accommodating portion 5, the convex portion 47 is pressed against the second side surface 20b, and the tip of the convex portion 47 is crushed. As a result, the middle deflector 30C is pressed in the first axial direction X1 (see arrow A8 in FIG. 23), and the first opposing surface 36 comes into contact with the first side surface 20a. As described above, also in the fourth embodiment, the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 and the opening 8a of the return path 8 are continuous (adjacent), and the delivery of the ball 103 becomes smooth. Note that in this embodiment, a plurality of protrusions 47 are provided, but in the present disclosure, it is sufficient that the protrusions 47 have at least one or more. Further, the shape of the convex portion 47 is not limited to a hemispherical shape, and may be a cylinder, a prism, a cone, or a truncated cone, and is not particularly limited.

Although Embodiment 2 to Embodiment 4 have been described above, the present disclosure may combine the technical contents of Embodiment 2 to Embodiment 4. That is, in the present disclosure, all of Embodiment 2 to Embodiment 4 may be applied. Alternatively, two of Embodiments 2 to 4 may be selected and applied.

(Embodiment 5)
FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the middle deflector of the fifth embodiment. The middle deflector 30D of the fifth embodiment differs from the middle deflector 30 of the first embodiment in that the length of the arm portion 50D in the direction of the seat surface is longer than the length of the rib 60 in the direction of the seat surface. That is, the tip 50a of the arm 50D of the fifth embodiment projects further outward in the seating surface direction than the tip 60b of the rib 60. According to this middle deflector 30D, the contact area with the seat surface 10 increases, and the posture of the middle deflector 30D becomes more stable.

Furthermore, the middle deflector 30D of the fifth embodiment has the positioning protrusion 38 provided on both the first opposing surface 36 and the second opposing surface 46 (not shown in FIG. 24, see FIG. 11B and FIG. 12). , is different from the middle deflector 30 of the first embodiment. Although not particularly illustrated, positioning holes 26 are also provided in each of the first side surface 20a and the second side surface 20b of the nut body 1. According to this, positioning in the direction of the seat surface by the middle deflector 30D can be made firm. In addition, the present disclosure does not need to have the extended seating surface 43 (see FIG. 9) like the middle deflector 30D of the fifth embodiment.

Further, according to the fifth embodiment, the positioning protrusion 38 is provided on both the first opposing surface 36 and the second opposing surface 46, so that it is possible to arrange the middle deflector 30 in the first accommodating portion 5 in the wrong direction. There is sex. Therefore, in the middle deflector 30D of the fifth embodiment, a mark is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the deflector main body (circular component main body) 31 to indicate the direction in which the deflector main body (circular component main body) 31 is attached to the first accommodating part (accommodating part) 5. It is preferable to attach

(Embodiment 6)
FIG. 25 is a side view of the middle deflector of Embodiment 6, viewed from the first axis direction. FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the middle deflector of Embodiment 6 taken along a plane extending in the direction of the seat surface and in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 25, the middle deflector 30E of the sixth embodiment has an inner circumference part 81E and an outer circumference part 82E instead of the inner circumference part 81 and the outer circumference part 82. This is different from the middle deflector 30 of the first embodiment.

The dividing surface 90 between the inner peripheral part 81E and the outer peripheral part 82E includes a slope 91 extending along the ball passage 34 and a radially outer end of both ends of the slope 91 when viewed from the axial direction. It has a horizontal surface 92 extending in the first seat direction Y1, and a vertical surface 93 extending from the first seat direction Y1 of the horizontal surface 92 in the second vertical direction Z2. Furthermore, a fitting portion 94 is provided on the vertical surface 93.

Hereinafter, of the inner circumferential side dividing surface 83E of the inner circumferential side part 81E, the part located on the slope 91 is located on the inner peripheral side slope 91a, the part located on the horizontal surface 92 is located on the internal peripheral side horizontal surface 92a, and the vertical surface 93. This portion is referred to as an inner circumferential vertical surface 93a. Also, of the outer circumferential side dividing surface 84E of the outer circumferential side part 82E, the part located on the slope 91 is the outer circumferential slope 91b, the part located on the horizontal surface 92 is the outer peripheral side horizontal surface 92b, and the portion located on the vertical surface 93 is the outer peripheral side. This is called a side vertical surface 93b.

The slope 91 is inclined so as to be located in the first seat direction Y1 as it goes in the first vertical direction Z1. Moreover, the slope 91 overlaps with the center portion of the ball passage 34 when viewed from the axial direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 26, a C-shaped inner rolling surface 85 that opens in the first vertical direction Z1 is provided on the inner peripheral slope 91a of the inner peripheral component 81E. Further, a C-shaped outer rolling surface 86 that opens in the second vertical direction Z2 is provided on the outer peripheral side slope 91b of the outer peripheral side component 82E. Therefore, groove surfaces (inner circumferential rolling surface 85 and outer circumferential rolling surface 86) are provided on each of the inner circumferential side dividing surface 83E and the outer circumferential side dividing surface 84E. Therefore, the ball 103 rolls more smoothly in the ball path 34 than in the first embodiment.

The lateral surface is 92 and parallel to the seat surface 10. The vertical surface 93 is parallel to the vertical direction. The fitting part 94 has a protrusion 95 and a groove part 96. The protrusion 95 protrudes from the inner peripheral side vertical surface 93a in the first seating surface direction Y1. The groove portion 96 is recessed from the outer peripheral side vertical surface 93b in the first seating surface direction Y1. The protrusions 95 and the grooves 96 each extend in the axial direction. The protrusion 95 is inserted and fitted into the groove 96 from the axial direction.

Further, the inner peripheral part 81E of the sixth embodiment has a tongue 35 and an inner peripheral rolling surface 85. The outer peripheral part 82E has an outer peripheral rolling surface 86 and two arm parts 50.

As described above, the middle deflector 30E of the sixth embodiment has a caulking portion (not shown in FIGS. 25 and 26) as in the first embodiment, and does not shift in position in the first vertical direction Z1. Further, even if the inner peripheral part 81E and the outer peripheral part 82E are uncoupled, the outer peripheral part 82E has two arm parts 50 and will not be displaced in the vertical direction. On the other hand, although the inner peripheral part 81E does not have the arm part 50, the protrusion 95 is caught in the groove part 96, so that the inner peripheral part 81E does not shift in position in the second vertical direction Z2. In other words, falling of the inner peripheral part 81E into the through hole 17 is avoided. Furthermore, the tongue 35 is integrally provided on the inner circumference side component 81E without being divided. Therefore, the strength of the tongue 35 is maintained, and the ball 103 can be scooped up smoothly.

Further, when the inner circumferential part 81E and the outer circumferential part 82E are uncoupled and the inner circumferential part 81E slides in the axial direction, it comes into contact with the edge 17a (see FIG. 4) of the through hole 17. Therefore, the protrusion 95 is prevented from sliding in the axial direction and being disengaged from the groove 96. Further, an outer peripheral side slope 91b is arranged in the second seating surface direction Y2 of the groove portion 96. Therefore, movement of the inner peripheral part 81E in the second seating surface direction Y2 is restricted. This prevents the protrusion 95 from moving in the second seating surface direction Y2 and being disengaged from the groove 96. From the above, the movement of the inner peripheral part 81E in the direction in which the fitting is released is restricted. Therefore, the inner peripheral part 81E does not separate from the outer peripheral part 82E, and therefore does not fall into the through hole 17.

(Embodiment 7)
FIG. 27 is a side view of the middle deflector of Embodiment 7 viewed from the first axis direction. The middle deflector 30F of the seventh embodiment differs from the middle deflectors 30 of the other embodiments in that there is no dividing surface 80. In other words, the entire middle deflector 30F is integrally formed. Such a middle deflector 30F can be manufactured using a 3D printer. Further, even in the middle deflector 30F, displacement in the first vertical direction Z1 is regulated by a caulking portion (not shown in FIG. 27) as in other embodiments.

(Embodiment 8)
FIG. 28 is a diagram of the middle deflector and its surroundings according to the eighth embodiment, viewed from the outer circumferential side. FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the middle deflector before crimping according to the eighth embodiment, viewed from the first axis direction. FIG. 30 is a diagram of the first side surface of Embodiment 8 viewed from the second axial direction. FIG. 31 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXI-XXXI in FIG. 28.

As shown in FIG. 28, a nut 101G according to the eighth embodiment includes a middle deflector 130 and a nut main body 1G similarly to the first embodiment. However, the middle deflector 130 of the eighth embodiment differs from the middle deflector 30 of the first embodiment in that it has a cylindrical protrusion 138 instead of the positioning protrusion 38. Further, the nut main body 1G of the eighth embodiment differs from the nut main body 1 of the first embodiment in that it has a cylindrical protrusion hole 126 instead of the positioning hole 26. In addition, the middle deflector 130 of the eighth embodiment differs from the other embodiments in that, like the seventh embodiment, there is no dividing surface 80 and the entire deflector is integrally formed. Note that the integrated middle deflector 130 has been described in the seventh embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted. The cylindrical projection 138 and the cylindrical projection hole 126 will be explained below.

As shown in FIG. 29, the middle deflector 130 includes a cylindrical projection 138. The cylindrical protrusion 138G protrudes from the first opposing surface 36 in the first axial direction X1. The cylindrical projection 138 has a cylindrical shape. The inner space of the cylindrical projection 138 is a part of the ball passage 34. The cylindrical protrusion 138 has a distal end surface 138a facing in the first axial direction X1, a bottom surface 138b facing toward the seating surface in the second vertical direction Z2, and a pair of side surfaces 138c facing toward the seating surface. An opening for the ball passage 34 is provided in the tip surface 138a.

As shown in FIG. 30, the cylindrical projection hole 126 is a hole recessed from the first side surface 20a in the first axial direction X1. The cylindrical projection hole 126 also opens toward the outer peripheral surface 4 of the nut body 1. The inner surface of the cylindrical projection hole 126 includes a pair of opposing surfaces 126a that sandwich the cylindrical projection hole 126 from the seating surface direction, and a side surface 126b arranged in the first axial direction X1 with respect to the cylindrical projection hole 126. It has a bottom surface 126c arranged in the second vertical direction Z2 with respect to the cylindrical projection hole 126. An opening 8a of the return path 8 is provided in the side surface 126b.

As shown in FIG. 31, the cylindrical projection 138 is inserted into the cylindrical projection hole 126. When viewed from the axial direction, the cylindrical projection 138 and the cylindrical projection hole 126 have a substantially square shape and have the same shape. A pair of side surfaces 138c of the cylindrical projection 138 are in contact with a pair of opposing surfaces 126a of the cylindrical projection hole 126. Thereby, the middle deflector 130 is regulated so as not to shift from a predetermined assembly position in the first seating surface direction Y1 or the second seating surface direction Y2.

Further, the pair of side surfaces 138c and the pair of opposing surfaces 126a are linear in the vertical direction. Therefore, the pair of side surfaces 138c and the pair of opposing surfaces 126a are in surface contact. This prevents the middle deflector 130 from tilting about the cylindrical projection 138.

Further, the ends of the cylindrical projection 138 and the cylindrical projection hole 126 in the second vertical direction Z2 are located further in the second vertical direction Z2 than the opening 8a of the return path 8 and the opening 37 of the ball passage 34. Therefore, the length of the cylindrical projection 138 and the cylindrical projection hole 126 in the vertical direction is larger than that of the positioning projection 38 and the positioning hole 26 of the first embodiment. That is, according to the eighth embodiment, the contact area between the pair of side surfaces 138c and the pair of opposing surfaces 126a is large. Therefore, the middle deflector 130 is further strengthened to prevent it from shifting in the direction of the seating surface or from tilting around the cylindrical protrusion 138.

Further, the cylindrical projection 138 and the cylindrical projection hole 126 have the same length in the direction of the seat surface. Therefore, the pair of side surfaces 138c have no interference with respect to the pair of opposing surfaces 126a. Note that in the present disclosure, the pair of side surfaces 138c may have an interference margin with respect to the pair of opposing surfaces 126a. Alternatively, there may be a small gap due to tolerance between the pair of side surfaces 138c and the pair of opposing surfaces 126a. Further, in the present disclosure, the pair of side surfaces 38c and the pair of opposing surfaces 126a are not limited to linear shapes.

The bottom surface 138b of the cylindrical projection 138 and the bottom surface 126c of the cylindrical projection hole are linear in the direction of the seat surface. The bottom surface 138b of the cylindrical projection 138 is in contact with the bottom surface 126c of the cylindrical projection hole. Therefore, in the middle deflector 130 of the eighth embodiment, in addition to the combination of the arm portion 50 and the seat surface 10, the combination of the bottom surface 138b of the cylindrical projection 138 and the bottom surface 126c of the cylindrical projection hole 126 allows for vertical deflection. Positioning is performed.

Although not particularly illustrated, a minute gap is provided between the distal end surface 138a of the cylindrical projection 138 and the side surface 126b of the cylindrical projection hole 126. According to this, even if the cylindrical protrusion 138 is manufactured to be larger than a predetermined protrusion amount, the manufacturing error is absorbed by the small gap. Therefore, the first side surface 20a and the first opposing surface 36 are separated from each other, and the tongue 35 is prevented from being displaced from a predetermined position. On the other hand, if the gap is small, the ball 103 can be transferred smoothly.

According to the nut 101G of the eighth embodiment described above, the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 and the opening 8a of the return path 8 are provided in a positioning configuration (the cylindrical projection hole 126 and the cylindrical projection 138), and the positioning accuracy is is high. In other words, the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 and the opening 8a of the return path 8 are highly coaxial, and the ball 103 can be transferred more smoothly.

As described above, in the nut 101G of the eighth embodiment, the first opposing surface 36 of the middle deflector 130 is provided with a cylindrical cylindrical projection 138 whose inside is a part of the ball passage 34. The first side surface 20a of the nut body 1G is provided with a cylindrical protrusion hole 126 that is recessed in the axial direction, opens to the outer peripheral surface 4 of the nut body 1G, and into which the cylindrical protrusion 138 is inserted. An opening 37 of the ball passage 34 is provided at a tip end surface 138a of the side surfaces of the cylindrical projection 138 facing one of the axial directions (first axial direction X1). An opening 8a of the return path 8 is provided on a side surface 126b of the inner surface of the cylindrical projection hole 126 that faces the tip surface 138a.

According to the eighth embodiment, the cylindrical projection 138 comes into contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical projection hole 126, and the middle deflector 130 is positioned at a predetermined assembly position with respect to the seating surface direction. Moreover, since the middle deflector 130 is directly positioned with respect to the nut body 1G without intervening other parts, the positioning accuracy is high. Further, the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 and the opening 8a of the return path 8 are provided in the positioning parts (the cylindrical projection hole 126 and the cylindrical projection 138) and have a high degree of coaxiality. Therefore, the ball 103 can be transferred more smoothly.

The eighth embodiment has been described above, and the middle deflector 130 of the eighth embodiment has an arm portion 50 that comes into contact with the seat surface 10, and is positioned at a predetermined assembly position in the vertical direction. Therefore, in the present disclosure, the bottom surface 138b of the cylindrical projection 138 and the bottom surface 126c of the cylindrical projection hole 126 do not need to be in contact with each other. In other words, a gap (see gap S11 in FIGS. 11A and 11B) may be provided between the bottom surface 138b of the cylindrical projection 138 and the bottom surface 126c of the cylindrical projection hole to absorb manufacturing errors. .

Further, in the present embodiment, a minute gap is provided between the tip surface 138a of the cylindrical projection 138 and the side surface 126b of the cylindrical projection hole 126, but in the present disclosure, the tip surface 138a and the side surface 126b may be brought into contact with each other to perform axial positioning. Further, the gap provided between the tip end surface 138a of the cylindrical projection 138 and the side surface 126b of the cylindrical projection hole 126 does not need to be very small as long as smooth delivery of the ball 103 can be ensured.

Furthermore, although the middle deflector 130 of the eighth embodiment has been described with reference to an example in which the entirety is integrally formed, the present disclosure describes the middle deflector 130 using the two parts (the inner peripheral part and the inner peripheral part) shown in the first embodiment and the sixth embodiment. It may also be a deflector consisting of an outer peripheral part). Further, in the case of a deflector made of two parts (an inner circumference side part and an outer circumference side part), the cylindrical protrusion may be provided separately for each of the inner circumference side part and the outer circumference side part. According to this, each of the inner peripheral part and the outer peripheral part is positioned in the direction of the seat surface. Next, the nut 101H of Embodiment 9 will be explained.

(Embodiment 9)
FIG. 32 is a diagram of the middle deflector and its surroundings according to the ninth embodiment, viewed from the outer circumferential side. FIG. 33 is a perspective view of the middle deflector before crimping according to the ninth embodiment, viewed from the first axis direction. FIG. 34 is a perspective view of the nut main body of Embodiment 9 viewed from the second axial direction. FIG. 35 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXI-XXXI in FIG. 32. FIG. 36 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXVI-XXXVI in FIG. 32. FIG. 37 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXVII-XXXVII in FIG. 32.

As shown in FIG. 32, the nut 101H of the ninth embodiment includes a middle deflector 230 and a nut main body 1H, similarly to the first embodiment. However, the middle deflector 230 of the ninth embodiment differs from the middle deflector 30 of the first embodiment in that it further includes a cylindrical protrusion 238 in addition to the positioning protrusion 38. Further, the nut main body 1H of the ninth embodiment differs from the nut main body 1 of the first embodiment in that it has a cylindrical protrusion hole 226 in addition to the positioning hole 26. The nut 1 main body H of the ninth embodiment differs from the nut main body 1 of the first embodiment in that a through hole 240 is provided. The middle deflector 230 of the ninth embodiment differs from the middle deflector 30 of the first embodiment in that a hole 250 is provided. Furthermore, the nut 03 of the ninth embodiment differs from the nut 101 of the first embodiment in that it includes a pin 260. The differences will be explained below.

As shown in FIG. 33, the middle deflector 230 includes a cylindrical projection 238. The cylindrical protrusion 238 is a protrusion that protrudes from the first opposing surface 36 in the first axial direction X1. Further, the cylindrical protrusion is provided on the inner circumference side component. Further, the cylindrical projection 238 has a cylindrical shape. The inner space of the cylindrical projection 238 is a part of the ball passage 34. The cylindrical projection 238 has a distal end surface (second surface) 238a facing in the first axial direction X1. An opening 37 of the ball passage 34 is provided in the tip surface 238a.

The outer peripheral surface 239 of the cylindrical projection 238 has a circular shape with the center of the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 as a reference. Further, the cylindrical protrusion 238 has a wall portion disposed in the first vertical direction Z1 from the internal space that is cut out. Therefore, the outer peripheral surface 239 of the cylindrical projection 238 has a C-shape when viewed from the axial direction, and the outer peripheral surface 239 faces the first seating surface direction, the second seating surface direction, and the second vertical direction. . Note that in the present disclosure, a protrusion that covers the first vertical direction of the cylindrical protrusion 238 may be provided on the outer peripheral side component.

As shown in FIG. 34, the cylindrical protrusion hole 226 is a hole depressed in the first axial direction X1 from the first side surface 20a. Further, the cylindrical projection hole 226 is also open toward the outer circumferential surface 4 of the nut main body 1. As shown in FIG. 35, the inner surface of the cylindrical projection hole 226 has a pair of opposing surfaces 226a that sandwich the cylindrical projection hole 226 from the seating surface direction, and a pair of opposing surfaces 226a that sandwich the cylindrical projection hole 226 in the first axial direction X1. It has a side surface 226b arranged therein, and a bottom surface 226c arranged in the second vertical direction Z2 with respect to the hole 226 for the cylindrical projection. An opening 8a of the return path 8 is provided in the side surface 226b. The bottom surface 226c has a circular shape (arc shape) with the center O8 of the return path 8 as a reference.

As shown in FIG. 35, the cylindrical projection 238 is inserted into the cylindrical projection hole 226. A portion of the outer circumferential surface 239 of the cylindrical projection 238 facing toward the seating surface (see points 239a and 239b in FIG. 35) is in contact with the pair of opposing surfaces 226a. Thereby, the middle deflector 230 is regulated so as not to shift from a predetermined assembly position in the first seating surface direction Y1 or the second seating surface direction Y2.

An arcuate portion of the outer circumferential surface 239 of the cylindrical projection 238 facing the second seating surface direction Y2 (see the portion between points 239a and 239b in FIG. 35) is in contact with the bottom surface 226c of the cylindrical projection hole 226. are in contact. Therefore, the middle deflector 230 of Embodiment 9 has a vertical deflection not only by the combination of the arm portion 50 and the seat surface 10 but also by the combination of the outer circumferential surface 239 of the cylindrical projection 238 and the bottom surface 226c of the cylindrical projection hole 226. positioning is performed. Furthermore, the abutting portions (the outer circumferential surface 239 and the bottom surface 226c) have an arcuate shape. Therefore, the degree of coaxiality between the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 and the opening 8a of the return path 8 is high. Therefore, the ball 103 can be transferred smoothly.

Further, although not particularly illustrated, the tip end surface 238a of the cylindrical projection 238 is in contact with the side surface 226b of the cylindrical projection hole 226. Therefore, the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 and the opening 8a of the return path 8 are continuous (adjacent) in the axial direction without any gap, and the ball 103 can be transferred smoothly.

Further, in the ninth embodiment, similarly to the eighth embodiment, the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 and the opening 8a of the return path 8 are provided in a positioning structure (the cylindrical projection hole 226 and the cylindrical projection 238). There is. Therefore, the opening 37 of the ball passage 34 and the opening 8a of the return path 8 are highly coaxial, and the delivery of the ball 103 becomes smoother.

As shown in FIG. 34, the through hole 240 is a circular hole that axially passes through the other end surface 241 of the nut main body 1G and the second side surface 20b. As shown in FIG. 36, the through hole 240 has the same diameter and coaxial shape as the cylindrical projection hole 226. Therefore, when forming the through hole 240 by applying a cutting tool (not shown) to the other end surface 241 from the second axial direction X2, the hole 226 for the cylindrical protrusion can also be formed at the same time.

The hole 250 of the middle deflector 230 is a recess provided in the second opposing surface 46. As shown in FIG. 37, the hole 250 is provided in the inner peripheral part 81. The hole 250 has a circular shape at the center O8 of the return path 8. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 36, the hole 250 is axially adjacent to the through hole 240.

The pin 260 has a cylindrical shape. The pin 260 is inserted into the through hole 240 and fits into the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 240. A convex portion 261 that protrudes in the first axial direction X1 is provided on the end surface of the pin 260 in the first axial direction X1. The protrusion 261 is inserted into the hole 250 of the middle deflector 230. As shown in FIG. 37, the convex portion 261 has a circular shape and is in contact with the inner surface of the hole 250. According to this, when a load is applied to the middle deflector 230 in the vertical direction and in the direction of the seating surface, the inner surface of the hole 250 is caught by the convex portion 261, and the displacement of the middle deflector 230 is suppressed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 32, the cylindrical projection 238 and the hole 250 are provided in the inner peripheral part 81. On the other hand, the positioning protrusion 38 is provided on the outer peripheral part 82. Therefore, even if the inner circumferential side part 81 and the outer circumferential side part 82 are uncoupled, the respective positions do not shift.

As described above, the nut body 1H of Embodiment 9 has the other end surface 241 facing the other axial direction, the through hole 240 that axially passes through the other end surface 241 and the second side surface 20b and is coaxial with the return path 8. have.

According to the through hole 240 described above, a cutting tool (not shown) can be inserted into the through hole 240 from the second axial direction X2 of the other end surface 241, and cutting can be performed by applying the tip of the cutting tool to the first side surface 20a. . Therefore, it becomes easy to form the return path 8 on the first side surface 20a.

Further, the second opposing surface 46 of the middle deflector 230 of the ninth embodiment is provided with a hole 250 that is recessed on one side in the axial direction and that is adjacent to the through hole 240 in the axial direction. A pin 260 is inserted into the through hole 240. One axial end of the pin 260 is inserted into the hole 250.

According to the above configuration, when a load is applied to the middle deflector 230 in the vertical direction and in the direction of the seating surface, the inner surface of the hole 250 is caught by the convex portion 261, and the displacement of the middle deflector 230 is suppressed.

Further, in the ninth embodiment, the pin 260 fits into the through hole 240.

According to the above configuration, the pin 260 does not come off from the through hole 240.

In the ninth embodiment, the axial position of the pin 260 that fits into the through hole 240 is set closer to the first axial direction X1 so as to apply a load that presses the middle deflector 230 in the first axial direction X1. It may be placed in According to this, the first facing surface 36 of the middle deflector 230 and the first side surface 20a (or the tip surface 238a and the side surface 226b) of the first housing part 5 come into contact with each other, so that the ball 103 can be transferred smoothly. .

Furthermore, in the ninth embodiment, the middle deflector 230 is fixed by the two configurations of the caulking part 70 and the pin 260, but in the present disclosure, the middle deflector 230 is fixed by using only one of the caulking part 70 and the pin 360. 230 may be fixed. Note that when the middle deflector 230 is fixed by the crimping portion 70, the pin 260 is not inserted into the through hole 240, and the inside of the through hole 240 is hollow. Further, although the pin 260 is fitted into the through hole 240, the method of fixing the pin 260 is not limited to this. For example, the pin 260 may be fixed by adhesive or by fitting the convex portion 261 into the hole 250. Further, although the cylindrical projection 238 in the ninth embodiment has a C-shape with a portion cut out, it may have a cylindrical shape, and is not particularly limited. Further, in the present disclosure, the outer diameter of the pin 260 is not limited to being the same as the inner diameter of the through hole 240 into which it fits. For example, the outer diameter of the pin 260 may be larger than the inner diameter of the through hole 240, and the pin 260 may have an interference margin. Alternatively, there may be a minute gap between the outer peripheral surface of the pin 260 and the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 240 due to tolerance. Moreover, the pin 260 may be a spring pin.

Although each embodiment has been described above, the present disclosure extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis O (see FIG. 4) when the middle deflector 30 and the first accommodating portion 5 (seating surface 10) are viewed from the outer circumferential side. It is not limited to what already exists. For example, the middle deflector 30 and the first accommodating portion 5 (seat surface 10) may extend in a direction parallel to the track 106. That is, when viewed from the outer circumferential side, it may be inclined in a direction other than perpendicular to the axis O, and is not particularly limited. Further, when the middle deflector 30 and the seat surface 10 are arranged to be inclined, the through hole 17 may be inclined in the same direction as the seat surface 10.

Further, in the embodiment, the crimping portions 70 (the first crimping portion 71 and the second crimping portion 72) are provided on both sides of the arm portion 50 in the axial direction; The caulking portion 70 may be provided only in one direction. Further, in the embodiment, the crimping part 70 is provided on both the first arm part 51 and the second arm part 52, but only one of the first arm part 51 and the second arm part 52 is crimped. A section 70 may also be provided.

Furthermore, although the outer circumferential surface 32a of the middle deflector 30 in the embodiment is arcuate, the outer circumferential surface 32a of the middle deflector 30 does not need to be arcuate in the present disclosure. Further, in the present disclosure, the distance from the axis O to the outer peripheral surface 32a of the middle deflector 30 may be smaller than the outer diameter of the nut body 1.

Further, the extended seat surface 13 of the embodiment has a first extended seat surface 14 and a second extended seat surface 15, but in the present disclosure, the extended seat surface 13 includes the first extended seat surface 14 or the second extended seat surface 15. It may also be an expanded seating surface 13.

Note that the present disclosure may be a combination of the following configurations.
(1)
The nut body has a cylindrical shape and is penetrated by a screw shaft, and a circulation component is assembled to the nut body, and the nut body is a recess provided on the outer circumferential surface of the nut body, and the nut body is a recess provided on the outer peripheral surface of the nut body, and an accommodating part that is arch-shaped when viewed from an axial direction parallel to the axis; a seat surface forming a bottom surface of the accommodating part; a through hole passing through the seat surface and the inner circumferential surface of the nut body; , a pair of side surfaces that are arranged on both sides of the axial direction and that face each other, and a return path that extends in the axial direction, and a direction parallel to the seat surface when viewed from the axial direction is a direction of the seat surface. The circulating component includes a circulating component main body disposed in the accommodating part and the through hole, and an arm extending from the circulating component main body toward the seating surface and in contact with the seating surface, A pair of side surfaces include a first side surface disposed on one side of the axial direction relative to the circulation component and provided with an opening for the return path, and a second side surface disposed on the other side of the axial direction rather than the circulation component. The circulation component main body has a ball passage through which the balls roll, and an opening of the ball passage, a first opposing surface facing the first side surface, and a first opposing surface facing the second side surface. a second opposing surface, at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface is provided with a positioning hole that is recessed in the axial direction and opens in the outer peripheral surface of the nut main body, A nut, wherein one or both of the facing surface and the second facing surface facing the side surface in which the positioning hole is provided is provided with a positioning protrusion that is inserted into the positioning hole.
(2)
The nut body has a cylindrical shape and is penetrated by a screw shaft, and a circulation component is assembled to the nut body, and the nut body is a recess provided on the outer circumferential surface of the nut body, and the nut body is a recess provided on the outer peripheral surface of the nut body, and an accommodating part that is arch-shaped when viewed from an axial direction parallel to the axis; a seat surface forming a bottom surface of the accommodating part; a through hole passing through the seat surface and the inner circumferential surface of the nut body; , a pair of side surfaces that are arranged on both sides of the axial direction and that face each other, and a return path that extends in the axial direction, and a direction parallel to the seat surface when viewed from the axial direction is a direction of the seat surface. The circulating component includes a circulating component main body disposed in the accommodating part and the through hole, and an arm extending from the circulating component main body toward the seating surface and in contact with the seating surface, The pair of side surfaces includes a first side surface disposed on one side in the axial direction of the circulating component, and a second side surface disposed on the other axial direction of the circulating component, and the second side surface is disposed on the other side of the circulating component in the axial direction. The main body has a ball passage in which the ball rolls, a first opposing surface that faces the first side surface, and a second opposing surface that faces the second side surface, and the first opposing surface includes: A cylindrical protrusion whose interior is a part of the ball passage is provided on the first side, the cylindrical protrusion is recessed in the axial direction, and is open to the outer circumferential surface of the nut body. A hole for a cylindrical protrusion into which the cylindrical protrusion is inserted is provided, an opening for the ball passage is provided on a distal end surface facing one of the axial directions among the side surfaces of the cylindrical protrusion, and an opening for the ball passage is provided in an inner surface of the hole for the cylindrical protrusion. The nut has an opening for the return path on a side surface facing the tip end surface.
(3)
At least one of the first side surface and the second side surface is provided with a positioning hole that is recessed in the axial direction and opens on the outer peripheral surface of the nut body, , The nut according to (2), wherein a positioning protrusion that is inserted into the positioning hole is provided on one or both of the sides facing the side surface where the positioning hole is provided.
(4)
The circulating component is perpendicular to the seating surface, and the direction in which the seating surface faces is a first vertical direction, protrudes from the arm in the first vertical direction, and extends along the side surface. a rib extending in the direction of the seating surface; and a caulking portion formed by caulking at least a part of the rib toward the side surface, the pair of side surfaces having a groove extending in the direction of the seating surface. , The nut according to any one of (1) to (3), further comprising a recess that faces the rib in the axial direction and into which the caulking portion enters.
(5)
The through hole penetrates a central portion of the seat surface in the direction of the seat surface, and the seat surface includes a first seat surface disposed on one side in the direction of the seat surface relative to the through hole; a second seating surface disposed on the other side of the seating surface direction, the arm extending from the circulating component main body in one direction of the seating surface and contacting the first seating surface; and a second arm extending from the circulating component main body in the other direction of the seating surface and abutting the second seating surface, and the rib and the crimping portion are connected to the first arm. and the second arm, respectively.
(6)
The rib includes a first rib extending along the first side surface and a second rib extending along the second side surface, and the crimped portion is formed on one side of the first rib. a first crimped portion which is a portion of the rib and which is crimped toward the first side surface; a second crimped portion which is a part of the second rib and which is crimped toward the second side surface; The nut according to (4) or (5), which has.
(7)
The nut according to (6), wherein the thickness of the second rib in the axial direction is smaller than the thickness of the first rib in the axial direction.
(8)
The first rib has a first crimping surface that faces the other axial direction and is crimped when generating the first crimping portion, and the first crimping surface faces in the first vertical direction. The nut according to (6) or (7), wherein the nut is inclined so as to approach the first side surface.
(9)
The nut body has a second end surface facing the other axial direction, and a through hole that axially passes through the other end surface and the second side surface and is coaxial with the return path. ) to (8).
(10)
The second opposing surface is provided with a hole that is recessed in one direction in the axial direction and that is adjacent to the through hole in the axial direction, and a pin is inserted into the through hole, and The nut according to (9), wherein one end of the nut is inserted into the hole.
(11)
The nut according to (10), wherein the pin fits into the through hole.
(12)
The second opposing surface is provided with at least one convex portion that protrudes to the other side in the axial direction and abuts the second side surface, and the convex portion is formed between the circulating component main body and the second side surface. The nut according to any one of (1) to (11), which is crushed between the nuts.
(13)
The seating surface is an edge of the through hole and has an expanded seating surface arranged in the axial direction with respect to the through hole, and the circulating component main body has an expanded seating surface that abuts the expanded seating surface. The nut according to any one of (1) to (12), comprising:
(14)
A ball screw device comprising the nut according to any one of (1) to (13), a screw shaft passing through the nut, and a plurality of balls arranged between the nut and the screw shaft. .

1, 1G, 1H Nut body 5 First accommodating part (accommodating part)
8 Return path 10 Seat surface 11 First seat surface 12 Second seat surface 13 Expansion seat surface 14 First expansion seat surface 15 Second expansion seat surface 17 Through hole 20 Side surface 20a First side surface 20b Second side surface 22 Recessed portion 22a First Recess 22b Second recess 23, 23a, 23b First slope 24, 24a, 24b Second slope 26 Positioning hole 30, 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D, 30E, 30F, 130, 230 Middle deflector (circulation device)
31 Deflector body (circulating parts body)
32 Main body portion 33 Scooping portion 34 Ball passage 36 First opposing surface 38 Positioning protrusion 40 Seating surface 41 First seating surface 42 Second seating surface 43 Expanded seating surface 44 First expanded seating surface 45 Second expanded seating surface 46 Second Opposing surface 47 Convex portion 50, 50D Arm portion 51 First arm portion 52 Second arm portion 53 First seating surface for arm portion 54 Second seating surface for arm portion 60 Rib 61, 61A, 61B First rib 61a First joint Tightening surface 62, 62A, 62B Second rib 62a Second crimping surface 70 crimping part 71, 71A, 71B First crimping part 72, 72A, 72B Second crimping part 80, 90 Dividing surface 81, 81E Inner circumference Side parts 82, 82E Outer parts 83, 83E Inner dividing surface 84, 84E Outer dividing surface 85 Inner rolling surface 86 Outer rolling surface 87 Step surface 88 End surface 91 Slope 91a Inner slope 91b Outer periphery Side slope 92 Lateral surface 92a Inner peripheral side lateral surface 92b Outer peripheral side horizontal surface 93 Vertical surface 93a Inner peripheral side vertical surface 93b Outer peripheral side vertical surface 94 Fitting portion 95 Projection 96 Groove portion 100 Ball screw device 101, 101G, 101H Nut 102 Screw shaft 103 Ball 120 Jig 126b, 226b Side surface 126, 226 Hole for cylindrical projection 138, 238 Cylindrical projection 138a, 238a Tip surface 240 Through hole 250 Hole 260 Pin 261 Convex part

Claims (15)

a nut body having a cylindrical shape and being penetrated by a screw shaft;
a circulating component assembled to the nut body;
Equipped with
The nut body is
an accommodating portion that is a recess provided on the outer peripheral surface of the nut body and has an arch shape when viewed from an axial direction parallel to the screw shaft;
a seat surface forming the bottom surface of the storage section;
a through hole passing through the seat surface and the inner peripheral surface of the nut body;
A pair of side surfaces facing each other and arranged on both sides of the axial direction with respect to the accommodating part;
the return path extending in the axial direction;
has
A direction parallel to the seat surface when viewed from the axial direction is a direction of the seat surface,
The circulating parts are
a circulating component main body disposed in the housing part and the through hole;
an arm extending from the circulation component main body toward the seat surface and in contact with the seat surface;
has
The pair of side surfaces are
a first side surface disposed on one side of the axial direction relative to the circulation component and provided with an opening for the return path;
a second side surface disposed on the other side of the circulating component in the axial direction;
has
The circulating parts main body is
A ball path in which the ball rolls;
a first opposing surface that is provided with an opening for the ball passage and that faces the first side surface;
a second opposing surface facing the second side surface;
has
At least one of the first side surface and the second side surface is provided with a positioning hole that is recessed in the axial direction and that opens on the outer peripheral surface of the nut main body,
A positioning protrusion that is inserted into the positioning hole is provided on one or both of the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface that faces the side surface provided with the positioning hole. Nut. a nut body having a cylindrical shape and being penetrated by a screw shaft;
a circulating component assembled to the nut body;
Equipped with
The nut body is
an accommodating portion that is a recess provided on the outer peripheral surface of the nut body and has an arch shape when viewed from an axial direction parallel to the screw shaft;
a seat surface forming the bottom surface of the storage section;
a through hole passing through the seat surface and the inner peripheral surface of the nut body;
A pair of side surfaces facing each other and arranged on both sides of the axial direction with respect to the accommodating part;
the return path extending in the axial direction;
has
A direction parallel to the seat surface when viewed from the axial direction is a direction of the seat surface,
The circulating parts are
a circulating component main body disposed in the housing part and the through hole;
an arm extending from the circulation component main body toward the seat surface and in contact with the seat surface;
has
The pair of side surfaces are
a first side surface disposed on one side of the axial direction of the circulating component;
a second side surface disposed on the other side of the circulating component in the axial direction;
has
The circulating parts main body is
A ball path in which the ball rolls;
a first opposing surface that faces the first side surface;
a second opposing surface facing the second side surface;
has
The first opposing surface is provided with a cylindrical protrusion whose interior is a part of the ball passage,
The first side surface is provided with a cylindrical protrusion hole that is recessed in the axial direction and opens on the outer peripheral surface of the nut main body, into which the cylindrical protrusion is inserted;
An opening for the ball passage is provided at a tip end face facing one of the axial directions among the side surfaces of the cylindrical protrusion,
An opening for the return path is provided on a side surface of the inner surface of the cylindrical projection hole that faces the tip surface. At least one of the first side surface and the second side surface is provided with a positioning hole that is recessed in the axial direction and that opens on the outer peripheral surface of the nut main body,
According to claim 2, one or both of the first facing surface and the second facing surface facing the side surface provided with the positioning hole is provided with a positioning protrusion to be inserted into the positioning hole. Nuts listed. The circulating parts are
A direction perpendicular to the seating surface and a direction in which the seating surface faces is a first vertical direction,
a rib protruding from the arm in the first vertical direction and extending along the side surface toward the seat surface;
a caulking portion in which at least a portion of the rib is caulked toward the side surface;
has
Any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pair of side surfaces are provided with a recess that is a groove extending in the direction of the seating surface, faces the rib in the axial direction, and into which the caulking part enters. The nut described in item 1. The through hole penetrates a central portion of the seat surface in the direction of the seat surface,
The seat surface is
a first seat surface disposed on one side of the seat surface direction from the through hole;
a second seat surface disposed on the other side of the seat surface direction from the through hole;
has
The arm portion is
a first arm extending from the circulating component main body in one direction of the seating surface and abutting the first seating surface;
a second arm extending from the circulating component main body in the other direction of the seating surface and coming into contact with the second seating surface;
has
The nut according to claim 4, wherein the rib and the caulking portion are provided on each of the first arm portion and the second arm portion. The rib is
a first rib extending along the first side surface;
a second rib extending along the second side surface;
has
The caulking portion is
a first crimped portion that is a part of the first rib and is crimped toward the first side surface;
a second crimped portion that is part of the second rib and is crimped toward the second side surface;
The nut according to claim 4, comprising: The nut according to claim 6, wherein the thickness of the second rib in the axial direction is smaller than the thickness of the first rib in the axial direction. The first rib faces the other side of the axial direction and has a first crimped surface that is crimped when generating the first crimped part,
The nut according to claim 6, wherein the first crimping surface is inclined toward the first side surface as it goes in the first vertical direction. The nut body is
the other end face facing the other axial direction;
a through hole that axially penetrates the other end surface and the second side surface and is coaxial with the return path;
The nut according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: The second opposing surface is provided with a hole that is recessed in one of the axial directions and that is adjacent to the through hole in the axial direction,
A pin is inserted into the through hole,
The nut according to claim 9, wherein one end of the pin in the axial direction is inserted into the hole. The nut according to claim 10, wherein the pin fits into the through hole. The second opposing surface is provided with at least one convex portion that protrudes to the other side in the axial direction and abuts the second side surface,
The nut according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the convex portion is crushed between the circulation component main body and the second side surface. The seat surface is an edge of the through hole, and has an expanded seat surface disposed in the axial direction with respect to the through hole,
The nut according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the circulating component main body has an expanded seating surface that comes into contact with the expanded seating surface. nut and
a screw shaft passing through the nut;
a plurality of balls arranged between the nut and the screw shaft;
Equipped with
The nut is
a nut body having a cylindrical shape and being penetrated by a screw shaft;
a circulating component assembled to the nut body;
Equipped with
The nut body is
an accommodating portion that is a recess provided on the outer peripheral surface of the nut body and has an arch shape when viewed from an axial direction parallel to the screw shaft;
a seat surface forming the bottom surface of the storage section;
a through hole passing through the seat surface and the inner peripheral surface of the nut body;
A pair of side surfaces facing each other and arranged on both sides of the axial direction with respect to the accommodating part;
the return path extending in the axial direction;
has
A direction parallel to the seat surface when viewed from the axial direction is a direction of the seat surface,
The circulating parts are
a circulating component main body disposed in the housing part and the through hole;
an arm extending from the circulation component main body toward the seat surface and in contact with the seat surface;
has
The pair of side surfaces are
a first side surface disposed on one side of the axial direction relative to the circulation component and provided with an opening for the return path;
a second side surface disposed on the other side of the circulating component in the axial direction;
has
The circulating parts main body is
A ball path in which the ball rolls;
a first opposing surface that is provided with an opening for the ball passage and that faces the first side surface;
a second opposing surface facing the second side surface;
has
At least one of the first side surface and the second side surface is provided with a positioning hole that is recessed in the axial direction and that opens on the outer peripheral surface of the nut main body,
A positioning protrusion that is inserted into the positioning hole is provided on one or both of the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface that faces the side surface provided with the positioning hole. The ball screw device. nut and
a screw shaft passing through the nut;
a plurality of balls arranged between the nut and the screw shaft;
Equipped with
The nut is
a nut body having a cylindrical shape and being penetrated by a screw shaft;
a circulating component assembled to the nut body;
Equipped with
The nut body is
an accommodating portion that is a recess provided on the outer peripheral surface of the nut body and has an arch shape when viewed from an axial direction parallel to the screw shaft;
a seat surface forming the bottom surface of the storage section;
a through hole passing through the seat surface and the inner peripheral surface of the nut body;
A pair of side surfaces facing each other and arranged on both sides of the axial direction with respect to the accommodating part;
the return path extending in the axial direction;
has
A direction parallel to the seat surface when viewed from the axial direction is a direction of the seat surface,
The circulating parts are
a circulating component main body disposed in the housing part and the through hole;
an arm extending from the circulation component main body toward the seat surface and in contact with the seat surface;
has
The pair of side surfaces are
a first side surface disposed on one side of the axial direction of the circulating component;
a second side surface disposed on the other side of the circulating component in the axial direction;
has
The circulating parts main body is
A ball path in which the ball rolls;
a first opposing surface that faces the first side surface;
a second opposing surface facing the second side surface;
has
The first opposing surface is provided with a cylindrical protrusion whose interior is a part of the ball passage,
The first side surface is provided with a cylindrical protrusion hole that is recessed in the axial direction and opens on the outer peripheral surface of the nut main body, into which the cylindrical protrusion is inserted;
An opening for the ball passage is provided at a tip end face facing one of the axial directions among the side surfaces of the cylindrical protrusion,
A ball screw device, wherein an opening for the return path is provided on a side surface of the inner surface of the cylindrical protrusion hole that faces the tip surface.

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