JP2568330Y2 - Linear motion guide unit - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a linear guide unit which is mounted on, for example, a machine tool or an industrial robot and linearly guides an object to be moved.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an example of this type of linear motion guide unit, there is a linear motion rolling guide unit shown in FIGS.

[0003] As shown in the figure, the linear motion rolling guide unit has a track groove 101 having a single track as a track on both left and right sides.
a is a track rail 101 formed along the longitudinal direction
, A slide unit 103 having a rolling element circulation path 102 (see FIG. 14) and being movable relative to the track rail 101, and a rolling element circulation path 102
And a large number of balls 104 as rolling elements that circulate and circulate on the track groove 101a with the movement of the slide unit 103 to apply a load between the track rail 101 and the slide unit 103. It is composed of

[0004] The slide unit 103 includes a casing 106 provided so as to straddle the track rail 101,
The casing 106 has a pair of end caps 107a and 107b connected to both front and rear ends. Two seals 108a and 108b are attached to the outer surfaces of the end caps 107a and 107b by screws 110.

[0005]

The above-described linear motion rolling guide unit aims to obtain a smooth operation state of the slide unit 103, to prevent abrasion, and to suppress the generation of noise accompanying the operation. Usually, grease is filled as a lubricant between relatively operating members including the ball 104.

The grease is sufficiently filled at the time of assembling the linear motion guide unit. However, the grease is gradually consumed as time passes, so that it is necessary to make up for this. As one of means for supplying grease, a grease nipple is attached to a slide unit, and the grease nipple is injected from a grease gun.

However, a small linear motion guide unit,
Specifically, when the dimension H in FIG. 14 is equal to or less than 20 m / m, it is difficult to attach a grease nipple due to a limitation on the dimension. Therefore, with respect to such a small linear guide unit, the operation of a device such as a machine tool equipped with the small linear guide unit is temporarily stopped and removed, and the slide unit is disassembled and refilled with grease. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the operation is delayed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and has as its object to provide a linear motion guide unit capable of quickly and easily supplying lubricant even in a small size. I have.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a track rail having a track formed along a longitudinal direction, a slide table movable relative to the track rail, and provided at both ends of the slide table. In a linear motion guide unit provided with a seal, a lubricant injection hole is formed in the seal.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a linear motion rolling guide unit according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the linear motion rolling guide unit has a substantially prismatic shape in which a track groove 1a is formed along the longitudinal direction as a track on both left and right sides using metal as a material. Track rail 1 and rolling element circulation path 2
A slide unit 3 having a slide table (to be described in detail later) and capable of moving relative to the track rail 1.
And the rolling unit which is arranged and accommodated in the rolling element circulation path 2 and circulates while rolling on the track groove 1 a with the movement of the slide unit 3 to apply a load between the track rail 1 and the slide unit 3. And a large number of balls 4 as moving bodies.

The slide unit 3 is made of metal or synthetic resin or the like, and is provided so as to straddle the track rail 1. It comprises a pair of fastened end caps 7 and 8.
And, on the outer surface of each of the end caps 7 and 8,
Seals 9 and 10 are respectively installed. The seals 9 and 10 are fastened together with the end caps 7 and 8 to the casing 6 by screws 5. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the rolling element circulation path 2 includes a load raceway groove 2 a formed in the casing 6 linearly and parallel to each other, that is, a load raceway and return path 2 b, and both end caps 7. 8 and a pair of substantially semicircular direction change paths 2c and 2d for connecting the load raceway groove 2a and the return path 2b at both ends thereof. The load track groove 2a corresponds to the track groove 1a of the track rail 1.

The linear motion rolling guide unit is provided, for example, on a bed (not shown) of a machine tool, and the track rail 1 is fixed to the bed by bolts. Then, a table (not shown) for supporting a workpiece or the like is bolted to the slide unit 3, and this operates as a movable side. That is, the workpiece is reciprocated by the driving means in a state where the workpiece and the like are placed on the table. As shown in FIG. 1, the track rail 1 is provided with a plurality of insertion holes 1b through which bolts for fixing to the bed or the like are inserted, along the longitudinal direction. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of screw holes 6 a are provided on the upper surface of the casing 6 of the slide unit 3.
The slide unit 3 is formed by bolts (not shown) screwed into the screw holes 6a.
Is concluded.

Here, the configuration of both end caps 7 and 8 and both seals 9 and 10 will be described in detail.
In addition, each end cap 7 and 8, each seal 9 and 10
Are formed in the same shape as each other, only the one end cap 7 and the seal 9 will be described, and the description of the other end cap 8 and the seal 10 will be omitted.

First, the end cap 7 will be described.

As is apparent from FIGS. 1, 2 and 4,
The end cap 7 includes a main body 12 and a circulation path spacer 13 interposed between the main body 12 and the casing 6.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show details of the main body portion 12, and FIGS. 8 and 9 show details of the circulation path spacer 13. As shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, the main body 12 has an outer half of a direction change path 2c (see FIGS. 1 to 3) which is a part of the rolling element circulation path 2 described above. A substantially U-shaped groove 12a forming a portion is formed. On the other hand, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 9, the circulation path spacer 13 is provided with two substantially semi-cylindrical protrusions 13a at two locations, and the two protrusions 13a form the inner half of the direction change path 2c. A groove 13b is formed.

That is, the projection 13a is connected to the main body 1
2 fits into a recess 12g (shown in FIG. 7) formed in
As a result, the two grooves 12a and 13b coincide with each other to form the direction change path 2c. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the load raceway groove 2 a
A ball holding band 12b is formed to hold the ball 4 rolling along (see FIGS. 1 and 3) into the direction change paths 2c and 2d.

Incidentally, as shown in FIG.
Insertion holes 12c into which the screws 5 (shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3) are inserted are formed on both left and right sides of 2. The screw 5
Is screwed into a screw hole (not shown) formed at the end of the casing 6 through the insertion hole 12c.

A pair of cylindrical projections 12f are integrally formed on the back side of the main body portion 12, and these projections 12f are formed in fitting holes (not shown) formed in the casing 6.
The fitting position of the end cap 7 with respect to the casing 6 is determined by the fitting of f.

As shown in FIG. 8, the above-mentioned screw 5 and the projection 12f of the main body 12 are provided on the circulation path spacer 13.
Are formed through holes 13c and 13d.

Next, the seal 9 will be described in detail.

FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 10 and 11
As shown in the figure, the seal 9 is composed of a highly rigid plate-shaped core member 15 made of metal or synthetic resin or the like, and a track rail 1 attached to the surface of the core member 15 with an adhesive or the like.
And an elastic member 16 made of rubber or the like that comes into sliding contact with the elastic member 16.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 10, and 11, lubricant injection holes 15a and 16a are concentric with the center of the core member 15 and the elastic member 16 constituting the seal 9. Is formed. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a syringe-like lubricant injector 20 is prepared, and the lubricant injector 2 is used.
0 nozzle part 20a is connected to the lubricant injection holes 15a, 16a.
, And inject grease as a lubricant, for example.

The grease injected from the lubricant injection holes 15a and 16a reaches the rolling element circulation path 2 and the ball 4 through the following paths.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the lubricant injection holes 15 a,
A through hole 12h communicating with 16a is formed. On the inner surface side of the main body portion 12, two branch grooves 12i are formed which communicate with the through hole 12h at one end and extend left and right.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, an annular groove 12j communicating with the insertion hole 12c is formed around each insertion hole 12c formed in the main body portion 12 for inserting the screw 5 (see FIG. 1, etc.). The branch groove 12i communicates with the annular groove 12j at the other end. As shown in FIG. 7, there is provided a small linear groove 12k for connecting the annular groove 12j and a U-shaped groove 12a located below the annular groove 12j. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, grooves 13 f are formed in the circulation path spacer 13 joined to the main body portion 12 so as to correspond to the grooves 12 k. When the grooves 12k and 13f coincide with each other, a passage having a substantially circular cross section is formed.

In the above configuration, as shown by arrows in FIGS. 4 and 7, grease injected through the lubricant injection holes 15a and 16a by the lubricant injector 20 is supplied to the through holes 12h, the branch grooves 12i, It reaches the U-shaped groove 12a through the annular groove 12j and the grooves 12k and 13f (see FIG. 8 and the like) in order. As described above, since the groove 12a forms the direction change path 2c which is a part of the rolling element circulation path 2 (see FIGS. 1 to 3), the grease is applied to the rolling element circulation path 2 and along the same. Is supplied to each ball 4 that rolls.

In this embodiment, as described above, the screw 5
Is formed as a grease passage by forming an annular groove 12j (see FIG. 7) communicating with the insertion hole 12c through which the grease is inserted.
According to this configuration, the root of the screw 5 also functions as a grease passage, and the grease supply efficiency is high.

Further, as is apparent from FIG. 4, for example, the lubricant injection hole 16a formed in the elastic member 16 has an extremely small diameter, so that the thin nozzle portion 20a of the lubricant injector 20 can be fitted closely. Has become. This prevents grease from flowing out after the nozzle portion 20a is pulled out from the lubricant injection hole 16a.

Incidentally, as shown in FIG.
The openings 5d and 16c through which the neck and the head of the screw 5 are inserted are formed in the elastic member 16 and the elastic member 16, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the lip portion 16 d of the elastic member 16, that is, the sliding contact portion with the track rail 1, is provided with a tongue piece 16 e sliding on the track groove 1 a formed on the track rail 1. Are formed.

FIG. 12 shows a main part of a linear motion rolling guide unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In addition,
The linear motion rolling guide unit is configured in the same manner as the linear motion rolling guide unit according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 11 except for the parts shown in FIG. And only the main part will be described. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as those of the linear motion rolling guide unit of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 12, in this linear motion rolling guide unit, the lubricant injection hole 16a formed in the elastic member 16 forming the seal 9 together with the core member 15 is a pore that can be closed. . That is, when inserting the nozzle portion 20a of the lubricant injector 20 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
Expands, but is restored and closed at the same time as the nozzle portion 20a is pulled out. Therefore, outflow of the injected grease is almost completely prevented.

However, there is a concern that it may be difficult to visually recognize the closed lubricant injection hole 16a in a work place or the like where the lighting is relatively dark, so the following configuration is employed. .

That is, as shown in FIG.
On the surface of 6, an annular or substantially annular projection 16g is integrally formed as a mark so as to surround the lubricant injection hole 16a. As a result, the worker can enter the lubricant injection hole 16.
a can be easily confirmed, and grease can be quickly injected.

The marks are not limited to those having the above-mentioned shapes, but may have other shapes, or may be colored. However, as described above, the annular protrusion 16
Assuming that g, the projection 16g effectively acts as a guide when the nozzle portion 20a of the lubricant injector 20 is inserted into the lubricant injection hole 16a.

In each of the above embodiments, a linear motion rolling guide unit in which the slide unit 3 has a rolling element circulating path and the ball 4 as a rolling element circulates in the rolling element circulating path is used. Although it is shown, it is not limited to such a configuration,
It goes without saying that the present invention is applicable to various other linear motion guide units.

In each of the embodiments, the ball 4 is used as a rolling element, but a configuration using rollers may be used. Further, as the lubricant, not only grease but also oil or the like can be used.

[0040]

As described above, in the linear guide unit according to the present invention, since the lubricant injection hole is formed in the seal, the lubricant can be quickly and easily supplied without disassembly even in a small size. There is an effect that it can be supplied.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part of a linear motion rolling guide unit as a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view including a partial cross section of the configuration shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the configuration shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a part of a cross section taken along the line AA in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a body portion of an end cap provided in the linear motion rolling guide unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the main body of the end cap shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a circulation path spacer which is a constituent member of an end cap provided in the linear motion rolling guide unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the circulation path spacer shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a front view of a seal included in the linear motion rolling guide unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a linear motion rolling guide unit as a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view, including a partial cross section, of a main part of a conventional linear motion rolling guide unit.

FIG. 14 is a side view including a partial cross section of the linear motion rolling guide unit shown in FIG. 13;

[Description of sign]

Reference Signs List 1 track rail 2 rolling element circulation path 3 slide unit (slide table) 4 ball (rolling element) 6 casing 7, 8 end cap 9, 10 seal 12 main body part (of end cap 7, 8) 13 circulation path spacer 15 core Member (of seal 9) 15a, 16a Lubricant injection hole 16 Elastic member 20 Lubricant injector

Claims (6)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A straight line comprising: a track rail having a track formed along a longitudinal direction; a slide table movable relative to the track rail; and seals provided at both ends of the slide table. A linear guide unit, wherein a lubricant injection hole is formed in the seal. 2. The seal according to claim 1, wherein the seal comprises a highly rigid plate-shaped core member,
2. The linear motion according to claim 1, comprising an elastic member attached to said core member and slidably contacting said track rail, wherein said lubricant injection hole is formed in said core member and elastic member. Information unit. 3. The linear motion guide unit according to claim 2, wherein the lubricant injection hole formed in the elastic member is a closeable pore. 4. The elastic member is provided with a mark near the lubricant injection hole.
Linear motion guide unit as described. 5. The linear motion guide unit according to claim 4, wherein the mark is a substantially annular projection provided so as to surround the lubricant injection hole. 6. The slide base includes a casing having a load track corresponding to the track and a return path substantially parallel to the load track, and a direction change path that forms a rolling element circulation path together with the load track and the return path. And end caps coupled to both ends of the casing, comprising a plurality of rolling elements that are arranged and accommodated in the rolling element circulation path and circulate while rolling on the track to apply a load. The linear motion guide unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: