JP4619226B2 - Rolling guide device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a rolling guide device in which a track rail and a slide member are assembled via a large number of balls, and a mounted object fixed to the slide member can freely reciprocate along the track rail. In particular, the present invention relates to a rolling guide device in which the slide member has an infinite circulation path for balls, and the slide member can continuously move along a track rail while circulating the balls infinitely.

  In a work table of a machine tool and a linear guide part of various conveying devices, a rolling guide device in which a slide member mounted with a movable body such as a table continuously moves along a track rail is frequently used. In this type of rolling guide device, the slide member is assembled to the track rail via a large number of balls, and the ball slides while applying a load between the slide member and the track rail. The movable body mounted on the member can be moved lightly with very little resistance along the track rail. Further, the slide member is provided with an infinite circulation path of the ball, and the slide member can continuously move along the track rail by circulating the ball in the infinite circulation path. Yes.

  The track rail is formed with a ball rolling groove along the longitudinal direction, while the slide member is formed with a load rolling groove facing the ball rolling groove of the track rail. A load rolling path of the ball is formed by the rolling groove and the load rolling groove on the slide member side. That is, the ball is configured to contact the ball rolling groove on the track rail side and the load rolling groove on the slide member side and roll while applying a load acting between them. The slide member is formed with a no-load rolling passage in parallel with the load rolling groove, and the both ends of the no-load rolling passage are formed by a pair of direction change paths formed in an arc shape. It is connected to the passage. The ball is released from the load at the end of the load rolling path, leaves the ball rolling groove of the track rail, enters the direction changing path, and rolls from the direction changing path to the no-load rolling path. In addition, the ball that has rolled in the no-load rolling path returns to the ball rolling groove of the track rail through the opposite direction change path, and rolls in the loaded rolling path again while applying a load. As described above, the slide member has an infinite circulation path of the ball continuous with the load rolling path, the direction changing path, the no-load rolling path, and the direction changing path, and the ball is circulated through the infinite circulation path. By repeating the load state and the no-load state, the slide member can continuously move along the track rail without any stroke limitation.

Conventionally, the slide member is composed of a block body formed of quenchable steel and a pair of synthetic resin end caps fixed to both front and rear end faces of the block body, and the load rolling groove Is formed in the block body by grinding, while the no-load rolling passage forms a through-hole having an inner diameter larger than the diameter of the ball in the block body in parallel with the loaded rolling groove. It is a load rolling path. Further, the direction change path is formed in the end cap, and by fixing the end cap to the front and rear end faces of the block body, the end of the load rolling passage and the end of the no-load rolling passage are directed. An infinite circulation path of the ball is configured by connecting with a conversion path (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-009264, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-53459, etc.).
JP-A-10-009264 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-53459 JP 2001-227540 A

  However, in the configuration of the infinite circulation path of the ball applied to such a conventional rolling guide device, it becomes a grinding process for forming a loaded rolling groove with respect to the block body or an unloaded rolling path. Many types of processing such as drilling of the through holes must be sequentially performed, and there is a problem that the manufacturing cost of the block body is increased and the reliability of the processing accuracy is easily impaired. In addition, an end cap is required to form an infinite circulation path of the ball, and this end cap gives a complicated shape by injection molding of synthetic resin, which also increases the manufacturing cost of the slide member. There was a problem such as. In addition, in order to facilitate the circulation of the ball in the infinite circulation path, it is necessary to attach the end cap to the block body with high accuracy, and there is a problem that it takes time to assemble the slide member.

  On the other hand, in the rolling guide device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-227540, grooves that face each other are formed on each of the slide member and the track rail in order to easily form a no-load rolling passage for the slide member. Attempts have been made to construct a no-load rolling path of the balls by these grooves. However, the direction changing path for feeding the ball from the loaded rolling path to the unloaded rolling path is formed in the end cap as usual, and has not been improved from the viewpoint of simply assembling the slide member.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the object of the present invention is to reduce the number of parts when forming a slide member and reduce the number of processing steps, thereby simplifying and inexpensively. An object of the present invention is to provide a rolling guide device that can be manufactured and that can improve the reliability of processing accuracy.

  In order to achieve the above object, a rolling guide device of the present invention comprises a track rail in which ball rolling grooves are formed along the longitudinal direction, and a slide member that is assembled to the track rail via a large number of balls. Has been. A track groove in which the ball circulates infinitely is formed on one surface of the slide member, and the track groove includes a load linear groove in which the ball rolls while applying a load to and from the rolling groove of the track rail. It is comprised from the circulation groove | channel which rolls a ball | bowl from one edge part of a load linear groove to the other edge part in an unloaded state. Further, in order to separate the ball rolling on the load straight miso, that is, the ball rolling on the rolling groove of the track rail, from the rolling groove and accommodate it in the circulation groove, A retainer plate is coupled, and the retainer plate is configured to scoop up a ball from the rolling groove of the track rail and guide the ball to the circulation groove.

  According to such a rolling guide device, the ball is accommodated in the track groove formed in the slide member and circulates infinitely inside the track groove. The track groove faces one surface of the track rail on which the ball rolling groove is formed, and the ball applies a load between the load straight groove forming a part of the track groove and the rolling rail rolling groove. While rolling. Further, by connecting a retainer plate having a function of scooping up the ball from the rolling groove of the track rail to the slider, the ball can freely travel between the load straight groove and the circulation groove. It is possible to circulate infinitely. Accordingly, the slide member can be continuously moved along the track rail along with the infinite circulation of the ball, and such a slide member can be formed very simply and inexpensively. In addition, since the number of processing steps for the slide member is extremely small, it is possible to increase the reliability with respect to the processing accuracy.

  The retainer plate only has to perform the function of scooping up the ball rolling in the rolling groove of the track rail and releasing it from the rolling groove and then feeding it into the circulation groove of the slide member. It is conceivable to form a retainer plate having a size that covers the connecting portion between the load straight groove and the circulation groove and to attach the retainer plate to the slide member.

On the other hand, the ball rolling run the released circulation groove with respect to the track rail in the unloaded state since it has a greater relative speed difference with respect to the track rail, When such a ball will be in contact with the track rail In addition to generating a large noise, there is a concern that the ball wears out early. Therefore, from the viewpoint of preventing the ball in the circulation groove from contacting the track rail, the retainer plate is formed to a size that can sufficiently cover the circulation groove of the slide member, and the retainer plate is coupled to the slide member. Thus, it is preferable to separate the ball rolling in the circulation groove from the track rail.

  Further, the retainer plate is formed in a plate shape that completely covers the track groove, and a slit portion is formed in the retainer plate for bringing a ball rolling on the load straight groove into contact with the rolling groove of the track rail. Also good. In this case, it is possible to form scooping tongue pieces at both ends of the slit portion in the longitudinal direction, and use the scooping tongue pieces to separate the balls from the rolling grooves of the track rail.

  Hereinafter, the rolling guide device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 and 2 show an example of a rolling guide device to which the present invention is applied. This rolling guide device includes a long track rail 1 having a substantially rectangular cross section, a slide member 2 formed in a channel shape and assembled to the track rail 1 via a large number of balls 3. The slide member 2 includes a retainer plate 4 that is fixed to the slide member 2 and positioned in a gap between the slide member 2 and the track rail 1. The slide member 2 straddles the track rail 1 and the track. It is configured to freely reciprocate on the rail 1.

  One rolling groove 10 for each ball 3 is formed on each side surface of the track rail 1 along the longitudinal direction. The rolling groove 10 has two rolling surfaces where the ball 3 rolls at an angle of 90 °, and the cross section has a so-called Gothic arch shape. Therefore, the ball 3 comes into contact with the rolling groove at two points, and the contact direction is inclined by 45 ° with respect to the bottom surface of the track rail 1. In addition, a plurality of bolt mounting holes 11 are formed through the track rail 1 at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction. The bolt rails 1 are used to connect the track rail 1 to beds, columns, and the like of various mechanical devices. It can be attached to the fixed part.

  On the other hand, the slide member 2 has a lateral web 20 and a pair of flange portions 21 and 21 orthogonal to the lateral web 20 and is formed in a channel shape. As shown in FIG. It straddles the track rail 1. That is, the track rail 1 is located between the pair of flange portions 21 and 21 of the slide member 2. The upper surface of the horizontal web 20 is a mounting surface 22 of a movable body such as a table, and the horizontal web 20 is formed with a tap hole 23 into which a mounting screw is screwed. Further, rubber seal members 5 are provided at both front and rear ends in the moving direction of the slide member 2 to seal the gap between the slide member 2 and the track rail 1 and the dust attached to the track rail 1 slides. The inside of the member 2 is prevented from entering and the lubricant such as grease is prevented from leaking from the inside of the slide member 2 to the outside. The seal member 5 is fixed to an end portion of the retainer plate 4, and the retainer plate 4 is fixed to the slide member 2 so as to come into contact with a predetermined position of the slide member 2.

  A track groove 30 accommodating a large number of balls 3 is formed on the inner surface of the flange portion 21 of the slide member 2 facing the side surface of the track rail 1 with a slight gap. As shown in FIG. 3, the track groove 30 circulates the ball from the load linear groove 31 facing the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1 to one end of the load linear groove 31 to the other end. And a circulation groove 32. The circulation groove 32 includes a no-load straight groove 33 formed in parallel with the load straight groove 31, and a direction changing groove 34 for moving the ball between the load straight groove 31 and the no-load straight groove 33, 34. As shown in the sectional view of FIG. 2, the ball 3 rolls between the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1 and the load linear groove 31 of the slide member 2 while applying a load, thereby the slide member 2. Can reciprocate freely along the track rail 1. In other words, the load rolling path of the ball 3 is formed by the facing of the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1 and the load straight groove 31 of the slide member 2. When the slide member 2 is moved along the track rail 1, the ball 3 sandwiched between the ball rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1 and the load straight groove 31 of the slide member 2, that is, in the load rolling path. The ball 3 that is loading the load moves in the load linear groove 22 at a speed of 0.5 V, which is half the moving speed V of the slide member 2 with respect to the track rail 1.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the load straight groove 31 of the track groove 30 has a Gothic arch shape in cross section, and the ball 3 is in contact with the load straight groove 31 at two points. The contact direction of the ball 3 and the load straight groove 31 is inclined 45 degrees up and down with respect to the normal direction of the inner surface of the flange portion 21 (left and right direction in FIG. 4). Any load acting in the direction other than the moving direction can be applied.

  On the other hand, a retainer plate 4 is fitted inside the slide member 2. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the slide member 2 and the retainer plate 4. The retainer plate 4 is formed in a channel shape by bending a thin metal plate, is in contact with the lateral web 20 and each flange portion 21 of the slide member 2 and covers the track groove 30 formed on the inner surface of each flange portion 21. Yes. The retainer plate 4 is provided with a slit portion 40 at a position facing the load straight groove 31 of the track groove 30, and only the ball 3 rolling in the load straight groove 31 among the balls 3 accommodated in the track groove 30. Can contact the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1 through the slit portion 40. Further, at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the slit portion 40, tongue pieces 41 are formed for scooping up the balls 3 that have been rolling along the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1 from the rolling groove 10, The tongue piece 41 is positioned in the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1 when the slide member 2 is assembled to the track rail 1, and blocks the rolling of the ball 3 in the rolling groove 10.

  A mounting portion 42 corresponding to the lower end surface of the flange portion 21 of the slide member 2 protrudes from the retainer plate 4, and a fixing screw 43 passing through the mounting portion 42 is fastened to the flange portion 21 of the slide member 2. As a result, the retainer plate 4 is firmly integrated with the slide member 2. Seal members 5 are fixed to both ends of the retainer plate 4 in the longitudinal direction, for example, by vulcanization adhesion, and the seal member 5 is fixed to the slide member 2 by fitting and fixing the retainer plate 4 to the slide member 2. It comes to contact. The seal member 5 is formed with a lip portion 50 that presses against the track rail 1. When the slide member 2 with the retainer plate 4 is assembled to the track rail 1, the lip portion 50 defines the rolling groove 10. Line contact is made with respect to the side surface and the upper surface of the included track rail 2.

  On the other hand, the unloaded linear groove 33 constituting a part of the track groove 30 has a width slightly larger than the diameter of the ball 3 and is formed slightly deeper than the diameter of the ball 3, and the retainer plate 4 The no-load rolling passage of the ball 3 is configured by being covered with. Therefore, the ball 3 guided into the no-load linear groove 33 through the direction changing groove 34 rolls in the no-load linear groove 33 in an unloaded state.

  Further, the direction changing groove 34 that forms the circulation groove 32 together with the unloaded linear groove 33 is formed to have the same depth and width as the unloaded linear groove 33. As shown in FIG. 6, in the vicinity of the end portion of the load straight groove 31, the depth of the load straight groove 31 gradually increases and continues to the direction changing groove 34 without a step. For this reason, the ball 3 that has rolled while applying a load between the load linear groove 31 of the slide member 2 and the track groove 10 of the track rail 1 is gradually loaded when reaching the end of the load linear groove 31. And is introduced into the direction change groove 34 in a no-load state. Further, a tongue piece 41 formed on the retainer plate 4 is located at a position corresponding to the connecting portion between the load straight groove 31 and the direction changing groove 34 and is released from the load at the end of the load straight groove 31. The ball 3 is picked up from the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1 by the tongue piece 41 and introduced into the direction changing groove 34.

  The retainer plate scoops up the ball 3 from the rolling groove 10 of the track rail to the direction changing groove 34 of the slide member 2 in addition to inserting the tongue piece 41 into the rolling groove of the track rail. It is conceivable to form slit end portions 44 in which the opening width of the slit portion 40 gradually narrows at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the four slit portions 40. FIG. 7 illustrates a state in which the slit end portion 44 lifts the ball 3 onto the retainer plate 4, and FIG. 7A illustrates a state in which the ball 3 is rolling on the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1. The partial drawing d shows a state in which the ball 3 is scooped up on the retainer plate 4, and the partial drawings b and c show the transition state from the partial drawing a to the partial drawing d in order. The slit end portion 44 is formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the slit portion 40 provided in the retainer plate 4, and in the slit end portion 44, the opening width of the slit portion 40 gradually becomes narrower, and finally The slit portion 40 is closed. Further, the retainer plate 4 is positioned on the track rail 1 side with respect to the equator of the ball 3 that rolls in the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1. Therefore, when the ball 3 rolls in the load straight groove 31 of the slide member 2 and reaches the slit end portion 44 of the retainer plate 4, the opening width of the slit portion 40 gradually becomes narrower. As shown in c, the ball 3 is gradually lifted from the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1 so as to be supported from both sides by the slit end portion 44, and finally the retainer plate 4 as shown in the partial diagram d. Get on. Thereby, the ball 3 is completely detached from the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1 and is introduced into the direction changing groove 34 of the slide member 2 covered with the retainer plate 4.

  In this way, the ball 3 sequentially rolls along the load linear groove 31, the direction changing groove 34, and the no-load linear groove 33 of the slide member 2. It is fed into the groove 31. That is, the ball 3 circulates in the track groove 30, and accordingly, the slide member 2 can continuously move without interruption while applying a load along the track rail 1.

  In such a rolling guide device of this embodiment, the track groove 30 is formed in the flange portion 21 of the slide member 2 and the retainer plate 4 for detaching the ball 3 from the rolling groove 10 of the track rail 1 is provided with the retainer plate 4. Since the ball 3 is mounted on the slide member 2 and circulates in the track groove 30 as the slide member 2 moves with respect to the track rail 1, the slide member 2 has an infinite circulation path. However, it is extremely simple. The track groove 30 can be easily formed by using a milling process or the like using an end mill for the slide member 2, and the depth of the load linear groove 31, the direction changing groove 34, and the no-load linear groove 33. The height can be adjusted with high accuracy by numerical control of the processing machine. Accordingly, the slide member 2 can be formed at a very low cost, and the number of processing steps for forming the ball infinite circulation path on the slide member 2 is extremely small, and the reliability of the slide member 2 with respect to the processing accuracy can be improved. It becomes possible.

  The slide member 2 may be formed by drawing a metal rod-like member to give the above-described channel shape. However, the slide member 2 may be formed into a channel shape by bending a flat metal plate. If the slide member 2 is formed from a metal plate in this way, the track groove 30 can be formed by drawing the metal plate. Thereby, the slide member 2 can be formed at a lower cost.

  Further, by covering the track groove 30 released toward the track rail 1 with the retainer plate 4, the ball rolling in the no-load rolling groove is separated from the track rail, and the relative movement speed with respect to the track rail 1 is extremely high. Since the fast unloaded ball is prevented from coming into contact with the track rail 1, it is possible to prevent the ball 3 from being worn at an early stage, and the ball 3 and the track rail 1 can be prevented from moving when the slide member 2 travels. It is possible to prevent the generation of contact sound.

  Furthermore, a seal member 5 is fixed to the retainer plate 4, and the slide member 2 having excellent sealing performance with respect to the track rail 1 can be obtained simply by fixing the retainer plate 4 to the slide member 2. This makes it possible to provide a rolling guide device having excellent dustproofness at low cost.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of the rolling guide apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is front sectional drawing of the rolling guide apparatus shown in FIG. It is an enlarged view which shows the track groove of the slide member in the rolling guide apparatus shown in FIG. It is an expanded sectional view which shows the mode of the movement of the ball | bowl in the direction change groove | channel of a track groove. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the assembly | attachment state of a slide member and a retainer plate. It is an expanded sectional view which shows a mode that a ball is scooped up from the rolling groove | channel of a track rail using the tongue piece formed in the retainer plate. It is explanatory drawing which shows the other structure which scoops up a ball from the rolling groove | channel of a track rail.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Track rail, 2 ... Slide member, 3 ... Ball, 4 ... Retainer plate, 10 ... Rolling groove, 30 ... Track groove, 31 ... Load straight groove, 32 ... Circulation groove, 33 ... Unloaded straight groove, 34 ... Direction change groove, 40 ... slit part

Claims (5)

It is composed of a track rail in which ball rolling grooves are formed along the longitudinal direction, and a slide member assembled to the track rail via a large number of balls,
The slide member has a lateral web facing the upper surface of the track rail and a pair of flange portions facing the side surface of the track rail and a receiving groove in which the track rail is loosely fitted.
On the inner surface of each flange portion facing the track rail, there is a load linear groove in which the ball rolls while applying a load between the rolling rail of the track rail, and there is no load formed in parallel with the load linear groove. A load linear groove, and a direction changing groove for guiding the ball from the end of the load linear groove to the end of the no-load linear groove, and a track groove for infinite circulation of the ball is formed,
A rolling guide device, wherein a retainer plate is coupled to the slide member for scooping a ball rolling in the rolling groove of the track rail from the rolling groove and receiving the ball in the direction changing groove.   The retainer plate covers the direction change groove and the no-load linear groove, and makes the ball and the rail which roll in the no-load state in the direction change groove and the no-load linear groove non-contact with each other. The rolling guide device according to claim 1.   The retainer plate is provided so as to cover the track groove, and has a slit portion for bringing a ball rolling in the load straight groove into contact with the rolling groove of the track rail. The rolling guide device described.   The seal member is fixed to both ends of the retainer plate in the moving direction of the slide member, and the seal member seals between the slide member and the retainer plate and between the retainer plate and the track rail. Rolling guide device.   The rolling according to claim 3, wherein the retainer plate is formed in a channel shape that fits into a receiving groove of the slide member, and the slit portion is formed at a position facing the flange portion of the slide member. Guide device.