JP5023800B2 - Linear motion guidance device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a linear motion guide device used in various industrial machines.

  Conventionally, in a linear motion guide device, in order to form a circulation passage of a rolling element that rolls between the outer rolling groove of the guide rail and the inner rolling groove of the slider, the return passage of the rolling element in the main body of the slider Perforated. Further, the end cap attached to the end of the slider body is formed with a direction changing path for changing the direction of the rolling element from between the two rolling grooves to the return path.

  By the way, in order to realize the weight reduction of the linear motion guide device and the smooth motion performance of the rolling element in the return passage in the slider body, the resin frame having the return passage is disposed outside the metal slider body. In addition, a linear motion guide device 100 (see FIG. 4) is proposed in which an end cap is attached to an end portion of the slider of the frame body in the sliding direction to form a circulation passage of the rolling element.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the linear motion guide device 100 includes a guide rail 11 extending in the axial direction, and a slider 12 having a U-shaped cross section straddling the guide rail 11 so as to be relatively movable in the axial direction. Prepare.

  Outer rolling grooves 13 extending in the axial direction are formed on both outer side surfaces of the guide rail 11, and both inner side surfaces of the slider 12 are opposed to the outer rolling grooves 13 as shown in FIG. An inner rolling groove 14 is formed. Between the rolling grooves 13 and 14, a plurality of rolling elements 15 are slidably loaded, and the slider 12 is axially moved on the guide rail 11 through the rolling of the plurality of rolling elements 15. It is possible to move relative to each other.

  The slider 12 includes a metal slider body 12A in which inner rolling grooves 14 are formed on both inner side surfaces having a U-shaped cross section, a resin frame body 16 in which the slider body 12A is fitted in the frame, The frame body 16 includes end caps 17 provided at both ends in the sliding direction of the slider 12 and side seals 18 provided outside the end cap 17 in the axial direction.

  The frame 16 is, for example, an injection-molded resin molded product. As shown in FIG. 5, a pair of frame portions 19 arranged in parallel to each other and a pair of both ends of the pair of frame portions 19 are connected. The frame portion 20 is formed into a rectangular frame shape. The pair of frame portions 19 is shorter than the pair of frame portions 20, and a return passage 21 for forming a circulation passage of a plurality of rolling elements 15 that rolls between the rolling grooves 13 and 14 inside. Is formed penetrating in the axial direction.

  The end cap 17 has a direction change path 22 for communicating between the rolling grooves 13 and 14 and the return path 21 to change the direction of the plurality of rolling elements 15 from between the rolling grooves 13 and 14 to the return path 21. It is formed.

  The end cap 17 is fixed to the frame body 16 and the slider main body 12A through fixing means such as a screw 23 together with the side seal 18. As a result, the outer rolling groove 13 of the guide rail 11, the inner rolling groove 14 of the slider body 12 </ b> A, the return passage 21 of the frame body 16, and the direction changing path 22 of the end cap 17 communicate with each other, and a plurality of rolling bodies 15. A circulation passage for circulating the gas is formed.

  However, in the above-described linear motion guide device 100, if the resin part is damaged or misaligned due to the peripheral surface of the resin part such as the frame 16 having a large surface area and a peripheral object coming into contact with the fragile resin part, the slider Smooth movement of the plurality of rolling elements 15 that circulate in the circulation passages in 12 is hindered.

  Under such circumstances, conventionally, a protective wall is provided on the outer surface of the resin end cap to prevent a peripheral object from directly colliding with the outer surface of the end cap. A linear motion guide device has been proposed that ensures a smooth motion (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 9-42283 A

  However, in the linear motion guide device described in Patent Document 1, when a resin component other than the end cap collides with a peripheral object and the resin component is damaged or misaligned, the circulation path in the resin component is provided. The smooth movement of a plurality of circulating rolling elements is hindered, which may cause malfunction of the apparatus. Further, in a linear motion guide device used for medical purposes, there is a possibility that chemicals may adhere to the resin part and damage the resin part.

  The present invention has been made to eliminate such inconveniences, and its purpose is to protect resin parts from external impacts and to avoid chemicals and the like from adhering to resin parts. Another object of the present invention is to provide a linear motion guide device that can ensure smooth motion of rolling elements in a circulation passage.

The above object of the present invention includes a draft in the rail, and a slider provided slidably through a plurality of rolling elements guide rail, the slider comprises a slider body, a pair of frame portions within the frame And a resin-made end cap provided at an end portion of the slider in the sliding direction of the slider, the guide rail, the slider body, the frame, and the end. A linear motion guide device that forms a circulation passage through which a rolling element is circulated by a cap, and a protective cover of a metal plate and a pair of protective plates covering the outer surface are provided on the outer surface of the frame body and the end cap . A pair of side plates and a pair of connecting plates for connecting both ends of the pair of side plates, each of the pair of protective plates is a plate-like member having a length substantially the same as the axial length of the slider. Ri, together with the screw holes in the slider body is formed with a plurality, screw insertion holes are formed at positions corresponding to screw holes in each protective cover and a pair of protective plates, each protective cover and a pair of protective plates, Screws are respectively inserted into the screw insertion holes in a state where they are aligned with the sliders, and the screws are respectively fastened to the screw holes through the spacers, so that a gap is formed between the outer surface and the protective cover and the pair of protective plates. is fixed to the provided in the slider respectively, thereby, the pair of side plates of the protective cover, the outer surface of the outer surface and the end cap of the pair of frame portions of the frame body cover through the gap, a pair of coupling plates of the protective cover Covers the upper surface of the pair of frame portions of the frame body and the upper surface of the end cap through a gap, and the pair of protective plates includes a pair of frames of the frame body. Achieved by linear guide apparatus, wherein a lower surface of the lower surface and the end cap over arm portions respectively cover over the gaps.

According to the linear motion guide device of the present invention, the resin component is placed on the outer surface of the resin component including the frame body so as to provide a protective cover for the metal plate and a pair of protective plates, which are protective members covering the outer surface. It is possible to prevent the chemicals from adhering to the resin parts. Thereby, since the smooth motion of the rolling element in a circulation channel is securable, the favorable operation | movement of an apparatus can be ensured.
Further, according to the linear motion guide device of the present invention, the pair of side plates of the protective cover covers the outer surface of the pair of frame portions of the frame body and the outer surface of the end cap via the gap, and the pair of protective covers is connected. The plate covers the upper surface of the pair of frame portions of the frame body and the upper surface of the end cap via a gap, and the pair of protective plates covers the lower surface of the pair of frame portions of the frame body and the lower surface of the end cap via the gap. Cover each. For this reason, even if an external impact acts on the protective member, the impact force is absorbed by the gap and does not act on the frame or the end cap, so that the durability of the slider can be improved. .

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a linear guide apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The basic structure of the linear motion guide device of the present embodiment is the same as that of the conventional linear motion guide device 100 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and therefore illustrations and explanations regarding the same parts as the conventional structure are omitted or simplified. Hereinafter, the description will focus on the features of the present embodiment.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view for explaining an embodiment of a linear motion guide device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a protective member is attached to the outer surface of a resin part of a slider, and FIG. It is an AA sectional view taken on the line.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the linear guide device 10 of the present embodiment includes a protective cover (protective member) 30 that covers the outer surfaces of the resin frame 16 and the resin end cap 17 that constitute the slider 12. And protective plates (protective members) 40, 40. Further, the protective cover 30 and the protective plates 40, 40 are formed of a metal plate or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the protective cover 30 is formed by connecting a pair of side plates 31 covering the outer surface of the pair of frame portions 20 of the frame 16 and the outer surface of the end cap 17, and both ends of the pair of side plates 31. And a pair of connecting plates 32 covering the upper surface of the pair of frame portions 19 and the upper surface of the end cap 17.

  Further, screw holes 24 and 24 are formed in both sides of the slider body 12A in the width direction so as to be spaced apart from each other in the axial direction (sliding direction) of the slider 12, and the pair of side plates 31 of the protective cover 30 have Screw insertion holes 33 and 33 are formed at positions corresponding to the screw holes 24 and 24, respectively.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the protective cover 30 is inserted into the screw insertion holes 33 of the pair of side plates 31 with the slider 12 covered from above, and the screws 25 are attached to the spacers 26. And is fixed to the slider 12 by fastening to the screw hole 24 of the slider body 12A. Accordingly, the pair of side plates 31 of the protective cover 30 covers the outer surface of the pair of frame portions 20 of the frame body 16 and the outer surface of the end cap 17 via the gap S1, and the pair of connection plates 32 is paired with the pair of connection plates 32. It is configured to cover the upper surface of the frame portion 19 and the upper surface of the end cap 17.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the protection plate 40 is a plate-like member having a length substantially the same as the axial length of the slider 12, and the lower surface of the frame portion 20 of the frame body 16 and the end cap 17. It covers the lower surface. In addition, screw holes 27 and 27 are formed on the lower surfaces of the slider body 12A on both sides in the width direction so as to be separated from each other in the axial direction (sliding direction) of the slider 12, and the protection plate 40 has screw holes 27 and 27, respectively. The screw insertion holes 41 and 41 are formed at positions corresponding to 27 respectively.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the protective plate 40 is arranged below the slider 12, and a screw 28 is inserted into the screw insertion hole 41, and the screw 28 is inserted into the slider main body via the spacer 29. It is fixed to the slider 12 by being fastened to the screw hole 27 of 12A. Thereby, the protection plate 40 is configured to cover the lower surface of the frame portion 20 of the frame body 16 and the lower surface of the end cap 17 via the gap S2.

  As described above, according to the linear motion guide device 10 of the present embodiment, the protective cover 30 and the protective plates 40, 40 that cover the outer surfaces of the resin frame 16 and the resin end cap 17 constituting the slider 12. Therefore, the frame body 16 and the end cap 17 can be protected from external impacts, and chemicals and the like can be prevented from adhering to the frame body 16 and the end cap 17. Thereby, since the smooth motion of the rolling element 15 in the circulation path in the slider 12 can be ensured, the favorable operation | movement of the apparatus 10 is securable.

  Further, according to the linear motion guide device 10 of the present embodiment, the gap S <b> 1 is formed between the pair of side plates 31 of the protective cover 30 and the outer surface of the pair of frame portions 20 of the frame body 16 and the outer surface of the end cap 17. The gap S2 is provided between the lower surface of the protective plate 40 and the pair of frame portions 20 of the frame body 16 and the lower surface of the end cap 17 in the width direction. Even if an external impact is applied to 40, this impact force is absorbed by the gap S <b> 1 or the gap S <b> 2 and does not act on the frame body 16 or the end cap 17, thereby improving the durability of the slider 12. be able to.

In addition, this invention is not limited to what was illustrated to the said embodiment, In the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention, it can change suitably.
For example, in the above embodiment, the gaps S1 and S2 are formed between the outer surface of the frame body 16 and the end cap 17 and the side plate 31 of the protective cover 30, and between the lower surface of the frame body 16 and the end cap 17 and the protective plate 40. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the frame 16 and the end cap 17, the protective cover 30 and the protective plate 40 are brought into close contact with each other to reliably prevent entry of chemicals and the like. In addition, an elastic sheet or the like is interposed between the outer surface of the frame body 16 and the end cap 17 and the side plate 31 of the protective cover 30, and between the lower surface of the frame body 16 and the end cap 17 and the protective plate 40, respectively. It is also possible to absorb the impact force from the outside.
Further, when protection of the lower surface of the frame portion 20 and the lower surface of the end cap 17 is not required, the protective plate 40 and the screw hole 27, screw 28, spacer 29, etc. for attaching the protective plate 40 may be omitted.
Furthermore, in the said embodiment, although the case where this invention was applied to the linear motion guide apparatus using a ball as a rolling element was illustrated, it is not limited to this, This invention is applied to the linear motion guide apparatus using a roller as a rolling element. May be applied.

It is a disassembled perspective view for demonstrating one Embodiment of the linear guide apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state which attached the protection member to the outer surface of the resin component of a slider. It is the sectional view on the AA line of FIG. It is a partially cutaway perspective view for demonstrating the conventional linear motion guide apparatus. It is a disassembled perspective view of the slider of the linear guide apparatus shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Linear motion guide device 11 Guide rail 12 Slider 12A Slider main body 13 Outer rolling groove 14 Inner rolling groove 15 Rolling body 16 Frame body 17 End cap 18 Side seal 19 Frame part 20 Frame part 21 Return path 22 Direction change path 24 Screw Hole 25 Screw 26 Spacer 27 Screw hole 28 Screw 29 Spacer 30 Protective cover (protective member)
31 Side plate 32 Connecting plate 33 Screw insertion hole 40 Protection plate (protection member)
41 Screw insertion hole S1 gap S2 gap

Claims (1)

A guide rail and a slider that is slidably provided on the guide rail via a plurality of rolling elements. The slider has a slider body and a pair of frame portions, and the slider body is fitted in the frame. has a resin frame member is engaged, and the resin of the end cap provided at the end of the sliding direction of the slider of the frame body, wherein the guide rail, the slider body, the frame body, and the A linear motion guide device that forms a circulation passage through which the rolling elements are circulated by an end cap,
Provided on the outer surface of the frame and the end cap are a metal plate protective cover and a pair of protective plates covering the outer surface,
The protective cover includes a pair of side plates and a pair of connecting plates that connect both end portions of the pair of side plates,
Each of the pair of protection plates is a plate-like member having a length substantially the same as the axial length of the slider,
A plurality of screw holes are formed in the slider body, and screw insertion holes are respectively formed at positions corresponding to the screw holes in the protective cover and the pair of protective plates ,
Each of the protective cover and the pair of protective plates is screwed into the screw insertion hole in a state of being aligned with the slider, and the screw is fastened to the screw hole via a spacer, respectively. an outer surface, wherein the protective cover and the pair of protective plates, a gap between the fixed to the slider respectively provided,
Thereby, the pair of side plates of the protective cover covers the outer surface of the pair of frame portions and the outer surface of the end cap through the gap, and the pair of connecting plates of the protective cover includes: The upper surface of the pair of frame portions and the upper surface of the end cap of the frame body are covered with a gap, and the pair of protective plates cover the lower surface of the pair of frame portions and the lower surface of the end cap of the frame body. A linear motion guide device characterized by covering each via a gap .

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