JP5799736B2 - Linear guide - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a linear guide provided with a lubricant supply mechanism.

  Conventionally, a linear guide is known as a linear guide device that supports an object that moves linearly in a transfer device, a semiconductor manufacturing device, or the like with low friction. Examples of the linear guide include the following. That is, it comprises a guide rail and a slider loosely fitted across the guide rail so as to be relatively movable in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail, and the slider has a slider body and a head or a slider when the slider slides on the guide rail. End caps are provided at both ends of the tail, and a large number of rolling elements roll in a rolling path between the guide rail and the slider while circulating in the slider, thereby Smooth relative movement is realized.

  In such a linear guide, as a mechanism for supplying a lubricant to the rolling path of the rolling element, a pair of nipple holes are drilled for a grease nipple on the side surface of the end cap parallel to the guide rail. The oil supply passage is connected to an oil passage provided on the lower side of the oil passage through a short vertical connecting passage provided on the center line of the end cap, and the oil passage is connected to the oil passage. There are some which are opened at the direction change paths of the rolling elements provided on both sides of the guide rail, respectively (see Patent Document 1). Further, such a lubricant supply mechanism is provided with an oil passage opening / closing means, and the guide rail is provided with through-connecting holes for communicating the rolling paths arranged on both sides thereof, so that the rolling paths on both sides of the guide rail are provided. Even when a linear guide is installed so that one is on the upper side and the other is on the lower side, the oil path to the lower rolling path is blocked and lubricant is supplied to the upper rolling path. By doing so, there is one that can supply the lubricant to the lower rolling path through the through communication hole while preventing excessive supply of the lubricant to the lower rolling path (see Patent Document 2). ).

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-73518 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-43345

  However, in the lubricant supply mechanism according to Patent Document 1, when the linear guide is set so that one of the rolling paths on both sides of the guide rail is arranged on the upper side and the other on the lower side (wall-hanging posture), etc. When the oil is supplied from the oil supply port, the lubricant does not rise due to gravity, and a large amount of oil is supplied to the lower oil outlet. In the worst case, the upper rolling surface causes poor lubrication, resulting in damage. There is a fear. Moreover, in the lubricant supply mechanism according to Patent Document 2, there is a problem that it is necessary to process through holes that allow the rolling paths on both sides to communicate with the guide rail, which is troublesome.

  In view of such a problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a linear guide capable of appropriately supplying a lubricant to a rolling path regardless of the mounting posture.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention has a guide rail and a slider slidably straddled on the guide rail, and the slider rolls between the guide rail and the rolling element. A slider main body that forms a path, and end caps that are fixed in front and rear in the sliding direction of the slider main body and have curved paths that invert the rolling elements on both sides of the guide rail, respectively. In the linear guide formed with an inlet for injecting a lubricant, an oil passage connecting the inlet to the curved path, and a discharge outlet for discharging the lubricant from the oil path to each of the curved paths, the oil path Is a sub-path connected to the inlet, a pair of end communication paths extending from the vicinity of both ends of the sub-path, an intermediate communication path extending from a portion of the sub-path connecting the pair of end communication paths, The pair of end connecting passages and the middle A main path connected to the communication path, and the main path is connected to each of the pair of end connection paths, the pair of supply paths including the discharge port, the supply path and the intermediate connection path A portion of the supply path that is connected to the pair of supply paths in a different direction extending from the pair of supply paths, and the end connection path is connected to the supply path. Is a portion that connects the connection portion and the discharge port, except for a connection portion that connects the communication passage, and a portion of the communication passage that is connected to the intermediate communication path excludes the connection portion. A linear guide which is a part of the communication path connecting a supply path and has an opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the oil path so as to supply the lubricant from any one of the communication paths to the main path; provide.

  Preferably, the opening / closing mechanism is formed on a surface of the end cap body on the slider body side, and is loosely fitted between a groove portion constituting the oil passage, the end cap body and the slider body, and the end A substantially plate-like operation portion having a plurality of convex portions that project toward the cap body and partially open and close the oil passage, and a convex portion accommodation groove portion that accommodates the convex portion when the convex portion is retracted from the oil passage. And when the user operates the operation portion, any one of the plurality of convex portions is retracted from the oil passage and is accommodated in the protrusion accommodating groove portion, and the other protrusion portion. Is a mechanism for partially opening and closing the oil passage.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a linear guide capable of appropriately supplying a lubricant to a rolling path regardless of the mounting posture without having to provide a through hole for supplying the lubricant in the guide rail. Can do.

It is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the linear guide according to the first embodiment of the present application. It is the top view and sectional drawing which show the end cap of the linear guide which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this application. (A) It is the top view which looked at the end cap which removed the operation part from the slider main body side. (B) It is AA sectional drawing shown to (a). (C) It is BB sectional drawing shown to (a). (D) It is the top view which looked at the operation part from the slider main body side. (E) It is the side view which looked at the operation part shown to (d) from the right side toward drawing. In the linear guide which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this application, when the center connection path is open | released, it is a top view which shows the flow of the lubricant which flows through the inside of an end cap. In the linear guide which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this application, it is a top view which shows the flow of the lubricant which flows through the inside of an end cap when either the left or right connecting path is open | released. (A) The case where the left connection path is opened toward the drawing is shown. (B) The case where the right connection path is opened toward the drawing is shown. It is a top view which shows the flow of the lubricant which flows through an end cap when a linear guide is installed so that one of the rolling paths on both sides of the guide rail is disposed on the upper side and the other on the lower side. (A) The end cap which concerns on a prior art example is shown. (B) The end cap which concerns on embodiment of this application is shown. It is a top view which shows the end cap main body of the linear guide which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this application.

(First embodiment)
A linear guide according to a first embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a linear guide device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present application.

  The linear guide device 1 includes a guide rail 2 and a slider 3 that is loosely fitted over the guide rail 2 so as to be relatively movable in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 2. The guide rail 2 is made of metal, has a long and narrow rectangular column shape, and has a rail mounting hole 4 penetrating in the vertical direction, so that the guide rail or the like can be fixed to a table or the like. The guide rail 2 is provided with two rail-side rolling grooves 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d each having a substantially arc-shaped cross section on both side surfaces. Escape grooves 7a and 7b are formed at the bottoms of the rail-side rolling grooves 6b and 6d provided on the lower side. The slider 3 is made of a metal slider body 8, and synthetic resin end caps 9a and 9b which are detachably fixed to both ends of the head or rear when the slider slides on the guide rail 2. The synthetic resin side seals 10a and 10b screwed to the outer side, the grease nipple 11 screwed into the female screw portions penetrating from the side seals 10a and 10b to the end caps 9a and 9b, and the end cap 9a, The grease nipple 41 is attached to each side surface parallel to the guide rail 9b.

  The slider body 8 is formed of a body portion 12 and leg portions 13a and 13b extending downward from the lower surface so as to straddle the guide rail 2. A total of four slider-side rolling grooves facing the rail-side rolling grooves 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d are formed on the surfaces of the leg portions 13a and 13b facing the guide rail 2, respectively. The rail-side rolling grooves 6a to 6d constitute rolling paths 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d (only 14a shown) on which the ball 5 rolls. The rolling paths 14a to 14d are formed by the slider body 8 by arcuate curved paths 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e, 15f, 15g, and 15h (only 15a and 15b are shown) formed in the end caps 9a and 9b, respectively. Are connected to linear circulation paths 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d (only 16a is shown) parallel to the guide rails formed inside, respectively, which are respectively annular rings 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d (17a). , 17b only). A large number of balls 5 are accommodated in the annular passages 17a to 17d in a rollable manner. The upper rolling paths 14a and 14c constituting the annular paths 17a and 17c are provided with a frame type retainer 21 for preventing the balls 5 from dropping off, and the lower rolling paths constituting the annular paths 17b and 17d. 14b and 14d are provided with rod-type cages 18a and 18b (only 18a is shown) for preventing the ball 5 from dropping off. Both ends of the rod-shaped cages 18a and 18b are supported by the end caps 9a and 9b, respectively, and the other portions are accommodated in escape grooves 7a and 7b formed in the guide rail 2. In the end caps 9a and 9b, an oil passage 19 for lubricant is formed from the grease nipple 11 to the curved passages 15a to 15h. The side seals 10a and 10b are each formed with a seal lip 20 having a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the guide rail.

  Of the many balls 5 accommodated in the annular paths 17a and 17b, the balls 5 positioned on the rolling paths 14a to 14d support the slider 3 on the guide rail 2, and the guide rail 2 and the slider 3 move relative to each other. The guide rail 2 and the slider 3 are smoothly moved relative to each other. These balls 5 eventually enter into the end caps 9a and 9b, and are pushed by the succeeding balls 5 so that they are reversed by the curved paths 15a to 15h inside the end caps 9a and 9b, and the circulation paths 16a to It passes through 16d, enters the opposite end caps 9a, 9b, reverses again by the curved paths 15a-15h inside the end caps 9a, 9b, and returns to the rolling paths 14a-14d on the guide rail 2 side. Made.

  2A is a plan view in which the end cap 9a is removed from the slider main body 8, an operation portion 22 described later is removed from the end cap 9a, and the end cap main body 23 is viewed from the slider main body 8 side. The figure is shown. FIG. 2A shows a substantially inverted U-shaped end cap body 23 that constitutes most of the end cap 9a, and a curved path 15a through which the rolling elements are reversed, disposed between the end cap body 23 and the slider body 8. A curved path component 25a constituting the inner peripheral surface of the slider body 8 side of 15d, a curved path 15c where the rolling element is reversed, and a curved path component 25b constituting the inner peripheral surface of the slider body 8 side of 15d are shown. ing. The end cap 9b has the same configuration as the end cap 9a.

  The end cap body 23 has inlets 26a, 26b, and 26c for injecting a lubricant. The inlets 26a and 26c are bored inward from the left and right side surfaces of the end cap main body 23, and are not shown in the plan view viewed from the slider main body 8 side, and thus are indicated by broken lines. The injection port 26b is formed such that the upper center of the end cap body 23 faces from the back to the front in FIG. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the grease nipple 11 is attached to the inlet 26b, and the grease nipple 41 (only one is shown) is attached to the inlets 26a and 26c. Does not show the grease nipple.

  The end cap body 23 has grooves that form the inner peripheral surface on the side seal 10a side of the curved paths 15a to 15d in the left and right lower portions. A recess 27 that is recessed from the surface that contacts the slider body 8 is formed in the upper portion of the end cap body 23. The concave portion 27 is a portion that accommodates the operation portion 22 between the slider main body 8 and has a smooth bottom surface except for a groove portion such as a secondary passage and a main passage, which will be described later. It is slightly shallower than the thickness of 22. The planar shape of the concave portion 27 is formed in accordance with the shape of the operation portion 22, and knob groove portions 27 a, 27 b, 27 c that accommodate knob portions 28 a, 28 b, 28 c of the operation portion 22 described later are formed. The width in the vertical direction of FIG. 2A of the knob grooves 27a and 27c is substantially the same as the thickness of the knob portions 28a and 28c in the vertical direction of FIG. On the other hand, the width of the knob groove 27b in FIG. 2 (a) in the left-right direction is larger than the thickness of the knob portion 28b in FIG. 2 (d) in the left-right direction. To be able to.

  The end cap body 23 is formed with an oil passage 19 that communicates from the injection ports 26a to 26c to the discharge ports 32a to 32d formed in the curved path components 25a and 25b in order to supply the lubricant to the curved paths 15a to 15d. Has been. The oil path 19 includes a substantially inverted U-shaped sub-path 29 through which lubricating oil injected from the inlets 26a, 26b, and 26c first flows, and a communication path 30a extending inwardly from the lower side of both ends of the sub-path 29, 30c, a communication path 30b extending downward from the central portion of the sub-path 29, and a substantially inverted U-shaped main path 31 connected to the communication paths 30a, 30b, and 30c. The inlets 26a, 26c and the auxiliary passage 29 are connected by an oil passage formed in the depth direction of FIG. Discharge ports 32a to 32d penetrating in the depth direction of the drawing are formed in portions extending downward of the main path 31 corresponding to the curved paths 15a to 15d, respectively.

  In the end cap body 23, in the vicinity of both end portions of the sub-path 29, convex portion receiving grooves 33 a and 33 b for receiving the convex portions 34 a and 34 b of the operation portion 22 shown in FIGS. It is formed extending from the auxiliary passage 29. The vertical width of the convex portion receiving grooves 33a and 33b in FIG. 2A is substantially the same as the vertical width of the convex portions 34a and 34b of the operation portion 22 in FIG. As will be described later, the protrusions 34a and 34b have a width in the horizontal direction in FIG. 2 (d) that is substantially the same as twice the width in the horizontal direction of the groove portion extending in the vertical direction in FIG. When the operation unit 22 is arranged at the center of the end cap body 23, the right half of the convex portion 34a and the left half of the convex portion 34b are arranged so as to block the sub-path 29, respectively (see FIG. 3). . The convex portion receiving grooves 33a and 33b have a width in the horizontal direction in FIG. 2 (a) that is approximately twice the width in the horizontal direction in FIG. 2 (d) of the convex portions 34a and 34b. In the state of being arranged at the center of the main body 23, the width of each of the convex portions 34a, 34b has a width in the left-right direction that is substantially the same as the width in the left-right direction of the portion extending in the vertical direction in FIG. It arrange | positions so that space may be ensured (refer FIG. 3). Accordingly, if the operating portion 22 is slid from the center to the right as much as possible, the oil passage extending to the right side of the auxiliary passage 29 is opened, and if the operating portion 22 is slid to the left as much as possible, FIG. ) The left oil passage extending in the vertical direction will be opened.

  In the end cap body 23, a central convex portion receiving groove 36 is formed extending from the communication path 30b. The width in the vertical direction of FIG. 2A of the central convex portion receiving groove 36 is substantially the same as the vertical width of FIG. 2D of the central convex portion 37 of the operation portion 22 shown in FIG. The central convex portion receiving groove 36 extends from the communication path 30b to the same length on the left and right sides. The left and right dimensions of the central convex portion receiving groove 36 in the left and right directions of FIG. About twice the width. Note that the width in the left-right direction in FIG. 2A of the connecting path 30b is the same as the width in the left-right direction of the portion of the sub-path 29 extending in the vertical direction in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2D, the central convex portion 37 of the operation unit 22 has a gap penetrating vertically in the center, and the width in the left-right direction in FIG. Two protrusions having substantially the same width as the width in the left-right direction in FIG. 2A of the connecting path 30b are formed. Thereby, in the linear guide 1, when the operation part 22 is arrange | positioned in the center part of the slider main body 9a, when the communication path 30b is open | released and the operation part 22 is slid to the left or right direction to the maximum, The communication path 30b is cut off.

  FIG. 2B shows an AA cross section shown in FIG. The sub-path 29 and the portion of the main path 31 formed at the bottom of the recess 27 have the same depth, but the portions of the main path 31 formed in the curved path components 25a and 25b It is a shallower groove. Although not shown in FIG. 2 (b), the convex portion receiving grooves 33 a and 33 b and the central convex portion receiving groove 36 also have the same depth as the portion of the main path 31 formed in the auxiliary passage 29 and the concave portion 27. ing. In FIG. 2B, the left side of the end cap body 23 facing the drawing is the side facing the slider body 8. The surface on the end cap body 23 side of the slider body 8 is formed in a flat shape except for screw holes, circulation paths 16a to 16d, and the portion of the end cap body 23 that contacts the slider body 8 is also flat. Is formed. In FIG. 2B, cylindrical protrusions 35a and 35b protrude in a cylindrical shape from the left surface. Similarly, cylindrical protrusions 35c and 35d protrude in the curved paths 15c and 15d on the right side in FIG. 2A. The cylindrical protrusions 35a to 35d are portions that are inserted into the end portions of the circulation paths 16a to 16d when the end cap 9a is attached to the slider body 8. The diameters of the inner peripheral surfaces of the cylindrical protrusions 35a and 35b and the diameters of the inner peripheral surfaces of the circulation paths 16a to 16d are substantially the same, but the ends of the circulation paths 16a to 16d that receive the cylindrical protrusions 35a to 35d are The diameter is increased by the thickness of the cylindrical protrusions 35a and 35b.

  The main path 31 has a substantially inverted U shape that matches the shape of the end cap body 23, and is mainly formed in a groove shape on the surface of the recess 27 on the slider body 8 side and the curved path component 25a. ing. Of the main path 31, a portion formed in the concave portion 27 and a portion formed in the curved path component 25a are arranged on the lower side surface of the concave portion 27 shown in FIG. They are connected by the formed grooves. As described above, the oil passage 19 is formed in a groove shape in the end cap body 23. However, the operation portion 22 is accommodated in the recess 27 and attached to the slider body 8 as the end cap 9a. A tunnel-shaped oil passage 19 is formed by the groove portion, the surface of the operation portion 22 on the end cap body 23 side, and the surface of the slider body 8 on the end cap 9a side.

  FIG.2 (c) has shown the BB cross section shown to Fig.2 (a). The inlet 26b is a hole where a grease nipple is attached.

  FIG. 2D is a plan view of the operation unit 22 as viewed from the slider body 8 side. The operation unit 22 includes a rectangular operation unit main body 38, a bar-like knob part 28b extending upward from the center of the upper long side part, and a bar-like knob part extending left and right from the upper ends of the left and right short sides. 28a and 28c, protrusions 34a and 34b projecting from the left and right end portions in FIG. 2D on the end cap body 23 side surface of the operation section body 38 toward the end cap body 23, and the operation section body 38 It is formed from a central convex portion 37 projecting toward the end cap body 23 near the center. In FIG. 2D, the convex portions 34a and 34b and the central convex portion 37 are located on the back side of the operation portion main body 38 and are portions that do not appear in the plan view originally viewed from the slider main body 8 side. Therefore, it is shown in black.

  The operation unit main body 38 has a rectangular shape that is slightly smaller than the concave portion 27 formed in the end cap main body 23 in plan view. The knob portion 28 b has a length such that when the operation portion 22 is attached to the end cap body 23, the end portion is positioned on substantially the same plane as the upper surface of the end cap body 23. On the other hand, the knob portions 28a and 28c protrude from the side surfaces on both sides of the end cap body 23 when the operation portion 22 is attached to the center of the end cap body 23, and when the operation portion 22 is slid to the left or right as much as possible. In addition, one knob portion protrudes greatly, and the other knob portion has such a length as to be located on substantially the same plane as the side surface of the end cap body 23. That is, the knob portions 28a and 28c are portions that extend in the vertical direction of FIG. 2 (a) of the connecting path 30b and the auxiliary path 29 shown in FIG. 2 (a) when the operation portion 22 is arranged in the center of the end cap body 23. It has a length that projects from the side surface of the end cap body 23 by the same dimension as the width in the left-right direction.

  The central convex portion 37 is composed of two projecting portions arranged with a space having the same width as the width in the left-right direction in FIG. 2A of the connecting path 30b shown in FIG. Each protrusion has a width in the left-right direction that is substantially the same as the width in the left-right direction of the connecting path 30b shown in FIG. Therefore, in the state where the operation portion 22 is disposed at the center of the end cap body 23, the center protrusion 37 is accommodated in the left and right protrusions in the center protrusion receiving groove 36, and the operation portion 22 is set to either the left or the right. In the state of being slid for a limited time, one of the protrusions will block the communication path 30b.

  On the other hand, the convex portion 34a has a width in the left-right direction in FIG. 2 (d) that is about twice the width in the left-right direction of the portion extending in the vertical direction in FIG. 2 (a) of the sub-path 29 shown in FIG. In the state where the operation part 22 is arranged in the center of the end cap body 23, the right half of the convex part 34a is arranged at a position closing the sub-path 29, and the left end of the convex part 34a is It is located on the same plane as the left end. Similarly to the protrusion 34a, the convex portion 34b has a width in the left-right direction in FIG. 2 (d) that is approximately twice the width in the left-right direction of the oil passage extending in the vertical direction in FIG. In the state where the operation part 22 is arranged at the center of the end cap body 23, the left half of the convex part 34b is arranged at a position closing the sub-path 29, and the right end of the convex part 34b is substantially the same as the right end of the operation part main body 38. Located on the same plane. The end cap body 23, the curved path components 25a and 25b, and the operation unit 22 can all be molded from a synthetic resin.

  FIG. 2 (e) shows a side view of the operation unit 22 as viewed from the right side in FIG. 2 (d). The central convex portion 37 and the convex portions 34a and 34b both protrude from the surface of the operation portion main body 38 on the end cap main body 23 side by substantially the same dimensions as the depths of the grooves constituting the sub-path 29 and the communication path 30b.

  Next, a method for using the end cap 9a will be described. FIG. 3 shows the flow of the lubricant in a state where the operation unit 22 is arranged at the center of the end cap body 23. The outline of the operation unit 22 is indicated by a broken line, and the convex portions 34a and 34b and the central convex portion 37 are filled with black. In this state, the central connecting path 30b is open, and the vicinity of both ends of the sub-path 29 is blocked. Therefore, even if the lubricant is injected from any one of the inlets 26a, 26b, and 26c, the lubricant flows from the auxiliary passage 29 through the central connecting passage 30b to the main passage 31 and passes through the main passage 31. And discharged from the discharge ports 32a to 32d to the curved paths 15a to 15d, respectively. When the linear guide 1 is installed so that the rolling paths 14a and 14b and the rolling paths 14c and 14d on both sides of the guide rail 2 are horizontally arranged, the lubricant is thus connected to the central connecting path 30b. It is preferable to supply to the main path 31 through. As a result, the lubricant that has flowed into the main path 31 from the communication path 30b is distributed in substantially equal amounts to the left and right main paths 31, and is discharged from the discharge ports 32a to 32d to the curved paths 15a to 15d, respectively. 3 to 6, the curved path components 25a and 25b shown in FIG. 2A are omitted, and only the main path 31 formed in the curved path components 25a and 25b is shown.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view of the end cap 9a illustrating the flow of the lubricant when the operation unit 22 is slid. FIG. 4A shows a state in which the operation unit 22 is slid to the left as much as possible toward the drawing. The operation unit 22 can be slid by pinching and pulling the knobs 28a, 28b, and 28c. In this state, the portion extending in the vertical direction on the left side of FIG. 4A toward the drawing of the sub-path 29 is open, and the right side of FIG. The portion extending to is blocked. Therefore, even if the user injects the lubricant from any one of the inlets 26a, 26b, and 26c, the lubricant flows from the auxiliary passage 29 to the main passage 31 through the left connecting passage 30a, and the lubricant is mainly used. The liquid is discharged from the discharge ports 32a to 32d through the path 31 to the curved paths 15a to 15d, respectively. The user contacts the left side because the knob part 28a of the operation part protrudes greatly to the left side as viewed in the drawing, the knob part 28b moves to the left side, and the knob part 28c does not protrude. It can be recognized that the lubricant is supplied to the main path 31 through the path 30a.

  FIG. 4B shows a state in which the operation unit 22 is slid to the right as much as possible in the drawing. As in the case of sliding to the left side, the lubricant is supplied from the right connection path 30c to the main path 31, and the user can remove the lubricant from the right connection path 30c by the knob portions 28a, 28b, 28c. It can be recognized that it is supplied.

  FIG. 5A is a plan view of the end cap body 50 when the linear guide according to the conventional example is installed so that one of the rolling paths on both sides of the guide rail is arranged on the upper side and the other on the lower side. Show. In the linear guide according to the conventional example, as the supply path for supplying the lubricant from the auxiliary path 52 to the main path 53, only the connecting path 51 disposed in the center of the end cap is provided, and therefore, as shown in FIG. Even when the linear guide is installed such that one of the rolling paths is disposed on the upper side and the other is disposed on the lower side, the lubricant can only be supplied to the main path 53 through the communication path 51. Then, in the main path 53, the oil path located above the connecting path 51 is less likely to be supplied with lubricant due to the influence of gravity, and conversely, the oil path positioned below the connecting path 51 The lubricant is excessively supplied due to the influence of gravity. Therefore, it is not possible to efficiently supply the lubricant properly distributed, and there is a risk that lubrication failure may occur in the rolling path located on the upper side.

  On the other hand, according to the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), by sliding the operation unit 22 upward, the lubricant is passed through the connecting path 30a disposed on the upper side to the main path 31. Can be supplied. Since the operation portion main body 38 has a thickness slightly thicker than the depth of the concave portion 27, the operation portion 22 is sandwiched between the bottom surface of the concave portion 27 and the end surface of the slider main body 8 and is supported by friction. The lubricant that has passed through the communication path 30a is distributed to the left and right in the main path 31 in substantially the same amount, and is approximately divided into the curved paths 15a and 15b disposed on the upper side and the curved paths 15c and 15d disposed on the lower side. The same amount of lubricant is supplied. The supply amount to the curved paths 15a to 15d can be adjusted by changing the size of the openings of the discharge ports 32a to 32d. The inlet for injecting the lubricant may be any of the inlets 26a, 26b or 26c. Even when the lubricant is injected from the inlet 26b or 26c at a position lower than the communication path 30a, since the communication paths 30b and 30c are blocked, if the sub-path 29 is filled with the lubricant, the sub-path The lubricant is supplied from the communication path 30a to the main path 31 through the upper oil path.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a linear guide according to a second embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an end cap body 60 of the linear guide according to the second embodiment. The configuration of the linear guide according to the second embodiment is basically the same as the configuration of the linear guide according to the first embodiment. However, in the means for opening and closing the oil passage at a desired position, the first embodiment Different from form. That is, in the second embodiment, stop plugs 61a and 61c for opening and closing the oil passage are provided in the vicinity of the end portion of the sub-path 62, and the connecting path connecting the center section of the sub-path and the center section of the main path is provided. In addition, a stopper plug 61b for opening and closing the oil passage is provided, and there is no portion corresponding to the operation portion 22 or the concave portion 27 of the first embodiment.

  The stoppers 61a, 61b, 61c are fitted into stopper holes provided through the end cap body 60 and the side seals (see reference numerals 10a, 10b in FIG. 1), respectively, and protrude from the side seals. The oil passage can be shut off by pushing in the knobs of the stoppers 61a to 61c, and the oil passage can be opened by pulling out a part of the oil passage. Thereby, also in the second embodiment, it is possible to select a communication path for supplying the lubricant from the auxiliary path 62 to the main path 63 according to the mounting posture of the linear guide. FIG. 6 shows the flow of the lubricant when the central stopper 61b is opened and the left and right stoppers 61a and 61c are blocked.

  As described above, according to the present invention, there is no need to provide a through hole for supplying the lubricant in the guide rail, and the linear that can appropriately supply the lubricant to the rolling path regardless of the mounting posture. A guide can be provided.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Linear guide apparatus 2 Guide rail 3 Slider 4 Guide rail mounting hole 5 Ball | bowl 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d Rail side rolling groove 7a, 7b Escape groove 8 Slider main body 9a, 9b End cap 10a, 10b Side seal 11, 41 grease Nipple 12 Body portion 13a, 13b Leg portion 14a Rolling path 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d Curved path 16a Circulating path 17a, 17b Annular path 18a Rod type holder 19 Oil path 20 Seal lip 21 Frame type holders 23, 50, 60 End cap body 25a, 25b Curved path component 26a, 26b, 26c Inlet 27a, 27b, 27c Knob groove 28a, 28b, 28c Knob portion 29, 52, 62 Subway 30a, 30b, 30c, 51 Connecting path 31 , 53, 63 Main passages 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d Discharge ports 33a, 33b Part receiving grooves 34a, 34b protruding portions 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d cylindrical protrusion 36 central convex portion housing groove 37 central protruding portion 38 operating portion main body 61a, 61b, 61c stopcock

Claims (2)

A guide rail,
A slider slidably straddled on the guide rail,
The slider is fixed to a slider main body that forms a rolling path of the rolling element between the slider and the guide rail, and is fixed to the front and rear of the sliding direction of the slider main body, and the rolling element is inverted on both sides of the guide rail. An end cap having a curved path,
A linear guide in which an inlet for injecting lubricant, an oil passage connecting the inlet to the curved path, and an outlet for discharging the lubricant from the oil path to each of the curved paths are formed in the end cap. In
The oil passage includes a subway connected to the inlet, a pair of end connecting passages extending from the vicinity of both ends of the subway, and an intermediate connection extending from a portion of the subway connecting the pair of end connecting passages. And a main path connected to the pair of end connection paths and the intermediate connection path,
The main path is connected to each of the pair of end connection paths, is connected to the pair of supply paths including the discharge port, the supply path and the intermediate connection path, and extends in a different direction from the pair of supply paths. And a communication passage communicating the pair of supply paths,
The part of the supply path that is connected to the end communication path is a part that connects the connection part and the discharge port, excluding the connection part that connects the supply path and the communication path.
The portion of the communication path to which the intermediate communication path is connected is the portion of the communication path that connects the pair of supply paths, excluding the connection portion.
A linear guide comprising an opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the oil passage so as to supply the lubricant from any one of the communication passages to the main passage. The opening and closing mechanism is
A groove portion formed on the slider body side surface of the end cap body, and constituting the oil passage;
A substantially plate-like operation section that is loosely fitted between the end cap body and the slider body, and has a plurality of protrusions that project toward the end cap body and partially open and close the oil passage;
A convex housing groove that houses the convex when the convex is retracted from the oil passage;
When the user operates the operation portion, any one of the plurality of convex portions is retracted from the oil passage and is accommodated in the protrusion accommodating groove portion, and the other protrusion portion partially covers the oil passage. The linear guide according to claim 1, wherein the linear guide is a mechanism that opens and closes automatically.

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