JP5919642B2 - Cooling structure of linear guide device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooling structure for a linear guide device.

  A conventional linear guide device has a guide rail having a rolling element rolling groove extending in the axial direction on the outer surface, a rolling element rolling groove facing the rolling element rolling groove of the guide rail, and is relatively movable in the axial direction. And a plurality of rolling elements arranged in a freely rolling manner in a rolling element rolling path formed between the rolling element rolling groove of the guide rail and the rolling element rolling groove of the slider. And a slider is movable in the axial direction along the guide rail through rolling of the rolling element in the rolling element rolling path.

In such a linear guide device, heat is generated by rolling of the rolling elements in the rolling element rolling path, so that there is a possibility that the slider and the guide rail are deformed by this heat and the accuracy is lowered. In particular, a linear guide device that is driven under high speed and high load conditions has a large amount of heat generation, and thus there is a need to sufficiently consider thermal deformation.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228688 discloses a linear guide device that takes measures against heat generation as described above. When the heat generated by the slider propagates to the table joined to the upper surface of the slider, the table is locally heated and the thermal balance is lost and deformed, and the machining accuracy cannot be maintained by this deformation. In order to prevent heat from being transferred from the slider to the table, a heat insulating layer made of a layer through which a coolant flows is provided inside the slider and between the rolling element and the slider upper surface.

International Publication WO2005 / 077597 Pamphlet

  However, in the linear guide device of Patent Document 1, the coolant is introduced into a table or a spacer interposed between the table and the slider, and is sent to the slider via the table or the spacer. Yes. Therefore, the joint portion between the upper surface of the slider and the table or the spacer needs to have a sealed structure so that the coolant does not leak. As described above, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to provide not only the slider but also the table or the spacer with a flow path and a seal through which the coolant flows.

In general, a machine manufacturer designs and manufactures a machine base and a table, installs a linear guide device purchased from a parts manufacturer on the machine base, and attaches the table to a slider of the linear guide device. Therefore, in order to provide a flow path and a seal through which the coolant flows in the slider and the table or the spacer, it is necessary to perform an additional design without impairing the functions of both, and there is a problem that the design becomes complicated. . Further, since the purchased linear guide device must be post-processed, the efficiency of the installation work of the linear guide device was not good.
Therefore, the present invention solves the problems of the prior art as described above, does not require an additional design for installing the linear guide device, and has a good linear guide device installation work efficiency. It is an object to provide a cooling structure for an apparatus.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an aspect of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a cooling structure for a linear guide device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a guide rail having a rolling element raceway surface extending in the axial direction, a rolling element raceway surface facing the rolling element raceway surface of the guide rail, and a shaft. A slider mounted on the guide rail so as to be relatively movable in a direction, a rolling element raceway surface of the guide rail, and a rolling element rolling path formed between the rolling element raceway surface of the slider. A cooling path through which a cooling fluid that absorbs heat generated by rolling of the rolling elements in the rolling element rolling path flows in the slider of the linear guide device including a plurality of rolling elements, and the cooling path An inlet for introducing the cooling fluid and an outlet for discharging the cooling fluid from the cooling path, and a cooling fluid introducing means for sending the cooling fluid to the inlet is directly connected to the inlet. This The features.

In such a cooling structure for a linear guide device according to one aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the cooling path be arranged in parallel to the rolling element rolling path. The cooling path may be formed by closing both ends of a through hole penetrating the slider in the axial direction with a closing member.
In the cooling structure of the linear guide device according to one aspect of the present invention as described above, the cooling path may be arranged so as to be perpendicular to the rolling element rolling path. The cooling path may be a through hole that penetrates the slider in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction.

  The cooling structure of the linear guide device according to the present invention includes a cooling path through which a cooling fluid that absorbs heat generated by rolling of the rolling elements in the rolling element rolling path, and an inlet that introduces the cooling fluid into the cooling path. In addition, since the slider is provided with a discharge port for discharging the cooling fluid from the cooling path, and the cooling fluid introduction means for sending the cooling fluid to the introduction port is directly connected to the introduction port, an additional design for installing the linear guide device is possible. This is unnecessary and the efficiency of the installation work of the linear guide device is good.

It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the linear guide apparatus of 1st embodiment. It is the front view which looked at the linear guide apparatus of FIG. 1 from the axial direction. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is the top view which cut | disconnected and showed the principal part explaining the cooling path of the linear guide apparatus of 1st embodiment. It is a side view explaining the cooling path of the linear guide apparatus of 1st embodiment. It is BB sectional drawing of the linear guide apparatus of FIG. It is the top view which cut | disconnected and showed the principal part explaining the cooling path of the linear guide apparatus of 2nd embodiment. It is a side view explaining the cooling path of the linear guide apparatus of 2nd embodiment. It is CC sectional drawing of the linear guide apparatus of FIG. It is a top view explaining the cooling path of the linear guide apparatus of 3rd embodiment. It is a side view explaining the cooling path of the linear guide apparatus of 3rd embodiment. It is DD sectional drawing of the linear guide apparatus of FIG.

An embodiment of a cooling structure for a linear guide device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of the linear guide device of the first embodiment. 2 is a front view of the linear guide device of FIG. 1 viewed from the axial direction (note that the end cap is omitted), and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. is there. In the following drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  On a substantially square guide rail 1 extending in the axial direction, a slider 2 having a substantially U-shaped cross section is assembled so as to be relatively movable in the axial direction. In addition, the said cross-sectional shape means the shape of a cross section at the time of cut | disconnecting by the plane orthogonal to an axial direction. On the ridge line portion where the upper surface 1b of the guide rail 1 and the left and right side surfaces 1a, 1a intersect, a rolling element rolling groove formed of a concave groove having a substantially arc-shaped cross section extending in the axial direction (constituent requirements of the present invention). 10 and 10 corresponding to rolling element raceway surfaces are formed, and at the intermediate positions in the vertical direction of the left and right side surfaces 1a and 1a of the guide rail 1, a substantially ½ arc shape (half-section) extending in the axial direction is formed. The rolling element rolling grooves 10 and 10 are formed of circular grooves.

  The slider 2 includes a slider body 2A and end caps 2B and 2B that are detachably attached to both end portions in the axial direction. Further, both end portions in the axial direction of the slider 2 (each end cap 2B). The seal members 5 and 5 are attached to the end surface of the gap between the guide rail 1 and the slider 2 so as to seal the opening in the axial direction. The seal members 5 and 5 prevent entry of foreign matter from the outside into the gap and outflow of lubricant from the gap to the outside.

Further, at the corners of the inner side surfaces of the left and right sleeve portions 6 and 6 of the slider body 2A and the central portion in the vertical direction, the cross section of the guide rail 1 facing the rolling element rolling grooves 10, 10, 10, 10 is approximately 1 /. Two arc-shaped (semi-circular) rolling element rolling grooves 11, 11, 11, 11 (corresponding to the rolling element raceway surface which is a constituent element of the present invention) are formed. And between the rolling element rolling grooves 10, 10, 10, 10 of the guide rail 1 and the rolling element rolling grooves 11, 11, 11, 11 of the slider 2, the rolling element rolling path 14, having a substantially circular cross section, 14, 14 and 14 are formed, and these rolling element rolling paths 14 extend in the axial direction. The number of rolling element rolling grooves 10 and 11 provided in the guide rail 1 and the slider 2 is not limited to two rows on one side, and may be one row on one side or three rows or more, for example.
Furthermore, the slider 2 has a first return path 13 extending in the axial direction substantially parallel to the rolling element rolling path 14 at the upper and lower portions of the thick portions of the left and right sleeve portions 6 and 6 of the slider body 2A. 13, 13, 13 (for example, a straight path including a hole penetrating the slider body 2 </ b> A in the axial direction).

  On the other hand, the end cap 2B is made of, for example, an injection molded product of a resin material, and has a substantially U-shaped cross section. As shown in FIG. 3, the end caps 2 </ b> B and 2 </ b> B communicate a rolling element rolling path 14 and a first return path 13 substantially parallel to the rolling element rolling path 14 on the left and right sides of the contact surface (back surface) with the slider body 2 </ b> A. A second return path 15 having a curved shape (for example, a half donut shape) is provided.

  The first return path 13 and the second return paths 15 and 15 at both ends constitute a rolling element return path 16 that feeds and circulates the rolling element 3 from the end point of the rolling element rolling path 14 to the starting point. The return path 16 and the rolling element rolling path 14 form a substantially annular rolling element circulation path. In this rolling element circulation path, a large number of rolling elements 3 made of, for example, steel balls are slidably loaded, and the slider 2 is pivoted along the guide rail 1 through the rolling of these rolling elements 3. It is designed to move in the direction.

  When the slider 2 assembled to the guide rail 1 is moved in the axial direction along the guide rail 1, the rolling element 3 loaded in the rolling element rolling path 14 rolls in the rolling element rolling path 14. However, it moves in the same direction as the slider 2 with respect to the guide rail 1. When the rolling element 3 reaches the end point of the rolling element rolling path 14, the rolling element 3 is scooped up from the rolling element rolling path 14 by the tongue 17 provided in the end cap 2 </ b> B and sent to the second return path 15. The rolling element 3 having entered the second return path 15 makes a U-turn and is introduced into the first return path 13, and reaches the second return path 15 on the opposite side through the first return path 13. Here, the U-turn is performed again to return to the starting point of the rolling element rolling path 14, and such circulation in the rolling element circulation path is repeated infinitely.

  Next, the cooling path 20 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a plan view for explaining the cooling path 20 of the linear guide device of the first embodiment, and shows only a peripheral portion of the cooling path 20 in the slider body 2A. FIG. 5 is a side view for explaining the cooling path 20 of the linear guide device of the first embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of the linear guide device of FIG.

  The slider main body 2A of the linear guide device is provided with a cooling path 20 through which a cooling fluid (not shown) that absorbs heat generated by rolling of the rolling element 3 in the rolling element rolling path 14 flows. The cooling path 20 is formed by closing both ends of a through-hole penetrating the slider body 2 </ b> A in the axial direction with a closing member, and in the vicinity of the rolling element rolling paths 14, 14 in parallel with the rolling element rolling paths 14, 14. It extends. In the present embodiment, the cooling paths 20 are respectively provided in the central portions in the vertical direction of the thick portions of the left and right sleeve portions 6 and 6 of the slider body 2A.

  Further, as the closing member, a fixing component (screw 8 in this embodiment) for fixing the seal member 5 and the end cap 2B to the slider body 2A is used. That is, the tip portion of the screw 8 that fixes the seal member 5 and the end cap 2B to the slider main body 2A is inserted into the through hole and closes the end of the through hole. A fixing component for fixing the seal member 5 and the end cap 2B to the slider body 2A may be used as a closing member. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the end portion of the through hole is not limited thereto. A dedicated closing member for closing the door may be used.

  An inlet 21 for introducing a cooling fluid into the cooling path 20 is provided at one end of the cooling path 20 or in the vicinity thereof, and the cooling fluid is discharged from the cooling path 20 at the other end or in the vicinity thereof. A discharge port 22 is provided. That is, a passage that opens on the outer surface of the sleeve portion 6 of the slider body 2A and communicates with the cooling passage 20 is provided, and this passage constitutes the introduction port 21 and the discharge port 22.

  The inlet 21 is directly connected to a pipe of a pump (not shown) that sends out the cooling fluid (corresponding to the cooling fluid introduction means that is a constituent of the present invention), and the cooling fluid is directly supplied from the pump to the inlet 21. It is supposed to be sent. The cooling fluid introduced into the introduction port 21 reaches the cooling path 20, passes through the cooling path 20, and is discharged from the discharge port 22 to the outside of the slider 2. The cooling fluid discharged from the discharge port 22 is preferably returned to the pump for circulation. However, if sufficient cooling fluid to be sent to the cooling path 20 can be secured, it may be discharged to the surrounding environment of the linear guide device. Absent.

  Since the cooling fluid flowing in the cooling path 20 absorbs the heat generated by the rolling of the rolling elements 3 in the rolling element rolling path 14, the slider 2 and the guide rail 1 are deformed by the heat and the accuracy may be reduced. There is almost no. Therefore, the linear guide device of the present embodiment can maintain the initial accuracy. In particular, the linear guide device driven under high speed and high load conditions generates a large amount of heat. However, the linear guide device according to the present embodiment absorbs heat even in such a case, so that the accuracy is hardly lowered.

  Further, the cooling fluid is introduced into another member such as a load loaded on the slider 2 or a spacer interposed between the load and the slider 2, and is sent to the slider 2 via this separate member. It does not have a structure, and is a structure that is directly introduced into the slider 2 through the introduction port 21. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the flow path for flowing the cooling fluid in the separate member. Further, since there is no possibility of leakage of the cooling fluid from the joint portion between the slider 2 and the separate member, it is not necessary to provide a seal or the like in order to make the joint portion have a sealed structure.

  As described above, the linear guide device of the present embodiment has an additional design for providing a flow path or a seal for flowing a cooling fluid when installed on a machine base or the like with respect to the linear guide device or the separate member. There is no need to do it. In addition, since it is not necessary to perform post-processing on the linear guide device or the separate member in order to provide a flow path or a seal through which the cooling fluid flows, the efficiency of installation work of the linear guide device is good.

  Furthermore, since the screw 8 for fixing the seal member 5 and the end cap 2B to the slider body 2A is used as a closing member, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts of the linear guide device. Further, since the screw 8 and the through hole are arranged in series in the axial direction, a new member for attaching the closing member in the cross section of the slider body 2A (cross section cut by a plane orthogonal to the axial direction) is provided. There is no need for space.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 7 is a plan view for explaining the cooling path 20 of the linear guide device according to the second embodiment, in which only the peripheral portion of the cooling path 20 in the slider body 2A is cut away. FIG. 8 is a side view for explaining the cooling path 20 of the linear guide device of the second embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of the linear guide device of FIG. In addition, since the structure of the linear guide apparatus of 2nd embodiment, an effect | action, and an effect are substantially the same as 1st embodiment, only a different part is demonstrated and description of the same part is abbreviate | omitted.

A cooling path (not shown) that absorbs heat generated by rolling of the rolling element 3 in the rolling element rolling path 14 flows in the slider main body 2A of the linear guide device, as in the first embodiment. 20 is provided. The cooling path 20 is formed by closing both ends of a through hole penetrating the slider body 2 </ b> A in the axial direction with a closing member, and extends in parallel with the rolling element rolling paths 14 and 14.
In the second embodiment, the cooling passage 20 is provided in the vicinity of the central portion in the left-right direction of the thick portion of the upper portion of the slider body 2A (above the rolling element rolling passages 14, 14). As described above, the cooling path 20 can be freely provided at an arbitrary position of the slider body 2 </ b> A as long as it does not interfere with the first return path 13, the screw 8, or the mounting hole of the separate member.
In the second embodiment, a dedicated closing member for closing the end of the through hole without using the screw 8 for fixing the seal member 5 and the end cap 2B to the slider body 2A as the closing member. The plug 9 is used.

[Third embodiment]
FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the cooling path 20 of the linear guide device according to the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a side view for explaining the cooling path 20 of the linear guide device of the third embodiment, and FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of the linear guide device of FIG. Since the configuration, operation, and effect of the linear guide device of the third embodiment are substantially the same as those of the first and second embodiments, only different parts will be described and description of the same parts will be omitted.

In the slider main body 2A of the linear guide device, a cooling fluid (not shown) that absorbs heat generated by rolling of the rolling element 3 in the rolling element rolling path 14 is provided as in the first and second embodiments. A flowing cooling path 20 is provided. The cooling path 20 includes a through-hole that penetrates the slider body 2A in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction (left and right direction in FIG. 2), and extends so as to form a right angle with the rolling element rolling paths 14 and 14. In order not to interfere with the rolling element rolling paths 14, 14, the rolling elements are provided at intervals in the vertical direction.
In the third embodiment, the cooling path 20 is provided in the vicinity of the central portion in the axial direction of the thick portion at the top of the slider body 2A. As described above, the cooling path 20 can be freely provided at an arbitrary position of the slider body 2 </ b> A as long as it does not interfere with the first return path 13, the screw 8, or the mounting hole of the separate member.

In the third embodiment, since the end of the cooling path 20 opens on the left and right outer surfaces of the sleeve 6 of the slider body 2A, the openings on both ends constitute the inlet 21 and the outlet 22. To do.
In addition, 1st-3rd embodiment mentioned above showed an example of this invention, and this invention is not limited to 1st-3rd embodiment. For example, in the first to third embodiments, the cooling path 20 is arranged in a direction parallel or orthogonal to the rolling element rolling path 14, but the cooling path 20 is arranged obliquely with respect to the rolling element rolling path 14. May be. Further, both the cooling path 20 (first and second embodiments) parallel to the rolling element rolling path 14 and the cooling path 20 (third embodiment) orthogonal to the rolling element rolling path 14 are used as the slider body 2A. May be provided.

  The kind of the cooling fluid is not particularly limited as long as heat absorption is efficiently performed, and may be liquid or gas. For example, liquid refrigerants such as water, aqueous solutions, alcohols and oils, and gases such as air and nitrogen are suitable. In addition, the temperature of the cooling fluid may be appropriately set according to the use conditions of the linear guide device such as speed and load, and may be, for example, a room temperature of about 20 to 25 ° C. or a cold temperature of, for example, about 0 to 15 ° C. . When the temperature of the cooling fluid is set to a cold temperature, a cooling device for cooling the cooling fluid may be used in combination with the pump. That is, the cooling fluid cooled by the cooling device may be sent to the cooling path 20 by a pump.

  Further, in this embodiment, the cooling fluid is fed into the cooling path 20 to cool the linear guide device. However, by using the cooling path 20, it is possible to heat the linear guide device on the contrary. For example, when the surrounding environment of the linear guide device is low and the hardness of the lubricant that lubricates the linear guide device increases and the viscous resistance increases, the heated fluid can be fed into the cooling path 20. The temperature of the lubricant can be increased. If it does so, since it will suppress that the hardness of a lubricant increases, the sliding resistance of the slider 2 with respect to the guide rail 1 will be maintained at an appropriate level. Therefore, the linear guide device can be driven without increasing the load.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Guide rail 2 Slider 2A Slider main body 2B End cap 3 Rolling body 8 Screw 9 Filling plug 10 Rolling body rolling groove 11 Rolling body rolling groove 13 1st return path 14 Rolling body rolling path 15 2nd return path 16 Rolling body Return path 20 Cooling path 21 Inlet 22 Outlet

Claims (1)

A guide rail having a rolling element raceway surface extending in the axial direction; a slider having a rolling element raceway surface opposed to the rolling element raceway surface of the guide rail and attached to the guide rail so as to be relatively movable in the axial direction; A plurality of rolling elements arranged in a rolling element rolling path formed between the rolling element raceway surface of the guide rail and the rolling element raceway surface of the slider, and attached to both axial ends of the slider A seal member that seals an opening portion facing in an axial direction of an opening portion of a gap between the guide rail and the slider, and the slider has a first return path extending in the axial direction; , an end cap having a second return path curved communicating attached to both axial ends and the rolling element rolling path and said first return path of the slider body, in that is configured linear To the slider of Ido apparatus,
A cooling path through which a heated fluid for increasing the temperature of the lubricant flows, an inlet for introducing the heated fluid into the cooling path, and an outlet for discharging the warmed fluid from the cooling path. Provided,
A pump for sending the heated fluid to the inlet, directly connected to the inlet;
The cooling passage, Ri Na closes the ends of the through hole passing through the slider axially closing member, as the closure member, fixed part for fixing the seal member and the end cap to said slider body cooling structure of a linear guide device according to claim Rukoto used.

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