JP2004340340A - Linear motion guide device - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a linear motion guide device capable of improving the assemblability and enhancing the strength of a rolling element scooping portion.
A bent piece portion sandwiched between a plate member and an end cap is provided at both longitudinal ends of a rolling element retainer for holding a rolling element on a rolling element track groove side of a slider. 23 are provided.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a linear motion guide device used in a machine tool or the like as a mechanical component for guiding a linear body such as a linear motion table in a moving direction.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a linear motion guide device used in a machine tool or the like includes a guide rail having linear rolling element raceways on both left and right sides, and a linear rolling element on an inner surface facing the left and right sides of the guide rail. A slider body having a raceway groove, and a pair of plate-like members attached to both ends in the front-rear direction of the slider body with an end cap interposed therebetween, wherein a slider composed of the slider body and the end cap is a guide rail. Relative to the longitudinal direction of the slider, a number of rolling elements incorporated in the slider roll between the guide rail and the rolling element track grooves of the slider body, and further, a rolling element direction changing path and a rolling element formed in the end cap. A rolling element return path formed in the slider body is rolled in parallel with the moving element track groove.
This type of linear motion guide device includes a rolling element holder 22 as shown in FIG. 6, for example. The rolling element holder 22 is attached to a slider to prevent the rolling element from falling off the slider. ing.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described linear motion guide device, as shown in FIG. 7, both ends in the longitudinal direction of the rolling element holder 22 are fitted into the grooves 24 formed in the rolling element scooping portion 20 of the end cap 122 to hold the rolling element. The container 22 is attached to the slider 12. For this reason, the rolling element holder 22 cannot be attached to the slider 12 after the end cap 122 is attached to both ends in the front-rear direction of the slider body 121 and the slider 12 is assembled, and the mounting operation of the end cap 122 and the rolling element holder 22 Since the mounting operation must be performed at the same time, it takes time to assemble the linear motion guide device.
[0004]
In the linear motion guide device described above, since the groove 24 for mounting the rolling element holder 22 is formed in the rolling element scooping section 20 of the end cap 122, the rolling element scooping section 20 is divided into two. Therefore, there is a problem that the strength of the rolling element scooping portion 20 is low.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a linear motion guide device that can improve the assemblability and increase the strength of a rolling element scooping portion. I do.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a guide rail having a linear rolling element raceway groove on both left and right sides, and a linear rolling element on an inner side surface facing the left and right both sides of the guide rail. A slider body having a moving body raceway groove, a pair of plate-like members attached to both ends in the front-rear direction of the slider body with an end cap interposed therebetween, and a relative straight line of the slider constituted by the slider body and the end cap The roller is rolled between the guide rail and the rolling element raceway grooves of the slider body by movement, and is formed in the slider body in parallel with the rolling element direction change path formed in the end cap and the rolling element raceway groove. A linear motion guide device comprising: a number of rolling elements that roll on rolling element return paths; and a rolling element holder that holds these rolling elements on the rolling element track groove side of the slider. Characterized by comprising clamping portion sandwiched between Kiten and the end caps at both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the body cage and the plate-like member.
[0006]
The invention according to claim 2 is a guide rail having a linear rolling element raceway groove on both left and right sides, a slider body having a linear rolling element raceway groove on an inner surface facing the left and right sides of the guide rail, A pair of plate-like members attached to both ends in the front-rear direction of the slider body with an end cap interposed therebetween; and the guide rail and the slider body by relative linear motion of a slider composed of the slider body and the end cap. A plurality of rolling elements rolling between the two rolling element raceway grooves and rolling the rolling element direction changing path formed in the end cap and the rolling element return path formed in the slider body in parallel with the rolling element raceway grooves. And a rolling element retainer for holding these rolling elements on the rolling element raceway groove side of the slider, wherein a longitudinal end of the rolling element retainer is provided. The is characterized in that joined to the plate-like member.
[0007]
According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the rolling element retainer can be mounted on the slider after the end caps are mounted on both ends in the front-rear direction of the slider body, and the mounting of the end cap and the rolling element during assembly of the linear motion guide device. Since it is not necessary to attach the retainer at the same time, the assemblability of the linear motion guide device can be improved. Further, since it is not necessary to provide a groove for mounting the rolling element retainer in the rolling element scooping portion of the end cap, the strength of the rolling element scooping portion can be increased.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of a linear motion guide device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. The linear motion guide device according to one embodiment includes a guide rail 11, a slider 12 relatively moving in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 11, and a number of spherical rolling elements 13 incorporated in the slider 12. .
[0009]
The guide rail 11 has a plurality of rail mounting holes 14 penetrating in the height direction, and the guide rail 11 is fixed to a base or the like of a machine (not shown) by bolts passing through these rail mounting holes 14. It has become. Further, the guide rail 11 has rolling element raceway grooves 15A and 15B (see FIG. 2) substantially at the center and upper end of both left and right side surfaces, respectively. Are formed in a straight line along the longitudinal direction.
[0010]
The slider 12 includes a slider body 121 having left and right inner surfaces facing the side surface of the guide rail 11, and a pair of end caps 122 attached to both ends in the front-rear direction of the slider body 121. A plurality of screw holes 16 for fixing the slider 12 to a linear body such as a linear motion table with screws (not shown) are formed in the upper surface portion. Roller raceway grooves 17A and 17B (see FIG. 2) are formed linearly along the relative movement direction of the slider 12 substantially at the center and upper end of the left and right inner side surfaces of the slider body 121.
[0011]
The end caps 122 are formed by, for example, injection molding synthetic resin. The end caps 122 are provided with plate members 18 such as side seals, protectors, spacers, and the like, facing each other. A plurality of rolling element direction changing paths 19 for changing the rolling direction of the moving body 13 in the opposite direction and a plurality of rolling element scooping portions 20 for guiding the rolling elements 13 into the rolling element direction changing path 19 are formed.
[0012]
The rail-side rolling element raceway grooves 15A and 15B and the slider-side rolling element raceway grooves 17A and 17B are opposed to each other. When the slider 12 relatively moves in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 11, the spherical rolling element 13 rolls accordingly. Rolling between the moving body raceway grooves 15A, 17A and 15B, 17B, and further rolling on the rolling body direction changing path 19, and a rolling body return formed in the slider body 121 in parallel with the rolling body raceway grooves 17A, 17B. The roads 21A and 21B (see FIG. 2) roll.
[0013]
As shown in FIG. 2, the slider 12 is provided with a pair of rolling element retainers 22 for holding the rolling elements 13 rolling between the rolling element raceway grooves 15A and 17A on the rolling element raceway groove 17A side. These rolling element holders 22 are formed, for example, by pressing a thin metal plate into a predetermined shape, and are held at both ends in the longitudinal direction of each rolling element holder 22 between the end cap 122 and the plate member 18. A bent piece portion 23 (see FIG. 1) is provided as a holding portion to be held.
[0014]
Next, the procedure for assembling the linear motion guide device thus configured will be described with reference to FIG.
When assembling the linear motion guide device described above, first, end caps 122 are attached to both ends of the slider body 121 in the front-rear direction. Next, when the plate members 18 are attached to both ends in the front-rear direction of the slider body 121 with the end cap 122 interposed therebetween, the bent piece portions 23 provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the rolling element holder 22 are attached to the plate members. The plate-shaped member 18 is mounted between the end cap 122 and the end cap 122.
[0015]
In this manner, by providing the bending piece 23 as a holding portion to be held between the end cap 122 and the plate-like member 18 at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the rolling element holder 22, the front-back direction of the slider body 121 is provided. After the end caps 122 are attached to both ends, the rolling element holder 22 can be attached to the slider 12. Therefore, unlike the conventional example described above, it is not necessary to attach the end cap 122 and the rolling element retainer 22 at the same time when assembling the linear motion guide device, thereby improving the assemblability of the linear motion guide device. Can be. Further, unlike the conventional example described above, it is not necessary to form a groove for mounting the rolling element holder 22 in the rolling element scooping portion 20 of the end cap 122, and the rolling element scooping portion 20 is divided into two. Therefore, the strength of the rolling element scooping portion 20 can be increased.
[0016]
FIG. 4 is a view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment is different from the above-described first embodiment in that both ends of the rolling element retainer 22 in the longitudinal direction are formed by a pair of plate members 18. In that the rolling element retainer 22 and the plate member 18 are integrated.
As described above, the rolling element holder 22 and the plate member 18 are integrated with each other by joining both ends in the longitudinal direction of the rolling element holder 22 to the pair of plate-like members 18, as in the first embodiment. Further, the rolling element holder 22 can be attached to the slider 12 after the end caps are attached to both ends in the front-rear direction of the slider body, and the strength of the rolling element scooping portion 20 can be increased.
[0017]
In the above-described second embodiment, both ends of the rolling element holder 22 in the longitudinal direction are joined to the plate member 18 to integrate the rolling element holder 22 and the plate member 18. As in the third embodiment, the same effect can be obtained even if only one longitudinal end of the rolling element holder 22 is joined to the plate member 18 and the rolling element holder 22 and the plate member 18 are integrated. it can.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, it is not necessary to attach the end cap and the rolling element holder at the same time when assembling the linear motion guide device. Performance can be improved. Further, since it is not necessary to provide a groove for mounting the rolling element holder in the rolling element scooping portion of the end cap, the strength of the rolling element scooping portion can be increased.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of a linear motion guide device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a view for explaining an assembling procedure of the linear motion guide device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.
6A and 6B are views showing a rolling element retainer in a conventional linear guide device, wherein FIG. 6A is a plan view and FIG. 6B is a side view.
FIG. 7 is a view showing a part of a conventional linear guide device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Guide rail 12 Slider 121 Slider body 122 End cap 13 Rolling element 15A, 15B Rolling element track groove 17A, 17B Rolling element track groove 18 Plate member 19 Rolling element direction change path 20 Rolling element pick-up section 21A, 21B Rolling element return path 22 Rolling element retainer 23 Bending piece

Claims (2)

A guide rail having linear rolling element raceway grooves on both left and right sides, a slider body having linear rolling element raceway grooves on inner side surfaces facing the left and right side surfaces of the guide rail, and both ends in the front-rear direction of the slider body And a pair of plate-like members mounted with an end cap interposed therebetween, and a relative linear motion of a slider composed of the slider body and the end cap, between the rolling element raceway grooves of the guide rail and the slider body. A number of rolling elements that roll along the rolling element direction change path formed in the end cap and the rolling element return path formed in the slider body in parallel with the rolling element raceway groove; A rolling element retainer for holding the rolling element on the rolling element track groove side of the slider;
A linear motion guide device comprising: a holding portion that is held between the end cap and the plate-shaped member at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the rolling element retainer. A guide rail having linear rolling element raceway grooves on both left and right sides, a slider body having linear rolling element raceway grooves on inner side surfaces facing the left and right side surfaces of the guide rail, and both ends in the front-rear direction of the slider body And a pair of plate-like members mounted with an end cap interposed therebetween, and a relative linear motion of a slider composed of the slider body and the end cap, between the rolling element raceway grooves of the guide rail and the slider body. A number of rolling elements that roll along the rolling element direction change path formed in the end cap and the rolling element return path formed in the slider body in parallel with the rolling element raceway groove; A rolling element retainer for holding the rolling element on the rolling element track groove side of the slider;
A linear guide device wherein a longitudinal end of the rolling element retainer is joined to the plate-like member.

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