Provided is a linear motion device having higher rigidity, higher load resistance, and superior guiding precision. In this linear motion device, a linearly moving element 2 that moves linearly relative to a rail element 1 is provided, load paths 4 through which rolling elements 3 move are provided between the rail element 1 and the linearly moving element 2, and endless rolling element circulation paths are formed in which the load paths 4 are made to communicate via return paths 5 with no-load paths 6, wherein the rolling elements 3 are cylinders of which the length is at least three times the diameter, the rolling elements 3 are configured so as to circulate through the endless rolling element circulation paths while being rotatably held by rolling element holders 10 configured by spacers 8 provided between adjacent rolling elements 3 and belt-shaped linking elements 9 that link spacers 8 together at both ends, the no-load paths 6 are formed by placing no-load path-constituting members 12 in linear holes 11 formed in the linearly moving element 2, and the no-load path-constituting members 12 are configured such that the end surfaces of the rolling elements 3 are opened on the outward sides and the linking elements 9 of the rolling element holders 10 are exposed.

A linear motion guide unit restrains fluctuations in sliding friction and generation of heat by correcting the postures of rollers having been inclined in a no-load area such that their axes become orthogonal to a guide surface of a carriage to thereby introduce the rollers in proper postures into a load area. A retainer plate of the guide unit has a guide surface for guiding end surfaces of the rollers and has protrusions protruding from the guide surface at its opposite end portions facing crownings of the carriage. The rollers rolling from a turnaround passage to a load-carrying race are pressed by the protrusions toward the guide surface of the carriage so as to be arrayed in such a posture that the axes of the rollers become orthogonal to the guide surface on the inlet side of the crowning of the carriage, whereby the occurrence of roller skew is prevented.

A button assembly includes a touchpad having an upper surface extending in a generally flat plane and movable between a first position and a second position displaced from the first position in response to the application of a pressing force perpendicular to the upper surface. Additional, smaller pushbuttons may be located adjacent the touchpad. A sub-bezel includes a housing defining a cavity for holding a linear bearing for guiding the touchpad in a linear path perpendicular to the upper surface. The linear bearing includes a plurality of first ball bearings and second ball bearings separated by a first distance perpendicular to the upper surface. The ball bearings may be sandwiched between a bearing outer member and a bearing inner member which includes an inner-top member secured to an inner-bottom member with a screw. A bearing carrier holds the ball bearings within troughs in the bearing outer member.

The present application relates to a field of bearing technology and relates to a recirculating roller bearing, including a front cover plate, a rear cover plate, an inner supporter, a sealing covering and a plurality of rolling carriers and at least one connector, in which the front cover plate and the rear cover plate are detachable connected on two sides of the inner supporter respectively; a circulating guiding path is defined by the front cover plate, the rear cover plate, the inner supporter and the sealing covering, the circulating guiding path includes a sealing portion and an opened load-bearing portion; the rolling carriers are filled in the circulating guiding path, each of the rolling carriers forms a rolling fit with the inner supporter, and each of the rolling carrier forms a rolling fit with a retractable fork when passing the opened load-bearing portion of the circulating guiding path.

In the linear motion guide unit, a retainer plate for retaining rolling elements, or rollers, is prevented from deformation so as to smoothly guide the rollers. The retainer plate is composed of a retainer member, frame members fitted into respective through holes formed in the retainer member, and a fixing member disposed in a longitudinally extending recess of the retainer member. The frame members form a predetermined gap between the fixing member and a carriage. Tightening forces of fastening bolts are not applied to the retainer member, thereby avoiding deformation of the retainer member.

In this motion guide device (10), a track member (20) has a recess or protrusion (51) that is formed in a longitudinal direction, and a moving member (30) has a holding protrusion or holding recess (53) that corresponds to the recess or protrusion (51) formed in the track member (20). When force is applied in a direction that would cause relative separation of the moving member (30) and the track member (20), the holding protrusion or holding recess (53) holds onto the recess or protrusion (51) such that the moving member (30) and the track member (20) are unable to be separated. With this configuration, a motion guide device that is both compact and capable of withstanding a strong external load can be obtained.

A retainer is used for a linear guideway, including a main body, a retaining portion, and a hollow portion. The main body extends along the longitudinal direction of the retainer. The retaining portion extends from a long side of the main body along the width direction of the retaining portion. The hollow portion is abutted between the retaining portion and the main body for allowing a part of the retaining portion to be elastically deformed when the retaining portion is compressed by an external force. Therefore, when balls are assembled, the retainer of the present invention uses the partial elastic deformation of the retaining portion to avoid damage caused by directly collided with the balls, thereby enhancing convenience of installing and removing the balls. In addition, the hollow portion can be used to save lubricating oil for achieving the effect of extended lubrication.

A curvilinear rolling guide unit allows a slider to readily straddle an endless guide rail and can prevent leakage of lubricant from a lubrication hole formed in each end cap. Each end cap is composed of an end cap body and a spacer. The end cap body has a lubrication hole, a lubrication groove, a slit which are formed in an upper portion thereof. The lubrication groove establish communication between the lubrication hole and turnaround passages. The slit extends from the lubrication hole to the under surface of the upper portion. A lubrication plug is fitted into the lubrication hole of the end cap body, closes the slit, and has a hole formed therein and serving as a lubrication passage communicating with the lubrication groove.

A button assembly includes a touchpad having an upper surface extending in a generally flat plane and movable between a first position and a second position displaced from the first position in response to the application of a pressing force perpendicular to the upper surface. Additional, smaller pushbuttons may be located adjacent the touchpad. A sub-bezel includes a housing defining a cavity for holding a linear bearing for guiding the touchpad in a linear path perpendicular to the upper surface. The linear bearing includes a plurality of first ball bearings and second ball bearings separated by a first distance perpendicular to the upper surface. The ball bearings may be sandwiched between a bearing outer member and a bearing inner member which includes an inner-top member secured to an inner-bottom member with a screw. A bearing carrier holds the ball bearings within troughs in the bearing outer member.

A motion guide apparatus ensures that a retaining portion retains a rolling element. A rolling element retainer having retaining portions that prevent a rolling element from falling out of a movable body, the retaining portions extending along a loaded rolling element rolling portion, is incorporated in the movable body of the motion guide apparatus. End plates are formed integrally with the retaining portions. Fall prevention portions to reduce the widths of openings between the retaining portions are provided to center parts of the retaining portions in a length direction thereof. The fall prevention portions are padding portions integrated with the retaining portions, the padding portions rising in such a manner as to reduce the widths of the openings, and/or projections integrated with the retaining portions, the projections touching the movable body in such a manner that the center parts of the retaining portions bend toward a track member.