FINGER-LESS END CAP RETURN FOR BALL SCREW ASSEMBLY

Abstract

This invention relates to an end cap return for a ball screw. The end cap uses tangential force from the sidewalls of the ball passage to roll the ball bearings sideways out of the leadscrew raceway rather than the typical protruding finger that picks the balls up directly. The end cap allows it to be advantageously fabricated with using additive manufacturing, making the end cap cost effective for use in custom ball screw assemblies. In some embodiments, the end cap may include an insert for certain portions of the end cap that can be easily and inexpensively replaced should the insert become worn.

Claims

1. A ball screw assembly comprising: a leadscrew having at least one leadscrew raceway; a ball nut having a main body surrounding the leadscrew; the ball nut including at least one internal raceway that aligns with the leadscrew raceway, and two ends; two end cap returns removably attached to the ends of the ball nut; a plurality of ball bearings recirculating through the ball nut as the leadscrew rotates, causing the ball nut to translate longitudinally along the lead screw; the end cap returns including a semi-round, helical protrusion extending therefrom and filling at least a portion of the leadscrew raceway; each end cap return further including a depression near the helical protrusion that remove the ball bearings from the leadscrew raceway using tangential force; and each end cap return further including a ball track to direct the ball bearings from the depression to an entrance of a longitudinal tube that passes through the ball nut and into the ball track of the end cap at the other end of the ball nut.

2. The ball screw assembly of claim 1, wherein the depression is part of a removable insert made of a more durable material than the rest of the end cap returns.

3. The ball screw assembly of claim 1, wherein the end cap returns are produced using additive manufacturing.

4. The ball screw assembly of claim 1, wherein the depression is integrally formed into the end cap return.

5. The ball screw assembly of claim 1, wherein the end cap returns are removably attached to the ball nut by a plurality of screws.

6. The ball screw assembly of claim 2, wherein the removable insert is made of Nylatron GSM.

7. The ball screw assembly of claim 2, wherein the removable insert is made of plastic.

8. A ball screw assembly comprising: a leadscrew having at least one leadscrew raceway; a ball nut having a main body capable of surrounding the leadscrew, the ball nut including at least one internal raceway capable of being aligned with the leadscrew raceway, and two ends; an end cap removably attached to one of the two ends of the ball nut; a plurality of ball bearings for moving through the ball nut as the leadscrew rotates with respect to the ball nut, causing the ball nut to translate longitudinally along the lead screw; the end cap including a semi-round, helical protrusion extending therefrom and capable of filling at least a portion of the leadscrew raceway; and the end cap further including a depression adjacent the helical protrusion capable of removing the ball bearings from the leadscrew raceway by means of tangential force.

9. The ball screw assembly of claim 8 wherein the end cap includes a ball track to direct the ball bearings from the depression to an entrance of a ball return tube formed longitudinally in the ball nut.

10. The ball screw assembly of claim 9, wherein the depression is part of a removable insert made of a more durable material than the rest of the end cap.

11. The ball screw assembly of claim 8 wherein the end cap is produced using additive manufacturing.

12. The ball screw assembly of claim 8, wherein the depression is integrally formed into the end cap.

13. The ball screw assembly of claim 8, wherein the end cap is removably attached to the ball nut by a plurality of screws.

14. The ball screw assembly of claim 10, wherein the removable insert is made of Nylatron GSM.

15. The ball screw assembly of claim 10, wherein the removable insert is made of plastic.

16. A ball screw assembly comprising: a leadscrew having at least one leadscrew raceway; a ball nut having a main body capable of surrounding the leadscrew, the ball nut including at least one internal raceway capable of being aligned with the leadscrew raceway and carrying ball bearings therethrough, and two ends; an end cap removably attached to one of the two ends of the ball nut; the end cap including a semi-round, helical protrusion extending therefrom and capable of filling at least a portion of the leadscrew raceway; and the end cap further including a depression adjacent the helical protrusion capable of removing the ball bearings from the leadscrew raceway by means of tangential force.

17. The ball screw assembly of claim 16, wherein the depression is part of a removable insert made of a more durable material than the rest of the end cap.

18. The ball screw assembly of claim 16, wherein the end cap is produced using additive manufacturing.

19. The ball screw assembly of claim 16, wherein the depression is integrally formed into the end cap.

20. The ball screw assembly of claim 16, wherein the end cap is removably attached to the ball nut by a plurality of screws.

21. The ball screw assembly of claim 16, wherein the ball screw assembly includes a plurality of ball bearings recirculating through the ball nut as the leadscrew rotates, causing the ball nut to translate longitudinally along the lead screw.

22. The ball screw assembly of claim 17, wherein the removable insert is made of Nylatron GSM.

23. The ball screw assembly of claim 17, wherein the removable insert is made of plastic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ball screw having one embodiment of fingerless end caps in accordance with the invention;

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a prior art end cap for a ball screw;

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a fingerless end cap for a ball screw in accordance with the invention;

[0014] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the fingerless end cap of FIG. 3 showing an insert removed from the end cap body;

[0015] FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the fingerless end cap of FIG. 3 showing the insert inserted into the end cap body;

[0016] FIG. 6 is a section view of the fingerless end cap of FIG. 3 taken generally along the line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

[0017] FIG. 7 is another section view of the fingerless end cap of FIG. 3 taken generally along the line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

[0018] FIG. 8 is a top view of the ball screw of FIG. 1;

[0019] FIG. 9 is another perspective view of the ball screw of FIG. 1 with one end cap shown in section generally along the line 9-9 in FIG. 8 to show the path of the ball bearings through the end cap; and

[0020] FIG. 10 is another perspective view of the ball screw of FIG. 1 with one end cap attached in section generally along the line 10-10 in FIG. 8 to show the path of the ball bearings through the end cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] This invention relates to an end cap for a ball screw assembly that, through the geometry of a ball passage in the end cap, uses the tangential force of the sidewall of the ball passage in the end cap to roll the ball sideways out of the raceway in the screw. As shown in FIG. 1, ball screw assembly 10 includes a leadscrew 12, a ball nut 14, two end caps 16, and ball bearings 18 that roll in precision raceways 20 in the leadscrew (FIG. 9) and corresponding raceways in the ball nut. Rotating leadscrew 12 moves ball bearings 18 (the “balls”) along the raceways 20, thereby causing ball nut 14 to move longitudinally along the screw.

[0022] The end caps 16 on each end of ball nut 14 remove the balls 18 from raceway 20 and re-direct them through a longitudinal tube 22 that passes longitudinally through the nut to return them to the beginning of their path. In the embodiment shown, end caps 16 in the present embodiment are identical, but the present invention may be practiced with non-identical end caps. For example, it may be advantageous for only one end cap to include additional features to allow the ball nut to attach to or interact with another component. FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a prior art end cap 50 that includes a finger 52 that redirect the balls 18 from the raceway 20 and ultimately into the longitudinal tube 22 through ball nut 14. The impact of the balls 18 on finger 52 causes the finger to wear down over time until it eventually will not lift the balls from the raceway 20.

[0023] End cap 16 is particularly suited for use with custom made, low volume manufacturing where leadscrews and nuts employ any desired combination of screw diameter, lead and ball size. Typical end caps must be made of extremely tough and durable plastic and must be either injection molded or cast before being finish machined. These processes require significant quantities to be produced in order to be cost effective making them impractical for use in low-volume ball screw applications. In contrast, because end cap 16 does not include a protrusion that experiences repeated impact loads, it may be made of much less durable material such as Ultem 9085 (polyetherimide), nylon, or may even be made by additive manufacturing, otherwise known as 3D printing.

[0024] FIGS. 3-10 show one embodiment of a fingerless ball screw return end cap 16 in accordance with the invention. End cap 16 includes a main body 24 that surrounds the screw 12 and has a surface 13 that mates to the ball nut 14. In the embodiment shown, end cap 16 is removably attached to ball nut 14 by screws, but any other suitable fastening means may alternatively be used without departing from the invention. End cap 16 further includes insert 34 that, in the embodiment shown, is made of a more durable material than the rest of the end cap. A ball track 32 directs balls 18 through end cap 16 and back into ball nut 14.

[0025] Currently, the only known way to produce a substantially one piece end cap 16 is by additive manufacturing. The complex geometry of ball track 32 is blind and would be nearly impossible to machine and extremely difficult and cost ineffective to mold or cast. Additive manufacturing, on the other hand, easily creates ball track 32 and other complex geometry and is able to produce end caps for ball screws with endless combinations of screw diameter, lead and ball size without incurring any additional costs.

[0026] Ball track 32 includes a semi-round, helical protrusion 26 that extends from the end cap and fills the raceway 20 where the balls 18 are picked up or placed into the raceway. Adjacent helical protrusion 26, a depression 30 forms half of the raceway 20 where the balls 18 enter the end cap 16 from the ball nut 14. The depression 30 further eliminates sharp edges that would normally be subject to high wear and brittle fracture. Eliminating these sharp areas allows end cap 16 to be produced with using additive manufacturing and allows the end cap to be used in low-volume ball screw production.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 4-5, depression 30 may be included in an insert 34, which may be made of a more durable material than the 3D printed portion of end cap 16. In the embodiment shown, insert 34 is made of Nylatron GSM, but may be made of any suitable material without departing from the invention. Insert 34 is press-fit into end cap 16 and when the end cap is attached to ball nut 14, it is captured between leadscrew 12, the ball nut, and the end cap, making any additional fastening means unnecessary. Without the need to use additional fastening means, insert 34 may be easily and inexpensively replaced when it is worn.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 9-10, depression 30 removes the balls 18 from raceway 20 by permitting the balls to roll sideways out of the raceway. After passing through depression 30, balls 18 pass through ball track 32 which re-directs the balls to the longitudinal tube 22 in ball nut 14. The end cap 16 uses tangential force from the side walls of raceway 20 to roll the balls 18 sideways out of the raceway before reaching the portion of the end cap 16 that engages raceway 20 so minimal wear occurs to that part of the end cap. Even the part of the end cap 16 that directs the balls 18 into the end cap is not subjected to repeated impact forces, which increases the durability of the end cap when compared to existing end cap 50 that includes a finger 52 to remove balls 18 from raceway 20. Once the balls 18 enter the end cap 16, they are re-directed to the entrance of the longitudinal tube 22 through the ball nut 14 just as they are in a fingered design.

[0029] The end cap 16 opposite the direction of travel accepts the balls 18 from of the longitudinal tube 22 and directs them toward the direction of travel and provides a path for the balls back into raceway 20. In the embodiment shown, end caps 16 on either side of ball nut 14 are identical and perform either of the above functions when the direction of travel reverses.

[0030] Although the invention has been herein described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the appended claims and the description of the invention herein.