Linear motion guide device and end cap for linear motion guide device

Abstract

A linear motion guiding device that is unlikely to cause a damage to a tongue unit of an end cap even when the linear motion guiding device is used under high-speed conditions is provided. An end cap (22) includes, at an end of a side of a raceway of an arc groove (222) that forms an outer peripheral surface of a direction changing passage (42), a tongue unit (25) that scoops up a ball (3) from a raceway (41) and guide the ball to a direction changing passage (42). A distal end surface (251) of the tongue unit includes a plane (251a) perpendicular to a direction along the raceway (41) and a circular-arc surface (251b) that caves into an arc shape from the plane. A curvature radius of a circular-arc surface is smaller than a radius of the ball. A center of a circle indicating a curvature of a circular-arc surface is present on a line shifted from a groove bottom line of the arc groove by at least an offset amount between a raceway groove (12) of a side of the guide rail and the raceway groove (212) of a side of the slider.

Claims

1. A linear motion guiding device comprising: a guide rail; a slider; and a plurality of balls, wherein the slider is provided at an outside of the guide rail; the guide rail and the slider face with each other and respectively include, at mutually facing positions, a raceway groove to form a raceway of the balls, and both of the raceway grooves extend in a longer direction of the guide rail; the slider includes a slider main body and a pair of end caps; the raceway groove and a return path of the balls are formed to the slider main body, and a direction changing passage of the balls is formed to the end cap; the balls are provided in a circulation pathway including the raceway, the return path, and the direction changing passage; an are groove configured to form an outer peripheral surface of the direction changing passage is formed in a side facing the slider main body of the end cap; a tongue unit configured to scoop up the balls from the raceway and guide the balls to the direction changing passage is formed to an end of a side of the raceway of the arc groove; a distal end surface of the tongue unit includes a plane perpendicular to a direction along the raceway and a circular-arc surface configured to cave into an arc shape from the plane; a curvature radius of the circular-arc surface is smaller than a radius of the balls; a center of a circle indicating a curvature of the circular-arc surface is present on a line shifted from a groove bottom line of the arc groove by at least an offset amount between the raceway groove of a side of the guide rail and the raceway groove of a side of the slider; and via the balls rolling within the raceway m a load state, the slider linearly moves along the guide rail.

2. The linear motion guiding device according to claim 1, wherein when a groove bottom line of the arc groove is Lm and straight lines connecting a contact point of the balls relative to the distal end surface with a center of an opening circle of a side of the raceway of the direction changing passage present on a groove bottom line Lm are L1 and L2, an angle between the groove bottom line Lm and the straight lines L1 and L2 is from 20 degrees or more to 40 degrees or less.

3. An end cap for a linear motion guiding device configuring a slider of the linear motion guiding device in which a guide rail, the slider, and a ball are provided, and via the ball rolling in a load state within a raceway formed with a raceway groove formed to a mutually facing position of the guide rail and the slider, the slider linearly moves along the guide rail, the end cap comprising: a first component in which a first leg unit provided at one side in a width direction of the guide rail is provided, an arc groove that forms an outer peripheral surface of a direction changing passage of a ball is formed, and, to an end of a side of the raceway of the arc groove, a tongue unit configured to scoop up the ball from the raceway and guide the ball to the direction changing passage is formed; a second component in which a second leg unit provided to the other side in the width direction of the guide rail is provided, an arc groove that forms an outer peripheral surface of a direction changing passage of the ball is formed, and, to an end of a side of the raceway of the are groove, a tongue unit configured to scoop up the ball from the raceway and guide the ball to the direction changing passage is formed; and a third component including a part provided above the guide rail and an engagement surface with the first component and the second component; wherein, the first component and the second component are made of a metal material; the first component and the second component, and the third component are connected via a fastener component; and the third component is made of a synthetic resin material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view illustrating a linear motion guiding device according to a first embodiment;

(2) FIG. 2 is a partial front view explaining a raceway of the linear motion guiding device according to the first embodiment;

(3) FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating a slider main body side of an end cap configuring the linear motion guiding device according to the first embodiment;

(4) FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 3;

(5) FIG. 5 cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 4;

(6) FIG. 6 is a view as viewed from the arrow B in FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 7 is a drawing for explaining a relationship between the distal end surface of the tongue unit and the arc groove in the end cap of FIG. 3;

(8) FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the distal end surface of the tongue unit;

(9) FIG. 9 is a front view illustrating a slider main body side of an end cap configuring a linear motion guiding device according to a second embodiment; and

(10) FIG. 10 is a front view illustrating each component configuring the end cap of FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

First Aspect and Second Aspect

Effect of First Aspect

(11) The tongue unit satisfies the above configuration (4), and thus, two boundaries between the plane and the circular-arc surface are present, and the ball contacts the two boundaries when the ball is scooped up with the tongue unit. Accordingly, the impact force of the ball is dispersed into two places, and thus, the occurrence of the crack to the tongue unit is suppressed even when the tongue unit is used under the high-speed conditions.

(12) Note that descriptions of the effect do not limit components of the present invention and the linear motion guiding device of the first aspect.

(13) When the linear motion guiding device of the one aspect has the below configuration (5), compared to a case where the linear motion guiding device does not have the below configuration (5), the tongue unit can smoothly scoop up the ball.

(14) (5) When the groove bottom line of the arc groove is Lm, and straight lines connecting the contact point of the ball relative to the distal end surface with a center Oe of an opening circle E of the raceway side of the direction changing passage present on the groove bottom line Lm are L1 and L2, an angle between the groove bottom line Lm and the straight lines L1 and L2 is 20 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less.

(15) Note that the configuration (5) does not limit components of the linear motion guiding device of the first aspect.

Effects of Second Aspect

(16) According to the end cap of the second aspect, the first component and the second component formed with the tongue unit are made of metal materials, and thus, compared to the end cap having the tongue unit made of synthetic resins, the damage is unlikely to occur to the tongue unit. Further, compared to a case where only the tongue unit is separated from the end cap, the tongue unit is made of materials having higher shock resistance than that of the main body, and the tongue unit is connected with the main body, an intensity of a tongue unit is increased.

(17) Note that descriptions of the effect do not limit components of the present invention and the linear motion guiding device of the second aspect.

Embodiment

(18) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are described, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Further, in the following embodiments, although technically preferred limitations are made to carry out the invention, the limitation is not an essential requirement of the present invention.

First Embodiment

(19) As illustrated in FIG. 1, a linear motion guiding device 10 according to the first embodiment includes a guide rail 1, a slider 2, and a plurality of balls 3.

(20) The slider 2 has a shape in which leg units 2A provided at both sides of the width direction of the guide rail 1 and a body unit 2B for connecting both of the leg units 2A are integrated.

(21) The guide rail 1 is metallic, includes an upper surface 111 that faces an inner surface of the body unit 2B of the slider 2, and includes a side surface 112 that faces an inner surface of the leg units 2A. At an upper corner including the upper surf-ace 111 and the side surface 112 of the guide rail 1, a raceway groove 11 is formed, and to the side surface 112 of the guide rail 1, a raceway groove 12 with a relief groove 13 is formed.

(22) The slider 2 is, in a linear motion direction of the guide rail 1, divided into the slider main body 21, a pair of end caps 22, and a pair of side seals 23.

(23) The slider main body 21 is metallic and at an inside of the leg unit 21A, at positions facing with respective raceway grooves 11 and 12 of the guide rail 1, the raceway grooves 211 and 212 are respectively formed. To each leg unit 21A of the slider main body 21, a return path 216 corresponding to the respective raceway grooves 211 and 212 is formed.

(24) As illustrated in FIG. 2, the raceway groove 12 of the guide rail 1 and the raceway grooves 211 and 212 of the slider 2 are Gothic arc grooves in which two arcs having different centers are combined. Further, in the linear motion guiding device according to the first embodiment, an offset design is conducted such that an interval between the upper raceway groove and the lower raceway groove in the guide rail 1 is different from an interval between the upper raceway groove and the lower raceway groove in the slider main body 21 (A>B). The offset amount of the upper raceway is 1 and the offset amount of the lower raceway is 2.

(25) As illustrated in FIG. 3, an end cap 22 includes a pair of leg units 22A and a body unit 22B, and on a surface of the slider main body side of each leg unit 22A, arc grooves 221 and 222 that form the outer peripheral surface of the direction changing passage and a concave unit 223 to which the return guide 24 is fitted are formed. A leg unit 22A at a left side of FIG. 3 illustrates the concave unit 223 before the return guide 24 is fitted, and the leg unit 22A of a right side of FIG. 3 illustrates the concave unit 223 after the return guide 24 is fitted.

(26) To the return guide 24, internal arc surfaces 241 and 242 that form an inner circumferential surface of the direction changing passage are formed. By the return guide 24 being fitted into the concave unit 223 of the end cap 22, with the arc grooves 221 and 222 of the end cap 22 and the internal arc surfaces 241 and 242 of the return guide 24, the direction changing passage is formed.

(27) In the linear motion guiding device 10, by the mutually facing raceway grooves 11 and 12 of the guide rail 1 and the mutually facing raceway grooves 211 and 212 of the slider 2, the two pairs of four rows raceway is formed, and each raceway is connected with each return path 216 via the direction changing passage. In other words, the circulation pathway of the balls 3 including the raceway, the return path 216, and the direction changing passage is provided in two pairs of four rows, and within each circulation pathway, the plurality of balls 3 are provided. Accordingly, in the linear motion guiding device 10, via the balls 3 rolling within the two pairs of four rows raceway in the load state, the slider 2 linearly moves along the guide rail 1.

(28) With respect to the end cap 22, to the end of the raceway side of an arc groove 222 of the lower raceway, a tongue unit 25 that scoops up the ball 3 from the raceway and guides the ball to each direction changing passage is formed.

(29) Details of the shape of the tongue unit 25 are described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8.

(30) FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view obtained by enlarging the arc groove 222 and the tongue unit 25 of the end cap 22. FIG. 5 illustrates the cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 illustrates an arrow view as viewed from an arrow B of FIG. 4.

(31) As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, a distal end surface 251 of the tongue unit 25 includes a pair of planes 251a that is perpendicular to a direction L0 in which the raceway 41 configured of the raceway grooves 12 and 212 extends and a circular-arc surface 251b that caves into an arc-shape from a surface including both planes 251a. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the ball 3 is scooped up by the tongue unit 25 from the raceway 41 and is guided to a direction changing passage 42 including the arc groove 222 of the end cap 22 and the internal arc surface 242 of the return guide 24.

(32) FIG. 7 is an arrow view as viewed from an arrow C of FIG. 4 and illustrates a pair of planes 251a and the circular-arc surface 251b with respect to either one of lines S1 or S2 indicating both ends in the width direction of the distal end surface 251. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a center Os of a circle indicating the curvature of the circular-arc surface 251b is present on a straight line Ls that is shifted to upside from the groove bottom line Lm of the arc groove 222 by at least an offset amount 2. Further, a curvature radius R of the circular-arc surface 251b is smaller than the radius of the ball 3.

(33) FIG. 8 is a perspective view obtained by viewing the tongue unit 25 from the distal end surface 251 side. By the tongue unit 25 having the above described shape, when the ball 3 is scooped up by the tongue unit 25, the ball contacts with two boundaries K between a plane 251a and the circular-arc surface 251b.

(34) Further, as illustrated in FIG. 4, when the straight lines connecting contact points T1 and T2 of the ball 3 relative to the distal end surface 251 of the tongue unit 25 with the center Oe of the opening circle E of the raceway side of the direction changing passage that is present on the groove bottom line Lm of the arc groove 222 are L1 and L2, angles 1 and 2 between the groove bottom line Lm and the straight lines L1 and L2 are from 20 degrees or more to 40 degrees or less. The angles 81 and 92 can be altered by changing the curvature radius R (FIG. 7) of the circular-arc surface 251b.

(35) As described above, with respect to the end cap 22, when the ball 3 is scooped up by the tongue unit 25, the ball contacts with the tip of the tongue unit 25 at two points, and thus, the impact force of the ball 3 is dispersed into two directions. Accordingly, even when the linear motion guiding device 10 is used under high-speed conditions, the occurrence of the crack to the tongue unit 25 is suppressed.

(36) Further, since angles 1 and 2 relative to the groove bottom line Lm of the contact points T1 and T2 of the ball 3 that contacts with the tip of the tongue unit 25 at two points are in the range from 20 degrees or more to 40 degrees or less, compared to a case where the angles are not within this range, the tongue unit 25 can smoothly scoop up the ball 3.

Second Embodiment

(37) A linear motion guiding device according to the second embodiment includes an end cap 5 illustrated in FIG. 9 instead of the end cap 22 configuring the slider 2 in the linear motion guiding device of FIG. 1.

(38) As illustrated in FIG. 10, the end cap 5 includes a first component 51, a second component 52, a third component 53, and two bolts (fastener component) 54.

(39) The first component 51 includes a first leg unit 501 provided at one side in the width direction of the guide rail, and to the surface of the slider main body side, arc grooves 511 and 512 that form the outer peripheral surface of the direction changing passage of the ball are formed. The arc grooves 511 and 512 have, at the end of the raceway side, the tongue units 511a and 512a. To a tongue unit 512a of an arc groove 512, a concave unit 512b to which the end of a holding wire for holding the ball is fitted is formed.

(40) At an upper side of an arc groove 511, in the space between both of the arc grooves 511 and 512, and at a lower side of the arc groove 512, a concave unit 515 to which the return guide 6 is fitted is formed.

(41) The second component 52 includes a second leg unit 502 that is provided to the other side in the width direction of the guide rail, and to the surface of the slider main body side, arc grooves 521 and 522 that form the outer peripheral surface of the direction changing passage of the ball are formed. The arc grooves 521 and 522 have, at the end of the raceway side, the tongue units 521a and 522a. To a tongue unit 522a of an arc groove 522, a concave unit 522b to which the end of the holding wire for holding the ball is fitted is formed.

(42) To an upper side of an arc groove 521, in the space between both of the arc grooves 521 and 522, and at a lower side of the arc groove 522, a concave unit 525 to which the return guide 6 is fitted is formed.

(43) The third component 53 includes a part 503 provided above the guide rail, engagement surfaces 531 and 532 with the first component 51, and engagement surfaces 533 and 534 with the second component 52.

(44) The first component 51 includes engagement surfaces 513 and 514 that contact with respective engagement surfaces 531 and 532 of the third component 53. To an engagement surface 513 of the first component 51, a female thread 513a to which a tip of a bolt 54 is screwed is formed. The second component 52 includes engagement surfaces 523 and 524 that contact with the respective engagement surfaces 533 and 534 of the third component 53. To an engagement surface 523 of the second component 52, a female thread 523a to which a tip of the bolt 54 is screwed is formed.

(45) The third component 53 includes bolt insertion holes 535 and 536 through which a bolt vertically passes through. The bolt insertion hole 535 communicates with the female thread 513a of the first component 51 under a state where the engagement surface 531 contacts with the engagement surface 513 of the first component 51 and the engagement surface 532 contacts with the engagement surface 514 of the first component 51. A bolt insertion hole 536 communicates with the female thread 523a under a state where the engagement surface 533 contacts with the engagement surface 523 of the second component 52 and the engagement surface 534 contacts with an engagement surface 524 of the second component 52. The first component 51 and the second component 52 are made of an alloy tool steel, and the third component 53 is made of polyoxymethylene (POM).

(46) The end cap 5 is assembled by the following method.

(47) The engagement surface 531 of the third component 53 is caused to contact with the engagement surface 513 of the first component 51, the engagement surface 532 of the third component 53 is caused to contact with the engagement surface 514 of the first component 51, the bolt insertion hole 535 is caused to communicate with the female thread 513a, the bolt 54 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 535, and a male thread of the bolt 54 is screwed with the female thread 513a.

(48) Further, the engagement surface 533 of the third component 53 is caused to contact with the engagement surface 523 of the second component 52, the engagement surface 534 of the third component 53 is caused to contact with the engagement surface 524 of the second component 52, the bolt insertion hole 536 is caused to communicate with the female thread 523a, the bolt 54 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 536, and a male thread of the bolt 54 is screwed with the female thread 523a.

(49) Accordingly, the first component 51 and the second component 52, and the third component 53 are connected via the bolts 54 to form the end cap 5.

(50) By fitting the return guide 6 to the respective concave units 515 and 525 of the end cap 5, with the are groove 521 of the end cap 5 and the internal are surface 61 of the return guide 6, the direction changing passage of the ball is formed.

(51) According to the end cap 5 of the second embodiment, the arc grooves 511 and 512 having the tongue units 511a and 512a are formed to the first component 51 and the arc grooves 521 and 522 having the tongue units 521a and 522a are formed to the second component 52, and since the first component 51 and the second component 52 are metallic, compared to a component the entirety of which is integrally made of synthetic resins, the tongue units 511a, 512a, 521a, and 522a have an excellent durability against the impact force of the ball 3.

(52) Accordingly, even when the tongue unit is used under high-speed conditions, the occurrence of the crack to the tongue units 511a, 512a, 521a, and 522a is suppressed.

(53) Further, compared to a metallic end cap entirety of which is integrally formed, the material cost and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

(54) When specifications such as diameter of the arc groove and a length of the tongue unit, of the end cap are different, the third component 53 is should be a common component and the first component 51 and the second component 52 having different specifications should be prepared, and accordingly it is possible to handle an end cap of a plurality of specifications.

(55) All of the first component 51, the second component 52, and the third component 53 can be metallic and connected via the bolt 54 to produce an end cap.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(56) 1 guide rail 11 raceway groove of guide rail 12 raceway groove of guide rail 111 upper surface of guide rail 13 relief groove 2 slider 2A leg unit of slider 2B body unit of slider 21 slider main body 211 raceway groove of slider 212 raceway groove of slider 216 return path 22 end cap 22A leg unit of end cap 22B body unit of end cap 221 arc groove that forms outer peripheral surface of direction changing passage 222 arc groove that forms outer peripheral surface of direction changing passage 23 side seal 24 return guide 241, 242 internal arc surface that forms inner circumferential surface of direction changing passage 25 tongue unit 251 distal end surface of tongue unit 251a plane of distal end surface 251b circular-arc surface of distal end surface 3 ball 41 raceway 42 direction changing passage 5 end cap 501 first leg unit 502 second leg unit 503 part provided above guide rail 51 first component 511, 512 arc groove 511a, 512a tongue unit 512b concave unit to which end of holding wire is fitted 513 engagement surface with third component 513a female thread 514 engagement surface with third component 515 concave unit to which return guide is fitted 52 second component 521, 522 arc groove 521a, 522a tongue unit 522b concave unit to which end of holding wire is fitted 523 engagement surface with third component 523a female thread 524 engagement surface with third component 525 concave unit to which return guide is fitted 53 third component 531, 532 engagement surface with first component 533, 534 engagement surface with second component 535, 536 bolt insertion hole 54 bolt (fastener component) 6 return guide 61 internal arc surface that forms inner circumferential surface of direction changing passage E opening circle of raceway side of direction changing passage K boundary between plane of distal end surface and circular-arc surface L0 direction in which raceway extends Lm groove bottom line of arc groove Ls straight line on which center of circle indicating curvature of circular-arc surface 251b is present Oe center of opening circle E present on groove bottom line of arc groove Os center of circle indicating curvature of circular-arc surface 251b R curvature radius of circular-arc surface 251b T1 contact point of ball T2 contact point of ball