Bearings – Linear bearing – Recirculating
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-24
2001-11-20
Hannon, Thomas R. (Department: 3682)
Bearings
Linear bearing
Recirculating
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318895
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the priority of German Patent Applications, Serial Nos. 199 13 481.2, filed Mar. 25, 1999 and 199 23 719.0, filed May 22, 1999, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates, in general, to a linear rolling bearing element mounted to a running surface of a guide rail.
In typical linear bearings with circulating rolling elements, such as guides with circulating balls, needles or rollers, the region where the rolling elements are deflected is located outside the main body of the bearing element and protected by a separate head piece. During installation, the head piece must be aligned with respect to the main body and secured thereto so as to ensure, e.g., the fluid-tightness of the relubricating device.
German Pat. No. DE 43 31 014 C2 describes a linear rolling bearing element of this type having a main body which includes a rolling-element circuit for guiding the main body along a guide rail via a plurality of rolling elements. The rolling-element circuit is defined by a load-bearing track and a return track which are interconnected at both ends by arcuate passageways which are formed in respective head pieces mounted to the main body. Assembly of the linear rolling bearing element is as follows: First the head piece must be correctly aligned with the main body. This can be done by hand or by a suitable apparatus. Subsequently, the installer has to verify the alignment either by observation or by using a gauge, to ensure a correct fit of the head piece upon the main body. Thus, the assembly is time-consuming, and, moreover, the overall weight of the bearing element is increased as a result of the attachment of separate head pieces onto the end faces of the main body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved linear rolling bearing element, obviating the afore-stated drawbacks.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved linear rolling bearing element, which is easy to assemble and to check, and is cost-efficient as far as installation and storage are concerned.
These objects, and others which will become apparent hereinafter, are attained in accordance with the present invention by providing a main body which includes a rolling-element circuit guiding the main body along a guide rail via a plurality of rolling elements and having a load-bearing track and a return track, wherein each end of the main body has formed therein a bay, which is accessible through an adjacent end face of the main body, for receiving a deflection member which has formed therein an arcuate passageway for interconnecting the load-bearing track and the return track, and by providing a guide system, disposed in the load-bearing track and the return track and made of a polymer material, for guiding the rolling elements, with the guide system including a coating which is applied through an injection-molding process in a single working step in the load-bearing track and the return track.
Through the provision of a linear rolling bearing element according to the present invention, the use of separate head pieces mounted to the end faces of the main body can be eliminated. The bays for the deflection members can be realized through prolongation of the main body, which may be a steel component, and through respective shaping of the main body ends. Through application of injection molding, the deflection zone in the main body for the rolling elements can be formed with plastic material. Thus, the entire rolling-element circuit is now accommodated in the main body, whereby each bay can be sealed from the outside by a wiper which is directly attached to the main body.
According to another feature of the present invention, the wiper includes an inner retainer plate, an outer retainer plate, a sealing strip, a backing plate, and screw fasteners for securing the inner retainer plate, the outer retainer plate, the sealing strip and the backing plate to the main body, whereby the inner plate is positioned immediately adjacent to the main body. In the event of a countersunk arrangement, a flush-mounted configuration of the wiper with the main body can be realized.
According to still another feature of the present invention, the guide system can be so configured that the coating of polymer material for providing the guiding of the load-bearing track and the return track, is prolonged by an extension piece which is disposed at the end of the main body and formed integrally with the coating for circumscribing the bay. In this case, the inner retainer plate of the wiper is supported by a shoulder formed on the extension piece.
A linear rolling bearing element according to the present invention has many advantages compared to conventional designs. Apart from the weight reduction and simplification of assembly, a carriage, mounted to the main body, is better protected against crash, and the fracture strength of the carriage is increased. Moreover, joints, required in prior art devices between the head pieces and the main body, can now be eliminated, so that the bearing element is less likely subject to contamination, and the overall structural strength is improved, while the overall space requirement for the carriage remains unchanged.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1
is a partially sectional end view of a bearing element according to the present invention, mounted to a guide rail for mobility in a longitudinal direction;
FIG. 2
is a top view of the bearing element of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the bearing element, taken along the line III—III in
FIGS. 1 and 4
;
FIG. 4
is a partially sectional end view of the main body of the bearing element; and
FIG. 5
is a partially sectional end view of another bearing element according to the present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5755516 (1998-05-01), Teramachi et al.
patent: 5947605 (1999-09-01), Shirai
patent: 5951168 (1999-09-01), Teramachi et al.
patent: 6045265 (2000-04-01), Shirai et al.
patent: 6085420 (2000-07-01), Konomoto
patent: 6094819 (2000-08-01), Teramachi et al.
patent: 31 53 330 C2 (1982-10-01), None
patent: 33 13 129 C2 (1984-10-01), None
patent: 43 31 014 C2 (1995-03-01), None
patent: 0 845 611 A1 (1998-06-01), None
patent: 58-622 A (1983-05-01), None
Feiereisen Henry M.
Hannon Thomas R.
Ina Walzlager Schaeffler OHG
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