Bearings – Linear bearing – Combined with seal or guard
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-21
2001-04-10
Footland, Lenard A. (Department: 3682)
Bearings
Linear bearing
Combined with seal or guard
C384S045000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213646
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linear guide apparatus, and more particularly to a self-lubricating linear guide apparatus which can automatically supply a lubricant to a rolling element for a long time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a kind of related art is disclosed in JP-A-9-53637 (Laid-Open) which has been proposed by the applicant of this application. In the linear guide apparatus according to this related art, a lubricant containing member (member of oil-containing material), which is a lubricant-containing rubber or synthetic resin, is attached to the ends of a slider moving along a guide rail, specifically the ends of end caps mounted on both front and rear end surfaces of the slider, in an overlapping manner so as to be sandwiched between plate members. The lubricant contained in the lubricant containing member seeps gradually to be supplied automatically to the rolling elements through the guide rail so that smooth rolling of the rolling elements can be maintained.
The above linear guide apparatus according to the related art can maintain the smooth rolling of the rolling elements using the self-lubricating property of the lubricant containing member. However, the lubricant containing member is a separate body from the slider and is considerably thick because it is sandwiched between the plate members for reinforcement. The lubricant-containing member thus thickened is attached to both ends so that the entire length of the slider inclusive of the lubricant containing member is increased. Correspondingly, the stroke of the linear guide apparatus is shortened.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished in order to solve such an unsolved problem of the related art. The present invention intends to provide a linear guide apparatus which has a self-lubricating property, and does not change the entire length of the slider and hence not shorten the stroke.
In order to attain the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a linear guide apparatus including: a guide rail extending in an axial direction and having axial rolling-element rolling grooves formed in both side surfaces thereof; a slider main body loosely and movable fitted about the guide rail, the slider main body having load rolling-element rolling grooves respectively opposing the rolling-element rolling grooves of the guide rail and having through bores acting as rolling-element return passage formed in parallel to the rolling-element rolling grooves of the slider main body; end caps respectively joined to opposite ends of the slider main body, each of the end caps having curved passages for bringing the load rolling-element rolling grooves of the slider main body into communication with the rolling-element return passages to thereby construct a rolling-element circulating passage; and a plurality of rolling elements rollably filled in the rolling-element circulating passage, wherein at least a portion of the end caps in contact with at least one of the rolling elements and guide rail is made of an oil containing material.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5494354 (1996-02-01), Tsukada
patent: 5694811 (1997-12-01), Tsukada
patent: 5769543 (1998-06-01), Tsukada et al.
Takahashi Nobumitsu
Yabe Shiroji
Footland Lenard A.
Marshall O'Toole Gerstein Murray & Borun
NSK Ltd.
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