Bearings – Linear bearing – Recirculating
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-27
2001-04-03
Hannon, Thomas R. (Department: 3682)
Bearings
Linear bearing
Recirculating
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210040
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a wagon (also referred to as a slider) of a linear-movement guide, which is provided for a rail-supported arrangement, the wagon having a center section and two legs that adjoin the center section, thereby forming an essentially U-shaped wagon cross section, and a recess that extends parallel to the provided axis of longitudinal movement. In the region of the two legs, the wagon has at least one roller-body track, with each track being provided with a return conduit, a support region and two diversion conduits that connect the return conduit and the support region to one another.
Roller-bearing-type linear guides for roller bearings are used in numerous technological fields in which a component is to be moved in a straight line with respect to another component, and with the lowest possible frictional losses. An example of such applications is machine tools. In this case, the guides have a wagon or a sliding element that is guided on a rail via roller bodies such as balls, rollers or needles. The roller bodies circulate in closed roller-body tracks of the wagon. They typically have a support zone, in which the roller bodies rest against a support surface of the wagon and against the rail, thereby supporting the load to be moved. Due to the linear movement of the wagon, the roller bodies exit the support zone and enter a first diversion conduit, in which the roller bodies are transferred from the support zone into the return conduit. After passing through the return conduit, the roller bodies re-enter the support zone via a second diversion conduit.
In many cases, the diversion conduits are formed by an assembly that is positioned against and secured to the end face of a base body of the wagon, the assembly at least partially including the necessary guide elements for diversion. Usually, this assembly includes the guide elements of all of the diversions disposed at the respective end face. Moreover, a scraper, which is intended to prevent dirt from entering the wagon, can also be integrated into the assembly.
Several miniaturized linear-movement guides are already known; they are frequently used in the field of semiconductor machinery. These linear-movement guides typically have only one roller-body track at one wagon leg, because this permits a reduction in the occurring loads. Otherwise, these linear-movement guides are miniaturized in that the greatly-widened, larger linear-movement guides are realized on a smaller scale, but with essentially no structural changes. The disadvantage of this, however, is that the wagons have a fairly complex structure, because they require a relatively large number of components. Because the production tolerances of the individual components are cumulative, comparatively high manufacturing-precision requirements must be placed on the individual components. Due to the small wagon size, the precision requirements would be easier to meet per se than in larger linear-movement guides, however.
In many of the known linear-movement guides, it is not persuasive that a separate, end-face component must be constructed, finished and possibly supplied for different wagon widths. This is necessary, however, because the endface components, which include guide elements for diversions, are respectively matched to a specific wagon width.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a wagon of a linear-movement guide, particularly for small linear-movement guides, that is structurally simple and can be produced in few steps.
According to the invention, this object is accomplished in a wagon mentioned at the outset in that at least one leg has a groove, and an insert that includes elements for diverting the roller bodies can be inserted into the groove. The invention is not limited to use in a wagon of a linear-movement guide, however. It can also be used in virtually any guide in which roller bodies circulate in a roller-body track having a support region, a return conduit and two diversion conduits that connect the support region and the return conduit to one another.
A particular advantage of the solution according to the invention is that it offers the option of constructing wagons of arbitrary width and length with one and the same diverting body. It is therefore possible to construct wagons of different sizes with fewer different components than before. This reduction in the necessary components significantly lowers production costs.
The base body of a wagon of the invention can be produced especially simply and inexpensively when the at least one groove extends essentially transversely to the recess, the groove being limited by two side surfaces of the base body that are oriented essentially orthogonally to the axis of longitudinal movement. This type of groove can be produced with a conventional milling tool.
The one-piece embodiment of the diverting bodies that are provided for a roller-body track contributes to the reduction in the number of necessary components. It has also proven useful when the diverting bodies are produced in a plastic injection-molding process. These bodies could also comprise steel or other metals in addition to plastic, which can be especially useful for vacuum applications.
A further advantage of the invention is that the forces acting on a diverting body in the diversion region of the roller bodies can be diverted particularly well in the wagons. These forces are predominantly effective parallel to the axis of longitudinal movement. Because the groove provided in the base body of the wagon in accordance with the invention is limited by side walls of the base body that are oriented perpendicular to the axis of longitudinal movement, the forces can be diverted via the side walls. Wagons of the invention can therefore be especially robust.
To further reduce the manufacturing and assembly outlay, it can be useful for the diverting bodies to be embodied as inserts that are to be inserted into the respective groove; these inserts are only secured to the base body by a snap connection.
It has also proven advantageous when the insert is provided with centering elements, with which the diversion conduit to the support zone and the return conduit can be oriented in a predetermined manner.
A further advantage can be attained in that the scrapers are components that are separate from the diverting bodies. This permits an exchange of the scrapers, which are susceptible to wear, without necessitating an exchange of the diverting bodies.
Further preferred embodiments of the invention ensue from the dependent claims.
The invention is described in detail by way of embodiments illustrated in the schematic drawings.
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Hannon Thomas R.
Kelemen Gabor J.
Schneeberger Holding AG
Venable
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