Linear guide device

Abstract

A linear guide device includes: a plurality of rolling elements; a guide rail extending in an axial direction thereof and including a plurality of rolling element rolling grooves in two side portions thereof, said rolling groove extending in an axial direction of the guide rail; a slider including a plurality of rolling element rolling grooves respectively opposed to said rolling element rolling grooves of said guide rail, said slider being supported on said guide rail in such a manner that said slider is movable along the axial direction of said guide rail through the rolling movements of said rolling elements respectively inserted between said rolling element rolling grooves of said guide rail and said rolling element rolling grooves of said slider, said slider including a rolling element endless circulation track along which said rolling elements are allowed to circulate endlessly; and a plurality of separators, each interposed between said adjoining rolling elements in the circulation direction of said rolling elements. A clearance is formed between a line of said rolling elements and said separators which are endlessly circulated.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A linear guide device comprising: 
 a plurality of rolling elements;    a guide rail extending in an axial direction thereof and including a plurality of rolling element rolling grooves in two side portions thereof, said rolling groove extending in an axial direction of the guide rail;    a slider including a plurality of rolling element rolling grooves respectively opposed to said rolling element rolling grooves of said guide rail, said slider being supported on said guide rail in such a manner as to be movable along the axial direction of said guide rail through the rolling movements of said rolling elements respectively inserted between said rolling element rolling grooves of said guide rail and said rolling element rolling grooves of said slider, said slider defining a rolling element endless circulation track along which said rolling elements are allowed to circulate endlessly; and    a plurality of separators, each interposed between said adjoining rolling elements in the circulation direction of said rolling elements,    wherein a clearance is formed between a line of said rolling elements and said separators which are endlessly circulated.    
     
     
         2 . A linear guide device according to  claim 1 , wherein said rolling elements are balls, and the total dimension of said clearances formed between said balls and said separators is set in the range of 2% to 63% of the diameter of said ball at a position of the phase of said balls in which the total dimension of said clearances in said rolling element endless circulation track is minimum.  
     
     
         3 . A linear guide device comprising: 
 a plurality of balls;    a guide member defining a curved track which guides said balls; and    a separator interposed between said adjoining balls and having concave portions in both end portions of said separator in an axial direction thereof, which respectively contacting with the spherical surfaces of said adjoining balls,    wherein said separator is disposed so that the axis of said separator coincides with a first straight line connecting the center points of said adjoining balls,    when said balls moves along said curved track, said separators defines a second straight line connecting the most-outer points of said concave portions in said adjoining separators interposing said ball, and passing through the center point of said interposed ball, said most-outer point being a point contacting with the spherical surface of said ball at an outer periphery side of said curved track,    the outer diameter dimension of said separator having a radius equal to a distance from said outer-most point to said first straight line is set as the minimum outside dimension of said separator, and    the outer diameter dimension of said separator when the outer peripheral portion of said separator is contacted with said inside guide member is set as the maximum outside dimension of said separator.    
     
     
         4 . A linear guide device according to  claim 3 , wherein said separator is formed in a substantially column shape.  
     
     
         5 . A linear guide device according to  claim 3 , wherein said separator is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.  
     
     
         6 . A linear guide device according to  claim 3 , wherein said guide member comprises an inside guide member with a surface defining an inner periphery of said curved track, and said surface of said inside guide member is partially formed in section by an arc by having a radius longer than that of a semi-circular arc.  
     
     
         7 . A linear guide device comprising: 
 a plurality of balls;    a guide member defining a curved track which guides said balls; and    a separator interposed between said adjoining balls and having concave portions in both end portions of said separator in an axial direction thereof, which respectively contacting with the spherical surfaces of said adjoining balls,    wherein said separator is disposed so that the axis of said separator is parallel to or coincide with a straight line connecting the center points of said adjoining balls, and    the outside dimension of said separator is set 0.6-0.8 times the diameter of said ball.    
     
     
         8 . A linear guide device according to  claim 7 , wherein said separator is formed in a substantially column shape.  
     
     
         9 . A linear guide device according to  claim 7 , wherein said separator is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.  
     
     
         10 . A linear guide device according to  claim 7 , wherein said guide member comprises an inside guide member with a surface defining an inner periphery of said curved track, and said surface of said inside guide member is partially formed in section by an arc by having a radius larger than that of a semi-circular arc.  
     
     
         11 . A linear guide device comprising: 
 a plurality of balls; and    a guide member defining a curved track and first and second linear tracks which guide said balls, said balls entering said curved track from said first linear track and leaving said curved track into said second linear track,    wherein the play allowance of each of said balls in at least one of an entrance portion through which said ball enters said curved track and an exit portion through which said ball leaves said curved track is set smaller than the play allowance of said ball within a circulation passage where said ball is free from a load.    
     
     
         12 . A linear guide device according to  claim 11 , wherein the center axis of said curved track is shifted from the center axes of said first and second linear tracks.  
     
     
         13 . A linear guide device according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 an intermediate guide member defining a part of said curved track in at least one of the entrance portion and the exit portion so that the play allowance therein is set smaller than that of said ball within the circulation passage where said ball is free from the load.    
     
     
         14 . A linear guide device comprising: 
 a plurality of balls; and    a guide member defining a curved track and first and second linear tracks which guide said balls, said balls entering said curved track from said first linear track and leaving said curved track into said second linear track,    wherein the play allowance of each of said balls in at least one of an entrance portion through which said ball enters said curved track and an exit portion through which said ball leaves said curved track is set in the range of 0.5 to 11% of the diameter of said ball.    
     
     
         15 . A linear guide device according to  claim 14 , wherein the center axis of said curved track is shifted from the center axes of said first and second linear tracks.  
     
     
         16 . A linear guide device according to  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 an intermediate guide member defining a part of said curved track in at least one of the entrance portion and the exit portion so that the play allowance therein is set in the range of 0.5 to 11% of the diameter of said ball.    
     
     
         17 . A linear guide device comprising: 
 a plurality of balls; and    a guide member defining a curved track and first and second linear tracks which guide said balls, said balls entering said curved track from said first linear track and leaving said curved track into said second linear track,    wherein the play allowance of each of said balls in at least one of an entrance portion through which said ball enters said curved track and an exit portion through which said ball leaves said curved track is set in the range of 1.5 to 10% of the diameter of said ball.    
     
     
         18 . A linear guide device according to  claim 17 , wherein the center axis of said curved track is shifted from the center axes of said first and second linear tracks.  
     
     
         19 . A linear guide device according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 an intermediate guide member defining a part of said curved track in at least one of the entrance portion and the exit portion so that the play allowance therein is set in the range of 1.5 to 10% of the diameter of said ball.