Linear guide apparatus

• US 6,561,049 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NSK Limited
• Original Assignee: NSK Limited
• Inventors: Nakamura, Shinya, Akiyama, Masaru, Kato, Soichiro, Yabe, Shiroji
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, William C
• Application Number:
  US09/785,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20010016087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 384/7, 384/8, 384/43, 384/44, 384/49, 384/50, 384/45, 74/893.9, 188/43, 188/60, 188/170
• US Class Current: 74/89.32
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/28 Means for securing sliding members in any desired position
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/58 a single sliding pair
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2322/39 General build up of machine tools, e.g. spindles, slides, actuators in general B23Q
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 29/00 Bearings for parts moving only linearly F16C32/06 takes precedence; incorporated in flexible shafts F16C1/28 ; parts of bearings in general and special methods for making bearings or parts thereof in general F16C33/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 29/008 Systems with a plurality of bearings, e.g. four carriages supporting a slide on two parallel rails
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 29/06 in which the rolling bodies circulate partly without carrying load
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 29/10 Arrangements for locking the bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 29/12 Arrangements for adjusting play
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2066/005 Force, torque, stress or strain
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2121/02 Fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 63/008 Brakes acting on a linearly moving member
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/2454 Brakes; Rotational locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18648 Carriage surrounding, guided by, and primarily supported by member other than screw [e.g., linear guide, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18704 Means to selectively lock or retard screw or nut

Abstract

The linear guide apparatus includes a guide rail 3 including a rolling body rolling groove 8 and a friction apply unit 6 assembled to the guide rail 3. The friction apply unit 6 includes a unit main body 15, a brake member 16, an oil pressure cylinder 17 and a plate spring 32. The brake member 16 is disposed so as to face the side surface 3a of the guide rail 3 and can be contacted with the other portions of the side surface 3a than the rolling body rolling groove 8 thereof. The oil pressure cylinder 17 includes a piston member 20 which is structured to be driven in a positive direction to thereby press the brake member 16 against the side surface 3a of the guide rail 3 and also the piston member 20 can be driven in the opposite direction to thereby remove the pressure of the brake member 16 from the side surface 3a.

Claims

1. A linear guide apparatus comprising:

a guide member including a guide surface formed on an outer surface thereof;

a slider disposed on said guide member so as to be movable along a longitudinal direction of said guide member and including a load guide surface formed so as to face said guide surface of said guide member;

a brake member disposed so as to face the side surface of said guide member and contactable with the other portions of said side surface of said guide member than said guide surface thereof;

a drive device including an advance and retreat member movable in a direction to be contacted with and separated from said side surface of said guide member, said drive device being capable of driving said advance and retreat member in a direction to approach said side surface of said guide member to thereby press said brake member against said side surface of said guide member and also capable of driving said advance and retreat member in a direction to part away from said side surface of said guide member to thereby remove the pressure thereof; and

a support member for supporting said brake member with high rigidity in other directions thereof than said direction to be contacted with and separated from said side surface of said guide member,

wherein said support member is a plate spring.

2. The linear guide apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said advance and retreat member comprises a detecting unit which detects the pressure of said brake member.

3. A linear guide apparatus comprising:

a guide member including a guide surface formed on an outer surface thereof;

a slider disposed on said guide member so as to be movable along a longitudinal direction of said guide member and including a load guide surface formed so as to face said guide surface of said guide member;

a brake member disposed so as to face the side surface of said guide member and contactable with the other portions of said side surface of said guide member than said guide surface thereof;

a drive device including an advance and retreat member movable in a direction to be contacted with and separated from said side surface of said guide member, said drive device being capable of driving said advance and retreat member in a direction to approach said side surface of said guide member to thereby press said brake member against said side surface of said guide member and also capable of driving said advance and retreat member in a direction to part away from said side surface of said guide member to thereby remove the pressure thereof; and

a support member for supporting said brake member with high rigidity in other directions thereof than said direction to be contacted with and separated from said side surface of said guide member,

wherein said drive device comprises a unit main body, said advance and retreat member is movable relative to said unit main body, and said support member is a linear guide which comprises a bearing and a guide element extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said guide member, and

further wherein one of said guide element and said bearing is mounted on said unit main body, and the other is mounted on said advance and retreat member.

4. A linear guide apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said advance and retreat member comprises a detecting unit which detects the pressure of said brake member.

5. A linear guide apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said guide element is mounted on said unit main body, and said bearing is mounted on said advance and retreat member.