JP5370082B2 - Linear motion guide device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a linear guide device that can more reliably suck dust produced in a slider. <P>SOLUTION: The linear guide device 10 has a suction hole 20 for dust suction communicating with an outer surface of the slider 2 from inside the slider 2. The suction hole 20 comprises a horizontal hole 20a and a vertical hole 20b. The horizontal hole 20a communicates with an opening 21 formed in the outer surface of the slider 2 and connectable with a gas suction means such as a pump, and is bored horizontally to a center position in a slider body 5. The vertical hole 20b opens to a guide rail 1 in the center position in the slider body 5, and is bored vertically to a depth to communication with the horizontal hole 20a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a linear motion guide device that is used in various machines such as a manufacturing device and a processing machine, and in which a slider can move relatively along a guide rail via a plurality of rolling elements, and in particular, manufacture of liquid crystals and semiconductors. The present invention relates to a linear motion guide device equipped with a dust processing mechanism suitable for use in a clean environment such as a factory.

When the linear motion guide device is used in a clean environment such as a liquid crystal or semiconductor manufacturing factory, the lubrication grease of the linear motion guide device evaporates or wear powder generated by the rolling of the rolling element is scattered. There is a problem of polluting the atmosphere.
Therefore, for example, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, as a dust processing mechanism, a side plate is attached to the end portion of the slider, and a slit is provided on the side plate as a gas suction port for sucking air at the outer periphery of the rail. A communication hole is provided on the slider side so as to communicate with the slit of the side plate, and a gas suction means such as a pump can be connected to the communication hole side.

  According to the technique described in Patent Document 1, air on the outer periphery of the rail is sucked into the slider through the slit of the side plate, and dust (evaporated grease, wear powder, etc.) generated in the slider is sucked into the slider. The air can be discharged to the outside of the slider (outside of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus) through the communication hole provided in the slider together with the air. Thereby, contamination of the atmosphere can be suppressed by removing dust generated inside the slider.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 03-020575

However, in the technique described in this document, the dust suction position is only the gas suction port by the side plate provided at the end of the slider, so that the dust can be sufficiently sucked from the side surface of the sleeve portion of the slider or the side plate on the opposite side. Can not.
That is, when dust is sucked from the side surface of the slider or the opposite side plate, the side plate close to the gas suction port and the side plate opposite to this are separated from each other and become asymmetric. Therefore, the amount of suction (suction capacity) from the slider side and the opposite side plate is reduced compared to the side where the slit is formed, and the dust handling mechanism as a whole. If the suction amount is small, dust may not be sufficiently sucked from the opposite side plate. Therefore, there is still room for study for reliably sucking the dust generated inside the slider.
Therefore, the present invention has been made paying attention to such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a linear motion guide device that can more reliably suck dust generated inside the slider.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention includes a guide rail and a slider straddling the guide rail, and the slider includes a slider body and a pair of end caps attached to both end surface portions thereof. A linear guide device that slides on the right and left sleeves via a rolling element on the guide rail, an opening to which a gas suction means can be connected to the outer surface of the slider, and the opening A suction hole formed in the slider body in communication with the suction hole, the suction hole being drilled to the center position of the slider body, and opened to the guide rail side at the center position. It is a feature.

  The position where the opening is formed is not particularly limited as long as it is formed on the outer surface of the slider, and can be formed, for example, on the end surface, side surface, or upper surface of the slider. Also, the gas suction means can be in various forms as long as it is connected to the opening so that gas can be sucked. For example, a connecting joint is attached to the opening and a tube is connected to the connecting joint. A gas suction means can be configured by connecting a pump.

  According to the linear motion guide device of the present invention, a suction hole is formed in the center of the slider, and dust is sucked through the suction hole, so that dust can be sucked from the space inside the slider. In particular, in the dust processing mechanism of this linear motion guide device, the suction hole is drilled in the slider body to the center position, and is opened to the guide rail side at the center position. The opening of the vertical hole (that is, the suction port) is symmetrical with respect to the gap between the end surface of the sleeve and the slider at the lower part of the sleeve and the guide rail. Can be reduced. Accordingly, dust generated inside the slider can be sucked more reliably.

  Here, in the technique described in Patent Document 1 described above, when side plates are provided at both ends of the slider, dust generated inside the slider can be reliably sucked unless both sides are sucked simultaneously. difficult. Therefore, dust is discharged outside the slider, the structure becomes complicated, and the number of parts increases. Further, when sucking dust on the side plates at both ends of the slider from one suction port, it is necessary to provide a through hole from the slider end to the opposite end, and to connect the slits of the side plates to each other. However, since the above-described side plate is attached to the endmost part of the slider, the through hole connecting the side plates on both sides interferes with the greasing passage of the end cap, and when the dust is sucked in, the interfering lubrication There is also a possibility that the lubricant is sucked together from the road.

  On the other hand, according to the linear motion guide device according to the present invention, since it is a simple mechanism as described above, it can be incorporated in the conventional configuration without increasing the number of parts. And when connecting the suction hole only with the end face of the end cap on one side, by supplying grease from the end face of the end cap opposite to the suction side, without sucking the lubricant when sucking the dust, Only dust inside the slider can be sucked.

In the linear motion guide device according to the present invention, the seal is attached to the end surface of the slider in the sliding direction and the portion where a gap is formed between the slider and the guide rail at the lower part of the sleeve so as to reduce the gap. It is preferable to have a member.
With such a configuration, it is possible to make it difficult for the dust generated inside the slider to leak out of the slider, and to increase the flow velocity of the gas sucked by the gap portion of the seal. Therefore, dust in the vicinity of the outside of the slider can be sucked more efficiently. Therefore, compared with the case where such a sealing member is not provided, the dust generation amount can be further reduced even with the same suction capability.

  As described above, according to the linear motion guide device of the present invention, dust generated inside the slider can be sucked more reliably.

It is explanatory drawing of 1st embodiment of the linear guide apparatus which concerns on this invention, The figure (a) is the top view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a left view in (b). . It is a graph for demonstrating the relationship between the suction | attraction amount (suction capability), the clearance gap, and the amount of dust generation in the linear motion guide apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of 2nd embodiment of the linear guide apparatus which concerns on this invention, The figure (a) is the top view, (b) is a front view. It is explanatory drawing of 3rd embodiment of the linear guide apparatus which concerns on this invention, The figure (a) is the top view, (b) is a front view. It is explanatory drawing of 4th embodiment of the linear guide apparatus which concerns on this invention, The figure (a) is the top view, (b) is a front view. It is explanatory drawing of 5th embodiment of the linear guide apparatus which concerns on this invention, The figure (a) is the top view, (b) is a front view.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate.
As shown in FIG. 1, the linear motion guide device 10 includes a guide rail 1 and a slider 2 that slides on the guide rail 1. The guide rail 1 is formed with a plurality of rolling element rolling grooves 4 on the left and right side portions of the outer surface thereof. The slider 2 has a U-shape having sleeve portions 2a and 2b on the left and right. The U-shaped concave portion is opposed to the guide rail 1 so as to face the guide rail 1, and the sleeves 2 a and 2 b are opposed to the rolling element rolling grooves 4 of the guide rail 1. The rolling element rolling groove 6 is formed on the inner surface.

  The slider 2 has a slider body 5 and a pair of end caps 7 attached to both end surface portions thereof. Inside each end cap 7, a substantially U-shaped direction changing path 8 is formed. Further, the slider body 5 is formed with a rolling element return passage 11 along the slide movement direction. Each direction change path 8 connects the ends of the rolling element return path 11 and the rolling element rolling path 12 (consisting of both rolling element rolling grooves 4 and 6 of the guide rail 1 and the slider body 5). A plurality of annular endless circulation paths are constructed. The plurality of infinite circulation paths are loosely fitted in the direction change path 8 of the end cap 7 and the rolling element return path 11 of the slider body 5 and are inserted in the rolling element rolling path 12. Each of the moving bodies 3 is filled.

  As a result, in the linear motion guide device 10, a plurality of filled rolling elements 3 roll in each infinite circulation path with the relative movement of the slider 2 with respect to the guide rail 1. After the direction change in the direction change path 8, it is introduced into the rolling element return passage 11 and returns to the rolling element rolling path 12 again from the opposite direction change path 8, while circulating through these plural rolling elements 3. Thus, the slider 2 moves relatively smoothly along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 1.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, a labyrinth seal 14 is attached to the linear guide device 10 as a seal member on the outer surface of each end cap 7. The labyrinth seal 14 has a shape that is substantially similar to the outer shape of the end cap 7 except for the lip portion (not shown) and has the same dimensions, thereby reducing the gap in the opposite direction as much as possible. Are prevented from entering the inside of the slider 2 from between the guide rail 1 and the end cap 7. Similarly, a gap between the slider 2 and the guide rail 1 is formed inside the left and right sleeve portions 2a and 2b of the slider 2 so that the under seal 16 serves as a seal member along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 1. It is attached to the part that can make the gap as small as possible.

Here, the linear motion guide device 10 includes a dust processing mechanism for sucking dust generated inside the slider 2.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the end cap 7 on one side (the left side in FIG. 1) of the slider 2 is formed with an opening 21 penetrating along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 1 at the center of the side surface. ing. The end cap 7 on the side opposite to the side where the opening 21 is formed is provided with a greasing port 25.

The slider body 5 is formed with suction holes 20 for sucking dust. The suction hole 20 includes a horizontal hole 20 a and a vertical hole 20 b. The horizontal hole 20 a opens at a position communicating with the opening 21, and is located at the center of the slider body 5 along the longitudinal direction of the slider body 5. Is drilled horizontally. The vertical hole 20b is drilled in the vertical direction from the guide rail 1 side to the depth communicating with the horizontal hole 20a at the center position of the slider body 5.
The opening 21 has a female thread on the outer surface side, and a pipe coupling joint 30 is fixed to the female thread. Further, a tube 40 is connected to the connection joint 30, and the other end side of the tube 40 is connected to a pump (not shown), and a gas suction means is configured by the connection joint 30, the tube 40 and the pump. .

Next, the operation and effect of the linear motion guide device 10 will be described.
The linear motion guide device 10 includes the above-described dust processing mechanism, and the dust processing mechanism has a suction hole 20 formed in the slider body 5 and sucks dust from the suction hole 20. Dust can be sucked from the space inside the slider 2.
In particular, the suction hole 20 includes a horizontal hole 20a and a vertical hole 20b. The horizontal hole 20a is formed on the outer surface of the slider 2 and communicates with an opening 21 to which a gas suction means such as a pump can be connected. Since the vertical hole 20b is opened to the guide rail 1 side at the center position of the slider body 5 and is vertically drilled to a depth communicating with the horizontal hole 20a. For example, compared with the technique described in Patent Document 1 described above, the difference in suction capability between the side close to the suction port and the side not so can be reduced. Accordingly, dust can be sucked more reliably.

  Furthermore, according to this linear motion guide device 10, the suction hole 20 is connected only to the opening 21 formed in the end face of the end cap 7 on one side, and the greasing port 25 is provided in the end cap 7 on the opposite side. Therefore, by supplying grease from the greasing port 25 of the end cap 7 opposite to the end cap 7 on the suction side, only the dust inside the slider 2 is sucked without sucking the lubricant during suction. can do.

  Further, according to the linear motion guide device 10, the labyrinth seal 14 is attached to the end face of the slider 2 so as to make the gap as small as possible, and the slider 2 and the guide are also provided below the left and right sleeve portions 2a and 2b. Since an under seal 16 is attached to a portion where a gap is formed between the rail 1 and the rail 1 so as to make the gap as small as possible, dust generated inside the slider 2 is hardly leaked to the outside of the slider 2. The dust near the outside of the slider 2 can be more efficiently sucked by increasing the flow velocity of the gas sucked by the gap between the seal members 9 and 10.

  FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the suction amount, the gap, and the dust generation amount. The example shown in the figure is an example in which the gap amounts by the seal members 9 and 10 are controlled to 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.5 mm. However, as shown in the figure, the suction amount is 20 [Nl / min], it can be seen that the amount of dust generation can be reduced when the gap is controlled to be small. Thereby, according to this linear guide apparatus 10, compared with the case where there is no sealing members 9 and 10, even if it is the same attraction | suction capability, the amount of dust generation can be restrained lower.

As described above, according to this linear motion guide device 10, dust generated inside the slider 2 can be more reliably sucked. The linear motion guide device according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, in the first embodiment, the opening 21 is formed on the side surface of one end cap 7, the horizontal hole 20 a of the suction hole 20 is formed along the sliding direction, and communicated with the opening 21. Although the example of connecting to gas suction means such as 40 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the horizontal hole 20a of the suction hole 20 is formed along the width direction, and the slider You may form the opening part 21 in the sleeve part (2a or 2b) used as the side surface of the main body 5, and connect a gas suction means to this.

  Further, for example, as in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the suction hole 20 is configured only by the vertical hole 20b penetrating the upper surface of the slider body 5 without providing the horizontal hole 20a of the suction hole 20, and the slider body 5 is mounted. The opening 21 may be formed in the table member 50 to be connected, and gas suction means such as the coupling joint 30 and the tube 40 may be connected thereto. In this case, the table member 50 also serves as a part of the gas suction means of the dust processing mechanism.

  Further, for example, as in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the present invention can be applied even when a plurality of sliders 2 are used. In the example of FIG. A dust disposal mechanism similar to the form is provided. And about the slider 2 of the left side of the figure, the horizontal hole 20a of the suction hole 20 is formed penetrating along the longitudinal direction, the opening 21 is formed on the side face of the end cap 7 on both sides, and the coupling joint 30 is coupled to each. Yes. The connecting joints 30 of the adjacent sliders 2 are connected to each other by a tube 42, and the tube 40 is connected to the connecting joint 30 on the left side of the figure to connect to a gas suction means such as a pump. Even with such a configuration, dust can be sucked from the suction holes 20 of each slider 2, so that dust can be sucked from the space inside each slider 2.

Further, for example, as in the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 6, in addition to the suction hole 20 described above, sleeve suction holes 22 are provided in the left and right sleeve parts 2a and 2b of the slider 2. May be.
The sleeve suction hole 22 includes a sleeve side hole (groove) 22a opened in the vicinity of the rolling element rolling path 12 (both rolling element rolling grooves 4 and 6) on which the rolling element 3 rolls. It is composed of a sleeve vertical hole 22b formed so as to communicate with the sleeve horizontal hole 22a and also communicate with the horizontal hole 20a. With such a configuration, although the configuration is complicated, it is possible to suck from the vicinity of the rolling element rolling path 12 that is a dust generation part, which is preferable for sucking dust more reliably. is there.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Guide rail 2 Slider 3 Rolling body 4 Rolling body rolling groove 5 Slider body 6 Rolling body rolling groove 7 End cap 8 Direction change path 10 Linear motion guide device 11 Rolling body return path 12 Rolling body rolling path 14 Labyrinth seal ( Seal member)
16 Under seal (seal member)
20a Horizontal hole 20b Vertical hole 20 Suction hole 21 Opening portion 25 Greasing port 22a Horizontal hole for sleeve portion 22b Vertical hole for sleeve portion 22 Suction hole for sleeve portion 30 Connecting joint (gas suction means)
40, 42 Tube (gas suction means)
50 Table members

Claims (2)

A guide rail and a slider straddled on the guide rail, the slider having a slider body and a pair of end caps attached to both end surface portions thereof, and rolling elements on the right and left sleeve portions thereof A linear motion guide device that slides on the guide rail via
The slider has an opening to which gas suction means can be connected to the outer surface of the slider, and a suction hole formed in the slider body in communication with the opening, and the suction hole is drilled in the slider body to a center position thereof. The linear guide device is opened to the side of the guide rail at a central position thereof.   The seal member attached so that the clearance gap may be made small in the part which the clearance gap between the slider and the guide rail of the end part of the slide movement direction of the said slider and the lower part of a sleeve part forms. The linear motion guide device described.

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