JP7622997B2 - Actuator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an actuator.

Patent document 1 discloses a mechanical linear motion unit (linear motion actuator) in which an endless belt operates in response to the rotation of a motor's rotating shaft, and a connecting member that functions as a slider moves back and forth together with a cover plate in response to the movement of the endless belt. In the device described in patent document 1, a workpiece according to the usage situation is attached to the cover plate, and the workpiece is moved back and forth together with the connecting member and cover plate for use.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1-188755

When replacing the endless belt in the device described in Patent Document 1, the user must first remove the workpiece attached to the cover plate. Then, the cover plate must be removed upward from the connecting member, and then the endless belt must be removed. Therefore, in the device described in Patent Document 1, the workpiece must always be removed from the cover plate when replacing the endless belt, which creates the problem that the task of replacing the endless belt becomes cumbersome.

The present invention was made in light of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an actuator that can easily replace the belt that moves the slider in a linear motion.

In order to achieve the above object, the actuator according to the present invention comprises:
A first pulley;
A second pulley is connected to a rotary shaft of the motor and is adapted to rotate based on the rotation of the rotary shaft;
a belt that is stretched around the first pulley and the second pulley and moves in accordance with the rotational motion of the rotary shaft;
a slider that moves linearly in a linear motion direction in accordance with the movement of the belt and is provided so that a workpiece can be attached thereto;
a base having a rail that supports the slider so as to be capable of linear motion, the first pulley being rotatably disposed at a tip end portion thereof, and the second pulley being rotatably disposed at a base end portion thereof;
a belt fixing member that is detachably attached to the slider in the linear motion direction and fixes the belt to the slider;
a fastener for removably fastening the belt fixing member to the slider;
Equipped with
The belt fixing member is formed with a through hole passing therethrough in the linear motion direction,
The fastener is inserted into the through hole along the linear motion direction, and the belt fixing member is fixed to the slider .

The belt fixing member may be removably mounted on the slider in the direction toward the tip end of the base.

The belt fixing member may be fixed to one end of the belt and the other end opposite the one end.

The motor may have a rotating shaft connected to the second pulley.

the belt is a timing belt having teeth;
The first pulley and the second pulley may be timing pulleys having portions with which the teeth of the belt mesh.

The actuator according to the present invention is equipped with a belt fixing member that is removably attached to the slider in the linear motion direction and fixes the belt to the slider. This makes it easy to replace the belt that moves the slider linearly in the actuator.

1 is a perspective view of an actuator according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the actuator according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2B is an enlarged plan view of a part of the actuator of FIG. 2A. 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2A, and FIG. 3B is a side view showing a simplified portion of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a belt, a belt fixing member, etc. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vicinity of a tip portion of the actuator according to the first embodiment; FIG. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 2A. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the actuator according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view for explaining functions of the slider, the front cover, and the first pulley unit. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a belt, a belt fixing member, and a slider. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an actuator housing, a slider, a slide cover, etc. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a belt, a belt fixing member, and a slider. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view (part 1) of a slider and a belt fixing member. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view (part 2) of the slider and the belt fixing member. 4 is a plan view for explaining the operation of the actuator according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5A to 5C are cross-sectional views for explaining the operation of the actuator according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view (part 1) for explaining a method of replacing a belt of the actuator according to the first embodiment. 1 is a cross-sectional view (part 1) for explaining a method for replacing a belt of the actuator according to the first embodiment; FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view (part 2) for explaining a method for replacing the belt of the actuator according to the first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view (part 3) for explaining a method for replacing the belt of the actuator according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view (part 4) for explaining a method of replacing the belt of the actuator according to the first embodiment; FIG. 13 is a perspective view (part 2) for explaining a method for replacing the belt of the actuator according to the first embodiment; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of an actuator according to a comparative example. FIG. 11 is a perspective view (part 1) for explaining another method for replacing the belt of the actuator according to the first embodiment. 1A is a perspective view (part 2) for explaining another method for replacing the belt of the actuator according to embodiment 1. FIG. 1B is a perspective view (part 3) for explaining another method for replacing the belt of the actuator according to embodiment 1. FIG. 11 is a fourth perspective view, partially in section, illustrating another method for replacing the belt of the actuator according to the first embodiment; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an actuator according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a plan view of an actuator according to a second embodiment.

Embodiment 1.
The actuator 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Note that the Y-axis direction in the drawing is parallel to the linear motion direction D1 in which the slider 40 to which the workpiece W is attached moves forward and backward as shown in Fig. 1, and the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction are perpendicular to the linear motion direction D1. Also, the XY plane in the drawing is a horizontal plane parallel to the surface on which the actuator 1 is installed.

The actuator 1 is a slider type actuator in which the slider 40 moves in a linear motion direction D1. As shown in Figures 2A, 2B and 3, in addition to the slider 40, the actuator 1 includes a motor 10, a belt 20, an actuator housing 30, a belt fixing member 50, a fixing means 60, a first pulley unit 70 having a first pulley P1, a tip stopper S1, a second pulley unit 80 having a second pulley P2 and a second pulley shaft 80a, a slide cover 90 fixed to the slider 40, and a base end stopper (not shown).

The motor 10 has an output shaft 10a (rotating shaft), a motor pulley 10b, a motor driven pulley 10c, a motor body 11, a casing 12, a side cover 13, a motor belt 14, and a motor bracket 15. The motor 10 is configured as a single unit that can be attached to and detached from the actuator housing 30, for example, via a second pulley unit 80. However, this is not limited to this. The motor 10 may be fixed integrally to the actuator housing 30 so that it cannot be attached or detached.

The motor pulley 10b is fixed to the output shaft 10a. This allows the motor pulley 10b to rotate together with the output shaft 10a.

The motor driven pulley 10c is fixed to the second pulley shaft 80a. This allows the motor driven pulley 10c to rotate together with the second pulley shaft 80a.

The motor body 11 is, for example, a stepping motor or a servo motor, and has a rotor, a stator, an encoder, etc. Power is supplied to the motor body from a commercial power source or a DC power source via a cable C1. The cable C1 supplies power from the outside to the motor body 11, and inputs and outputs control signals. When power is supplied to the motor body 11, the rotor of the motor body 11 rotates. The rotational motion of this rotor is output to the output shaft 10a. As a result, the output shaft 10a rotates together with the motor pulley 10b. The motor body 11 is also installed on a motor bracket 15.

The casing 12 houses the motor body 11 and is installed on the motor bracket 15 to protect the motor body 11. The output shaft 10a of the motor body 11 protrudes from the casing 12.

The side cover 13 is attached to the motor bracket 15. The side cover 13, together with the motor bracket 15, is intended to protect each component of the motor 10.

The motor belt 14 is hung with tension on the motor pulley 10b and the motor driven pulley 10c. The tension direction of the motor belt 14 is parallel to the Y-axis direction. The motor belt 14 transmits the rotational motion of the motor pulley 10b to the motor driven pulley 10c. The motor belt 14 operates in accordance with this transmission, and rotates the motor driven pulley 10c in accordance with this operation. The motor belt 14 is, for example, a timing belt with multiple teeth formed thereon that engage with the teeth formed on the motor pulley 10b and the motor driven pulley 10c. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the motor belt 14 may be something other than a timing belt.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the motor bracket 15 is a case that is installed on the +X side of the pulley housing 81 and has an opening that opens in the +X direction. The opening of the motor bracket 15 is blocked by the side cover 13. As a result, the motor bracket 15, together with the side cover 13, houses a part of the output shaft 10a, the motor pulley 10b, the motor belt 14, the motor driven pulley 10c, a part of the second pulley shaft 80a, etc., thereby protecting each of these components. Note that in the present embodiment 1, the motor bracket 15 is a case that has an opening that opens in the +X direction, but is not limited to this. The motor bracket 15 may be formed into a shape other than a case.

3 and 4, the belt 20 is hung on the first pulley P1 and the second pulley P2 under tension. The tension direction of the belt 20 is parallel to the Y-axis direction. The belt 20 transmits the rotational motion of the second pulley P2 to the first pulley P1. The belt 20 operates in accordance with this transmission, and in accordance with this operation, the slider 40 attached to the belt 20 moves along the linear motion direction D1. As a result, the work W attached to the slider 40 moves. The belt 20 is, for example, a timing belt on which a plurality of teeth 21 are formed to engage with teeth formed on the first pulley P1 and the second pulley P2. However, this is not limited to this, and the belt 20 may be something other than a timing belt. However, from the viewpoint of enabling precise movement of the slider 40, it is preferable that the belt 20 is a timing belt. In the figures, the belt 20 is shown in a simplified manner by omitting some of the teeth.

As shown in FIG. 3, the actuator housing 30 houses the belt 20 and the slider 40, and has the second pulley unit 80 fixed thereto. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the actuator housing 30 has a base 31, a pair of side covers 32R, 32L, a seat member 33, a front cover 34, and a rear cover 35.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the base 31 constitutes the bottom portion of the actuator housing 30. The base 31 supports the slider 40 via a number of rigid linear guide rolling elements so that the slider 40 can slide in both the +Y and -Y directions. The base 31 is formed, for example, by extruding a metal such as aluminum. A pair of grooves extending in the Y-axis direction are formed on the inner surface of the base 31, and a pair of rails 31a for supporting the slider 40 so that it can slide are fitted into these grooves. The linear guide rolling elements roll on these rails 31a, allowing the slider 40 to move back and forth smoothly.

The side covers 32R and 32L form the side walls on both sides of the actuator housing 30. Together with the base 31, the side covers 32R and 32L protect the various components inside the actuator 1.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the sheet member 33 is a substantially rectangular sheet with its longitudinal direction in the Y-axis direction, and closes the opening 32a between the side covers 32R and 32L. This forms the ceiling wall portion of the actuator housing 30. The -Y side end of the sheet member 33 is fixed to the front cover 34. Similarly, the +Y side end of the sheet member 33 is fixed to the rear cover 35. Note that in FIG. 1 and FIG. 7, the sheet member 33 attached to the actuator housing 30 is shown by coloring it with dots to make it easier to understand.

As shown in FIG. 5, the front cover 34 constitutes the tip portion of the -Y side of the actuator housing 30, and is attached to the -Y side of the base 31. The front cover 34 protects the various components inside the actuator 1 together with the base 31 and the side covers 32R and 32L. The front cover 34 has, for example, plates 34-1 and 34-2, and a protective member 34-3.

The plate 34-1 is formed, for example, by bending a metal plate. The plate 34-1 is fixed to the base 31 by a fastener 34a. The plate 34-1 also has a hole through which the position adjustment member 34b is inserted and which penetrates in the Y-axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 7B, the position adjustment member 34b is used to adjust the tension of the belt 20. The position adjustment member 34b is, for example, a screw or a bolt. The position adjustment member 34b is screwed into a hole formed in the plate 34-1 and into a screw hole 74a of the first pulley unit 70 described below. The position adjustment member 34b is used to adjust the position of the first pulley unit 70 in the Y-axis direction relative to the base 31 by adjusting the amount of screwing in the screwing direction D3. This makes it possible for the first pulley unit 70 to be fixed to the base 31 while maintaining a predetermined tension on the belt 20.

The plate 34-2 is made of, for example, metal. As shown in FIG. 5, the plate 34-2 is fixed to the plate 34-1 by fasteners 34c while sandwiching the sheet member 33. The sheet member 33 is fixed to the front cover 34 by fixing the plate 34-2 to the plate 34-1.

The protective member 34-3 is made of, for example, resin. The protective member 34-3 covers the plates 34-1 and 34-2 so that the plates 34-1 and 34-2 are not exposed to the outside.

The rear cover 35 is fixed to the +Y side of the base 31, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the belt 20 is attached to the slider 40 via a belt fixing member 50. As a result, the slider 40 moves along the linear motion direction D1 based on the operation of the belt 20, which is based on the rotational motion of the output shaft 10a. Also, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 7A, the slider 40 is supported on the base 31 via a linear guide rolling element (not shown) so as to be capable of linear motion in the Y-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 8A, the slider 40 has a main body portion 41, return members 42-1, 42-2, sheet guide members 43-1, 43-2, a connecting member 44, and a contact member 45.

The main body 41 is made of a highly rigid material, such as metal. As shown in Figs. 8B and 9A, the main body 41 has a hole 41a formed therethrough in the Y-axis direction through which the belt 20 is inserted and positioned. The main body 41 also has a pair of work mounting portions 41R, 41L and a sheet member placement surface 41b formed therein.

The work mounting parts 41R, 41L are formed to protrude upward (in the +Z direction) from the sheet member placement surface 41b. Threaded holes are formed in the upper surfaces (the surfaces on the +Z side) of the work mounting parts 41R, 41L. The work mounting parts 41R, 41L are provided so as to be exposed upward (in the +Z direction) from the slide cover 90. The work W is fixed to the work mounting parts 41R, 41L by fasteners such as screws, for example.

The sheet member placement surface 41b is formed between the workpiece mounting portion 41R and the workpiece mounting portion 41L. The sheet member placement surface 41b is formed as a curved surface that slopes gently in the +Y and -Y directions with the center in the Y-axis direction as the apex. The sheet member 33 is placed on this sheet member placement surface 41b.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the return member 42-1 is fixed to the front end surface on the -Y side of the main body 41 with a fastener or the like. In this embodiment 1, two return members 42-1 are fixed to the front end surface of the main body 41. A rolling element circulation path is formed inside the return member 42-1, through which the rolling elements for the linear guide pass.

The return member 42-2 is fixed to the rear end surface on the +Y side of the main body 41 with a fastener or the like. In the present embodiment 1, two return members 42-2 are fixed to the rear end surface of the main body 41. Like the return member 42-1, the return member 42-2 has a rolling element circulation path formed therein through which the rolling elements for the linear guide pass.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the sheet guide members 43-1 and 43-2 are provided with rollers that rotate around the X axis. The rotation of the rollers of the sheet guide members 43-1 and 43-2 allows the slider 40 to move stably in both the +Y and -Y directions while smoothly sliding against the sheet member 33.

As shown in Figures 9B and 9C, the connection member 44 is fixed to the front end surface on the -Y side of the main body 41 with a fastener 44a. The connection member 44 also has a screw hole 44b into which the fixing means 60 is screwed. The connection member 44 is made of, for example, metal. The connection member 44 is used to connect the belt fixing member 50 to the main body 41.

The abutment member 45 is fixed to the rear end surface on the +Y side of the main body 41 by a fastener 45a. The abutment member 45 is the part that abuts against the base end stopper (not shown) when the slider 40 moves in the +Y direction.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 9A, the belt fixing member 50 is used to fix the belt 20 to the slider 40. The belt fixing member 50 is attached to the slider 40 so as to be detachable in the linear motion direction. The belt fixing member 50 has a belt fixing member main body 51, an attachment plate 52, and a fastener 53. The fastener 53 is, for example, a screw.

The belt fixing member main body 51 is formed with a through hole 51a, multiple grooves 51b, and a screw hole 51c. The through hole 51a is a hole that penetrates in the Y-axis direction. The fixing means 60 is inserted into this through hole 51a from the -Y side. The groove 51b is provided along the X-axis direction. Teeth 21 provided near both ends 20a, 20b of the belt 20 are fitted into this groove 51b.

The mounting plate 52 is used to fix both ends 20a, 20b of the belt 20 to the belt fixing member main body 51. The mounting plate 52 is made of, for example, metal. A through hole 52a is formed in the mounting plate 52, penetrating in the Z-axis direction. A fastener 53 is inserted into the through hole 52a in the -Z direction. The fastener 53 inserted into the through hole 52a is inserted into the screw hole 51c of the belt fixing member main body 51 and fastened, thereby fixing the mounting plate 52 to the belt fixing member main body 51. As a result, both ends 20a, 20b of the belt 20 are sandwiched between the belt fixing member main body 51 and the mounting plate 52, and the belt 20 is fixed to the belt fixing member main body 51.

The fixing means 60 is used to fix the belt fixing member 50 to the slider 40. The fixing means 60 is composed of a member that can be screwed into the screw hole 44b of the connection member 44 of the slider 40. Specifically, the fixing means 60 is composed of a fastener such as a screw or a bolt. The fixing means 60 is inserted into the through hole 51a of the belt fixing member main body 51 and screwed into the screw hole 44b of the connection member 44 of the slider 40, thereby fixing the belt fixing member 50 to the connection member 44 of the slider 40. Furthermore, the belt fixing member 50 is detachably attached to the slider 40 by the fixing means 60.

As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the first pulley unit 70 has a first pulley P1 and a pulley housing 71 that rotatably supports the first pulley P1. The first pulley unit 70 is attached near the tip of the -Y side of the actuator housing 30. Specifically, the first pulley unit 70 is fixed near the tip of the base 31 of the actuator housing 30 by fastening a fastener 72.

The first pulley P1 is rotatably supported on the pulley housing 71, for example, by a bearing. The first pulley P1 is arranged so that the axial direction of its rotation axis is parallel to the X-axis direction. The first pulley P1 is, for example, a timing pulley with multiple teeth formed thereon that engage with teeth formed on the belt 20. However, this is not limited to this. The first pulley P1 may be something other than a timing pulley. However, from the viewpoint of enabling precise movement of the slider 40, it is preferable that the first pulley P1 is a timing pulley.

As shown in FIG. 5, the pulley housing 71 has a fastener 72 inserted therethrough and a long hole 71a formed in the Y-axis direction. In addition, a plate 74 is attached to the pulley housing 71 by a fastener.

A screw hole 74a is formed in the plate 74. As shown in FIG. 7B, the screw hole 74a is formed so that the position adjustment member 34b of the front cover 34 can be screwed in. This screw hole 74a is formed so that the position adjustment member 34b can be screwed in to adjust the position of the first pulley unit 70 in the Y-axis direction.

As shown in Figures 5 and 7B, the tip stopper S1 comes into contact with the belt fixing member 50 to absorb the impact when the slider 40 moves in the -Y direction to the vicinity of the front cover 34. At least a portion of the tip stopper S1 is made of an elastic material so that it can absorb the impact caused by contact with the slider 40. The tip stopper S1 is fixed near the tip of the base 31 of the actuator housing 30 and on the +Y side of the first pulley unit 70 by fastening a fastener.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the second pulley unit 80 has a second pulley P2 and a pulley housing 81 that rotatably supports the second pulley P2. The second pulley unit 80 is attached to the base end of the actuator housing 30 on the +Y side.

The second pulley P2 is rotatably supported on the pulley housing 81, for example, by a bearing. The second pulley P2 is arranged so that the axial direction of its rotation shaft is parallel to the axial direction of the rotation shaft of the first pulley P1. Like the first pulley P1, the second pulley P2 is, for example, a timing pulley with multiple teeth formed thereon that engage with teeth formed on the belt 20. However, this is not limited to this. The second pulley P2 may be something other than a timing pulley. However, from the viewpoint of enabling precise movement of the slider 40, it is preferable that the second pulley P2 is a timing pulley.

The base end stopper (not shown) is intended to come into contact with the abutment member 45 of the slider 40 and absorb the impact when the slider 40 moves in the +Y direction close to the rear cover 35. At least a portion of the base end stopper is made of an elastic material so that it can absorb the impact caused by contact with the abutment member 45, for example. The base end stopper is fixed near the base end of the base 31 of the actuator housing 30 and on the -Y side of the second pulley unit 80 by fastening a fastener.

The operation of the actuator 1 configured as described above will be explained with reference to Figures 10 and 11.

First, when power is supplied to the motor body 11 of the motor 10, the output shaft 10a rotates together with the motor pulley 10b as shown by the arrow A1. When the output shaft 10a and the motor pulley 10b rotate, the rotational motion is transmitted by the motor belt 14 as shown by the arrow A2. This causes the second pulley P2 to rotate as shown by the arrow A3.

When the second pulley P2 rotates, the belt 20 operates as shown by arrow A4, and the first pulley P1 rotates as shown by arrow A5. At this time, the slider 40 moves along the linear motion direction D1 based on the operation of the belt 20. In addition, since the slider 40 is supported on the base 31 via multiple linear guide rolling elements, it moves smoothly due to the rolling of the linear guide rolling elements. When the slider 40 moves in the linear motion direction D1, the slide cover 90 fixed to the slider 40 also moves in the linear motion direction D1, and as a result, the slide cover 90 and the workpiece W move, for example, as shown by arrow A6.

Next, we will explain how to replace the belt 20 in the actuator 1.

First, a user of the actuator 1 who is replacing the belt 20 removes the sheet member 33 from the actuator housing 30 while the workpiece W is still attached to the slider 40 of the actuator 1, as shown in FIG. 12. Note that in FIG. 12, the sheet member 33 is shown by coloring it with dots to make it easier to understand.

Then, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, the user removes the two fixing means 60 from the slider 40 and the belt fixing member 50 in the -Y direction. This makes the belt fixing member 50 removable from the slider 40.

The user then removes the belt fixing member 50 from the slider 40 in the -Y direction, as shown in Figure 15.

Next, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, the user loosens the fastener 53 of the belt fixing member 50 and removes the mounting plate 52. This allows the belt 20 to be removed from the belt fixing member main body 51. The user can then replace the belt 20 with the workpiece W still attached to the slider 40. The user can then check the deterioration status of the belt 20 or replace the belt 20 as appropriate. Therefore, the user can perform maintenance work on the actuator 1 related to the belt 20 with the workpiece W still attached to the slider 40.

As described above, the actuator 1 according to the present embodiment 1 is detachably attached to the slider 40 in the linear motion direction D1 as shown in Figures 14 and 15, and includes a belt fixing member 50 for fixing the belt 20 to the slider 40. Therefore, the user of the actuator 1 can remove the sheet member 33 from the actuator housing 30 while the workpiece W remains attached to the slider 40.

For example, in the case of the actuator 100 according to the comparative example, as shown in FIG. 18, in order to remove the belt 20 from the slider 40, the ends 20a and 20b of the belt 20 must be moved upward (in the +Z direction). Therefore, when the user replaces the belt 20, the user must always remove the workpiece W and the slide cover 90 from the slider 40, which makes the task of replacing the belt 20 complicated.

In contrast, in the actuator 1 according to the present embodiment 1, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the user can remove the sheet member 33 from the actuator housing 30 while the workpiece W remains attached to the slider 40. This makes it easier for the user to replace the belt 20 in the actuator 1 according to the present embodiment 1.

In addition, in this embodiment 1, the belt fixing member 50 is removably attached to the slider 40 in the direction toward the tip end side of the base 31 (-Y direction). This makes it easier for the user to replace the belt 20 compared to when the belt fixing member 50 is removably attached to the slider 40 in the direction toward the base end side of the base 31 (+Y direction).

In the above-described method of replacing the belt 20 in the actuator 1, as shown in Figures 12 to 16, the user replaces the belt 20 without removing the first pulley unit 70 from the base 31. However, this is not limited to the above. The user may replace the belt 20 after removing the first pulley unit 70 from the base 31. Below, a method of replacing the belt 20 after removing the first pulley unit 70 will be described.

First, a user of the actuator 1 who is replacing the belt 20 removes the sheet member 33 from the actuator housing 30 while the workpiece W is still attached to the slider 40 of the actuator 1, as shown in FIG. 12.

Then, the user removes the first pulley unit 70 and the tip stopper S1 from the base 31, as shown in FIG. 19. At this time, the user can remove the first pulley unit 70 from the belt 20 by removing the plate 74 from the pulley housing 71, as shown in FIG. 20. Note that in FIG. 19, the actuator 1 is shown without the workpiece W.

Then, as shown in FIG. 21, the user pulls the slider 40 close to the end of the base 31 on the -Y side (close to plate 34-1 of the front cover 34). The user then inserts tool T into the hole formed in plate 34-1 of the front cover 34 and operates it to loosen the fastening means 60. This removes the two fastening means 60 from the slider 40 and belt fixing member 50 in the -Y direction, and further removes the belt fixing member 50 from the slider 40. As a result, the user can replace the belt 20 with the workpiece still attached to the slider 40.

In the actuator 1 according to the first embodiment, when replacing the belt 20 after removing the first pulley unit 70 from the base 31, the slider 40 can be pulled to the vicinity of the end of the -Y side of the base before replacing the belt 20. The motor 10 is not installed on the -Y side of the front cover 34 of the actuator 1. Therefore, in the actuator 1, a working space S for operating the belt fixing member 50 can be secured compared to when the slider 40 is located near the center of the base 31 in the Y-axis direction.

The above describes embodiment 1 of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment 1.

Embodiment 2.
For example, in the actuator 1 according to the above-mentioned first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 9, the fixing means 60 is inserted into the through hole 51a of the belt fixing member main body 51 along the linear motion direction D1, and the belt fixing member 50 is fixed to the slider 40. However, this is not limited to this. As in the actuator 2 according to the second embodiment shown in Fig. 22, the fixing means 60 may be inserted into the through hole of the belt fixing member main body 51 along the width direction D2 perpendicular to the linear motion direction D1, and the belt fixing member 50 may be fixed to the slider 40. In this case, a through hole 31b for inserting the fixing means 60 is also formed in the base 31.

When replacing the belt 20 in this actuator 2, as can be seen from FIG. 22, the user first removes the sheet member 33 from the actuator housing 30 while the workpiece W remains attached to the slider 40.

Next, as can be seen by referring to FIG. 23, the user removes the fixing means 60 from the slider 40 and the belt fixing member 50 in the +X direction along the width direction D2. This makes the belt fixing member 50 removable from the slider 40.

The user then removes the belt fixing member 50 from the slider 40 in the -Y direction.

The user can then check the deterioration status of the belt 20 and replace the belt 20 as appropriate. As a result, the user can perform maintenance work on the actuator 2 related to the belt 20 while the workpiece W remains attached to the slider 40.

As described above, the actuator 2 according to the second embodiment also includes a belt fixing member 50 that is detachably attached to the slider 40 in the linear motion direction D1, as shown in Figs. 22 and 23, for fixing the belt 20 to the slider 40. Therefore, the user of the actuator 1 can remove the sheet member 33 from the actuator housing 30 while the workpiece W remains attached to the slider 40. As a result, the actuator 2 can achieve the same effect as the actuator 1 according to the first embodiment.

Other embodiments In the actuator 1 according to the first embodiment, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, the belt fixing member 50 is removably provided in the direction toward the tip end side of the base 31 (-Y direction) with respect to the slider 40. However, this is not limited to this. The belt fixing member 50 may be removably provided in the direction toward the base end side of the base 31 (+Y direction) with respect to the slider 40. Similarly, in the second embodiment, the belt fixing member 50 may be removably provided in the direction toward the base end side of the base 31 (+Y direction) with respect to the slider 40.

The actuator 1 according to the first embodiment includes a fixing means 60 for fixing the belt fixing member 50 to the slider 40. The fixing means 60 is a fastener. However, this is not limiting, and any means for fixing the belt fixing member 50 to the slider 40 may be used. The belt fixing member 50 may be fixed to the slider 40 by a fixing means other than a fastener. Similarly, in the second embodiment, the belt fixing member 50 may be fixed to the slider 40 by a fixing means other than a fastener.

In the above-mentioned embodiment 1, as shown in FIG. 3, the output shaft 10a of the motor 10 and the second pulley shaft 80a of the second pulley unit 80 are connected via a motor belt 14 or the like. However, this is not limited to this. For example, by providing the motor 10 on the pulley housing 81 of the second pulley unit 80, the output shaft 10a of the motor 10 and the second pulley shaft 80a of the second pulley unit 80 may be connected via a coupling instead of the motor belt 14 or the like. In addition, the output shaft 10a of the motor 10 and the second pulley shaft 80a of the second pulley unit 80 may be directly connected without the motor belt 14 or the coupling. Furthermore, the output shaft 10a of the motor 10 and the second pulley shaft 80a of the second pulley unit 80 may be formed integrally.

The present invention allows for various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. The above-described embodiments are intended to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

1, 2, 100: Actuator 10: Motor 10a: Output shaft (rotating shaft)
10b: Motor pulley 10c: Motor driven pulley 11: Motor body 12: Casing 13: Side cover 14: Motor belt 15: Motor bracket 20: Belt 20a, 20b: End 21: Teeth 30: Actuator housing 31: Base 31a: Rail 31b: Through hole 32R, 32L: Side cover 32a: Opening 33: Sheet member 34: Front cover 34-1, 34-2: Plate 34-3: Protective member 34a, 34c: Fastener 34b: Position adjustment member 35: Rear cover 40: Slider 41: Main body 41R, 41L: Work attachment portion 41a: Hole 41b: Sheet member arrangement surface 42-1, 42-2: Return member 43-1, 43-2: Sheet guide member 44: Connection member 44a: Fastener 44b: Screw hole 45: Contact member 45a: Fastener 50: Belt fixing member 51: Belt fixing member main body 51a: Through hole 51b: Groove 51c: Screw hole 52: Mounting plate 52a: Through hole 53: Fastener 60: Fixing means 70: First pulley unit 71: Pulley housing 71a: Slot 72: Fastener 74: Plate 74a: Screw hole 80: Second pulley unit 80a: Second pulley shaft 81: Pulley housing 90: Slide cover P1: First pulley P2: Second pulley S1: Tip stopper W: Work T: Tool C1: Cable D1: Linear motion direction D2: Width direction D3: Screwing direction A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6: Arrows S: Working space

Claims (5)

A first pulley;
A second pulley is connected to a rotary shaft of the motor and is adapted to rotate based on the rotation of the rotary shaft;
a belt that is stretched around the first pulley and the second pulley and moves in accordance with the rotational motion of the rotary shaft;
a slider that moves linearly in a linear motion direction in accordance with the movement of the belt and is provided so that a workpiece can be attached thereto;
a base having a rail that supports the slider so as to be capable of linear motion, the first pulley being rotatably disposed at a tip end portion thereof, and the second pulley being rotatably disposed at a base end portion thereof;
a belt fixing member that is detachably attached to the slider in the linear motion direction and fixes the belt to the slider;
a fastener for removably fastening the belt fixing member to the slider;
Equipped with
The belt fixing member is formed with a through hole passing therethrough in the linear motion direction,
The fastener is inserted into the through hole along the linear motion direction to fix the belt fixing member to the slider . The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the belt fixing member is removably attached to the slider in a direction toward the tip end of the base. 3. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein one end of the belt and another end opposite to the one end are fixed to the belt fixing member. 4. The actuator of claim 1 , further comprising a motor having a rotating shaft connected to the second pulley. the belt is a timing belt having teeth;
5. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the first pulley and the second pulley are timing pulleys having portions with which the teeth of the belt mesh.

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