JP7779532B2 - Sealants and methods for installing sealants - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sealing material and a method for installing the sealing material.

For example, in machining machine tools, liquids such as cutting oil, cutting fluid, and coolant are used during machining, and solid matter such as chips is generated. These foreign objects can cause electrical leakage and damage to the machine tool's motors, wiring, and other electrical devices, and can also wear out and damage bearings in the drive mechanism. For this reason, the machine tool's electrical devices and drive mechanisms must be located in sealed areas to prevent foreign objects from entering.

Meanwhile, machine tools require a retractable member, such as an arm, that can move in and out of the sealed area for machining. Because a gap forms between this retractable member and the wall surface that makes up the sealed area, a sealant is provided that slidably abuts against the surface of the retractable member and separates the inside and outside of the sealed area. This sealant seals the gap, preventing foreign matter from entering the sealed area, i.e., the inside of the machine.

One known example of such a sealing material is one that includes a support member and a flat elastic member with an edge that comes into sliding contact with the sliding surface of the machine tool (see International Publication No. WO 2017/110275). The elastic member is made of rubber, which has excellent oil resistance. Among these, urethane is considered suitable due to its resistance to swelling caused by synthetic oils and its excellent abrasion resistance.

International Publication No. 2017/110275

However, when urethane is allowed to come into contact with the sliding surfaces of machine tools, it can undergo hydrolysis or oxidation degradation due to contact with liquids during processing, which can lead to the breakdown of the sealing material, so it needs to be replaced at relatively short intervals.

Furthermore, if the sliding surface is pressed too hard, the sliding resistance may become too high, making it difficult for the retractable member to move back and forth. On the other hand, if the force pressing against the sliding surface is too weak, foreign matter may easily enter the sliding surface.

The present invention was developed based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a sealing material and an installation method for such a sealing material that allows the contacting member to easily move forward and backward and effectively prevents the intrusion of foreign matter for an extended period of time.

A sealing material according to one aspect of the present invention is used in a machine tool equipped with a retractable member that can advance and retreat from a sealed area to the outside. It slidably contacts the surface of the retractable member, separating the inside and outside of the sealed area. It comprises a plate-shaped substrate that is elastic with respect to bending in the thickness direction, and a fiber sealing portion laminated to the substrate. The fiber sealing portion has a fiber surface made of a fiber material, and the fiber surface contacts the surface of the retractable member.

A method for installing a sealing material according to another aspect of the present invention is used in a machine tool equipped with a retractable member that can advance and retreat from a sealed area to the outside. The sealing material slidably abuts against the surface of the retractable member, separating the inside and outside of the sealed area. The sealing material comprises a plate-shaped base material that is elastic with respect to curvature in the thickness direction, and a fiber sealing portion laminated to the base material. The fiber sealing portion has a fiber surface made of a fiber material. The method includes an abutting step of abutting the fiber surface against the surface of the retractable member while curving the sealing material, a fixing step of fixing the sealing material, and an adjusting step of adjusting the amount of curvature of the sealing material after the abutting step.

The sealing material of the present invention allows the contacting member to easily move back and forth, and can effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign matter over a long period of time. Furthermore, by using the method for installing the sealing material of the present invention, the sealing material can be maintained in a state where the contacting member can easily move back and forth, and can effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign matter over a long period of time.

FIG. 1 is a partial schematic diagram showing the configuration of a machine tool using a sealing material according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a sealing material used in the machine tool of FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the sealing material in FIG. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing steps of a method for attaching a sealing material according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Description of the embodiment of the present invention]
First, embodiments of the present invention will be listed and described.

A sealing material according to one aspect of the present invention is used in a machine tool equipped with a retractable member that can advance and retreat from a sealed area to the outside. It slidably contacts the surface of the retractable member, separating the inside and outside of the sealed area. It comprises a plate-shaped substrate that is elastic with respect to bending in the thickness direction, and a fiber sealing portion laminated to the substrate. The fiber sealing portion has a fiber surface made of a fiber material, and the fiber surface contacts the surface of the retractable member.

The sealing material's fibrous surface, made of a fibrous material, abuts against the surface of the retractable member. The fibers of this fibrous surface prevent foreign matter from entering the sealed area through the surface of the retractable member. Due to the cushioning properties of the fibers, the fibrous surface is resistant to scratches and tears even when directly hit by a foreign matter, maintaining its sealing properties. Furthermore, since fibers are resistant to hydrolysis and oxidative degradation, they are likely to maintain their quality over the long term. Furthermore, because the fibers of the fibrous surface make point contact with the surface of the retractable member, they have lower friction than conventional sealing materials that make line or surface contact, and are less likely to impede the retractable member's movement. Therefore, this sealing material allows the retractable member to easily move forward and backward while effectively preventing the intrusion of foreign matter over an extended period of time.

It is preferable that the fiber material be cut pile material. By using cut pile material, which is a high-density fiber, as the fiber material, the intrusion of foreign matter can be prevented even more effectively.

The density of the fiber material is preferably 500 fibers/ ^mm2 or more and 2000 fibers/ ^mm2 or less. By setting the density of the fiber material within the above range, it is possible to more effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign matter while maintaining the ease of advancement and retreat of the contacting advancing and retreating member.

The pile fibers making up the cut pile material may be made of polyester, polyamide, polytetrafluoroethylene, or a combination of these. By including polyester or polyamide in the cut pile material, the durability of the sealing material can be increased. Furthermore, by including polytetrafluoroethylene in the cut pile material, sliding resistance can be reduced, further facilitating the advancement and retraction of the retractable member.

A method for installing a sealing material according to another aspect of the present invention is used in a machine tool equipped with a retractable member that can advance and retreat from a sealed area to the outside. The sealing material slidably abuts against the surface of the retractable member, separating the inside and outside of the sealed area. The sealing material comprises a plate-shaped base material that is elastic with respect to curvature in the thickness direction, and a fiber sealing portion laminated to the base material. The fiber sealing portion has a fiber surface made of a fiber material. The method includes an abutting step of abutting the fiber surface against the surface of the retractable member while curving the sealing material, a fixing step of fixing the sealing material, and an adjusting step of adjusting the amount of curvature of the sealing material after the abutting step.

In this method of installing the sealing material, the sealing material is curved in the thickness direction of the base material, and the fiber surface is brought into contact with the surface of the retractable member. Therefore, the repulsive force of the elastic base material causes the fiber surface of the sealing material to firmly contact the surface of the retractable member. Therefore, by using this method of installing the sealing material, the sealing material of the present invention can be made to allow the retractable member to easily move forward and backward, while effectively preventing the intrusion of foreign matter for an extended period of time.

In the contacting process, it is preferable to curve the sealing material in a direction from the inside to the outside of the sealed area. By curving the sealing material in this way in a direction from the inside to the outside of the sealed area, foreign matter is blocked outside the sealed area and the material slides to push the foreign matter away. This makes it possible to more effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign matter.

During the contact process, it is preferable to slant the fiber material of the fiber seal portion in a direction from the inside to the outside of the sealed area. By slant-slanting the fiber material of the fiber seal portion in a direction from the inside to the outside of the sealed area in this way during the contact process, the effect of blocking foreign matter outside the sealed area can be improved.

[Details of the embodiment of the present invention]
Hereinafter, a sealing material and a method for attaching a sealing material according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as needed.

[Sealing material]
As shown in FIG. 1, a sealing material 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is used in a machine tool X.

<Machine tools>
The machine tool X includes an advancing/retreating member X2 that can advance/retreat from a sealed area X1 to the outside. The sealing material 1 slidably contacts a surface X21 of the advancing/retreating member X2, separating the inside and outside of the sealed area X1. Electrical devices such as motors and wiring, drive mechanisms, etc. are housed inside the sealed area X1.

A tool X3 for machining is attached to the tip of the retractable member X2. A portion of the retractable member X2 is located inside the sealed area X1. In other words, the retractable member X2 penetrates the wall X11 that constitutes the sealed area X1. To enable the retractable member X2 to move from the sealed area X1 to the outside, a gap X12 is provided between the wall X11 and the surface X21 of the retractable member X2 (see Figure 3, for example). The sealing material 1 closes this gap X12.

The retractable member X2 shown in Figure 1 has a rectangular cross section. The retractable member X2 has four gaps X12 between its four surfaces X21 and the wall X11, and four seals 1 are provided for these four gaps X12. Each seal 1 is fixed to the outer surface of the wall X11 with a fastener X4, such as a screw.

Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely one example. The cross section of the retractable member X2 may be polygonal. A sealant 1 may be provided for each surface X21 of the retractable member X2, or a configuration in which one sealant 1 is provided for multiple adjacent surfaces X21 is also possible. Furthermore, when multiple sealants are provided, it is preferable that all of the sealants be the sealant 1 of the present invention, but this does not preclude the use of a combination of the sealant 1 of the present invention and other types of sealants.

<Sealing material>
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sealing material 1 includes a substrate 10 and a fiber sealing portion 20.

(Base material)
The substrate 10 is plate-shaped and has elasticity against bending in the thickness direction.

The substrate 10 can be a thin metal plate such as SUS or brass, or a resin film such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film.

When the substrate 10 is a metal foil plate, the lower limit of the average thickness of the substrate 10 is preferably 0.03 mm, more preferably 0.05 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the average thickness of the substrate 10 is preferably 0.3 mm, more preferably 0.2 mm. When the substrate 10 is a resin film, the lower limit of the average thickness of the substrate 10 is preferably 0.05 mm, more preferably 0.1 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the average thickness of the substrate 10 is preferably 1.0 mm, more preferably 0.7 mm, and even more preferably 0.5 mm. If the average thickness of the substrate 10 is less than the above lower limit, the elastic force may be insufficient, and the fibrous surface 21 (described below) may not fully contact the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2. Conversely, if the average thickness of the substrate 10 exceeds the above upper limit, the elastic force may be too strong, making the sealing material 1 difficult to handle. The term "average thickness" refers to the average value of thickness measured at 10 arbitrary points excluding intentionally provided uneven portions. The same applies hereinafter to "average" of length, etc.

The planar shape of the substrate 10 is determined appropriately depending on the shape of the surface X21 of the retractable member X2 with which the sealing material 1 abuts. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, when the sealing material 1 abuts the surface X21 of one retractable member X2 and this surface X21 is flat, the planar shape of the substrate 10 can be rectangular. In this case, of the four sides of the substrate 10, the length of the side abutting the surface X21 of the retractable member X2 and the opposite side is preferably equal to the width of the surface X21 of the retractable member X2. Meanwhile, the lengths of the other two opposing sides of the substrate 10 are determined to be such that the sealing material 1 can be curved to abut the fiber surface 21 against the surface X21 of the retractable member X2 while being fixed to the wall X11 that constitutes the sealed area X1, as shown in FIG. 3, and are, for example, 20 mm to 50 mm.

(Fabric seal)
The textile sealing part 20 is laminated on one side of the substrate 10. The method for laminating the textile sealing part 20 on the substrate 10 is not particularly limited, but the textile sealing part 20 can be fixed to the substrate 10 with, for example, a hot melt adhesive or double-sided tape.

The fiber seal portion 20 has a fiber surface 21 made of a fiber material, and the fiber surface 21 abuts against the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2.

The fiber surface 21 can be composed of woven or knitted fabric. The fiber material can also be nonwoven fabric, cut pile material, etc.

A cut pile material is preferred as the above-mentioned fiber material. Cut pile material is a fiber material made by cutting and raising the tips of pile fibers that are raised from the ground yarn fixed to the surface of the base and then extending outward from the base. With cut pile material, the tips are cut and raised, so the fibers spread out radially toward the tips. Because the fibers spread out in this way and there are no gaps, it is difficult for small foreign objects to get inside, making it even more effective at preventing the intrusion of foreign objects.

The base can be made of metal, resin, or a combination of metal and resin. By making the base out of metal, resin, or a combination of metal and resin, it can be bent appropriately to fit the shape of the surface X21 of the advancing/retreating member X2, making it easier to achieve good adhesion and a stable base. Examples of metals that can be used include iron (carbon tool steel (SK material)), brass, and stainless steel. If the base is made of resin, it is recommended to use general-purpose plastics such as polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, and ABS resin. Such plastic resins are lightweight, do not restrict movement, and do not transfer heat or force excessively, making them highly durable. A hot melt adhesive, for example, can be used to secure the base to the ground thread.

When the cut pile material is based on knitted fabric, the ground yarn can be made of polyester fiber, etc., and when the cut pile material is based on woven fabric, the ground yarn can be made of polyamide, acrylic fiber, etc.

The pile fibers that make up the cut pile material can be made of polyester, polyamide, rayon, acrylic, cotton, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA), berima, etc.

In particular, it is preferable that the pile fiber material contains polyester, polyamide, polytetrafluoroethylene, or a combination of these. Using polyester and polyamide can enhance durability. Furthermore, strength is less likely to decrease even when wet with liquids used during processing, such as cutting oil, cutting fluid, and coolant. Furthermore, polyester is heat resistant, while polyamide is highly resistant to friction and bending. Using polytetrafluoroethylene can reduce sliding resistance, further facilitating the advancement and retreat of the retractable member X2. It also has excellent heat resistance.

In particular, it is recommended to combine polyester and polytetrafluoroethylene as the pile fiber material. This prevents increases in the manufacturing costs of the cut pile material, allows the contacting advancing and retreating member X2 to move easily, and effectively prevents the intrusion of foreign matter over a long period of time. When combining polyester and polytetrafluoroethylene, the mass ratio should preferably be between 1:1 and 3:1.

The lower limit of the density of the fiber material, i.e., the pile fibers, is preferably 500 fibers/ ^mm2 , more preferably 1000 fibers/ ^mm2 , and even more preferably 1200 fibers/ ^mm2 . On the other hand, the upper limit of the density of the fiber material is preferably 2000 fibers/ ^mm2 , more preferably 1500 fibers/ ^mm2 , and even more preferably 1400 fibers/ ^mm2 . If the density of the fiber material is below the lower limit, it may not be possible to effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign matter. Conversely, if the density of the fiber material exceeds the upper limit, it may hinder the advancement and retreat of the advancing and retreating member X2.

The diameter of the pile fibers is preferably 5 μm or more and 20 μm or less.

The lower limit of the average thickness of the textile sealing portion 20 is preferably 1 mm, and more preferably 2 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the average thickness of the textile sealing portion 20 is preferably 10 mm, and more preferably 7 mm. If the average thickness of the textile sealing portion 20 is below the above lower limit, the textile surface 21 may not be sufficiently pressed against the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2. Conversely, if the average thickness of the textile sealing portion 20 exceeds the above upper limit, the amount of deformation of the textile sealing portion 20 may become too great, and the intrusion of foreign matter may not be effectively prevented.

It is preferable that the average width of the fiber surface 21 (the average length in the direction perpendicular to the advancing/retracting direction of the advancing/retracting member X2) be equal to the width of the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2. If the width of the fiber surface 21 is less than the width of the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2, there is a risk that foreign matter may enter the sealed area X1 of the machine tool X through the portion of the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2 that is not covered by the fiber surface 21.

The lower limit of the average length of the fiber surface 21 (the average length in the advancing/retracting direction of the advancing/retracting member X2) is preferably 1 mm, and more preferably 2 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the average length of the fiber surface 21 is preferably 15 mm, more preferably 10 mm, and even more preferably 5 mm. If the average length of the fiber surface 21 is below the above lower limit, there is a risk that the intrusion of foreign matter will not be sufficiently prevented. Conversely, if the average length of the fiber surface 21 exceeds the above upper limit, there is a risk that the improvement in the effect of preventing the intrusion of foreign matter will be insufficient compared to the adverse effect of an increased contact area and increased frictional force.

Due to the characteristics of the fiber, when the fiber surface 21 is pressed against the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2, it adheres to the shape of the surface. By adjusting the degree of adhesion, even extremely fine powder fluids with diameters of less than 5 μm can be adequately sealed. The lower limit of the amount of pressing of the fiber surface 21 against the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2 is preferably 0.1 mm, and more preferably 0.5 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the pressing amount is preferably 3 mm, more preferably 2 mm, and even more preferably 1.5 mm. If the pressing amount is less than the lower limit, it may not be possible to adequately prevent the intrusion of foreign matter. Conversely, if the pressing amount exceeds the upper limit, the frictional force may increase, resulting in a decrease in sliding properties. The "pressing amount" is the amount expressed as (X-Y), where X mm is the distance between the surface of the substrate 10 and the fiber surface 21 before the sealing material 1 is pressed against it (corresponding to the average thickness of the fiber sealing portion 20), and Y mm is the distance between the surface of the substrate 10 and the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2 when the sealing material 1 is pressed against the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2.

<Advantages>
The sealing material 1 has a fibrous surface 21 made of a fibrous material that abuts against the surface X21 of the retractable member X2. The fibers of the fibrous surface 21 of the sealing material 1 prevent foreign matter from entering the sealed area X1 through the surface X21 of the retractable member X2. Due to the cushioning properties of the fibers, the fibrous surface 21 is resistant to scratches and tears even when directly colliding with a foreign matter, maintaining its sealing properties. Furthermore, fibers are resistant to hydrolysis and oxidative degradation, making it easy to maintain its quality over a long period of time. Furthermore, because the fibers of the fibrous surface 21 make point contact with the surface X21 of the retractable member X2, friction is lower than that of conventional sealing materials that make line or surface contact, and the retractable member X2 is less likely to be impeded. Therefore, the sealing material 1 allows the retractable member X2 to easily move forward and backward while effectively preventing the intrusion of foreign matter over a long period of time.

[How to install the sealant]
A method for installing a sealing material according to another aspect of the present invention is a method for installing a sealing material 1 used in a machine tool X having an advancing/retracting member X2 that can advance and retreat from a sealed area X1 to the outside, as shown in Figure 1, which slidably abuts against a surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2 and separates the inside and outside of the sealed area X1, i.e., a method for installing the sealing material 1 of the present invention. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the sealing material 1 includes a plate-shaped substrate 10 that is elastic with respect to bending in the thickness direction, and a fiber sealing portion 20 laminated on the substrate 10, and the fiber sealing portion 20 has a fiber surface 21 made of a fiber material.

As shown in Figure 4, the method for installing the sealing material includes a contacting step S1, a fixing step S2, and an adjusting step S3.

<Abutting process>
In the contacting step S1, the sealing material 1 is curved and the fiber surface 21 is brought into contact with the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the sealing material 1 is curved from the inside to the outside of the sealed area X1. In the example of Figure 3, the angle between the outer surface of the wall X11 of the sealed area X1 and the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2 is approximately 90 degrees, so the sealing material 1 is also curved approximately 90 degrees to match this angle. The abutment surface where the fiber surface 21 abuts against the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2 is located outside the sealed area X1. In other words, the sealing material 1 is curved with the substrate 10 facing inward (the curved axis side) so that the fiber seal portion 20 of the sealing material 1 abuts against the outer surface of the wall X11 of the sealed area X1.

In this way, by bending the sealing material 1 from the inside of the sealed area X1 toward the outside in the abutment step S1, the sealing material 1 blocks foreign matter outside the sealed area X1 and slides to push the foreign matter away. This makes it possible to more effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign matter.

In the contact step S1, it is preferable to slant the fiber material of the fiber seal portion 20 in a direction from the inside to the outside of the sealed area X1 (see Figure 3). In this way, by slant-slanting the fiber material of the fiber seal portion 20 in a direction from the inside to the outside of the sealed area X1 in the contact step S1, the effect of blocking foreign matter outside the sealed area X1 can be improved.

<Fixing process>
In the fixing step S2, the sealing material 1 is fixed. That is, in the fixing step S2, the sealing material 1 is fixed to the machine tool X so that the fiber surface 21 of the fiber sealing portion 20 can be kept in slidable contact with the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2.

As shown in Figure 3, the sealing material 1 can be fixed to the outer surface of the wall X11 of the sealed area X1 using a fixing device X4. At this time, because the base material 10 is elastic, the curved base material 10 tends to return to its original state, keeping the fiber surface 21 pressed against the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2.

<Adjustment process>
In the adjusting step S3, the amount of curvature of the sealing material 1 is adjusted after the abutting step S1 and the fixing step S2.

The amount of curvature can be adjusted by adjusting the height at which the sealing material 1 is fixed. In other words, lowering the fixing position of the sealing material 1 will press the fiber surface 21 more strongly against the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2. Conversely, raising the fixing position of the sealing material 1 will reduce the pressing force of the fiber surface 21 against the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2. It is advisable to adjust the pressing force of the fiber surface 21 against the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2 so that it is the desired force.

To adjust the height at which the sealing material 1 is fixed, for example, if the fixing device X4 is a screw, a screw hole will be formed in the sealing material 1, and a method can be used in which the screw hole is elliptical with its major axis in the height direction. In this case, the sealing material 1 can be finely adjusted up or down by loosening the fastening device X4. After adjusting it to the desired position, it is advisable to tighten the fastening device X4. Note that this is just one example; various methods for adjusting the fixing height are known, and any method can be used.

<Advantages>
In this method of attaching the sealing material, the sealing material 1 is curved in the thickness direction of the substrate 10, and the fiber surface 21 is brought into contact with the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2. Therefore, the repulsive force of the elastic substrate 10 causes the fiber surface 21 of the sealing material 1 to strongly contact the surface X21 of the advancing/retracting member X2. Therefore, by using this method of attaching the sealing material, the sealing material 1 of the present invention can be kept in a state in which the advancing/retracting member X2 can be easily moved forward and backward and can effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign matter for a long period of time.

[Other embodiments]
The above-described embodiments do not limit the configuration of the present invention. Therefore, the above-described embodiments may include omissions, substitutions, or additions of components based on the description in this specification and common general technical knowledge, and all of these should be construed as falling within the scope of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, a configuration was described in which the sealing material was fixed to the machine tool using fasteners (screws), but the method of fixing to the machine tool is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to fix it using an adhesive, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the sealing material is directly fixed to the wall that constitutes the sealed area, but the fixing location is not limited to the wall. For example, it can also be fixed to a dedicated fixing base.

In the above embodiment, a method for curving the sealing material from the inside to the outside of the sealed area was described, but curving from the outside to the inside is not excluded. Also, while a case was described in which the abutment surface where the fiber surface abuts against the surface of the retractable member is located outside the sealed area, this does not exclude the possibility of it being located inside the sealed area.

In the above embodiment, the sealing material is curved at approximately 90 degrees, but as long as the sealing material is curved in a direction that exerts an elastic force pressing the fiber surface against the surface of the advancing/retracting member, this angle can vary depending on the position at which the sealing material is fixed. To obtain effective elastic force, the angle is preferably 30 degrees or greater. There is no particular upper limit to the angle, and it may be 180 degrees, i.e., the sealing material may be folded back.

In the above embodiment, the method for attaching the sealing material was described as a method in which the abutting process, fixing process, and adjustment process were performed in this order, but other orders can also be used. For example, the sealing material can be fixed first (fixing process), and then the height of the sealing material can be lowered and brought into contact (abutting process). In this case, the height of the sealing material can be adjusted following the abutting process (adjusting process). It is also possible to first adjust the height of the sealing material (adjusting process) and then fix the sealing material (fixing process).

As explained above, the sealing material of the present invention allows the advancing and retracting member that it contacts to move easily forward and backward, and can effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign matter over a long period of time. Furthermore, by using the method for installing the sealing material of the present invention, the sealing material can be brought into a state in which the advancing and retracting member can move easily forward and backward, and can effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign matter over a long period of time.

1 Sealing material 10 Base material 20 Fiber sealing portion 21 Fiber surface X Machine tool X1 Sealed area X11 Wall X12 Gap X2 Moving member X21 Surface X3 Tool X4 Fixture

Claims (7)

A sealing material used in a machine tool having an advancing/retreating member that can advance and retreat from an enclosed area to an outside, the sealing material slidably contacting a surface of the advancing/retreating member and separating the inside and outside of the enclosed area,
a plate-shaped substrate having elasticity with respect to curvature in the thickness direction;
and a textile seal part laminated on the base material,
The textile seal portion has a textile surface made of a textile material,
A sealing material in which the fiber surface abuts against the surface of the advancing/retreating member due to the repulsive force of the base material caused by the curvature of the sealing material . The sealing material according to claim 1, wherein the fiber material is a cut pile material. 3. The sealing material according to claim 2, wherein the density of the fiber material is 500 fibers/mm ^<2> or more and 2000 fibers/mm ^<2> or less. The sealing material according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the pile fibers constituting the cut pile material are made of polyester, polyamide, polytetrafluoroethylene, or a combination thereof. A method for attaching a sealant used in a machine tool having an advancing/retreating member that can advance and retreat from an enclosed area to the outside, the sealant abutting slidably against a surface of the advancing/retreating member and separating the inside and outside of the enclosed area, comprising:
the sealing material is provided with a plate-shaped substrate having elasticity against bending in the thickness direction, and a fiber sealing portion laminated on the substrate, the fiber sealing portion having a fiber surface formed of a fiber material,
a contacting step of contacting the fiber surface with the surface of the advancing/retracting member by the repulsive force of the base material while bending the sealing material;
a fixing step of fixing the sealing material;
and an adjusting step of adjusting the amount of curvature of the sealing material after the abutting step. The method for installing a sealing material according to claim 5, wherein the abutting step curves the sealing material in a direction from the inside to the outside of the sealed area. The method for installing a sealing material described in claim 6, wherein, during the abutting process, the fiber material of the fiber seal portion is inclined in a direction from the inside to the outside of the sealed area.