Miniature linear guideway

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11933359-B1
Application number	US-202217898828-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 30, 2022
Priority date	Aug 30, 2022
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

A miniature linear guideway includes a rail, a slider, two circulation fittings and a retainer. The slider and the circulation fitting are set on the rail, so that a circulation channel is formed between the rail and the slider for the balls to run. The circulation fitting has several turning convex portions. The retainer has a plate portion and two retaining portions. The two ends of each retaining portion are connected to the plate portion by a positioning portion, and the plate portion is adjacent to the slider. The positioning portions of the retainer abut the turning convex portions. The width of the plate portion of the retainer is smaller than the distance between the turning convex portions of the circulation fitting. Thereby, the miniature linear guideway of the present invention can optimize the assembly efficiency, thereby realizing the purpose of automatic assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A linear guideway, comprising:
a rail;
a slider slidably arranged on said rail, said slider comprising a middle portion and two side portions connected to two opposite sides of said middle portion;
at least one circulation fitting slidably disposed on said rail and connected to said slider, so that said at least one circulation fitting forms a circulation channel between said rail and each of said side portions of said slider, said at least one circulation fitting comprising a plurality of turning convex portions, wherein the plurality turning convex portions are spaced apart on said at least one circulation fitting;
a plurality of balls located in said circulating channels; and
a retainer comprising a plate portion, a plurality of positioning portions and two retaining portions, said retaining portions each having two ends and each end is connected to said plate portion by one respective said positioning portion, said plate portion of said retainer being adjacent to said middle portion of said slider, said positioning portions of said retainer abutting against said turning convex portions of said at least one circulation fitting, each of said retaining portions of said retainer abutting against said balls, wherein, the width of said plate portion of said retainer is smaller than a distance between said turning convex portions of said at least one circulation fitting.

2. The linear guideway as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rail has two sides each provided with a first rolling groove and a retaining groove adjacent to said first rolling groove;
wherein each said side portion of said slider is provided with a second rolling groove, said second rolling grooves of said slider corresponding to said first rolling grooves of said rail in a one-to-one relationship, so that a load channel is formed between said second rolling grooves of said slider and said first rolling grooves of said rail respectively,
wherein each said side portion of said slider comprises a non-load channel, each of said non-load channels penetrating two opposite end faces of said side portion;
wherein the linear guideway includes two said circulation fittings, and said two circulation fittings being arranged on two opposite end faces of said slider, each gf said circulation fittings comprising two turning convex portions and two return grooves,
wherein each said return groove is adjacent to one respective said turning convex portion, two ends of each said return groove being connected to one end of said load channel and one end of said non-load channel, so that said load channel, said non-load channel and said two return grooves together form one said circulating channel,
wherein each of said retaining portions of said retainer being located in one respective said retaining groove of said rail and abutting said balls that pass through one said load channel.

3. The linear guideway as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said retainer further comprises a plurality of wing portions, said wing portions extending horizontally from respective said positioning portions in a direction away from said plate portion and respectively abutting against an outer end surface of a respective circulation fitting.

4. The linear guideway as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said outer end surface of said each said circulation fitting is provided with a plurality of positioning posts; each said wing portion of said retainer is provided with a positioning hole, said positioning holes of said retainer being respectively engaged with said positioning posts of said at least one circulation fitting.

5. The linear guideway as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said retainer further comprises a plurality of wing portions, each said wing portion extending upward from one end of said retaining portion and abutting on an outer end surface of a respective circulation fitting.

6. The linear guideway as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rail has two sides each provided with a first rolling groove and a retaining groove adjacent to said first rolling groove,
wherein each said side portion of said slider comprises two parallel second rolling grooves and two opposite first return grooves;
wherein a load channel is formed between one said second rolling groove of each said side portion of said slider and one respective said first rolling groove of said rail;
wherein the linear guideway includes one said circulation fitting said circulation fitting further comprising two opposite socket grooves and four turning convex portions,
wherein a third rolling groove and two opposite second return grooves being set around each said socket groove, said second return grooves being connected to both ends of said third rolling groove, one of said second rolling grooves of each said side portion of said slider corresponding to one respective said first rolling groove of said rail, and the other said second rolling groove of each said side portion of said slider corresponding to one said third rolling groove of said one circulation fitting,
wherein said first return grooves of each of said side portions of said slider corresponding to said second return grooves of said one circulation fitting, so that one of said first rolling groove, said second rolling grooves, one said third rolling groove, said first return grooves and said second return grooves together form one said circulation channel,
wherein each of said second return grooves being adjacent to one of said turning convex portions, each of said second return grooves being connected to one said load channel,
wherein said retaining portions of said retainer being respectively located in said retaining grooves of said rail and abutting said balls passing through one said load channel.

7. The linear guideway as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said slider comprises a recess located on a bottom surface of said middle portion; said retainer integrally protrudes upward from said plate portion with a convex portion, said convex portion of said retainer being embedded in said recess of said slider.

8. The linear guideway as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one circulation fitting further comprises a plurality of positioning blocks, each of said positioning blocks protruding from one of said turning convex portions along the extending direction of said rail; said positioning portions of said retainer are engaged with said positioning blocks of said at least one circulation fitting in a one-to-one manner.

9. The linear guideway as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of each said retaining portion along a reference frame perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the retainer is rectangular, and the width-to-thickness ratio of each said retaining portion is equal to or larger than 1.5.

10. The linear guideway as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of each said positioning portion along a reference frame parallel to the longitudinal axis of the retainer is rectangular, and the length-to-thickness ratio of each said positioning portion is equal to or larger than 1.5.

Assignees

• Hiwin Tech Corp

Inventors

• Lin Jian-Ting
• Chu Yung-Chin

Classifications

• F16C29/0607 Primary

  of parts or members for retaining the rolling elements, i.e. members to prevent the rolling elements from falling out of the bearing body or carriage · CPC title

• F16C29/046 Primary

  with balls journaled in pockets · CPC title

• F16C29/048

  with thin walled races, e.g. tracks of sheet metal · CPC title

• F16C29/064

  with two rows of balls, one on each side of the rail · CPC title

• F16C29/0604

  of the load bearing section · CPC title