Linear guide rail inlay installation tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9656375-B2
Application number	US-201414575510-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A simplified installation tool for installing a cover strip in a linear guide rail assembly is provided. The installation tool includes a body having a channel that extends across a bottom surface of the body that is adapted to receive a guide rail. The channel is defined by an upper surface with a lead-in angled projection and sides defined by two L-shaped guide portions that extend from the upper surface and that face each other. Two undercut areas of the channel are located between the L-shaped guide portions and the upper surface of the channel. Retention tabs of the installation tool can attach to the carriage of the linear guide rail assembly. The lead-in angled projection provides a downward force on the cover strip as the carriage travels along the guide rail to press the cover strip into a flattened state within a slot of the guide rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An installation tool for installing a cover strip on a linear guide rail assembly, the installation tool comprising:
a body including a channel that extends across a bottom surface of the body that is adapted to receive a guide rail, the channel defined by an upper surface with a lead-in angled projection including at least one ramp extending into the channel and sides defined by two L-shaped guide portions that extend from the upper surface and that face each other, and two undercut areas of the channel are located between the L-shaped guide portions and the upper surface of the channel.

2. An installation tool for installing a cover strip on a linear guide rail assembly, the installation tool comprising:
a body including a channel that extends across a bottom surface of the body that is adapted to receive a guide rail, the channel defined by an upper surface with a lead-in angled projection and sides defined by two L-shaped guide portions that extend from the upper surface and that face each other, and two undercut areas of the channel are located between the L-shaped guide portions and the upper surface of the channel; and
at least one of:
(a) retention tabs arranged on opposite sides of the body, or
(b) a nylon coating on the lead-in angled projection.

3. The installation tool of claim 1 , wherein the installation tool is plastic.

4. The installation tool of claim 1 , wherein each of the two undercut areas includes a concave portion and a convex portion.

5. The installation tool of claim 1 , wherein each of the two undercut areas has a semi-circular shape.

6. The installation tool of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ramp includes a plurality of ramps.

7. The installation tool of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ramp includes three ramps, and a middle one of the three ramps is wider than end ones of the three ramps.

8. A linear guide rail assembly comprising:
a guide rail including two guide projections arranged on opposite outer surfaces of the guide rail, and a slot on a top surface of the guide rail having two recesses facing each other;
a carriage configured to slide on the guide rail;
a cover strip dimensioned to be installed within the slot of the guide rail, the cover strip having a bowed profile in a first, uninstalled state; and
an installation tool configured to be connected to the carriage having a body including a channel that extends across a bottom surface of the body that is adapted to receive the guide rail, the channel defined by an upper surface with a lead-in angled projection and sides defined by two L-shaped guide portions that extend from the upper surface and that face each other, and the channel includes two undercut areas located between the L-shaped guide portions and the upper surface of the channel, wherein the lead-in angled projection engages the cover strip as the carriage slides along the guide rail and forces the cover strip to a second, installed state such that the cover strip is flattened and secured within the slot of the guide rail.

9. The linear guide rail assembly of claim 8 , wherein each of the two undercut areas includes a concave portion and a convex portion, and each of the convex portions engages a respective one of the two guide projections of the guide rail.

10. The linear guide rail assembly of claim 8 , wherein the cover strip includes retention beads on either end of the cover strip that each engage within one of the two recesses of the slot of the guide rail.

11. The linear guide rail assembly of claim 8 , wherein the cover strip includes compression relief zones.

12. The linear guide rail assembly of claim 8 , wherein the lead-in angled projection includes three ramps, and the cover strip includes three compression relief zones.

13. The linear guide rail assembly of claim 8 , wherein the lead-in angled projection has a nylon surface coating.

14. The linear guide rail assembly of claim 8 , wherein the installation tool includes retention tabs arranged on opposite sides of the body that engage the carriage.

15. The linear guide rail assembly of claim 14 , wherein the retention tabs have a snap-fit connection with the carriage.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Gmbh & Co Kg
• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Thomas Samuel
• White Carl

Classifications

• B25B27/0092 Primary

  Tools moving along strips, e.g. decorating or sealing strips, to insert them in, or remove them from, grooves or profiles (machines therefor B23P19/047) · CPC title

• F16C29/082

  fixed to the way · CPC title

• F16C29/005

  Guide rails or tracks for a linear bearing, i.e. adapted for movement of a carriage or bearing body there along · CPC title

• F16C43/00

  Assembling bearings · CPC title