LINEAR GUIDE DEVICE WITH SEPARATE CIRCULATORY UNITS

Abstract

A linear guide device, comprising a guide rail; a guide carriage displaceable on the guide rail and having at least one rolling body circuit with a circulatory channel for rolling elements and including a running channel, a return channel and two turnaround channels. The guide carriage has a base unit and at least two circulatory assemblies with at least one rolling body circuit and configured to be separate and interconnected only via the base unit. The guide carriage also has at least four recesses with orthogonal end faces, with two end faces on each side of the guide rail pointing in opposite directions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a guide carriage of a linear guide device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the guide carriage in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the linear guide device of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the guide housing of the linear guide device in FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a further perspective view of the guide carriage according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a guide carriage according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a linear guide device, which shows how the rolling element running channel rests on the base unit of the guide carriage in the manner according to the present invention.

Claims

1. A linear guide device, comprising a guide rail extending in a guidance direction; a guide carriage guided such that it is displaceable in said guided direction on said guide rail and having at least one rolling body circuit, said at least one rolling body circuit including a circulatory channel and a plurality of rolling elements which circulate in said circulatory channel, said circulatory channel including a running channel which is bounded by a rolling element track formed in said guide rail and by a load-bearing wall section of said guide carriage, said circulatory channel also including a return channel and two turnaround channels which connect said running channel with said return channel and in which said rolling elements are essentially load-free, said guide carriage including a base unit and at least two circulatory assemblies in each of which said at least one rolling body circuit is included, said two circulatory assemblies being configured to be separate and being interconnected only via said base unit, said guide carriage being provided with at least four recesses each having an end face which extends essentially orthogonally to said guidance direction and against which one of said circulatory assemblies bears in said guidance direction, said end faces of two of said recesses located on one side of said guide rail pointing in opposite directions.

2. A linear guide as defined in claim 1, wherein said recesses are arranged at both ends of said base unit.

3. A linear guide unit as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said recesses is arranged in a substantially central region of said base unit.

4. A linear guide unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said circulatory assemblies are located one behind the other in said guidance direction on said guide carriage.

5. A linear guide unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said circulatory assemblies are composed at least partially of a plastic material.

6. A linear guide unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said circulatory assemblies are composed at least partially of a plastic material and formed as injection molded assemblies.

7. A linear guide unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said circulatory assemblies include a load-bearing wall section of said running channel which is composed of metal.

8. A linear guide unit as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said circulatory assemblies includes mounting segments which engage in openings in said base unit, with end regions deformable in order to rivet said circulatory assemblies with said base unit.

9. A linear guide unit as defined in claim 8, wherein said mounting segments are configured as plastic mounting segments.

10. A linear guide unit as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said circulatory assemblies includes a main part and two turnaround inserts.

11. A linear guide unit as defined in claim 10, wherein each of said turnaround insert bears, in said guidance direction, against an end face of said base unit and against an element selected from the group consisting of a mounting segment, a closing wall of said main part, and both of said circulatory assembly.