BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a linear motion guide apparatus in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the linear motion guide apparatus taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the linear motion guide apparatus;
FIG. 4 is another partial exploded view illustrating a ball retaining device for the linear motion guide apparatus;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating an end cap of the linear motion guide apparatus;
FIG. 6 is a plan schematic view or partial cross sectional view illustrating the assembling of the ball retaining device to the end cap of the linear motion guide apparatus.
FIG. 7 is a partial plan and exploded view also illustrating the assembling of the ball retaining device to the end cap of the linear motion guide apparatus.
FIG. 8 is a further partial exploded view illustrating the assembling of the ball retaining device to the linear motion guide apparatus.
FIG. 9 is a plan schematic view or partial cross sectional view similar to FIG. 6, illustrating the other arrangement of the linear motion guide apparatus;
FIG. 10 is a partial plan and exploded view illustrating the assembling of the ball retaining device to the end cap of the linear motion guide apparatus as that shown in FIG. 9; and
FIG. 11 is a partial exploded view illustrating the ball retaining device for the linear motion guide apparatus as that shown in FIGS. 9-10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a linear motion guide apparatus 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises a guide rail 10, and a slide block or a slider 11 slidably attached onto the guide rail 10 and arranged to be moved along the guide rail 10, and a ball bearing device or a number of balls 8 (FIGS. 2, 8) disposed between the slider 11 and the guide rail 10 for improving or for facilitating the sliding movement between the slider 11 and the guide rail 10 and thus for allowing the slider 11 and the guide rail 10 to be smoothly moved relative to each other. The slider 11 includes two or more side grooves 12, 14 formed therein (FIGS. 2, 3) for slidably receiving the balls or ball bearing device 8.
The linear motion guide apparatus 1 further includes two end caps 20, 21 disposed on or attached to the two sides or end portions or outer portions of the slider 11 (FIGS. 1, 3, 8), and two dust caps or wipers 15, 17 disposed on the outer portions of the end caps 20, 21 and engaged with the end caps 20, 21 respectively. The end caps 20, 21 and the wipers 15, 17 may be secured to the slider 11 with such as latches or fasteners (not shown). The end caps 20, 21 each may include two or more return channels 80 (FIGS. 6, 7) aligned with and/or communicating with the grooves 12, 14 of the slider 11 for forming two or more endless ball receiving passages and for slidably receiving the balls or ball bearing device 8.
Alternatively, an end deflector 88 (FIG. 3) may be attached to each end cap 20, 21 and engaged in the return channels 80 of the end caps 20, 21 for guiding or deflecting the balls or ball bearing device 8. However, the return channels 80 of the end caps 20, 21 and/or the end deflector 88 are not related to the present invention and will not be described in further details. The end caps 20, 21 each include a peripheral frame 22 extended therefrom, such as extended from one side or inner side thereof or extended and directed or faced toward the other end cap 21, 20 for engaging with or for anchoring or supporting a ball retaining device 3 (FIGS. 3-4, 6-8) between the end caps 20, 21.
As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5-8, the peripheral frames 22 of the end caps 20, 21 each include a longitudinal or oblong or lateral chamber 23 formed therein, and each include a notch 24 formed in the lower portion of the peripheral frame 22 and communicating with the chamber 23 of the peripheral frame 22 for forming or defining two separated but aligned arms 25, and also for forming or defining two separated spaces 26 on the side portions of the chamber 23 of the peripheral frame 22. The chamber 23 or the spaces 26 of the peripheral frame 22 each include a reduced or narrowed and/or inclined outer end portion 27 formed therein and communicating with the chamber 23 or the spaces 26 of the peripheral frame 22, and the arms 25 each include a cavity 28 formed therein and also communicating with the chamber 23 of the peripheral frame 22.
It is to be noted that the spaces 26 and the notch 24 and the chamber 23 may also be directly formed in the respective end caps 20, 21 without the peripheral frame 22 for engaging with or for receiving or supporting the ball retaining device 3. As shown in FIGS. 3-4 and 6-8, the ball retaining device 3 includes one or more (such as two) shanks 30, 31 each having an end segment 32 for engaging into the spaces 26 of the peripheral frames 22 or of the end caps 20, 21 and for attaching or coupling or securing the shanks 30, 31 to the end caps 20, 21. The shanks 30, 31 each include a curved side surface 33 for suitably or smoothly engaging with the balls or ball bearing device 8 (FIG. 2). The end segments 32 of the shanks 30, 31 include a width or length equals to or smaller or no greater than the notches 24 of the end caps 20, 21 for allowing the end segments 32 of the shanks 30, 31 to be engaged through the notches 24 and then into the spaces 26 or the chamber 23 of the peripheral frames 22 or of the end caps 20, 21.
As best shown in FIG. 2, a narrowed outer opening distance “L” will be arranged or formed between the corresponding curved side surface 33 of the shanks 30, 31 and the slider 11 and will be slightly smaller or shorter than the outer diameter “D” of the balls or ball bearing device 8 for engaging with the balls or ball bearing device 8 and for stably anchoring and retaining the balls or ball bearing device 8 in the grooves 12, 14 of the slider 11 and for preventing the balls or ball bearing device 8 from being disengaged from the grooves 12, 14 of the slider 11. It is preferable, but not necessarily that the shanks 30, 31 include an outer peripheral contour or shape equals to or corresponding to that of the peripheral frames 22 of the end caps 20, 21.
The end segments 32 of the shanks 30, 31 include a reduced or narrower outer peripheral contour or shape or thickness than that of the shanks 30, 31 for forming or defining an outer peripheral shoulder 34 between the end segments 32 and the shanks 30, 31, and the end segments 32 include an outer peripheral contour or shape equals to or corresponding to that of the spaces 26 or the chamber 23 of the peripheral frames 22 or of the end caps 20, 21 and arranged for allowing the end segments 32 of the shanks 30, 31 to be snugly fitted into or engaged in the spaces 26 or the chamber 23 of the peripheral frames 22 or of the end caps 20, 21, best shown in FIG. 6.
It is further preferable, but not necessarily that the shanks 30, 31 include a reduced or narrowed and/or inclined outer flange 35 formed or provided on each of the end segments 32 of the shanks 30, 31 and having an outer peripheral contour or shape equals to or corresponding to that of the outer end portions 27 of the spaces 26 of the peripheral frame 22 for snugly fitting into or engaging with the spaces 26 or the chamber 23 of the peripheral frames 22 or of the end caps 20, 21 and for preventing the end segments 32 of the shanks 30, 31 from being moved relative to the peripheral frames 22 or the end caps 20, 21. The end segments 32 of the shanks 30, 31 each include a catch 36 extended therefrom for engaging with or into the cavity 28 of the arms 25 or of the end caps 20, 21 and thus for detachably securing or anchoring the end segments 32 of the shanks 30, 31 to the end caps 20, 21 (FIG. 7).
It is preferable, but not necessarily that the catches 36 of the end segments 32 or of the shanks 30, 31 include a curved or rounded outer peripheral contour or shape for allowing the catches 36 of the end segments 32 or of the shanks 30, 31 to be easily engaged into or disengaged from the cavity 28 of the arms 25 or of the end caps 20, 21, and thus for allowing the shanks 30, 31 of the ball retaining device 3 to be easily and quickly and readily attached or coupled or secured to the end caps 20, 21 without distorting or deforming the configuration or the structure of the shanks 30, 31 of the ball retaining device 3. The catches 36 may thus be formed and acted as a means for catching or anchoring or positioning the end segments 32 of the shanks 30, 31 to the end caps 20, 21.
Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 9-11, instead of the curved or rounded catches 36 of the end segments 32 or of the shanks 30, 31, the shanks 30, 31 each may include a spring leg 37 extended from each of the end segments 32 of the shanks 30, 31 and having a ratchet pawl or tooth 38 extended from the spring leg 37 for selectively or detachably engaging with or into the cavity 28 of the arms 25 or of the end caps 20, 21 (FIG. 9), and having a hand grip or knob 39 extended from the spring leg 37 for selectively disengaging the ratchet pawl or tooth 38 from the cavity 28 of the arms 25 or of the end caps 20, 21 and thus for allowing the shanks 30, 31 of the ball retaining device 3 to be detachably attached or coupled or secured to the end caps 20, 21.
In assembling the ball retaining device 3 to the slider 11 and the end caps 20, 21, as shown in FIG. 8, the end caps 20, 21 and/or the wipers 15, 17 may first be secured to the slider 11, and the slider 11 and the end caps 20, 21 and/or the wipers 15, 17 may then be rotated for about 90 degrees for allowing the balls or ball bearing device 8 to be easily engaged into the grooves 12, 14 of the slider 11. The end segments 32 or of the shanks 30, 31 may then be engaged through the notches 24 and then into the spaces 26 or the chamber 23 of the peripheral frames 22 or of the end caps 20, 21 until the catches 36 of the end segments 32 or of the shanks 30, 31 are fitted or engaged into the cavity 28 of the arms 25 or of the end caps 20, 21, in order to stably anchor and retain the balls or ball bearing device 8 in the grooves 12, 14 of the slider 11.
Accordingly, the linear motion guide apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a ball retaining device designed and arranged to be easily and readily attached to the linear motion guide apparatus without distorting or deforming the configuration or the structure of the ball retaining device.
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Patent Application
20080063326
