Ball spline with lubricating oil circuit

Abstract

The invention discloses a ball spline with a lubricating oil way. The ball spline comprises a spline shaft, an outer cylinder and two backflow assemblies. The spline shaft is sleeved with the outer cylinder in a displaceable mode, a load channel for the balls to be arranged is formed between the outer cylinder and the spline shaft, an oil guide channel is formed in the outer cylinder, the two backflow assemblies are arranged on the two outer end faces of the outer cylinder and are arranged by the spline shaft in a penetrating mode, and each backflow assembly is provided with an oil injection hole, an oil storage groove and an oil guide part. The oil storage groove is communicated with the oil injection hole, the load channel and the oil guide channel, and the oil guide part is arranged in the oil storage groove, corresponds to the oil injection hole and protrudes out in the direction of the oil guide channel. Therefore, after lubricating oil is input into the oil injection hole of one backflow assembly, the lubricating oil lubricates the balls on the two sides under the cooperation of the oil guide part and the oil guide channel, and the lubricating effect is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a ball spline, and particularly to a ball spline having a lubricating oil passageway. Background Art

[0002] The ball spline disclosed in TW M615588 includes a cylinder body and two end caps provided at both ends of the cylinder body. The cylinder body has a metal cylinder and two plastic retainers. The metal cylinder has two through oil passages. The two plastic retainers are relatively disposed inside the metal cylinder, and the outer edges of the two plastic retainers respectively have an inner oil passage. The inner oil passage communicates with the through oil passage to form a transmission oil passage. Therefore, the lubricating oil can flow from the through oil passage to the inner oil passage, and then along the inner oil passage through the extension oil passage to reach the turning passage of the end cap, thereby lubricating the balls passing through here.

[0003] However, in the above patent case, since the outer edge of the plastic retainer is closely attached to the inner surface of the metal cylinder, once the oil injection pressure is too high, the outer edge of the plastic retainer may be pushed away from the inner surface of the metal cylinder, thereby causing an oil leakage problem. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main object of the present invention is to provide a ball spline having a lubricating oil passageway, which can achieve a bilateral lubrication effect and does not have an oil leakage problem.

[0005] To achieve the above main object, the ball spline having a lubricating oil passageway of the present invention includes a spline shaft, an outer cylinder, two return components, and a plurality of balls. The outer peripheral surface of the spline shaft has a first rolling groove; the outer cylinder is displaceably sleeved on the spline shaft. The inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder has a second rolling groove. A load passage is formed between the second rolling groove of the outer cylinder and the first rolling groove of the spline shaft. In addition, a non-load passage and a oil guiding passage are provided inside the outer cylinder. Both ends of the non-load passage and both ends of the oil guiding passage penetrate through two opposite outer end surfaces of the outer cylinder; the return components are disposed on the outer end surfaces of the outer cylinder and are penetrated by the spline shaft. Each return component has a return groove, an oil injection hole, an oil storage tank, and an oil guiding portion. Both ends of the return groove are respectively connected to the load passage and the non-load passage to jointly form a circulation passage for the balls to run. The oil storage tank communicates with the oil injection hole, the load passage, and the oil guiding passage of the outer cylinder. The oil guiding portion is disposed in the oil storage tank and corresponds to the oil injection hole and protrudes toward the direction of the oil guiding passage, for guiding the lubricating oil input from the oil injection hole into the oil storage tank into the oil guiding passage.

[0006] As described above, when lubricating oil is input into the oil injection hole of one of the return components, on the one hand, the lubricating oil flows into the load channel through the oil storage tank to lubricate the balls on one side. On the other hand, the lubricating oil is guided by the oil guiding part into the oil guiding channel, and then flows along the oil guiding channel to the oil storage tank of the other return component, and then flows into the other load channel to lubricate the balls on the other side. In other words, by the configuration of the oil guiding channel of the outer cylinder and the oil guiding parts of each return component of the ball spline with a lubricating oil path of the present invention, as long as lubricating oil is input into one of the oil injection holes, the balls on both sides can be lubricated, so as to achieve the purpose of improving the bilateral lubrication effect. In addition, since the oil guiding channel is arranged inside the outer cylinder, a relatively large oil injection pressure can be tolerated without oil leakage problems.

[0007] Preferably, each oil guiding part has a first end and a second end. The first end is connected to the wall of the oil storage tank, and the second end is adjacent to the oil guiding channel. Each oil guiding part also has a guiding inclined surface corresponding to the oil injection hole. The guiding inclined surface slopes downward from the first end to the second end, and the position of the guiding inclined surface is higher than the bottom surface of the oil guiding channel. In this way, the lubricating oil can be more efficiently introduced into the oil guiding channel through the guiding inclined surface.

[0008] Preferably, the width of each oil guiding part gradually decreases from the first end to the second end, so that the lubricating oil can flow more efficiently down into the load channel.

[0009] Preferably, the width of the second end of each oil guiding part is less than or equal to the width of the oil guiding channel, so that the lubricating oil can enter the oil guiding channel more efficiently.

[0010] Preferably, two opposite side surfaces of each oil guiding part respectively have a recess, which reduces the possible backflow phenomenon of the lubricating oil flowing from the oil guiding channel to the oil guiding part, and allows the lubricating oil to flow more efficiently down into the load channel.

[0011] Preferably, each outer end surface of the outer cylinder has a lubricating channel, and the lubricating channel communicates with the second rolling groove and the oil storage tank, so that the lubricating oil flows down from each oil guiding part to the lubricating channel, and then is divided and flows into two of the load channels along the lubricating channel.

[0012] Preferably, the lubricating channel is closer to the spline shaft than the oil guiding channel.

[0013] Preferably, the oil guiding channel extends along the axial direction of the spline shaft.

[0014] Details of the ball spline with a lubricating oil passage provided by the present invention, its features, assembly, or usage method will be described in the subsequent detailed description of the embodiments. However, those skilled in the art of the present invention should understand that these detailed descriptions and the specific embodiments listed for implementing the present invention are only used to illustrate the present invention and are not used to limit the scope of patent protection of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ball spline with a lubricating oil passage of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ball spline with a lubricating oil passage of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ball spline with a lubricating oil passage of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the outer cylinder and the return assembly provided for the ball spline with a lubricating oil passage of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the outer cylinder and the return assembly provided for the ball spline with a lubricating oil passage of the present invention from another perspective;

[0020] Figure 6 is an enlarged partial view of the return assembly provided for the ball spline with a lubricating oil passage of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ball spline with a lubricating oil passage of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 8 is Figure 7 a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line 8-8;

[0023] Figure 9a similar to Figure 6 and mainly shows a return assembly of another configuration;

[0024] Figure 9b is Figure 9a a plan view of

[0025] Figure 10a similar to Figure 9a and mainly shows a return assembly of another configuration;

[0026] Figure 10b is Figure 10a a plan view of

[0027] Figure 11a similar to Figure 10a and mainly shows a return assembly of another configuration;

[0028] Figure 11b is Figure 11a a plan view of;

[0029] Figure 12a similar to Figure 11a , mainly showing a reflux assembly of another configuration;

[0030] Figure 12b is Figure 12a a plan view of;

[0031] Figure 13a similar to Figure 12a , mainly showing a reflux assembly of another configuration;

[0032] Figure 13b is Figure 13a a plan view of.

[0033] In the drawings, the meanings of the reference numerals are as follows:

[0034] 10: Ball spline with lubricating oil passage;

[0035] 20: Spline shaft;

[0036] 22: First rolling groove;

[0037] 30: Outer cylinder;

[0038] 31: Outer end face;

[0039] 32: Shaft hole;

[0040] 33: Second rolling groove;

[0041] 34: Non-load passage;

[0042] 35: Oil guiding passage;

[0043] W1: Width of the oil guiding passage;

[0044] 352: Bottom face;

[0045] 36: Lubricating passage;

[0046] 40: Reflux assembly;

[0047] 41: Inner end face;

[0048] 42: Outer end face;

[0049] 43: Reflux groove;

[0050] 44: Oil storage tank;

[0051] 45: Oil injection hole;

[0052] 46: Oil guiding part;

[0053] 461: The first end;

[0054] 462: The second end;

[0055] 463: The guiding inclined surface;

[0056] W2: The width of the second end;

[0057] 47: The recess;

[0058] 48: The positioning hole;

[0059] 50: The dust-proof component;

[0060] 52: The positioning post;

[0061] 60: The ball;

[0062] 62: The load channel;

[0063] 64: The circulation channel. Detailed implementation manners

[0064] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In the following detailed description, for the sake of explanation, many specific details are set forth to provide a comprehensive understanding of the embodiments of the present invention. However, obviously, one or more embodiments can also be implemented without these specific details. In addition, in the following description, descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted to avoid unnecessarily confusing the concepts of the present invention.

[0065] The terms used herein are merely for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The terms " ", "comprising", etc. used herein indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, or components.

[0066] All terms (technical and scientific terms) used herein have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. It should be noted that the terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the context of this specification and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly rigid manner.

[0067] In the case of using expressions such as "at least one of A, B, and C", generally, it should be interpreted according to the meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art (for example, "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" should include, but is not limited to, a system having only A, only B, only C, having A and B, having A and C, having B and C, and / or having A, B, and C).

[0068] The applicant hereby states that throughout the specification and the claims of the patent application scope described below, the directional terms are based on the directions in the drawings. Secondly, in the embodiments and drawings to be described below, the same component reference numerals represent the same or similar components or their structural features.

[0069] As Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, the ball spline 10 with a lubricating oil path of the present invention includes a spline shaft 20, an outer cylinder 30, two return components 40, two dust-proof components 50, and a plurality of balls 60.

[0070] The outer peripheral surface of the spline shaft 20 has two pairs of first rolling grooves 22, and each first rolling groove 22 extends along the axial direction of the spline shaft 20.

[0071] The outer cylinder 30 has two opposite outer end faces 31 and a shaft hole 32 passing through these outer end faces 31. The outer cylinder 30 is sleeved on the spline shaft 20 through the shaft hole 32 and can be displaced along the axial direction of the spline shaft 20. The hole wall of the shaft hole 32 has two pairs of second rolling grooves 33. The second rolling grooves 33 of the outer cylinder 30 and the first rolling grooves 22 of the spline shaft 20 correspond to each other to form a load channel 62 (as Figure 3 shown). In addition, the outer cylinder 30 also has two pairs of non-load channels 34 and two oil guiding channels 35. Each non-load channel 34 and each oil guiding channel 35 extend along the axial direction of the spline shaft 20 and penetrate through the outer end faces 31 of the outer cylinder 30. Again, as Figure 4 and Figure 5 shown, each outer end face 31 of the outer cylinder 30 has two opposite lubricating channels 36. The lubricating channels 36 are closer to the spline shaft 20 than the oil guiding channels 35, and both ends of the lubricating channels 36 communicate with one of the pairs of second rolling grooves 33.

[0072] Two return components 40 are provided on the two outer end faces 31 of the outer cylinder 30 and are penetrated by the spline shaft 20. Each return component 40 has an inner end face 41 facing the outer cylinder 30 and an outer end face 42 facing away from the outer cylinder 30. As Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 shown, each inner end face 41 has four return grooves 43 and two opposite oil storage grooves 44. Both ends of each return groove 43 are respectively connected to the load channel 62 and the non-load channel 34 to jointly form a circulation channel 64 for the balls 60 to run (as Figure 3 shown). The oil storage grooves 44 are axially communicated with the oil guiding channels 35 of the outer cylinder 30 and radially communicated with the lubricating channels 36 of the outer cylinder 30 (as Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 7 shown). Again, as Figure 4 andFigure 5 As shown, the outer peripheral surface of each reflux component 40 has two opposite oil injection holes 45, and the two oil injection holes 45 are respectively radially communicated with the two oil storage grooves 44. In addition, as Figure 6 and Figure 7 shown, each reflux component 40 further has two oil guiding parts 46. The two oil guiding parts 46 are respectively arranged in the two oil storage grooves 44 and protrude towards the direction of the oil guiding channel 35. And each oil guiding channel 35 corresponds to one of the oil injection holes 45, the oil storage grooves 44 and the oil guiding parts 46. Further, the oil guiding part 46 has a first end 461, a second end 462 and a guiding inclined surface 463. The first end 461 is connected to the groove wall of the oil storage groove 44, the second end 462 is adjacent to the oil guiding channel 35, and the width W2 of the second end 462 is less than or equal to the width W1 of the oil guiding channel 35 (as Figure 8 shown), the guiding inclined surface 463 corresponds to the oil injection hole 45 and slopes downward from the first end 461 towards the second end 462, and the position of the guiding inclined surface 463 is higher than the bottom surface 352 of the oil guiding channel 35 (as Figure 7 shown). Again, as Figure 6 shown, the width of each oil guiding part 46 gradually decreases from the first end 461 towards the second end 462, and two opposite side surfaces of each oil guiding part 46 respectively have an arc-shaped recess 47. In addition, as Figure 2 shown, each reflux component 40 has a positioning hole 48 penetrating through the inner and outer end faces 41, 42 on two opposite sides of each oil storage groove 44.

[0073] The inner end face of each dust-proof component 50 has two pairs of positioning posts 52. The dust-proof component 50 is passed through the positioning holes 48 of the reflux component 40 by these positioning posts 52, and the reflux component 40 and the outer cylinder 30 are fixed together with screws (not shown in the figure).

[0074] As can be seen from the above, as Figure 7As shown, when lubricating oil is input into the oil injection hole 45 of the oil return component 40 on one side, on the one hand, the lubricating oil flows downward through the oil storage tank 44 on the same side to the lubrication channel 36 and then is split into the load channel 62 to lubricate the balls 60 on the same side. On the other hand, a part of the lubricating oil is guided by the oil guiding part 46 into the oil guiding channel 35, and then flows along the oil guiding channel 35 to the oil storage tank 44 on the other side, and then flows downward to the lubrication channel 36 and is split into the load channel 62 on the other side to lubricate the balls 60 on the other side. During the flow of the lubricating oil, through the guiding of the guiding inclined surface 463 and the dimension design of W2≤W1, the lubricating oil can enter the oil guiding channel 35 from the oil storage tank 44 more concentratedly and efficiently. In addition, through the design of the depressions 47 on both sides of the oil guiding part 46, the backflow phenomenon generated by the lubricating oil flowing from the oil guiding channel 35 to the guiding inclined surface 463 of the oil guiding part 46 can be reduced, so that the lubricating oil can flow to the oil storage tank 44 on the other side more efficiently. In addition, through the tapered width design of the oil guiding part 46 and the design of the depressions 47 on both sides of the oil guiding part 46, the lubricating oil can also flow from the oil storage tank 44 to the lubrication channel 36 more efficiently.

[0075] It should be added here that the configuration of the oil guiding part 46 can vary according to actual needs. For example, the oil guiding part 46 can be designed into a pointed cone shape as shown in Figure 9a and Figure 9b . The oil guiding part 46 in Figure 9a and Figure 9b still has the guiding inclined surface 463 and the depression 47; or, the oil guiding part 46 can also be designed into a square cone shape as shown in Figure 10a and Figure 10b or an arc shape as shown in Figure 11a and Figure 11b . The oil guiding part 46 in Figure 10a , Figure 10b , Figure 11a and Figure 11b has the guiding inclined surface 463 but omits the setting of the depression 47; even, the oil guiding part 46 can also be designed into a square cone shape as shown in Figure 12a and Figure 12b or an arc shape as shown in Figure 13a and Figure 13b . The oil guiding part 46 in Figure 12a , Figure 12b , Figure 13a and Figure 13b omits the settings of both the guiding inclined surface 463 and the depression 47 at the same time. However, no matter which of the above configurations, the oil guiding part 46 can provide a guiding and turning function for the lubricating oil, so that a part of the lubricating oil can smoothly enter the oil guiding channel 35 to provide a lubricating effect for the balls 60 on the other side.

[0076] In summary, through the configuration of the oil guiding channel 35 of the outer cylinder 30 and the oil guiding portion 46 of the oil return assembly 40, the ball spline 10 with a lubricating oil path of the present invention can lubricate the ball bearings 60 on both sides as long as lubricating oil is input into the oil injection hole 45 on one side, so as to achieve the effect of bilateral lubrication, and further achieve the purpose of improving the lubrication efficiency. In addition, since the oil guiding channel 35 is arranged inside the outer cylinder 30 and penetrates the outer cylinder 30 along the axial direction of the spline shaft 20, it can withstand a large oil injection pressure without any oil leakage problem.

[0077] Those skilled in the art can understand that the features recited in the various embodiments and / or claims of the present invention can be combined or / and combined in various ways, even if such combinations or combinations are not explicitly recited in the present invention. In particular, without departing from the spirit and teachings of the present invention, the features recited in the various embodiments and / or claims of the present invention can be combined and / or combined in various ways. All such combinations and / or combinations fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0078] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting the scope of the present invention. Although the embodiments have been described separately above, this does not mean that the measures in each embodiment cannot be used advantageously in combination. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Without departing from the scope of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various substitutions and modifications, and all such substitutions and modifications should fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A ball spline with a lubricating oil passage, comprising: A spline shaft, wherein the outer peripheral surface of the spline shaft has a first rolling groove; an outer cylinder, which is displaceably sleeved on the spline shaft, and the inner circumference of the outer cylinder is provided with a second rolling groove, a load channel is formed between the second rolling groove of the outer cylinder and the first rolling groove of the spline shaft, and the inner part of the outer cylinder is provided with a non-load channel and an oil guide channel, and both ends of the non-load channel and the oil guide channel pass through two opposite outer end surfaces of the outer cylinder; Two reflux assemblies, respectively disposed on the outer end surface of the outer cylinder and penetrated by the spline shaft, each of the reflux assemblies having a reflux groove, an oil injection hole, an oil storage groove and an oil guide portion, the two ends of the reflux groove are respectively connected to the load channel and the non-load channel to form a circulation channel together, the oil storage groove is connected to the oil injection hole, the load channel and the oil guide channel of the outer cylinder, the oil guide portion is disposed in the oil storage groove and corresponds to the oil injection hole and protrudes toward the direction of the oil guide channel; and A plurality of balls are arranged in the circulation channel.

2. The ball spline with lubrication oil passage according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the oil guide portions has a first end, a second end and a guide slope, the first end is connected to the groove wall of the oil storage groove, the second end is adjacent to the oil guide channel, the guide slope is opposite to the oil filling hole and slopes downward from the first end to the second end, and the position of the guide slope is higher than the bottom surface of the oil guide channel.

3. The ball spline with lubrication oil passage according to claim 2, wherein: The width of each of the oil guiding portions gradually decreases from the first end toward the second end.

4. The ball spline with lubrication oil passage according to claim 3, wherein: The width of the second end of each of the oil guiding portions is less than or equal to the width of the oil guiding channel.

5. The ball spline with lubrication oil passage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: Two opposite side surfaces of each oil guide portion respectively have a recess.

6. The ball spline with lubrication oil passage according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the outer end surfaces of the outer cylinder has a lubrication channel, and the lubrication channel is connected with the second rolling groove and the oil storage groove.

7. The ball spline with lubrication oil passage according to claim 6, wherein: The lubrication passage is closer to the spline shaft than the oil guide passage.

8. The ball spline with lubrication oil passage according to claim 1, wherein: The oil guide channel extends along the axial direction of the spline shaft.

9. The ball spline with lubrication oil passage according to claim 1, wherein: The oil guide portions are in a pointed cone shape, a square cone shape or an arc shape.

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