Lotus-leaf-like linear guide rail structure

Abstract

The invention discloses a lotus-leaf-like linear guide rail structure, which belongs to the technical field of linear guide rails, and comprises a guide rail, a sealing baffle plate and a sliding block, wherein a plurality of oil gathering grooves are formed in the top of the guide rail, a plurality of capillary channels are arranged among the oil gathering grooves, each capillary channel is communicated to an oil storage cavity, and the oil storage cavity is arranged in the guide rail; the pair of sealing baffles is arranged on the two sides of the guide rail respectively; the sliding block is connected to the upper surface of the guide rail in a sliding mode. By means of the design, automatic cleaning can be achieved, a good lubricating state is kept, and the manual cleaning frequency and cost are greatly reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of linear guides, and particularly relates to a linear guide structure in the shape of a lotus leaf. Background Art

[0002] In the modern industrial precision manufacturing system, linear guides, as key transmission components, are widely used in core fields such as machine tools, automated production lines, and electronic equipment manufacturing. However, in the actual complex working environment, linear guides face many severe challenges. Pollutants such as dust, oil stains, and particulate impurities are everywhere and are extremely likely to invade the narrow gap between the guide rail and the slider. Once these pollutants enter, it is like mixing sand in a precision instrument, which will significantly increase the frictional resistance, accelerate the wear of the guide rail and the slider, cause the equipment accuracy to gradually decline, and even lead to equipment failures in severe cases, resulting in production stagnation and huge economic losses.

[0003] Currently, the cleaning methods of traditional linear guides mainly include regular manual cleaning and external complex lubrication and cleaning systems. However, regular manual cleaning not only requires a large amount of labor costs, but also the cleaning effect is greatly affected by human factors and it is difficult to achieve an ideal state every time. Although the external complex lubrication and cleaning system can alleviate the pollution problem to a certain extent, it will bring problems such as high equipment costs, high energy consumption, and high maintenance difficulty. Moreover, the complex external system will also occupy a large amount of equipment space, which runs counter to the development trend of modern industry towards high efficiency and compactness.

[0004] In view of the deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a linear guide structure in the shape of a lotus leaf, aiming to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art and provide a linear guide structure in the shape of a lotus leaf, which can achieve automatic cleaning and maintain a good lubrication state, greatly reducing the frequency and cost of manual cleaning.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the present invention is implemented by the following technical solutions:

[0007] A linear guide structure in the shape of a lotus leaf, comprising:

[0008] A guide rail, on the top of which there are provided a plurality of oil-collecting grooves, and between each of the oil-collecting grooves there are provided a plurality of capillary channels, and each of the capillary channels communicates with an oil storage cavity, and the oil storage cavity is arranged inside the guide rail;

[0009] Sealing baffles, there are a pair of the sealing baffles, which are respectively arranged on both sides of the guide rail;

[0010] And a slider, the slider is slidably connected to the upper surface of the guide rail.

[0011] Preferably, a multi-layer structure is constructed on the upper surface of the guide rail. The multi-layer structure includes, from top to bottom: a micro-nano structure layer, a waxy layer, papillary protrusions, and a heat insulation and heat dissipation layer.

[0012] Preferably, a number of balls are provided at the bottom of the slider for enabling the slider to move relative to the guide rail.

[0013] Preferably, a low surface energy fluoropolymer coating is further provided on the micro-nano structure layer, and the thickness of the low surface energy fluoropolymer coating is 3 micrometers.

[0014] Preferably, sealing rubber strips are respectively provided on both side walls of the slider. The sealing rubber strips are in contact with the side walls of the guide rail for preventing impurities such as dust from entering the interior of the guide rail.

[0015] Preferably, an electromagnetic starting device is further included. The electromagnetic starting device is provided on the guide rail and is connected to the slider through an electrical signal.

[0016] Preferably, a limit buffering device is further included. There are two limit buffering devices, which are respectively provided at both ends of the guide rail.

[0017] Preferably, the depth, width, and adjacent spacing of each oil collecting groove are respectively: 2 millimeters, 3 millimeters, and 10 millimeters. And the cross section of each oil collecting groove is semi-circular and is evenly distributed along the length direction of the guide rail.

[0018] Preferably, the height, diameter, and adjacent spacing of the papillary protrusions are respectively: 5 micrometers, 3 micrometers, and 8 micrometers.

[0019] Preferably, the depth and width of the micro-nano structure layer are respectively: 50 nanometers and 30 nanometers.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects achieved by the present invention are as follows:

[0021] 1. In the present invention, a plurality of oil collecting grooves are designed on the guide rail. A plurality of capillary channels are provided between the plurality of oil collecting grooves, and all the plurality of capillary channels communicate with an oil storage cavity. The oil storage cavity is provided inside the guide rail. Through this layout of the oil collecting structure, automatic collection and storage of lubricating oil are realized, and lubrication can be provided in a timely and uniform manner when the slider moves, so that the guide rail and the slider are always in a good lubrication state, effectively reducing the frictional resistance, reducing wear, significantly prolonging the service life of the linear guide rail, and improving the precision and stability of the equipment at the same time.

[0022] 2. The present invention adopts the structural design of the lotus leaf effect. By constructing a multi-layer microstructure on the surface of the guide rail, the surface of the guide rail has a low surface energy, resulting in the effects of oil repellency, dirt repellency, and water repellency, forming a self-cleaning ability. It can effectively resist the adhesion of various pollutants such as oil stains and impurities to the guide rail, and greatly reduce the frequency and cost of manual cleaning. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 is a partial enlarged view A of the present invention.

[0025] Wherein:

[0026] 1. Guide rail; 2. Oil collecting groove; 3. Capillary channel; 5. Sealing baffle; 6. Slide block; 61. Mounting hole; 7. Ball; 8. Sealing rubber strip; 9. Limit buffer device; 10. Electromagnetic starting device; 11. Micro-nano structure layer; 12. Wax layer; 13. Papillary protrusion; 14. Heat insulation and heat dissipation layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and should not be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention.

[0028] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "middle", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. In addition, in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more.

[0029] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood through specific situations.

[0030] Embodiment 1

[0031] Refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2, this embodiment provides a linear guide rail 1 structure in the shape of a lotus leaf, including:

[0032] The guide rail 1, on the top of the guide rail 1, a plurality of oil-collecting grooves 2 are opened. Between each of the oil-collecting grooves 2, a plurality of capillary channels 3 are provided. Each of the capillary channels 3 communicates with an oil storage cavity, and the oil storage cavity is arranged inside the guide rail 1;

[0033] Sealing baffles 5, there are a pair of the sealing baffles 5, which are respectively arranged on both sides of the guide rail 1;

[0034] And a slider 6, the slider 6 is slidably connected to the upper surface of the guide rail 1.

[0035] Furthermore, mounting holes 61 and corresponding bolt covers can also be opened on the slider 6 and the guide rail 1, which is convenient for connecting the slider 6 and the guide rail 1 to other components, and the corresponding bolt covers can prevent lubricating oil from leaking out.

[0036] In this embodiment, the present invention designs a plurality of oil-collecting grooves 2 on the guide rail 1. Between the plurality of oil-collecting grooves 2, a plurality of capillary channels 3 are provided. Each of the capillary channels 3 communicates with an oil storage cavity, and the oil storage cavity is arranged inside the guide rail 1. Through this layout of the oil-collecting structure, the automatic collection and storage of lubricating oil are realized, and lubrication can be provided timely and evenly when the slider 6 moves, so that the guide rail 1 and the slider 6 are always in a good lubrication state, effectively reducing the frictional resistance, reducing wear, significantly prolonging the service life of the linear guide rail 1, and at the same time improving the precision and stability of the equipment.

[0037] It should be noted that the distribution area of the oil-collecting grooves 2 almost covers the effective working area of the entire guide rail 1.

[0038] Furthermore, the upper surface of the guide rail 1 is constructed with a multi-layer structure. The multi-layer structure from top to bottom includes: a micro-nano structure layer 11, a wax layer 12, papillary protrusions 13, and a heat insulation and heat dissipation layer 14.

[0039] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the depth, width, and adjacent spacing of each of the oil-collecting grooves 2 are respectively: 2 mm, 3 mm, and 10 mm, and the cross-section of each of the oil-collecting grooves 2 is semi-circular and is evenly distributed along the length direction of the guide rail 1;

[0040] The height, diameter, and adjacent spacing of the papillary protrusions 12 are respectively: 5 μm, 3 μm, and 8 μm;

[0041] The depth and width of the micro-nano structure layer 11 are respectively: 50 nm and 30 nm.

[0042] In this embodiment, the present invention adopts the structural design of the lotus effect. By constructing a multi-layer microstructure on the surface of the guide rail 1, the surface of the guide rail 1 has a low surface energy, producing the effects of oil repellency, dirt repellency, and water repellency, forming a self-cleaning ability, and being able to effectively resist the adhesion of various pollutants such as oil stains and impurities to the guide rail 1, greatly reducing the frequency and cost of manual cleaning.

[0043] In order to further reduce the surface energy, enhance the self-cleaning and anti-fouling capabilities, reduce the adhesion of dust and oil stains, reduce the frictional resistance, reduce noise, and extend the service life of the guide rail 1, in this embodiment, a low surface energy fluoropolymer coating is further provided on the micro-nano structure layer 11, and the thickness of the low surface energy fluoropolymer coating is 3 microns.

[0044] In order to improve the running efficiency and accuracy of the slider 6 and reduce the wear between the slider 6 and the guide rail 1, in this embodiment, a number of balls 7 are provided at the bottom of the slider 6 for realizing the movement of the slider 6 relative to the guide rail 1.

[0045] In order to prevent the leakage of lubricating oil and further reduce noise, in this embodiment, sealing rubber strips 8 are respectively provided on both side walls of the slider 6, and the sealing rubber strips 8 are in contact with the side walls of the guide rail 1. This design can also be used to prevent impurities such as dust from entering the inside of the guide rail 1.

[0046] In order to achieve the precise start and control of the slider 6, with a fast response speed, and improve the running efficiency and accuracy of the guide rail 1, in this embodiment, an electromagnetic starting device 10 is further included. The electromagnetic starting device 10 is provided on the guide rail 1 and is connected to the slider 6 through an electrical signal.

[0047] In order to avoid hard collisions between the slider 6 and the guide rail 1, in this embodiment, a limit buffer device 9 is further included. There are two limit buffer devices 9, which are respectively provided at both ends of the guide rail 1, and play a buffering and limiting role when the slider 6 reaches the travel limit.

[0048] It should be noted that the guide rail 1 can be made of a special alloy with 80% iron, 10% chromium, 5% nickel, etc. as the main component materials. Iron gives the material basic strength and toughness, chromium enhances its corrosion resistance, and nickel optimizes the comprehensive mechanical properties of the material. The three work together to endow the material with excellent wear resistance and structural stability.

[0049] Working principle: During operation, the electromagnetic starting device 10 is turned on, so that the slider 6 moves linearly on the guide rail 1 with the assistance of the balls 7. When the lubricating oil drops on the surface of the guide rail 1, due to surface tension and capillary action, the lubricating oil is attracted by the force from the oil collecting groove 2 and automatically flows into the oil collecting groove 2, and enters the oil storage cavity through the capillary channel 3 for storage. During the movement of the slider 6, the lubricating oil in the oil storage cavity will be evenly extruded to fully lubricate the contact surface between the guide rail 1 and the slider 6.

[0050] Example 2

[0051] Based on Example 1, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the present invention also provides a manufacturing method for the base material of the linear guide 1. The partial processes involved in the manufacturing method are as follows:

[0052] 1. Manufacturing of the micron-scale papillary protrusions 12

[0053] A layer of photoresist is evenly coated on the surface of the base material of the linearly guided 1 that has undergone precision machining. The selection of the photoresist needs to comprehensively consider its performance indicators such as sensitivity and resolution; Laser engraving uses high-power density lasers to instantaneously vaporize and evaporate the material, forming micron-scale papillary protrusions 12; Lithographic engraving can also be used. Through lithography technology, a pre-designed pattern of micron-scale papillary protrusions 12 is precisely transferred onto the photoresist using a high-precision lithography machine. During the exposure process, the exposure time and intensity are strictly controlled to ensure the clarity and accuracy of the pattern; Subsequently, a reactive ion etching (RIE) process is used to precisely control the type, flow rate of the etching gas, as well as the etching time and power, to remove the base material not protected by the photoresist, gradually forming a micron-scale protrusion structure; Finally, through the photoresist removal process, a special photoresist remover is used to remove the remaining photoresist, ensuring the cleanliness and integrity of the surface of the micron-scale papillary protrusions 12.

[0054] 2. Manufacturing of the micro-nano structure layer 11

[0055] Based on the successful formation of the micron-scale papillary protrusions 12, a chemical etching method is used to create nano-scale textures on the surface of the micron-scale papillary protrusions 12; The guide rail 1 with micron-scale papillary protrusions 12 is carefully immersed in a specifically formulated etching solution. The etching time is strictly controlled at 30 minutes and the temperature is 50 °C; During the etching process, the chemical substances in the solution react with the surface of the protrusions, gradually forming a nano-scale texture structure. By precisely controlling the reaction conditions, the depth, width, and uniformity of the distribution of the nano-scale textures are ensured.

[0056] 3. Preparation of the low surface energy fluoropolymer coating

[0057] A physical vapor deposition (PVD) method of magnetron sputtering is used to deposit a fluoropolymer coating material on the surface of the substrate; Before deposition, the surface of the substrate is strictly cleaned and pretreated to remove oil stains, impurities, etc. on the surface to ensure good bonding between the coating and the substrate; During deposition, the sputtering power is precisely controlled at 100 W, the gas flow rate is 20 sccm, and the deposition time is 60 minutes; By real-time monitoring and adjusting these parameters, the thickness uniformity and quality stability of the coating are ensured, and finally a low surface energy fluoropolymer coating with a thickness of 3 microns is obtained.

[0058] 4. Machining of the oil-gathering groove 2

[0059] Use a high-precision CNC milling machine to machine the oil-gathering groove 2 on the surface of the linear guide 1; before machining, according to the design requirements, use professional CAD / CAM software to write a detailed CNC program to precisely control the shape, depth, width and spacing of the groove; during the machining process, monitor the machining parameters in real time, such as spindle speed, feed rate, cutting force, etc., to ensure the machining accuracy and quality of the oil-gathering groove 2, and ensure that the dimensional error of the oil-gathering groove 2 is controlled within a very small range.

[0060] 5. Manufacturing of the oil storage cavity and the capillary channel 3

[0061] At the part where the slider 6 contacts the guide rail 1, the oil storage cavity is manufactured by injection molding; first, according to the design requirements of the oil storage cavity, make a high-precision injection mold, and the selection of the injection material needs to consider its oil resistance, mechanical strength and molding performance. Strictly control parameters such as injection pressure and temperature. The injection pressure affects the filling effect of the material and the density of the product. Too low pressure may lead to insufficient filling, while too high pressure may cause defects such as flash and deformation of the product. The injection temperature affects the fluidity and crystallinity of the material, and thus affects the performance and dimensional accuracy of the product. By precisely controlling these parameters, ensure the molding quality and dimensional accuracy of the oil storage cavity; at the same time, the capillary channel 3 is machined by laser processing technology, and the energy, spot size and scanning path of the laser are precisely controlled. The laser energy determines the material removal rate and machining depth, the spot size affects the machining accuracy and surface quality, and the scanning path determines the shape and connectivity of the capillary channel 3. By accurately controlling these parameters, ensure smooth connection between the capillary channel 3 and the oil-gathering groove 2 and the oil storage cavity, and achieve efficient transmission of lubricating oil.

[0062] In summary, through the combination of the above structures, this lotus-leaf-like linear guide 1 structure significantly improves the self-cleaning ability, lubrication performance and running accuracy of the linear guide 1 through innovative surface design, material selection and lubrication system optimization, and is suitable for the strict requirements of high precision, high reliability and low maintenance cost in modern industry.

[0063] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the technical principle of the present invention, several improvements and deformations can still be made, and these improvements and deformations should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lotus leaf-shaped linear guide structure, characterized in that: include: A guide rail (1), wherein a plurality of oil collecting grooves (2) are provided on the top of the guide rail (1), a plurality of capillary channels (3) are provided between the oil collecting grooves (2), and each of the capillary channels (3) is connected to an oil storage cavity, and the oil storage cavity is provided inside the guide rail (1); A sealing baffle (5), wherein a pair of the sealing baffles (5) are provided and are respectively arranged on both sides of the guide rail (1); and a slider (6), wherein the slider (6) is slidably connected to the upper surface of the guide rail (1).

2. The lotus leaf-shaped linear guide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the guide rail (1) is constructed with a multi-layer structure, which comprises, from top to bottom: a micro-nano structure layer (11), a wax layer (12), nipple-shaped protrusions (13), and a heat insulation and heat dissipation layer (14).

3. The lotus leaf-shaped linear guide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of balls (7) are provided at the bottom of the slider (6) for realizing the movement of the slider (6) relative to the guide rail (1).

4. The lotus leaf-shaped linear guide structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: A low surface energy fluorine-containing polymer coating is also provided on the micro-nano structure layer (11), and the thickness of the low surface energy fluorine-containing polymer coating is 3 micrometers.

5. The lotus leaf-shaped linear guide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Sealing rubber strips (8) are respectively provided on the two side walls of the sliding block (6); the sealing rubber strips (8) are in contact with the side walls of the guide rail (1) and are used to prevent impurities such as dust from entering the interior of the guide rail (1).

6. The lotus leaf-shaped linear guide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also comprises an electromagnetic starting device (10), which is arranged on the guide rail (1) and connected to the slider (6) via an electrical signal.

7. The lotus leaf-shaped linear guide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also comprises a position limiting buffer device (9), wherein two position limiting buffer devices (9) are provided and are respectively arranged at the two ends of the guide rail (1).

8. The lotus leaf-shaped linear guide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The depth, width and adjacent spacing of each of the oil collecting grooves (2) are 2 mm, 3 mm and 10 mm respectively, and the cross section of each of the oil collecting grooves (2) is semicircular and evenly distributed along the length direction of the guide rail (1).

9. The lotus leaf-shaped linear guide structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The height, diameter and adjacent spacing of the nipple-shaped protrusions (12) are 5 microns, 3 microns and 8 microns respectively.

10. The lotus leaf-shaped linear guide structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The depth and width of the micro-nano structure layer (11) are 50 nanometers and 30 nanometers respectively.

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