Roller-driven linear motor module

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of linear motor modules, and discloses a roller transmission linear motor module which comprises a base, side covers are symmetrically and fixedly installed on the two sides of the base, a top cover corresponding to the base in parallel is fixedly installed on the tops of the side covers, a sliding assembly is arranged on the base in a sliding mode, and the sliding assembly is arranged on the base in a sliding mode. The sliding assembly comprises two pairs of rotatable bearing rollers, optical shafts are symmetrically and fixedly installed on the base, and the bearing rollers are in sliding fit with the optical shafts. A traditional sliding block inner groove structure is improved into the mode that the polished shaft is matched with the bearing roller, the machining difficulty of the sliding block body is greatly reduced, the polished shaft is a standard part, the cost is controllable, the overall manufacturing cost is reduced, the precise bearing roller is adopted, and an inner rolling body moves in a well-lubricated roller path, so that the machining precision is improved. The phenomena of crawling and stick-slip of a traditional ball guide rail during low-speed operation are effectively avoided, and the movement stability and the positioning precision are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of linear motor module technology, and more specifically, to a roller-driven linear motor module. Background Technology

[0002] Linear motor modules are core components for achieving precise linear motion in modern industrial automation equipment. They are widely used in fields such as electronics manufacturing, medical devices, and logistics handling. Most existing linear motor modules adopt the traditional ball bearing guide transmission method, that is, the slider has a precision arc groove, and multiple balls are filled in the groove. The balls cooperate with the hardened guide rail fixed on the base to achieve rolling transmission.

[0003] However, this traditional structure has the following technical problems: First, the arc grooves are made on the slider, which makes the slider itself complex, difficult to process, and costly to manufacture; Second, the contact between the balls and the guide rail is multi-point contact, which can easily cause "stick-slip phenomenon" due to the difference between static and dynamic friction when running at low speed, resulting in a decrease in motion smoothness and positioning accuracy; Third, the ball bearing structure inside the slider is complex, requiring professional disassembly and assembly for maintenance, and replacement is difficult; Fourth, after long-term operation, the guide rail and balls wear down, often requiring the entire slider to be replaced, resulting in high maintenance costs.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, it is necessary to develop a novel linear motor module to simplify its structure, reduce costs, improve low-speed motion performance, and facilitate maintenance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a linear motor module with roller drive, which solves the technical problems of complex slider structure, high processing cost, easy sticking and slipping at low speed and inconvenient maintenance in related technologies.

[0006] This invention provides a linear motor module with roller drive, including a base, side covers fixedly installed symmetrically on both sides of the base, a top cover fixedly installed on the top of the side covers parallel to the base, a sliding assembly slidably disposed on the base, the sliding assembly including two pairs of rotatable bearing rollers, and an optical shaft fixedly installed symmetrically on the base, the bearing rollers slidingly engaging with the optical shaft.

[0007] As a further embodiment of the present invention: the sliding assembly further includes a base, a cover, a support seat and a protective plate. The front and rear sides of the base are fixedly installed with covers aligned with the side covers. The left and right sides of the base are fixedly installed with support seats. The bearing roller is rotatably installed at the connection between the base and the support seat. The bottom of the support seat is fixedly installed with an inwardly extending protective plate.

[0008] As a further embodiment of the present invention: the base is symmetrically provided with mounting grooves, the optical axis is embedded and fixed in the mounting grooves, and the roller side of the bearing roller is provided with a groove that cooperates with the optical axis, the groove being placed at the center of the cavity formed by the protective plate and the base.

[0009] As a further embodiment of the present invention: the side cover forms a sealing surface on the front and rear sides of the sliding assembly, the top cover forms a sealing surface on the top of the sliding assembly, and the bearing seat protrudes outward relative to the side of the top cover.

[0010] As a further aspect of the present invention: an encoder is integrated on the sliding component to read the displacement parameters of the sliding component relative to the base.

[0011] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention improves the traditional inner groove structure of the slider by replacing it with a combination of an optical shaft and a bearing roller. This significantly reduces the difficulty of machining the slider body, and since the optical shaft is a standard part, the cost is controllable, resulting in a reduction in overall manufacturing costs.

[0012] The present invention employs precision bearing rollers in the construction of the sliding mechanism. The internal rolling elements move in well-lubricated raceways, resulting in low starting friction torque and extremely low static-dynamic friction difference. This effectively avoids the crawling and stick-slip phenomena that occur in traditional ball bearing guides when running at low speeds, thereby improving motion stability and positioning accuracy.

[0013] In the novel sliding method adopted in this invention, the optical axis is embedded and fixed in the mounting groove of the base, forming a large-area contact with the base. The heat generated during operation can be quickly conducted to the base for dissipation, avoiding the loss of accuracy caused by heat accumulation.

[0014] When the transmission components wear out during the implementation of this invention, only the bearing rollers or optical shaft need to be replaced, without the need to replace the entire sliding assembly. This results in low maintenance costs and simple operation. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a linear motor module with roller drive proposed in this invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a linear motor module with roller drive proposed in this invention. Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the sliding component relative to the base in a linear motor module with roller drive proposed in this invention; Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the sliding component in a linear motor module with roller drive proposed in this invention.

[0016] In the picture: 1. Base; 2. Side cover; 3. Top cover; 4. Sliding assembly; 41. Base; 42. Cover; 43. Bearing seat; 44. Bearing roller; 440. Groove; 45. Protective plate; 5. Encoder; 6. Mounting slot; 7. Optical shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The subject matter described herein will now be discussed with reference to exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are discussed only to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement the subject matter described herein, and changes may be made to the function and arrangement of the elements discussed without departing from the scope of this specification. Various processes or components may be omitted, substituted, or added as needed in the examples. Furthermore, features described in some examples may be combined in other examples. Example 1

[0018] A linear motor module with roller drive, such as Figure 1 - Figure 4 As shown, the device includes a base 1, side covers 2 are symmetrically fixedly installed on both sides of the base 1, and a top cover 3 parallel to and corresponding to the base 1 is fixedly installed on the top of the side covers 2. A sliding assembly 4 is slidably arranged on the base 1, and the sliding assembly 4 includes two pairs of rotatable bearing rollers 44. An optical axis 7 is symmetrically fixedly installed on the base 1, and the bearing rollers 44 slide in cooperation with the optical axis 7.

[0019] The base 1, serving as the mounting foundation for the entire module, is made of high-strength aluminum alloy profiles or precision-machined steel plates. Its top surface is a flat structure, with two parallel mounting slots 6 symmetrically arranged on both sides along the longitudinal direction. The mounting slots 6 have a semi-circular or rectangular cross-sectional shape and are used to fix and install the optical axis 7. The optical axis 7 is made of high-hardness, high-wear-resistant bearing steel material, and its surface is precision ground and chrome-plated, resulting in high surface smoothness and straightness. The optical axis 7 is embedded and fixed in the mounting slots 6 of the base 1 by an interference fit. To ensure that it does not loosen during long-term use, a special fixing adhesive can be applied between the optical axis 7 and the mounting slots 6. This embedded structure allows the optical axis 7 to form a large-area contact with the base 1. When the module is running at high speed, the heat generated by the friction between the optical axis 7 and the bearing roller 44 can be quickly conducted to the base 1 for dissipation, effectively avoiding thermal deformation and precision loss caused by heat accumulation.

[0020] The sliding assembly 4 also includes a base 41, a cover 42, a support seat 43, and a guard plate 45. The base 41 is fixedly installed with a cover 42 aligned with the side cover 2 on both the front and rear sides. The base 41 is fixedly installed with a support seat 43 on both the left and right sides. The bearing roller 44 is rotatably installed at the connection between the base 41 and the support seat 43. The support seat 43 is fixedly installed with an inwardly extending guard plate 45 at its bottom.

[0021] The sliding component 4 is slidably mounted on the base 1 and is the core component of the module that bears external loads and performs linear motion. The sliding component 4 includes a base 41, which serves as the skeleton of the entire sliding component 4. It is made of high-strength lightweight materials such as aluminum alloy or engineering plastics. The connecting structure of the linear motor mover or other driving elements can be installed inside the base 41. The front and rear sides of the base 41 are fixedly installed with covers 42 corresponding to the positions of the side covers 2. The covers 42 are used to close the front and rear openings of the base 41 to prevent the internal components from being exposed. At the same time, when the sliding component 4 moves to the extreme positions at both ends, the covers 42 can form a limiting fit with the side covers 2.

[0022] The base 1 has symmetrically arranged mounting grooves 6, the optical axis 7 is embedded and fixed in the mounting grooves 6, and the bearing roller 44 has a groove 440 that cooperates with the optical axis 7 on the roller side. The groove 440 is located at the center of the cavity formed by the protective plate 45 and the base 1.

[0023] At the connection between the base 41 and the left and right bearing seats 43, two pairs of bearing rollers 44 are rotatably installed, one pair on each side, arranged back and forth along the longitudinal direction. The bearing rollers 44 are precision deep groove ball bearings or angular contact bearings. Their outer ring surfaces are provided with concave arc grooves that mate with the optical axis 7. The radius of curvature of the concave arc grooves is slightly larger than the outer radius of the optical axis 7, forming an arc surface mating structure. This mating method allows the convex arc working surface of the optical axis 7 to form line contact with the concave arc working surface of the bearing rollers 44, which ensures the accuracy of guidance and reduces rolling resistance. The bearing rollers 44 are installed between the base 41 and the bearing seats 43 through a central shaft. The two ends of the central shaft are supported by mounting holes on the base 41 and the bearing seats 43, respectively, forming a double-end support structure, which significantly improves the stability and load-bearing capacity of the rollers.

[0024] In the installed state, the concave arc groove on the bearing roller 44 is exactly located at the center of the cavity formed by the guard plate 45 and the base 1. The optical axis 7 passes through the cavity and is precisely aligned with the concave arc groove. When the sliding component 4 moves longitudinally along the base 1, the bearing roller 44 rolls purely on the optical axis 7. Since the bearing roller 44 has precise rolling elements and grease inside, its rolling friction coefficient is extremely low, and the difference between the starting friction and the moving friction is very small. Therefore, even under ultra-low speed conditions of a few micrometers per second, the sliding component 4 can achieve smooth and continuous movement, completely avoiding the stick-slip crawling phenomenon common in traditional ball bearing guides.

[0025] The side cover 2 forms a sealing surface on the front and rear sides of the sliding component 4, the top cover 3 forms a sealing surface on the top of the sliding component 4, and the support seat 43 protrudes outward relative to the side of the top cover 3.

[0026] Side covers 2 are symmetrically fixed to both sides of the base 1 with screws. The side covers 2 are made of metal plates and extend longitudinally along the base 1. Their height is slightly higher than the upper surface of the base 1. The top of the two side covers 2 are fixed together with a top cover 3 that is parallel to the base 1. The top cover 3 is also made of metal plates and together with the side covers 2, they form a protective cover structure with a "U" shaped cross section. The side covers 2 form sealing surfaces at the front and rear ends of the sliding component 4, and the top cover 3 forms a sealing surface at the top of the sliding component 4, thereby forming an effective closed protection for the core moving parts inside the module and preventing external dust, debris, cutting fluid and other contaminants from entering.

[0027] A bearing seat 43 is symmetrically fixedly installed on the left and right sides of the base 41. The bearing seat 43 is an L-shaped or rectangular block structure and is fastened to the base 41 by screws. An inwardly extending guard plate 45 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the bearing seat 43. The guard plate 45 is a long strip-shaped thin sheet that extends along the longitudinal direction of the base 1 and covers the top of the optical axis 7. A narrow gap is formed between the guard plate 45 and the upper surface of the base 1, which not only ensures the free movement of the sliding component 4, but also effectively prevents foreign objects falling from above from entering the area of ​​the optical axis 7.

[0028] In addition, the top of the support 43 protrudes outward relative to the side of the top cover 3. This protruding structure forms an installation platform that facilitates the installation of external loads. Users can directly fix the workbench, clamps or other actuators onto the protruding part, thus achieving convenient connection of the load. Example 2

[0029] Based on Example 1, this example further optimizes the installation and adjustment structure of the bearing roller 44 to improve the assembly convenience and long-term operating accuracy of the module.

[0030] In this embodiment, the mounting holes on both sides of the base 41 for mounting the bearing rollers 44 adopt an open slot structure, that is, the mounting holes are not closed circular holes, but U-shaped slots with openings. The corresponding mounting holes on the bearing seat 43 also adopt an open slot structure. The two ends of the central shaft of the bearing rollers 44 are respectively inserted into the open slots of the base 41 and the bearing seat 43, and are fixed by pressure plates or locking screws. This open slot structure allows the installation and removal of the bearing rollers 44 without completely disassembling the bearing seat 43. The rollers can be removed simply by loosening the pressure plate, which greatly simplifies the maintenance operation.

[0031] Furthermore, an eccentric adjustment mechanism is provided between the base 41 and the support 43. Specifically, a rotatable eccentric pin or eccentric sleeve is provided at the connection surface between the support 43 and the base 41. The eccentric pin is linked to the central axis of the bearing roller 44. When the eccentric pin is rotated, the position of the bearing roller 44 relative to the base 41 can be finely adjusted, thereby changing the fit clearance or preload between the bearing roller 44 and the optical shaft 7. Through this eccentric adjustment mechanism, the contact state between each bearing roller 44 and the optical shaft 7 can be precisely controlled during assembly, eliminating gaps and applying appropriate preload, thereby improving the rigidity and motion accuracy of the module. After long-term use, if the gap increases due to wear, it can also be readjusted through this eccentric adjustment mechanism without replacing parts, significantly extending the service life of the module. Example 3

[0032] For harsh working environments (such as dusty environments, cutting fluid environments, etc.), this embodiment adds multiple sealing protection structures based on embodiment one to further improve the durability and reliability of the module.

[0033] In this embodiment, a first sealing element is installed at the mating surface between the side cover 2 and the upper cover 42 of the sliding assembly 4. This sealing element is made of a flexible and wear-resistant material such as polyurethane or felt, forming a labyrinth-like sealing structure to effectively block large dust particles from entering. A second sealing element is installed at the mating surface between the top cover 3 and the top of the sliding assembly 4. This second sealing element is also made of a flexible material and forms a sliding contact seal with the inner surface of the top cover 3 to prevent dust from falling onto the top.

[0034] A third sealing element is added to the narrow gap between the lower surface of the guard plate 45 and the upper surface of the base 1. Specifically, a dust scraper is installed on the lower surface of the guard plate 45. The dust scraper is made of elastic material and its edge is in close contact with the upper surface of the base 1. When the sliding component 4 moves, the dust scraper removes dust or droplets that may accumulate on the upper surface of the base 1, preventing them from entering the optical axis 7 area. At the same time, a sealing lip is also provided on the inner edge of the guard plate 45 near the optical axis 7. This lip makes slight contact with the surface of the optical axis 7, further preventing tiny particles from intruding into the mating area between the bearing roller 44 and the optical axis 7.

[0035] In addition, the bearing roller 44 itself is also a model with a sealing ring or dust cover, which effectively seals the gap between the internal rolling elements and the outer ring, preventing grease leakage and external contaminant intrusion, and ensuring the long-term stability and lifespan of the bearing roller 44.

[0036] Through the aforementioned multiple sealing and protection structures, the linear motor module of this embodiment can operate stably for a long time in harsh environments such as high dust, high humidity, and cutting fluid splashing, which greatly reduces the frequency of maintenance and broadens the application scenarios of the product. Example 4

[0037] For automated equipment requiring high-precision positioning and digital control, this embodiment integrates a high-precision measurement and feedback system based on Embodiment 1, enabling the module to have closed-loop control capabilities.

[0038] An encoder 5 is integrated on the sliding component 4 to read the displacement parameters of the sliding component 4 relative to the base 1. Specifically, either an optical encoder 5 or a magnetic encoder 5 can be used.

[0039] When using the grating encoder 5 scheme, a high-precision grating ruler is fixedly installed along the longitudinal direction on one side of the base 1. The surface of the grating ruler is engraved with precise optical scale lines. A photoelectric reading head is installed at a corresponding position on the sliding assembly 4. The reading head contains a light source and a photoelectric detection element. When the sliding assembly 4 moves, the reading head moves relative to the grating ruler. By detecting changes in reflected or transmitted light signals, it outputs position information in real time. The grating ruler is made of steel strip or glass substrate, and its coefficient of thermal expansion matches the material of the base 1, reducing the impact of temperature changes on measurement accuracy. A protective cover is provided on the outside of the grating ruler to prevent dust and oil from contaminating the scale lines.

[0040] When using the magnetic encoder 5 scheme, a magnetic scale is fixedly installed on one side of the base 1 along the longitudinal direction. The surface of the magnetic scale is filled with equally spaced magnetic poles. A magnetic reading head, such as a Hall element or a magnetoresistive element, is installed at the corresponding position on the sliding component 4. When the sliding component 4 moves, the reading head detects the change in magnetic field and outputs a position signal. The magnetic encoder 5 scheme is not sensitive to pollutants such as oil and dust and is suitable for relatively harsh environments.

[0041] The encoder 5 transmits its signal to an external controller via a flexible cable. The controller compares the feedback position signal with the command position and adjusts the drive current in real time to achieve precise closed-loop control of the position of the sliding component 4. This closed-loop control can eliminate the effects of mechanical transmission errors, thermal deformation errors, etc., so that the repeatability of the module can reach the micron level or even higher, meeting the stringent requirements of semiconductor equipment, precision measuring instruments, high-end CNC machine tools and other fields.

[0042] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the embodiments are not limited to the specific implementation methods described above. The specific implementation methods described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make more equivalent embodiments under the guidance of the present embodiments, and all of them are within the protection scope of the present embodiments.

Claims

1. A linear motor module with roller drive, characterized in that, The device includes a base (1), on which side covers (2) are symmetrically fixedly installed. A top cover (3) parallel to and corresponding to the base (1) is fixedly installed on the top of the side covers (2). A sliding assembly (4) is slidably arranged on the base (1). The sliding assembly (4) includes two pairs of rotatable bearing rollers (44). An optical axis (7) is symmetrically fixedly installed on the base (1). The bearing rollers (44) and the optical axis (7) are slidably engaged.

2. The linear motor module with roller drive according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding assembly (4) also includes a base (41), a cover (42), a support seat (43), and a guard plate (45). The front and rear sides of the base (41) are fixedly equipped with covers (42) aligned with the side covers (2). The left and right sides of the base (41) are fixedly equipped with support seats (43). The bearing roller (44) is rotatably installed at the connection between the base (41) and the support seat (43). The bottom of the support seat (43) is fixedly equipped with an inwardly extending guard plate (45).

3. A linear motor module with roller drive according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base (1) is symmetrically provided with mounting grooves (6), the optical axis (7) is embedded and fixed in the mounting grooves (6), and the bearing roller (44) is provided with a groove (440) that cooperates with the optical axis (7) on the roller side. The groove (440) is placed at the center of the cavity formed by the guard plate (45) and the base (1).

4. A linear motor module with roller drive according to claim 2, characterized in that, The side cover (2) forms a sealing surface on the front and rear sides of the sliding assembly (4), the top cover (3) forms a sealing surface on the top of the sliding assembly (4), and the support seat (43) protrudes outward relative to the side of the top cover (3).

5. A linear motor module with roller drive according to claim 1, characterized in that, An encoder (5) is integrated on the sliding component (4) to read the displacement parameters of the sliding component (4) relative to the base (1).

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