Linear plain bearing with assembly-optimized nut

Abstract

A linear sliding bearing comprising a carriage (1) and a rail, wherein the rail has at least one guide section (21, 22) and the carriage (1) has at least one guide receptacle for the guide section (21, 22), wherein in an operating state of the linear sliding bearing, the guide section (21, 22) is received in the guide receptacle, defining a position of the carriage (1) relative to the rail perpendicular to a longitudinal direction (X) and ensuring displaceability of the carriage (1) relative to the rail along the longitudinal direction (X), wherein the linear sliding bearing further comprises a spindle with a spindle thread and a nut (3) fixed to the carriage (1) with a nut thread (30) corresponding to the spindle thread, wherein in the operating state, the spindle is arranged in the nut (3) and by rotation of the spindle, the carriage (1) is movable along the longitudinal direction (X) relative to the rail, characterized inthat a nut receptacle (100) is provided on the slide (1), wherein the nut (3) can be inserted into the nut receptacle (100) along an insertion direction, in particular linearly, to realize a pre-assembly state and, starting from the pre-assembly state, can be removed therefrom along the insertion direction, wherein the linear plain bearing has a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembly state, is designed for releasably fixing the nut (3) in the nut receptacle (100) to realize the operating state.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a linear plain bearing according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a carriage of such a linear plain bearing, a mounting element of such a carriage and to the use of a nut, a fixing device and a carriage body for realizing a carriage of such a linear plain bearing.

[0002] Generic linear plain bearings comprise a carriage and a rail as mutually correspondingly designed elements. While the rail is usually fixed in a fixed position to a structural element, for example to a wall or floor of a room, or to a device arranged on the wall and / or floor of the room, the carriage is guided and movable along the rail. In a normal operating state of generic linear plain bearings, the carriage is arranged on the rail in such a way that its position relative to the rail is fixed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction by the interlocking of the rail and carriage, whereas it can slide along the rail in the longitudinal direction while its position perpendicular to the longitudinal direction remains unchanged.The rail typically has a length in the longitudinal direction that is at least 4 times, in particular at least 5 times, in particular at least 10 times, in particular at least 15 times, in particular at least 20 times the length of the carriage in the longitudinal direction. Typically, the rail has a guide section and the carriage has a guide receptacle, wherein in the operating state of the linear plain bearing, the guide section is arranged in the guide receptacle such that a boundary wall formed by the guide receptacle determines the position of the guide section in the guide receptacle perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, whereas displaceability of the carriage relative to the rail and thus movement from guide section to guide receptacle in the longitudinal direction is enabled. The guide receptacle is typically designed as a passage that runs continuously through the carriage in the longitudinal direction.In the operating state, a sliding element is preferably arranged in the guide receptacle and between this and the guide section so that sliding friction between the rail and carriage is reduced during displacement along the longitudinal direction, wherein in particular the sliding element is made of a sliding material. Generally speaking, the sliding material is preferably a tribologically optimized plastic. For example, polymers can be used to realize a tribologically optimized plastic, for example the thermoplastics polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacetal, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, polytetrafluoroethylene and, in the case of thermosets, phenolic resins. To further reduce friction, these plastics can contain lubricants, in particular fine-particle solid lubricants, for example polymeric solid lubricants, waxes, molybdenum disulfide or graphite.Such lubricant-containing polymers are also called tribopolymers.

[0003] Generic linear plain bearings also comprise a spindle with a spindle thread and a nut with a nut thread corresponding to the spindle thread as drive elements. When the linear plain bearing is in operation, the spindle is arranged in the nut, and rotation of the spindle allows the carriage to be moved longitudinally relative to the rail. The thread axes of the spindle thread and nut thread run longitudinally. However, providing the nut on the carriage presents various difficulties. Such a nut must be reliably fixed to the carriage, and it should also be as easy to maintain as possible in the event of wear of the nut thread and correspond as closely as possible to the spindle thread. Furthermore, the carriage and nut should be as inexpensive and simple to manufacture as possible.Generic linear plain bearings and slides only partially address the problems mentioned.

[0004] The present invention is based on the object of providing a linear plain bearing, a carriage, a mounting element for a carriage and / or a use of a nut, a fixing device and a carriage body, with which at least one disadvantage of generic linear plain bearings or carriages is at least partially remedied.

[0005] As a solution to the problem underlying the present invention, the invention proposes a linear plain bearing with the features of claim 1. As explained with regard to generic linear plain bearings, the linear plain bearing according to the invention comprises a carriage and a rail, wherein in an operating state of the linear plain bearing, a guide section of the rail is received in a guide receptacle of the carriage, defining a position of the carriage relative to the rail perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and ensuring displaceability of the carriage relative to the rail along the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the rail has two guide sections running parallel to one another along the longitudinal direction, and the carriage has two guide receptacles, wherein exactly one guide receptacle is assigned to exactly one guide section, and in the operating state, the assigned guide section is arranged in the assigned guide receptacle.The guide section is preferably designed in the manner of a cylinder. The guide sections are preferably spaced from one another in a direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, in particular spaced from one another at least by an amount that corresponds to their length along that direction. As explained with regard to generic linear plain bearings, the linear plain bearing further comprises a spindle and a nut, the interaction of which, in the operating state, allows the carriage to be moved along the longitudinal direction relative to the rail by means of a rotation of the spindle. According to the invention, a nut receptacle is provided on the carriage, wherein the nut can be inserted into the nut receptacle along an insertion direction to create a pre-assembly state, and wherein the nut can be removed from the nut receptacle along the insertion direction starting from the pre-assembly state.The nut can thus be reversibly inserted into the nut receptacle in one direction along the insertion direction and removed from the nut receptacle in the opposite direction along the insertion device. Preferably, the nut receptacle and nut are configured to correspond to one another in such a way that the nut can be inserted into the nut receptacle by means of a linear movement in the insertion direction and, in particular, can be removed from the nut receptacle by means of an opposite linear movement. The linear plain bearing further comprises a fixing device configured, starting from the pre-assembled state, to releasably secure the nut in the nut receptacle to realize the operating state. In the operating state, the nut is fixed to the slide.The fixing device is thus designed to assume, on the one hand, a release state and, on the other hand, a fixation state, wherein the release and fixation states are defined by the relative position of the fixing device relative to the carriage. In the pre-assembly state, the fixing device is in the release state, in which it does not contribute to fixing the nut in the nut receptacle. However, starting from the pre-assembly state of the linear plain bearing, in which it is in the release state, it can be brought into the fixation state, in which the operating state of the linear plain bearing is realized and in which it fixes the nut in the nut receptacle.Starting from the operating state, the nut can thus be released from the carriage and removed from the carriage by first releasing the fixing device so that it is brought from its fixed state into its release state, whereby the pre-assembly state is established, after which the nut can be removed from the nut receptacle.

[0006] Due to the design according to the invention, the linear plain bearing according to the invention enables both particularly simple and targeted manufacture of the carriage and nut and simplified maintenance of the linear plain bearing. By providing the nut as a component separate from the carriage, the nut can be specifically manufactured from a material that corresponds to the spindle. By providing a nut receptacle on the carriage into which the nut can be reversibly inserted and removed, a pre-assembly state can be achieved in a particularly simple manner in which the nut is already received in the nut receptacle and is thus pre-assembled relative to the carriage. The fixing device can be aligned particularly advantageously with regard to permanently fixing the nut relative to the carriage and with regard to ease of use.The fixing device can, for example, comprise at least one, in particular several clamping, locking, plug-in or screw sections, which can be expediently arranged between the slide and the nut or between the nut receptacle and the nut in order to realize the operating state starting from the pre-assembly state and can be reversibly removed in order to realize the pre-assembly state starting from the operating state.

[0007] In one embodiment, the nut receptacle and nut are designed to correspond to one another in such a way that the nut receptacle engages around the nut on both sides in the pre-assembled state exclusively along two mutually perpendicular directions running perpendicular to the insertion direction. In the advantageous embodiment, the nut receptacle in the pre-assembled state thus fixes the position of the nut by engaging around it on both sides along the two aforementioned directions perpendicular to the insertion direction, but not along the insertion direction, so that the nut can preferably be removed from the nut receptacle particularly easily along the insertion direction starting from the pre-assembled state. The nut preferably has a front side and a back side, wherein the front and back sides are precisely the sides of the nut that delimit the nut with respect to the insertion direction and thus each form one end of the nut along the insertion direction.Preferably, in the pre-assembled state, the nut runs along the nut receptacle with its sides connecting the front and back without any undercut. These sides run along the insertion direction. These sides point to corresponding sides of the nut receptacle when the nut is arranged in the nut receptacle in the pre-assembled state. As the sides run along the groove receptacle without any undercut, i.e. as there is no undercut between the mentioned sides of the nut and the corresponding sides of the nut receptacle, which point perpendicular to the insertion direction to the mentioned sides of the nut, the nut can be inserted into the nut receptacle and removed again from it particularly easily.

[0008] In one embodiment, the nut rests directly on the nut receptacle with contact sections in the pre-assembly state and in the operating state and is spaced from the nut receptacle outside the contact sections in the pre-assembly state exclusively by a free space, so that no additional element is provided between the nut and the nut receptacle, whereby the implementation of the pre-assembly state is particularly simplified. Preferably, in the operating state, the nut is spaced from the nut receptacle outside its contact sections by at least part of the said free space, in particular exclusively by at least part of the free space on the one hand and by the fixing device on the other hand. The nut thus preferably has contact sections via which it rests on the nut receptacle in the pre-assembly state and in the operating state.By virtue of the fact that in the pre-assembly state the nut is spaced from the nut receptacle outside the contact sections solely by a free space, the pre-assembly state can be implemented particularly easily, and by virtue of the fact that in the operating state it is spaced from the nut receptacle outside the contact sections on the one hand by a part of the free space and on the other hand by the fixing device, the operating state can be implemented particularly easily starting from the pre-assembly state, since for this purpose only the fixing device has to be brought into a part of the free space that is provided between the nut and the nut receptacle in the pre-assembly state.By virtue of the fact that, in the operating state, the nut outside the contact sections is only spaced from the nut receptacle either by a portion of the aforementioned free space or by the fixing device, the operating state can be particularly easily attained from the pre-assembly state, and the pre-assembly state can be particularly easily attained from the operating state. Preferably, in the pre-assembly state and in the operating state, the nut is spaced from the nut receptacle exclusively along directions perpendicular to the insertion direction, i.e., the nut receptacle and nut are spaced from one another only in directions perpendicular to the insertion direction.

[0009] In one embodiment, the nut, in the pre-assembled state, is positioned in the nut receptacle so as to be rotationally fixed relative to a rotation about the insertion direction. Preferably, the rotationally fixed positioning is designed such that, in the pre-assembled state, the nut can only be rotated relative to the nut receptacle by less than 30°, in particular less than 20°, in particular less than 10°, in particular less than 5°, in particular less than 2° about the insertion direction. The contours of the nut and nut receptacle, which point perpendicular to the insertion direction, are thus designed to correspond to one another, so that the interaction of these contours alone ensures that the nut is secured against rotation relative to the carriage. This enables a particularly simple design of the fixing device, since the nut and nut receptacle already form a rotational lock without the influence of the fixing device.Preferably, in the pre-assembled state, the nut is positioned in the nut receptacle with a play of less than 5 mm, in particular less than 3 mm, in particular less than 2 mm, in particular with a play of at most 1 mm in each direction running perpendicular to the insertion direction. Preferably, in the pre-assembled state, the nut is positioned in the nut receptacle with a play of at least 0.5 mm, in particular at least 1 mm in each direction running perpendicular to the insertion direction. By reducing the play, the realization of the operating state starting from the pre-assembled state can be particularly simplified. By providing a certain amount of play, the insertability of the nut into the nut receptacle can be particularly simplified and, moreover, a tolerance can be provided for different thermal expansion behaviors of the nut on the one hand and the nut receptacle or slide on the other.In general, in the operating state, the nut preferably rests against the nut receptacle with at most one of its two sides bordering it along the insertion direction, which, as explained above, can be designed as a front and rear side. Preferably, it rests against the nut receptacle with neither the front nor the rear side. By resting the nut against the nut receptacle at only one of the front and rear sides, a particularly good tolerance to differing thermal expansion behaviors of the nut and the nut receptacle or slide can be ensured.

[0010] In one embodiment, the insertion direction runs along the longitudinal direction. This can enable particularly simplified assembly and simplified design of the carriage, since the spindle with its spindle axis or its thread axis also extends along the longitudinal direction. Generally speaking, the nut is preferably elongated along the longitudinal direction, so that it has a greater extension length in the longitudinal direction than in the two directions running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to one another. The two directions running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to one another are also generally referred to herein as the "transverse direction" and "vertical direction."Preferably, the nut has a greater extension length in the transverse direction than in the vertical direction, wherein the fixing device in the operating state engages behind the nut along the insertion direction or longitudinal direction only on the transverse sides of the nut that delimit the nut in the transverse direction, but not on the vertical sides of the nut that delimit the nut in the vertical direction. As a result, the nut can be kept as small as possible and thus the nut receptacle can also be kept as small as possible, thereby enabling the carriage to be designed as stable as possible, wherein, moreover, the nut can have sufficient stability to ensure adequate fixation of the nut relative to the carriage by means of the fixing device.

[0011] In one embodiment, the nut receptacle is designed as a continuous passage along the insertion direction. In the operating state of the linear plain bearing, the spindle preferably extends along the insertion direction through the passage or nut receptacle, such that it extends beyond the nut receptacle on both sides, relative to the insertion direction. The passage preferably has a clear cross-section such that the nut can be inserted into the passage from one side along the insertion direction and passed through the passage along the insertion direction, and thus removed from the passage on the other side.Thus, the feedthrough preferably has a clear cross-section throughout that corresponds at least to the cross-section of the nut, so that the nut can be positioned anywhere in the feedthrough along the insertion direction, and in particular can be removed from or inserted into the feedthrough on both sides relative to the insertion direction. In one embodiment, the nut receptacle is designed without undercuts along the insertion direction. This means that the nut receptacle is delimited by smooth side walls perpendicular to the insertion direction.

[0012] In one embodiment, the nut has at least one recess for receiving at least a section of the fixing device, wherein the recess is arranged outside the nut thread with respect to a transverse direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The recess can, for example, be provided on a transverse side of the nut or be designed as a hole running through the nut perpendicular to the transverse direction. By arranging the section of the fixing device in the recess, which is present in the operating state, the nut is advantageously fixed in its position relative to the nut receptacle along the insertion direction. In the operating state, the recess thus encompasses the section of the fixing device on both sides with respect to the insertion direction.By providing the recess and by arranging the section of the fixing device in the recess to implement the operating state, the fixing device can be arranged at a distance from the sides delimiting the nut along the insertion direction, i.e., the front and rear, while still ensuring sufficient fixing of the nut relative to the nut receptacle, which is particularly advantageous when the slide or nut receptacle and nut have different thermal expansion behaviors. Preferably, the nut has a material thickness in the transverse direction between the nut thread and the extension that is at least 3 times, in particular at least 4 times, the extension length of the recess in the transverse direction, within which the fixing device is arranged in the operating state.This ensures the most robust design possible for the nut, and at the same time, the nut is fixed in the nut receptacle by arranging the section of the fixing device in the recess. On two sides of the nut thread lying opposite one another in the transverse direction, the nut preferably has at least one recess each for receiving an associated section of the fixing device. The recess provided on both sides of the nut thread can ensure particularly robust fixing of the nut relative to the carriage in the operating state. The two recesses are preferably provided on different transverse sides of the nut. Exactly one section of the fixing device is assigned to each of the recesses. Accordingly, the fixing device has two sections spaced apart from one another.Of course, in advantageous embodiments, the nut can also comprise more than the two recesses mentioned and the fixing device can also comprise more than the two sections mentioned, wherein in each case one recess is assigned to exactly one section of the fixing devices.

[0013] In one embodiment, at least one receptacle is provided on the carriage, wherein the fixing device comprises at least one fixing section which, in order to implement the operating state, can be inserted into the receptacle starting from the pre-assembly state along a fixing direction running with at least one component perpendicular to the insertion direction. For example, the fixing section can be designed in the manner of a pin. For example, the fixing section can be inserted into the receptacle linearly along the fixing direction. Preferably, the fixing direction runs at an angle of at least 45° to the insertion direction, in particular perpendicular to the insertion direction. By providing the receptacle in the carriage, the fixing section can be fixed particularly easily relative to the carriage. In the operating state, the fixing section is preferably encompassed on both sides by the receptacle with respect to the insertion direction.In one embodiment, the fixing section, in the operating state, extends beyond the nut with each of its mutually remote end regions relative to the fixing direction and is enclosed by the receptacle within each of its end regions. Preferably, each of the end regions is encompassed by the receptacle on both sides with respect to the insertion direction. Preferably, each of the end regions is enclosed by the receptacle in such a way that its position relative to the carriage is fixed in every direction perpendicular to the fixing direction. The end region designates an end region along the fixing direction, wherein the end region extends from the respective end over at least 5%, in particular at least 10%, in particular at least 15% of the extension length of the fixing section along the fixing direction.Because the fixing section extends beyond the nut on both sides with respect to the fixing direction, it can be particularly advantageously anchored to the carriage outside the nut. Generally speaking, the fixing section preferably comprises the above-explained section of the fixing device, which, when the linear plain bearing is in its operating state, is arranged in a recess in the nut assigned to it. In one embodiment, the fixing device has at least two fixing sections, each of which can be inserted into a respective receptacle provided on the carriage along a fixing direction assigned to it, with at least one component running perpendicular to the insertion direction. In the operating state, the nut thread of the nut is preferably arranged between the two fixing sections.Preferably, the two receptacles associated with the two fixing sections are provided on two different transverse sides of the nut thread. Of course, the fixing device can also have more than two fixing sections, and more than two receptacles can also be provided on the carriage, with exactly one receptacle being associated with exactly one fixing section. Preferably, the different fixing directions associated with the different fixing sections run parallel to one another. The fixing sections are preferably designed in the manner of a cylinder, the cylinder axis of which runs along the respective fixing direction.

[0014] In one embodiment, the recess provided in the nut, together with a receptacle assigned to it on the carriage, forms a fixing receptacle, wherein in the operating state a fixing section of the fixing device assigned to this fixing receptacle is arranged in the operating state. The fixing section thus forms the explained section of the fixing device, which is arranged in the recess of the nut in the operating state. When multiple recesses, multiple receptacles and multiple fixing sections are provided, exactly one receptacle is assigned to each recess, which together form a fixing receptacle, wherein exactly one of the fixing sections is assigned to this fixing receptacle. Preferably, in the operating state the fixing section is encompassed on both sides by both the receptacle and the recess, at least with respect to the insertion direction, and is thus fixed in its position along the insertion direction.The receptacle and recess can be offset from one another along the explained fixing direction. In one embodiment, the receptacle extends along the fixing direction beyond the recess assigned to it and further extends along the fixing direction over the same section as the recess. In one embodiment, the receptacle is provided along the fixing direction exclusively outside the recess. Generally preferably, in one embodiment, the recess is designed at least in sections as a cylindrical hole. Generally preferably, in one embodiment, the receptacle is designed at least in sections as a cylindrical hole. If a plurality of recesses and a plurality of receptacles are provided, the explained features can of course apply to all of the recesses or all of the receptacles. In one embodiment, the receptacle is designed in the manner of a blind hole.

[0015] In one embodiment, the fixing section has a rounded cross-section, in particular a round cross-section, at least over a partial section. By designing the fixing section with a round cross-section, the formation of local stresses in the material of the carriage or of a mounting element having the nut receptacle or of the nut can be prevented as far as possible. Generally speaking, the fixing section is preferably arranged in the recess exclusively with its aforementioned partial section in the operating state, so that material stress on the nut is kept as low as possible, especially with respect to the nut, which is particularly advantageous for a space-optimized design of the nut.

[0016] In one embodiment, the fixing section is arranged within a section along the insertion direction over which the nut extends. The fixing section is therefore not arranged outside the nut with respect to the insertion direction, so that it does not form a stop on a front or rear side, whereby a particularly advantageous fixing of the nut in the nut receptacle can be ensured. This is because it can prevent the nut from being fixed using a specific geometry and thus enable the nut to be positioned as precisely as possible in the nut receptacle. Furthermore, this can enable a particularly good tolerance to different thermal expansion behavior of the carriage or mounting element and the nut. The fixing section is particularly preferably arranged within a central region of the nut with respect to the insertion direction.The central region of the nut refers to such a region of the nut along the insertion direction which is spaced from the two ends delimiting the nut along the insertion direction, in particular the front and rear, by at least 10%, in particular at least 20%, in particular at least 30%, in particular at least 40% of the extension length of the nut along the insertion direction.

[0017] In one embodiment, the fixing device comprises a fixing element which, in the operating state, is arranged in the receptacle and is fixed therein with respect to the fixing direction, forming a stop for the fixing section with respect to the fixing direction. The fixing element is thus provided as a separate element from the fixing section, which element can be inserted into the receptacle and fixed within the receptacle in its position along the fixing direction, such that the fixing element can form a stop for the fixing section along the fixing direction. The fixing element can ensure a particularly advantageous configuration of the fixing section. In particular, the fixing section can be designed such that it can be inserted into the receptacle by linear insertion along the fixing direction. In particular, the fixing section can thereby be designed as smooth as possible on its outer sides, in particular in the manner of a cylinder.The fixing element is preferably spaced apart from the nut in the operating state, so that it does not fulfill a holding function with respect to the nut, whereas the nut is fixed in the nut receptacle by means of the fixing section, as explained. For example, the fixing element can be designed as a clamping, locking, or screw element. The fixing element is particularly preferably designed in the manner of a grub screw. The receptacle particularly preferably has a thread within an end region, relative to the fixing direction, into which thread the fixing element can be screwed to achieve the operating state. In the operating state, the fixing element preferably presses against the fixing section along the fixing direction.Preferably, the receptacle has the described thread exclusively in its end region, wherein the end region extends from an end delimiting the receptacle along the fixing direction over less than 40%, in particular less than 30%, in particular less than 20% of the extension length of the receptacle along the fixing direction. Preferably, the receptacle is designed as a blind hole, wherein in the operating state the fixing section is fixed in its position between a base of the blind hole and the fixing element. The base delimits the blind hole at one end with respect to the fixing direction. Preferably, in the operating state the fixing element presses the fixing section against the base of the blind hole along the fixing direction.

[0018] In one embodiment, the fixing section is designed in the manner of a pin. In one embodiment, the fixing section has a threaded receptacle at one end, into which an assembly tool can be screwed to remove the fixing section from the receptacle starting from the operating state. The threaded receptacle can be designed, for example, as a hole with an internal thread. The threaded receptacle is preferably provided at an end of the fixing section against which the fixing element presses in the operating state. Starting from the operating state, the fixing section can preferably be removed from the receptacle by first removing the fixing element from the receptacle and then screwing an assembly tool into the threaded receptacle, after which the fixing section can then be pulled out of the receptacle along the fixing direction using the assembly tool.

[0019] In one embodiment, the carriage has a one-piece carriage body that forms the guide receptacle. In one embodiment, the carriage has a plurality of guide receptacles, all of which are formed by the one-piece carriage body. The nut receptacle is either formed by the carriage body or by a mounting element that can be releasably fixed to the carriage body. In the operating state, the mounting element is fixed to the carriage body, for example by means of at least one screw. While the formation of the nut receptacle by the carriage body enables the realization of a particularly compact carriage, the provision of an explained mounting element can ensure a particularly high level of modularity.

[0020] In one embodiment, the nut is constructed in multiple parts, with the fixing device abutting each part of the nut in the operating state and fixing this part of the nut relative to the slide. Preferably, the various parts of the nut are arranged next to one another perpendicular to the direction of insertion so that they form a different region of the cross-section of the nut which is perpendicular to the direction of insertion. Each part of the nut thus preferably extends along the direction of insertion over the entire extent of the nut. By appropriately designing the parts of the nut, each of the parts can be particularly advantageously and easily fixed relative to the slide. In one embodiment, all parts of the nut can be inserted together into the nut receptacle to create the pre-assembly state. In one embodiment, all parts of the nut together form the nut thread in the operating state.In one embodiment, the parts of the nut are spaced apart from one another at least in sections perpendicular to the insertion direction and each form a part of the nut thread, with the part of the nut thread formed by them each abutting against the spindle in the operating state. This can particularly simplify the disassembly or manufacturability of the linear plain bearing and, in particular, maintenance of the linear plain bearing, in particular replacing the nut, i.e., replacing the nut provided in the linear plain bearing in the operating state of the linear plain bearing with a new, identically designed nut.

[0021] As a solution to the problem underlying the present invention, the invention proposes a carriage of a linear plain bearing according to the invention. The carriage comprises a carriage body, a nut receptacle, and a nut. The nut can be inserted into the nut receptacle along an insertion direction, in particular linearly, thereby realizing a pre-assembled state of the carriage. Starting from the pre-assembled state, the nut can be removed from the nut receptacle along the insertion direction. The carriage further comprises a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembled state, is designed to releasably secure the nut in the nut receptacle to realize an operating state of the carriage.

[0022] As a solution to the problem underlying the present invention, the invention proposes a mounting element of a slide according to the invention. The mounting element has a nut receptacle and a nut and can be releasably fixed to the slide body of the slide. The nut can be inserted into the nut receptacle along an insertion direction, in particular inserted linearly, thereby realizing a pre-assembled state of the mounting element and, starting from the pre-assembled state, can be removed from the latter along the insertion direction. The mounting element further has a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembled state, is designed to releasably secure the nut in the nut receptacle to realize an operating state of the mounting element. In one embodiment, the operating state of the mounting element can be realized first, and then the operating state of the slide can be realized by fixing the mounting element to the slide body.In one embodiment, the operating state of the carriage can be realized by first fixing the mounting element to the carriage body and then inserting the nut into the nut receptacle to realize a pre-assembly state of the mounting element and then realizing the operating state of the mounting element as explained.

[0023] As a solution to the problem underlying the present invention, the invention proposes the use of a nut, a fixing device, and a slide body for implementing a slide according to the invention and / or for implementing a linear plain bearing according to the invention. When used according to the invention, the nut is inserted along an insertion direction into a nut receptacle provided on the slide body and only then is its position relative to the slide body secured with respect to the insertion direction by means of the fixing device.

[0024] The various embodiments of the various solutions according to the invention described here can be particularly advantageously combined with one another. In particular, embodiments of a specific solution can have features that are apparent to those skilled in the art from the present description of embodiments of another solution of the present invention. Furthermore, embodiments of a solution according to the invention can have features that are described here in connection with solutions known from the prior art.

[0025] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to four figures using exemplary embodiments.

[0026] They show: Fig. 1: in a schematic principle representation, an exploded view of a section of an embodiment of a linear plain bearing according to the invention; Fig. 2: in a schematic principle representation a first cross-sectional view of the embodiment according to Fig. 1; Fig. 3: in a schematic principle representation a second cross-sectional view of the embodiment according to Fig. 1; Fig. 4: in a schematic principle representation, the nut of a further embodiment of a linear plain bearing according to the invention.

[0027] In Fig. 1, components of an embodiment of a linear plain bearing according to the invention are shown in a highly simplified exploded view. While in Fig. 1 The components of the linear plain bearing are shown in exploded view, are in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 which in Fig. 1 shown components of the linear plain bearing are shown in their positions relative to each other, which they occupy in the operating state of the linear plain bearing. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are each highly simplified cross-sectional representations, where Fig. 2 a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and Fig. 3 show a cross-section perpendicular to the vertical direction Z.

[0028] The Fig. The linear plain bearing shown in simplified form and in excerpts in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a carriage 1 having a carriage body 10 forming two guide receptacles. In the operating state, an associated guide section 21, 22 of a rail of the linear plain bearing is arranged in each of the guide receptacles. A sliding element 210, 220 is arranged between the respective guide section 21, 22 of the rail and the associated guide receptacle of the carriage body 10. The carriage 1, in this case the carriage body 10, has a nut receptacle 100 into which a nut 3 of the linear plain bearing can be inserted linearly along the longitudinal direction X.In the present exemplary embodiment, the longitudinal direction X thus corresponds, in a generally advantageous manner, to the insertion direction along which the nut 3 can be inserted into the nut receptacle 100 to achieve a pre-assembly state and along which the nut 3 can be removed from the nut receptacle 100 again from the pre-assembly state. The nut 3 has a nut thread 30, which is only shown schematically for the sake of simplicity and is not shown with its circumferential thread, which it naturally has.The thread of the nut thread 30 generally advantageously runs helically around a longitudinal axis running parallel to the longitudinal direction X, so that a spindle (not shown in the figures but obviously known to those skilled in the art) with a corresponding spindle thread can be screwed into the nut thread 30, wherein by rotation of the spindle and interaction of the nut thread 30 and the spindle thread the carriage 1 can be moved along the longitudinal direction X relative to the rail or its guide sections 21, 22, while the spindle does not perform any translational movement with respect to the longitudinal direction X. The spindle and nut thus form the drive elements of the plain bearing, wherein driving of the carriage 1, by which its movement along the longitudinal direction X relative to the rail is generated, is generated by rotation of the spindle about the explained longitudinal axis.

[0029] The sliding elements 210, 220 are each designed in the manner of a hollow cylinder, which has a projection 211, 221 on its outer side, which, in the operating state, is received in a corresponding projection receptacle 121, 122 of the carriage 1 or the carriage body 10, which is generally advantageous according to the invention. As a result, a securing of the respective sliding element 210, 220 relative to the carriage 1 in the operating state can be reliably ensured, generally preferably at least a securing of the position of the sliding element 210, 220 with respect to the longitudinal direction X, particularly preferably furthermore with respect to a rotation about a longitudinal axis running parallel to the longitudinal direction X. In the operating state, the nut 3 is further fixed in its position relative to the carriage 1 and thus relative to the nut receptacle 100 by a fixing device. From the overview of the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 shows that, even in the pre-assembled state in which it is arranged in the nut receptacle 100, without the fixing device contributing to fixing its position relative to the carriage 1, the nut 3 is secured against rotation relative to the carriage 1 about a longitudinal axis running parallel to the longitudinal direction X due to the corresponding cross-section of the nut 3 and the nut receptacle 100. However, in the pre-assembled state, it can be positioned as desired along the longitudinal direction X within the nut receptacle 100 or removed therefrom, which is generally advantageous according to the invention. The fixing device also fixes the position of the nut 3 with respect to the longitudinal direction X relative to the carriage 1 in the operating state.

[0030] The fixing device comprises two fixing sections 4, each designed as a pin, and two fixing elements 5. The nut 3 has a recess 31 on each of its two transverse sides, which extends exclusively outside the nut thread 30 with respect to the transverse direction Y, which is generally advantageous according to the invention. The nut thread 30 is arranged between the two recesses 31 with respect to the transverse direction Y. The carriage body 10 or the carriage 1 has two receptacles 145. Each of the receptacles 145 is designed like a blind hole and is each assigned to exactly one of the recesses 31. One of the recesses 31 and one of the receptacles 145 together form a fixing receptacle for exactly one fixing section 4 and exactly one fixing element 5. The fixing sections 4 can be inserted into the respective fixing receptacle along a fixing direction, which in this case runs parallel to the vertical direction Z.Since the fixing sections 4 are each designed as a pin having a smooth outer surface, in particular in the manner of a cylinder, the fixing sections 4 can each preferably be inserted by linear insertion into the fixing receptacle formed by the respectively associated receptacle 145 and recess 31 along the fixing direction. As can be seen from . Fig. 3, in the operating state, both the recess 31 and the associated receptacle 145 encompass the associated fixing section 4 on both sides with respect to the insertion direction of the nut 3, in the present case thus with respect to the longitudinal direction X. As a result, the nut 3 is fixed in its position relative to the carriage 1 in the operating state with respect to the insertion direction or longitudinal direction X. In this case, the respective fixing section 4 generally preferably bears exclusively on the nut 3 via such a partial section or is arranged exclusively with such a partial section within the recess 31 by having a rounded cross-section. Furthermore, the respective fixing section 4 extends in the operating state with respect to the fixing direction, in the present case vertical direction Z, generally preferably at both ends beyond the nut 3 and in particular beyond the nut receptacle 100, as in the present case from Fig. 2. This ensures a particularly low-stress, yet robust fixation of the nut 3 to the carriage 1 in the operating state by the fixing sections 4. In the operating state, the fixing elements 5 are also screwed into their respective associated fixing receptacles. They are screwed into an area of ​​the fixing receptacle that is formed by the receptacle 145. For this purpose, the fixing elements 5 are designed like a grub screw having an external thread, which is not shown in the figures for the sake of simplicity. The fixing sections 4 also have a threaded receptacle 40 at each end, which has an internal thread into which an assembly tool can be screwed for removing and pulling the respective fixing section 4 out of the fixing receptacle or receptacle 145.

[0031] In Fig. 4 shows a correspondingly simplified schematic diagram of the nut 3 of a further embodiment of a linear plain bearing according to the invention. The nut 3 according to the Fig. The embodiment shown in Figure 4 is formed in several parts and thus has a first part 310 and a second part 320. The two parts 310, 320 of the nut 3 are arranged next to one another perpendicular to the insertion direction, in this case perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X, and together form the nut thread 30 of the nut 3. Each of the parts 310, 320 has a recess 31, wherein for the sake of illustration, the recess 31 which the part 320 has in Fig.4 is not shown. Thus, in the operating state, each of the parts 310, 320 of the nut 3 is fixed relative to the carriage 1 by means of a fixing section 4 of the fixing device assigned to it, wherein the two fixing sections 4 of the fixing device are spaced apart from one another, in particular being designed as separate parts. In general, the fixing sections 4 of the fixing device explained are designed as separate parts. Generally, the fixing elements 5 of the fixing device are preferably designed as separate components from one another and as separate components from the fixing sections 4. List of reference symbols 1 sled 3 mother 4 Fixing section 5 Fixing element 10 carriage bodies 21 Guide Section 22 Guide Section 30 nut threads 31 recess 40 threaded mount 100 mother recordings 121 Lead recording 122 projection recording 145 recording 210 sliding element 211 lead 220 sliding element 221 lead 310 first part 320 second part X Longitudinal direction Y transverse direction Z vertical direction

Claims

[1] A linear plain bearing comprising a carriage (1) and a rail, wherein the rail has at least one guide section (21, 22) and the carriage (1) has at least one guide receptacle for the guide section (21, 22), wherein in an operating state of the linear plain bearing, the guide section (21, 22) is received in the guide receptacle, defining a position of the carriage (1) relative to the rail perpendicular to a longitudinal direction (X) and ensuring displaceability of the carriage (1) relative to the rail along the longitudinal direction (X), wherein the linear plain bearing further comprises a spindle with a spindle thread and a nut (3) fixed to the carriage (1) with a nut thread (30) corresponding to the spindle thread, wherein in the operating state, the spindle is arranged in the nut (3) and by rotation of the spindle, the carriage (1) is movable along the longitudinal direction (X) relative to the rail, characterized byin that a nut receptacle (100) is provided on the slide (1), wherein the nut (3) can be inserted into the nut receptacle (100) along an insertion direction, in particular linearly, to realize a pre-assembly state and, starting from the pre-assembly state, can be removed from the latter along the insertion direction, wherein the linear plain bearing has a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembly state, is designed to releasably fix the nut (3) in the nut receptacle (100) to realize the operating state. [2] Linear plain bearing according to claim 1, characterized byin that the nut receptacle (100) engages around the nut (3) in the pre-assembly state exclusively along two mutually perpendicular directions running perpendicular to the insertion direction, wherein in particular the nut (3) is delimited by a front side and a rear side with respect to the insertion direction and the nut (3) runs along the nut receptacle (100) in the pre-assembly state with its sides connecting the front and rear side without an undercut, wherein in particular the nut (3) in the pre-assembly state and in the operating state bears directly against the nut receptacle (100) with contact sections and, outside the contact sections, in the pre-assembly state is spaced from the nut receptacle (100) exclusively by a free space and, in the operating state, is spaced from the nut receptacle (100) by at least part of the free space and in particular by the fixing device. [3] Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that in the pre-assembly state, the nut (3) is positioned in the nut receptacle (100) in a rotationally fixed manner with respect to a rotation about the insertion direction, wherein in particular in the pre-assembly state, the nut (3) is positioned in the nut receptacle (100) with a play of less than 5 mm, in particular less than 3 mm, in particular less than 2 mm, in particular of at most 1 mm in each direction running perpendicular to the insertion direction. [4] Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the insertion direction runs along the longitudinal direction (X). [5] Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the nut receptacle (100) is designed as a continuous passage along the insertion direction and / or is designed without undercuts along the insertion direction. [6] Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized byin that the nut (3) has at least one recess (31) for receiving at least one section of the fixing device, wherein the recess (31) is arranged outside the nut thread (30) with respect to a transverse direction (Y) running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X), wherein in particular the nut (3) has a material thickness in the transverse direction (Y) between the nut thread (30) and the recess (31) which is at least 3 times, in particular at least 4 times, an extension length of the recess (31) in the transverse direction (Y), within which the section of the fixing device is arranged in the operating state. [7] Linear plain bearing according to claim 6, characterized by that the nut (3) has at least one recess (31) on each of two sides of the nut thread (30) opposite one another along the transverse direction (Y) for receiving a respective different section of the fixing device. [8] Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least one receptacle (145) is provided on the carriage (1), wherein the fixing device comprises at least one fixing section (4), which is designed in particular in the manner of a pin, which, in order to realize the operating state, can be inserted, in particular linearly, into the receptacle (145) starting from the pre-assembly state along a fixing direction running perpendicular to the direction of insertion with at least one component. [9] Linear plain bearing according to claim 8, characterized by that the fixing section (4) extends in the operating state with each of its end regions facing away from one another, relative to the fixing direction, beyond the nut (3) and is enclosed within each of its end regions by the receptacle (145), in particular encompassed on both sides along the insertion direction. [10] Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized byin that the fixing device has at least two fixing sections (4), each of which can be inserted into a receptacle (145) assigned to it on the carriage (1) along a fixing direction assigned to it, which runs with at least one component perpendicular to the direction of insertion, wherein in the operating state the nut thread (30) of the nut (3) is arranged between the two fixing sections (4). [11] Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 to 10 and at least according to claim 6, characterized byin that the recess (31) provided in the nut (3), together with the receptacle (145) assigned to it and provided on the slide (81), forms a fixing receptacle into which a fixing section (4) of the fixing device assigned to this fixing receptacle is arranged in the operating state, wherein the fixing section (4) in the operating state is encompassed on both sides by both the receptacle (145) and the recess (31), at least with respect to the insertion direction, and is thus fixed in its position along the insertion direction, wherein in particular the recess (31) and / or the receptacle (145) is designed at least in sections as a cylindrical hole. [12] Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized by that the fixing section (4) has a rounded, in particular round, cross-section at least over a partial section, wherein it is arranged exclusively with its partial section in the operating state in the recess (31). [13] Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized by that the fixing section (4) is arranged within a section along the insertion direction over which the nut (3) extends, wherein in particular the fixing section (4) is arranged within a central region of the nut (3) with respect to the insertion direction. [14] Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 to 13, characterized byin that the fixing device comprises a fixing element (5) which, in the operating state, is arranged in the receptacle (145) and is fixed therein with respect to the fixing direction and forms a stop for the fixing section (4) with respect to the fixing direction, while determining a position of the fixing section (4) relative to the carriage (1) along the fixing direction, wherein in particular the receptacle (145) is designed as a blind hole and, in the operating state, the fixing section (4) is fixed in its position between a bottom of the blind hole and the fixing element (5). [15] Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 to 14, characterized by that the fixing section (4) is designed in the manner of a pin and has at one end a threaded receptacle (40) into which an assembly tool can be screwed in order to remove the fixing section (4) from the receptacle (145) starting from the operating state. [16] Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that the carriage (1) comprises a one-piece carriage body (10) which forms the guide receptacle, wherein the nut receptacle (100) is formed by the carriage body (10) or is formed by a mounting element which can be detachably fixed to the carriage body (10). [17] Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized byin that the nut (3) is constructed in several parts, wherein the fixing device in the operating state bears against each part of the nut (3) and fixes it relative to the slide (1), wherein in particular all parts of the nut (3) can be introduced together into the nut receptacle (100) to realize the pre-assembly state, wherein in particular in the operating state the plurality of parts together form the nut thread (30), wherein in particular the plurality of parts are spaced apart from one another at least in sections perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) and each form a part of the nut thread (30) with which they bear against the spindle. [18] Slide (1) of a linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized byin that the carriage (1) comprises a carriage body (10), a nut receptacle (100) and a nut (3), wherein the nut (3) can be inserted into the nut receptacle (100) along an insertion direction, in particular linearly, to realize a pre-assembly state of the carriage (1) and, starting from the pre-assembly state, can be removed from the latter along the insertion direction, wherein the carriage (1) has a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembly state, is designed to releasably fix the nut (3) in the nut receptacle (100) to realize an operating state of the carriage (1). [19] Mounting element of a carriage (1) according to claim 18, characterized byin that the mounting element comprises a nut receptacle (100) and a nut (3) and can be releasably fixed to the carriage body (10) of the carriage (1), wherein the nut (3) can be inserted into the nut receptacle (100) along an insertion direction, in particular linearly, to realize a pre-assembly state of the mounting element and, starting from the pre-assembly state, can be removed from the latter along the insertion direction, wherein the mounting element has a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembly state, is designed to releasably fix the nut (3) in the nut receptacle (100) to realize an operating state of the mounting element. [20] Use of a nut (3), a fixing device and a slide body (10) for realising a slide (1) according to claim 18 and in particular a linear plain bearing according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized bythat the nut (3) is inserted along an insertion direction into a nut receptacle (100) provided on the carriage body (10) and only then is its position along the insertion direction fixed relative to the carriage body (10) by means of the fixing device.

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