Sliding mechanism

Abstract

To provide a slide mechanism assembled with a lubricant-containing polymer-made slide member which is supplied with a lubricant from the slide member without the necessity for the supply of the lubricant from the outside, secured in the locking of the slide member even if the dimension is changed, does not cause a gap between a slide face and itself, and enables stable operation without causing the lowering of motion accuracy and friction characteristics for a long period of time.SOLUTION: A slide mechanism 1 is assembled with a lubricant-containing polymer-made slide member, in which one opposing face 3a and the other opposing face 2a relatively slidably move via the slide member 4. The slide mechanism comprises a lock part 31 for holding the slide member 4 at one opposing face 3a. The slide member 4 is held by an energization member 5 having an energization force between the lock part 31 and itself, and the slide member 4 is composed of a polymer containing a lubricant.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an improvement of a sliding mechanism used for industrial machines and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of sliding mechanism, for example, a slider having a sliding groove facing the sliding groove of a guide rail having a sliding groove extending in the axial direction is assembled so as to be relatively movable, and a sliding member interposed between the sliding groove of the slider and the sliding groove of the opposing guide rail is provided. A sliding mechanism is known. Such a sliding mechanism is used for sliding bearings and sliding guides used in conveying devices and robots, and in order to prevent wear of the sliding member and maintain functions such as motion accuracy like rolling products, it is necessary to continuously supply a lubricant.

[0003] As a lubricant replenishment means, there is a design in which a nipple for injecting a lubricant is provided at a portion where lubricant replenishment is required, and in its operation, there is a method of periodically filling and replenishing a lubricant such as grease from the nipple by a lubricant pressure pump. However, in that case, the lubricant replenishment work must be repeated in a short period of time, and there is a problem that the burden on the operator for maintenance is large. Alternatively, as a design having a pipe for supplying a lubricant to a portion where lubricant replenishment is required, there is also a method of pumping a lubricant into the pipe by a lubricant pressure pump. However, in that case, although the lubricant is automatically replenished at all times, there is a problem that the oil supply equipment is costly and the cost of the device increases.

[0004] In order to solve such problems, in Patent Document 1, it has been proposed to give the sliding member itself a function of supplying a lubricant.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] <了

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, in the example of Patent Document 1, a linear motion guide device is proposed in which a sliding member containing a lubricant is fitted into a groove of a slider that is opposite to a groove of a guide rail, and in this configuration, the lubricant is supplied from the sliding member to the sliding surface between the guide rail and the slider. However, since the sliding member is only secured by fitting into the groove of the slider, a new problem arises: as lubricant is released from the sliding member due to the operation of the linear motion guide device, the sliding member gradually contracts and its dimensions decrease. In other words, changes in the dimensions of the sliding member can cause the slider to disengage from the groove or create an excessive gap between the guide rail and the slider, potentially leading to looseness or changes in the orientation of the linear motion.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides a sliding mechanism incorporating a lubricant-containing polymer sliding member that does not require the supply of lubricant from an external source, as the lubricant is supplied from the sliding member itself, the locking of the sliding member is ensured even when the dimensions change, and furthermore, no gap is created with the sliding surface, enabling stable operation over a long period of time without a decrease in motion accuracy or friction characteristics. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve this objective, the present invention provides a sliding mechanism in which one opposing surface and the other opposing surface slide relative to each other via a sliding member, wherein one opposing surface is provided with a locking portion for housing and holding the sliding member, the sliding member is held between itself and the locking portion via a biasing member having a biasing force, and the sliding member is made of a polymer containing a lubricant, and thus incorporates a sliding mechanism made of a lubricant-containing polymer. Furthermore, the present invention provides a sliding mechanism that incorporates a lubricant-containing polymer sliding member, characterized in that the biasing member of the sliding mechanism has a biasing force directed toward the opposing surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a sliding mechanism incorporating a lubricant-containing polymer sliding member can be provided, which does not require the supply of lubricant from an external source, as the lubricant is supplied from the sliding member itself, the locking of the sliding member is ensured even when the dimensions change, and furthermore, no gap is created with the sliding surface, enabling stable operation over a long period of time without a decrease in motion accuracy or friction characteristics. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of the sliding mechanism according to the present invention, and (b) is a view taken as indicated by arrow A in (a). [Figure 2] (a) is a schematic side view showing a second embodiment of the sliding mechanism according to the present invention, and (b) is a schematic front view of (a). [Figure 3] (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of the sliding mechanism according to the present invention, and (b) is a schematic front view showing the biasing member. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The following describes one embodiment of a sliding mechanism incorporating a lubricant-containing polymer sliding member according to the present invention. Note that this embodiment is merely one embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to be limiting in any way; the design can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention.

[0012] (First Embodiment) A rolling bearing guide device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 shows a linear sliding guide mechanism 1 as a first embodiment of a sliding mechanism incorporating a lubricant-containing polymer sliding member of the present invention. The linear sliding guide mechanism 1 of this embodiment consists of a linear guide rail 2, a slider 3 straddling the guide rail 2, and a sliding member 4 that is locked to the opposing surface 3a of the slider 3 and is arranged to slide against the opposing surface 2a of the opposing guide rail 2 (see Figure 1(a)). Note that since the schematic shapes of the guide rail 2 and the slider 3 are the same as those of a general linear sliding guide mechanism, the description thereof is omitted here, and the main part, i.e., the sliding member 4, will be described in detail.

[0013] The guide rail 2 has a bilaterally symmetric shape in the width direction (the left - right direction in the figure). The opposing surfaces 2a thereof are provided in a pair with both shoulders of the upper surface 2b of the guide rail inclined outward. The opposing surfaces of the slider 3 are provided in a pair on both sleeve portions of the bottom surface 3b of the slider 3 so as to oppose the opposing surfaces 2a of the guide rail 2. Therefore, a pair of sliding members 4 are also provided. The pair of sliding members 4 are locked to the respective pair of opposing surfaces 3a and are in sliding contact between the opposing surfaces 2a of the guide rail 2. Further, locking portions 31 for holding the sliding member 4 are engraved on each of the pair of opposing surfaces 3a.

[0014] Next, the sliding member 4 will be described. Since the linear sliding guide mechanism 1 of the present embodiment has a bilaterally symmetric configuration in the longitudinal direction, only one of the configurations will be described here, and the other has the same configuration. The sliding member 4 is formed as a rectangular parallelepiped that is long in one direction and is held by the locking portion 31 of the slider 3. The locking portion 31 is engraved and formed as a rectangular concave groove that is one size larger than the sliding member 4 in one direction and is long on the opposing surface 3a of the slider 3. As a configuration for holding the sliding member 4 in the locking portion 31 of the slider 3, the sliding member 4 is fitted into the locking portion 31 of the slider 3, which is formed as a concave groove larger than the sliding member 4, by aligning the corner portions 4c of the sliding member 4 with the corner portions 31c of the locking portion 31 and moving them towards the corners. As a result, an L - shaped gap 6 is formed between the sliding member 4 and the locking portion 31.

[0015] In the present embodiment, the biasing member 5 is arranged so as to be fitted into this gap 6. The biasing member 5 is formed in an L - shape with a long side portion 5a and a short side portion 5b that are continuously connected at a right angle and are fitted into the gap 6. Furthermore, the long-side base portion 5c and the long-side tip portion 5d of the long-side portion 5a of the biasing member 5 abut against the locking portion 31, and the long-side central portion 5e of the long-side portion 5a is curved in the direction of the sliding member 4 to bias the sliding member 4 in the direction of arrow B. Additionally, the short-side base portion 5f and the short-side tip portion 5g of the short-side portion 5b of the biasing member 5 abut against the locking portion 31, and the short-side central portion 5h of the short-side portion 5b is curved in the direction of the sliding member 4 to bias the sliding member 4 in the direction of arrow C.

[0016] The biasing member 5 is interposed in the gap 6 between the sliding member 4 and the locking portion 31 to bias the sliding member 4 (arrow B and arrow C). As a result, lubricant is supplied to the sliding portion between the opposing surface 2a of the guide rail 2 and the sliding member 4 from the sliding member 4. Even if the sliding member 4 shrinks and changes in dimension along with the supply of the lubricant, the sliding member 4 is maintained in contact with the locking portion 31, so that the sliding member 4 does not shift in position between the opposing surface 3a of the slider 3 and the opposing surface 2a of the guide rail 2. Therefore, stable operation is possible over a long period without deterioration of the motion accuracy and frictional characteristics. Also, since the sliding member 4 is locked and held by the biasing force of the biasing member 5, even when the sliding member 4 changes in dimension, there is no change in the state where the corner 4c of the sliding member 4 is positioned close to the corner by aligning it with the corner 31c of the locking portion 31. That is, if the sliding member 4 is fixed with an adhesive or screws, there is a risk of damage to the sliding member 4 due to dimensional changes. However, in this embodiment, since it is locked by the biasing force to accommodate dimensional changes, there is no concern of damage to the sliding member 4.

[0017] Here, the material of the sliding member 4 will be described. In this embodiment, the lubricant-containing polymer sliding member 4 is assumed to be a polymer selected from the group of polyolefin polymers having basically the same chemical structure, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, and polymethylpentene. Furthermore, the lubricant is prepared as a raw material by mixing one or more of the following: paraffinic hydrocarbon oil such as poly-α-olefin oil, naphthenic hydrocarbon oil, mineral oil, ether oil such as dialkyldiphenyl ether oil, phthalate ester, trimellitic acid ester, etc., either individually or in mixture form. This mixture is then heated above the melting point of the resin to plasticize it, and then cooled to solidify it. Furthermore, various additives such as antioxidants, rust inhibitors, anti-wear agents, anti-foaming agents, and extreme pressure agents may be added to the lubricant beforehand as needed.

[0018] The composition ratio of the above lubricant-containing polymer is preferably 10-50% by mass of polyolefin resin and 90-50% by mass of lubricant, and more preferably 20-40% by mass of polyolefin resin and 80-60% by mass of lubricant, based on the total mass. In this case, if the polyolefin resin is less than 10% by mass, the hardness and strength required for practical use cannot be obtained, and the likelihood of malfunctions such as breakage due to sliding increases. Furthermore, if the polyolefin resin exceeds 50% by mass (i.e., if the lubricant is less than 50% by mass), the supply of lubricant to the sliding parts will be reduced, and a sufficient extension of the maintenance period cannot be expected.

[0019] Furthermore, the polymers (synthetic resins) exemplified above typically have the same basic structure but differ in their average molecular weight, ranging from 700 to 5 × 10⁻⁶. 6 It extends to that range. Therefore, the average molecular weight is 700~5×10 4 This includes waxes (for example, polyethylene wax) and those with an average molecular weight of 1 × 10 4 ~1 × 10 6 This is a relatively low molecular weight, and the average molecular weight is 1 × 10 6 ~5×10 6By using such ultra-high molecular weight substances alone or in combination, various properties can be imparted to lubricant supply structures. For example, by combining a relatively low molecular weight polymer with a lubricant, a lubricant-containing polymer with a certain degree of mechanical strength, lubricant supply capacity, and oil retention can be obtained.

[0020] Replacing some of the relatively low molecular weight components with those classified as waxes reduces the molecular weight difference between the waxes and the lubricating oil, thereby increasing their affinity for the lubricating oil. As a result, the oil retention of the lubricant-containing polymer improves, allowing for a longer-lasting supply of lubricant. However, this comes at the cost of reduced mechanical strength. As for the wax, polyolefin resins such as polyethylene wax, as well as hydrocarbon-based waxes with a melting point in the range of 100-130°C or higher (e.g., paraffinic synthetic waxes), can be used. In contrast, replacing it with a super-high molecular weight substance increases the molecular weight difference between the super-high molecular weight substance and the lubricant, resulting in lower affinity with the lubricant. Consequently, oil retention decreases, and the lubricant seeps out of the lubricant-containing polymer more quickly. This shortens the time it takes to reach a usable amount of lubricant from the lubricant-containing polymer, making it difficult to supply lubricant over long periods, although mechanical strength improves.

[0021] Therefore, considering the balance of moldability, mechanical strength, oil retention, and lubricant supply, the composition ratio of the lubricant-containing polymer is preferably such that the resin component consists of 0-5% by mass of wax, 8-48% by mass of relatively low molecular weight components, and 2-10% by mass of ultra-high molecular weight components, totaling 10-50% by mass, with the lubricant making up 90-50% by mass. For example, it can be formed using a lubricant-containing polymer mixed with 20% by mass of high-density polyethylene, which is classified as relatively low molecular weight, 10% by mass of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, which is classified as ultra-high molecular weight, and 70% by mass of mineral oil.

[0022] Furthermore, in order to improve the mechanical strength of the lubricant-containing polymer of the present invention, the following thermoplastic resins and thermosetting resins may be added to the polyolefin resin described above. In that case, an appropriate amount to add is 10-20% by mass of the total resin components. As the thermoplastic resin, various resins such as polyamide, polycarbonate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethersulfone, polyetheretherketone, polyamideimide, polystyrene, and ABS resin (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer synthetic resin) can be used. Furthermore, as the thermosetting resin, various resins such as unsaturated polyester resin, urea resin, melamine resin, phenolic resin, polyimide resin, and epoxy resin can be used. These resins may be used individually or in combination.

[0023] Furthermore, in order to disperse the polyolefin resin and other resins in a more uniform state, a suitable compatibilizer may be added as needed. Furthermore, fillers may be added to improve mechanical strength. Examples of fillers include inorganic whiskers such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, potassium titanate whiskers, and aluminum borate whiskers, or inorganic fibers such as glass fibers, metal fibers, carbon black, and carbon fibers, as well as fabrics made by braiding these materials together, or graphite powder. Organic compounds such as aramid fibers and polyester fibers are also used.

[0024] Furthermore, to prevent thermal degradation of the polyolefin resin, anti-aging agents such as N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenyldiamine and 2,2'-methylenebis(4-ethyl-6-t-butylphenol) may be added, and to prevent degradation by light, UV absorbers such as 2-hydroxy-4-n-octoxybenzophenone and 2-(2'-hydroxy-3'-t-butyl-5'-methylphenyl)-5-chlorobenzotriazole may be added. In this case, it is preferable that the total amount of all additives, excluding polyolefin resins and lubricants, be 20% by mass or less, and particularly 10% by mass or less, of the total amount of molding raw materials, in order to maintain the lubricant supply capacity.

[0025] In addition to polyolefin-based resins as described above, any injection-molded thermoplastic resin can be used as a polymer material in this invention. Among these, polyester elastomers are examples of materials that can have a high oil content.

[0026] In addition to thermoplastic resins, thermosetting resins such as polyurethane and polyurea elastomers can also be used. In this case, when polyurethane is used, grease is used as a lubricant, and the urethane prepolymer containing isocyanate groups, which are the reaction raw materials, and the amine-based curing agent are uniformly mixed into the grease, then the two mixtures are further mixed and filled into a mold of the desired shape, and heated as needed to cause a reaction, allowing the material to harden while still containing grease. Furthermore, when using polyurea, an amine component consisting of a mixture of aromatic polyamine compounds and aromatic diamines containing soft segments in their molecular chains is uniformly mixed with a compatible lubricating oil or a grease based on that lubricating oil. A polyisocyanate component is then added and mixed, the mixture is filled into a mold of the desired shape, and heated as needed to allow the reaction to occur, allowing the lubricant to be incorporated and cured.

[0027] (Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 2. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which a sliding guide mechanism 1 consists of a cylindrical member 7 and a slider 8 that slides the cylindrical member 7 in the longitudinal direction (direction of arrow E) via a lubricant-containing polymer sliding member 9.

[0028] The cylindrical member 7 is formed in a straight shape and has the same external dimensions at least within the range in which the slider 8 is movable. The slider 8 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter larger than the diameter of the cylindrical member 7, and a sliding member 9 is disposed on its inner diameter surface.

[0029] The sliding member 9 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a total length (length in the longitudinal direction (direction of arrow E)) that fits snugly onto the inner diameter surface of the slider 8. The inner diameter of the sliding member 9 has an inner diameter surface 9a that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical member 7, and the outer diameter of the sliding member 9 has an outer diameter surface 9b that is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the slider 8. Furthermore, the sliding member 9 has a continuous notch 9d along its entire length in the longitudinal direction (direction of arrow E) (see Figure 2(b)). Furthermore, the outer diameter surface 9b located approximately in the center in the longitudinal direction has a continuous circumferential groove 9c extending around its entire circumference.

[0030] The sliding member 9 is locked to the slider 8 by its outer diameter surface 9b fitting inside the inner diameter surface of the slider 8. Furthermore, the sliding member 9 has an inner diameter surface 9a that fits onto the outer diameter surface 7a of the cylindrical member 7, and an annular garter spring 10 is fitted into its circumferential groove 9b, and an inward biasing force (towards the cylindrical member 7) of the garter spring 10 is applied.

[0031] With this configuration, the sliding member 9 slides against the outer surface 7a (opposing surface) of the cylindrical member 7 by the girder spring 10, so that no gap is created between the sliding member 9 and the outer diameter surface 7a of the cylindrical member 7, and stable operation is possible over a long period of time without a decrease in motion accuracy or friction characteristics.

[0032] Furthermore, because the sliding member 9 maintains appropriate sliding pressure against the outer diameter surface 7a of the cylindrical member 7 by the biasing force of the gutter spring 10, the sliding contact state with the outer diameter surface 7a of the cylindrical member 7 remains unchanged even if the sliding member 9 changes dimensions. In other words, the dimensional change of the sliding member 9 is absorbed by the change in the gap of the notch 9d, so there is no need to worry about the sliding member 9 being damaged. The material of the sliding member 9 is the same as that of the sliding member 4 described in the first embodiment, so its description is omitted here.

[0033] (Third embodiment) A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 3. The linear sliding guide mechanism 1 of this embodiment consists of a guide rail 11 that is straight in the longitudinal direction (depth direction in the figure), a slider 12 that straddles the guide rail 11, a sliding member 13 made of lubricant-containing polymer that is locked to the opposing surface 12a of the slider 12 and is arranged to slide against the opposing surface 11a of the opposing guide rail 11, and a biasing member 14 that biases the sliding member 13 toward the opposing surface 11a of the guide rail 11 (see Figure 3(a)).

[0034] The guide rail 11 has a symmetrical shape in the width direction (left-right direction in the figure) and is formed with opposing convex surfaces 11a that gradually widen from the base plate portion 11e upwards. Specifically, the opposing surfaces 11a are formed with a horizontal portion 11b, acute corners 11c at both ends of the horizontal portion 11b in the width direction, and a pair of legs 11d that are slopes that gradually decrease in width from each corner 11c toward the base plate portion 11e.

[0035] The slider 12 is formed with a similar widthwise (left-right direction in the figure) symmetrical shape to the opposing surface 11a of the guide rail 11 with a predetermined gap 15, and has a concave opposing surface 12a that gradually narrows downwards. Specifically, the opposing surface 12a is formed with a horizontal portion 12b, corner portions 12c formed at both ends of the horizontal portion 12b in the widthwise direction at the same acute angle as the corner portion 11c of the guide rail 11, and a pair of hem portions 12d that slope inward from each corner portion 12c towards the base portion 11e of the guide rail 11. The inner space formed by this horizontal portion 12b and the pair of hem portions 12d functions as a locking portion that holds the sliding member 13.

[0036] Next, the sliding member 13 will be described. The sliding member 13 has a thickness dimension that matches the gap 15 between the opposing surface 11a of the guide rail 11 and the opposing surface 12a of the slider 12, and is a thin plate shape that is placed in the inner space (locking portion) consisting of the horizontal portion 12b and a pair of bottom portions 12d of the slider 12, and is divided into two symmetrically on the horizontal portion 11b of the opposing surface 11a of the guide rail 11. Specifically, the sliding member 13 is formed in a V-shape in cross-section by a horizontal portion 13a that is formed horizontally so as to follow the horizontal portion 12b of the slider 12 without any gaps from approximately the center to the corner portion 12c, a corner portion 13c that bends at the same acute angle as the corner portion 12c along the corner portion 12c of the slider 12, and a leg portion 13b that slopes inward from the corner portion 13c along the base portion 12d of the slider 12. Furthermore, since the slider 12 has a symmetrical shape, the sliding members 13 are arranged symmetrically in pairs within the inner space (locking portion) consisting of the horizontal portion 12b and a pair of hem portions 12d. In addition, the ends of the horizontal portion 13a of the sliding members 13 face each other with a gap 13f between them, approximately in the center of the horizontal portion 12b of the slider 12. Furthermore, the outer surface 13e of the sliding member 13 has a groove 13g into which the biasing member 14 is fitted.

[0037] The biasing member 14 is a leaf spring with a shape similar to that of the sliding member 13, and is integrally formed with a horizontal portion 14a, a pair of left and right corner portions 14c formed at both ends of the horizontal portion 14a and bent at an acute angle, and a pair of left and right leg portions 14b that slope inward from each corner portion 14c (see Figure 3(b)). Furthermore, the corner portion 14c of the biasing member 14 is set to be smaller than the inner angle of the corner portion 13b of the sliding member 13 (the same angle as the inner angle of the corner portion 12c of the slider 12 and the inner angle of the corner portion 11c of the guide rail 11). When setting the biasing member 14 onto the sliding member 13, the pair of legs 14b, 14b are spread outward (in the direction of arrow F) and fitted into the groove 13g on the outer surface 13e of the sliding member 13. As a result, the pair of legs 13b, 13b of the sliding member 13 are biased inward (in the direction of arrow G) by the spring force of the biasing member 14.

[0038] The biasing member 14 is interposed in the gap 15 between the opposing surface 11a of the guide rail 11 and the opposing surface 12a of the slider 12, biasing the sliding member 13 (arrow G). As a result, lubricant is supplied from the sliding member 13 to the sliding portion between the opposing surface 11a of the guide rail 11 and the inner surface 13d of the sliding member 13. Even if the sliding member 13 shrinks and changes dimensions as the lubricant is supplied, the sliding member 13 is held in place by maintaining its locking to the locking portion (the inner space consisting of the horizontal portion 12b and a pair of bottom portions 12d of the slider 12). Furthermore, no gap is created between the sliding member 13 and the opposing surface 11a (sliding surface), enabling stable operation over a long period without a decrease in motion accuracy or friction characteristics.

[0039] Furthermore, because the sliding member 13 maintains an appropriate sliding contact pressure against the opposing surface 11a of the guide rail 11 by the biasing force of the biasing member 14, the sliding contact state with the opposing surface 11a of the guide rail 11 does not change even if the sliding contact member 13 changes dimensions. In other words, the dimensional change of the sliding contact member 14 is absorbed by the change in the gap 13f between the ends of the horizontal portions 13a of the pair of sliding members 13 facing each other, so there is no need to worry about the sliding member 13 being damaged. The material of the sliding member 13 is the same as that of the sliding member 4 described in the first embodiment, so its description is omitted here.

[0040] Furthermore, the shape, position, and number of notches in the lubricant-containing polymer sliding member, as well as the shape, position, and number of gaps, and the method of applying biasing with a biasing member are not limited to the embodiments described in detail above, but are within the scope of the present invention as long as they are appropriately set according to the shape of the relative moving sliding objects and the size and shape of the interposed sliding member to obtain the effects of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0041] This invention can be used in all types of sliding mechanisms that incorporate sliding members. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1. Linear sliding guide mechanism 2 Guide rails 2a Opposite surface of the guide rail 3 Sliders 3a Opposite surface of the slider 31 Locking part 31a Longitudinal locking surface 31b Short side locking surface 31c corner 4. Sliding member 4a Longitudinal surface 4b short side 4c corner 5. Biasing member 5a Long side 5b Short side 5c Long side base (contact point for locking) 5d Long edge tip (contact point for locking) 5e Long side center (contact point for sliding member) 5f Short side base 5g Short end tip 5h Short side center (contact point for sliding member) 6 gaps

Claims

1. A sliding mechanism in which one opposing surface and the other opposing surface perform a relative sliding movement via a sliding member, A locking portion for holding the sliding member is provided on one of the opposing surfaces, the sliding member is held between the locking portion and the locking portion via a biasing member having a biasing force, A sliding mechanism, wherein the sliding member is made of a polymer containing a lubricant.

2. The sliding mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing member has a biasing force directed toward an opposing surface.

3. The sliding mechanism described in claim 2, characterized in that the composition ratio of the lubricant-containing polymer is 10 to 50 mass % of a resin component and 90 to 50 mass % of a lubricant component.

4. The sliding mechanism described in Claim 3, characterized in that the resin component is a polyolefin-based resin.

5. The sliding mechanism described in Claim 3, characterized in that the resin component is a resin mixture of 0 to 5 mass% wax component, 8 to 48 mass% low molecular weight resin component, and 2 to 10 mass% ultra-high molecular weight resin component, totaling 10 to 50 mass%.

6. A sliding mechanism as described in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the resin component further contains 10 to 20 mass% of at least one of thermoplastic resin, thermosetting resin, inorganic whiskers such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, potassium titanate whiskers, and aluminum borate whiskers, inorganic fibers such as glass fibers, metal fibers, carbon black, and carbon fibers, graphite powder, and organic compounds such as aramid fibers and polyester fibers.

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