Side seal for linear guide and linear guide

Abstract

To provide a side seal which can be assembled without using a special tool, is excellent in work efficiency at assembling to a slider, and can improve recycle performance.SOLUTION: A side seal 50 has a seal member 41 which slide-contacts with a guide rail 3, a first holding member 11 attached to the slider 20 with respect to the seal member 41, and holding the seal member 41, and a second holding member 12 for gripping the seal member 41 together with the first holding member 11. The first holding member 11 has a plurality of fitting protrusions 22 which protrude toward the second holding member 12, the second holding member 12 has a plurality of fitting holes 23 into which the plurality of fitting protrusions 22 are fit, and the side seal 50 is integrated by the fitment of the fitting protrusions 22 into the fitting holes 23. The first holding member 11 has flexibility, and the contact pressure of the fitting protrusions 22 and the fitting holes 23 is increased accompanied by deformation of the first holding member 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a side seal for a linear guide and a linear guide. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, a linear guide includes a guide rail extending in the axial direction and a slider mounted on the guide rail so as to be movable relative to the guide rail. The slider moves relative to the guide rail in the axial direction via a plurality of rolling elements (balls) that circulate between rolling element rolling grooves formed in the guide rail and the slider. Such linear guides are widely used in the linear motion mechanisms of various production facilities.

[0003] In addition, side seals are attached to both end faces of the slider in the direction in which the guide rail extends to seal the gap between the guide rail and the slider and prevent foreign matter such as dirt, dust, and dirt from entering the inside of the slider.

[0004] Recently, side seals with various structures have been proposed for the purpose of improving sealing performance, durability, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a linear guide device in which a sliding scraper having a groove that slides against a guide rail is fitted into a U-shaped groove of a mounting plate attached to an end face of a slider in the sliding direction. The sliding scraper is formed with a protrusion and a recess for fitting into the mounting plate, and the force of contact with the guide rail can be adjusted by changing the size and shape of the protrusion and recess, or the position formed on the outer surface of the sliding scraper.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a side seal that uses lips to seal between the slider and the upper and both side surfaces of the guide rail. The side seal has multiple seal members that have independent lips, and the multiple seal members are connected to be relatively movable in a direction perpendicular to the linear motion direction. The multiple seal members are connected by engaging convex and concave portions, and the convex and concave portions are formed integrally with each seal member.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 proposes a high-tight seal device that is composed of a holder case, at least one plate-shaped seal plate disposed in the holder case, and a sealing plate. The seal plate is made of mechanical floss urethane foam, and the seal plate itself has a three-layer structure composed of a rubber-like skin layer that forms the surface layers on both sides, and a sponge layer that forms the intermediate layer between the surface layers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6863550 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6295624 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 4615466 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Recently, there has been a demand for manufacturing products with less environmental impact, and in the field of linear guides, studies are being conducted on parts that can be easily separated by material and disposed of or recycled. In all of the above Patent Documents 1 to 3, the seal member and the part that supports the seal member are separate, and can be easily separated.

[0009] However, the side seals described in Patent Documents 1 and 3 above do not have their components integrated together, making the work of attaching them to both ends of the slider complicated.

[0010] In contrast, the multiple sealing members described in Patent Document 2 are integrated by being connected with mutually engaging convex and concave portions. During transportation and storage of the sealing members, the integrated sealing members are stacked and packaged, so that the integrated sealing members will not come off.

[0011] However, when the sealing member is inserted into the guide rail and moved, friction between the sealing member and the guide rail increases, and each integrated sealing member may separate, which may result in the installation work taking more time and reducing work efficiency.

[0012] Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining a problem that occurs when assembling a conventional linear guide, and Fig. 9 and Figs. 10A to 10C are schematic enlarged views showing a conventional side seal.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 8, a case where the first slider 20a and the second slider 20b are assembled in the guide rail 3 extending in the axial direction will be described. The first slider 20a has a first slider body 21a and end caps 30a, 30a arranged on both end faces in the moving direction of the first slider body 21a, and side seals 50a, 51a are arranged on both end faces in the moving direction of the first slider 20a. The second slider 20b has a second slider body 21b and end caps 30b, 30b arranged on both end faces in the moving direction of the second slider body 21b, and side seals 50b, 51b are arranged on both end faces in the moving direction of the second slider 20b.

[0014] The side seals 50a, 51a each have a retaining plate 11a, 31a arranged on the first slider body 21a side, a seal cover 12a, 32a arranged outside the retaining plate 11a, 31a, and a seal member 41a, 42a sandwiched between the retaining plate 11a, 31a and the seal cover 12a, 32a. The seal member 41a, 42a each have a base portion 15a, 16a held by the retaining plate 11a, 31a, and a lip portion 13a, 14a that slides against the guide rail 3. The retaining plate 11a, 31a and the seal cover 12a, 32a are engaged with each other by some kind of engagement portion (not shown), and the side seals 50a, 51a each have an integrated structure. The lip portions 13a and 14a are configured to incline outward as they approach the guide rail 3 in order to prevent foreign matter such as dirt, dust, and other debris from entering the inside of the first slider 20a.

[0015] Similarly, the side seals 50b, 51b each have a retaining plate 11b, 31b arranged on the second slider body 21b side, a seal cover 12b, 32b arranged outside the retaining plate 11b, 31b, and a seal member 41b, 42b sandwiched between the retaining plate 11b, 31b and the seal cover 12b, 32b. The seal member 41b, 42b each have a base portion 15b, 16b held by the retaining plate 11b, 31b, and a lip portion 13b, 14b that slides against the guide rail 3. The retaining plate 11b, 31b and the seal cover 12b, 32b are engaged with each other by some kind of engagement portion (not shown), and the side seals 50b, 51b each have an integrated structure. The lip portions 13b and 14b are configured to incline outward as they approach the guide rail 3 in order to prevent foreign matter such as dirt, dust, and other debris from entering the inside of the second slider 20b.

[0016] When assembling the linear guide 1, for example, the first slider 20a is moved along the guide rail 3 in the direction indicated by the arrow D1. Next, the side seal 50a is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow D1 and fixed to the first slider 20a. Thereafter, the side seal 51a is moved along the guide rail 3 in the direction indicated by the arrow D2 and then fixed to the first slider 20a. Then, in order to attach the side seal 50b to the second slider 20b, the side seal 50b is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow D3 in advance and placed at a desired position. Then, the second slider 20b is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow D3 and then the side seal 50b is fixed to the second slider 20b. Then, the side seal 51b is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow D4 and then fixed to the second slider 20b.

[0017] As described above, when two or more sliders are assembled to the guide rail 3, the side seals 50a, 51a, 51b move in a direction in which the frictional force between the lip portions 13a, 14a, 14b and the guide rail 3 is small (hereinafter referred to as the "with-grain direction"). On the other hand, when the side seal 50b moves, the tip of the lip portion 13b faces the moving direction, and the side seal 50b moves in a direction in which the frictional force between the lip portion 13b and the guide rail 3 is large (hereinafter referred to as the "against-grain direction").

[0018] In such a case, as shown in Fig. 9, the retaining plate 11b is bent in a bow shape due to the large frictional force between the lip portion 13b and the guide rail 3, and a gap 17 is generated between the retaining plate 11b and the seal cover 12b. As a result, the integrated side seal 50b may be disassembled into the retaining plate 11b and the seal cover 12b, and it may be necessary to reintegrate them, which reduces the work efficiency.

[0019] In addition, even if the side seal 51a is moved in the grain direction, the same problem occurs. In a normal assembly operation, the side seal 51a is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow D2 as shown in FIG. 10A. However, when the worker changes hands during assembly or fine-tunes the position of the side seal 51a, the side seal 51a may be moved in the counter-grain direction as indicated by the arrow D5 as shown in FIG. 10B. As a result, the side seal 50b may be disassembled into the holding plate 31a and the seal cover 32a as shown in FIG. 10C. In such a case, the holding plate 31a and the seal cover 32a must be aligned at an engagement portion (not shown) and integrated, which reduces the assembly efficiency.

[0020] Side seals that have a snap-fit ​​structure at the engagement part to prevent the side seal from coming apart during assembly are also known, but if the individual parts are firmly joined together, disassembly for recycling is time-consuming.

[0021] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and aims to provide a side seal in which a sealing member and a member that clamps the sealing member are integrated, which can be assembled without the use of special tools, has excellent work efficiency when attached to a slider, and can be easily disassembled to improve recyclability, and a linear guide equipped with this side seal. [Means for solving the problem]

[0022] The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following configuration. (1) A side seal for a linear guide having a guide rail and a slider that is mounted on the guide rail so as to be relatively movable, the side seal being joined to an end surface of the slider in the moving direction, a seal member that is in sliding contact with the guide rail; a first holding member attached to the slider side relative to the seal member and holding the seal member; a second holding member attached to the sealing member on an opposite side to the first holding member and configured to sandwich the sealing member together with the first holding member, one of the first holding member and the second holding member has a plurality of fitting projections protruding toward the other holding member, the other holding member has a plurality of fitting holes into which the plurality of fitting projections are fitted, and the fitting projections are fitted into the fitting holes, The first holding member is flexible, The side seal is configured such that a contact pressure between the fitting projection and the fitting hole increases with deformation of the first holding member. (2) The first holding member has the fitting projection, The side seal according to (1), wherein when the first holding member is deformed, the axial direction of the fitting projection is inclined, and the contact pressure between the fitting projection and the fitting hole is increased. (3) the first holding member has the fitting hole, The side seal according to (1), wherein when the first retaining member is deformed, the axial direction of the fitting hole is inclined, and the contact pressure between the fitting protrusion and the fitting hole is increased. (4) The side seal according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the fitting projection protrudes from a surface of the other holding member. (5) The side seal according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein in a cross-sectional view parallel to the moving direction of the slider, the cross-sectional shape of the fitting protrusion and the cross-sectional shape of the fitting hole are substantially the same. (6) A side seal according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the fitting protrusion and the fitting hole are positioned at a position spaced apart from the surface where the seal member and the guide rail slide against each other. (7) A linear guide comprising a side seal according to any one of (1) to (6). Effect of the Invention

[0023] According to the side seal of the present invention, it is possible to assemble without using special tools, and the work efficiency when attaching it to the slider is excellent, and it is possible to improve recyclability by being easily disassembled. Furthermore, according to the linear guide of the present invention, since it is provided with the side seal having the above-mentioned excellent performance, it is possible to improve the work efficiency during assembly and the recyclability. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a linear guide according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a side seal joined to an end surface in the moving direction of the slider shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a first holding member constituting the side seal. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion of the side seal prior to assembly. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the side seal during or after assembly. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a side seal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram showing an initial state of a side seal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the second holding member is inclined in the side seal according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7A] FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram showing an example of the relationship between a fitting protrusion and a fitting hole. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a schematic diagram showing another example of the relationship between the fitting protrusion and the fitting hole. [Figure 7C] FIG. 7C is a schematic diagram showing another example of the relationship between the fitting protrusion and the fitting hole. [Figure 7D] FIG. 7D is a schematic diagram showing another example of the relationship between the fitting protrusion and the fitting hole. [Figure 7E]FIG. 7E is a schematic diagram showing another example of the relationship between the fitting protrusion and the fitting hole. [Figure 7F] FIG. 7F is a schematic diagram showing another example of the relationship between the fitting protrusion and the fitting hole. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining a problem that occurs when assembling a conventional linear guide. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged schematic view of a conventional side seal. [Figure 10A] FIG. 10A is a schematic diagram showing a conventional side seal when it is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow D2. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is a schematic diagram showing a state where the conventional side seal is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow D5. [Figure 10C] FIG. 10C is a schematic diagram showing a conventional side seal in an exploded state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the side seal and the linear guide according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below, and can be modified as desired without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0026] 1 is a perspective view showing a linear guide 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The linear guide 1 includes a guide rail 3 extending in one direction, and a slider 20 with a C-shaped cross section that is mounted on the guide rail 3 so as to be movable relative to the guide rail 3 in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the left-right direction refers to the width direction of the slider 20 attached to the guide rail 3.

[0027] The guide rail 3 is made of metal, and two rail-side track surfaces 5 are formed on each of the left and right side surfaces 3b along the axial direction of the guide rail 3. The guide rail 3 has a plurality of rail mounting holes 4 penetrating the guide rail 3 in the height direction, and rail fixing bolts (not shown) are inserted into these rail mounting holes 4 to fix the guide rail 3 to a mounting surface (not shown).

[0028] The slider 20 includes a slider body 21 having sleeves on both the left and right sides of the guide rail 3, a pair of end caps 30, 30 attached to both ends of the slider body 21 in the moving direction, and return guides (not shown) assembled in pairs into the end caps 30, 30. A plurality of rolling bodies (not shown) are filled in a rolling body rolling path formed inside the slider 20 and between the slider 20 and the rail-side raceway surface 5 of the guide rail 3 so as to be able to roll. The rolling bodies roll, allowing the slider 20 to move relative to the guide rail 3 in the axial direction. The plurality of rolling bodies circulate endlessly while rolling in the rolling body rolling path in accordance with the relative movement between the guide rail 3 and the slider 20.

[0029] The upper surface of the slider body 21 is provided with screw insertion holes 25 through which bolts for fixing a driven body such as a table to the slider 20 are inserted. The end caps 30 attached to both ends of the slider body 21 in the moving direction are, for example, injection molded products made of synthetic resin, and are formed with a C-shaped cross section like the slider body 21. A grease nipple 6 for supplying grease or the like to the inside of the slider 20 is attached to the end caps 30. In addition, a pair of side seals 50, 50 are arranged on the end faces of the slider 20 in the moving direction.

[0030] The side seal 50 serves to seal the gap between the guide rail 3 and the slider 20, and to prevent foreign matter such as dirt, dust, and dirt from entering the inside of the slider 20. The side seal 50 is provided with a plurality of mounting screw insertion holes 58 (see FIG. 2), and the end cap 30 is also provided with mounting screw insertion holes (not shown). The side seal 50 is joined to the movement direction end surface of the slider 20, which has the end cap 30 and the slider body 21, by inserting the mounting screws 35 through the mounting screw insertion holes 58 and the like provided in the side seal 50 and the end cap 30.

[0031] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a side seal 50 joined to an end surface in the movement direction of the slider 20 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a first holding member 11 constituting the side seal 50. Fig. 4A is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion of the side seal before assembly work, and Fig. 4B is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion of the side seal during or after assembly work. Note that Fig. 2 shows the side seal 50 divided into two in the left-right direction.

[0032] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the side seal 50 is an assembly in which parts made of different materials are combined and integrated, and is formed in a C-shape in plan view, similar to the cross-sectional shape of the slider body 21. The side seal 50 has a seal member 41 that slides against the guide rail 3, and a first holding member (holding plate) 11 and a second holding member (seal cover) 12 that hold the seal member 41 in between. The first holding member 11 is disposed closer to the slider 20 than the seal member 41, and the second holding member 12 is disposed on the opposite side of the seal member 41 to the side on which the first holding member 11 is disposed. Note that the seal member 41, the first holding member 11, and the second holding member 12 are not integrally fixed to each other in advance, but are assembled by inserting a fitting protrusion 22 of the first holding member 11, which will be described later, into a fitting hole 23 of the second holding member 12.

[0033] The seal member 41 is made of a material such as polyester elastomer. In a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axial direction of the guide rail 3, the seal member 41 has a shape that conforms to the shape of the side and upper surface of the guide rail 3, and has a lip portion 13 that slides against the guide rail 3, and a base portion 15 that is sandwiched between the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12. As shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, a holding portion 46 that holds the seal member 41 in the first holding member 11 is formed with a recess 26a and a protrusion 26b that extend along the shape of the seal member 41. In addition, a protrusion 45a and a recess 45b that are shaped to fit into the recess 26a and the protrusion 26b formed in the first holding member 11 are formed in the base portion 15 of the seal member 41. The recess 26a and the protrusion 26b are fitted into the protrusion 45a and the recess 45b, so that the seal member 41 is held by the first holding member 11. The lip portion 13 extending from the base portion 15 of the seal member 41 toward the guide rail 3 is inclined outward, that is, in a direction away from the slider 20, as it approaches the guide rail 3.

[0034] The first holding member 11 is made of a material such as polyacetal or nylon, and is flexible. The second holding member 12 is made of a metal, such as steel or aluminum. In this embodiment, the first holding member 11 has two fitting projections 22 (see FIG. 3) protruding toward the second holding member 12, and the second holding member 12 has two fitting holes 23 into which the fitting projections 22 of the first holding member 11 are fitted. The fitting projections 22 are fitted into the fitting holes 23, and thus the second holding member 12 presses the seal member 41 against the first holding member 11, and the first holding member 11, the seal member 41, and the second holding member 12 are integrated to form a side seal 50.

[0035] 4A, the lip portion 13 of the single side seal 50 before assembly is not subjected to any external force and maintains the shape at the time of manufacture. On the other hand, when the side seal 50 is attached to the slider 20, the lip portion 13 is pressed against the guide rail 3 and deformed in a more inclined direction.

[0036] Here, during assembly work, when the side seal 50 is moved toward the slider 20 to which it is to be attached, the lip portion 13 moves in the grain direction, so that the frictional force between the lip portion 13 and the guide rail 3 is small. In addition, since the first holding member 11 is moved while being pressed against substantially the entire surface by the metallic second holding member 12, the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12 do not come off.

[0037] However, when the side seal 50 is moved in a direction away from the slider 20, the lip portion 13 moves against the grain while being pressed against the guide rail 3, as shown in Fig. 4B, so the frictional force between the lip portion 13 and the guide rail 3 becomes significantly large. With the conventional side seal, as shown in Fig. 9, the retaining plate 11b cannot follow the moving direction, and the seal cover 12b tries to come off the retaining plate 11b.

[0038] In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, when the side seal 50 is moved in the direction of the arrow D11 (direction away from the slider), the first holding member 11 is configured to bend in a bow shape. As a result, the axial direction of the fitting protrusion 22 is inclined so that the tip of the fitting protrusion 22 approaches the guide rail 3 side, and the angle difference with the axial direction of the fitting hole 23 of the second holding member 12 increases. That is, as the first holding member 11 deforms, a fixing force is generated between the fitting protrusion 22 and the fitting hole 23 by prying, and the contact pressure between the fitting protrusion 22 and the fitting hole 23 increases. In addition, as the angle difference between the axial direction of the fitting protrusion 22 and the axial direction of the fitting hole 23 increases, the fitting protrusion 22 also bites into the corner of the fitting hole 23 on the far side from 11. As a result, it is possible to prevent the fitting protrusion 22 from coming off the fitting hole 23. As will be described later, it is more preferable that the length of the fitting projection 22 is longer than the depth of the fitting hole 23 .

[0039] In this embodiment, the first holding member 11 is made of a flexible material, but the second holding member 12 and the end cap 30 are made of a material that has sufficient rigidity and does not easily deform. Therefore, after the side seal 50 is fixed to the slider body 21 together with the end cap 30 by the mounting screw 35, the side seal 50 is hardly deflected by the frictional force between the lip portion 13 and the guide rail 3, and the desired sealing performance can be maintained.

[0040] In this embodiment, in a cross-sectional view parallel to the moving direction of the slider 20, the cross-sectional shape of the fitting protrusion 22 and the cross-sectional shape of the fitting hole 23 are substantially the same, and it is preferable that the tip of the fitting protrusion 22 does not have a locking portion such as a hook or claw that is locked into the fitting hole 23. With this configuration, the unnecessary side seal 50 can be disassembled into the first holding member 11, the seal member 41, and the second holding member 12 more easily without using special tools. Note that the tip of the fitting protrusion 22 may be chamfered for the reason of making it easier to insert the fitting protrusion 22 into the fitting hole 23, etc.

[0041] A preferred relationship between the fitting projection 22 and the fitting hole 23 will be specifically described with reference to Figures 6A and 6B. In the initial state shown in Figure 6A, the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12 are arranged parallel to each other, and the relationship between the fitting projection 22 and the fitting hole 23 is, for example, a clearance fit.

[0042] As the first holding member 11 deforms, the contact pressure between the fitting projection 22 and the fitting hole 23 is increased to prevent the fitting projection 22 from coming out of the fitting hole 23, and a method of adjusting the gap between the two can be given as an example. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 6B, while one end of the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12 are kept in contact with each other, the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12 are separated from each other at a portion separated from the one end. Then, the fitting projection 22 and the fitting hole 23 are designed to come into contact with each other when the angle between the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12 is set to 1°.

[0043] In the side seal 50 configured in this manner, when the first holding member 11 is bent and a space is formed between it and the second holding member 12, the fitting projection 22 comes into contact with the fitting hole 23, increasing the contact pressure between them. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the fitting projection 22 from coming out of the fitting hole 23.

[0044] Even if the fitting projection 22 and the fitting hole 23 are in contact with each other with a high contact pressure, some slippage occurs between them. Therefore, in order to further prevent the fitting projection 22 from coming out of the fitting hole 23 even if slippage occurs, it is preferable to form the axial length of the fitting projection 22 longer than the axial length of the fitting hole 23. That is, if the fitting projection 22 protrudes from the surface of the second holding member 12 opposite to the first holding member 11 side, the more the first holding member 11 bends, the stronger the fitting projection 22 of the first holding member 11 hits the fitting hole 23 of the second holding member 12. As a result, the effect of preventing coming out can be further improved, and the side seal 50 can be assembled to the slider 20 without disassembling the first holding member 11 and the second holding member.

[0045] In addition, when the second holding member 12 is produced by press molding, a sheared surface and a broken surface are formed on the inner wall of the fitting hole 23 by the press processing. When the fitting protrusion 22 is thinner than the thickness of the second holding member 12, the fitting force changes depending on whether the surface of the second holding member 12 facing the first holding member 11 is the sheared surface side or the broken surface side. In this embodiment, if the axial length of the fitting protrusion 22 is formed longer than the axial length of the fitting hole 23, an excellent fitting force can be obtained regardless of the orientation in which the second holding member 12 is arranged. In addition, if the second holding member 12 has a shape that is symmetrical from left to right or from top to bottom, it is not necessary to consider the front and back when arranging the second holding member 12, and therefore the workability during assembly can be improved.

[0046] 7A to 7F are schematic diagrams showing examples of the relationship between the fitting projections and the fitting holes. As shown in FIG. 7A, the fitting projection 22a may have a smaller diameter than the fitting hole 23a, and may have a clearance fit relationship with a gap C. As shown in FIG. 7B, the fitting projection 22b and the fitting hole 23b may have a close fit relationship in which the fitting projection 22b has a larger diameter than the fitting hole 23a, or may have an approximately identical diameter to the extent that the fitting projection 22b can be fitted in the fitting hole 23b. Also, as shown in FIG. 7C, the fitting projection 22c and the fitting hole 23c may have a close fit relationship in which the cross-sectional shapes of the fitting projection 22c and the fitting hole 23c are different from each other. As shown in FIG. 7D, the interval P1 between the two fitting projections 22d is smaller than the interval P2 between the two fitting holes 23d, and may have a partial gap. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7E, one fitting projection 221e and fitting hole 231e may have an interference fit relationship, and the other fitting projection 222e and fitting hole 232e may have a clearance fit relationship.

[0047] It is not necessary to provide two fitting protrusions and two fitting holes, and a plurality of fitting protrusions and fitting holes may be provided. For example, as shown in Fig. 7F, three fitting protrusions 221f, 222f, and 223f and three fitting holes 231f, 232f, and 233f may be provided. The shapes and sizes of the fitting protrusions 221f, 222f, and 223f and the fitting holes 231f, 232f, and 233f may be in any combination. For example, the fitting protrusions 221f and the fitting hole 231f may have an interference fit relationship, and the fitting protrusions 222f and the fitting hole 232f, and the fitting protrusions 223f and the fitting hole 233f may have a clearance fit relationship.

[0048] The first holding member 11 is preferably designed to bend 5 to 20° due to frictional force generated between the lip portion 13 and the guide rail 3 when it is moved in a direction away from the slider 20. For example, it is preferable to arrange the fitting projection 22 and the fitting hole 23 of the first holding member 11 at a position separated from the surface where the lip portion 13 of the seal member 41 and the guide rail 3 slide against each other. Specifically, it is preferable to arrange the fitting projection 22 of the first holding member 11 on the outer side of the side surface 3b of the guide rail 3 in a cross-sectional view in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the guide rail 3. It is also preferable to adjust the rigidity (flexibility) of the holding plate by providing a recess in the first holding member 11.

[0049] As described above, the side seal 50 according to this embodiment is an assembly, but can be easily assembled and disassembled without using special tools. This allows the components constituting the side seal 50 to be easily separated and disposed of or recycled, even if they are made of different materials. Furthermore, when assembling the side seal 50 to the slider 20, even if the frictional force between the lip portion 13 and the guide rail 3 is large, the side seal 50 can be easily attached to the slider 20 without disassembling the first holding member 11 and the second holding member.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the first holding member 11 is provided with the fitting protrusions 22, the second holding member 12 is provided with the fitting holes 23, and the fitting protrusions 22 are fitted into the fitting holes 23, but the present invention is not limited to this. Either one of the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12 may be provided with a plurality of fitting protrusions 22 protruding toward the other holding member, and the other holding member may be provided with a plurality of fitting holes 23 into which the plurality of fitting protrusions 22 are fitted. In other words, the second holding member 12 may be provided with the fitting protrusions 22, the first holding member 11 may be provided with the fitting holes 23, and the fitting protrusions 22 may be fitted into the fitting holes 23. Even with this configuration, if the first retaining member 11 is deformed, the axial direction of the mating hole 23 tilts and the contact pressure with the axial direction of the mating protrusion 22 of the second retaining member 12 increases, thereby preventing the first retaining member 11 and the second retaining member 12 from coming apart.

[0051] The linear guide according to this embodiment is equipped with the side seal 50 according to the above embodiment. By providing the side seal 50, which can be easily assembled and disassembled, it is possible to improve the workability and recyclability when assembling and disassembling the linear guide.

[0052] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc. In addition, the material, shape, size, numerical value, form, number, arrangement location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary as long as they can achieve the present invention, and are not limited. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1 Linear guide 3 Guide rail 11 First holding member 12 Second holding member 13 Lip 15 base 20 Slider 21 Slider body 22, 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 221e, 222e, 221f, 222f, 223f mating protrusion 23, 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, 231e, 232e, 231f, 232f, 233f mating hole 30 End Cap 41 Sealing material 50 Side seal

Claims

1. A side seal is joined to an end surface of a slider in a moving direction of the slider in a linear guide having a guide rail and a slider straddling the guide rail so as to be relatively movable, A seal member that is in sliding contact with the guide rail; a first holding member attached to the slider side relative to the seal member and holding the seal member; a second holding member attached to the sealing member on an opposite side to the first holding member and configured to sandwich the sealing member together with the first holding member, one of the first holding member and the second holding member has a plurality of fitting projections protruding toward the other holding member, the other holding member has a plurality of fitting holes into which the plurality of fitting projections are fitted, and the fitting projections are fitted into the fitting holes, The first holding member is flexible, The side seal is configured such that a contact pressure between the fitting projection and the fitting hole increases with deformation of the first holding member.

2. the first holding member has the fitting projection, 2. The side seal according to claim 1, wherein when the first holding member is deformed, an axial direction of the fitting projection is inclined, and a contact pressure between the fitting projection and the fitting hole is increased.

3. the first holding member has the fitting hole, 2. The side seal according to claim 1, wherein when the first holding member is deformed, an axial direction of the fitting hole is inclined, and a contact pressure between the fitting projection and the fitting hole is increased.

4. The side seal according to claim 1 , wherein the fitting projection protrudes from a surface of the other holding member.

5. 2. The side seal according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the fitting projection and a cross-sectional shape of the fitting hole are substantially the same in a cross-sectional view parallel to the moving direction of the slider.

6. The side seal according to claim 1 , wherein the fitting projection and the fitting hole are disposed at a position spaced apart from a surface where the seal member and the guide rail make sliding contact with each other.

7. A linear guide comprising the side seal according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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