Linear table device

Abstract

To improve particle collection to a sheet housing chamber with an air stream.SOLUTION: A linear table device includes: a front side roller 80 and a rear side roller 90 in front and rear of a movable table 50 that defines a sheet housing chamber 70; and peripheral grooves 82B, 92B installed to respective outer peripheries of the front side roller 80 and the rear side roller 90.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a linear table arrangement, and more particularly to a linear table arrangement including a seat plate. [Background technology]

[0002] A known linear table device includes a base member having an axially extending groove, a band-shaped sheet plate extending along the axial direction so as to cover the opening of the groove and having both ends fixed to the base member, a sheet storage chamber in which a movable table stores a portion of the sheet plate curved away from the base member, and sheet plate guide portions provided in front of and behind the sheet storage chamber in the direction of movement of the movable table (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 02-043142 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to collect particles such as wear powder generated by the movement of the movable table, an air flow is generated from outside the sheet storage chamber into the sheet storage chamber as the movable table moves. In this case, the sheet plate guide becomes a barrier to the air flow from outside the sheet storage chamber into the sheet storage chamber, obstructing the air flow. This obstructs the collection of particles by the air flow.

[0005] In view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to prevent the air flow from outside a sheet storage chamber into the sheet storage chamber from being obstructed in a linear table device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a linear table device comprising a base member having a groove extending along one axial direction, a drive device having a movable part provided within the groove and moving along the axial direction, a band-shaped sheet plate extending along the axial direction so as to cover the opening of the groove and having both ends fixed to the base member, and a movable table connected to the movable part and moving on the sheet plate, wherein the movable table has a sheet storage chamber that stores a portion of the sheet plate in a curved state away from the base member, and a pair of rollers provided in front of and behind the sheet storage chamber in the movement direction of the movable table, each of the rollers being rotatably provided around a rotation axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction and across the sheet plate, abutting the surface of the sheet plate on the side facing away from the base member, and including at least one circumferential groove formed on its outer periphery.

[0007] According to this aspect, the flow of air flowing from outside the sheet storage chamber into the sheet storage chamber is prevented from being obstructed by the roller.

[0008] In the above aspect, the base member may include an internal space that communicates with the sheet storage chamber, and may have an air suction port that creates a negative pressure in the internal space.

[0009] According to this aspect, a pressure difference is generated between the outside of the sheet storage chamber and the inside of the sheet storage chamber, and the pressure difference reliably causes air to flow from the outside of the sheet storage chamber to the inside of the sheet storage chamber.

[0010] In the above aspect, the base member may have a magnetic portion extending along both side edges of the opening and magnetically attracting the sheet plate.

[0011] According to this aspect, the opening of the recessed groove can be effectively blocked by the sheet plate.

[0012] In the above-mentioned aspect, each of the rollers may have a roller main body portion including an abutment portion that abuts against the sheet plate and the circumferential groove, and a bearing engagement shaft portion integrally formed with the roller main body portion at both ends in the direction of the rotational axis of the roller main body portion, and the movable table may have a bearing portion that rotatably supports the bearing engagement shaft portion.

[0013] According to this aspect, an increase in the number of parts and assembly steps of the roller is suppressed.

[0014] In the above aspect, each of the rollers may further include a large diameter portion between the roller main body and the bearing engagement shaft portion, the large diameter portion being larger than the bearing engagement shaft portion, thereby forming a labyrinth seal between the roller main body and the bearing portion.

[0015] According to this aspect, particles generated in the bearing portion are prevented from scattering to the outside of the bearing portion.

[0016] In the above-mentioned aspect, the movable table may have a pair of side members extending in the axial direction along each side edge on either side of the sheet plate, a cross member through which the sheet plate passes without contact between the pair of rollers and extends between the pair of side members to join the pair of side members to each other, four bearing retaining blocks attached to one end and the other end of each of the pair of side members and retaining the bearing portions, and a cover member fixed to the pair of side members to cover the sides of the pair of side members, the cross member and the bearing retaining block facing away from the base member, and the cover member may cooperate with the pair of side members and the four bearing retaining blocks to define the sheet accommodating chamber.

[0017] According to this aspect, the particles are prevented from scattering outside the movable table.

[0018] In the above aspect, each of the bearing retaining blocks has three mutually perpendicular surfaces, and the three surfaces are in surface contact with three mutually perpendicular surfaces provided on one end and the other end of the corresponding side member.

[0019] According to this aspect, the mounting positions of the bearing retaining blocks with respect to the side members can be easily set with high accuracy.

[0020] In the above aspect, the drive device may have a ball screw shaft rotatably supported on the base member and extending in the axial direction, and a ball nut threadedly engaged with the ball screw shaft, and the movable part may include the ball nut.

[0021] According to this aspect, the movable table is driven with high precision. Effect of the Invention

[0022] According to the above aspect, the flow of air flowing from outside the sheet storage chamber into the sheet storage chamber is prevented from being obstructed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a linear table device according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of a linear table device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. [Diagram 5] 3 along line VV in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a linear table device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] An embodiment of a linear table device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 6. In the following description of the embodiment, for convenience of explanation, each of the mutually orthogonal directions of up / down, left / right, and front / rear will be defined as shown in the figures.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 1, the linear table device 10 has a base member 12. The base member 12 has a linear rail member 14 that extends in the front-rear direction along one axial direction in this embodiment, a front end member 16 and a rear end member 18 fixed to the front and rear ends of the rail member 14, and an upper cover 20 provided on the upper part of the rail member 14, and defines an internal space 30 (see Fig. 3) inside these. The front-rear direction is the longitudinal direction of the rail member 14, and in the following explanation, the front-rear direction will sometimes be referred to as the longitudinal direction of the rail member 14.

[0026] 3, the rail member 14 has a bottom wall 14A and left and right side walls 14B and 14C provided on both the left and right sides of the bottom wall 14A, forming an upwardly opening recessed groove 22. In other words, the rail member 14 forms a recessed cross-sectional shape by the bottom wall 14A and the left and right side walls 14B, 14C, and defines the upwardly opening recessed groove 22.

[0027] The upper cover 20 has a left member 24 and a right member 26 divided into a left and right part. The left member 24 and the right member 26 have vertical pieces 24A, 26A and flat horizontal pieces 24B, 26B extending toward each other from the upper ends of the vertical pieces 24A, 26A, respectively, and each has a hook-shaped cross section. The left member 24 and the right member 26 have the vertical pieces 24A, 26A fixed to the corresponding side walls 14B and 14C, and the front and rear ends fixed to the front end member 16 and the rear end member 18, and define a band-shaped opening 28 extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 14 between the horizontal pieces 24B and 26B.

[0028] As a result, in this embodiment, the opening 28 of the upper cover 20 forms a substantial opening of the recessed groove 22, with the upper side of the recessed groove 22 opening outward.

[0029] The linear table device 10 has a slider 34 that can move within the groove 22 in the extension direction of the rail member 14, guided by left and right linear ball bearings 32 provided on each of the left and right side walls 14B and 14C of the rail member 14, and a drive device 36 that drives the slider 34 in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 14.

[0030] The driving device 36 includes a ball screw shaft 38 that includes shaft ends rotatably supported by the front end member 16 and the rear end member 18 and extends in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the rail member 14, and a ball nut 40 (movable part) that is fixed to the slider 34 and threadedly engaged with the ball screw shaft 38. The driving device 36 moves the ball nut 40 linearly in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 14 as the ball screw shaft 38 is rotationally driven by an electric motor (not shown) arranged in the rear end member 18. This linear movement of the ball nut 40 causes the slider 34 to be guided by the linear ball bearings 32 and to move approximately horizontally with high positional accuracy in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 14 relative to the rail member 14.

[0031] As a result, in this embodiment, the slider 34 and the ball nut 40 form a movable part of the drive device 36 that is provided in the recessed groove 22 and moves in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 14.

[0032] A band-shaped sheet plate 44 is attached to the base member 12. The sheet plate 44 is made of a magnetic material having a required elasticity, such as ferritic or martensitic stainless steel, and as shown in Fig. 1, it extends along the longitudinal direction of the rail member 14 so as to cover the opening 28, and has two ends 44A, 44B fixed to the front end member 16 and the rear end member 18 by screws 46.

[0033] 2, the sheet plate 44 has a left-right length such that each side edge 44C on both sides overlaps the lateral pieces 24B, 26B of the left member 24 and right member 26 of the upper cover 20. A strip-shaped magnetic sheet (magnetic portion) 25 is attached along the longitudinal direction of the rail member 14 to the upper surfaces of the portions of the lateral pieces 24B, 26B that overlap the sheet plate 44.

[0034] Both side edges 44C of the sheet plate 44 are magnetically attracted to the corresponding magnetic sheets 25 except for the portion positioned within the sheet storage chamber 70 of the movable table 50 described later. As a result, except for the portion positioned within the sheet storage chamber 70, the sheet plate 44 extends in a substantially horizontal, flat shape along the longitudinal direction of the rail member 14 in a tight contact state on the lateral pieces 24B, 26B, and closes the opening 28.

[0035] The linear table device 10 has a movable table 50. As shown in Fig. 2 to Fig. 6, the movable table 50 has a pair of side members 52 extending parallel to each other in the front-rear direction along each side edge 44C on both the left and right sides of the seat plate 44, a cross member 56 extending between the pair of side members 52 and joining the lower parts of the middle parts in the front-rear direction of each side member 52 to each other, a pair of front bearing holding blocks 60 fixed to the front ends (one end) of each side member 52 by screws 58, a pair of rear bearing holding blocks 64 fixed to the rear ends (the other end) of each side member 52 by screws 62, and a rectangular box-shaped cover member 68 that is open downward and fixed to the upper part of the side member 52 by screws 66 to cover the sides (upper sides) of the side members 52, the cross member 56, the front bearing holding blocks 60, and the rear bearing holding blocks 64 that are away from the base member 12, and has a rectangular shape in a plan view.

[0036] The cover member 68 cooperates with the pair of side members 52, the front bearing retaining block 60, and the rear bearing retaining block 64 to define a seat accommodating chamber 70 (see FIG. 5) that opens downward inside these. The cover member 68 further cooperates with the pair of side members 52, the front bearing retaining block 60, and the rear bearing retaining block 64 to define a rectangular frame-shaped outer peripheral space 69 that surrounds these outsides. The seat accommodating chamber 70 and the outer peripheral space 69 communicate with each other on their lower sides.

[0037] The cross member 56 has a generally horizontal upper surface 56A, and the front and rear sides of the upper surface 56A are inclined surfaces 56B, 56C that are inclined in a direction following the curved shape of the seat plate 44, as shown in FIG. 5, in order to firmly join the left and right side members 52 to each other with as large a cross-sectional area as possible without coming into contact with the seat plate 44.

[0038] The movable table 50 extends downward from the lower part of the cross member 56 and has a connecting part 72 including a narrowed part 72A that passes vertically through the opening 28. The movable table 50 is integrally connected to the upper part of the slider 34 by the connecting part 72. This allows the movable table 50 to move approximately horizontally in the front-to-rear direction integrally with the slider 34. The part of the movable table 50 above the narrowed part 72A moves approximately horizontally on the sheet plate 44 in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 14 (front-to-rear direction).

[0039] Each side member 52 has a plurality of mounting seats 74 that penetrate the cover member 68 vertically and include a portion exposed above the cover member 68. An object (not shown) to be moved by the linear table device 10 is attached to the mounting seats 74.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 4 , each front bearing retaining block 60 has an end piece portion 60A extending in the left-right direction and including a rear surface 61A that makes face-to-face contact with the front end surface 52A of the corresponding side member 52, and a side piece portion 60B extending rearward from the end piece portion 60A and including an outer surface 61B that makes face-to-face contact with the inner surface 52B of the corresponding side member 52, and has a hook-shaped shape in a planar view that engages with the corner portion of the front end of the corresponding side member 52.

[0041] 2, each front bearing retaining block 60 has a protrusion 60C that engages with a hook-shaped notch 53 formed along the lower edge of the front end of the corresponding side member 52. Each protrusion 60C includes an upper surface 61C that comes into surface contact with a lower surface 52C of the corresponding hook-shaped notch 53.

[0042] In other words, as shown in Figure 6, each front bearing retaining block 60 has three mutually perpendicular surfaces (rear surface 61A, outer surface 61B, upper surface 61C) in the front-to-rear, left-to-right and up-to-down directions, which are in surface contact with three mutually perpendicular surfaces (front end surface 52A, inner surface 52B, lower surface 52C) of the front end corner of the corresponding side member 52, so that each mounting position in the front-to-rear, left-to-right and up-to-down directions with respect to the corresponding side member 52 can be easily, accurately and uniquely set.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 4, the side piece portion 60B of each front bearing retaining block 60 has a bearing chamber 60D that opens inward, and retains a ball bearing (bearing portion) 76 that is fitted into the bearing chamber 60D.

[0044] Here, "toward the inside" refers to the direction in which the side piece portions 60B of each front bearing retaining block 60 move away from the side adjacent to the side member 52, and the direction in which the side piece portions 60B of the pair of left and right front bearing retaining blocks 60 face each other.

[0045] A front roller 80 is disposed between the pair of left and right front bearing retaining blocks 60. The front roller 80 has a rotation axis extending in a direction transverse to the left and right of the sheet plate 44, and has a roller main body 82 and bearing engagement shaft portions 84 provided integrally with the roller main body 82 on both left and right ends of the roller main body 82 in the direction of the rotation axis.

[0046] 4, the roller body 82 has contact portions 82A formed at three locations equally spaced in the central axis direction, and a circumferential groove 82B formed between adjacent contact portions 82A. Each contact portion 82A contacts the upper surface 44E of the sheet plate 44. The circumferential grooves 82B are provided at two locations equally spaced in the central axis direction on the outer periphery of the roller body 82, and each defines a space having a concave groove cross-sectional shape.

[0047] Each of the pair of left and right ball bearings 76 provided in each front bearing retaining block 60 supports a corresponding bearing engagement shaft portion 84 of a front roller 80 rotatably about a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4 , each rear bearing retaining block 64 extends in the left-right direction and has an end piece portion 64A including a front surface 65A that makes face-to-face contact with the rear end surface 52D of the corresponding side member 52, and a side piece portion 64B that extends forward from the end piece portion 64A and includes an outer surface 65B that makes face-to-face contact with the inner surface 52B of the corresponding side member 52, and has a hook-shaped shape that engages with the corner portion of the rear end of the corresponding side member 52 in a planar view.

[0049] 2, each rear bearing retaining block 64 has a protrusion 64C that engages with a hook-shaped notch 55 formed along the lower edge of the rear end of the corresponding side member 52. Each protrusion 64C includes an upper surface 65C that comes into surface contact with the lower surface 52E of the corresponding hook-shaped notch 55.

[0050] In other words, as shown in FIG. 6, each rear bearing retaining block 64 has three mutually perpendicular surfaces (front surface 65A, outer surface 65B, upper surface 65C) in the front-to-rear, left-to-right and up-to-down directions, which are in surface contact with three mutually perpendicular surfaces (rear end surface 52D, inner surface 52B, lower surface 52E) of the rear end corner of the corresponding side member 52, thereby easily, accurately and uniquely setting each of the mounting positions in the front-to-rear, left-to-right and up-to-down directions with respect to the corresponding side member 52.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 4, the side piece 64B of each rear bearing retaining block 64 has a bearing chamber 64D that opens inward, and retains a ball bearing (bearing portion) 78 that is fitted into the bearing chamber 64D.

[0052] Here, "toward the inside" refers to the direction in which the side piece portions 64B of each rear bearing retaining block 64 move away from the side adjacent to the side member 52, and the direction in which the side piece portions 64B of the pair of left and right rear bearing retaining blocks 64 face each other.

[0053] A rear roller 90 is disposed between the pair of left and right rear bearing retaining blocks 64. The rear roller 90 has a rotation axis (center axis) extending in a direction transverse to the left and right direction of the sheet plate 44, and has a roller main body 92 and bearing engagement shaft portions 94 provided integrally with the roller main body 92 on both left and right ends of the roller main body 92 in the direction of the rotation axis.

[0054] 4, the roller body 92 has contact portions 92A formed at three locations equally spaced in the central axis direction, and a circumferential groove 92B formed between adjacent contact portions 92A. Each contact portion 92A contacts the upper surface 44E of the sheet plate 44. The circumferential grooves 92B are provided at two locations equally spaced in the central axis direction on the outer periphery of the roller body 92, and each defines a space having a concave groove cross-sectional shape.

[0055] The front roller 80 and the rear roller 90 have the same configuration. The front roller 80, including the roller body 82 and the bearing engagement shaft 84, is integrally molded by cutting or the like. The rear roller 90, including the roller body 92 and the bearing engagement shaft 94, is integrally molded by cutting or the like.

[0056] Each of the pair of ball bearings 78 provided in each rear bearing retaining block 64 supports a corresponding bearing engagement shaft portion 94 of a rear roller 90 for rotation about a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction.

[0057] Each circumferential groove 82B of the front roller 80 and each circumferential groove 92B of the rear roller 90 may be formed by cutting, and the entire front roller 80 having multiple circumferential grooves 82B and the entire rear roller 90 having multiple circumferential grooves 92B are each one part of one block. As a result, even if multiple circumferential grooves 82B, 92B are provided in each of the roller main body 82 and the roller main body 92, the number of assembly steps and parts for the front roller 80 and the rear roller 90 do not increase.

[0058] Furthermore, since the roller body 82 and the bearing engagement shaft 84, and the roller body 92 and the bearing engagement shaft 94 are each of integral structure, the assembly processes and number of parts for each of the front roller 80 and the rear roller 90 do not increase, and no assembly errors occur in each of the front roller 80 and the rear roller 90.

[0059] Even if the roller body 82 and the bearing engagement shaft 84, and the roller body 92 and the bearing engagement shaft 94 are each an integral structure, the pair of left and right front bearing retaining blocks 60 and rear bearing retaining blocks 64 are each separate from the left and right side members 52, so that assembly of the front roller 80 and the rear roller 90 to the left and right side members 52 is not difficult. The front roller 80 can be assembled by attaching the front bearing retaining blocks 60 to the left and right bearing engagement shafts 84 of the front roller 80, respectively, and assembling the assembly of the front roller 80 and the left and right front bearing retaining blocks 60 to the front ends of the left and right side members 52 with the screws 58. Similarly, the rear roller 90 can be assembled by attaching the rear bearing retaining blocks 64 to the left and right bearing engagement shafts 94 of the rear roller 90, respectively, and assembling the assembly of the rear roller 90 and the left and right rear bearing retaining blocks 64 to the rear ends of the left and right side members 52 with the screws 62.

[0060] The front roller 80 and the rear roller 90 are each rotatable around a rotation axis that extends parallel to each other, and are located in front of and behind the cross member 56, in other words, are provided in front of and behind the sheet storage chamber 70 in the moving direction of the movable table 50, forming a front-rear pair. In other words, the cross member 56 is located between the front roller 80 and the rear roller 90 with a gap therebetween in the front-rear direction.

[0061] High accuracy in the mounting positions of the front bearing retaining blocks 60 and the rear bearing retaining blocks 64 relative to the side members 52 increases the positional accuracy of the ball bearings 76, 78 relative to the side members 52, and therefore increases the positional accuracy of the front rollers 80 and the rear rollers 90 relative to the movable table 50. This allows the front rollers 80 and the rear rollers 90 to effectively act on the seat plate 44 as intended.

[0062] The seat storage chamber 70 accommodates a front roller 80, a rear roller 90 and the cross member 56.

[0063] The seat plate 44 has a front-to-rear length (longitudinal length) that is longer than the front-to-rear length (longitudinal length) between the portion fixed to the front end member 16 by the screw 46 and the portion fixed to the rear end member 18 by the screw 46, so that an excess portion is generated between the portion fixed to the front end member 16 and the portion fixed to the rear end member 18.

[0064] 2 and 5, the sheet plate 44, by setting the length as described above, generates a curved portion 45 in the sheet storage chamber 70, which is separated from the magnetic attraction of the magnetic sheet 25 and curved in an arc shape in a direction (upward) away from the base member 12. In other words, the sheet storage chamber 70 stores the curved portion 45, that is, a part of the sheet plate 44 is curved in a direction away from the base member 12, between the front roller 80 and the rear roller 90.

[0065] The curved portion 45 is generated in the above-mentioned excess portion of the sheet plate 44 by its own elasticity. The required elasticity of the sheet plate 44 is an elasticity suitable for the position where the curved portion 45 is generated to change in the front-rear direction of the sheet plate 44 in accordance with the front-rear direction of the movable table 50.

[0066] The cross member 56 has a mountain-shaped cross section that bulges in a direction away from the base member 12 .

[0067] The sheet plate 44 passes under the front roller 80 and the rear roller 90 in the front-to-rear direction, and under the flat upper wall portion 68A of the cover member 68 in the normal state, passes above the cross member 56 in the front-to-rear direction without contacting the cross member 56 due to the curved portion 45 in the normal state having a predetermined height.

[0068] 1 and 3, nipples 15 having air suction ports 13 are attached to two locations, one at the front and one at the back, of the left side member 24 of the upper cover 20. A negative pressure source (not shown) such as a suction pump is connected to the air suction port 13.

[0069] 3, the internal space 30 of the base member 12 communicates with the sheet storage chamber 70 through the space around the connecting portion 72 and the opening 28 at a position in the front-rear direction corresponding to the movable table 50. As a result, the peripheral space 69, the internal space 30, and the sheet storage chamber 70 are in a negative pressure state.

[0070] Particles generated by the movement of the movable table 50 are collected in the internal space 30 and the sheet storage chamber 70 because the internal space 30 and the sheet storage chamber 70 are in a negative pressure state, and are discharged to the outside through the air suction port 13 while being prevented from scattering from the sheet storage chamber 70 to the outside of the movable table 50.

[0071] The contact portion 82A of the roller body portion 82 of the front roller 80 and the contact portion 92A of the roller body portion 92 of the rear roller 90 each rollably contact the surface of the sheet plate 44 facing away from the base member 12, i.e., the upper surface 44E. The roller body portions 82, 92 only need to contact the sheet plate 44 with a slight pressing force. The positions at which the roller body portions 82 and 92 each contact the upper surface 44E of the sheet plate 44 are positions slightly biased toward the sheet storage chamber 70 in the front-rear direction from the position at which the sheet plate 44 is separated from the magnetic attraction with the magnetic sheet 25, as shown in FIG.

[0072] The sheet plate 44 abuts against the abutment parts 82A, 92A of the roller main bodies 82, 92 with a slight pressing force due to its own elastic deformation near the start and end positions where the curved part 45 occurs, thereby preventing the curved part 45 from being unnecessarily deformed due to vibration, etc. This stabilizes the shape of the curved part 45, and the sheet plate 44 is stably magnetically attracted to the magnetic sheet 25 in the parts other than the curved part 45, and the sheet plate 44 stably closes the opening 28.

[0073] The circumferential grooves 82B, 92B of the front roller 80 and the rear roller 90 form air passages that communicate between the inside of the sheet storage chamber 70 and the outside of the sheet storage chamber 70, i.e., the outer circumferential space 69, at the respective positions of the roller main bodies 82, 92.

[0074] This makes it difficult for the roller main bodies 82, 92 to become a barrier to the air flow in the front-rear direction, and inhibits the air flow from the outer circumferential space 69 into the sheet accommodating chamber 70 from being obstructed. As a result, the amount of air flowing from the outer circumferential space 69 into the sheet accommodating chamber 70 at each arrangement portion of the roller main bodies 82, 92 is increased compared to the case where the circumferential grooves 82B, 92B are not provided.

[0075] As a result, at each of the locations of the roller main bodies 82, 92, particles such as wear powder can be efficiently collected in the sheet storage chamber 70 by the air flow flowing from the outer circumferential space 69 into the sheet storage chamber 70.

[0076] 4, the front roller 80 and the rear roller 90 each have, between the roller main body 82, 92 and each bearing engagement shaft 84, 94, small diameter portions 86, 96 having an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the roller main body 82, 92, and large diameter portions 88, 98 having an outer diameter (large diameter) larger than the outer diameters of the small diameter portions 86, 96 and the bearing engagement shaft portions 84, 94, in this order from the roller main body 82, 92 side toward the bearing engagement shaft portions 84, 94. The large diameter portions 88, 98 have an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the bearing chambers 60D, 64D, and are located within the bearing chambers 60D, 64D.

[0077] This forms a labyrinth seal, which is a contactless seal, between the front roller 80 and the front bearing block 60 and between the rear roller 90 and the rear bearing block 64. This labyrinth seal prevents particles generated in the bearing chambers 60D, 64D from scattering outside the bearing chambers 60D, 64D. This prevents particles generated in the bearing chambers 60D, 64D from contaminating the areas where the front rollers 80 and the rear rollers 90 are disposed.

[0078] Although the specific embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in a wide range of ways.

[0079] For example, the number of circumferential grooves 82B, 92B provided on each of the roller body 82 and the roller body 92 is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more. The number of contact portions 82A, 92A is not limited to three, and may be two or more according to the number of circumferential grooves 82B, 92B. The number of contact portions 82A, 92A and circumferential grooves 82B, 92B may be determined according to the axial length of the roller body 82 and the roller body 92. The contact portions 82A, 92A and circumferential grooves 82B, 92B do not necessarily need to be provided at equal intervals in the axial direction. The driving device 36 of the movable table 50 is not limited to a ball screw type including a ball screw shaft 38 and a ball nut 40, and may be a linear actuator such as a linear motor.

[0080] The above-described embodiment is based on the assumption that the linear table device 10 is arranged horizontally. For example, if the linear table device 10 is arranged vertically, the extending direction of the rail member 14 is the up-down direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 10: Linear table device 12: Base material 13: Air intake 14: Rail parts 14A:Bottom wall 14B: Side wall 14C: Side wall 15: Nipple 16: Front end member 18: Rear end member 20: Top cover 22: Groove 24: Left side member 24A:Vertical piece 24B: Horizontal piece 25: Magnetic sheet (magnetic part) 26: Right side member 26A:Vertical piece 26B: Horizontal piece 28 :Aperture 30: Interior space 32: Linear ball bearing 34: Slider 36: Drive unit 38: Ball screw shaft 40: Ball nut (moving part) 44: Sheet plate 44A: End 44B: End 44C: Side edge 44E:Top surface 45: Curved section 46: Screw 50: Movable table 52: Side member 52A: Front end surface 52B: Inner surface 52C: Bottom surface 52D: Rear end surface 52E: Bottom surface 53: Hook-shaped notch 55: Hook-shaped notch 56: Cross member 56A:Top surface 56B: Inclined surface 56C: Inclined surface 58: Screw 60: Front bearing retaining block (bearing part) 60A: End piece 60B: Side piece 60C: Convex 60D: Bearing chamber 61A: Rear 61B:Outer surface 61C:Top surface 62: Screw 64: Rear bearing retaining block (bearing part) 64A: End piece 64B: Side piece 64C: Convex 64D: Bearing chamber 65A:Front 65B:Outer surface 65C:Top surface 66: Screw 68: Cover member 68A: Upper wall part 69: Peripheral space 70:Sheet Storage Room 72:Connection part 72A: Neck 74: Mounting seat 76: Ball bearing (bearing part) 78: Ball bearing (bearing part) 80: Front roller 82: Roller body 82A: Contact part 82B: Peripheral groove 84: Bearing engagement shaft 86: Small diameter part 88: Large diameter section 90: Rear roller 92: Roller body 92A: Contact part 92B: Peripheral groove 94: Bearing engagement shaft 96: Small diameter part 98: Large diameter section

Claims

[Claim 1] A base member having a groove extending along one axial direction; a driving device having a movable part that is provided in the groove and moves along the axial direction; a band-shaped sheet plate extending along the axial direction so as to close the opening of the recessed groove and having both ends fixed to the base member; a movable table connected to the movable portion and movable on the sheet plate, The movable table is a sheet storage chamber that stores the sheet plate in a state in which a portion of the sheet plate is curved in a direction away from the base member; a pair of rollers provided at the front and rear of the sheet storage chamber in the moving direction of the movable table; Each of the rollers is rotatably provided around a rotation axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction and across the sheet plate, and has a roller body portion including a plurality of abutment portions abutting against a surface of the sheet plate facing away from the base member and at least one circumferential groove formed on an outer periphery between adjacent abutment portions, and a bearing engagement shaft portion integrally provided with the roller body portion at both ends in the rotation axis direction of the roller body portion, the movable table further includes a bearing chamber and a bearing portion provided in the bearing chamber and rotatably supporting the bearing engagement shaft portion, Each of the rollers further includes a large diameter portion between the roller body and the bearing engagement shaft portion, the large diameter portion being larger than the bearing engagement shaft portion and located within the bearing chamber, A linear table device in which the large diameter portion, the bearing engagement shaft portion, and the movable table cooperate to form a labyrinth seal between the large diameter portion and the inner surface of the bearing chamber in a portion where the gap is narrower than in other portions.

Images