Linear motion guide device

Abstract

The present invention provides a linear motion guide device that can maintain contact between the lubricant supply member and the rail-side track surface, and stably supply lubricant to the rail-side track surface, even when the lubricant supply member shrinks due to oil release. [Solution] The linear motion guide device is attached to the axial end of the slider and includes a case that houses a U-shaped lubricant supply member impregnated with lubricant, and presses the lubricant supply member into contact with a pair of rail-side track surfaces. The sleeve portion of the lubricant supply member has a notch that extends from the side adjacent to the side of the guide rail in a direction away from the guide rail, and the case has an upper contact portion that abuts against the upper inner surface of the notch and a lower contact portion that abuts against the lower inner surface of the notch, which are arranged within the notch.

Description

Technical Field

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[0006]

[0001] The present invention relates to a linear guide device provided with a lubrication unit.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a linear guide device includes a guide rail extending in the axial direction and a slider straddling the guide rail so as to be relatively movable, and a plurality of rolling elements circulating between rolling element rolling grooves formed in the guide rail and the slider, and the slider relatively moves axially on the guide rail. In order to stably use the linear guide device over a long period of time, it is important to supply a sufficient amount of lubricant to the rolling element rolling grooves and the rolling elements to maintain a good lubricated state.

[0003] Therefore, a linear guide device has been developed in which a porous lubricant supply member containing a lubricant is housed in a case and attached to an end of a slider, and the lubricant is supplied from the lubricant supply member that contacts the rolling element rolling groove of the guide rail.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a linear guide bearing device including a lubricant supply member attached to an axial end of a slider straddling a guide rail, slidingly contacting a rail-side raceway surface of the guide rail to supply a lubricant, and a case housing the outer peripheral portion of the lubricant supply member, and an annular pressing member provided on the case applies a biasing force to the lubricant supply member so as to contact the rail-side raceway surface of the guide rail.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a linear guide in which ring-shaped pressing members provided on both the left and right sides in a case are fitted into recesses recessed inward in the left and right directions at both left and right end portions of a lubricant supply member, thereby pressing the edge portions of the recesses in the vertical direction.

[0006] Patent Document 3 discloses a linear guide unit in which protruding portions protruding outward in the width direction are provided on both left and right side surfaces of a lubricant supply member, and the lubricant supply member presses a bulging portion protruding inward toward the guide rail side by pressing the side surfaces of the case. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-207497 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-040389 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-093941 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Patent Document 1 relates to a lubricant supply member for a roller guide, and aims to maintain contact between the sleeves of the lubricant supply member and the rail-side track surface by pressing the upper center of the lubricant supply member outwards to the left and right with a pressing member, thereby deforming a pair of sleeves of the lubricant supply member inwards to the left and right toward the guide rail. However, the lubricant supply member has the characteristic that its material strength decreases when the lubricant content exceeds 80%. Therefore, if the lubricant content of the lubricant supply member is increased to 85% or more in order to improve the lubricant supply capacity, the material rigidity of the lubricant supply member becomes insufficient. As a result, when the lubricant supply member is pressed only at the upper center of the case, the pressing force may not be transmitted to the sleeves of the lubricant supply member, and there is a risk of poor contact with the rail-side track surface.

[0009] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 aims to stabilize the contact state between the lubricant supply member and the rail-side track surface in the initial state and to maintain contact between the lubricant supply member, which has contracted after releasing oil, and the arc-shaped rail-side track surface by pressing recesses provided on both the left and right ends of the lubricant supply member in the vertical direction. However, Patent Document 2 is a technology relating to an arc-shaped rail-side track surface on which ball-shaped rolling elements roll. If this technology is applied directly to a straight-shaped rail-side track surface, it will contact the upper and lower track surfaces of the rail from the inside. Therefore, if the overlap on both sides increases due to the contraction of the lubricant supply member after releasing oil, both sides will be displaced away from the rail, and there is a risk that the effect of maintaining contact with the rail-side track surface for a long period of time will not be obtained.

[0010] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 relates to a pressing structure for a lubrication unit for a roller guide, and aims to stabilize contact with the rail track surface by pressing the protrusions on both sides of the lubrication unit against the inner wall surface of the case housing the lubricant supply member. However, because the protrusions on both sides of the lubricant supply member are pressed against the case further out, when the outer width dimension of the lubricant supply member decreases due to oil release shrinkage, a gap is created between the protrusions on both sides of the lubricant supply member and the case, resulting in a loss of pressing force. Also, if the initial compression is increased to an extreme degree to maintain contact even after the lubricant supply member has shrunk, the force pressing the lubricant supply member from the case and the rail track surface is directed in a direction that presses the lubricant supply member against the rail track surface, so the lubricant supply member may act as if it is sandwiching the rail from both sides, potentially increasing friction. In addition, if the lubricant supply member is held with a large initial compression, stress relaxation may occur over time, causing the strain to disappear. A problem arose where, as stress relaxation occurred, the clamping force decreased over time, potentially leading to insufficient compressive force and a failure to supply lubricating oil.

[0011] The present invention has been made in view of the aforementioned problems, and its objective is to provide a linear motion guide device that can stabilize the contact between the rail-side track surface and the lubricant supply member over a long period of time, and efficiently and continuously supply the lubricant impregnated in the lubricant supply member to the rail-side track surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] To solve the above problems, the linear motion guide device of the present invention is A guide rail having a pair of upper and lower rail-side track surfaces aligned longitudinally on both the left and right sides, A slider having rolling elements that slidably engage with the aforementioned guide rail so as to straddle it and roll along the pair of rail-side track surfaces, The slider is fitted to the axial end of the slider and houses a lubricant supply member that is impregnated with lubricant, and a case that presses the lubricant supply member so as to contact the pair of rail-side track surfaces, The lubricant supply member has a pair of sleeves facing each other on both sides of the guide rail, and a connecting portion connecting the upper ends of the sleeves. The sleeve portion has a notch that extends from the side adjacent to the side of the guide rail in a direction away from the guide rail, The linear motion guide device is characterized in that the case has an upper contact portion that abuts against the upper inner surface of the notch and a lower contact portion that abuts against the lower inner surface of the notch, both of which are arranged within the notch. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, even when the lubricant supply member shrinks due to oil release, it is possible to provide a linear motion guide device that can maintain contact between the lubricant supply member and the rail-side track surface and stably supply lubricant to the rail-side track surface. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a front view of the linear motion guide device according to this embodiment. [Figure 2]Figure 2 is a side view of the linear guide device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a front view showing a case in which a lubricant supply member according to the first embodiment is housed. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a front view of the case. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an enlarged view showing a side portion of a lubrication unit to which a guide rail is assembled. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is an enlarged view showing part VI of Figure 5. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an enlarged view showing part VII of Figure 3. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of Figure 2, showing a state in which a case in which a lubricant supply member is housed is assembled to a guide rail. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 8 (excluding the case), exaggeratedly showing a deformation of the lubricant supply member. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 8, showing a state in which a case in which a lubricant supply member before oil discharge contraction is housed is assembled to the linear guide device. It shows the state after the oil discharge contraction of the lubricant supply member 50. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 8, showing a state in which a case in which a lubricant supply member after oil discharge contraction is housed is assembled to the linear guide device. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is an enlarged view showing a part on the right side of Figure 11. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a front view of a lubricant supply member showing an analyzed deformed state before oil discharge (immediately after assembly). [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a front view of a lubricant supply member showing an analyzed deformed state after oil discharge contraction. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a front view of a lubricant supply member showing an analyzed deformed state after oil discharge contraction. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view showing a lubricant supply member according to a comparative example together with a guide rail. [Figure 17]Figure 17 shows the FEM analysis results comparing the comparative example and the example. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a diagram corresponding to the cross-sectional view VIII-VIII in Figure 2, showing the case containing the lubricant supply member according to the second embodiment assembled to the linear motion guide device. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a front view of the lubricant supply member 50Z showing the analyzed deformation state before oil is dispensed (immediately after assembly). [Figure 20] Figure 20 is a front view of the lubricant supply member showing the analyzed deformation state after oil release and shrinkage. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Hereinafter, linear motion guide devices according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the vertical direction, width direction, and axial direction of the slider refer to the directions when the slider is assembled to a guide rail arranged with its longitudinal direction horizontal, and the slider is assumed to be above the guide rail. The width direction of the slider is the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guide rail and the vertical direction of the slider, and is also called the left-right direction. The axial direction of the slider is the direction along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail, and is also called the front-back direction. The plane passing through the axis of the guide rail and perpendicular to it is defined as the reference vertical plane VP, and the plane perpendicular to the reference vertical plane VP and passing through the center of the rail-side track surface pair 21 is defined as the reference horizontal plane HP.

[0016] (First Embodiment) The configuration of the linear motion guide device will be described based on Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a front view of the linear motion guide device according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a side view of the linear motion guide device according to this embodiment. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the linear motion guide device 10 of the first embodiment includes a guide rail 20 and a slider 30 that is assembled to straddle the guide rail 20 and engages with it slidably via a plurality of rolling elements (rollers).

[0017] The guide rail 20 is made of metal, and on both its left and right sides, trapezoidal recesses are formed inwards to the left and right, thereby forming pairs of straight rail-side track surfaces 21 that extend along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 20. Each pair of rail-side track surfaces 21 has a straight upper rail-side track surface 21a and a straight lower rail-side track surface 21b. The rail-side upper track surface 21a is formed to be obliquely downward at an acute angle with respect to the upper surface of the guide rail 20. The rail-side lower track surface 21b is formed to be obliquely upward at an acute angle with respect to the lower surface of the guide rail 20. In other words, the rail-side upper track surface 21a faces upward, and the rail-side lower track surface 21b faces downward.

[0018] The slider 30 consists of a slider body 31 having sleeve portions 35 on both the left and right sides of the guide rail 20, end caps 32 attached to both axial ends of the slider body 31, and lubrication units 33 attached to the axial ends of each end cap 32.

[0019] On the inner surface of each sleeve portion 35 of the slider body 31, a slider-side upper track surface 34a is formed along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 20, facing the rail-side upper track surface 21a of the guide rail 20, and a slider-side lower track surface 34b is formed facing the rail-side lower track surface 21b of the guide rail 20. The rail-side upper track surface 21a and the slider-side upper track surface 34a constitute a load rolling path, and the rail-side lower track surface 21b and the slider-side lower track surface 34b constitute a load rolling path. The slider body 31 has two rolling element return paths 36a and 36b on each of its sleeve portions 35. The rolling element return paths 36a and 36b each pass through the thickened portion of each sleeve portion 35 in the axial direction of the guide rail 20.

[0020] The end cap 32 is formed in a roughly U-shape and has a curved path (not shown) that connects the slider-side raceway surface of the slider body 31 with the rolling element return path. The space formed by the rail-side upper raceway surface 21a and the slider-side upper raceway surface 34a, the space formed by the rail-side lower raceway surface 21b and the slider-side lower raceway surface 34b, the rolling element return paths 36a and 36b, and the curved paths formed within both ends form a rolling element circulation path. Multiple rolling elements, which are rollers, and retaining pieces (not shown) that hold multiple rolling elements at roughly equal intervals are arranged alternately within the rolling element circulation path.

[0021] The lubrication unit 33 comprises a case 40 made of synthetic resin, a lubricant supply member 50 (see Figure 3) housed inside the case 40, and a roughly U-shaped side seal 60 that matches the outer shape of the end cap 32.

[0022] Next, the specific configuration of the lubricant supply member 50 and the case 40 that constitute the lubrication unit 33 will be described based on Figures 3 to 7. Figure 3 is a front view showing the case 40 in which the lubricant supply member 50 is housed. Figure 4 is a front view of the case 40. Figure 5 is an enlarged view showing the right side of the lubrication unit 33 to which the guide rail is assembled. Figure 6 is an enlarged view of part VI in Figure 5. Figure 7 is an enlarged view showing part VII in Figure 3.

[0023] (Lubricant supply member 50) The lubricant supply member 50 contains a lubricant such as lubricating oil or grease. Examples of the lubricant supply member 50 include molded bodies made of oil-impregnated materials such as oil-impregnated resin or oil-impregnated rubber. Specifically, these include molded bodies formed by molding a mixture of lubricant and rubber, or molded bodies of resin or rubber impregnated with lubricant. The type of resin is not particularly limited, but examples include polyurethane, polyethylene, and polypropylene. Another example of the lubricant supply member 50 is a porous member made of a porous material impregnated with lubricant. Examples of porous materials include porous materials made of polyolefin and fiber entanglements. The type of polyolefin is not particularly limited, but examples include polyethylene and polypropylene. Similarly, the type of fiber entanglement is not particularly limited, but examples include wool felt, polyester fiber entanglements, polyamide fiber entanglements, and acrylic fiber entanglements. The type of lubricant supplied by the lubricant supply member 50 is not particularly limited, but general lubricating oils such as mineral oil and synthetic oil, or general lubricating grease can be used. As a result, the lubricant supply member 50 is made of a material that is highly impregnated with lubricant and is easily elastically deformable.

[0024] The lubricant supply member 50 has a pair of left and right sleeve portions 50A extending in the vertical direction, and a connecting portion 50B connecting the upper ends of the sleeve portions 50A. It is symmetrical with respect to the vertical reference plane VP (Figure 1) and is formed in a substantially U-shape facing the upper surface and both sides of the guide rail 20.

[0025] The connection portion 50B of the lubricant supply member 50 has a first recess 51 formed in the center of the left-right direction of the upper edge of the connection portion 50B, and a pair of second recesses 52, 52 arranged on the left and right outer sides of the first recess 51, which are recessed in an arc shape in the direction of the upper edge of the connection portion 50B. The first recess 51 has a bottom portion 51a which forms a recessed surface, and a pair of edges 51b, 51b that rise vertically from the bottom portion 51a. In the illustrated example, the first recess 51 has a greater vertical depth than the second recesses 52, 52.

[0026] The sleeve portion 50A of the lubricant supply member 50 has protruding portions 55, 55 that project in a trapezoidal shape from the left and right inner sides toward the side surface of the guide rail 20, third recesses 56, 56 formed by cutting out the left and right outer surfaces of the sleeve portion 50A toward the left and right inner sides toward the guide rail 20, notches 57, 57 formed by cutting out the left and right inner surfaces of the sleeve portion 50A toward the direction away from the guide rail 20, and mounting holes 59, 59 positioned above the third recesses 56.

[0027] Each protruding portion 55 has a first contact portion 55A that abuts against the upper track surface 21a on the rail side, a second contact portion 55B that abuts against the lower track surface 21b on the rail side, and a vertical portion 55C that connects the ends of the first contact portion 55A and the second contact portion 55B and is parallel to the reference vertical plane VP. The first contact portion 55A is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the upper part of the protruding portion 55 toward the left and right inward, and is a contact surface that faces the rail-side upper track surface 21a of the guide rail 20 and makes surface contact with the rail-side upper track surface 21a. The second contact portion 55B is an inclined surface that slopes upward from the lower part of the protruding portion 55 toward the left and right inward, and is a contact surface that faces the rail-side lower track surface 21b of the guide rail 20 and makes surface contact with the rail-side lower track surface 21b. The lubricant supply member 50 supplies lubricant to the rail-side track surface 21 via the protruding portion 55.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the first contact portion 55A and the second contact portion 55B are formed in a straight line corresponding to the opposing rail-side track surface pair 21. The first contact portion 55A and the second contact portion 55B may have a straight contact portion that contacts the rail-side track surface 21 and chamfered portions provided on both edges of the contact portion. The length of the linear contact portion is preferably set to approximately 50-80% of the diameter of the rolling element used. Furthermore, the inclination of the chamfered portion relative to the linear contact portion is preferably set to approximately 5-15°.

[0029] As a result, when the protruding portion 55 of the lubricant supply member 50 engages with the side surface of the guide rail 20, the entire linear contact portion is more likely to come into contact with the rail-side track surface 21 with a predetermined or greater overlap. The first contact portion 55A, when the protruding portion 55 is pressed towards the guide rail 20, comes into contact with most of the upper track surface 21a on the rail side, allowing lubricant to be supplied evenly across the entire upper track surface 21a on the rail side. Similarly, the second contact portion 55B, when the protruding portion 55 is pressed towards the guide rail 20, comes into contact with most of the lower track surface 21b on the rail side, allowing lubricant to be supplied evenly across the entire lower track surface 21b on the rail side. This ensures that lubricant is supplied uniformly to the rail-side track surface 21, thereby maintaining a proper lubrication state of the rail-side track surface 21 over a long period of time. The first contact portion 55A and the second contact portion 55B may be in the shape of a gentle arc that protrudes toward the rail-side track surface 21.

[0030] Each third recess 56 has a bottom portion 56a which is a recessed surface extending in the vertical direction, and a pair of side portions 56b which extend outward to the left and right from the upper and lower ends of the bottom portion 56a.

[0031] Each notch 57 that penetrates the lubricant supply member 50 in the thickness direction has a substantially rectangular opening 57a formed adjacent to the third recess 56, and a slit 57b that horizontally connects the central part of the opening 57a and the central part of the vertical part 55C. The vertical dimension of the opening 57a (the distance between the upper end inner surface and the lower end inner surface of the opening 57a) is greater than the width of the slit 57b, preferably three times or more. The upper and lower sides of the opening 57a are preferably parallel to the upper and lower surfaces of the guide rail 20, and the left and right sides are preferably parallel to the vertical part 55C.

[0032] Each mounting hole 59 penetrates the lubricant supply member 50 in the thickness direction and has a roughly D-shape with its upper end horizontal when viewed in the axial direction.

[0033] (Case 40) The case 40 is manufactured by injection molding of a hard resin such as polyacetal or polyamide, and is formed in a roughly U-shape that is roughly the same size as the end cap 32. The case 40 may also be manufactured from a metal material such as steel or aluminum by machining or press forming.

[0034] In Figure 4, the case 40 has an outer peripheral wall 41 that covers the outer periphery of the lubricant supply member 50 and an inner wall 42 that covers one axial end of the lubricant supply member 50 to be housed, forming a housing portion 43 which is a roughly U-shaped space into which the lubricant supply member 50 is fitted and housed, and has a symmetrical shape with respect to the vertical reference plane VP (Figure 1).

[0035] The outer peripheral wall 41 is formed in a substantially U-shape, covering the upper surface, both outer sides, and lower end surface of the lubricant supply member 50. The outer peripheral wall 41 has a rectangular first mounting portion 45 located on the inner side of the center of the upper edge, and a pair of fourth mounting portions 48, 48 located on the inner sides of both the left and right edges. The inner wall 42 has a pair of second mounting portions 46, 46 located on both the left and right sides of the first mounting portion 45, a pair of third mounting portions 47, 47 located below the second mounting portions 46, 46, and a pair of fifth mounting portions 49, 49 located between the second mounting portions 46, 46 and the third mounting portions 47, 47.

[0036] The first mounting portion 45 is a short columnar member extending in the axial direction and is housed in a first recess 51 formed in the connection portion 50B of the lubricant supply member 50. The first mounting portion 45 has an insertion hole 45a formed along the axial direction through which a grease nipple or the like (not shown) is inserted. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, no overlap is provided between the left and right sides of the first mounting portion 45 and the edges 51b, 51b of the first recess 51 so that the sleeve portion 50A of the lubricant supply member 50 does not change its orientation relative to the case 40. However, depending on the application, overlap may be provided between the first mounting portion 45 and the first recess 51.

[0037] In this embodiment, it is desirable to provide a horizontal gap between the edge 51b of the first recess 51 and the first mounting portion 45 so as not to hinder the sleeve portion 50A from approaching the guide rail 20 due to contraction when the lubricant supply member 50 contracts.

[0038] The pair of second mounting portions 46, 46 are short, cylindrical members extending in the axial direction, and are positioned within the second recesses 52, 52 of the lubricant supply member 50. The second mounting portions 46 have through holes 46a formed along the axial direction through which fasteners (not shown) for fixing the case 40 to the end cap 32 or the like are inserted. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the second mounting portion 46 is formed so as not to contact the second recess 52.

[0039] Each third mounting portion 47 has a hollow cylindrical member 47a extending in the axial direction, an upper raised portion (also called an upper contact portion) 47b positioned above the hollow cylindrical member 47a, and a lower raised portion (also called a lower contact portion) 47c positioned below the hollow cylindrical member 47a, spaced apart from each other. Preferably, the upper outer surface of the upper raised portion 47b is part of the cylindrical outer surface with a radius of curvature R1 (Figure 6), and the lower outer surface of the lower raised portion 47c is part of the cylindrical outer surface with a radius of curvature R2 (Figure 6). More preferably, R1 = R2. Each third mounting portion 47 is inserted into the opening 57a of the notch 57 of the lubricant supply member 50. The opening 57a is made as wide as possible to prevent unintended interference between the lubricant supply member 50 and the case 40 due to deformation caused by contraction and the overlap with the case 40.

[0040] In Figure 5, the ratio of the distance L1 from the horizontal center O of the sleeve portion 50A to the apex P3 of the downward-rising portion 47c and the horizontal distance L3 from the apex P3 to the center P4 of the first contact portion 55A (and the center P5 of the second contact portion 55B) is preferably L3 > L1, as this allows for a greater approach to the track surface side relative to the contraction of the portion extending vertically outside the rail side opening. As a guideline, it is desirable to have L1 × 1 to 1.5 = L3. Here, L3 = L1 × 1.2.

[0041] Furthermore, the distances L2 and L3 from the center P4 of the first contact portion 55A (and the center P5 of the second contact portion 55B) to the apex P2 of the upper raised portion 47b and the apex P3 of the lower raised portion 47c should be approximately ±30% of 10% of the guide rail width. For example, if the guide rail width is approximately 35 mm, the distances should be approximately 2.4 to 4.6 mm. The apex P2 constitutes the first contact point, and the apex P3 constitutes the second contact point. Note that when referring to a "contact point," it means the point of contact when the objects are in point contact, and the midpoint of the line or surface when the objects are in line contact or surface contact. However, the distances L1 to L3, which are the left-right positions of the pressing parts of the openings on the sides of the rail, and the distances LR1 from the horizontal reference plane HP to the upper inner surface of the opening 57a and LR2 to the lower inner surface of the opening 57a, may be changed as appropriate depending on the purpose, such as adjusting the contact state with the track surface before and after contraction, and balancing the contact load with the upper and lower track surfaces.

[0042] In Figure 6, the vertex P2 on the upper outer surface of the upper protrusion 47b is shifted by a distance δ toward the guide rail relative to the vertex P3 on the upper outer surface of the lower protrusion 47c. In other words, the distance from the vertical reference plane VP (Figure 1) to the vertex P2 is smaller than the distance from the vertical reference plane VP to the vertex P3 (δ = L3 - L2). The vertex P2 is positioned below the guide rail 20 from the first contact portion 55A.

[0043] In this embodiment, the vertex P2 of the upper outer surface of the upper raised portion 47b is offset inward from the vertex P3 of the upper outer surface of the lower raised portion 47c by approximately 3% of the guide rail width (δ = approximately 1 mm for a guide rail width of approximately 35 mm). However, the horizontal positions of the vertex P2 on the upper outer surface of the upper raised portion 47b and the vertex P3 on the upper outer surface of the lower raised portion 47c may be changed as appropriate depending on the purpose, such as adjusting the contact state with the raceway surface before and after contraction, or balancing the contact load with the upper and lower raceway surfaces.

[0044] The apex P2 of the upper outer surface of the upper protrusion 47b comes into contact with the upper inner surface of the opening 57a, causing the upper inner surface of the opening 57a to elastically deform upward. Similarly, the apex P3 of the upper outer surface of the lower protrusion 47c comes into contact with the lower inner surface of the opening 57a, causing the lower inner surface of the opening 57a to elastically deform downward.

[0045] Each hollow cylindrical member 47a has an insertion hole 47d formed along the axial direction through which a fastener (not shown) for fixing the case 40 to an end cap 32 or the like is inserted.

[0046] Each of the fourth mounting portions 48 is housed in a third recess 56 formed in the sleeve portion 50A of the lubricant supply member 50, such that it does not come into contact with the third recess 56.

[0047] Each fifth mounting portion 49 is a cylindrical member extending in the axial direction and is housed in a mounting hole 59 of the lubricant supply member 50. In Figure 5, the upper outer surface of the fifth mounting portion 49 is curved, and its vertex P1 abuts against the upper inner surface of the mounting hole 59, causing the mounting hole 59 to deform. The vertex P1 constitutes a third contact point that is shifted horizontally outward relative to the first and second contact points.

[0048] The inner wall 42 covers the axial end face of the lubricant supply member 50 housed in the case 40, on the end cap 32 side. The inner wall 42 is connected to an axially extending first mounting portion 45, a pair of second mounting portions 46, 46, a pair of third mounting portions 47, 47, a pair of fourth mounting portions 48, 48, and a pair of fifth mounting portions 49, 49, and positions the lubricant supply member 50 housed in the housing portion 43.

[0049] The case 40 can house the lubricant supply member 50 in the housing section 43 with the protruding portion 55 on the inside of the sleeve portion 50A of the lubricant supply member 50 facing the guide rail 20 side exposed.

[0050] Furthermore, in order to prevent interference between the upper surface of the guide rail 20 and the lubricant supply member 50, a gap is designed to be provided between them, and this gap is maintained even when the lubricant supply member 50 is assembled to the case 40. However, depending on the purpose, such as supplying lubricant to the upper surface of the rail, the lubricant supply member 50 may be in contact with the upper surface of the guide rail 20 when assembled to the case 40. In addition, the design dimensions may be appropriately modified, such as by providing zero-touch (a state in which the contact parts only make contact with almost no reaction force, the same applies hereinafter) or by providing a buffer.

[0051] The lower side surface c1 of the lubricant supply member 50 is in contact with the lower inner surface of the outer peripheral wall 41 of the case 40. In this example, the overlap at the contact point between the two is set to zero. However, if it is desired to increase the pressing force against the rail track surface, an overlap may be added to the contact point, or conversely, a gap may be provided to reduce friction.

[0052] Referring to Figure 5, when the lubricant supply member 50 is assembled to the case 40, the upper outer surface of the fifth mounting portion 49 and the upper inner surface of the mounting hole 59 interfere with each other, causing a deformation force F1 to be generated in the lubricant supply member 50 in an upward direction parallel to the reference vertical plane VP from the third mounting portion 47. The same is true on the opposite side of the guide rail 20.

[0053] The amount of vertical displacement between the upper inner surface of the mounting hole 59 and the upper outer surface of the fifth mounting portion 49 in the free state (a state where no external force is applied) of the lubricant supply member 50 at the mounting position is defined as the interference fit b1. The deformation force F1 changes according to the interference fit b1.

[0054] The mounting hole 59 is D-shaped, with a straight section on its upper inner surface and a curved surface on its lower inner surface. This minimizes the change in the tightening allowance b1 even if horizontal dimensional errors occur due to oil release and shrinkage of the lubricant supply member 50 during storage. However, this straight section does not have to be horizontal; it may be sloped so that the outer side (far side of the guide rail) or inner side (near side of the guide rail) is lower, or it may be provided vertically on the inside or outside of the pressing point. Furthermore, the mounting hole 59 is not D-shaped; it may be circular or another shape.

[0055] Furthermore, when the lubricant supply member 50 is assembled to the case 40, the upper outer surface of the upper protrusion 47b and the upper inner surface of the opening 57a interfere with each other, thereby generating a deformation force F2 on the lubricant supply member 50 in an upward direction parallel to the reference vertical plane VP from the upper protrusion 47b. Similarly, the upper outer surface of the lower protrusion 47c and the lower inner surface of the opening 57a interfere with each other, thereby generating a deformation force F3 on the lubricant supply member 50 in a downward direction parallel to the reference vertical plane VP from the lower protrusion 47c. The same applies on the opposite side of the guide rail.

[0056] The amount of vertical displacement between the upper inner surface of the opening 57a and the upper outer surface of the upper protrusion 47b in the free state (a state where no external force is applied) of the lubricant supply member 50 at the mounting position is defined as the interference fit b2. The deformation force F2 changes according to the interference fit b2. Furthermore, the amount of vertical displacement between the lower end inner surface of the opening 57a and the lower end outer surface of the downward protrusion 47c in the free state (state where no external force is applied) of the lubricant supply member 50 at the mounting position is defined as the interference fit b3. The deformation force F3 changes according to the interference fit b3. If the interference fit b2 and the interference fit b3 are equal, the deformation force F2 and the deformation force F3 are approximately equal.

[0057] The radius of curvature R1 (Figure 6) of the upper outer surface of the upper raised portion 47b and the radius of curvature R2 (Figure 6) of the lower outer surface of the lower raised portion 47c should be approximately ±20% of 10% of the guide rail width of the guide rail 20 (3.5 mm if the guide rail width is approximately 35 mm). For example, if the guide rail width is approximately 35 mm, the radius should be approximately 2.8 to 4.2 mm. However, the sizes of the radii of curvature R1 and R2 may be larger or smaller than the above values, such as 2 to 0.5 times 10% of the guide rail width.

[0058] The tightening allowances b1 to b3 should be approximately 1% of the size of the linear motion guide device, i.e., the dimension corresponding to the guide rail width. For example, if the guide rail width is approximately 35 mm, the standard value should be 0.35 mm, and the range should be approximately ±20% from there, i.e., 0.28 to 0.42 mm. However, to further stabilize contact with the rail track surface, the tightening allowances b2 and b3 can be increased to increase the pressing force against the rail track surface, or conversely, they can be decreased to reduce friction. Depending on the purpose, the values ​​may be adjusted from the above values. In this example, b2 = b3, but different tightening allowances may be used to adjust the pressing force against the upper and lower running surfaces.

[0059] In this embodiment, a tightening allowance is provided between the mounting hole 59 and the fifth mounting portion 49, and between the opening 57a and the upper raised portion 47b and the lower raised portion 47c. However, some or all of these locations may be combined as appropriate, such as being zero-touch or having a gap.

[0060] (Mechanism of Action and Effects) Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in Figure 2, showing the case 40 housing the lubricant supply member 50 assembled to the guide rail 20, schematically illustrating the forces acting on the lubricant supply member 50. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 8 (except for the case), exaggerating the deformation of the lubricant supply member 50.

[0061] In Figure 8, the vertices P1 of the pair of left and right fifth mounting portions 49 abut against the upper inner surface of the mounting hole 59, causing the fifth mounting portion 49 to elastically deform due to the overlap between them, generating an upward deformation force F1. As a result, the upper part of the lubricant supply member 50 deforms to be displaced upward, so that the first contact portion 55A is pressed toward the rail-side upper track surface 21a, and the lubricant contained in the lubricant supply member 50 can lubricate the rail-side upper track surface 21a. At this time, the first contact portion 55A receives a reaction force F4 from point P4 of the rail-side upper track surface 21a.

[0062] Furthermore, when the vertices P2 of the upper outer surfaces of the pair of left and right upper protrusions 47b abut against the upper inner surface of the opening 57a, the overlap between them causes the upper end of the opening 57a to elastically deform, generating an upward deformation force F2. On the other hand, when the vertices P3 of the upper outer surfaces of the pair of left and right lower protrusions 47c abut against the lower inner surface of the opening 57a, the overlap between them causes the lower end of the opening 57a to elastically deform, generating a downward deformation force F3.

[0063] Since the left and right deformation forces F2 and F3 are shifted in opposite directions horizontally, first, in Figure 8, the deformation forces F2 and F3 on the left side generate a counterclockwise torque, causing the lower left part of the lubricant supply member 50 to deform in the direction that opens the left slit portion 57b. As a result, the left second contact portion 55B is pressed toward the rail-side lower track surface 21b, and the lubricant contained in the lubricant supply member 50 can lubricate the rail-side lower track surface 21b. At this time, the second contact portion 55B receives a reaction force F5 from point P5 relative to the rail-side lower track surface 21b. At this time, the lower left portion of the lubricant supply member 50 is biased toward the side away from the guide rail 20, causing the lower side surface of the lubricant supply member 50 to be biased toward the lower right portion of the case 40, and a reaction force F6 toward the guide rail 20 is generated at the contact point P6. This suppresses rattling between the case 40 and the lubricant supply member 50. The contact point P6 constitutes a fourth contact point located below the apex P3.

[0064] Simultaneously, the deformation forces F2 and F3 on the right side in Figure 8 generate a clockwise torque, causing the lower right portion of the lubricant supply member 50 to deform in the direction that opens the slit portion 57b on the right side. As a result, the second contact portion 55B on the right side is pressed toward the lower track surface 21b on the rail side, and the lubricant contained in the lubricant supply member 50 can lubricate the lower track surface 21b on the rail side. At this time, the second contact portion 55B receives a reaction force F5 from point P5 toward the lower track surface 21b on the rail side. At this time, the lower right portion of the lubricant supply member 50 is biased toward the side away from the guide rail 20, causing the lower side surface of the lubricant supply member 50 to be biased toward the lower right portion of the case 40, and a reaction force F6 toward the guide rail 20 is generated at the contact point P6. This suppresses rattling between the case 40 and the lubricant supply member 50.

[0065] Figures 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views similar to Figure 8, showing the case 40 housing the lubricant supply member 50 assembled to the linear motion guide device 10. Figure 10 schematically shows the tightening allowance of each part immediately after assembly, and Figure 11 schematically shows the tightening allowance of each part after a predetermined time has elapsed and oil has been released and contracted. Figure 12 shows the right side of Figure 11 and shows the state of the lubricant supply member 50 after oil has been released and contracted. The operation will be shown below for the right side of the figures, but the same applies to the left side.

[0066] In Figure 10, the interference fit between the upper inner surface of the mounting hole 59 and the upper outer surface of the fifth mounting portion 49 is defined as b1, the interference fit between the upper inner surface of the opening 57a and the upper outer surface of the upper raised portion 47b is defined as b2, and the interference fit between the lower inner surface of the opening 57a and the lower outer surface of the lower raised portion 47c is defined as b3. With the lubricant supply member 50 set in the case 40, deformation forces F1 to F3 act on the vertices P1 to P3, causing the lubricant supply member 50 to deform so that the slit portion 57b is pushed open in the vertical direction. This opening causes the lubricant supply member 50 to receive a force in the direction that moves it closer to the rail-side track surface 21a and 21b, resulting in interference with the guide rail 20. At this time, a force acts on the lubricant supply member 50 in the direction that presses it against the guide rail 20, according to the overlap b1 to b3, and the contact portions 55A and 55B come into contact with the rail-side track surface 21a and 21b.

[0067] On the other hand, after the oil release contraction shown in Figure 11, the lubricant supply member 50 contracts, so the interference fit between the upper inner surface of the opening 57a and the upper outer surface of the upper raised portion 47b becomes b2', and the interference fit between the lower inner surface of the opening 57a and the lower outer surface of the lower raised portion 47c becomes b3', and the interference fit increases due to contraction, resulting in b2 in each case. <b2’、b3<b3’となる。

[0068] At this time, the portion of the lubricant supply member 50 between the opening 57a and the third recess 56 contracts vertically (arrows A and B). First, the upper inner surface of the opening 57a contacts the upper ridge 47b at its apex P2, and using apex P2 as a fulcrum, the upper part of the slit portion 57b deforms upward (arrow C). Simultaneously, the lower inner surface of the opening 57a contacts the lower ridge 47c at its apex P3, and using apex P3 as a fulcrum, the lower part of the slit portion 57b deforms downward (arrow D). In other words, the lubricant supply member 50 contracts and deforms in the direction that opens the slit portion 57b.

[0069] Furthermore, the overlap at the apex P1 relative to the mounting hole 59 increases from b1 to b1' (>b1) due to the deformation caused by the oil release. Also, when the lubricant supply member 50 shrinks due to the oil release, the portion of the lubricant supply member 50 between the mounting hole 59 and the opening 57a tends to shrink upward as oil is released, as shown by arrow E in Figure 12. At this time, the lower end of the opening 57a is constrained downward by the lower raised portion 47c, which is offset towards the guide rail from the mounting hole 59. As a result, the lubricant supply member 50 shrinks while the opening 57a is constrained by the upper raised portion 47b and the lower raised portion 47c, causing the second contact portion 55B of the lubricant supply member 50 to press against the lower track surface 21b on the rail side. This deformation state is shown by a dashed line in Figure 12, assuming that there is no constraint by the case 40. Furthermore, since the apex P1 is located above the rail-side upper track surface 21a, the contraction of the portion located between the lubricant supply member 50 and the first contact portion 55A (upper part of arrow E) can act to press the first contact portion 55A against the rail-side upper track surface 21a.

[0070] In this embodiment, the deformation of the lubricant supply member 50 after oil release and contraction is constrained by the case 40. More specifically, the lower side surface c1 of the lubricant supply member 50 is in contact with the lower inner surface of the outer peripheral wall 41 of the case 40, thereby preventing the lower side surface c1 from being displaced away from the guide rail 20.

[0071] Here, we will explain the effect of keeping the lower side surface c1 of the lubricant supply member 50 in contact with the lower inner surface (contact point P6) of the outer peripheral wall 41 of the case 40. If there is no contact with contact point P6, the lower end surface of the opening 57a of the lubricant supply member 50 will be inclined so that the side away from the guide rail 20 is higher, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 12, and a horizontal component force F3+ will be generated at the contact point with the downward raised portion 47c, displacing the lubricant supply member 50 outward.

[0072] Due to this horizontal force component F3+, the lower side surface c1 of the lubricant supply member 50 attempts to displace away from the guide rail 20. However, the force that attempts to displace the lower side surface c1 is restrained by the contact point P6 of the case 40, generating a reaction force F6. This reaction force F6 contributes as a force that presses the second contact portion against the lower track surface 21b on the rail side. Furthermore, as the oil discharge contraction progresses 55B, the inclination of the lower end surface of the opening 57a becomes steeper, and the force that attempts to displace the lower part of the lubricant supply member 50 away from the guide rail 20 increases. As a result, contact between the lower side surface c1 and the contact point P6 is maintained even after the oil discharge contraction.

[0073] According to this embodiment, since an opening 57a is provided near the rail-side track surfaces 21a and 21b in the initial state before oil is dispensed, the deformation caused by the contact between the upper raised portion 47b and the lower raised portion 47c is easily transmitted to the rail-side track surfaces 21a and 21b, and the contact can be stabilized. For this reason, stable track surface contact can be obtained even with a lubricant supply member 50 that has low material rigidity, such as one with an oil content exceeding 80%.

[0074] However, since the deformation forces F2 and F3 of the upper raised portion 47b and the lower raised portion 47c are not directed directly toward the rail-side track surface, the increase in friction can be suppressed.

[0075] The inner side surface of the lubricant supply member 50 is separated vertically by the notch 57, and with the upper and lower surfaces of the opening 57a pressed together, the outer portion of the opening 57a contracts when oil is released. As a result, when the lubricant supply member 50 contracts to release oil, it functions like a lever with the upper end surface (vertex P2) and lower end surface (vertex P3) of the opening 57a as fulcrums and the contact portions 55A and 55B as points of application, and a force is applied that presses the lubricant supply member 50 against the rail-side track surface 21a and 21b by utilizing the contraction to release oil.

[0076] Furthermore, when the lower end surface of the opening 57a of the lubricant supply member 50 is pressed upward, and the mounting hole 59 is pressed upward, the outer portion of the opening 57a contracts. As a result, when the lubricant supply member 50 contracts to release oil, it functions like a lever with the lower end (vertex P3) of the opening 57a as the fulcrum and the second contact portion 55B as the point of application. This generates a force that presses the guide rail 20 against the lower track surface 21b of the rail by utilizing the contraction of the lubricant supply member 50 to release oil.

[0077] Furthermore, since the horizontal pressing portion (vertex P1) on the upper end surface side of the mounting hole 59 is located above the rail-side upper track surface 21a, when the lubricant supply member 50 contracts to release oil, a force acts to press it against the rail-side upper track surface 21a. Also, since the sleeve portion 50A of the lubricant supply member 50 is connected by the central connecting portion 50B, when the lubricant supply member 50 contracts, it acts to bring the rail-side track surfaces 21a and 21b closer to the guide rail 20.

[0078] Even if the shape of the lubricant supply member 50 shrinks from the design value, the contact portions 55A and 55B of the lubricant supply member 50 act in a direction that moves closer to the guide rail 20. Therefore, even if the dimensions of the lubricant supply member 50 change due to variations in molding accuracy or shrinkage due to oil release during storage, contact with the rail-side track surfaces 21a and 21b can be maintained.

[0079] Even if the actual interference fit decreases due to stress relaxation over time, as the lubricant supply member 50 undergoes further oil release and shrinkage, the contact portions 55A and 55B of the lubricant supply member 50 deform in a direction that approaches the guide rail 20. Therefore, even after the lubricant supply member 50 has undergone oil release and shrinkage, the contact portions 55A and 55B maintain contact with both the upper track surface 21a and the lower track surface 21b on the rail side for a long period of time, ensuring reliable lubrication.

[0080] The above embodiment shows an example of a roller-type linear guide device using rollers as rolling elements, but it may also be applied to a ball-type linear guide device using balls as rolling elements, and similar effects can be obtained. When the present invention is applied to a ball-type linear guide device, the rail-side track surface becomes non-linear following the outer shape of the ball, so the first contact portion 55A and the second contact portion 55B have complementary shapes.

[0081] The inventors analyzed the deformation of the lubricant supply member 50 before and after lubrication using FEM (Finite Element Method). Figure 13 is a front view of the lubricant supply member 50 showing the analyzed deformation state before lubrication (immediately after assembly), and Figure 14 is a front view of the lubricant supply member 50 showing the analyzed deformation state after lubrication contraction, shown together with the guide rail 20. In the FEM analysis, the overlap before lubrication was set to the same value for all vertices P1, P2, and P3. As a result, deformation forces F1, F2, and F3 are generated at vertices P1, P2, and P3, respectively. On the other hand, the lower side surface c1 of the lubricant supply member 50 with respect to the case 40 was set to zero contact (reaction force F6=0 at contact point P6).

[0082] According to the FEM analysis results, in the lubricant supply member 50 after oil discharge contraction, the deformation forces F1', F2', and F3' at vertices P1, P2, and P3 each maintain positive values. As oil discharge contraction progresses, the portion between the mounting hole 59 and the opening 57a contracts as if being pulled upward (arrow E) as a whole. Therefore, if a certain rate of contraction is exceeded, the upper end surface side (vertex P2) of the opening 57a may become non-contact. However, even in that case, the deformation force F1' at vertex P1 makes it possible to maintain contact between the first contact portion 55A and the rail-side upper track surface 21a. Specifically, because vertex P1 is located even higher than the rail-side upper track surface 21a, the contraction between the mounting hole 59 and the rail-side upper track surface 21a (arrow E) can be used to press the first contact portion 55A against the rail-side upper track surface 21a.

[0083] Figure 15 is a front view of the lubricant supply member 50 showing the analyzed deformation state after oil release and contraction. It shows the state in which the lubricant supply member 50 is freely deformed without constraint by the guide rail 20, along with the contour of the guide rail 20. According to the FEM analysis results, as is clear from Figure 15, the first contact portion 55A and the rail-side upper track surface 21a interfere with each other (overlap), and the second contact portion 55B and the rail-side lower track surface 21b interfere with each other (overlap), so that a sufficient amount of lubricant can be supplied from the lubricant supply member 50 to the track surface.

[0084] (Comparative example) The following describes the results of comparing the configuration corresponding to the above embodiment with the comparative example. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view showing a lubricant supply member 150 according to a comparative example together with a guide rail 20. The lubricant supply member 150 corresponds to the lubricant supply member disclosed in Patent Document 1 and differs from the lubricant supply member 50 of this embodiment in that it does not have mounting holes or notches. The other shapes of the lubricant supply member 150 and the lubricant supply member 50 are common, and the guide rail 20 also has a common shape.

[0085] In the lubricant supply member 150 before oil contraction, the edge 151b of the first recess 151 abuts against the first mounting portion 45 of the case 40 (not shown) at a contact point P7, generating a deformation force F7 that horizontally pushes the first recess 151 apart. As a result, the first contact portion 155A and the upper track surface 21a on the rail side press against each other, and the second contact portion 155B and the lower track surface 21b on the rail side press against each other.

[0086] Figure 17 shows the FEM analysis results comparing the comparative example and the example. (a) shows the load received by the rail-side upper track surface 21a from the first contact points 155A and 55A on the vertical axis and the shrinkage rate on the horizontal axis. (b) shows the load received by the rail-side lower track surface 21b from the second contact points 155B and 55B on the vertical axis and the shrinkage rate on the horizontal axis. The shrinkage rate increases over time.

[0087] As shown in Figure 17, the embodiment significantly increases the load on both the rail-side upper track surface 21a and the rail-side lower track surface 21b compared to the comparative example. In particular, in the comparative example, the load is almost completely released during the oil release contraction at the rail-side lower track surface 21b, which is far from the contact point P7 (Figure 17(b)), whereas in the embodiment, the load remains, and the second contact portion 55B can be firmly pressed against the rail-side lower track surface 21b even after the oil release contraction. Therefore, in the embodiment, lubricant can be reliably supplied to the rail-side lower track surface 21b compared to the comparative example. Based on the above, by adopting the structure of this embodiment, the structure is designed to deform so as to approach the upper track surface and the lower track surface on the rail side after oil release and contraction, thereby ensuring pressure on the contact area even when oil release and contraction occur.

[0088] (Second embodiment) Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of Figure 8, showing the case 40Z containing the lubricant supply member 50Z according to the second embodiment assembled to the linear motion guide device 10, schematically showing the tightening allowance of each part immediately after assembly.

[0089] In the second embodiment, the lubricant supply member 50Z has its mounting hole 59Z relocated between the first recess 51 and the second recess 52, and the rest of its configuration is the same as in the first embodiment. In addition, in the second embodiment, the case 40Z has its fifth mounting portion 49Z relocated between the first mounting portion 45 and the second mounting portion 46 in accordance with the mounting hole 59Z, and the rest of its configuration, including the shape of the mounting hole 59Z and the fifth mounting portion 49Z and the tightening allowances b1 to b3, is the same as in the first embodiment. The vertex P1Z constitutes a third contact that is shifted horizontally inward relative to the first and second contacts.

[0090] When the vertices P1Z of the pair of left and right fifth mounting portions 49Z come into contact with the upper inner surface of the mounting hole 59Z, the fifth mounting portion 49Z elastically deforms due to the overlap between them, generating an upward deformation force F1Z.

[0091] The inventors analyzed the deformation of the lubricant supply member 50Z before and after oil discharge using FEM (Finite Element Method). Figure 19 is a front view of the lubricant supply member 50Z showing the analyzed deformation state before oil discharge (immediately after assembly), and Figure 20 is a front view of the lubricant supply member 50Z showing the analyzed deformation state after oil discharge contraction, shown together with the guide rail 20.

[0092] In the FEM analysis, the compression allowance before oil discharge was set to the same values ​​as in the first embodiment for all vertices P1Z, P2, and P3. As a result, deformation forces F1Z, F2, and F3 are generated at vertices P1Z, P2, and P3, respectively. On the other hand, the lower side surface c1 of the lubricant supply member 50 with respect to the case 40 was set to zero contact (reaction force F6=0 at contact point P6).

[0093] As shown in the FEM analysis results in Figures 19 and 20, both before and after oil release contraction, the first contact portion 55A and the upper track surface 21a on the rail side come into contact, and the second contact portion 55B and the lower track surface 21b on the rail side come into contact, so that a sufficient amount of lubricant can be supplied from the lubricant supply member 50 to the track surface.

[0094] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified, improved, etc., as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 10 Linear motion guide device 20 Guide rails 21 Rail-side track surface 21a Rail-side upper track surface 21b Rail-side lower track surface 30 Slider 31 Slider body 32 End caps 33 Lubrication Unit 34a Slider-side upper track surface 34b Slider-side lower track surface 50A sleeve part 50B Connection 36a Rolling element return path 36b Rolling element return path 40, 40Z Case 41 Peripheral wall 42 Inner wall 43. Detention Unit 45 First mounting section 45a Through hole 46 Second mounting section 46a Through hole 47 Third mounting section 47a Hollow cylindrical member 47b Upper ridge 47c Lower ridge 48 Fourth mounting section 49, 49Z Fifth mounting section 50, 50Z Lubricant supply component 50A sleeve part 50B Connection 51 First recess 52 Second recess 55 Protruding section 55A 1st contact part 55B 2nd contact part 56 Third recess 56a bottom 56b Side 57 Notch 57a aperture 57b Slit section 59, 59Z mounting holes 60 Side Seals

Claims

1. A guide rail having a pair of upper and lower rail-side track surfaces aligned longitudinally on both the left and right sides, A slider having rolling elements that slidably engage with the aforementioned guide rail so as to straddle it and roll along the pair of rail-side track surfaces, The slider is fitted to the axial end of the slider and houses a lubricant supply member that is impregnated with lubricant, and a case that presses the lubricant supply member so as to contact the pair of rail-side track surfaces, The lubricant supply member has a pair of sleeves facing each other on both sides of the guide rail, and a connecting portion connecting the upper ends of the sleeves. The sleeve portion has a notch that extends from the side adjacent to the side of the guide rail in a direction away from the guide rail, The case has an upper contact portion that abuts against the inner surface of the upper end of the notch and a lower contact portion that abuts against the inner surface of the lower end of the notch, which are arranged within the notch. A linear motion guide device characterized by the following features.

2. The notch has an opening that penetrates the lubricant supply member and includes the upper inner surface and the lower inner surface, and a slit that connects the opening and the side surface of the sleeve portion. The distance between the upper inner surface and the lower inner surface is greater than the width of the slit portion. The linear motion guide device according to feature 1.

3. The first contact point where the upper inner surface and the upper contact portion make contact is shifted toward the guide rail side relative to the second contact point where the lower inner surface and the lower contact portion make contact. The linear motion guide device according to feature 1.

4. The lubricant supply member has a mounting hole above the notch, The case has a mounting portion that abuts against the upper inner surface of the mounting hole, The third contact point, which is in contact with the upper inner surface of the mounting hole and the mounting portion, is shifted horizontally relative to the first and second contact points. The linear motion guide device according to feature 3.

5. The case has an outer peripheral wall surrounding the lubricant supply member, The fourth contact point, where the outer peripheral wall and the side surface of the lubricant supply member come into contact, is located below the second contact point. The linear motion guide device according to feature 3.

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