Guide rail connection structure

Abstract

This provides a guide rail connection structure that can reduce the step height at the joints of the guide rails while also facilitating the insertion of alignment members into the guide rails. [Solution] In a connection structure for guide rails 1a and 1b on which a vehicle runs, an alignment member 21 is inserted into the connecting ends of the two guide rails 1a and 1b. The alignment member 21 is a guide rail connection structure comprising a main body portion 22 that spans the two guide rails 1a and 1b, and a projection portion 23 that protrudes in the width direction from the main body portion 22 and faces the joint 7 of the two guide rails 1a and 1b.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection structure of guide rails that connect guide rails along which a traveling body travels.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in a sliding door, a door wheel by which the sliding door is suspended travels along a guide rail. The same applies to a folding door. Also, in a linear guide used for a linear motion part of a device, a carriage travels along a guide rail.

[0003] Guide rails along which traveling bodies such as door wheels and carriages travel are often connected in multiple pieces. If there is a step at the joint of the guide rails, smooth travel of the traveling body is hindered. To prevent this, Patent Document 1 discloses a connection structure of guide rails in which an alignment member is inserted at the connection end portions of two guide rails, and the step at the joint of the guide rails is reduced by the alignment member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the conventional connection structure of guide rails, if it is made easy to insert the alignment member into the guide rail, the gap between the guide rail and the alignment member becomes large, and the step at the joint of the guide rails becomes large. Conversely, if the step at the joint of the guide rails is made small and the gap between the guide rail and the alignment member is made small, it becomes difficult to insert the alignment member into the guide rail.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a guide rail connection structure that can reduce the step difference at the joint of the guide rails and facilitate the insertion of alignment members into the guide rails. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a guide rail connection structure for connecting guide rails on which a train body runs, wherein an alignment member is inserted into the connection end of two guide rails, and the alignment member comprises a main body that straddles the two guide rails and a projection that protrudes in the width direction from the main body and faces the joint of the two guide rails. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the step height at the joints of the guide rails and to make it easier to insert the alignment member into the guide rails. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a front view of a sliding door to which the guide rail connection structure according to this embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] This is an enlarged view of part II of Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of the guide rail (Figure 3(a) shows a cross-sectional view of the guide rail with rollers, and Figure 3(b) shows a cross-sectional view of the guide rail without rollers). [Figure 4] This is a plan view of the alignment member. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating the process of connecting two guide rails (Figure 5(a) shows a bottom view of the two guide rails, and Figures 5(b) to (d) show cross-sectional views of the VV line in Figure 3(b)). [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing another example of a guide rail. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is a longitudinal view of the guide rail. [Figure 8]This is a plan view of another example of an alignment member. [Figure 9] This is a plan view of yet another example of an alignment member. [Figure 10] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the alignment member inserted into the guide rail. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, the guide rail connection structure according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. However, the guide rail connection structure of the present invention can be embodied in various forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. This embodiment is provided with the intention that those skilled in the art will be able to fully understand the invention by making full disclosures in the specification.

[0011] Figures 1 and 2 show front views of a sliding door 3 to which the guide rail connection structure according to this embodiment is applied. Reference numerals 1a and 1b indicate guide rails, reference numeral 2 indicates a running body (a door roller in this embodiment), and reference numeral 3 indicates a sliding door. The guide rails 1a and 1b are attached to a frame (not shown) fitted into an opening in a building, for example, using set screws 4a and 4b. In this embodiment, two guide rails 1a and 1b are connected, but three or more guide rails may be connected.

[0012] As shown in Figure 2, the traveling body 2, on which the sliding door 3 is suspended, travels inside the guide rails 1a and 1b. The traveling body 2 is equipped with rolling elements 5 (rollers in this embodiment). Rolling surfaces 6 on which the rolling elements 5 roll are formed in the guide rails 1a and 1b. At the connecting ends of the guide rails 1a and 1b, alignment members 21 are inserted to reduce the step difference at the joint 7 between the guide rails 1a and 1b.

[0013] Figures 3(a) and 3(b) show a cross-sectional view of an example of a guide rail 1a. The guide rail 1a comprises a bottom wall portion 11, a pair of side wall portions 12, and a pair of locking pieces 13 projecting toward each other from the lower ends of the pair of side wall portions 12. The bottom wall portion 11 has a mounting hole 11a through which a set screw 4a for attaching it to the upper frame passes. Guide grooves 12a are formed in the pair of side wall portions 12 into which an alignment member 21 is inserted from the end of the guide rail 1a. A rolling surface 13a is formed on the upper surface of the pair of locking pieces 13. The guide rail 1b has the same configuration as the guide rail 1a. The alignment member 21 is inserted into the guide groove 12a from the end of one guide rail 1a and into the guide groove 12a from the end of the other guide rail 1b.

[0014] As shown in Figure 4, the alignment member 21 is a plate-like structure that is approximately rectangular in plan view. The alignment member 21 comprises a main body portion 22 that straddles the two guide rails 1a and 1b, and a pair of projections 23 that protrude in the width direction from the main body portion 22 and face the joint 7 (see Figure 2) of the two guide rails 1a and 1b. The main body portion 22 and the projections 23 are formed integrally. The main body portion 22 has an elongated hole 22a that extends in the longitudinal direction of the guide rails 1a and 1b. The pair of projections 23 are arranged on both sides of the elongated hole 22a in the width direction. Alternatively, one projection 23 may be provided on only one side of the elongated hole 22a in the width direction. The alignment member 21 may be made of metal or resin.

[0015] The width of the main body 22 is W1, and the width of the pair of projections 23 is W2 (W2 > W1). The width W1 of the main body 22 is smaller than the width W3 of the guide groove 12a into which the alignment member 21 is inserted (see Figure 3(b)). The width W2 of the pair of projections 23 is larger than the width W3 of the guide groove 12a. The length L1 of the projections 23 is shorter than the length L2 of the elongated hole 22a formed in the main body 22. The projections 23 are formed in a substantially arc shape, gradually increasing in height from the end towards the center.

[0016] In the main body portion 22, a pair of tapered through holes 24a and 24b are formed at predetermined intervals on both sides in the length direction of the long hole 22a. The set screws 4a and 4b are passed through the through holes 24a and 24b. Mounting holes 11a are formed in each of the two guide rails 1a and 1b at equal intervals from the through holes 24a and 24b (see FIG. 2).

[0017] FIG. 5 shows a process diagram when connecting two guide rails. As shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), an alignment member 21 is inserted into the joint end portions of one guide rail 1a and the other guide rail 1b. Since the width W1 of the main body portion 22 of the alignment member 21 is smaller than the width W3 of the guide groove 12a, the alignment member 21 can be easily inserted into the guide groove 12a. Next, as shown in FIG. 5(c), the two guide rails 1a and 1b are connected. When aligning the through holes 24a and 24b of the alignment member 21 with the mounting holes 11a of the guide rails 1a and 1b, a pair of protrusions 23 face the joint 7 of the guide rails 1a and 1b. Since the width W2 of the pair of protrusions 23 of the alignment member 21 is larger than the width W3 of the guide groove 12a, the pair of protrusions 23 are strongly pressed against the joint 7 of the guide rails 1a and 1b. Thereby, the step at the joint 7 of the guide rails 1a and 1b is reduced. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5(d), the alignment member 21 and each of the two guide rails 1a and 1b are fastened together to the frame using the set screws 4a and 4b. By the fastening together, the alignment of the through holes 24a and 24b of the alignment member 21 with the mounting holes 11a of the guide rails 1a and 1b can be achieved. Therefore, even if the pair of protrusions 23 are displaced from the joint 7 of the two guide rails 1a and 1b, the pair of protrusions 23 can be made to face the joint 7.

[0018] The effects of the connection structure of the guide rails 1a and 1b according to the present embodiment will be described below. According to the connection structure of the guide rails 1a and 1b according to the present embodiment, it is possible to achieve both reduction of the step at the joint 7 of the guide rails 1a and 1b and ease of insertion of the alignment member 21 into the guide rails 1a and 1b.

[0019] When the through holes 24a and 24b of the alignment member 21 are aligned with the mounting holes 11a of the guide rails 1a and 1b, the projection 23 of the alignment member 21 faces the joint 7, making it easy to align the projection 23 of the alignment member 21 with the joint 7.

[0020] An elongated hole 22a is formed in the main body 22 of the alignment member 21, and a projection 23 is placed on at least one side in the width direction of the elongated hole 22a, thereby making the projection 23 elastic.

[0021] Figures 6 and 7 show another example of a guide rail. In this example, the guide rail 30 comprises a bottom wall portion 31, a pair of side wall portions 32, and a pair of locking pieces 33 projecting toward each other from the lower ends of the pair of side wall portions 32. A guide groove 31a (see Figure 7) is formed in the bottom wall portion 31 into which the alignment member 21 is inserted from the end of the guide rail 30. The width W1 (see Figure 4) of the main body portion 22 of the alignment member 21 is smaller than the width W3 of the guide groove 31a, and the width W2 (see Figure 4) of the pair of projections 23 of the alignment member 21 is larger than the width W3 of the guide groove 31a.

[0022] In the guide rails 1a and 1b shown in Figure 3, the alignment member 21 is inserted into the guide groove 12a only from the ends of the guide rails 1a and 1b, whereas in the guide rail 30 shown in Figure 7, the alignment member 21 can be inserted into the guide groove 31a not only from the ends of the guide rail 30 but also from below. As with this guide rail 30, the alignment member 21 may also be inserted into the guide groove 31a from below the guide rail 30.

[0023] Figure 8 shows another example of an alignment member. In this example, the alignment member 41 has two elongated holes 22b formed parallel to the main body 22. The other components of the alignment member 41 are the same as those of the alignment member 21 shown in Figure 4, so the same reference numerals are used and their descriptions are omitted.

[0024] Figure 9 shows yet another example of an alignment member. In this example, the alignment member 51 has a wider main body 22, and the aspect ratio of the main body 22 is different from that of the alignment member 41 shown in Figure 8. The other components are the same as those of the alignment member 41 shown in Figure 8, so the same reference numerals are used and their explanations are omitted.

[0025] Figure 10 shows an example of a guide rail into which the alignment member 51 shown in Figure 9 is inserted. In this example, the guide rail 60 is attached to the lower frame, for example, and serves to prevent the lower part of the sliding door 3 from wobbling. The guide rail 60 comprises a bottom wall portion 61 and a pair of side wall portions 62. A guide groove 62a into which the alignment member 51 is inserted is formed between the pair of side wall portions 62.

[0026] Whether using the guide rails 30 and 60 shown in Figures 6 and 10, or the alignment members 21, 41, and 51 shown in Figures 4, 8, and 9, it is possible to achieve both a reduction in the step height at the joints of the guide rails 30 and 60 and ease of insertion of the alignment members 21, 41, and 51 into the guide rails 30 and 60.

[0027] Furthermore, the guide rail connection structure of the present invention is not limited to sliding doors or folding doors, but can also be applied to linear guides in which a carriage travels along the guide rail. The carriage may be a rolling type carriage having rolling elements such as rollers, or a sliding type carriage. The guide rail may have a rolling surface on which the rolling elements of the rolling type carriage roll, or a sliding surface on which the sliding type carriage slides. The applications of the linear guide are not particularly limited and include, for example, machine tools, robots, analytical instruments, medical equipment, logistics equipment, semiconductor and LCD manufacturing equipment, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0028] 1a, 1b, 30, 60… Guide rails 2…Training body 7… Joints in the guide rails 12a, 31a, 62a… Guide grooves 21, 41, 51… Alignment members 22…Main body part 22a, 22b… Long acupoints 23…protrusion

Claims

1. In a guide rail connection structure that connects guide rails on which a vehicle travels, Insert the alignment member into the connecting end of the two guide rails, The alignment member comprises a main body that straddles the two guide rails, and a projection that extends in the width direction from the main body and faces the joint between the two guide rails, forming a guide rail connection structure.

2. The guide rail connection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that when the through-hole provided in the alignment member is aligned with the mounting holes provided in the two guide rails, the projection of the alignment member faces the joint.

3. The main body portion has at least one elongated hole extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail, The guide rail connection structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the projection is arranged on at least one side in the width direction of the at least one elongated hole.

4. The guide rail connection structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide rail has a guide groove formed therein into which the alignment member is inserted from the end of the guide rail.

Images