Slide rail retainer creep prevention structure

Abstract

To provide a creep phenomenon prevention structure of a slide rail retainer which makes the retainer less likely to cause a creep phenomenon on a slide rail and enables improvement of rigidity and load bearing of the slide rail.SOLUTION: A first raceway surface 12 is recessed along a movement direction D on a first opposite surface 11 of a first slide rail 1, and a second raceway surface 22 is recessed along the movement direction on a second opposite surface 21 of a second slide rail 2. A plurality of rollable balls 31 are installed at a retainer 3. The balls 31 roll on the first raceway surface 12 and the second raceway surface 22 to cause the retainer 3, the first slide rail 1, and the second slide rail 2 to move relative to each other. A gear 32 is pivotally attached to the retainer 3. A plurality of first projections 13 are planted on the first opposite surface 11 and a plurality of second projections 23 are planted on the second opposite surface 21. The gear 32 is engaged with the first projections 13 and the second projections 23.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a creep prevention structure for a slide rail retainer, and in particular to a creep prevention structure for a slide rail retainer in which the ball retainer of a finite stroke slide rail is meshed with multiple protrusions arranged in succession in the direction of movement of the slide rail via gears, thereby preventing the retainer from creeping on the slide rail, and the multiple protrusions are arranged on the opposing surfaces of two opposing slide rails, outside the ball rolling tracks, thereby improving the rigidity and load-bearing capacity of the slide rail. [Background technology]

[0002] A finite stroke slide rail includes two fixed-length slide rails that are movable relative to each other, and a sliding member is installed between the two fixed-length slide rails to support the relative movement of the two fixed-length slide rails, and the sliding member includes a retainer of a specific length and a plurality of balls spaced apart by the retainer, and the balls roll on the slide rail surface to support a load. Finite stroke slide rails are generally used in machining processes with a relatively short travel distance.

[0003] In order to prevent creep (such as misalignment) of the retainer between the two opposing fixed-length slide rails during the movement of a finite-stroke slide rail, a gear is generally installed on the retainer, and the two fixed-length slide rails are each provided with tooth grooves extending in the direction of movement to mesh with the gear, thereby allowing the retainer to move in a constant relative position.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a "cross roller bearing with a function to prevent retainer creep," in which a gear is installed on a ball retainer and a tooth groove for engaging the gear is installed on the inner surface of a sliding groove for accommodating the ball retainer of a slide rail.

[0005] In the device described in Patent Document 1, a sliding groove is provided on the slide rail, and the sliding groove is located in a relatively thin portion of the slide rail. If a tooth groove for engaging a gear is formed in the sliding groove, the rigidity of the slide rail is further reduced, and the load on the slide rail is reduced.

[0006] Patent document 2 discloses a "linear motion device" in which a gear is installed on a roller holding unit and an external rack is fixed by a rack fixing member within a groove portion of a slide rail for accommodating the roller holding unit.

[0007] In the linear motion device described in Patent Document 2, the rack is fixed to a relatively thin groove in the slide rail, which reduces the rigidity and load of the slide rail. In addition, the external rack is prone to loosening, which can cause vibration problems when the slide rail is in operation.

[0008] The "cross roller guide rail" disclosed in Patent Document 3 has a first rack formed on a second guide rail, a second rack formed on a holder, and an integrated, coaxial first gear and second gear pivotally mounted in a pivot mounting hole in the first guide rail via a pivot shaft, thereby achieving the effect of moving the aforementioned retainer to a predetermined relative position.

[0009] In the device described in Patent Document 3, as shown in FIG. 2 thereof, the coaxial first gear, second gear, rotating shaft, and rotating mounting hole are all exposed to the outside of the top surface of the first guide rail, so that external oil stains and dust can get in between the first gear, second gear and rotating shaft, or between the rotating shaft and rotating mounting hole during operation, easily interfering with the smooth rotation of the first gear and second gear. In addition, because the top surface heights of the first guide rail and second guide rail are not equal, steps are formed, which also affect the mounting of the workpiece. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent No. KR1020210101906A [Patent Document 2] Taiwan Patent No. 200912155A Specification [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2020 / 118770 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a creep prevention structure for a slide rail retainer, which makes it difficult for the retainer to creep on the slide rail, thereby improving the rigidity and load-bearing capacity of the slide rail. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The creep phenomenon prevention structure for a slide rail retainer of the present invention includes a first slide rail, a second slide rail, a retainer, a plurality of first protrusions, and a plurality of second protrusions, wherein the first slide rail extends along the movement direction and includes a first opposing surface, a first raceway surface recessed into the first opposing surface along the movement direction, the second slide rail extends along the movement direction and includes a second opposing surface, a second raceway surface recessed into the second opposing surface along the movement direction, the first and second opposing surfaces facing each other, the retainer extends along the movement direction and is provided with a plurality of balls that can roll along the movement direction, the balls roll on the first raceway surface and the second raceway surface, moving the retainer, the first slide rail, and the second slide rail relatively to each other, a rotatable gear is further pivotally attached to the retainer, and the plurality of first protrusions are disposed on the first opposing surface other than the first raceway surface along the movement direction. Directly and individually The second projections are implanted at regular intervals along the movement direction, and the second projections are disposed on the second opposing surface other than the second track surface. Directly and individually The first and second protrusions are arranged at regular intervals on opposite sides of the circumference of the gear, a distance between the first protrusions and a distance between the second protrusions correspond to a tooth pitch of the gear;The gears are engaged with the first protrusion and the second protrusion, respectively, and the retainer is configured to prevent creep on the first slide rail and the second slide rail.

[0013] Furthermore, a gap is provided between the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface, the first protrusion protrudes toward the second opposing surface, the second protrusion protrudes toward the first opposing surface, and the protrusion length of the first protrusion and the protrusion length of the second protrusion are both shorter than the width of the gap.

[0014] Furthermore, the first protrusion and the second protrusion are both cylindrical.

[0015] Furthermore, the direction of movement can be linear or arcuate.

[0016] Furthermore, it is preferable that an accommodation space is provided in the retainer, a shaft is installed in the accommodation space, the gear is coupled to the shaft in the accommodation space, and a portion of the gear is exposed to the outside of the retainer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] Based on the above technical features, the present invention can achieve the following effects.

[0018] 1. In the past, a rack used to engage the gear of the retainer was installed in the sliding groove of the slide rail, and the rack was machined directly into the sliding groove, resulting in reduced rigidity and reduced load-bearing capacity of the slide rail. In contrast, in the present invention, the first protrusion of the first slide rail used to engage the gear of the retainer is installed on the first opposing surface and is not located on the first raceway surface, and the second protrusion of the second slide rail used to engage the gear of the retainer is installed on the second opposing surface and is not located on the second raceway surface, and neither the first raceway surface nor the second raceway surface has a rack portion machined onto it, thereby fully maintaining the stability of the first raceway surface and improving the load-bearing capacity of the first slide rail and second slide rail.

[0019] 2. When the first protrusion of the first slide rail is inserted into the first circular hole outside the first track surface, and the second protrusion of the second slide rail is inserted into the second circular hole outside the second track surface, the insertion is easy because there is no restriction on the operating space when "inserting outside the track surface." On the other hand, the conventional method of "machining a rack into the track surface" is difficult to implement because the machining space is very limited. The present invention has the advantage of being easy to process.

[0020] 3. By forming the first circular hole and the second circular hole at positions other than the first raceway surface and the second raceway surface, the first circular hole and the second circular hole have no effect on the rigidity of the first raceway surface and the second raceway surface, and a sufficient depth can be ensured, providing a more secure fixing effect for the first protrusion and the second protrusion, and preventing the problem of loosening.

[0021] 4. An accommodation space is provided within the retainer, and the shaft that pivots the gear is installed within the accommodation space. After the gear is installed, only a portion of the retainer is exposed to the outside, so oil stains and dust are less likely to enter the accommodation space and interfere with the rotation of the gear. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1]1 is an exploded perspective view of a creep prevention structure for a slide rail retainer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 1A] 3 is a cross-sectional view of a first slide rail and a second slide rail according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a creep phenomenon prevention structure for a slide rail retainer showing an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of a creep phenomenon prevention structure for a slide rail retainer according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the gear of the retainer is engaged with the first protrusion and the second protrusion. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a creep phenomenon prevention structure for a slide rail retainer showing an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first slide rail (second slide rail) according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1, 1A, and 2, the creep phenomenon prevention structure for a slide rail retainer includes a first slide rail 1, a second slide rail 2, and a retainer 3.

[0025] The first slide rail 1 extends along the movement direction D and includes a first opposing surface 11, and a first track surface 12 is recessed in the first opposing surface 11 along the movement direction D. The second slide rail 2 extends along the movement direction D and includes a second opposing surface 21, and a second track surface 22 is recessed in the second opposing surface 21 along the movement direction D. The first opposing surface 11 and the second opposing surface 21 face each other. That is, the first opposing surface 11 faces the second slide rail 2, and the second opposing surface 21 faces the first slide rail 1. The first raceway surface 12 recessed on the first opposing surface 11 and the second raceway surface 22 recessed on the second opposing surface 21 are both used to allow balls 31, which will be described later, to roll therebetween.

[0026] The retainer 3 extends along the movement direction D and is provided with a plurality of balls 31 that can roll along the movement direction D. In this embodiment, the balls 31 are arranged alternately at 90-degree angles, and the balls 31 roll on the first track surface 12 and the second track surface 22, causing the retainer 3, the first slide rail 1, and the second slide rail 2 to move relative to each other along the movement direction D. The direction of movement D may be linear or arcuate depending on the manufacturing process requirements.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a rotatable gear 32 is pivotally attached to the retainer 3. A plurality of first protrusions 13 are implanted at regular intervals along the direction of movement D on the first opposing surface 11 other than the first orbital surface 12, and a plurality of second protrusions 23 are implanted at regular intervals along the direction of movement D on the second opposing surface 21 other than the second orbital surface 22. The gears 32 are engaged with the first protrusion 13 and the second protrusion 23, respectively, which prevents the retainer 3 from creeping on the first slide rail 1 and the second slide rail 2, and also gives the first slide rail 1 itself and the second slide rail 2 itself better rigidity, thereby further increasing the load-bearing capacity. In this embodiment, the first protrusion 13 and the second protrusion 23 are both cylindrical, which is advantageous for smooth guiding of the gear 32.

[0028] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in this embodiment, the first protrusion 13 is located at the upper edge of the first opposing surface 11 of the first slide rail 1, and the second protrusion 23 is located at the lower edge of the second opposing surface 21 of the second slide rail 2, so that the first protrusion 13 and the second protrusion 23 are arranged on opposite sides of the circumference of the gear 32 and mesh with each other.

[0029] Specifically, in this embodiment, a gap d is provided between the first opposing surface 11 of the first slide rail 1 and the second opposing surface 21 of the second slide rail 2, the first protrusion 13 protrudes toward the second opposing surface 21, and the protruding length of the first protrusion 13 is shorter than the width of the gap d, and the second protrusion 23 protrudes toward the first opposing surface 11, and the protruding length of the second protrusion 23 is also shorter than the width of the gap d, so that the first slide rail 1 and the second slide rail 2 do not collide with each other during relative movement.

[0030] Regarding the retainer 3, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, two half retainers are joined together, but the present invention is not limited to this and the retainer 3 can also be manufactured by integral molding depending on the mold design. The retainer 3 has an accommodation space 33, in which a shaft 34 is installed, and the gear 32 is coupled to the shaft 34 within the accommodation space 33, with only a portion of the gear 32 exposed to the outside of the retainer 3. This reduces the effect of oil stains and dust on the rotation of the gear 32.

[0031] 4 and 5, the first protrusions 13 may be respectively fitted into the first circular holes 14 on the first opposing surface 11 of the first slide rail 1. Similarly, the second protrusions 23 may be respectively fitted into the second circular holes 24 on the second opposing surface 21 of the second slide rail 2. (Since the second slide rail 2 and the first slide rail 1 are installed symmetrically, the second slide rail 2 can be obtained by rotating the first slide rail 1 180 degrees during manufacture; therefore, FIG. 5 shows both the first slide rail 1 and the second slide rail 2.)

[0032] Furthermore, adhesive may be applied to the first protrusion 13 and the second protrusion 23, which are then inserted into the first circular hole 14 and the second circular hole 24, respectively. This allows the first protrusion 13 to be more firmly fixed and installed on the first slide rail 1, making it less likely to come loose, and the second protrusion 23 to be more firmly fixed and installed on the second slide rail 2, making it less likely to come loose.

[0033] The above describes the best mode for carrying out the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. All changes and modifications that do not deviate from the scope of the claims are included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1 First slide rail 11 First opposing surface 12 1st orbital plane 13 1st protrusion 14 1st circular hole 2 Second slide rail 21 Second opposing surface 22 2nd orbital plane 23 Second protrusion 24 2nd circular hole 3 retainer 31 Ball 32 Gears 33 Containment Space 34 Axial body D Motion direction d gap

Claims

1. A structure for preventing creep of a slide rail retainer, the structure including a first slide rail, a second slide rail, a retainer, a plurality of first protrusions, and a plurality of second protrusions, the first slide rail extends along a movement direction and includes a first opposing surface, and a first track surface is recessed in the first opposing surface along the movement direction; the second slide rail extends along the movement direction and includes a second opposing surface, a second track surface is recessed in the second opposing surface along the movement direction, the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface face each other, The retainer extends along the movement direction, and a plurality of balls are provided that can roll along the movement direction, and the balls roll on the first raceway surface and the second raceway surface, causing the retainer, the first slide rail, and the second slide rail to move relative to each other, and a rotatable gear is further pivotally mounted on the retainer, the plurality of first protrusions are directly and individually embedded at regular intervals on the first opposing surface other than the first track surface along the movement direction, the plurality of second protrusions are directly and individually embedded at regular intervals on the second opposing surface other than the second track surface along the movement direction, a first protrusion and a second protrusion arranged on opposite sides of the circumference of the gear, the spacing between the first protrusions and the spacing between the second protrusions corresponding to the tooth pitch of the gear, the gear meshing with the first protrusions and the second protrusions, respectively, and the retainer configured to prevent creep from occurring on the first slide rail and the second slide rail.

2. 2. The creep prevention structure for a slide rail retainer according to claim 1, characterized in that a gap is provided between the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface, the first protrusion protrudes toward the second opposing surface, the second protrusion protrudes toward the first opposing surface, and the protruding lengths of the first protrusion and the second protrusion are both shorter than the width of the gap.

3. 2. The structure for preventing creep phenomenon of a slide rail retainer according to claim 1, wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are both cylindrical.

4. 2. The creep phenomenon prevention structure for a slide rail retainer according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of first protrusions are respectively fitted into a plurality of first circular holes in the first opposing surface, and the plurality of second protrusions are respectively fitted into a plurality of second circular holes in the second opposing surface.

5. 2. The structure for preventing creep phenomenon of a slide rail retainer according to claim 1, wherein the movement direction is linear or arcuate.

6. 2. The creep phenomenon prevention structure for a slide rail retainer according to claim 1, characterized in that an accommodation space is provided in the retainer, a shaft is installed in the accommodation space, the gear is coupled to the shaft within the accommodation space, and a portion of the gear is exposed to the outside of the retainer.

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