Linear plain bearing having an assembly-optimised nut

Abstract

The invention relates to a linear plain bearing comprising a carriage (1) and a rail, wherein the rail has at least one guide portion (21, 22) and the carriage has at least one guide receptacle for the guide portion, wherein, in an operating state of the linear plain bearing, the guide portion is received in the guide receptacle while defining a position of the carriage relative to the rail perpendicular to a longitudinal direction (X) and while ensuring displaceability of the carriage, wherein the linear plain bearing further comprises a spindle with a spindle thread and a nut (3) having a nut thread (30) corresponding to the spindle thread, wherein, in the operating state, the spindle is arranged in the nut and the carriage is movable by rotation of the spindle, wherein a nut receptacle (100) is provided on the carriage, wherein the nut can be inserted into the nut receptacle along an insertion direction, in particular linearly, while realising a pre-assembly state and can be removed therefrom.

Description

[0001] LINEAR SLEEVE BEARING WITH MOUNTING OPTIMIZED NUT

[0002] The invention relates to a linear plain bearing according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a carriage of such a linear plain bearing, a mounting element of such a carriage and the use of a nut, a fixing device and a carriage body for realizing a carriage of such a linear plain bearing.

[0003] Generic linear plain bearings comprise a carriage and a rail as elements designed to correspond to one another. While the rail is usually fixed in a fixed position to a structural element, for example to a wall or floor of a room, or to a device arranged on the wall and / or floor of the room, the carriage can be moved along the rail in a guided manner. In a normal operating state of generic linear plain bearings, the carriage is arranged on the rail in such a way that its position relative to the rail is fixed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction by the meshing of rail and carriage, whereas it can slide along the rail in the longitudinal direction, while its position perpendicular to the longitudinal direction remains unchanged.The rail usually has an extension length in the longitudinal direction which is at least 4 times, in particular at least 5 times, in particular at least 10 times, in particular at least 15 times, in particular at least 20 times the extension length of the carriage in the longitudinal direction. Usually the rail has a guide section and the carriage has a guide receptacle, wherein in the operating state of the linear plain bearing the guide section is arranged in the guide receptacle such that a boundary wall formed by the guide receptacle determines the position of the guide section in the guide receptacle perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, whereas a displaceability of the carriage relative to the rail and thus a movement from guide section to guide receptacle in the longitudinal direction is possible.The guide holder is usually designed as a continuous passage through the carriage in the longitudinal direction. In the operating state, a sliding element is preferably arranged in the guide holder and between this and the guide section so that sliding friction between the rail and carriage is reduced during displacement along the longitudinal direction, wherein the sliding element in particular is made from a sliding material. The sliding material is generally preferably a tribologically optimised plastic. For example, polymers can be used to produce a tribologically optimised plastic, for example the thermoplastics polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacetal, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, polytetrafluoroethylene and, in the case of thermosets, phenolic resins.To further reduce friction, these plastics can contain lubricants, especially fine-particle solid lubricants, such as polymeric solid lubricants, waxes, molybdenum disulfide, or graphite. Such lubricant-containing polymers are also referred to as tribopolymers.

[0004] Generic linear plain bearings also comprise, as drive elements, a spindle with a spindle thread and a nut with a nut thread corresponding to the spindle thread. When the linear plain bearing is in operation, the spindle is arranged in the nut, and by rotating the spindle, the carriage can be moved along the longitudinal direction relative to the rail. The thread axes of the spindle thread and the nut thread run along the longitudinal direction. However, providing the nut on the carriage brings with it various difficulties. On the one hand, such a nut must be reliably fixed to the carriage. On the other hand, it should be as easy to maintain as possible in the event of wear to the nut thread and it should correspond as well as possible to the spindle thread. In addition, the carriage and nut should be as inexpensive and simple to manufacture as possible.Generic linear plain bearings and slides only partially address the problems mentioned.

[0005] The present invention is based on the object of providing a linear plain bearing, a carriage, a mounting element for a carriage and / or a use of a nut, a fixing device and a carriage body, with which at least one disadvantage of generic linear plain bearings or carriages is at least partially eliminated.

[0006] As a solution to the problem underlying the present invention, the invention proposes a linear plain bearing with the features according to claim 1. As explained with regard to generic linear plain bearings, the linear plain bearing according to the invention comprises a carriage and a rail, wherein in an operating state of the linear plain bearing a guide section of the rail is received in a guide receptacle of the carriage, defining a position of the carriage relative to the rail perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and ensuring displaceability of the carriage relative to the rail along the longitudinal direction.The rail preferably has two guide sections running parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction, and the carriage has two guide receptacles, with exactly one guide receptacle being assigned to exactly one guide section, and the assigned guide section being arranged in the assigned guide receptacle in the operating state. The guide section is preferably designed in the manner of a cylinder. The guide sections are preferably spaced apart from one another in a direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, in particular at least by an amount that corresponds to their length along that direction. As explained in relation to generic linear plain bearings, the linear plain bearing further comprises a spindle and a nut, through the interaction of which, in the operating state, the carriage can be moved along the longitudinal direction relative to the rail by means of a rotation of the spindle.According to the invention, a nut receptacle is provided on the carriage, wherein the nut can be inserted into the nut receptacle along an insertion direction to create a pre-assembly state, and wherein the nut can be removed from the nut receptacle along the insertion direction starting from the pre-assembly state. The nut can thus be reversibly inserted into the nut receptacle in one direction along the insertion direction and removed from the nut receptacle in the opposite direction along the insertion device. The nut receptacle and nut are preferably designed to correspond to one another in such a way that the nut can be inserted into the nut receptacle by means of a linear movement in the insertion direction and in particular can be removed from the nut receptacle by means of an opposite linear movement.The linear plain bearing further comprises a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembly state, is designed to releasably secure the nut in the nut receptacle to achieve the operating state. In the operating state, the nut is fixed to the carriage. The fixing device is thus designed to assume a released state on the one hand and a fixed state on the other, the released and fixed states being defined by the relative position of the fixing device relative to the carriage. In the pre-assembly state, the fixing device is in the released state in which it does not contribute to fixing the nut in the nut receptacle, whereas, starting from the pre-assembly state of the linear plain bearing, in which it is in the released state, it can be brought into the fixed state in which the operating state of the linear plain bearing is achieved and in which it fixes the nut in the nut receptacle.Starting from the operating state, the nut can thus be released from the carriage and removed from the carriage by first releasing the fixing device so that it is brought from its fixed state into its release state, whereby the pre-assembly state is established, after which the nut can be removed from the nut receptacle.

[0007] Due to the design according to the invention, the linear plain bearing according to the invention enables both particularly simple and targeted manufacture of the carriage and nut and also simplified maintenance of the linear plain bearing. By providing the nut as a component separate from the carriage, the nut can be specifically manufactured from a material that corresponds to the spindle. By providing a nut receptacle on the carriage into which the nut can be reversibly inserted and removed, a pre-assembly state can be achieved in a particularly simple manner in which the nut is already received in the nut receptacle and is therefore pre-assembled relative to the carriage. The fixing device can be aligned particularly advantageously with regard to permanent fixing of the nut relative to the carriage and with regard to simple operability.The fixing device can, for example, comprise at least one, in particular several clamping, locking, plug-in or screw sections which can be expediently arranged between the slide and the nut or between the nut receptacle and the nut in order to realize the operating state starting from the pre-assembly state and which can be reversibly removed in order to realize the pre-assembly state starting from the operating state.

[0008] In one embodiment, the nut receptacle and nut are designed to correspond to one another in such a way that the nut receptacle engages the nut on both sides in the pre-assembly state exclusively along two mutually perpendicular directions running perpendicular to the direction of insertion. In the advantageous embodiment, the nut receptacle in the pre-assembly state thus fixes the position of the nut by engaging on both sides along the two aforementioned directions perpendicular to the direction of insertion, but not along the direction of insertion, so that the nut can preferably be removed from the nut receptacle particularly easily along the direction of insertion starting from the pre-assembly state. The nut preferably has a front side and a back side, wherein the front and back sides are precisely the sides of the nut that delimit the nut with respect to the direction of insertion and thus each form one end of the nut along the direction of insertion.Preferably, in the pre-assembled state, the nut runs with its sides connecting the front and back without an undercut along the nut receptacle. The said sides run along the direction of insertion. The said sides point to corresponding sides of the nut receptacle when the nut is arranged in the nut receptacle in the pre-assembled state. As the sides run with a free undercut along the groove receptacle, i.e. as there is no undercut between the said sides of the nut and the corresponding sides of the nut receptacle, which point perpendicular to the direction of insertion to the said sides of the nut, the nut can be inserted into the nut receptacle and removed again from it particularly easily.

[0009] In one embodiment, the nut rests directly on the nut receptacle with contact sections in the pre-assembly state and in the operating state and is spaced from the nut receptacle outside the contact sections in the pre-assembly state exclusively by a free space, so that no additional element is provided between the nut and the nut receptacle, which makes it particularly easy to implement the pre-assembly state. Preferably, in the operating state, the nut is spaced from the nut receptacle outside its contact sections by at least part of the said free space, in particular exclusively by at least part of the free space on the one hand and by the fixing device on the other. The nut therefore preferably has contact sections via which it rests on the nut receptacle in the pre-assembly state and in the operating state.By the nut being spaced from the nut receptacle outside the system sections exclusively by a free space in the pre-assembly state, the pre-assembly state can be implemented particularly easily, and by the nut being spaced from the nut receptacle in the operating state outside the system sections on the one hand by a part of the free space and on the other hand by the fixing device, the operating state can be implemented particularly easily starting from the pre-assembly state, since for this purpose the fixing device only has to be brought into a part of the free space which is provided between the nut and the nut receptacle in the pre-assembly state.By virtue of the fact that, in the operating state, the nut outside the contact sections is only spaced from the nut receptacle either by a portion of the said free space or by the fixing device, the operating state can be particularly easily attained from the pre-assembly state, and the pre-assembly state can be particularly easily attained from the operating state. Preferably, in the pre-assembly state and in the operating state, the nut is spaced from the nut receptacle exclusively in directions running perpendicular to the direction of insertion, i.e. the nut receptacle and nut are only spaced from one another in directions running perpendicular to the direction of insertion.

[0010] In one embodiment, the nut is positioned in the nut receptacle in the pre-assembled state so as to be rotationally fixed relative to a rotation about the direction of insertion. The rotationally fixed positioning is preferably designed such that the nut can only be rotated relative to the nut receptacle in the pre-assembled state by less than 30°, in particular less than 20°, in particular less than 10°, in particular less than 5°, in particular less than 2° about the direction of insertion. The contours of the nut and nut receptacle pointing towards one another perpendicular to the direction of insertion are thus designed to correspond to one another so that the interaction of these contours alone ensures that the nut is secured against rotation relative to the carriage. This enables a particularly simple design of the fixing device since the nut and nut receptacle already form a rotational lock without the action of the fixing device.Preferably, in the pre-assembled state, the nut is positioned in the nut receptacle with a play of less than 5 mm, in particular less than 3 mm, in particular less than 2 mm, in particular with a play of at most 1 mm in any direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion. Preferably, in the pre-assembled state, the nut is positioned in the nut receptacle with a play of at least 0.5 mm, in particular at least 1 mm in any direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion. By reducing the play, the implementation of the operating state starting from the pre-assembled state can be particularly simplified. By providing a certain amount of play, the insertability of the nut into the nut receptacle can be particularly simplified and, in addition, a tolerance can be provided for different thermal expansion behaviors of the nut on the one hand and the nut receptacle or slide on the other.In general, in the operating state the nut preferably rests against the nut receptacle with at most one of its two sides bordering it along the direction of insertion, which sides can be designed as a front and back as explained above. Preferably it rests against the nut receptacle with neither the front nor the back. As the nut rests against the nut receptacle at most one of the front and back, particularly good tolerance to different thermal expansion behavior of the nut and nut receptacle or.

[0011] Sled must be guaranteed.

[0012] In one embodiment, the insertion direction runs along the longitudinal direction. This can enable particularly simplified assembly and simplified design of the carriage, since the spindle with its spindle axis or its thread axis also extends along the longitudinal direction. Generally speaking, the nut is preferably designed to be elongated along the longitudinal direction, so that it has a greater extension length in the longitudinal direction than in the two directions running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to one another. The two directions running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to one another are also generally referred to herein as the "transverse direction" and "vertical direction".The nut preferably has a greater extension length in the transverse direction than in the vertical direction, wherein the fixing device in the operating state engages behind the nut along the insertion direction or longitudinal direction only on the transverse sides of the nut which limit the nut in the transverse direction, but not on the vertical sides of the nut which limit the nut in the vertical direction. As a result, the nut can be kept as small as possible and thus the nut receptacle can also be kept as small as possible, which allows the carriage to be designed as stable as possible, wherein in addition the nut can have sufficient stability to ensure sufficient fixation of the nut relative to the carriage by means of the fixing device.

[0013] In one embodiment, the nut receptacle is designed as a passage that runs through the insertion direction. When the linear plain bearing is in the operating state, the spindle preferably extends through the passage or nut receptacle in the insertion direction, so that it extends beyond the nut receptacle on both sides, relative to the insertion direction. The passage preferably has a clear cross-section such that the nut can be inserted into the passage from one side along the insertion direction and can be passed through the passage along the insertion direction and can thus be removed from the passage on the other side.Thus, the feedthrough preferably has a clear cross-section which corresponds at least to the cross-section of the nut, so that the nut can be positioned as desired in the feedthrough over the extent of the feedthrough along the insertion direction and, in particular, can be removed from or inserted into the feedthrough on both sides relative to the insertion direction. In one embodiment, the nut receptacle is designed to be free of undercuts along the insertion direction. This means that the nut receptacle is delimited by smooth side walls perpendicular to the insertion direction.

[0014] In one embodiment, the nut has at least one recess for receiving at least a section of the fixing device, the recess being arranged outside the nut thread with respect to a transverse direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The recess can, for example, be provided on a transverse side of the nut or be designed as a hole running through the nut perpendicular to the transverse direction. By arranging the section of the fixing device in the recess, which is present in the operating state, the nut is advantageously fixed in its position relative to the nut receptacle along the insertion direction. In the operating state, the recess thus encompasses the section of the fixing device on both sides with respect to the insertion direction.By providing the recess and by arranging the section of the fixing device in the recess to implement the operating state, the fixing device can be arranged at a distance from the sides that delimit the nut along the insertion direction, i.e. the front and back, and yet adequate fixing of the nut relative to the nut receptacle can be ensured, which is particularly advantageous when the thermal expansion behavior of the slide or nut receptacle and nut differs. The nut preferably has a material thickness in the transverse direction between the nut thread and the extension that is at least 3 times, in particular at least 4 times, the extension length of the recess in the transverse direction, within which the fixing device is arranged in the operating state.In this way, the nut can be designed to be as robust as possible, and at the same time, the nut can be fixed in the nut receptacle due to the arrangement of the section of the fixing device in the recess. On two sides of the nut thread that are opposite one another in the transverse direction, the nut preferably has at least one recess each for receiving an associated section of the fixing device. The recess provided on both sides of the nut thread can ensure particularly robust fixing of the nut relative to the carriage in the operating state. The two recesses are preferably provided on different transverse sides of the nut. Precisely one section of the fixing device is assigned to each of the recesses. Accordingly, the fixing device has two sections that are spaced apart from one another.Of course, in advantageous embodiments, the nut can also comprise more than the two recesses mentioned and the fixing device can also comprise more than the two sections mentioned, wherein one recess is assigned to exactly one section of the fixing devices.

[0015] In one embodiment, at least one receptacle is provided on the carriage, the fixing device comprising at least one fixing section which, in order to implement the operating state, can be inserted into the receptacle starting from the pre-assembly state along a fixing direction which, with at least one component, runs perpendicular to the direction of insertion. For example, the fixing section can be designed in the manner of a pin. For example, the fixing section can be inserted into the receptacle linearly along the fixing direction. The fixing direction preferably runs at an angle of at least 45° to the direction of insertion, in particular perpendicular to the direction of insertion. By providing the receptacle in the carriage, the fixing section can be fixed particularly easily relative to the carriage. In the operating state, the fixing section is preferably encompassed by the receptacle on both sides with respect to the direction of insertion.In one embodiment, the fixing section, in the operating state, extends with each of its mutually remote end regions, relative to the fixing direction, beyond the nut and is enclosed by the receptacle within each of its end regions. Preferably, each of the end regions is encompassed by the receptacle on both sides with respect to the insertion direction. Preferably, each of the end regions is enclosed by the receptacle in such a way that its position relative to the carriage is fixed in every direction perpendicular to the fixing direction. The end region designates an end region along the fixing direction, wherein the end region extends from the respective end over at least 5%, in particular at least 10%, in particular at least 15% of the extension length of the fixing section along the fixing direction.Because the fixing section extends beyond the nut on both sides with respect to the fixing direction, it can be anchored to the carriage outside the nut in a particularly advantageous manner. In general, the fixing section preferably comprises the section of the fixing device explained above, which in the operating state of the linear plain bearing is arranged in a recess in the nut assigned to it. In one embodiment, the fixing device has at least two fixing sections, each of which can be inserted into a receptacle provided on the carriage, assigned to it, along a fixing direction which is assigned to each of them and runs with at least one component perpendicular to the direction of insertion. In the operating state, the nut thread of the nut is preferably arranged between the two fixing sections.Preferably, the two receptacles assigned to the two fixing sections are provided on two different transverse sides of the nut thread. Of course, the fixing device can also have more than two fixing sections and more than two receptacles can also be provided on the carriage, with exactly one receptacle being assigned to exactly one fixing section. Preferably, the different fixing directions assigned to the different fixing sections run parallel to one another. Preferably, the fixing sections are designed in the manner of a cylinder, the cylinder axis of which runs along the respective fixing direction.In one embodiment, the recess provided in the nut, together with a receptacle assigned to it on the carriage, forms a fixing receptacle, wherein in the operating state a fixing section of the fixing device assigned to this fixing receptacle is arranged in the operating state. The fixing section thus forms the explained section of the fixing device, which is arranged in the recess of the nut in the operating state. When a plurality of recesses, a plurality of receptacles and a plurality of fixing sections are provided, exactly one receptacle is assigned to each recess, which together form a fixing receptacle, wherein exactly one of the fixing sections is assigned to this fixing receptacle. Preferably, in the operating state the fixing section is encompassed on both sides by both the receptacle and the recess, at least with respect to the insertion direction, and is thus fixed in its position along the insertion direction.The receptacle and recess can be offset from one another along the explained fixing direction. In one embodiment, the receptacle extends along the fixing direction beyond the recess assigned to it and further extends along the fixing direction over the same section as the recess. In one embodiment, the receptacle is provided along the fixing direction exclusively outside the recess. Generally preferably, in one embodiment, the recess is designed at least in sections as a cylindrical hole. Generally preferably, in one embodiment, the receptacle is designed at least in sections as a cylindrical hole. If a plurality of recesses and a plurality of receptacles are provided, the explained features can of course apply to all of the recesses or all of the receptacles. In one embodiment, the receptacle is designed in the manner of a blind hole.

[0016] In one embodiment, the fixing section has a rounded cross-section, in particular a round cross-section, at least over a partial section. By designing the fixing section with a round cross-section, the formation of local stresses in the material of the carriage or of a mounting element having the nut receptacle or of the nut can be prevented as far as possible. Generally speaking, the fixing section is preferably arranged in the recess exclusively with its said partial section in the operating state, so that material stress on the nut is kept as low as possible, particularly with regard to the nut, which is particularly advantageous for a space-optimized design of the nut.

[0017] In one embodiment, the fixing section is arranged within a section along the insertion direction over which the nut extends. The fixing section is therefore not arranged outside the nut with respect to the insertion direction, so that it does not form a stop on a front or rear side, whereby a particularly advantageous fixing of the nut in the nut receptacle can be ensured. This is because an over-specific geometry for fixing the nut can be prevented and thus the position of the nut in the nut receptacle can be determined as precisely as possible. In addition, this can enable a particularly good tolerance to different thermal expansion behavior of the carriage or mounting element and the nut. The fixing section is particularly preferably arranged within a central region of the nut with respect to the insertion direction.The central region of the nut refers to such a region of the nut along the insertion direction which is spaced from the two ends delimiting the nut along the insertion direction, in particular the front and rear, by at least 10%, in particular at least 20%, in particular at least 30%, in particular at least 40% of the extension length of the nut along the insertion direction.

[0018] In one embodiment, the fixing device comprises a fixing element which, in the operating state, is arranged in the receptacle and is fixed therein with respect to the fixing direction, and forms a stop for the fixing section with respect to the fixing direction. The fixing element is thus provided as an element separate from the fixing section, which element can be inserted into the receptacle and fixed within the receptacle in its position along the fixing direction, so that the fixing element can form a stop for the fixing section along the fixing direction. The fixing element can ensure a particularly advantageous design of the fixing section.

[0019] In particular, the fixing section can be designed such that it can be inserted into the receptacle by linear insertion along the fixing direction. In particular, the fixing section can be designed to be as smooth as possible on its outer sides, in particular in the manner of a cylinder. The fixing element is preferably spaced from the nut in the operating state, so that it does not fulfill a holding function with respect to the nut, whereas the nut is fixed in the nut receptacle by means of the fixing section, as explained.

[0020] For example, the fixing element can be designed as a clamping, locking or screw element. The fixing element is particularly preferably designed in the manner of a grub screw. The receptacle particularly preferably has a thread within an end region, based on the fixing direction, into which thread the fixing element can be screwed to reach the operating state. In the operating state, the fixing element preferably presses against the fixing section along the fixing direction. The receptacle preferably has the explained thread exclusively in its end region, wherein the end region, starting from an end delimiting the receptacle along the fixing direction, extends over less than 40%, in particular less than 30%, in particular less than 20% of the extension length of the receptacle along the fixing direction.Preferably, the receptacle is designed as a blind hole, wherein, in the operating state, the fixing section is fixed in its position between a bottom of the blind hole and the fixing element. The bottom delimits the blind hole at one end with respect to the fixing direction. Preferably, in the operating state, the fixing element presses the fixing section against the bottom of the blind hole along the fixing direction.

[0021] In one embodiment, the fixing section is designed in the manner of a pin. In one embodiment, the fixing section has a threaded receptacle at one end, into which an assembly tool can be screwed to remove the fixing section from the receptacle starting from the operating state. The threaded receptacle can be designed, for example, as a hole with an internal thread. The threaded receptacle is preferably provided at an end of the fixing section against which the fixing element presses in the operating state. Starting from the operating state, the fixing section can preferably be removed from the receptacle by first removing the fixing element from the receptacle and then screwing an assembly tool into the threaded receptacle, after which the fixing section can then be pulled out of the receptacle along the fixing direction using the assembly tool.

[0022] In one embodiment, the carriage has a one-piece carriage body which forms the guide receptacle. In one embodiment, the carriage has a plurality of guide receptacles, all of which are formed by the one-piece carriage body. The nut receptacle is either formed by the carriage body or by a mounting element that can be releasably fixed to the carriage body. In the operating state, the mounting element is fixed to the carriage body, for example by means of at least one screw. While the formation of the nut receptacle by the carriage body enables the realization of a particularly compact carriage, the provision of an explained mounting element can ensure a particularly high level of modularity.

[0023] In one embodiment, the nut is made up of several parts, with the fixing device in operation resting against each part of the nut and fixing this part of the nut relative to the slide. The various parts of the nut are preferably arranged next to one another perpendicular to the direction of insertion so that they form a different region of the cross-section of the nut which is perpendicular to the direction of insertion. Each part of the nut therefore preferably extends along the direction of insertion over the entire extent of the nut. By designing the parts of the nut accordingly, each of the parts can be particularly advantageously and easily fixed relative to the slide. In one embodiment, all parts of the nut can be inserted together into the nut receptacle to create the pre-assembly state. In one embodiment, all parts of the nut together form the nut thread in operation.In one embodiment, the parts of the nut are spaced apart from one another at least in sections perpendicular to the insertion direction and each form a part of the nut thread, wherein they each bear against the spindle in the operating state with the part of the nut thread formed by them. This can particularly simplify the disassembly or manufacturability of the linear plain bearing and in particular maintenance of the linear plain bearing, in particular replacement of the nut, i.e. replacement of the nut provided in the linear plain bearing in the operating state of the linear plain bearing with a new, identically designed nut.

[0024] As a solution to the problem underlying the present invention, the invention proposes a carriage of a linear plain bearing according to the invention. The carriage comprises a carriage body, a nut receptacle and a nut. The nut can be inserted into the nut receptacle along an insertion direction, in particular can be inserted linearly therein, thereby realizing a pre-assembled state of the carriage and, starting from the pre-assembled state, can be removed from the nut receptacle along the insertion direction. The carriage furthermore has a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembled state, is designed to releasably fix the nut in the nut receptacle to realize an operating state of the carriage.

[0025] As a solution to the problem underlying the present invention, the invention proposes a mounting element of a carriage according to the invention. The mounting element has a nut receptacle and a nut and can be releasably fixed to the carriage body of the carriage. The nut can be inserted into the nut receptacle along an insertion direction, in particular inserted linearly, to realize a pre-assembly state of the mounting element and, starting from the pre-assembly state, can be removed from this along the insertion direction. The mounting element furthermore has a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembly state, is designed to releasably fix the nut in the nut receptacle to realize an operating state of the mounting element.In one embodiment, the operating state of the mounting element can be realized first, and then the operating state of the slide can be realized by fixing the mounting element to the slide body. In one embodiment, the operating state of the slide can be realized by first fixing the mounting element to the slide body and then inserting the nut into the nut receptacle to realize a pre-assembly state of the mounting element, and then, as explained, the operating state of the mounting element is realized.

[0026] As a solution to the problem underlying the present invention, the invention proposes the use of a nut, a fixing device, and a slide body for implementing a slide according to the invention and / or for implementing a linear plain bearing according to the invention. When used according to the invention, the nut is inserted along an insertion direction into a nut receptacle provided on the slide body and only then is its position relative to the slide body secured with respect to the insertion direction by means of the fixing device.

[0027] The various embodiments of the various solutions according to the invention described herein can be combined with one another in a particularly advantageous manner. In particular, embodiments of a specific solution may have features that are apparent to a person skilled in the art from the present description of embodiments of another solution of the present invention. Furthermore, embodiments of a solution according to the invention may have features that are described herein in connection with solutions known from the prior art.

[0028] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to four figures using exemplary embodiments.

[0029] It shows :

[0030] Figure 1: in a schematic principle representation, an exploded view of a section of an embodiment of a linear plain bearing according to the invention;

[0031] Figure 2: in a schematic principle representation, a first cross-sectional view of the embodiment according to Figure 1;

[0032] Figure 3: in a schematic principle representation, a second cross-sectional view of the embodiment according to Figure 1;

[0033] Figure 4: in a schematic principle representation of the nut of a further embodiment of a linear plain bearing according to the invention.

[0034] Figure 1 shows a highly simplified exploded view of components of an embodiment of a linear plain bearing according to the invention. While Figure 1 shows the components of the linear plain bearing in an exploded view, Figures 2 and 3 show the components of the linear plain bearing shown in Figure 1 in the positions relative to one another that they occupy when the linear plain bearing is in operation. Figures 2 and 3 are each highly simplified cross-sectional views, with Figure 2 showing a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and Figure 3 showing a cross-section perpendicular to the vertical direction Z.

[0035] The linear plain bearing shown in simplified form and in extracts in Figures 1 to 3 has a carriage 1 which has a carriage body 10 which forms two guide receptacles. In the operating state, an associated guide section 21, 22 of a rail of the linear plain bearing is arranged in each of the guide receptacles. A sliding element 210, 220 is arranged between the respective guide section 21, 22 of the rail and the respectively associated guide receptacle of the carriage body 10. The carriage 1, in this case the carriage body 10, has a nut receptacle 100 into which a nut 3 of the linear plain bearing can be inserted linearly along the longitudinal direction X.In the present exemplary embodiment, the longitudinal direction X thus corresponds, in a generally advantageous manner, to the insertion direction along which the nut 3 can be inserted into the nut receptacle 100 to achieve a pre-assembly state and along which the nut 3 can be removed from the nut receptacle 100 again from the pre-assembly state. The nut 3 has a nut thread 30 which, for the sake of simplicity, is only shown schematically and is not shown with its circumferential thread, which it naturally has.The thread of the nut thread 30 generally advantageously runs in a helical manner around a longitudinal axis running parallel to the longitudinal direction X, so that a spindle (not shown in the figures but obviously known to those skilled in the art) with a corresponding spindle thread can be screwed into the nut thread 30, wherein by rotation of the spindle and interaction of the nut thread 30 and spindle thread the carriage 1 can be moved along the longitudinal direction X relative to the rail or its guide sections 21, 22, whereas the spindle does not perform any translational movement with respect to the longitudinal direction X. The spindle and nut therefore form the drive elements of the plain bearing, wherein driving of the carriage 1, by means of which its movement along the longitudinal direction X relative to the rail is generated, is generated by rotation of the spindle about the explained longitudinal axis.

[0036] The sliding elements 210, 220 are each designed in the manner of a hollow cylinder which has a projection 211, 221 on its outer side which, in the operating state, is received in a corresponding projection receptacle 121, 122 of the carriage 1 or the carriage body 10, which is generally advantageous according to the invention. As a result, securing of the respective sliding element 210, 220 relative to the carriage 1 in the operating state can be reliably ensured, generally preferably at least securing the position of the sliding element 210, 220 with respect to the longitudinal direction X, particularly preferably furthermore with respect to a rotation about a longitudinal axis running parallel to the longitudinal direction X. In the operating state, the nut 3 is further fixed in its position relative to the carriage 1 and thus relative to the nut receptacle 100 by a fixing device.1, 2 and 3 together, it can be seen that the nut 3 is already secured against rotation relative to the carriage 1 about a longitudinal axis running parallel to the longitudinal direction X due to the corresponding cross section of nut 3 and nut receptacle 100 in the pre-assembly state in which it is arranged in the nut receptacle 100, without the fixing device contributing to fixing its position relative to the carriage 1. However, in the pre-assembly state it can be positioned as desired along the longitudinal direction X within the nut receptacle 100 or removed therefrom, which is generally advantageous according to the invention. The fixing device also fixes the position of the nut 3 with reference to the longitudinal direction X relative to the carriage 1 in the operating state.

[0037] The fixing device comprises two fixing sections 4, each in the form of a pin, and two fixing elements 5. The nut 3 has a recess 31 on each of its two transverse sides, which recesses extend exclusively outside the nut thread 30 with respect to the transverse direction Y, which is generally advantageous according to the invention. The nut thread 30 is arranged between the two recesses 31 with respect to the transverse direction Y. The carriage body 10 or the carriage 1 has two receptacles 145. Each of the receptacles 145 is designed in the manner of a blind hole and is each assigned to exactly one of the recesses 31. In each case one of the recesses 31 and one of the receptacles 145 together form a fixing receptacle for exactly one fixing section 4 and exactly one fixing element 5. The fixing sections 4 can be inserted into the respective fixing receptacle along a fixing direction which in the present case runs parallel to the vertical direction Z.Since the fixing sections 4 are each designed as a pin which has a smooth outer side, in particular is designed in the manner of a cylinder, the fixing sections 4 can each be inserted preferably by linear insertion into the fixing receptacle formed by the respectively associated receptacle 145 and recess 31 along the fixing direction. As can be seen from Figure 3, in the operating state both the recess 31 and the associated receptacle 145 encompass the associated fixing section 4 on both sides with reference to the direction of insertion of the nut 3, in this case thus with reference to the longitudinal direction X. As a result, the position of the nut 3 in the operating state is fixed relative to the carriage 1 with reference to the direction of insertion or longitudinal direction X. In this case, the respective fixing section 4 generally rests against the nut 3 exclusively via such a partial section.is arranged exclusively with such a partial section within the recess 31 in that it has a rounded cross-section. In addition, the respective fixing section 4 extends in the operating state with reference to the fixing direction, in this case vertical direction Z, generally preferably at both ends beyond the nut 3 and in particular beyond the nut receptacle 100, as can be seen in the present case from Figure 2. This ensures that the nut 3 is fixed to the carriage 1 in the operating state by the fixing sections 4 in a particularly low-stress, yet robust manner. In the operating state, the fixing elements 5 are also screwed into the fixing receptacle assigned to them. In this case, they are screwed into an area of ​​the fixing receptacle which is formed by the receptacle 145.For this purpose, the fixing elements 5 are designed in the manner of a grub screw having an external thread, which is not shown in the figures for the sake of simplicity. Furthermore, the fixing sections 4 each have a threaded receptacle 40 at one end, which has an internal thread into which an assembly tool can be screwed for removing and pulling out the respective fixing section 4 from the fixing receptacle or receptacle 145.

[0038] Figure 4 shows a correspondingly greatly simplified schematic diagram of the nut 3 of a further embodiment of a linear plain bearing according to the invention. The nut 3 according to the embodiment shown in Figure 4 is designed in several parts and thus has a first part 310 and a second part 320. The two parts 310, 320 of the nut 3 are arranged next to one another perpendicular to the insertion direction, in this case perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X, and together form the nut thread 30 of the nut 3. Each of the parts 310, 320 has a recess 31, wherein the recess 31 which the part 320 has is not shown in Figure 4 for the sake of clarity.Thus, in the operating state, each of the parts 310, 320 of the nut 3 is fixed relative to the carriage 1 by means of a fixing section 4 of the fixing device assigned to it, wherein the two fixing sections 4 of the fixing device are spaced apart from one another, in particular are designed as separate parts. In general, the fixing sections 4 of the fixing device explained are designed as separate parts. In general, the fixing elements 5 of the fixing device are preferably designed as separate components from one another and as separate components from the fixing sections 4.

[0039] Ma / wj 9 April 2025

[0040] Applicant: igus GmbH

[0041] 51147 Cologne

[0042] Linear plain bearing with assembly-optimized nut

[0043] List of reference symbols

[0044] 1 sled

[0045] 3 mother

[0046] 4 Fixing section

[0047] 5 Fixing element

[0048] 10 carriage bodies

[0049] 21 Guide Section

[0050] 22 Guide Section

[0051] 30 nut threads

[0052] 31 recess

[0053] 40 threaded mount

[0054] 100 mother recordings

[0055] 121 Lead recording

[0056] 122 projection recording

[0057] 145 recording

[0058] 210 sliding element

[0059] 211 lead

[0060] 220 sliding element

[0061] 221 lead

[0062] 310 first part

[0063] 320 second part

[0064] X Longitudinal direction

[0065] Y transverse direction

[0066] Z vertical direction

Claims

Claims 1. A linear plain bearing comprising a carriage (1) and a rail, wherein the rail has at least one guide section (21, 22) and the carriage (1) has at least one guide receptacle for the guide section (21, 22), wherein in an operating state of the linear plain bearing, the guide section (21, 22) is received in the guide receptacle, defining a position of the carriage (1) relative to the rail perpendicular to a longitudinal direction (X) and ensuring displaceability of the carriage (1) relative to the rail along the longitudinal direction (X), wherein the linear plain bearing further comprises a spindle with a spindle thread and a nut (3) fixed to the carriage (1) with a nut thread (30) corresponding to the spindle thread, wherein in the operating state, the spindle is arranged in the nut (3) and by rotation of the spindle, the carriage (1) is movable along the longitudinal direction (X) relative to the rail, characterized inthat a nut receptacle (100) is provided on the carriage (1), wherein the nut (3) can be inserted into the nut receptacle (100) along an insertion direction, in particular linearly, to realize a pre-assembly state and, starting from the pre-assembly state, it can be removed therefrom along the insertion direction, wherein the linear plain bearing has a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembly state, is designed for releasably fixing the nut (3) in the nut receptacle (100) in order to realize the operating state.

2. Linear plain bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that the nut receptacle (100) surrounds the nut (3) in the pre-assembled state exclusively along two mutually perpendicular directions running perpendicular to the insertion direction, wherein in particular the nut (3) is delimited by a front side and a rear side with respect to the insertion direction and the nut (3) in the pre-assembled state runs with its sides connecting the front and rear side without undercut along the nut receptacle (100), wherein in particular the nut (3) in the pre-assembly state and in the operating state with contact sections directly rests against the nut receptacle (100) and outside the contact sections in the pre-assembly state is spaced from the nut receptacle (100) exclusively by a free space and in the operating state is spaced from the nut receptacle (100) by at least part of the free space and in particular by the fixing device.

3. Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the pre-assembled state the nut (3) in the nut receptacle (100) is positioned rotationally fixed relative to a rotation about the insertion direction, wherein in particular in the In the pre-assembly state, the nut (3) is positioned in the nut receptacle (100) with a play of less than 5 mm, in particular less than 3 mm, in particular less than 2 mm, in particular of at most 1 mm in each direction perpendicular to the insertion direction.

4. Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insertion direction runs along the longitudinal direction (X).

5. Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nut receptacle (100) is designed as a continuous passage along the insertion direction and / or is designed without undercuts along the insertion direction.

6. Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nut (3) has at least one recess (31) for receiving at least a section of the fixing device, wherein the recess (31) is arranged outside the nut thread (30) with respect to a transverse direction (Y) running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X), wherein in particular the nut (3) has a material thickness in the transverse direction (Y) between the nut thread (30) and the recess (31) which is at least 3 times, in particular at least 4 times, an extension length of the recess (31) in the transverse direction (Y), within which the section of the fixing device is arranged in the operating state.

7. Linear plain bearing according to claim 6, characterized in that the nut (3) has at least one recess (31) on each of two sides of the nut thread (30) opposite one another along the transverse direction (Y) for receiving a respective different section of the fixing device.

8. Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one receptacle (145) is provided on the carriage (1), wherein the fixing device comprises at least one fixing section (4), which is designed in particular in the manner of a pin, which, in order to realize the operating state, starting from the pre-assembly state, can be inserted, in particular linearly, into the receptacle (145) along a fixing direction running perpendicular to the direction of insertion with at least one component.

9. Linear plain bearing according to claim 8, characterized in that the fixing section (4) extends in the operating state with each of its end regions facing away from one another, relative to the fixing direction, beyond the nut (3) and is enclosed within each of its end regions by the receptacle (145), in particular encompassed on both sides along the insertion direction.

10. Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the fixing device has at least two fixing sections (4), each of which is inserted into a receptacle (145) assigned to it and provided on the carriage (1) along a each associated with at least one component extending perpendicular to the insertion direction and being insertable into the receptacle (145), wherein in the operating state the nut thread (30) of the nut (3) is arranged between the two fixing sections (4).

11. Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 to 10 and at least according to claim 6, characterized in that the recess (31) provided in the nut (3) together with the receptacle (145) assigned to it and provided on the carriage (81) forms a fixing receptacle into which a fixing section (4) of the fixing device assigned to this fixing receptacle is arranged in the operating state, wherein the fixing section (4) in the operating state is encompassed on both sides by both the receptacle (145) and the recess (31), at least with respect to the insertion direction, and is thus fixed in its position along the insertion direction, wherein in particular the recess (31) and / or the receptacle (145) is designed at least in sections as a cylindrical hole.

12. Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the fixing section (4) has a rounded, in particular round, cross-section at least over a partial section, wherein it is arranged exclusively with its partial section in the operating state in the recess (31).

13. Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the fixing section (4) is arranged within a section along the insertion direction over which the nut (3) extends, wherein in particular the fixing section (4) is arranged within a central region of the nut (3) with respect to the insertion direction.

14. Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that the fixing device comprises a fixing element (5) which, in the operating state, is arranged in the receptacle (145) and is fixed therein with respect to the fixing direction and forms a stop for the fixing section (4) with respect to the fixing direction, while determining a position of the fixing section (4) relative to the carriage (1) along the fixing direction, wherein in particular the receptacle (145) is designed as a blind hole and, in the operating state, the fixing section (4) is fixed in its position between a bottom of the blind hole and the fixing element (5).

15. Linear plain bearing according to one of claims 8 to 14, characterized in that the fixing section (4) is designed in the manner of a pin and has at one end a threaded receptacle (40) into which an assembly tool can be screwed for removing the fixing section (4) from the receptacle (145) starting from the operating state.

16. Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carriage (1) comprises a one-piece carriage body (10) which forms the guide receptacle, wherein the Nut receptacle (100) is formed by the carriage body (10) or is formed by a mounting element which can be releasably fixed to the carriage body (10).

17. Linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nut (3) is designed in several parts, wherein the fixing device in the operating state bears against each part of the nut (3) and fixes it relative to the carriage (1), wherein in particular all parts of the nut (3) can be introduced together into the nut receptacle (100) to realize the pre-assembly state, wherein in particular in the operating state the plurality of parts together form the nut thread (30), wherein in particular the plurality of parts are spaced from one another at least in sections perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) and each form a part of the nut thread (30) with which they bear against the spindle.

18. Carriage (1) of a linear plain bearing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carriage (1) comprises a carriage body (10), a nut receptacle (100) and a nut (3), wherein the nut (3) can be inserted into the nut receptacle (100) along an insertion direction, in particular linearly, to realize a pre-assembly state of the carriage (1) and, starting from the pre-assembly state, can be removed therefrom along the insertion direction, wherein the carriage (1) has a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembly state, is used for releasably fixing the nut (3) in the nut receptacle (100) to realize a operating state of the carriage (1).

19. Mounting element of a carriage (1) according to claim 18, characterized in that the mounting element comprises a nut receptacle (100) and a nut (3) and is detachably fixable on the carriage body (10) of the carriage (1), wherein the nut (3) is insertable along an insertion direction, in particular linearly, into the nut receptacle (100) to realize a Pre-assembly state of the mounting element and, starting from the pre-assembly state, can be removed therefrom along the insertion direction, wherein the mounting element has a fixing device which, starting from the pre-assembly state, is designed for releasably fixing the nut (3) in the nut receptacle (100) to realize an operating state of the mounting element.

20. Use of a nut (3), a fixing device and a slide body (10) for realising a slide (1) according to claim 18 and in particular a linear plain bearing according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterised in that the nut (3) is inserted along an insertion direction into a nut receptacle (100) provided on the slide body (10) and is only subsequently fixed in its position along the insertion direction relative to the slide body (10) by means of the fixing device.

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