Motion guide apparatus

A motion guide apparatus comprising:

• a track member including a rolling element rolling portion;
• a carriage including a loaded rolling element rolling portion facing the rolling element rolling portion, a return path parallel to the loaded rolling element rolling portion, and a substantially U-shaped turn path connected to the loaded rolling element rolling portion and the return path;
• and
• a plurality of rolling elements arranged in a loaded path between the rolling element rolling portion and the loaded rolling element rolling portion, the return path, and the turn path in such a manner as to be capable of circulating, wherein
• the rolling elements are held by a retainer band,
• the retainer band includes a single flat band-shaped band body, and a plurality of spacers that are disposed between the rolling elements and formed integrally with the band body,
• as viewed from a front of the carriage in a state where the motion guide apparatus is placed on a horizontal plane, the loaded path, the return path and the turn path are provided on upper and lower sides in each of left and right sides of the carriage for a total of four, respectively,
• the respective loaded path is connected to the respective turn path,
• the respective return path is connected to the respective turn path,
• the retainer band in the lower loaded path and the retainer band in the lower return path are spaced apart in an inverted V-shape, and the retainer band in the upper loaded path and the retainer band in the upper return path are spaced apart in a V-shape, in a cross-sectional view orthogonal to a direction of relative movement of the carriage, and
• at least a part of the lower turn path and a part of the retainer band bend toward a direction where the retainer band is spread apart in the inverted V-shape in a side view in a direction where the lower loaded path and the lower return path coincide,
• at least a part of the upper turn path and a part of the retainer band bend toward a direction where the retainer band is spread apart in the V-shape in a side view in a direction where the upper loaded path and the upper return path coincide, and
• the upper turn path bends upward into a convex shape and the lower turn path bends downward into a convex shape as viewed from the front of the carriage in the state where the motion guide apparatus is placed on the horizontal plane.