Macrocomposite guideway and rail produced therefrom
AssigneeKulicke & Soffa Investments, Inc.
InventorsDavid T. Beatson, Eugene Walter Frasch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of producing a macrocomposite linear guideway, wherein the “traditional” or existing rail material (e.g., hardened steel) is maintained as the wear resistant, low friction material in a layer having a surface intended to be in physical contact with one or more bearings, and further wherein this layer is supported by a substrate comprising a stiff, lightweight material. The wear resistant layer is attached to the substrate by a coating process. A linear guideway is also provided having a rail made of a lightweight stiff material on which is a hard bearing layer formed by a coating process.
Claims30
A method of making a rail component for a linear guideway that has at least two rails and a bearing assembly sandwiched between said two rails, said method comprising:
- (a) providing a substrate material formed in the shape of said rail and having a surface positioned to face said bearing assembly;
- (b) permanently depositing a hard wear layer onto said surface through a coating process;
- and
- (c) said substrate being made of a material having a density less than that of a material of which said hard wear layer is made.
A method of making a linear guideway having a bearing race for containing bearings, comprising:
- (a) providing first and second rails which are combinable to define a bearing race, each of said first and second rails comprising a substrate having a surface;
- (b) permanently depositing a hard wear layer onto said surface of each of said rails by means of a coating process, said hard wear layer having a wear surface defining at least a portion of said bearing race;
- and
- (c) said substrate being made of a material having a density less than that of a material of which said hard wear layer is made.
A method of making a stage for use in combination with a linear guideway to provide linear motion of said stage, comprising:
- (a) providing a chassis having at least one rail attached thereto, said rail comprising a substrate having a surface positioned to face and cooperate with a second rail to define a bearing race between said first and second rails when said first and second rails are combined to form the linear guideway;
- (b) permanently depositing a hard wear layer onto said surface through a coating process;
- and
- (c) said substrate being made of a material having a density less than that of a material of which said hard wear layer is made.
A linear guideway, comprising:
- first and second rails, each of said rails having a bearing surface, said first rail having a hard wear layer which includes said bearing surface, and said first rail having a substrate to which said hard wear layer is attached;
- a bearing between said two rails for roller contact with said bearing surfaces;
- said substrate being made of a material having a density less than that of a material of which said hard wear layer is made;
- and
- said hard wear layer being formed by permanently depositing a hard wear layer onto said substrate through a coating process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.