# US 2014/0153849 A1 · Guide Device

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- Number: US 2014/0153849 A1
- Document ID: US20140153849A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/236,377
- Filed: 2012-07-12
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-23
- Assignees: Nsk Ltd.
- Inventors: Yoshinori Mizumura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153849A1

## CPC

- F16C 43/06: Placing rolling bodies in cages or bearings
- F16C 19/502: {with rolling elements in rows not forming a full circle}
- F16C 29/005: {Guide rails or tracks for a linear bearing, i.e. adapted for movement of a carriage or bearing body there along}
- F16C 29/0611: {of the return passages, i.e. the passages where the rolling elements do not carry load}
- F16C 29/0642: {with four rows of balls}
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS

## Abstract

A guide device is provided in which rolling elements can be assembled into circulation paths in a short time. A slider body is provided with rolling element insertion holes open at positions of a member mounting surface superposed over a return passage. The insertion holes extend in the length directions of leg parts and reach positions which bisect cross-sections of the return passage. The opened shapes of the insertion holes are elongated hole shapes with dimensions in the rolling element movement direction larger than dimensions in the width directions. For this reason, if balls are inserted from the rolling element insertion holes, spaces are formed inside of the return passage visible from the rolling element insertion holes in the rolling element movement direction of the balls. A rod-shaped fixture is inserted into each space to press the balls in the rolling element movement direction of the return passage.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A guide device comprising: a guide rail; a slider; and a plurality of rolling elements, wherein
the slider comprising leg parts arranged at both sides of the guide rail in a width direction and a body part which connects ends of the leg parts, a surface of the body part at the opposite side from the guide rail being a member mounting surface,
the guide rail and slider have rolling surfaces arranged to face each other and constitute a rolling passage of the rolling elements,
the slider has a slider body and end caps fastened to both of end parts in the movement direction,
the slider body has a return passage of rolling elements, and the end caps each has a direction changing path which communicate the return passage and a rolling passage,
the rolling passage, a return passage, and a direction changing path constitute a circulation path of rolling elements,
the rolling elements are circulated through the circulation path, and one of the guide rail and slider moves relative to the other along the guide rail,
the slider body has a rolling element insertion hole, the rolling element insertion hole is open at the member mounting surface of the slider body, extend in a length direction of the leg parts, and communicate with the return passage, in an opening dimension of the rolling element insertion hole, a dimension of the return passage in the width direction is at least a width of the return passage, and an opened shape of the rolling element insertion hole is an elongated hole shape with a dimension of the return passage in a rolling element movement direction larger than a dimension in the width direction of the return passage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The guide device according to claim 1, wherein the guide rail has an endless shape.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The guide device according to claim 1, wherein the rolling element insertion hole reaches a position where a cross section of the return passage is bisected.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The guide device according to claim 1, wherein the slider has a lid which covers the rolling element insertion hole and has a concave part which holds the lid at the member mounting surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The guide device according to claim 4, wherein the lid has a shaft part which fits in the rolling element insertion hole and a plate shaped part arranged at the concave part.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The guide device according to claim 5, wherein the front end part of the shaft part has a shape which matches a cross-sectional shape of the return passage vertical to the rolling element movement direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The guide device according to claim 6, wherein there is a bottom surface of the rolling element insertion hole at the both sides of the return passage in the width direction, a front end of the shaft part is formed with a flat part corresponding to the bottom surface, and the flat part is in contact with the bottom surface or faces the bottom surface through a preset gap.