US 4,428,627 AGranted

Recirculating-ball linear bearing

OwnerHiroshi Teramachiinventor

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Abstract

A linear bearing capable of withstanding the load acting in all of downward, upward, and opposite lateral directions as it rolls along a guide rail of I-shaped cross section. Included is a bearing body of inverted-U-shaped cross section having a pair of bearing races of recumbent-Y-shaped cross section secured to its opposed inner surfaces. Each bearing race has formed thereon a pair of ball raceways of arcuate cross section opposed to a like pair of ball raceways on the head of the guide rail. The bearing body and the bearing races define therebetween two pairs of ball return passageways of circular cross section extending parallel to the two pairs of ball raceways on the bearing races. Fastened to the opposite ends of the bearing body and the bearing races, a pair of segmented end covers have formed therein hairpin grooves each intercommunicating one of the raceways on the bearing races and one adjacent return passageway in order to allow recirculation of a group of antifriction balls. A pair of cages extend along the respective pairs of raceways on the bearing races for rollably holding the antifriction balls thereon. The cages are slotted to permit the balls to partly project therethrough into rolling engagement with the raceways on the guide rail.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A recirculating-ball linear bearing capable of withstanding the load acting thereon in four orthogonal directions, comprising:

(a) a bearing body of substantially inverted-U-shaped cross section having two pairs of channels of arcuate cross section formed longitudinally on inner surfaces thereof;
(b) a pair of bearing races rigidly mounted to the inner surfaces of the bearing body in opposed relation to each other, each bearing race having a pair of channels of arcuate cross section formed longitudinally thereon in opposed relation to one pair of channels on the bearing body, the pair of channels on each bearing race and the corresponding pair of channels on the bearing body defining in combination a pair of return passageways of substantially circular cross section, each bearing race also having a pair of raceways of arcuate cross section formed longitudinally thereon in opoosed relation to a like pair of raceways on the other bearing race;
(c) a pair of end covers secured to the opposite ends of the bearing body and the bearing races, each end cover having formed therein hairpin grooves each intercommunicating one raceway on one bearing race and the adjacent one of the return passageways defined between the bearing body and the bearing races;
(d) groups of recirculating antifriction balls capable of rolling along the respective raceways and through the respective return passageways separately communicated therewith via the hairpin grooves in the end covers;
and
(e) cage means for rollably holding the antifriction balls on the raceways on the bearing races.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.