Linear ball bearing unit

Abstract

A linear ball bearing unit for use in machine tools, transportation robots or the like. The bearing unit comprises a bearing body having a pair of skirts provided on their opposing surfaces with longitudinal ribs, the bearing body further having ball rolling grooves formed in both side surfaces of the ribs and constituting parts of passageways for loaded balls, longitudinal recesses formed in the outer surfaces of the skirts, and channel members fitted in respective recesses, the recesses and channel members in combination constituting passageways for non-loaded balls. The bearing unit further comprises a track shaft provided in both side surfaces thereof with recesses for receiving the ribs on the bearing body, the recesses being provided in both side walls thereof with ball rolling grooves constituting parts of the passageways for loaded balls. Lids are attached to both ends of the bearing body and adapted to provide ball turn grooves through which the passageways for loaded balls are connected to corresponding passageways for non-loaded balls thereby to permit ball trains to be recirculated through the passageways for loaded ball and then through the passageways for the non-loaded balls.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.