Linear motion machine with a lubricant supply member
AssigneeNsk Ltd.
InventorToru Tsukada
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a linear motion machine in which a number of rolling elements 8 are interposed between a linearly extending guide shaft 1 and a moving body 2 linearly moved while being guided by the guide shaft 1, and the elements 8 circulate along element rolling grooves 5 in the moving body 2 while rolling within the grooves 5, a lubricant supply member 14 made of lubricant-contained polymer is located near a load-receiving areal part of the element rolling grooves 5. The lubricant is oozed out of the lubricant supply member 14 and automatically supplied to the element rolling grooves 5 and the elements 8. A stable lubrication of the machine is ensured for a long time.
Claims14
A linear motion machine comprising:
- a linearly moving body having element rolling grooves that define a rolling surface;
- a linearly extending guide shaft for guiding said moving body;
- a number of rolling elements interposed between said linearly extending guide shaft and said linearly moving body, said elements circulating along said element rolling grooves of said moving body while rolling within said grooves;
- and
- a lubricant supply member formed of lubricant-containing polymer disposed in a lubricant supply member receiving groove that is formed in said rolling surface, said receiving groove is smaller than said element rolling groove, and said lubricant supply member is fastened to said receiving groove, wherein said lubricant supply member contacts said rolling elements.
A linear motion machine comprising:
- an axially extending guide rail having at least one element rolling groove on an outer surface thereof;
- a slider assembled to said guide rail comprising at least one load element rolling groove which opposes said element rolling groove and return paths coupled through curved paths with both ends of said load element rolling grooves;
- a number of rolling elements retained in said load element rolling grooves of said slider so as to circulate through said curved paths and said return paths;
- a side seal disposed on said slider and an underseal disposed on said slider;
- and
- a lubricant reservoir located in a gap between said guide rail and said slider to supply lubricant to the element rolling groove and a portion of one of the side seal and the underseal that is in slidable contact with the guide rail;
- wherein said lubricant reservoir is formed of a solid-state lubricant-containing polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.