Ball spline
AssigneeNippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
InventorsHaruo Mizutani, Naoki Koshino
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a ball spline which enables the manufacturing of an outer cylinder to be done simply, the manufacturing cost to be reduced, and the loading of balls to be done easily. This ball spline comprises a slider fitted around a ball spline shaft so that the slider can be slid freely thereon, and so that rotational torque can be transmitted to the slider. In the slider, a retainer unit fitted in the outer cylinder is divided into two at the regions of direction changing passages, and rings provided with curved portions constituting guides for balls are fitted in the portions of the outer cylinder which are opposed to the regions of the direction changing passages. The rings are fitted between the outer cylinder and retainers.
Claims14
A ball spline comprising a ball spline shaft provided with a pair of first raceway grooves in longitudinally extending outer surface thereof, and a slider fitted around said ball spline shaft so that said slider can be slid on said ball spline shaft, and so that torque can be transmitted to said slider, said slider comprising an outer cylinder provided with second raceway grooves longitudinally extending so as to be opposed to said first raceway grooves, a first retainer fitted in said outer cylinder and provided with windows opposed to said first raceway grooves in said ball spline shaft, and return grooves extending along said windows, a second retainer contacting said first retainer and fitting in said outer cylinder, balls rolling in raceways, which are formed by said first and second raceway grooves, through said windows, rings fitted between said outer cylinder and said first and second retainers so as to form guides for changing the direction of rolling of said balls, end plates fitted in said outer cylinder and disposed adjacently to said rings, and stop rings fitted in annular grooves, which are formed in said outer cylinder, so as to fix said first and second retainers, said rings and said end plates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.