Ball connecting body and ball screw apparatus using the same

A ball screw apparatus comprising:

• a screw shaft having a spiral ball rolling groove formed on an outer peripheral surface;
• a nut member having a load rolling groove opposite to the ball rolling groove of the screw shaft on an inner surface and meshed with said screw shaft through a multiplicity of balls rolling with applying a load between the ball rolling groove and the load rolling groove;
• a deflector fitted to an inner peripheral surface of the nut, having a ball returning groove to return a ball rolling on said load rolling groove for a wind of the load rolling groove and forming a substantially circular ring-like ball endless track on which the balls circulate in an endless manner;
• and
• wherein a ball connecting body is assembled within said ball endless track, said ball connecting body comprising a ball connecting body comprising:
• a multiplicity of balls circulating on a substantially circular ring-like ball endless track provided in a bearing apparatus;
• and
• a flexible connecting body belt arranging the balls in a line at a predetermined interval and holding each of the balls in a freely rotating manner;
• wherein
• said connecting body belt is constituted by a plurality of spacer portions inserted between mutually adjacent balls and having a spherical seat for bringing the balls into contact therewith and a flange-like connecting band portion mutually connecting on only one side of the spacer portions;
• and
• said connecting body belt is formed in a substantially circular ring shape at a time of arranging the balls in the connecting body belt so as to radially outwardly surround the spacer portions and the balls, and said ball is structured such as to apply a load between the load rolling groove of the nut member and the ball rolling groove of the screw shaft.