Patent ID: 6085473
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: E04H,F16F

Abstract:
A three-dimensional guiding apparatus comprising a base, a first curved guiding apparatus disposed above the base and having an arcuate track, a second curved guiding apparatus disposed above said first curved guiding apparatus and having a plane of movement along an arcuate track which crosses the plane of movement of said first curved guiding apparatus, and an intermediate member positioned between said first curved guiding apparatus and said second curved guiding apparatus and interconnecting said first curved guiding apparatus and said second curved guiding apparatus,each of said first and second curved guiding apparatuses comprising:a track rail vertically curved at a predetermined curvature and having ball rolling grooves defined along an arcuate shape of predetermined curvature in opposite surfaces;a bearing block having a connecting portion and a pair of skirts extending respectively from opposite ends of said connecting portion, said bearing block including ball rolling grooves defined in said skirts in alignment with said ball rolling grooves of said track rail along an arcuate shape of predetermined curvature, and non-loading ball passages defined in said skirts adjacent to said ball rolling grooves;a pair of lids mounted respectively on front and rear ends of said bearing block and having respective ball direction changing passages defined in respective inner surfaces thereof, the ball direction changing passages connecting ends of said ball rolling grooves and said non-loading ball passages to provide endless ball circulation paths; anda plurality of balls disposed to circulate in said endless ball circulation paths for bearing loads between said ball rolling grooves in said track rail and said ball rolling grooves in said bearing block.