Preload biased structure of linear rail

A preload biased structure of a linear rail includes a rail and a sliding block disposed on the rail. The sliding block includes a sliding base, a supporting element, two connecting pieces and two locking pieces. The sliding element is provided with a connecting space. The front and rear end of the sliding base each is provided with abutting pieces. The abutting piece extends to form a biased block toward the connecting space. The biased block extends to form a biased slope. In assembling, the biased slope guides the supporting element to be inserted in the connecting space. The biased block provides a preloading force, whereby the supporting element can be fixed in the sliding base in advance. The locking pieces lock the two connecting pieces on both ends of the sliding base, so that the supporting element and the two connecting pieces can be assembled on the sliding base.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a locking structure, and in particular to a preload biased structure of a linear rail for locking a sliding block tightly in advance.

2. Description of Related Art

Precision industry has become one of the foundations of the modern high-tech culture. Precision industry is part of various traditional industries, such as photo-electronics, semiconductor, timepiece, mold, nanotechnology and etc.

In the field of precision industry, linear transmission elements and their associated products are widely used to many aspects, such as linear rails and ball screws. Especially, the linear rails have been widely mounted on many large-sized precision machines and equipment, thereby increasing the precision, smoothness, stability and lifetime of the parts of the machine.

Specifically speaking, the linear rail becomes more and more important and even indispensable. The linear rail is used to generate a precise linear displacement, thereby allowing a machine to perform a transmission, machining or positioning action with high precision. The linear rail refers to a combination of a rail and a sliding block movable linearly on the rail. The sliding block is constituted of a plurality of precision elements. The sliding block is used to support an object that is to move linearly thereon.

Since the linear rail is applied to a high-precision process, the acceptable error is very small. A minor defect in the linear rail may cause a serious problem, and in turn the manufacturer may suffer great losses. Please refer toFIG. 1, which shows a conventional linear rail. The conventional linear rail comprises a rail1aand a sliding block2a. The sliding block2ais slidably disposed on the rail1a. The sliding block2ais constituted of a sliding element21a, a supporting element22aand two connecting pieces23aprovided on the front and rear end of the sliding base21a. The above three members are slidably disposed on the rail1a. The above members constitute a linear rail, whereby the sliding block2acan generate an expected linear displacement on the rail1a.

However, in practice, the conventional linear rail has some problems as follows.

(I) In assembling, the supporting element22aand the sliding base21acannot be fixed to each other tightly in advance. Therefore, vibrations or collision generated in assembling may cause the supporting element22ato loosen and fall off the sliding base21a.

(II) When the sliding block2agenerates a reciprocating movement on the rail1a, a force may be generated in longitudinal direction (i.e., the moving direction). Thus, the connecting pieces23aat the front and rear end of the sliding rail2amay be subjected to a compression force or a tensile force. These forces will cause the constituent elements in the sliding block2ato vibrate due to tiny gaps between these constituent elements, so that noise and excessive wear will occur. Even damage may occur to the linear rail. Because of the above limitation resulting from the technical design of the prior art, the inventor strives via real world experience and academic research to develop the present invention, which can effectively improve the limitations described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a preload biased structure of a linear rail, whereby the constituent elements of the sliding block can be preloaded when assembling the linear rail. In this way, the constituent elements of the sliding block can be prevented from loosening. Thus, the sliding block has a firm structure.

In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a preload biased structure of a linear rail, which comprises a rail; a sliding block slidably disposed on the rail, the sliding block having: a sliding base, the front and rear end of the sliding base each having a positioning plate, a connecting space being formed between the positioning plates, the positioning plate having two protruding plates and two through-holes, the protruding plate extending integrally from both sides of the positioning plate, the protruding plate being provided with a locking hole, the through-holes passing through the protruding plate adjacent to the positioning plate, an abutting piece protruding downwards from the connecting portion between the positioning plate and the protruding plate toward the through-hole, an biased block extending from one end of the abutting piece facing the connecting space, the biased block being provided with a biased slope, the other end of the abutting piece being provided with a slope; a supporting element provided in the connecting space, the front and rear end of the supporting element being provided with a trough corresponding to the biased block, respectively, the biased slope guiding the supporting element to lock the biased block into the trough, thereby preloading and fixing the supporting element; two connecting pieces connected to the front and rear end of the sliding base, respectively, the end of the connecting piece facing the sliding base being provided with two insertion slots, the protruding plate being inserted in the insertion slot, the top surface of the connecting piece being provided with two insertion holes for communicating the insertion slots; and two locking pieces, both sides of the bottom surface of the locking piece extending downwards to form a hook respectively, the hook penetrating the insertion hole and the locking hole to be inserted into the insertion slot, thereby hooking the connecting piece to the front and rear end of the sliding base, the hook abutting the slope to press the biased block into the trough of the supporting element.

The present invention has advantageous features as follows.

The biased block of the present invention provides a preloaded effect. In assembling, the sliding base and the supporting element can be locked to each other in advance, thereby avoiding the supporting element from falling off the connecting space due to the vibrations caused in assembling. Further, the locking piece is inserted in the insertion slot to abut the slope of the abutting piece, so that the biased block of the abutting piece protrudes further toward the connecting space and thus the biased block is pressed in the trough of the supporting element completely. In this way, the supporting element and the two connecting pieces can be assembled on the sliding base tightly and firmly, thereby avoiding the vibrations, noises and wear.

In order to further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present invention, a detailed description relating thereto will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only, but not used to limit the scope of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIGS. 2 to 7. The present invention provides a preload biased structure of a linear rail, which includes a sliding block1and a rail2. The sliding block1is slidably disposed on the rail2. The sliding block1comprises a sliding base10, a supporting element12connected in the sliding base10, two connecting pieces13and two locking pieces14.

Please refer toFIG. 2. The front and rear end of the sliding base10extend upwards to form a positioning plate11respectively. A connecting space110is formed between the positioning plates11provided on the front and rear end of the sliding base10. Two protruding plates113extend horizontally and integrally from both sides of the positioning plate11. The two protruding plates113are provided with two locking holes1131. Two through-holes111are provided on the positioning plate11adjacent to the two protruding plates113. The connecting portion between the positioning plate11and the protruding plate113is formed an integral abutting piece112protruding downwards toward the through-hole111. The abutting piece112can swing elastically in the through-hole111to a reasonable extent.

Please refer toFIGS. 3A,3B and5. More specifically, one end of the abutting piece112facing the connecting space110extends horizontally to form a biased block1122. The biased block1122is further provided with a biased slope1123for guiding the supporting element12. The biased block1122extends to a suitable length and thus protrudes outside the through-hole111, so that the biased block1122is not aligned with the positioning plate11. In addition, the other end of the abutting piece112also extends obliquely to form a slope1122protruding outside the through-hole111.

Please refer toFIGS. 2 and 4. The sliding base10further has two hollow portions114. The two hollow portions114form a vertically space on both sides of the sliding element10. The sliding base10is formed with a supporting surface115respectively adjacent to the insides of the two hollow portions114.

Further, near the two hollow portions114, the sliding base10has two first passages116through the front and rear end of the sliding base10. The two first passages116are formed on the other side wall separated from the two supporting surfaces115. The sliding base10has a pair of roller guides117at its front and rear end respectively. The roller guide117is provided with a round groove1171of 180 degrees. One end of the round groove1171is connected to the outlet of the first passage116.

The supporting element12is inserted in the connecting space110. The supporting element12has two guiding rails121corresponding to the two hollow portions114and two troughs122corresponding to the biased blocks1122. The troughs122are provided on the front and rear end of the supporting element12. In assembling, the biased blocks1122are engaged in the troughs122(FIG. 6), thereby preloading the supporting element12in the sliding base10. In addition, the two guiding rails121extend downwards from the bottom of the supporting element12. The inner surfaces of the two guiding rails121each have a first guiding slot1211along their entire length. The opposite outside surfaces of the two guiding rails121have a curved abutting surface1212. The abutting surface1212is formed to correspond with the supporting surface115. The two guiding rails121of the supporting element12penetrate the two hollow portions114of the sliding base10respectively, so that the abutting surfaces1212of the supporting element12tightly adhere to the supporting surfaces115of the sliding base10. Adhesive is applied between the abutting surface1212and the supporting surface115, thereby fixing the supporting element12on the sliding base10.

Please refer toFIGS. 2,4and7A. Both sides of the rail2each have a second guiding slot21. The second guiding slot21and the first guiding slot1222are formed to be recessed oppositely. Via this arrangement, when the supporting element12is disposed in the connecting space110, a second passage16is formed between the first guiding slot1222and the second guiding slot21along the sliding base10. The roller guide117is provided between the first passage116and the second passage16(FIG. 7B). Both ends of the round groove1171are connected to the outlets of the first passage116and the second passage16respectively.

The two connecting pieces13are provided on the front and rear end of the sliding base10respectively. The ends of the two connecting pieces13facing the sliding base10are provided with insertion slots131. The protruding plates113on the front and rear end of the sliding base10are inserted into the insertion slots131respectively. In addition, both sides of the top surface of the two connecting pieces13are provided with two insertion holes132respectively. The two insertion holes132are in communication with the insertion slots131and thus are provided at the positions corresponding to the locking holes1131of the protruding plates113.

Please refer toFIGS. 2,4,7aand7B. The ends of the connecting piece13facing the sliding base10are further provided with two curved recesses133corresponding to the round grooves1171of the roller guide117. The curved recess133, the first passage116, the second passage16and the round groove1171together form a roller bearing3. More specifically, a closed roller bearing3is formed respectively between the sliding block1and both sides of the rail2.

In order to make the sliding block1to move on the rail2smoothly, a plurality of rolling elements4is disposed between the sliding block1and the rail2. That is, the roller bearing3allows the plurality of rolling elements4to circulate between the sliding block2and the rail2. Further, the plurality of rolling elements4can be balls, rolling needles or rolling posts, but they are not limited thereto. In the present embodiment, the rolling elements4are balls. Further, the plurality of rolling elements4is provided on a holder5. The holder5is used to separate the respective rolling elements4, so that a string of rolling elements5can be disposed in the roller bearing3. Via these rolling elements4, the sliding block1can generate a linear displacement on the rail2.

Further, a scraping piece15is provided in order to avoid foreign particles from entering the roller bearing3, when the sliding block1moves on rail2. Both ends of the scraping piece15extend to form a scraper151respectively, so that the scraping piece is substantially formed into a U shape. The scraping piece15is connected to the two connecting pieces13. The two scrapers151of the scraping piece15abut the surface of the rail2, so that the scrapers151of the scraping piece15can scrape off foreign particles on the rail2when the sliding block1moves on the rail2, thereby avoiding the foreign particles from affecting the action of the sliding block1.

Both sides of the bottom surface of the locking piece14extend downwards to form two hooks141. The two hooks141are formed transversely in the left-and-right direction. The two hooks141penetrate the locking holes1131of the protruding plate113and the insertion holes132of the connecting piece13. The two hooks141are further hooked to the lower edge of the protruding plates113. At the same time, one end of the hook141abuts the positioning plate11adjacent to the periphery of the through-hole111, thereby locking the two connecting pieces13on the front and rear end of the sliding base10.

When the hook141is hooked to the protruding plate113, the hook141is inserted in the insertion slot131to abut the slope1121on one end of the abutting piece112, thereby pushing the biased block1122of the abutting piece112to extend toward the connecting space110. In this way, the biased block122is pressed in the trough122of the supporting element12completely. That is, the abutting pieces112of the two positioning plates11abut the front and rear end surfaces of the supporting element12simultaneously.

Therefore, as shown inFIG. 8, the above-mentioned constituent elements form a linear rail. The sliding block1can generate an expected linear displacement on the rail2. The present invention has advantageous features as follows.

(I) In assembling, the biased block1122of the abutting piece112provides a preloaded effect, so that the sliding base10and the supporting element12can be locked to each other when the supporting element12is inserted in the connecting space110, thereby avoiding the supporting element12from falling off the connecting space110.

(II) The locking piece14is inserted in the insertion slot131to abut the slope1121of the abutting piece112, so that the biased block1122of the abutting piece112is pressed in the trough122of the supporting element12completely. In this way, the locking piece14exerts a biased force to both ends of the supporting piece14, so that the supporting element12and the two connecting pieces can be assembled on the sliding base10tightly and firmly, thereby avoiding the vibrations, noises and wear. As a result, the linear rail can generate a precise displacement more smoothly.