Running roller carriage of a running roller guide

A running roller carriage of a running roller guide. The running roller carriage has a carrying body and two running roller pairs which are formed by running rollers. The two running rollers of a running roller pair are arranged one behind the other in the running directions of the running roller carriage, and have a lubricating element which is arranged between the two running rollers of a running roller pair and is in lubricating contact with the running roller pair. The lubricating element has an absorbent lubricating body which is received in a receiving groove which is formed on the carrying body The receiving groove is configured for holding the lubricating body and for transferring lubricant onto the lubricating body.

This application claims the priority of DE 10 2008 016 400.3 filed Mar. 29, 2008, which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a running roller carriage of a running roller guide.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

DE 10 2006 031 704 A1, for example, has disclosed a running roller guide, in which a running roller carriage is mounted such that it can be displaced longitudinally on a guide rail via four rollers, The carrying body of the running roller carriage has two running roller pairs which are formed in each case by two running rollers, the guide rail being arranged between said two running roller pairs. The two running rollers of each running roller pair are arranged one behind the other in the running directions of the running roller carriage. A lubricating element which is in lubricating contact with the running roller pair is arranged between the two running rollers of a running roller pair. The lubricating element is at the same time configured as a relubricating unit. It has a housing with concave housing sections which lie opposite one another as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail, said concave housing sections being adapted to the outer contour of the running rollers. Said relubricating unit has two lubricating points which are in lubricating contact in each case with one of the two running rollers of the running roller pair. Furthermore, said relubricating unit has two lubricating cushions which are arranged in the housing, each lubricating cushion being provided with one of the lubricating points. A spring which suspends the two lubricating cushions against the two running rollers is arranged between said lubricating cushions. Said lubricating cushions are formed from absorbent material which is impregnated with lubricant, the lubricant being discharged to the running rollers under lubricating contact at the lubricating point.

Said relubricating unit requires a considerable amount of installation space, since the housing has to receive not only the lubricating cushion, but also at the same time the lubricant as lubricant reservoir. Furthermore, the production outlay and the associated increased costs can possibly be disadvantageous for low-cost applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It was therefore an object of the invention to specify a running roller carriage of a running roller guide, which is inexpensive and simple to provide. According to the invention, the object is achieved by the running roller carriage where a lubricating body of the lubricating element is received in a receiving groove which is formed on the carrying body. Unlike in the prior art, a separate housing is no longer required in order to secure the lubricating body. Rather, a simple recess in the carrying body is sufficient, into which the lubricating body can be clamped, for example. In addition, the receiving groove of the running roller carriage according to the invention serves to transfer lubricant to the lubricating body. A separate lubricant reservoir outside the carrying body can be omitted without a replacement, since the relubrication of the lubricating body can take place via said receiving groove. Furthermore, the running roller carriage experiences a weight reduction as a result of the recess, which weight reduction can be advantageous in certain applications.

Lubricant can be introduced into the receiving groove in a simple way by said receiving groove being connected to a recess, in particular a hole, which is provided in the carrying body. Lubricant which has accumulated in said recess can pass from there via the receiving groove onto the lubricating body. The lubricating body is capable of receiving lubricant and discharging it again at lubricating points. Porous, absorbent materials can be suitable here.

A felt body may be particularly suitable as the lubricating body, which felt body can be clamped, for example, into the receiving groove in a simple way on account of its solid, but nevertheless absorbent structure. The recess in the carrying body which is preferably configured as a hole can end at a lubricating nipple which is attached to an end face of the carrying body. Thus, for example, lubricant can be pumped into the hole by way of a lubricant pump which is connected to the lubricating nipple, said hole serving at the same time as lubricant reservoir. As a result of the fact that the recess at the same time contributes to a considerable weight saving of the carrying body, the running roller carriages according to the invention can be suitable, in particular, for applications, in which a low inherent weight is demanded.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1shows a perspective illustration of a running roller carriage1according to the invention which is mounted such that it can be displaced longitudinally on a guide rail2. The running roller carriage1and the guide rail2form a running roller guide. The running roller carriage1has a carrying body3and two running roller pairs4which are arranged on both longitudinal sides of the guide rail2. The two running rollers5of a running roller pair4are arranged one behind the other in the running directions of the running roller carriage1. The running rollers5are arranged such that they can be rotated about a running roller axis6. Each running roller5is screwed to the carrying body3via a threaded bolt7. A lubricating element8is arranged between the two running rollers5of a running roller pair4. The lubricating element8comprises a lubricating body9which is in lubricating contact with the two running rollers5of the running roller pair4.

FIG. 2shows a side view of the running roller carriage1. The lubricating body9is configured in the present case as felt bodies10which are produced from felt. It can be gathered from the Figure that the felt body10is adapted on its sides which face the two running rollers5to the circumferential face of the running rollers5. The felt body10is filled with lubricant which is discharged onto the circumferential face of the running rollers5, preferably during rotation of the running rollers5.

FIGS. 3 and 4show the carrying body3of the running roller carriage1withFIG. 3reproducing the view of the carrying body3from below. Illustrated inFIG. 3, are threaded holes11for the threaded bolts7(not depicted here). Receiving grooves12,13are provided on both sides of the longitudinal axis L of the carrying body3for receiving lubricating elements or lubricating bodies (not depicted here). Two variants of receiving grooves12,13are depicted here. The receiving groove12which is depicted below the longitudinal axis L extends along the longitudinal axis L. Said receiving groove12is dimensioned in such a way that the felt body10which is depicted inFIG. 2can be inserted without difficulty into the receiving groove12and can be secured in the latter. The felt body10can be secured positively, or else (as here) non-positively. Accordingly, the lubricating body10is clamped into the receiving groove12.

The receiving groove13which is depicted above the longitudinal axis L extends substantially transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis L of the running roller carriage1. A lubricating element according to this invention can also be fitted here.

The carrying body3is provided with a hole14which is arranged transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis L and is configured in the present case as a blind hole. At one end face15of the carrying body3, the hole14ends in a lubricating nipple16. The lubricating nipple16can also be seen inFIGS. 1,2and4.

The two receiving grooves12,13are connected to the hole14, as can be gathered fromFIG. 4. The hole14serves at the same time as lubricant reservoir17, from which lubricant passes into the receiving grooves12and13. The lubricating elements (lubricating bodies in the present case) which are inserted in the receiving grooves12and13get saturated with the lubricant and then discharge the latter onto the running rollers, with which the lubricating body is in lubricating contact.

The felt body10can also be held on the carrying body3by a screw (not depicted here). At any rate, it is ensured that sliding or falling of the felt body out of the carrying body3is avoided. The carrying body3can be provided with a plurality of holes which communicate with one another, with the result that an enlarged lubricant reservoir is formed, with the advantageous effect of an increased service life without relubrication being required.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS