Patent Publication Number: US-2005123223-A1

Title: Linear guide way with assembling end-cup and the method of fabricating

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a linear guide way with assembling end-cup and the method of fabricating, and more particularly to end-cup structure for linear guide way.  
      2. Description of the Prior Arts  
      Referring to  FIG. 7 , which shows a conventional linear guide way, wherein the linear guide way generally includes a rail (not shown), slide block  20  and two out-covers  60 . Each of the out-covers  60  includes a base-part  61  and a guide plate  62 , which enables the rollers (not shown) to roll in circles.  
      In assembly, the rollers need to be filled along inner side surface of a “ ”-shaped slide block  20 , this assembling method is very time-consuming. It will be more difficult to install the rollers in smaller linear guide way.  
      The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional linear guide way and method for assembling the same.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary object of the present invention is to provide a linear guide way with assembling end-cup which can be easily and quickly assembled, and thus the cost of the linear guide way is relatively lowered.  
      The secondary object of the present invention is to provide a method for assembling linear guide way with assembling end-cup, this method is designed to improve the assembly efficiency and shorten the time of assembling.  
      In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided with a linear guide way with assembling end-cup, which at least includes: a rail, a slide block, a plurality of rollers and end-cups, wherein the rail is limited in length and on both sides surfaces of which is respectively provided with a sliding groove parallel to the rail; the slide block is slidably mounted onto the guide way and which interiorly provided with sliding groove for cooperating with the sliding groove of the rail; the plurality of rollers received and roll in the sliding groove between the rail and the slide block, so as to reduce the sliding friction between the slide block and the rail; the end-cup is fixed to both ends of the slide block and interiorly provided with circulation passage for enabling the rollers to roll in circles.  
      A method for assembling the rollers is initially by fixing a first base-part and a first out-cover to an end of a slide block, and then fixing a second base-part to an opposite end of the slide block, and followed by filling the rollers into the slide block via the guiding holes on the outer surface of the second base-part, after the rollers have been filled in the slide block and then fixing a second out-cover to the second base-part so as to form a complete circulation path, and thus the assembly is finished.  
      The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which shows, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of showing a linear guide way with assembling end cap in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is an inside plan view of the base-part of the end-cup in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is an outside plan view of the base-part of the end-cup in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is an inside plan view of the out-cover in  FIG. 1 ;  FIG. 5  is an outside plan view of the out-cover in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 5  is an outside plan view of the out-cover in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 6  is an operational view of illustrating the method for assembling the roller in the linear guide way;  
       FIG. 7  shows a conventional linear guide way. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , which is an exploded view of showing a linear guide way with assembling end-cup in accordance with the present invention. Wherein the linear guide way generally includes a slide block  20  mounted onto a rail  10 , at both sides of the slide block  20  is respectively provided with an end-cup  30 , each of the end-cups  30  is interiorly defined with circulation passages for enabling rollers (not shown) to roll in circles. Base-part  31  and out-cover  32  of each of the end-cups  30  are fixed to the slide block  20  by virtue of screws  40 .  
       FIG. 2  is an inside plan view of the base-part of the end-cup in  FIG. 1 ;  FIG. 3  is an outside plan view of the base-part of the end-cup in  FIG. 1 . Wherein the base-part  31  is used to cooperate with the slide block  20  in  FIG. 1 , the base-part  31  is provided with more than one set of guiding holes  311 , through the guiding holes  311  the rollers (not shown) are allowed to slide in and out of the slide block  20 , the base-part  31  is further defined with screw holes  312  for allowing passage of screws. The outer surface of the base-part  31  serves to abut against the out-cover  32  shown in  FIG. 1 , locating holes  313  are defined on the outer surface of the base-part  31  for enabling the base-part  31  to accurately fixed to the out-cover  32 . Still on the outer surface of the base-part  31  between the guiding holes  311  of each set is formed with a curved surface  314 . Furthermore, an upper locating slot  315 , a side locating slot  316  and a lower locating slot  317  are respectively defined on the base-part  31 , so as to enable the base-part  31  to position roller retainers (not shown). The base-part  31  is further provided about the periphery with walls  318  with predetermined height for preventing disengagement of the rollers out of the guiding holes  311  in assembly.  
       FIG. 4  is an inside plan view of the out-cover in  FIG. 1 ;  FIG. 5  is an outside plan view of the out-cover in  FIG. 1 . Wherein the out-cover  32  is provided with circulation passages  321  in corresponding to the respective sets of guiding holes  311  of the base-part  31 , so as to form a complete circulation path for allowing the rollers to roll in circles. The out-cover  32  is further provided with screw holes  322  in corresponding to the screw holes  312  of the base-part  31  for passage of screws. On the inner surface of the out-cover  32  is defined with locking pins  323  in corresponding to the locating holes  313  on the outer surface of the base-part  31 , so as to ensure that the base-part  31  can be accurately positioned. In addition, the material of the out-cover  32  can be elastoplastics, so as to improve the effect for absorbing the collision noise.  
       FIG. 6  is an operational view of illustrating the method for assembling the roller in the linear guide way. Wherein the method for assembling the rollers  50  is initially by fixing an end-cup  30  to an end of the slide block  20 , and then fixing the base-part  31  to an opposite end of the slide block  20 , followed by filling the rollers  50  into the slide block  20  via the guiding holes  311  on the outer surface of the base-part  31 . After the rollers  50  have been filled in the slide block  20  and then fixing the out-cover  32  to the base-part  31  so as to form a complete circulation path. This assembly method can improve the efficiency for assembling the linear guide way. On the other hand, an automatic machine can be fit in the guiding holes  311  for filling the rollers  50  in the slide block  20  automatically, by this way, the assembly time can be substantially reduced.  
      While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.