Abstract:
The present invention relates to a rolling element retainer, which was a combination that make up of the partition and the link-ring. The characteristic of the rolling element retainer was that has the rotatable structure, which uses the cooperation of ring and trough, therefore can enhance the function of the rolling element retainer to turn up-down and left-right.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a rolling element retainer, and more particularly to a rolling element retainer which is applied to linear transmission device, wherein the linear transmission is applied to mechanical, electronic, automatic or semiconductor equipments.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Arts  
         [0004]     Conventional rolling element retainer can generally be divided into two categories: the first type of rolling element retainer is a single independent unit; the second type of rolling element retainer is comprised of plural independent units. Referring first to  FIG. 11 , wherein a slide block is slidably mounted onto a rail, the slide block is interiorly provided with rolling elements  30 , between the rolling elements  30  is defined with plural single independent retainers  40  for preventing collisions of the rolling elements  30  with each other. In assembly, it is very time-consuming for the workers because they have to sequentially assemble the respective rolling members and the single independent retainers one by one into the slide block. Furthermore, the single independent retainers need to be tightly contacted the rolling elements, otherwise, the respective single retainers are susceptible to disengaging from the rolling elements at both sides, such that the circulation path will be jammed. But if the contact is too tight, which will lead to a bigger friction between the retainers and the rolling elements.  
         [0005]     Referring again to  FIG. 12 , which shows a rolling element retainer comprised of plural independent units, wherein the rolling element retainer  41  includes plural partitions  411  which are connected with a flexible chain  412 , so as to allow respective rolling elements  30  to rotatably receive in intervals between the respective partitions  411 . Such kind of retainer  41  is produced by initially putting the rolling elements into mould, and then processed with plastic ejection molding, however, the requirement on the quality of the plastic material and the performance of the ejection molding machine is very strict, and thus the cost is relatively increased. Furthermore, due to the special manufacturing methods, the contact between the rolling elements and the partitions is kind of tight, which will result in a big rolling friction, accordingly the cornering ability of this kind of rolling element retainer is limited. The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional rolling element retainer.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a rolling element retainer which is possessed with better cornering ability, such that the rolling element retainer is allowed to freely move in a complicated circulation path, and the rolling elements can roll smoothly.  
         [0007]     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided with a rolling element retainer which having intervals for sequentially receiving plural rolling elements and generally comprising plural partitions serving to separate the rolling elements from each other, each partition provided at both sides with a curved face in corresponding to curvature of the rolling elements; a plural link-rings employed to connect the partitions; each of the partitions and the link-rings is independent unit, the rolling element retainer in accordance with the present invention being comprised of such plural independent units, the engagement between the respective independent units is in a form that a cylindrical ring portion angularly movable engages with a curved surface, by this way, a rolling element retainer with desired length can be formed by alternatively connecting the link-rings and the partitions together, such that the rolling element retainer can be possessed with better cornering ability in universal direction.  
         [0008]     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  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a rolling element retainer in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a partition of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a right side view of the partition in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a left side view of the partition in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is an illustrative view of a link-ring in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a rolling element retainer in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a partition of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is an illustrative view of a link-ring in  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  shows a rolling element retainer being curved like a corkscrew;  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  shows both ends the curved rolling element retainer in  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  being connected together to form a ring shape;  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a conventional single cage for rolling element;  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a conventional rolling element retainer comprised of plural single retainers. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , wherein a rolling element retainer is shown and generally comprised of partitions  20  and link-rings  10 . The partitions  20  serve to separate rolling elements (not shown) from each other so as to reduce frictions, whereas the link-rings  10  are employed to connect the partitions  20 . In assembly, an end of the link-ring  10  is fixed to a partition  20  and another end of the link-ring  10  is connected to another partition  20 , such that a retainer with a certain length can be formed by connecting the link-rings  10  with the partitions  20  alternatively together.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , wherein the partition  20  is provided at both sides thereof with a curved face  21  respectively in corresponds to the curvature of the rolling element (not shown). One side of the partition  20  is provided with a trough  22  having curved bottom, whereas opposite side of the partition  20  is defined with a groove  23 , such that the partition  20  can be connected to the link-ring  10  of  FIG. 1  and forms a rolling element retainer. In addition, since the trough  22  of the partition  20  is designed as having curved bottom, which allows relative angular movement in left-to-right direction between the partition  20  and the link-ring  10 .  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , wherein the connecting  10  is shaped as an incomplete ring, which has a first open end provided with two fixing ends  11  for engaging the groove  23  of the partition  20 , and also has a second end provided with slight cylindrical-shaped ring portion  12  for engaging the trough  22  of the partition  20  as shown in  FIG. 2 . By such arrangements, a rolling element retainer can be formed by connecting plural link-rings  10  with plural partitions  20 . Since the ring portion  12  of the link-ring  10  is slightly cylindrical shaped, which allows relative angular movement in vertical direction between the partition  20  and the link-ring  10 .  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIGS. 6-8 , which shows a rolling element retainer in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the rolling element retainer generally comprises partitions  20 A and link-rings  10 A, the greatest distinction of this rolling element retainer over that of the prior embodiment in this case is that the ring  10 A is complete-ring shaped as having ring portions  11 A defined at its both sides. Whereas on both sides of the partition  20 A is provided an trough  22 A having a curved bottom, in this way, a rolling element retainer can be formed by engaging the ring portions  11 A of plural link-rings  10 A respectively in the troughs  22 A of plural partitions  20 A. The structure of this kind of rolling element retainer is relative simpler and has symmetry, the ejection molding of which is relatively easier, thereby the production cost can be accordingly reduced. Furthermore, this rolling element retainer is easy to be assembled.  
         [0026]      FIG. 9  shows a rolling element retainer being curved like a corkscrew.  FIG. 10  shows both ends the curved rolling element retainer in  FIG. 9  being connected together to form a ring shape. Wherein rolling elements  30  are confined in the intervals between the respective link-rings  10  and the partitions  20 , it can be learned from the drawings that the rolling element retainer of the present invention can be universally turned, which is most applicable to ball screw, linear guideway, linear ball bearing and such kind of linear transmission devices. In particularly, ball screw should be provided with the rolling element retainer which can be freely turned in universal direction. The link-ring and the partition in accordance with the present invention can be made of wear-resisting flexible material, so as to improve the cornering ability and prolong the service life of the rolling element retainer of the present invention.  
         [0027]     It is concluded from the above descriptions that the rolling element retainer in accordance with the present invention is possessed with the following advantages:  
         [0028]     First, the rolling element retainer in accordance with the present invention is comprised of multiple independent units (each unit includes a link-ring and a partition), and the cornering ability of which is not achieved by deformation of the device but by the relative angular movement between the respective independent units, so as to ensure that the rolling element retainer can slide smoothly along the circulation path of the linear transmission device.  
         [0029]     Second, the rolling element retainer in accordance with the present invention is comprised of multiple independent units, the respective units are simple structured as being formed by normal ejection molding, in this case, the production cost of it can be substantially lowered.  
         [0030]     Third, the respective units of the rolling element retainer in accordance with the present invention are allowed to move angularly with respective to each other, and, the engagement between the ring portion and the trough of the respective units is in form of the engagement of cylindrical ring portion with curved surface. By this way, the universal cornering ability of the rolling element retainer in accordance with the present invention can be substantially improved, which is able to slide smoothly along the circulation path of the linear transmission device without being warped.  
         [0031]     Fourth, the connecting and the partition of the present invention can be made of wear-resisting flexible material, so as to improve the cornering ability and prolong the service life of the rolling element retainer of the present invention.  
         [0032]     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.