Abstract: A linear motion guide unit is disclosed in which a separator interposed between any two adjoining rollers fits over or embraces the rollers flanking the separator, thereby realizing low noise and low wear. The separator lying between any two adjoining rollers is made concaved at forward and aft sides thereof to fit snugly over the rollers in rolling-contact relation. The separator is made with a sunken relief on at least an inward side thereof, which is near a radially inside curved surface in the turnaround, the sunken relief extending lengthwise of the separator and being provided by making the separator reduced in width lest the separator comes in engagement with the radially inside curved surface in the turnaround.

Abstract: In a linear guide bearing apparatus wherein a separator is interposed between adjacent balls K and K moving following a curved circulating path 8, and the ball K contacts concave faces W of the separator T at both ends in an axial line direction and at the same time the ball K rolls as contacting a guide face 8a of an outside guiding member 5 and a guide face 8b of an inside guiding member 9, the separator has an outer diameter larger than a maximum outer diameter L&phgr; under a condition where the ball rolls as simultaneously contacting both curved faces 8a, 8b of the inside and the outside of the curved circulating path 8, and the radius of curvature of the guiding face 8b in the curved circulating path 8 is reduced to a size not contacting the separator T.

Abstract: A linear motion guide for mounting and longitudinally guiding machine parts, in which a first guide element provided to be fixed to a machine part is guided by a plurality of rolling elements along a longitudinal movement axis with respect to a second guide element, likewise provided to be fixed to a machine part, for this purpose each guide element has a groove-like recess running parallel to the longitudinal movement axis, boundary surfaces of the recess in each guide element are provided as rolling surfaces for the rolling elements, the rolling elements are arranged one after another in one or more rows in at least one cage between the two guide elements, the cage is provided with at least one first positive guide, the cage with its first positive guide being guided by second positive guide fixed to the guide elements, each second positive guide being arranged only on one of the guide elements and being fixed in position relative to the latter.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus comprises a rack-and-pinion mechanism and a ball screw mechanism. The ball screw mechanism comprises a shaft formed a screw groove and a nut formed a screw groove. A ball-roll path is created spirally by the screw grooves of the shaft and the nut being opposite each other. A plural number of balls are contained into the ball-roll path. A ball-return path is connecting both ends of the ball-roll path so that the balls go through. A circulation path consists of the ball-roll path and the ball-return path, in which the balls move endlessly. A plural number of separators is arranged between the balls respectively in order to prevent balls from contacting each other. A number of the balls is fewer from one ball to three balls than a maximum number of the balls which can be contained into the circulation path.

Abstract: A linear motion guide unit is disclosed in which a separator is made to fit over or embrace any adjacent rolling element, thereby realizing quiet operation and wear-resistance, with even under high-speed, high-cycle sliding motion. The separator has a round outside peripheral surface, and forward and aft end faces that are made concave to fit over the associated rolling elements. An end cap is made up of a spacer part having a lug to provide a radially inside curved surface of a turnaround, and a major part to provide a radially outside curved surface of the turnaround when mounted on a carriage through the spacer part. Cut in the radially inside curved surface on the lug is a gutter for relief, which extends circumferentially ilk along the center of the radially inside curved surface on the lug, thereby allowing the separator to travel through the turnaround without any interference with the radially inside curved surface of the turnaround.

Abstract: In a linear guide bearing apparatus wherein a separator is interposed between adjacent balls K and K moving following a curved circulating path 8, and the ball K contacts concave faces W of the separator T at both ends in an axial line direction and at the same time the ball K rolls as contacting a guide face 8a of an outside guiding member 5 and a guide face 8b of an inside guiding member 9, the separator has an outer diameter larger than a maximum outer diameter L&phgr; under a condition where the ball rolls as simultaneously contacting both curved faces 8a, 8b of the inside and the outside of the curved circulating path 8, and the radius of curvature of the guiding face 8b in the curved circulating path 8 is reduced to a size not contacting the separator T.

Abstract: In a ball screw, a nut is fitted with the outer periphery of a screw shaft, ball rolling grooves opposed to each other are formed in the screw shaft and the nut The ball rolling grooves cooperate in forming a ball rolling path therebetween. A tube as a return path disposed on the nut for connecting one end portion of the ball rolling path to the other end portion thereof, the ball rolling path and tube cooperate in forming an endless circulation path. A plurality of load balls are disposed within the endless circulation path. The position of the tube cannot be limited to a single specific position. In the ball screw, retaining pieces are respectively inserted between the mutually adjacent ones of the load balls disposed within the endless circulation path.

Abstract: A translation table with a pair of bearing assemblies located between a first element and a second element. Each bearing assembly has a pair of roller bearings located at one end of a bearing separator strip, and another pair of roller bearings located at an opposite end of the separator strip. There are no bearings located between the outer pairs of roller bearings. Providing a roller bearing assembly with no roller bearings in the inner portion of the separator strip creates a relatively stiff bearing assembly.

Abstract: A bearing is to be engaged between two or more machine elements, and includes an endless ball chain, and two offset rows of balls engaged in the endless ball chain, for forming an endless planer structure to resist the forces transmitted between the machine elements. The endless ball chain includes a number of spacers disposed between the balls and each having one or more notches for increasing a deformability of the spacers, and has two side flanges and an intermediate flap. The spacers are solidly formed and disposed between the side flanges and the intermediate flap.

Abstract: A ball screw having spacers which can assuredly be retained between balls and prevent direct contact between the balls. The ball screw includes a plurality of spacers (1) provided between respective adjacent pairs of balls. The spacers (1) each include a base plate (2) having front and back surfaces, and at least three projections (4, 6) provided on each of the front and back surfaces of the base plate (2). The projections (4) on the front surface are offset from the projections (6) on the back surface. The spacers (1) are each provided perpendicularly to a traveling direction of the balls with the projections (4, 6) on the front and back surfaces resiliently abutting against the balls.

Abstract: A linear guide device includes: a plurality of rolling elements; a guide rail extending in an axial direction thereof and including a plurality of rolling element rolling grooves in two side portions thereof, said rolling groove extending in an axial direction of the guide rail; a slider including a plurality of rolling element rolling grooves respectively opposed to said rolling element rolling grooves of said guide rail, said slider being supported on said guide rail in such a manner that said slider is movable along the axial direction of said guide rail through the rolling movements of said rolling elements respectively inserted between said rolling element rolling grooves of said guide rail and said rolling element rolling grooves of said slider, said slider including a rolling element endless circulation track along which said rolling elements are allowed to circulate endlessly; and a plurality of separators, each interposed between said adjoining rolling elements in the circulation direction of said ro

Abstract: A rolling ball separator structure of a linear drive member includes multiple separators mounted between the multiple rolling balls and each having a body and an outer ring structure. Thus, the body may be deformed elastically, thereby preventing the multiple separators from interfering with the return face of the rolling path during the returning process of the rolling balls, and thereby absorbing the gap variation of the uneven force during the returning process of the rolling balls, and the outer ring structure may maintain the relative position of the rolling balls, so that the rolling balls will not collide directly during the returning process.

Abstract: In a roller retainer assembly, a roller retainer 15 is thinned to retain individual one of plural rollers 7 circulating in a roller circulation path inclusive of linear and curved races and to hold opposite side surfaces of the roller 7 and front and rear surfaces thereof in the roller moving direction. A combination of linear and curve guide portions 16a and 16b different in inclination angle and a combination of linear and curve guide portion 17a and 17b different in inclination angle are formed respectively in opposite end surfaces of the roller retainer 15 in a retainer moving direction. In a linear race, the linear guide portions 16a and 17a come into contact with adjacent roller retainers 15 respectively. In a curved race, the curve guide portions 16b and 17b come into contact with adjacent roller retainers 15 respectively.

Abstract: There is provided a rolling element spacer used in a rolling guide device having an endless circulation passage of balls, arranged alternately with many balls in the endless circulation passage, and circulating together with the balls in the endless circulation passage. It has a pair of ball holding seats each of which is formed in a concave spherical face form nearly approximating a spherical face of the ball and sliding-contacts with the ball and, around each ball holding seat, there is formed an annular dropout prevention portion protruding in a ball arranging direction than an edge portion of the ball holding seat and kept in non-contact with respect to the ball seated on the ball holding seat.

Abstract: A liner motion device has a liner motion element fitted on a shaft and moving straight along the shaft; a plurality of balls which are retained in a rolling element groove formed on the inner side of the liner motion element and roll over between the rolling element groove and the shaft; a separator interposed between the rolling elements; and, a circulating path formed in the liner motion element through which the rolling elements are circulated from one end of the rolling element groove to the other, wherein the separator is a product of a synthetic resin containing a lubricating oil in an amount of 3 to 25% by volume.

Abstract: A linear-motion device has: a linear-motion element fitted on a shaft which moves straight along the shaft; a plurality of balls which are retained in a ball groove formed on the inner side of the linear-motion element and roll over between the ball groove and the shaft; a separator interposed between the balls; and, a circulating path formed in the linear-motion element through which the balls are circulated from one end of the ball groove to the other, which is filled with a grease, wherein the separator is a formed product comprising as a resin component a polybutylene naphthalate-based elastomer formed by a hard segment made of a polybutylene naphthalate and a soft segment made of a polycondensate of 2,6-naphthalanedicarboxylic acid with a polytetramethylene ether glycol.

Abstract: The invention provides a ball screw apparatus which suppresses abrasion and damage by competition of balls, controls spaces between retaining pieces and balls, and prevents retaining pieces from falling, thereby enabling to more improve operating ability. The retaining pieces are positioned between the balls running in a ball rolling path, such that a sum total of the spaces between the retaining pieces and the balls is 50% or less of an outer diameter size of the retaining piece, and at the same time a contact angle between the retaining piece and the ball is 25° or above to 40° or below.

Abstract: In a linear motion guide unit in which a rack-and-pinion arrangement is interposed between paired guide rail members to keep a cage against falling off from the guide rail members, the rack is made reduced in size in depth direction to fit well in even a gutter cut small in depth in the guide rail member. The rack is made up of successive teeth mating with the pinion, and side walls to join the teeth together with one another. The side walls of the rack are rendered thickened sidewise with depth while sidewise opposing surfaces defining a gutter cut in the guide rail also lean away one another with depth in a way conforming to the side walls of the rack, so that the rack can be fastened in the gutter by virtue of face-to-face engagement of the side walls with the associated surfaces in the gutter.

Abstract: A roller retainer 11 encloses an outer periphery of the roller 9 situated on a diagonal 20 when the roller 9 is viewed from the side surface thereof. Whether the rollers 9 are arranged in a parallel manner or in a cross manner, the roller retainer 11 is able to keep a constant position and thus the disposition of the roller retainer 11 is free from the influence of the direction the roller 9. Also, since the roller retainer 11 restricts a corner portion 9a of the roller 9, the roller 9 is difficult to slip off the roller retainer 11 and thus the roller 9 can be restricted positively, thereby being able to control the skew of the roller 9.

Abstract: A ball screw in a continuously variable speed transmission has an axially immovable pulley half (2) and axially movable pulley half (3) both mounted on a rotary shaft (4). The axially movable pulley half (3) is moved by a ball screw (20) so as to infinitely vary the belt wrapping radius and thus the transmission speed. A nut (22), forming one part of the ball screw (20), is immovably secured in both axial and rotational directions. A screw shaft (21), forming the other part of the ball screw (20), is movable in both axial and rotational directions. The screw shaft 21 is connected to the axially movable pulley half (3). The axially movable pulley half (3) is axially moved by rotating the screw shaft (21).

Abstract: There is provided a rolling element spacer used in a rolling guide device having an endless circulation passage of balls, arranged alternately with many balls in the endless circulation passage, and circulating together with the balls in the endless circulation passage. It has a pair of ball holding seats each of which is formed in a concave spherical face form nearly approximating a spherical face of the ball and sliding-contacts with the ball and, around each ball holding seat, there is formed an annular dropout prevention portion protruding in a ball arranging direction than an edge portion of the ball holding seat and kept in non-contact with respect to the ball seated on the ball holding seat.

Abstract: A rolling element interference preventer for a guide device prevents a number of rolling elements rolling at regular intervals in a continuous circulation path of the guide device from interfering with each other. The rolling element interference preventer is formed of a thermoplastic resin elastomer having a physical property in accordance with an expression, (A×B)÷C≧18, where A represents a 10% elongation stress, B represents a tensile strength, and C represents a bending modulus of elasticity.

Abstract: A linear motion guide unit is disclosed in which a rack-and-pinion arrangement is interposed between paired guide rails to keep a cage retaining more than one rolling element therein against falling off from the guide rails. In the linear motion guide unit, the cage arranged between confronting raceway grooves of the guide rails hold therein a pinion, which comes in mating with a rack lying in the raceway grooves. The cage is made therein with an aperture in which a thick portion of a pinion holder fits to secure the pinion holder to the cage. The pinion is comprised of a disc having teeth that come in mating with the rack, and a shaft serving as an axis about which the disc rotates. The pinion is held in the pinion holder, with the shaft being carried for rotation in pinion chamber in the pinion holder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ball connecting body for a ball screw or a linear guide-way, including spacers, guide linking members, and connecting members. The spacers are interposed between two adjacent balls, thereby preventing the two balls from hitting. The guide linking members are used for linking the two spacers, so that the ball may be maintained in a space formed by the guide linking members and the spacers. The connecting member connects two adjacent spacers. The total width of the connecting member in a direction of a connecting line of the two guide linking members is smaller than the total height of the connecting member in a direction vertical to the connecting line of the two guide linking members, so that the connecting member has an excellent bendable capability in the direction of the connecting line of the two guide linking members.

Abstract: A roller cage for a longitudinal guiding device, mounted on rolling bearings, is provided with apertures in which rollers are inserted. The apertures have a substantially rectangular cross-section, which is formed by four side faces, and are machined down. On the inside edge region of each aperture, collar-shaped projections are provided which protrude out of the side faces. The outside edge region of the aperture is plastically deformed by pressing in, so that a protruding edge is formed. By means of the collar-shaped projections and the protruding edges the roller is held in the aperture, the collar-shaped projections and the protruding edges being designed such that they do not come into contact with the support region of the roller. The friction of the roller is thereby less; the life increases.

Abstract: A self-containing full-complement cage for a flow-medium lubricated roller bearing includes long-rollers and short-rollers, which are arranged alternatively one after another in rolling direction. The cage has a pair of side plates (10, 11) one on either side of the rollers. Each short-roller has a central cylindrical bore (7). A shaft (14) passes axially through each bore (7) with radial play and along a center-line (15) of the short-roller. During operation of the bearing equipped with this cage, part of the ambient lubricant in the axial bore of the short-rollers becomes centrifugally pushed towards the side ends of the short-rollers and from there it is flung radially outwardly towards the outer surface of the adjacent long rollers. In this way there is effected a continuous distribution of flowing lubricating medium environment both to the outer surface of the long rollers and to the guiding surfaces ofthe recesses of the side plates, which closely slide on this outer surface.

Abstract: A spacer is interposed between two adjacent balls and is formed into an elaborately designed cylinder-like configuration which is able to minimize noise and frictional loss due to mutual collision and impact of the balls. A lubrication let through hole is provided therein to further improve lubrication and cooling effects.

Abstract: A rolling element chain (10) comprises a plurality of rolling elements (14) arranged in close succession and a longitudinal supporting band (12). The supporting band (12) in turn comprises a plurality of recesses (16) for the accommodation of the rolling elements (14), a plurality of retaining elements (20) for retaining the rolling elements accommodated in the recesses (16), where each rolling element (14) is assigned at least one retaining element (20), and at least one longitudinal flexible element (18) for interconnection of the retaining elements (20). Each rolling element (14) is retained, by the at least one retaining element (20) assigned to it, in the longitudinal direction (L) of the supporting band (12) either at its leading side only or at its following side only.

Abstract: The invention concerns a linear motion guide for mounting and longitudinally guiding machine parts, in which a first guide element provided to be fixed to a machine part is guided by a plurality of rolling elements along a longitudinal movement axis with respect to a second guide element, likewise provided to be fixed to a machine part, for this purpose each guide element has a groove-like recess running parallel to the longitudinal movement axis, boundary surfaces of the recess in each guide element are provided as rolling surfaces for the rolling elements, the rolling elements are arranged one after another in one or more rows in at least one cage between the two guide elements, the cage is provided with at least one first positive guide means, the cage with its first positive guide means being guided by second positive guide means fixed to the guide elements, each second positive guide means being arranged only on one of the guide elements and being fixed in position relative to the latter.

Abstract: A linear guide device is provided with a plurality of rolling elements. A guide rail extending in an axial direction thereof and including a plurality of rolling element rolling grooves in two side portions thereof is provided in the device, wherein the rolling grooves extend in an axial direction of the guide rail. A slider includes a plurality of rolling element rolling grooves respectively opposed to the rolling element rolling grooves of the guide rail, wherein the slider is supported on the guide rail in such a manner that the slider is movable along the axial direction of the guide rail through the rolling movements of the rolling elements respectively inserted between the rolling element rolling grooves of the slider. The slider includes a rolling element endless circulation track along which the rolling elements are allowed to circulate endlessly; and a plurality of separators, each interposed between the adjoining rolling elements in the circulation direction of the rolling elements.

Abstract: A cross roller assembly suitable for use with rollers disposed in a cross roller arrangement is provided for the purpose of preventing the rollers from skewing as much as possible to thereby guide them in a stable manner. The cross roller assembly (21) includes first and second rollers (8, 9), and a retainer (22) for holding the first and second rollers (8, 9) in respective alignment with their axes of rotation alternatively arranged at right angles with respect to each other. The retainer (22) has a pair of end holders (23) for supporting the opposite ends of each roller. Each of the end holders (23) has an outer surface which is formed of a flat guide surface so as to regulate or restrict each roller to its suitable posture.

Abstract: A linear motion guide unit is disclosed wherein rolling elements are allowed to run smoothly through a turnaround and less subject to wear. Separators connected to elongated coupler members are allowed to travel ahead together with the rolling elements through a recirculating passage, which is composed of a load raceway, a return passage and turnarounds. The separator are each made unchanged in thickness at a limited zone over which a sliding contact point thereof with the associated rolling element changes place from S1 to S12 when the separator moves through the turnaround. The coupler member is made in the form of a flexible strip kept substantially constant in cross section throughout the overall length to bend uniformly with a fixed radius RB of curvature when moving in the turnaround.

Abstract: The present invention provides rolling element spacers used in a rolling guide unit provided with an endless circulating passage for balls; arranged with plural balls alternately therewith in the endless circulating passage; and circulated with these balls in the endless circulating passage. Each of the rolling element spacers has a pair of retaining seats which the balls contact, and is formed so that, on a ball cutting plane perpendicular to the center of rotation of each ball, each retaining seat and a relative ball contact each other at only the two portions of the retaining seat that are in the vicinity of both ends thereof.

Abstract: A spacer for a linear motion apparatus is to be interposed alternately between balls arranged in an endless circulation passage of the linear motion apparatus. The spacer has a body portion comprising spherical retaining surface portions formed for supporting the balls on both end portions thereof in an advancing direction of the spacer when moving in the endless circulation passage and a circumferential surface portion constituting an outer peripheral portion of the spherical retaining surface portions. The spherical retaining surface portion has a radius of curvature smaller than a diameter of the ball and the circumferential surface portion is provided with a groove extending in the circumferential direction thereof so that one of the spherical retaining surface portions is elastically deformable towards another one thereof. The spacer is preferably applicable to various kinds of linear motion apparatus. Further, rollers as rolling members may be utilized in place of the balls.

Abstract: An interconnector for rolling balls in a ball screw or a linear guide way is composed of a spacer, a direction guiding member with two wings, and to linking chains. The adjacent rolling balls are isolated by the spacer so as to prevent mutual collision. The two adjacent spacers are connected with two elastically meandering linking chains able to be configurated in various forms so as to freely elongate and shrink. With this structure the guide way track is able to be formed into any shape which contributes to minimizing the size of apparatus and production cost, and allow the rolling ball to travel in a three dimensional course.

Abstract: A self-containing full-complement cage for a flow-medium lubricated roller bearing includes long-rollers and short-rollers, which are arranged alternatively one after another in rolling direction. The cage has a pair of side plates (10, 11) one on either side of the rollers. Each short-roller has a central cylindrical bore (7). A shaft (14) passes axially through each bore (7) with radial play and along a center-line (15) of the short-roller. During operation of the bearing equipped with this cage, part of the ambient lubricant in the axial bore of the short-rollers becomes centrifugally pushed towards the side ends of the short-rollers and from there it is flung radially outwardly towards the outer surface of the adjacent long rollers. In this way there is effected a continuous distribution of flowing lubricating medium environment both to the outer surface of the long rollers and to the guiding surfaces of the recesses of the side plates, which closely slide on this outer surface.

Abstract: A roller retainer 11 encloses an outer periphery of the roller 9 situated on a diagonal 20 when the roller 9 is viewed from the side surface thereof. Whether the rollers 9 are arranged in a parallel manner or in a cross manner, the roller retainer 11 is able to keep a constant position and thus the disposition of the roller retainer 11 is free from the influence of the direction the roller 9. Also, since the roller retainer 11 restricts a corner portion 9a of the roller 9, the roller 9 is difficult to slip off the roller retainer 11 and thus the roller 9 can be restricted positively, thereby being able to control the skew of the roller 9.

Abstract: There is provided a rolling element spacer used in a rolling guide device having an endless circulation passage for balls, arranged alternately with many balls in the endless circulation passage, and circulating together with the balls in the endless circulation passage. In order to prevent the rolling element spacer from falling sideways and avoid a trouble such as malfunction of the rolling guide device, the rolling element spacer is formed such that its diagonal dimension in a thickness direction becomes larger than an inner diameter of the endless circulation passage.

Abstract: A roller guiding apparatus for use in linear guiding portions of a variety of kinds of industrial machines such as machine tools and the like is provided for guiding rollers which rollingly travel along a pair of opposed roller-rolling surfaces formed on a traveling rail and a movable body so as to move the movable body along the traveling rail. The apparatus employs barrel-shaped rollers which are suitable for supporting heavy loads and have excellent self-aligning ability and vibration-damping capability. To this end, the barrel-shaped rollers (4) each have a pair of arc-shaped portions (4a, 4b) which gradually decrease in their diameter from a center thereof toward opposite ends thereof.

Abstract: Linear guide assembly comprising at least two guide rails, which are moveable in the longitudinal direction with respect to each other and have prismatic shaped raceways, a plurality of rolling elements guided in a cage, at least one gear wheel for the positive guidance of the cage is connected to the cage, which wheel engages in toothed racks, each of which is connected to a guide rail, the gear wheel comprising a disk, having axial projections distributed around the periphery at least one of the end surfaces and rows of uniformly spaced recesses, into which the projections on the disk can engage.

Abstract: A flexible bearing retaining cage has a flexible spine with bearing retaining means for rotatably retaining bearings. A flexible bearing cage assembly comprises a flexible bearing retaining cage with bearings rotatably retained. The flexible cage of the invention may be configured in a variety of shapes including, but not limited to, linear, oval, eliptical, and circular. The cage of the invention may also be cut to a desired length to fit a particular race.

Abstract: A rolling-element hold spacer 9 includes a spherical indent 11 which is formed in either side of a rolling element 7 so as to match the curved surface of the rolling element 7; thick hold sections 10a, 10b to be interposed between the rolling elements 7; and thin bent sections 12 for interconnecting only one thick hold section pair 10a, 10b in which the rolling element 7 is to be interposed. The thin bent section 12 is deflected or twisted in a curved portion of a rolling-element circulation path. Further, the rolling-element hold spacers which are adjacent to each other with a single rolling element interposed therebetween mutually perform pivotal movement around the rolling element 7, thereby enabling smooth circulation of the rolling elements 7. Clearance arises between the rolling element 7 and the thick hold sections 10a, 10b as a result of bent of the thin bent section 12. Lubricant enters the clearance, to thereby sufficiently lubricate the rolling elements 7.

Abstract: A linear bearing is provided which can allow a shaft to relatively reciprocally move with respect to an outer race in the axial direction, and also to rotate in the circumferential direction. In the linear bearing of the invention, an outer race supports a shaft via balls which are retained by a retainer. A push ring is fitted to the outer race so as to be reciprocable in the axial direction. Three coil springs which are arranged at the intervals of 120° in the circumferential direction are contractedly interposed between a lid fixed to the outer race and the push ring, so as to press the push ring toward the retainer. Spring pins which protrude in the axial direction are fixed to the lid. Tip ends of the spring pins are reciprocally fitted into holes formed in the push ring, thereby preventing the push ring from rotating.

Abstract: A roller train for enabling a slider to be freely guided along a track rail and to a linear motion guide apparatus employing this roller train that is used in machine tools, industrial robots, precision instruments, and the like provides a roller train capable of substantially preventing skew in the rollers that can prevent the rollers from circulating smoothly. A linear motion guide apparatus that employs this roller train enables the slider to move smoothly. The roller train 13a includes a plurality of rollers 14a and a retaining member 15. The retaining member 15, constructed of a slick synthetic resin material, is provided with roller retaining holes 19 to retain the plurality of rollers 14a in a series. In particular, side plates 20 for covering both end faces of the 14a are provided on the portions of the retaining member 15 that oppose both end faces of the 14a contained in the roller retaining holes 19. The side plates 20 prevent skew in the rollers 14a, enabling the same to roll smoothly.

Abstract: Linear guide assembly comprising at least two guide rails, which are movable in the longitudinal direction with respect to each other having similarly shaped raceways, a plurality rolling elements, guided in a cage, at least one gear wheel connected to the cage for the positive guidance of the cage, which wheel engages in toothed racks or the like, each of which is connected to a guide rail, said gear wheel consisting of a disk, having an external circumference which is provided with uniformly distributed axial rolling elements, which project slightly beyond the disk, and wherein said recesses, correspond to the external shape of the rolling elements and into which the rolling elements can engage, are provided equal distances apart directly in the guide rails.

Abstract: This invention relates to a sliding guide apparatus for, for example, a linear guiding apparatus, curved guiding apparatus, swiveling bearing or the like for infinite sliding motion, and more particularly to a sliding guide apparatus wherein an end-present rolling element chain for supporting a linear motion or rotary motion is inserted in a full track. The sliding guide apparatus comprises a track rail having a rolling path for rolling elements extending in the length direction of the sliding guide apparatus, a moving body which contains a loaded rolling path facing the aforementioned rolling path and an unloaded rolling path which circulates the rolling elements from one end to the other end of the loaded rolling path and moves along the aforementioned track rail, and a plurality of rolling elements which roll between the moving body and track rail while being loaded with a load and circulate in a full track composed of the loaded rolling path and unloaded rolling path of the aforementioned moving body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ball chain used by being integrated to, for example, a ball endless track of a linear guide device for endless sliding in which a number of balls are arranged in one row and rollably held, particularly to a ball chain which is most pertinent to a linear guide device having a ball rolling groove in a shape of a Gothic arch. According to the ball chain, the number of balls are arranged in one row and the balls are held rollably, each of the balls is pinched by a pair of spherical seats and the spherical seats are connected to each other by flange portions to thereby constitute a ball holding unit and a plurality of the ball holding units are connected in a shape of a rosary by a flexible connecting portion. Further, the spherical seats and the flange portions are molded by a resin material whereas the connecting portion is formed by a material having a tensile strength larger than that of the resin material.

Abstract: A linear motion guide unit is disclosed wherein separators are arranged between any adjoining rolling elements, or balls, running along endless-circulating passages and interconnected with each other through strings in such an individually replaceable manner. The separators are each interposed between any adjoining balls so as to space apart them from each other. The separators each have a separator column formed with ball-contacting surfaces for carrying the balls thereon at opposite faces in a running direction of the balls, and webs formed integrally with the column and extended fore-and-aft along the running direction of the balls over the balls, and the webs being each provided therein with channels. The separators are arranged between the adjacent balls in series and interconnected with each other by the strings that thread through the channels in the webs.

Abstract: A ball connecting body in which a multiplicity of balls are arranged in a line at a predetermined interval and in a freely rotating manner. The ball connecting body is installed and used in a ball endless track of a ball screw apparatus in which a screw shaft and a nut member are meshed with each other through a multiplicity of balls. The ball connecting body is constituted by a multiplicity of balls circulating on a substantially circular ring-like ball endless track provided in a bearing apparatus, and a flexible connecting body belt arranging the balls in a line at a predetermined interval and holding each of the balls in a freely rotating manner.

Abstract: The invention provides a rolling element string which can be bent or twisted freely in any direction in use while holding rolling elements such as balls or rollers surely and which can be used in existing linear guide devices and ball screw devices without any special processing having to be carried out on the rolling element rollways thereof along which the rolling elements are to roll, and a linear guide device and a rolling element screw device having this rolling element string fitted in an endless raceway.