Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.

Katsuya Anada

Yasumasa Ooya

Yukio Yoshioka

A drive apparatus employs a constitution wherein moving objects respectively equipped on a plurality of sets of guiding mechanisms are made to approach and move away from each other point symmetrically by a single driving device through a belt-shaped member.

Drive apparatus

An X-Y table assembly including a first, second and third tables all fabricated from a sheet metal by bending is provided. Each of the first, second and third tables includes a bent section formed with a guide groove, and two associated guide grooves of any adjacent two of the tables are located opposite to each other to define a guide groove in which a plurality of rolling members are provided. Thus, a linear relative motion can be provided between the first and second tables in X direction, and another linear relative motion can be provided between the second and third tables in Y direction.

Compact X-Y table assembly

In the linear motion rolling guide unit according to this invention, the under seal is made up of a metal core member and a seal member. The metal core member is formed with a through-hole through which to insert a bolt. When the table is mounted on the casings, the bolts can be easily passed through the under seal by cutting a part of the seal member that corresponds in position to the through-hole in the core member. Therefore, in mounting the table to the casings, it is possible to apply a single kind of under seal to both types of structure--the top bolt insertion construction and the bottom bolt insertion construction --thus permitting the common use of components among the two constructions and reducing cost.

Linear motion rolling guide unit

The linear motion rolling guide unit has: a track rail; a casing slidable relative to the track rail and having a pair of raceway surfaces; end caps mounted to the casing; V-shaped grooves formed between the raceway surfaces of the casing; a retainer having an engagement projecting portion engaged in the V-shaped groove; and a number of rollers circulating in contact with the facing raceway surfaces. The overall length of the retainer is set larger than that of the casing, and the ends of the retainer are engaged in the engagement grooves in the end caps to position the end caps with respect to the casing. Therefore, the positioning of the end caps on the casing can be made accurately without being affected by heat-treatment-induced deformation and machining errors.

Growing community of inventors

Gifu, Japan

Katsuya Anada