US20080295746A1

US20080295746A1 - Linear Table with an Adjustable Dust-proof Structure

Info

Publication number: US20080295746A1
Application number: US11/755,712
Authority: US
Inventors: Chien-Cheng Lin; Chin-Hsing Chou
Original assignee: Hiwin Mikrosystem Corp
Current assignee: Hiwin Mikrosystem Corp
Priority date: 2007-05-30
Filing date: 2007-05-30
Publication date: 2008-12-04

Abstract

A linear table with an adjustable dust-proof structure is locked with a loading rack on each end of a stator by screw, and each end of an elongated sheet-like dust-proof structure is located on each of the two loading racks. As compared to the conventional plate-like dust-proof structure, the weight of the dust-proof structure of the present invention is widely reduced, thus avoiding the problem of structure bending downwards. Moreover, adjusting the distance between the two loading racks can adjust the strain of the dust-proof structure, further preventing the dust-proof structure from bending downwards.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linear table, and more particularly to a linear table with an adjustable dust-proof structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally speaking, a linear table comprises a stator and a runner. The stator includes a linear guideway, along which the runner moves. By such arrangements, when other machines or structure are assembled on the runner, they can utilize the linear table to carry out linear displacement. But the linear table is a high precision machine, if the guideway of the stator is stained with dust or dirt, it will influence the smoothness and precision of the movement of the runner, and even cause the damage of the linear table.
Hence, a linear table with dust-proof structure was developed on the market. As shown in FIG. 1, the linear table comprises a stator 10 and a runner 20. Each end of the stator 10 is disposed with a loading rack 11 located correspondingly to the position of the linear displacement of the runner 20. On the two loading racks 11 is disposed an elongated plate-like dust-proof structure 30. Each end of the dust-proof structure 30 is located on: each of the two loading racks 11. But most of these conventional dust-proof structures 30 are made by the extrusion molding of aluminum material or made of sheet metal, so the weight of a single dust-proof structure 30 is rather great. When both ends of the dust-proof structure are disposed on the loading racks 11 of the stator 10, the more the portion adjacent to middle of the dust-proof structure 30, the greater the torque of the weight will be. If the torque in the middle of the dust-proof structure 30 is greater than the structure strength, as shown in FIG. 2, it will cause the dust-proof structure 30 to bend downwards. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, that is the distance between both ends of dust-proof structure 30 and stator 10, and also the distance between the middle of dust-proof structure and stator 10. It is clearly shown that the distance X1 between the end of the dust-proof structure 30 and the stator 10 is greater than the distance X2 between the middle of the dust-proof structure 30 and the stator 10, indicating that the middle of the dust-proof structure 30 is influenced to bend downwards by the torque of the weight. So that the dust-proof structure 30 not only can interfere with the displacement of the runner 20, but also can stop the movement of the runner 20 to cause the damage of the linear table. Moreover, the portion of the runner 20, which is assembled with other machines or structures, must be higher than the dust-proof structure 30, but the dust-proof structure 30 is an elongated plate-like element, so the runner 20 must be quite high, thus causing the difficulty of the design and the waste of the space. Therefore, how to solve the problems of the abovementioned dust-proof structure 30 has become one of the research and development objectives of the linear table producer.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a linear table with an adjustable dust-proof structure to achieve the first objective of reducing the weight of the dust-proof structure and the second objective of adjusting the strain of the dust-proof structure, synchronously to achieve the objective of preventing the dust-proof structure from bending downwards for the greater torque of the dust-proof structure than the structure strength.
Hence, with respect to the present invention, each end of an elongated sheet-like dust-proof structure of the present invention is disposed on each loading rack at each end of the stator, and above the runner. By such arrangements, not only the present invention has the same dust-proof effect as the conventional one, but also the thickness of the dust-proof structure is just enough to support the torque caused by weight in the middle portion, so as to prevent the dust-proof structure from bending downwards. So due to the light and thin dust-proof structure, the problem of the dust-proof structure bending downwards caused by greater torque than the structure strength and the disadvantage of difficult design for the excessively great thickness of the dust-proof structure can be solved. In addition, each end of the stator is formed with a positioning piece, and the two loading racks are locked on the two positioning pieces by screw, and the locking direction of the two loading racks corresponds to the direction of the two ends of the dust-proof structure, so that the distance between the two loading racks can be adjusted by screw and the strain of the dust-proof structure can be changed, further preventing the dust-proof structure from bending downwards. Moreover, each side of the dust-proof structure can be mounted with a protection cover, so as to prevent the operator form being cut by the two sides of the dust-proof structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a conventional linear table with a dust-proof structure;

FIG. 2 is a downward bending view of the conventional dust-proof structur;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of one end of the conventional dust-proof structure;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the middle of the conventional dust-proof structure,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a linear table with an adjustable dust-proof structure in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6A is an enlarged view of one end of the linear table with an adjustable dust-proof structure in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6B shows that the loading rack is adjusted to move in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6C shows that the loading rack is adjusted to move in the other direction in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows that each side of the dust-proof structure is mounted with a protection cover in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the dust-proof structure mounted with two protection covers in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be more clear from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 5, a linear table with an adjustable dust-proof structure in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a stator 50 and a runner 60. The stator 50 includes a linear guideway 51, and each end of the guideway 51 is formed with a positioning piece 54. Each of the two positioning pieces 54 is locked with a loading rack 52 by a screw B. The locking direction of the two loading racks 52 corresponds to the direction of the guideway 51. The runner 60 can be slidably disposed in the guideway 51 of the stator 50, so as to enable the runner 60 to linearly move along the guideway 51 of the stator 50. Both ends of an elongated sheet-like dust-proof structure 40 are positioned on the two loading racks 52 of the stator 50. Additionally, the thickness of the dust-proof structure 40 is just enough to prevent itself from bending downwards, and the dust-proof structure 40 is located above the runner 60 to keep out the dust, so as to prevent the dust from dropping down into the guideway 51 of the stator 50. In this embodiment, the dust-proof structure 40 is a steel sheet, and each loading rack 52 of the stator includes a platform 53. There is a clearance between the loading rack 52 and the platform 53, and two screws A are screwed to the platform 53. The dust-proof structure 40 is inserted into the clearance between the loading rack 52 and the platform 53, and utilizes the screws A of the platform 53 to press and position the dust-proof structure on the loading rack 52.
Rotating the respective screws B can cause each loading rack 52 to move toward the two ends of the dust-proof structure 40, as shown in FIGS. 6A-6C, so as to adjust the distance between the two loading racks 52 and synchronously adjust the strain of the dust-proof structure 40.
In addition, each side of the dust-proof structure 40 can be mounted with a protection cover 41, as shown in FIGS. 7-8, used to prevent the two sides of the dust-proof structure from cutting the operator.
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A linear table with an adjustable dust-proof structure comprising a stator and a runner; the runner linearly being movable between both ends of the stator on the stator, and each end of the stator being disposed with a loading rack, each end of the dust-proof structure being located on each loading rack, above the runner, characterized in that:

the dust-proof structure is an elongated sheet-like element, its thickness is just enough to prevent the dust-proof structure from bending downwards, and each end of the stator is formed with a positioning piece, the two loading racks are locked on the two positioning pieces by screws in directions corresponding to directions of the two ends of the dust-proof structure, respectively.

2. The linear table with an adjustable dust-proof structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dust-proof structure is a steel sheet.

3. The linear table with an adjustable dust-proof structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each side of the dust-proof structure is mounted with a protection cover.

4. The linear table with an adjustable dust-proof structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each loading rack of the stator includes a platform, there is a clearance between the loading rack and the platform, and the platform is screwed with screws which press and position the dust-proof structure.