Guide, bearing means for a guide and method and parts for forming bearing means for a guide

摘要

A modular ball bearing retaining cage and a slide guide employing such a cage are disclosed. The cage includes a bridge part having opposed end parts spaced by a mid-section and module strips that are connected to the end parts. Each module strip includes one or more guide strip modules. At least some of the guide strip modules include ball bearings disposed in openings provided in respective guide strip modules. The end parts and the guide strip modules have cooperative coupling elements that permit coupling therebetween. The module strips are disposed in guide tracks defined by walls of inner and outer profiles of the slide guide and the ball bearings run within the guide tracks to allow extension of the inner profile with respect to the outer profile. Stop modules may be coupled to the module strips via coupling elements to limit relative travel of the profiles.

主权项

1. A slide guide, comprising:
at least a first and a second guide profile, each guide profile having a longitudinal direction, where the second guide profile extends at least partly within the first guide profile, the longitudinal direction of the guide profiles being parallel to each other, wherein on two opposite sides of the second guide profile and between of the first and second guide profiles, parallel to the longitudinal directions, guide tracks are formed between wall parts of the first and second guide profiles; and a ball cage comprising: at least one module strip including at least one guide strip module disposed in each of the guide tracks, each guide strip module having a longitudinal direction and having opposing ends, the at least one guide strip module including coupling elements at each end so as to permit said at least one guide strip module to be connected end to end with another guide strip module having a cooperative coupling element, said at least one guide strip module including a series of spaced openings; ball bearings disposed in the openings which run on said wall parts forming the guide tracks; and a bridge part including opposed end parts having opposing ends and a mid-section extending between and coupling the end parts, each of the end parts including a coupling element at an end thereof, one coupling element of one of the at least one guide strip module of each module strip being coupled to the coupling element of each of the end parts of the bridge part such that the module strips are disposed in substantially parallel opposed relation in respective guide tracks and prevented from movement relative to each other, at least in the longitudinal direction of the module strips.