Universal guide device and moving table device using same

摘要

The present invention offers a universal guide device capable of using the sliders of conventional straight guide devices without alteration. The universal guide device does not need a different slider for each different radius of track rail. The universal guide device can be manufactured at lower cost than heretofore. This universal guide device in accordance with the invention comprises a track rail (1;1';7) and sliders (2;8) mounted to the rail via balls (3) circulating through endless circular paths. The rail has at least one straight region (1A;1'A;7A) and at least one curved region (1B;1'B;7B) shaped in an arc with a given radius of curvature (R;R1; R2). Each of the sliders (2;8) is of saddlelike cross section. The sliders (2;8) span the rail (1;1';7). The sliders (2;8) have ball-rolling surfaces (43a,43b;81a, 81b) shaped linearly. The curved region (1B;1'B;7B) of the rail is set narrower than the straight region (1A;1'A;7A) of the rail.