The present invention relates to a rolling motion guide apparatus having a seal member which is formed by integrally molding different parts or members with each other through an extrusion molding process and also relates to a rolling motion guide apparatus having such a seal member which is mounted on the apparatus by a new engaging or mounting method.
A rolling motion guide apparatus is well known as a means for conveying various machines or machinery. Such a rolling motion guide apparatus is provided with a track member and a movable member mounted on the track member in a straddle manner so as to be movable through a plurality of rolling members. When the movable member is moved along the track member, the machine or machinery mounted on the movable member is also moved. In such a rolling motion guide apparatus, the rolling members roll and circulate in an endless circulation passage formed by the combination of the rolling member rolling grooves formed on the movable member and the track member in accordance with the movement of the movable member.
In the known art, to such a rolling motion guide apparatus, a seal member is attached for protecting the rolling member and the endless circulation passage to prevent invasion of an external foreign material as well as leakage of a lubricant with which the endless circulation passage is filled. Particularly, in a case where it is desired to seal a gap formed between an upper surface of the track member and a surface of the movable member facing the upper surface of the track member, a plate-like seal member having sealing portions at its side edges is provided on the surface of the movable member facing the track member so as to seal the gap, as disclosed for example in Japanese Patent Laid-open (KOKAI) Publication No. HEI 7-286617.
A seal member utilized in the prior art is obtained by forming sealing portions of resin material, rubber material or the like and then joining the thus formed sealing portions on the peripheral edge portion of a base plate portion formed of a flat iron plate or the like, by a bonding method such as a thermal bonding method. Such a seal member is mounted on the movable member by fastening means such as screws prepared independently.
In the conventional method mentioned above, however, the seal member is formed by joining the base plate portion and the sealing portions after independently forming these portions, and accordingly, the number of parts or members to be used is increased and the manufacturing processes are also increased, which will require complicated manufacturing workings, in addition to a problem that the sealing portions may easily come off the base plate portion. In the above-mentioned prior art document of Japanese Patent Laid-open (KOKAI) Publication No. HEI 7-286617, there has been proposed one example for solving the problem. In that document, the base plate portion is formed so as to provide a stepped side edge portion for increasing a portion or area to be joined to the sealing portion. The formation of the base plate portion having such a stepped portion will make the manufacturing working further complicated.
Furthermore, in the conventional structure in which the base plate portion of the seal member has a flat shape, the seal member has a low rigidity and is easily plastically deformable. When the base plate portion is plastically deformed, the sealing portion is also deformed, and a gap will be hence caused between the front end of the sealing portion of the seal member and the track member, leading to reduction of the sealing function of the seal member.
On the other hand, in the conventional method in which the seal member is attached to the movable member by using the screw, parts to be used are increased and the manufacturing working and time are also increased and complicated, requiring much time, resulting in an increased production cost. Furthermore, in the method mentioned in the above Japanese Patent Publication in which the base plate portion and the sealing portion are joined without using any specific fastening means, it is required for the base plate portion to be formed into a specific shape.