Spindle Nut for a Ball Screw

Abstract

A spindle nut for a ball screw is provided, having a continuous ball track ( 1 ) for balls ( 2 ), a ball groove ( 3,14 ) for the balls ( 2 ) extending on an inner periphery of the spindle nut about the rotational axis thereof and along a helical line, the ball groove extending across at least one thread ( 4 ), and a diversion device ( 5 ), in order to divert with its diverting channel ( 9 ) balls ( 2 ) from one end of the thread ( 4 ) to the beginning of the thread ( 4 ). The spindle nut is provided with ball inlets ( 13, 16 ), on the one side connected to the ball groove ( 3, 14 ) and, on the other side connected to the diverting channel ( 9 ), with the ball groove ( 3, 14 ) and the ball inlet ( 13, 16 ) both having identical cross-sectional profiles.

1 . A spindle nut for a ball screw, comprising an endless ball track for balls and having a ball groove for the balls arranged along a helical line and at an inner periphery of the spindle nut around a rotational axis thereof, extending over at least one thread and having a diverting device in which diverting channels are located to deflect the balls from one end of the thread to a beginning of the thread, with the spindle nut having ball inlets adjacent, on one side, to the ball groove and, on an other side, to the diverting channel the ball groove and the ball inlet both have the same cross-sectional profile.  
   
   
       2 . A spindle nut according to  claim 1 , wherein the spindle nut has at least one opening at a position arranged at a periphery, engaged by the diverting device, with the ball inlet extending to the opening.  
   
   
       3 . A spindle nut according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball inlet in a longitudinal cross-section, rises in a constant curve radially outwardly beginning at the ball groove and ending at the diverting channel.  
   
   
       4 . A spindle nut according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball inlet is formed convex, as seen in a longitudinal cross-section through a lay out of the ball groove.  
   
   
       5 . A spindle nut according to  claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional profile is a gothic profile.  
   
   
       6 . A spindle nut according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball inlet connects corner-free to the ball groove and to the diverting channel of the diverting device.  
   
   
       7 . A spindle nut according to  claim 2 , wherein the spindle nut is provided with a multitude of openings distributed over a periphery thereof, into each of which one of the diverting pieces is inserted, and the balls are deflected from the beginning of a common thread of the ball groove to the end and with the ball inlet by the diverting channels, which extend around the rotational axis of the spindle nut, with an angle of up to 60 degrees, the angle beginning at the opening and ending at the ball groove.  
   
   
       8 . A spindle nut according to  claim 2 , wherein the spindle nut is provided with two openings arranged at a periphery thereof, between which the ball groove extends over several threads, an exterior diverter is provided at an exterior of the spindle nut and includes a diverting channel, with one end engaging one opening and the other end engaging the other opening, with the ball inlet, measured around the rotational axis of the spindle nut, extending over an angle of up to 360 degrees, the angle beginning at the opening and ending at the ball groove.  
   
   
       9 . A method for producing a spindle nut for a ball screw, preferably made from steel, with a ball groove for balls incorporated at an inner periphery of the spindle nut, extending around its rotational axis and along a helical line, using a tool, the groove extending over at least one thread, wherein, beginning at least at one point of the ball groove depending on a relative rotary progress of the tool in reference to the spindle nut, moving the tool radially outwardly, in order to remove more material from the spindle nut, ending at another point depending on the relative rotary progress of the tool in reference to the spindle nut, and reversing movement of the tool, and further processing of the ball groove occurs, with, due to the approach and/or the reversal of the approach of the tool, a ball inlet is formed and at a periphery of the spindle nut, and providing an opening between the two points until it extends to the ball inlet.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein first, in a separating process, the opening is produced at the periphery of the spindle nut and subsequently thereto the ball groove with at least one ball inlet is produced.  
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein first the ball groove with at least one ball inlet is created and subsequently the opening at the periphery of the spindle nut is created.  
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the tool is a rotating cutting tool with a rotational axis thereof being arranged perpendicularly to the ball groove, and having a rotating sleeve with a profile of the ball groove and the ball inlet in a cross-section through the cutting tool.  
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 9  for producing a spindle nut having a multitude of openings arranged distributed over the periphery, into which diverting pieces provided with a diverting channel are inserted in order to deflect the balls from the beginning of a common thread of the ball groove to the end thereof, with the openings in an axial direction of the spindle nut each separating a shoulder of the ball groove and with circumferentially adjacently arranged openings extending into a common thread, and the ball inlet being produced by the tool approaching at one of the openings and, by reversing the approach, the ball inlet is created at the other opening, arranged adjacent to the first opening.  
   
   
       14 . A spindle nut according to  claim 1 , in which the ball groove remains unprocessed at ends of the spindle nut behind a last one of the ball inlets.