Chain – staple – and horseshoe making – Chains – Conduit
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-03
2001-05-08
Jones, David (Department: 3725)
Chain, staple, and horseshoe making
Chains
Conduit
C248S049000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226973
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an energy supply line guiding chain as well as to a chain link for an energy supply line guiding chain.
Known from DD 265 449 A1 is an energy supply line guiding chain for guiding supply lines that are used for supplying machines and movable elements. The energy supply line guiding chain comprises flexibly interconnected chain links that define a channel extending in the longitudinal direction of the energy supply line guiding chain. This channel is used for receiving supply lines. Each chain link has an opening terminating in the channel for inserting the supply lines into the channel. For the construction of the energy supply line guiding chain, DD 265 449 A1 proposes to convert an elastic strip by cuts transverse of the axial direction at selected distances from one another and of a selected cut length into a draw strip with profiled tongues that extend crosswise to the axial direction. Due to the fact that the energy supply line guiding chain consists of an elastic strip, it exhibits only a slight torsional rigidity. The use of such an energy supply line guiding chain is therefore limited.
Further known is an energy supply line guiding chain that comprises flexibly interconnected chain links, the chain links having two chain side plates that face each other in spaced relationship and are interconnected by a cross bar. Each chain side plate has a cross bar extending toward the opposite chain side plate. The cross bars are springy. The end sections of the cross bars overlap. To be able to insert a supply line into a channel formed by such chain links, the cross bars are deflected accordingly. Since the cross bars are deflected into the channel when a supply line is inserted thereinto, the possible number of lines that can be inserted into the channel is smaller than in the case of chain links having the same dimensions with releasable cross bars, as are disclosed, for example, in EP 0 384 153 A2. Because the cross bars must be flexible, and the chain link with the cross bars is made in one piece, such a chain link is relatively easily deformable.
Based on the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to further develop the known energy supply line guiding chain such that with a simplified insertion of supply lines into a channel extending in the axial direction of the energy supply line guiding chain, the energy supply line guiding chain is torsionally rigid. A further object of the invention is to describe a chain link that is suitable for a torsionally rigid energy supply line guiding chain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by the provision of a chain link for an energy conducting guide chain which comprises two parallel side plates which define a longitudinal direction along the length thereof, and a cross plate interconnecting the two side plates so as to form a U-shaped receiving member which defines a central guide channel which extends in the longitudinal direction. Also, at least one rigid cross bar extends from one of the side plates toward the opposite side plate at a location spaced in an upright direction from the cross plate, and with the one cross bar terminating at a location spaced apart from the opposite side plate so as to define an opening which opens into the guide channel. By this arrangement, an energy conducting supply line may be inserted into said guide channel via the opening.
To form the guide chain, a plurality of the chain links are serially arranged with adjacent chain links being pivotally connected to each other, and preferably, substantially all of the adjacent chain links include at least one cross bar and associated opening. The openings of adjacent chain links which include the cross bar and opening are offset from each other in a direction transverse to the axial, i.e. longitudinal direction. In such an energy supply line guiding chain, the chain links may consist of a plastic, in particular a fiber-reinforced plastic. Suitable therefor are in particular carbon fiber and/or fiber glass-reinforced plastics. Preferably, the rigid cross bar of the chain link is also formed of a fiber-reinforced plastic. Due to the fact that the openings of adjacent chain links are made offset substantially transversely to the axial direction of the energy supply line guiding chain, a supply line that was inserted into the channel extending in the axial direction of the energy supply line guiding chain is unable to emerge automatically from the channel, since the individual rigid cross bars act as blocking elements. Because of this configuration of the energy supply line guiding chain, a high torsional rigidity of same is realized. Such energy supply line guiding chains are also suitable for guiding relatively stiff supply lines, since a cross bar can absorb the force exerted on it by the supply lines without undergoing a relevant flexure.
To simplify insertion of supply lines into the channel of the energy supply line guiding chain and their removal therefrom, it is proposed that the openings are made to alternate about a straight-line extending in the axial direction of the energy supply line guiding chain, preferably about a longitudinal axis. To avoid that the supply lines are excessively bent during assembly, it is proposed to arrange the opening along an imaginary line that is continuously curved. It is preferred to arrange the openings along an imaginary, wavelike, preferably sinusoidal line.
For an economic manufacture of an energy supply line guiding chain, it is proposed that same has at least one repeating sequence of links with at least two adjacent chain links having openings offset from each other. In particular, the energy supply line guiding chain is formed by at least one regularly repeating sequence of links. Preferred is a configuration of the energy supply line guiding chain, wherein same consists of only one repeating sequence of links. A sequence of links comprises at least two adjacent chain links, preferably four chain links. This allows to reduce the cost of manufacture, since the number of chain link variations is limited.
An energy supply line guiding chain, wherein each chain link has two spaced-apart, opposite chain side plates, is preferably characterized in that at least one chain side plate has at least one cross bar that extends toward the opposite chain side plate, terminates in front of same, and partially defines the opening. Preferably, the cross bars extend in a common plane. Especially preferred is a configuration of the energy supply line guiding chain, wherein the cross bars extend at least substantially perpendicularly to the chain side plates.
To prevent the supply line from being damaged when it is inserted into the channel or removed therefrom, it is proposed to curve the free end of the cross bar convexly.
Another inventive concept proposes a chain link for an energy supply line guiding chain with two spaced-apart, oppositely arranged chain side plates that are interconnected by a cross plate and define in part a channel extending in the axial direction of the energy supply line guiding chain for receiving supply lines, the chain link having an opening that terminates in the channel and is defined by at least one cross bar. In this chain link, at least one chain side plate has at least one rigid cross bar that extends toward the opposite chain side plate, terminates in front thereof and partially defines the opening. Preferably, the side plates, the cross plate, and the cross bars are made in one integral piece from a fiber reinforces plastic. The fiber-reinforced plastic imparts to the chain link a high stability.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4590961 (1986-05-01), Schumann
patent: 5836148 (1998-11-01), Fukao
patent: 5890357 (1999-04-01), Blase
patent: 265 449 (1989-03-01), None
patent: 195 12 088 (1996-10-01), None
patent: 0 384 153 (1990-08-01), None
patent: 0 693 638 (1996-01-01), None
patent: 0 789 167 (1997-08-01), None
patent: 1 431 382 (1976-04-01), None
Alston & Bird LLP
Jones David
Kabelschlepp GmbH
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