Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-13
2001-04-10
Sough, Hyung-Sub (Department: 2841)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
C059S078000, C191S01200C, C191S01200C
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215068
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a flexible cable carrier. More particularly, the invention relates to a line guiding assembly comprising a line guiding channel and a line assembly guided therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
At times, it is necessary to provide an assembly for a transfer between a stationary means and a reciprocating means. The transfer may comprise electrical energy transfer, optical energy transfer, or a transfer of gaseous, and/or transfer of liquid substances. In general, to accomplish such a transfer, the stationary means and the movable means must be connected to each other by way of a plurality of lines, which must be routed such that they mate and participate in the relative movement between the stationary means and the movable means. Typically, such routing has been accomplished by employing a “dragchain assembly”.
A dragchain assembly, comprises two or more chain bands of metal or plastic material which are interconnected by webs at longitudinally spaced locations. These webs hold the two or more chain bands in a defined distance, and hold the individual lines in a position corresponding to the particular shape of the dragchain. The dragchain may also consist of elements which are joined in the manner of chain links within which the lines are inserted.
Upon moving the reciprocating means, the end of the dragchain attached to the movable means is moved in the longitudinal direction of the dragchain relative to the dragchain end attached to the stationary means. As a consequence thereof, the position of the dragchain loop changes in the longitudinal direction of the dragchain. There is also a change concerning the individual chain links participating in the loop formation. When a specific dragchain length is exceeded, the upper chain length sags to such an extent that the upper chain length possibly is deposited on the lower chain length.
Dragchains are a complex and correspondingly expensive solution. The lines guided by them are subject to considerable mechanical loads. Due to the movement of the dragchain, and in particular, the migration of the location of the dragchain loop, friction is caused between the lines and the individual dragchain elements. In particular, friction is caused between the webs interconnecting the chain bands. Accordingly, provisions must be made so that the individual lines guided by the dragchain are all of equal length, otherwise, individual lines of the dragchain are subject to excessive tensile loads. Also, at both ends of the dragchain, the individual lines usually are connected to electrical connectors, accordingly, provisions must be made for a specific strain relief of the individual lines.
Due to the unsupported length of the dragchain, the upper chain length often drops onto the lower chain length, causing wear to the dragchain. When this is to be avoided, an intermediate ceiling in the form of a slide plate must be inserted in the guiding channel. This slide plate must be sufficiently strong to carry the upper chain length. However, the slide plate cannot extend across the entire moving distance of the movable means, otherwise, the dragchain loop would be hindered by the slide plate after only a short moving distance of the movable means. When a dragchain assembly is used having two dragchains moving in opposite directions, such a slide plate cannot be employed, except for the short distance between the stationary ends of the two dragchains moving in opposite directions.
In addition to the foregoing structural shortcomings of conventional dragchains, dragchain assemblies are very expensive.
Individual cabling, having no dragchain or other suitable supporting slide assembly, sustains very high friction and abrasion between overlapping cable portions. This friction prevents the overlapping portions of the cable to freely slide against each other, which may eventually cause a fracture of the cable and rapid wear of the cable jacket. Furthermore, high tensile and thrusting forces are necessary to be exerted on the cable in order to overcome the friction.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present flexible cable carriers. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an improved cable carrier directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A line guiding assembly is provided comprising lines that are held together by a common line bundling means. The line bundling means has disposed on its outside a sliding means with good slidability which acts in the longitudinal direction of the lines. The sliding means prevents friction between an upper length portion and a lower length portion of a line assembly.
Alternatively, the stationary means and the movable means may also be connected to only one single line. In this case, it is sufficient to design the line bundling means for receipt of only one line.
The line bundling means may comprise line clamps spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the line assembly which hold the lines in an enclosed manner, with the sliding means being disposed on the outside of said line clamps. The line bundling means may comprise a cable jacket which encloses the lines.
The sliding means may have many different configurations. For instance, it may be a flexurally resilient sliding hose, having good sliding properties, which completely encloses or replaces the cable jacket. For example, the sliding hose may comprise a plastic material with good slidability that is extruded onto the cable jacket. The sliding means may also comprise sliding bands located on a surface of the cable jacket where the upper length portion and the lower length portion thereof are in confronting relation. Moreover, the sliding means may comprise sliding ledges disposed on both sides of the line clamps or cable jacket, respectively, with the height of the ledges designed so that it exceeds, on both sides thereof, the thickness of the line assembly surrounded by the line clamps or the cable jacket, respectively. The sliding means may also comprise sliding channels attached to both longitudinal sides of the line clamps or cable jacket, respectively, and which cover them with material having good sliding capability, not only laterally, but also in the side portion, at the bottom, and at the top.
These sliding means can be attached to the line clamps or the cable jacket in various ways. These include, but are not limited to gluing, welding, (e.g. ultrasonic welding), extrusion of anchoring means disposed on the sliding means into the cable jacket, riveting, nailing, and positively interengaging connecting elements on the cable jacket and sliding means.
The sliding means consist of a flexurally elastic material, such as steel, or a slidable plastic material, such as polyurethane, polyamide, and polytetrafluoroethylene. The material of the sliding means is preferably stiffer than the material of the cable jacket. The sliding means then does not only form a mechanical sliding protection for the cable jacket, but is adapted to keep the tensile and thrust forces, exerted during reciprocation of the movable means, away from the line assembly. When the longitudinal ends of the sliding means are attached in such a manner to the stationary and the movable means, respectively, a strain relief for the line assembly is also established.
Where the sliding means is made of a material of greater stiffness than the cable jacket material and defined by vertically extending portions, a mating vertically extending groove formed in the longitudinal direction of the sliding means is also required. This groove may include gaps, such as wedge-shaped gaps, that open towards the top side of the lower cable length and the bottom side of the upper cable length, so as to render flexure in the region of the loop between lower length and upper length. When the sliding means, in addition to the vertical portion, has a horizontal portion on the
Foley & Lardner
Kabelschlepp GmbH
Sough Hyung-Sub
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