DE10017514A1 - Plastic guide chain production method involves stages of cutting and/or forming links from a single extruded box-like profile - Google Patents

Abstract

An extruded box-like profile of plastic or other deformable material is formed into interconnected links by: a) creating the joint connections of each link by forming and/or cutting stages; b) cutting both sidewalls from the underside and upper side to form inner(18) and outer(17) part wall of the joint with a joint trunnion(15) connected to the inner part wall; c) cutting(20) through the outer sidewall part to complete the trunnion; d) cutting through upper and lower faces of the profile between inner sidewalls.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing a guide chain from Plastic or other deformable materials, starting from a continuous casting and performing separation operations, the guide chain consisting of several Chain links with box section, each chain link on a base body has, at its one end two outwardly extending pivot pins and at its other end two in diameter the diameter of the pivot pin has corresponding connection openings, with adjacent chain links through the pivot pins engaging in the connection openings are connected.

Guide chains as described above, also as energy chains or energy Designated guide chains, are used to flexible lines, in particular Supply lines, lead to a movable or movable customer. These guide chains are made up of a variety of chain links that are box-shaped Have profile, composed. These chain links have one at their ends Articulated connection, so that they ver to each other by a predetermined angle can pivot. A limitation of the angle ensures that the in the Füh cables are only bent in a certain bending radius.

In order to manufacture such guide chains, the individual chain links are usually used manufactured as plastic injection molded parts. Then a predetermined number  Ver chain links together to achieve the desired length of the guide chain bound. This assembly process contributes significantly to the cost of energy supply chain. The assembly is done either by hand or auxiliary devices used.

The chain links have at one end on opposite sides of the Ka stenprofils usually each a pivot pin, while at the other end two tab-like extensions are provided, each having an opening, the Diameter corresponds to the diameter of the associated pivot pin. To the verb The two tabs are bent apart, which requires relatively large forces necessary to then push them over the two pivot pins until the pivot pin snap into the connection openings.

There are efforts to automate this assembly process. This However, the process requires a large number of sub-steps, starting with the fact that the individual chain links are aligned in a given direction of assembly have to. Then the last chain link installed must be fixed in order to connect ßend to connect the new chain link with the fixed chain link.

For the above reasons, attempts have also been made to produce one-piece energy supply systems systems by first extruding elongated components and these then in several processing steps, by punching, cutting, bending or other, mechanical treatments are designed so that they have a certain degree of Get flexibility to redirect within given radii. The so Guide chains made are not always satisfactory because the articulation gene by appropriate cross-sectional change of the extruded body to the ge to create a flexible connection, either do not show sufficient flexibility, or are prone to breakage.

DE-A1 197 10 489 contains a guide chain, also as a protective element for moving Lich laid cables described. To manufacture this protective element a flat plastic part is first injection molded or cast in one piece other segments connected by bendable bridges. Every protective element, comparable to a chain link, has a bottom surface, two side surfaces and one  Top surface, in the form of a band, connected to one another by predetermined bending points. The individual areas can then be folded into a box-shaped segment, wherein the top surface element with the free end on the free edge of one Side surface segment is connected. While the two side parts are on connect two opposite sides of the floor panel, are the single ver, adjacent floor panels on their other long sides together tied so that when the respective surface parts, the respective floor surfaces are assigned, are folded into a box-shaped element, the respective box shaped segments - or chain links - on the longitudinal edges of the floor surfaces a predetermined bending point are connected. A guide chain produced in this way also requires still a high assembly effort, since the individual segments from the flat elements elements must be folded. The stability is not necessarily guaranteed either the box-shaped profile in the area of the edges on which the segments are folded does not ne form stability guaranteed. Finally, there are also the predetermined bending points that are caused by the Reduction in material thickness are generated due to material fatigue wear risk of breakage when using the guide chain. Open obviously for this reason, the possibility is addressed in DE-A1 197 910 489 chen, the side surface segments with joint parts in the form of pins and guide loops chern to provide, so that then, after folding the individual segment parts, each lige joint parts of adjacent links interlock. But also with this procedure In general, the individual box-shaped profiles must be folded.

Based on the prior art described above, the present The invention is based on the object of a method for producing a guide chain made of plastic or other deformable materials, as described at the beginning, To be designed so that those described using the above prior art Assembly processes can be avoided and that also with articulated connections Has pivot pin, as they are known from conventional guide chains, so that they also meet high requirements.

This object is achieved by a method for producing a guide chain from plastic or other deformable materials, starting from a continuous casting and by carrying out separating processes, the guide chain consisting of several chain links with a box profile, each chain link having a base body on its one End has two outwardly extending hinge pins and at its other end has two connection openings corresponding in diameter to the diameter of the hinge pins, adjacent chain links being connected by the hinge pins engaging in the connection openings, characterized by
Providing a continuous casting made of plastic or other deformable materials with a box profile with an upper surface, a lower surface and two side surfaces,
Forming the respective articulated connections of the individual chain links by shaping and / or separating processes, which each form the outer contour of the articulated pins,
Separating the two side walls into an outer and inner side part wall, the hinge pin remaining connected to the inner side part wall,
Severing the outer side part walls, seen in the longitudinal extent of the box profile, on one, first side of the pivot pin and spaced from it,
Cutting through the inner side part walls, seen in the longitudinal direction of the box section, in each case on the other, second side of the pivot pin and spaced from it,
Cutting through the upper and lower surface of the box section in the area of cutting through the inner side walls.

The inventive method for producing a guide chain, which consists of individual Chain links, which are articulated together, go from one strand Cast part, which has the shape of a square tube. In this continuous casting, the usual extruded, the side walls are then designed in a defined manner and both Sidewalls as well as the upper surface and the lower surface severed so that the one individual chain links are separated. These operations continue in both Side walls each formed a pivot pin by the outside of the screen the contours of the pivot pin are punched out, but only in one of them certain depth to the level corresponding to the column level, in the area of which the Split the side walls into the outer side panel and the inner side panel  become. In the process of splitting or separating the side walls into the outer side part wall and the inner side wall is left of the hinge pin in the area of the Hinge pin no splitting is made. The procedure as outlined above can be carried out continuously, i. H. it can from one Continuous cast section tube with box section of any length guide chains can be manufactured. It no assembly operations are required. Furthermore, the box-shaped base body made from a solid profile, so that seen over the cross section, none Weak spots on the edges or the transitions between the lower surface and the upper one Surface and the two side surfaces.

The above process steps to get the individual from the continuous casting Working out chain links of the guide chain are essentially in their order Chen not specified and can be rearranged in order or in part are executed simultaneously, depending on the process engineering Process that is used. This is particularly possible because the Chain links are not separated from each other at any point in the process must, since the articulated connection from the continuous casting through the defined molding, Splitting, punching and cutting processes are worked out.

The two sides are preferably split to form the articulated connections walls in an outer and inner side wall in the area of the respective joint connection with an upper and a lower splitting tool, each of which assigned upper and lower splitting tool each have a semicircular recess has in its split edge. Complement these two semicircular recesses then when the gap edges adjoin one another to form a circular opening which corresponds to the Corresponds to the diameter of the pivot pin to be produced. Accordingly, the Splitting the side walls of the hinge pin, or the hinge pin still to be formed, with leave its cross section.

In order to give the pivot pin a uniform contour, it should be marked with a circle shaped incision perpendicular to the splitting plane. The diameter of the circular The notch corresponds to the diameter of the pivot pin. With this circular incision are formed at the same time, in which  the pivot pins are received and stored. For this reason, the circular incision with a thin knife or a sleeve drill, or the like, respectively.

The outer side part walls are cut appropriately to the respective chain link to separate from each other in the area of these outer side walls. This separation can be done by a recess or recess on the outside, d. H. it will a certain area of the outer side panel wall is left out. This recess can continue to be used by suitable surfaces adjacent the swivel angle to limit or restrict the chain links.

Another possibility of the respective neighboring chain links in the area of the outer to separate ren side part walls is given by the fact that one or more separators cut (s) is made.

The upper and / or the lower surface of the box section can be cut through a recess is formed. The size of the recess can do this be used to limit the swivel angle of adjacent chain links. The out Acceptance is carried out on the top or bottom, depending on which one A pivoting of the chain links to each other is required.

The division of the inner side part walls is preferably by a cut under an angle less than 90 ° to the plane of the upper or the plane of the lower surface of the Box profile made; this cutting edge is then also used to Limit the swivel angle of adjacent chain links by using the corresponding An faces are generated.

The separation of the side walls into the outer side panel and the inner side panel and the separation of the top and bottom surfaces from the top and the Underside of the box section can preferably be made using a U-shaped punch be performed. With such a U-shaped punching tool it is ensured that Complete division in these areas is achieved by using only two Punching tools from the top and bottom, each U-shaped.  

In the context of such a U-shaped punching tool, a cut can also be made at the same time be made with an additional punch knife at an angle of less than 90 °, to form the stop surface limiting the swivel angle.

As described above, the outer side panel walls must be severed to separate adjacent chain links so that they are pivotable against each other. This separation of the outer side partial surfaces can be achieved in that Extrusion part from which the guide chain is to be made, such a used in which depressions are formed in each of the side surfaces. This deepening gene are carried out at such a depth that when later splitting the side walls in the outer side wall and the inner side wall are already a door of the outer side part walls is given without an additional separating cut to have to take. Such a continuous casting with the molded-in depressions can by a chain extruder or an extruder with embossing wheels. The embossing wheels or chains of such a chain extruder have projections which are in the outside of the extrusion are pressed in so that they correspond train the wells.

The punching processes, the cutting processes or the other gap are preferred processing operations on a heated continuous casting; this can immediately bar after the extrusion of the continuous casting on the still heated continuous casting.

So far in the present description of a box profile in relation to the chains is spoken in this way, it is to be understood as any cross-sectional shape that can be square, rectangular, but also round or oval.

Insofar as one speaks of plastics or other deformable materials where the chain links are to be made, such a material must be ge be suitable, through the specified processing operations, d. H. for example shapes, Punching, cutting or splitting to be editable.

Further details and features of the invention emerge from the following Description of an embodiment with reference to the drawings. In the drawing shows  

Fig. 1 shows schematically a perspective view of an extruded Stranggußteils with a sequence of processes that are along aufeinanderfol gender chain links, which are formed, shown,

Fig. 2 is a side view from the direction of the viewing arrow II in Fig. 1 to the ge there was extruded part,

Fig. 3 is a view from the top of the extruded part of Fig. 1 and 2 from the direction of viewing arrow III in FIGS. 1 and 2,

Fig. 4, the continuous casting, as shown in Fig. 1, with two embossing wheels at the beginning of the continuous casting, the recesses on the outside, and

Fig. 5 is a view on top of the Stranggußteils of FIG. 4 from the direction of view arrow V in Fig. 4.

The extruded continuous casting 1 made of plastic, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 3, has a box-shaped profile with an upper surface 2 , a lower surface 3 and two side surfaces 4 . Along each of the side surfaces 4 , wells 5 are formed at defined intervals. These depressions 5 are produced with embossing disks 6 , as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. These embossing disks run along the side surfaces 4 of the continuous casting 1 , which advances in the direction of the arrows 7 ( FIGS. 4 and 5), and engage with projections 8 on their outer circumference in the still soft extrusion material.

It should be noted that in the figures, the corresponding extruder or the extruder die, from which the continuous casting with box section is extruded, is not shown; this extruder nozzle is located on the input side of the two embossing disks 6 , wherein the mandrel 9 can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, which he testifies to the interior of the profile.

As again shown in FIGS . 1 to 3, a U-shaped cutting knife 10 is fed from the top and the bottom to the top surface 2 and the bottom surface 3, respectively. This U-shaped cutting knife 10 has two lateral, the respective leg of the cutting knife forming cutting elements 11 and a cross cutting knife 12 which connects the two cutting elements 11 together. In the cutting edge 13 there is a semicircular recess 14 in such a way that these semicircular recesses 14 of the cutting element 11 associated with a side face 4 of the continuous casting part 1 of the upper, U-shaped cutting knife 10 and the lower, U-shaped cutting knife 10 form a circular Complete the cutting edge. This circular section corresponds in diameter to the size of a pivot pin 15 to be produced , as can be seen from the finished chain links 16 at the rear, upper end of the continuous casting 1 of FIG. 1.

The upper, U-shaped cutting knife 10 and the lower, U-shaped cutting knife 10 penetrate into the continuous casting 1 from above and from below. The respective seitli chen cutting elements 11 cut through the side surfaces 4 of the continuous casting 1 in the above area, ie where the recesses 5 are not formed, in an outer side panel 17 and an inner side panel 18th It can be seen that the continuous casting 1 must have a correspondingly thick side wall surface 4 , as can be seen at the front end of the continuous casting 1 .

As can be seen in particular in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 3, the respective outer side part wall surfaces 17 are completely separated from the inner side part wall surface 18 only on one side towards the respective front recess 5 , while they lie on the other side Indentation 5 can not be completely removed from the inner side wall surface 18 , so that a connecting web remains, which is denoted in the figures with the reference numeral 19 .

To ensure that the outer side portion of wall surface 17 of wall surface of the inner side portion 18 is accurately separated and the inner side portion of wall surface 18 is not damaged in the region of the recess 5, the respective cutting elements 11 of the U-shaped cutting blade is angled 10 to the outside.

The penetration of the U-shaped cutting blade 10 into the extruded part 1, the surface 2 or the lower surface of casting transversely severed with the respective cross-cutting blades 12 3 of the strand to the longitudinal extension so that shaped U-means of the cutting knife 10, the entire cross-section of the Stranggußteils 1 is cut apart from the region which is formed by the two semicircular recesses 14 in the cutting edges 13 of the cutting elements 11 .

To form the pivot pin 15 , a sleeve-shaped cutting knife 20 , schematically indicated in the figures, is fed onto the side surfaces 4 of the continuous casting 1 . The diameter of this sleeve-shaped cutting knife 20 corresponds approximately to the diameter of that opening which is formed by the two recesses 14 of the associated cutting elements 11 . The respective sleeve-shaped cutting knife 20 who inserted the into the side surface 4 to a depth which corresponds to the parting plane between the outer side panel 17 and the inner side panel 18 . With penetration of the sleeve-shaped cutting knife 20 up to this level, the outer side panel 17 is separated from the inner side panel 18 in such a way that a cylindrical projection, forming the pivot pin 15 , remains.

As the course of the movements of the upper, U-shaped cutting knife 10 , the lower, U-shaped cutting knife 10 and the two sleeve-shaped cutting knife 20 on the two sides of the continuous casting 1 shows, these are continuously cut into the continuous casting and then solve again from this to form the respective chain links 16 . These cutting processes can either be clocked or in an essentially continuous sequence in that the cutting knives are carried along during the extrusion of the continuous casting 1 .

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, within the U-shaped cutting knife 10 there is an inclined additional knife 21 which runs with its cutting edge 22 parallel to the cutting edge of the cross-cutting knife 12 . The surface of the additional knife 21 extends at an angle to the upper surface 2 of the strand casting, which is less than 90 °. With the penetration of the additional knife 21. In the upper surface 2 of the continuous casting 1 , together with the cutting edges of the U-shaped cutting knife 10 , a recess 23 is created, which allows free pivoting of the individual NEN chain links 16 in the direction of the pivot arrow 24 in Fig. 1 (see the above, last, completed chain link 16 ). This additional knife 21 forms at the same time an oblique edge on the inner side part wall surfaces (which cannot be seen in the figures), which limit the pivot radius of the following, completed chain link 16 .

It should be seen that in the figures, a basic sequence of the method according to the invention for producing a guide chain, which consists of individual chain links, is shown using a continuous casting, without the need for assembly operations to connect the individual chain links to one another . In principle, the sequence of the movement of the respective cutting knife, ie the U-shaped cutting knife 10 , the additional knife 21 and the sleeve-shaped cutting knife 20 , can be varied. Also, the U-shaped cutting knife 10 can be formed from individual cutting knives which correspond to the two cutting elements 11 and the cross cutting knife 12 . Finally, the sleeve-shaped cutting knife can also rotate or be replaced by an appropriate sleeve milling device.

Finally, it should also be pointed out that the depressions 5 can also be formed by cutting and milling operations, in contrast to embossing them into the side surfaces of the extrusion part by means of the embossing disks 6 .

Claims (13)

1. A method for producing a guide chain made of plastic or other ver malleable materials, starting from a continuous casting and carrying out separation processes, the guide chain consisting of several chain links with a box profile, each chain link having a base body, the two at one end after externally extending hinge pin and at its other end two fen in its diameter corresponding to the diameter of the hinge pin connection openings, adjacent chain link of which are connected by the engaging in the connection openings, characterized by
Providing a continuous casting made of plastic or other deformable materials, with a box profile with an upper surface, a lower surface and two side surfaces,
Forming the respective articulated connections of the individual chain links by shaping and / or separating processes, which each form the outer contour of the articulated pins,
Separating the two side walls into an outer and inner side part wall, the hinge pin remaining connected to the inner side part wall,
Cutting through the outer side part walls, seen in the longitudinal extent of the box profile, on one, first side of the pivot pin and from this stands apart;
Severing the inner side part walls, see ge in the longitudinal direction of the box section, in each case on the other, second side of the pivot pin and spaced from it,
Cutting through the upper and lower surface of the box section in the area of cutting through the inner side walls. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the splitting of the two Side walls each in an outer and inner side wall in the area of each because of an articulated connection with an upper and a lower splitter stuff takes place, the respectively assigned upper and lower splitting tool each Weil has a semicircular recess in its gap edge, so that these recesses in the case of contiguous gap edges to a circular Complete the opening that corresponds to the diameter of the pivot pin to be produced speaks. 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the formation of each hinge pin with a circular incision perpendicular to the gap tplane takes place, the diameter of the circular incision the through corresponds to the diameter of the pivot pin. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that cutting the outer side part walls due to the formation of a recess. 5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that cutting the outer side part walls done by forming a separating cut. 6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting of upper and / or the lower surface of the box profile by forming a recess  takes place, due to their size the pivot angle of adjacent ket Limits limited. 7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner side part walls through a cut at an angle of less than 90 ° to the plane of the upper one or the plane of the lower surface of the box section, where the Cutting edge a to limit the swivel angle of adjacent chain links face forms. 8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the separation of the screen in the outer side panel wall and the inner side panel wall and the Separation of the upper and lower surfaces from the top and from the Underside of the box profile from each by a U-shaped punch is taken. 9. The method according to claim 6, 7 and 8, characterized in that the Ausneh through the U-shaped punch and cut at an angle smaller 90 ° punching tool is formed. 10. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the depressions on the be molded into both sides of the continuous casting with a box section. 11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the continuous casting with the molded depressions with a chain extruder or an extruder Embossing wheels is formed. 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the Separation processes carried out immediately after the extrusion of the continuous casting the. 13. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a heated strand casting is provided.