EP0720960A1 - Rewinder for a long, flexible element, especially for a hose - Google Patents

Abstract

The reel is provided with an automatic return drive, which can be spring loaded, and with an automatic brake to stop the reel in a preset position. The brake is operated by a flexible brake element, or cable, which is wound around a guide section of the reel and which provides a preset tension brake force at the programmed position. The brake element can be an elastic cord, or can be fitted with spring tensioners at each end. When the braking position is reached the brake system has a set amount of damping to provide a soft stop.

Description

The invention relates to a reel for an elongated, flexible element, in particular for a hose, cable, rope or the like. With a rotatable drum for rolling up or unrolling the element, with a return device for rotating the drum in the winding direction or the unwinding direction and with an automatic brake for stopping the roll-up or roll-off process caused by the return device in a predetermined rotational position of the drum, in which the element is rolled up to a defined remaining length or unrolled, the brake comprising a revolving drum for an elongated, flexible braking element, which is wound in several turns around a circumferential surface of the drum, one end of which is connected to a circumference of the drum and is dimensioned such that the drum when the predetermined rotational position is reached by a tensile force in the braking element is forcibly stopped.

A reel-up of the type mentioned above is known from US-A-1 453 999.

A hose reel for exhaust gas extraction systems is known from the company publication "NORFI has the large program of the most advanced environmental technology" (1991). The known hose reel has a drum for the hose. The drum is driven by an electric motor that is designed as a brake motor. The free end of the hose can be connected to an exhaust of a motor vehicle with a suitable spout. The other end of the hose is firmly connected to a hollow axis of the drum. The exhaust gas can be sucked off and disposed of by means of a suitable blower by means of a nozzle with a rotary coupling leading radially out of the drum.

In addition to the hose reels with electromotive drive mentioned, other hose reels are also known for the stated purpose, in which a return device with a spring is provided. The spring is tensioned while the hose is unrolled and locked with a lock when the hose is unrolled. To re-roll the hose, the lock is released and the tensioned spring drives the drum in such a way that the hose is rolled up again completely or to a certain remaining length.

Such reels are also known from electrical devices, for example vacuum cleaners, in which the power cord can be unrolled and rewound in this way.

In such return devices with tensioned springs, it is necessary to stop the rotation of the drum in a predetermined rotational position in which the hose, the cable or the like is rolled up to a defined remaining length. The remaining length is dimensioned so that the hose or the cable or a grommet on the hose or a connector on the cable can be gripped.

In these known return devices, the stopping of the drum is generally effected in that the hose or the cable is passed through an opening, the diameter of which is only slightly larger than that of the hose or the cable. The larger-sized grommet or the larger-sized plug or a sleeve pushed onto the hose for this purpose then remains attached to this opening, so that in this way the effect of the return device, i. the reeling movement of the drum is stopped suddenly.

The known devices are therefore disadvantageous in that when the predetermined rotational position or end position of the drum is reached, a very high and sudden pull is exerted on the hose or the cable. This can lead to damage in long-term operation, for example, in that the electrical contacts in the transition from the cable to the plug tear off or cracks occur in the grommet from which exhaust gas could escape.

Another disadvantage of the known arrangements arises when the defined remaining length, ie the remaining length no longer wound in the end position of the drum, is long is measured. This is the case with exhaust gas extraction systems because hose reels in this area of application are usually installed under the ceiling of a production or workshop and even when the hose is rolled up, the free end must hang down so far that a mechanic can grasp it by hand . This means that the free remaining length can be 2 m or more in such applications. In some known hose reels, to stop the drum on the hose and at a corresponding distance from the free end of the hose or from the nozzle attached there, the above-mentioned sleeve of significantly larger diameter than that of the hose is attached. When the hose is rolled up, this cuff strikes the frame of the hose drum, which is located only a slight radial distance above the wound-up hose turns. The sudden stopping of the drum can now create a "whip effect", in which the free end of the hose with the attached nozzle swings back and forth at high speed at the mechanic's head. Injuries can therefore occur under unfavorable conditions and if the mechanic concerned is neglected.

In addition, there is the disadvantage that the sleeves of larger diameter can shift due to the axial load on the hose and thus the free remaining length of the hose changes; it can also cause damage to the cuff area.

From the above-mentioned US-A-1 453 999 a reel for an air hose is known, such as is used at petrol stations or the like. For inflating pneumatic tires of motor vehicles.

The air hose is wound on a drum, one end of the air hose being able to be fed to a stationary compressed air connection via the drum shaft. The other, free end of the air hose can be unwound from the drum. The drum is provided with a return spring so that the unwound air hose can be automatically rewound on the drum after the inflation process has ended. In order to prevent damage of all kinds that can occur if the drum is suddenly stopped at the end of the winding process, a braking device is provided. The braking device comprises a chain, which is wound on a peripheral surface of smaller diameter of the drum arrangement. One end of the chain is struck on the peripheral surface. The other end of the chain is guided away from the circumferential surface, specifically to the free end of a piston rod of a piston-cylinder arrangement, the cylinder of which is connected to the reel in a spatially fixed manner. The length of the chain is such that the chain is completely wound up at the end of the winding process for the air hose and tries to pull the piston out of the cylinder shortly before the structurally possible winding process ends. In this way, the end of the winding process for the air hose is braked by the damping effect of the piston-cylinder arrangement.

The known arrangement has the disadvantage that numerous complex components are required, in particular a piston-cylinder arrangement. It also requires considerable installation space.

The invention is based on the object of developing a reel of the type mentioned in such a way that the process of stopping the drum is controlled with extremely simple and trouble-prone means, so that in itself in a known manner, the delay in stopping the drum can be set and the wear of the elements involved is kept low. In this way, for example, the very expensive hose, which is resistant to high temperatures, of the exhaust gas extraction system is to be protected and the life of the reel-up is to be significantly extended when used in exhaust gas extraction systems. The fact that there is a possibility of intervention for the course of the braking process, the "whip effect" described should also be avoided by the braking of the drum being set so carefully that the free end of the hose or cable only moves slightly when the drum is stopped.

This object is achieved in that the braking element is raised in sections, in particular with one turn, from the outer surface and is guided around a fixed deflection point.

The object underlying the invention is completely achieved in this way.

The invention has the advantage that a very compact structure is created because the entire brake need only consist of a multi-wound rope, tape or the like. The rope or the like is only slightly lifted from the drum at one point, namely in the area of a turn. The transition from the free rotation of the drum to the braked position inevitably takes place gradually, because the shortening of the free path length also takes place gradually due to the geometric conditions. Therefore, a steady, ie gradual braking effect occurs when the rope or the like is in itself unextensible. The arrangement is therefore extremely simple, insusceptible to failure and can be replaced with simple means and without higher costs even when worn.

A particularly good effect is achieved in the invention when the braking element is elastic.

This measure has the advantage that the drum can be braked even more gently in an adjustable manner, because when the predetermined rotational end position is reached, the train in the elongated, flexible braking element leads to a further delay in stopping the drum.

In this context, it is particularly preferred if the braking element comprises an essentially inextensible cord or the like and a spring switched into the cord.

This measure has the advantage that on the one hand a mechanically highly stable element such as a cord, a wire, a rope or the like can be used, but on the other hand the desired elasticity is represented by a spring, the spring characteristic of which can be selected in a wide range.

It is particularly preferred if the spring is arranged in the raised section of the braking element when the drum is in the predetermined rotational position.

This measure has the advantage that the spring can tension and relax on the free path.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the deflection point is a fixed role.

This measure has the advantage that the braking element can be guided around the deflection point with practically no wear.

It is further preferred if the braking element forms an angle between 50 ° and 100 ° of the lateral surface at the deflection point.

This dimensioning has proven to be particularly advantageous in practical tests.

In a variant of the invention, the braking element is struck with both ends at an attachment point on the lateral surface.

This measure has the advantage that the brake element as a whole is easily accessible and can therefore also be easily replaced if necessary.

In a development of this embodiment, both ends are attached to the same attachment point.

This measure has the advantage that only a single attachment point is required. This simplifies assembly and makes production more cost-effective.

In another group of exemplary embodiments, the braking element is struck at one end at a first fastening point on the lateral surface and at the other end at a second fastening point of an auxiliary drum which can be rotated as a function of the drum.

This measure has the advantage that the braking element is only unwound on the drum or the auxiliary drum and is only wound in each case.

In further exemplary embodiments of the invention, the braking element is wound on the lateral surface under tension acting in the longitudinal direction.

This measure has the advantage that the braking element is guided securely on the lateral surface and in the deflection point and cannot get tangled due to the effective tension.

Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the invention are preferred in which the lateral surface is at the same time the rolling surface for the element.

This measure also has the advantage of a particularly simple construction, because the rolling surface for the element, i.e. the hose, the cable or the like. is present anyway and therefore no separate components are required if the braking element is also wound onto this roll-up surface.

Further advantages result from the description of the attached drawing.

It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the combination indicated in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Schlauchaufrollers, wie er z.B. in Abgas-Absauganlagen verwendet wird;

Fig. 2

eine schematisierte Darstellung entlang der Richtung II-II von Fig. 1, in einer ersten Betriebsstellung;

Fig. 3

eine Darstellung, ähnlich Fig. 2, jedoch für eine zweite Betriebsstellung, in der eine Trommel des Schlauchaufrollers abgebremst wird;

Fig. 4

eine schematisierte Darstellung, ähnlich Fig. 2, für ein anderes Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung; und

Fig. 5

eine Darstellung, ähnlich Fig. 4, jedoch für eine zweite Betriebsstellung, in der eine Trommel des Schlauchaufrollers abgebremst wird.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and is explained in more detail in the following description. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a hose reel, as used for example in exhaust gas extraction systems;

Fig. 2

a schematic representation along the direction II-II of Figure 1, in a first operating position.

Fig. 3

a representation, similar to Figure 2, but for a second operating position in which a drum of the hose reel is braked;

Fig. 4

a schematic representation, similar to Figure 2, for another embodiment of the invention. and

Fig. 5

a representation, similar to FIG. 4, but for a second operating position in which a drum of the hose reel is braked.

In Fig. 1, 10 designates a hose reel as used in exhaust gas extraction systems. Such systems are usually provided in manufacturing, assembly or operating halls, in which there are motor vehicles with the engine running. The hoses rolled up on the hose reel have the purpose of collecting the exhaust gas at the exhaust of the motor vehicles and discharging it from the hall via a central waste gas disposal system.

In this context it goes without saying that the reel-up according to the invention can be used for a large number of applications. For example, the embodiment shown in the figures can e.g. not only used to extract exhaust gases. Rather, the hose reel can also be used to extract dust, as well as for the supply of air or other gases.

Furthermore, the reel-up according to the invention can also be used for supplying and discharging liquids. One example of an application is hoses, such as those used on tank vehicles, for example to deliver liquid fuels to private consumers, commercial consumers or petrol stations. Also A supply and discharge of water, for example in fire engines or at washing stations, can be realized in this way. In general, the reel can be used as a hose reel for flowable media of all kinds. Other areas of application for the reel are cables, tapes, cords, wires, ropes and much more. The exemplary embodiment explained below is therefore in no way to be understood as restrictive with regard to the application purpose mentioned.

The hose reel 10 is held upside down on a fastening frame 11, which in turn is fastened to a ceiling or a wall of the assembly hall or a suitable supporting structure. Two flanges 12 extend laterally downward from the fastening frame 11, between which a shaft 13 is mounted along an axis 14.

The shaft 13 carries a drum 20, the two directions of rotation of the drum being indicated by arrows in FIG. 1. The arrow 21 stands for the rolling direction and the arrow 22 for the rolling direction.

The drum 20 is provided on one side with a return device 23, which is only indicated schematically in FIG. 1. The return device 23 comprises a spring (not shown) which is tensioned in the unwinding direction 21 of the drum 20 and is locked by means of a suitable bolt, as long as the unrolled hose is used to extract exhaust gas. After loosening the bolt, for example by jerky rotation of the drum 20 in the unwinding direction 21, the spring tensioned in the return device 23 ensures that the hose is rolled up again on the drum 20, to a defined free remaining length by the the free end of the hose hangs down when the hose is "completely" wound up. This free The remaining length is dimensioned so that the free end of the hose with a nozzle attached to it, for example at a height of 2 m, is above the floor of the hall, so that the free end can be gripped there by hand.

The drum 20 is essentially formed by a cylindrical outer surface 29 of a drum body 30. The drum body 30 is provided on its axial sides with disk-shaped walls 31 which prevent the rolled-up hose 32 from slipping sideways.

In the representation of FIG. 1, the hose 32 is wound onto the outer surface 29 with approximately two and a half turns 33 and hangs down with a straight section 34 at the front.

On the left side of the drum 20, an axial connecting piece 35 is indicated schematically, which is connected to the rotatable drum body 30 via a rotary coupling. Exhaust gas can be sucked off via the axial connecting piece 35, as indicated by an arrow 36. For this purpose, the drum body 30 is hollow. The right end of the hose 32, not shown in FIG. 1, is fixedly connected to the drum body 30 for this purpose, in such a way that this end opens into the cavity of the drum body 30. Thus, if exhaust gas is sucked in by means of the hose 32, as indicated by an arrow 37, the exhaust gas gets into the interior of the drum body 30, from there into the axial connection 35 and from there again into an exhaust gas disposal device by means of a blower (not shown).

The drum 20 is provided with a brake, which is designated overall by the reference numeral 40.

The brake 40 comprises a fastening point 41 on the lateral surface 29 of the drum body 30. A cord 42 or the like is guided downward from the fastening point 41 in FIG. 1 and wound several times around the drum body 30, as can be clearly seen from FIG. 1. The cord 42 then runs over a fixed roller 43 and is attached to the fastening point 41 again via a spring 44. The fixed roller 43 is spatially fixed relative to the rotatable drum 20; for example, it is attached to the underside of the mounting frame 11.

The number of turns of the cord 42 corresponds to the number of turns 33 of the hose 32, with the special features described below.

In Figures 2 and 3, the operation of the brake 40 is illustrated in a schematic representation.

Fig. 2 shows the operating state in which the drum 20 can rotate freely. In this state, the cord 42 runs evenly over the fixed roller 43 in that, depending on the direction of rotation 21, 22, it is wound up on one side and unwound from the outer surface 29 on the other side.

The free path lengths or dreams 42a, 42b of the cord 42 between the outer surface 29 and the fixed roller 43 run as common tangents and are therefore of equal length with a. They form an angle α with one another above the lateral surface 29, which is preferably between 50 ° and 100 °.

In this operating state, the spring 44 is largely relaxed. It merely ensures a certain pretension of the cord 42 during the winding and unwinding.

If, as shown in FIG. 3, the drum 20 approaches the predetermined final rotational position in the winding direction 22 in which the drum 20 is to be stopped, the strand 42b located on the right of the fixed roller 43 in FIG. 3 is shortened the cord 42. This is due to the fact that when the end rotary position is approached, the end of the cord 42 struck at the attachment point 41 also approaches the fixed roller 43. The free path length 42b now changes from a common tangent to the fixed roller 43 and the lateral surface 29 into a shorter distance, which is only tangent to the fixed roller 43, but forms an angle of more than 0 ° to the lateral surface 29. This shortened free path length is designated in Fig. 3 as a shortened strand with 42b '. Their length is a ', which is shorter than the unabridged length a.

As a result, a tensile force is exerted on the spring 44 which stretches and tightens in this manner, as shown at 44 'in FIG. 3.

The transition from the free rotation of the drum 20 to the braked position inevitably takes place gradually because the shortening of the free path length from 42b (FIG. 2) to 42b '(FIG. 3) also takes place gradually due to the geometric conditions. In addition, there is the gradual expansion of the spring 44, which only makes it possible to reach the position shown in FIG. 3, since the cord 42 is otherwise inextensible in the longitudinal direction. The drum 20 is thus stopped in the position shown in FIG. 3. This is a position in which the stop point 41 'in the winding direction 22 is still in front of a position in which the lateral surface 29 intersects the connecting line between the axis 14 of the drum 20 and the axis of the fixed roller 43.

The drum 20 is thus stopped with a predetermined delay, in a smooth stopping process. The brake 40 consists of only a few extremely simple elements, namely the cord 42 with spring 44 and the attachment point 41 and the fixed roller 43. These elements are extremely inexpensive to manufacture and assemble and, if necessary, can also be replaced with little effort.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a further exemplary embodiment of a reel-up according to the invention. The representation is similar to that in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The reel according to FIGS. 4 and 5 in turn comprises a drum 50 onto which a hose 51 or the like can be wound. The drum 50 is rotatable about an axis 52. An outer surface of the drum 50 is designated 53.

At a distance from the drum 50 is an auxiliary drum 55, which is preferably arranged fixed in space by means of a holder 56. The auxiliary drum 55 is rotatable about an axis 57, which preferably runs parallel to the axis 52 of the drum 50.

The drum 50 carries a belt pulley 60 on the side and the auxiliary drum 55 a belt pulley 61 aligned with it. The belt pulleys 60, 61 are connected to one another by a belt 62. The diameters of the pulleys 60, 61 are chosen so that the drum 50 and the auxiliary drum 55 rotate at the same peripheral speed.

A brake, designated as a whole by 64, comprises a first fastening point 65 on the lateral surface 53. A cord 66 is attached to the first fastening point 65, into which a spring 67 is switched on in the vicinity of the first fastening point 65 is. The cord 66 is wrapped around the drum 50, preferably in multiple turns. It is then guided to the auxiliary drum 55 with a free strand 66a of length b. There it is also preferably wound several times around the auxiliary drum 55 and struck there at a second fastening point 68.

If the drum 50 is e.g. rotates in the direction of rotation indicated by an arrow 69, the cord 66 gradually unwinds from the outer surface 53 of the drum 50 and onto the auxiliary drum 55. The cord 66 remains taut because the peripheral speeds of the drum 50 and the auxiliary drum 55, as mentioned, are the same.

If the cord 66 is now unwound from the drum 50, the first fastening point 65 runs into the position shown at 65 'in FIG. 5 beyond the point at which a common tangent would lie on the drum 50 and the auxiliary drum 55, as is the case here is immediately apparent from a comparison of Figures 4 and 5. The strand of the cord 66, now designated 66a ', is shortened in this way, as shown by b' in FIG. 5. The spring 67 'is tensioned in this state.

In this way, the drum 50 is also braked gently and brought to a standstill, as has already been explained above with reference to FIG. 3.

It is understood that the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5 can be modified in many ways.

For example, the cord does not need to be wound up on the outer surface for the hose. Instead, a separate roll surface for the line can be provided, depending on what is appropriate for this individual case.

It is also possible to use an overall elastic braking element, for example a rubber band, instead of a cord that is inextensible in the longitudinal direction (or a corresponding wire, rope or the like) with a spring.

The mechanisms previously described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 can also be used in the opposite sense. Instead of rolling up the hose or the like completely or to a certain free remaining length under the force of a return device and then braking it with the brake described, the same process can also be provided when unrolling, for example when a hose is to be unrolled quickly , e.g. in a fire engine. Even then, it is expedient to brake the drum gently at the end of the unwinding process in order not to stress the connection point between hose and drum excessively mechanically.

In addition, it is possible to use the arrangement described above even with motorized rolled or unrolled elements, if the drum used in each case is provided with a slip clutch for this purpose, which allows the drum to be braked gently at the end of the winding and / or unwinding process to let the initially effective drive run freely via the slip clutch. In this way, the drum would be stopped in a defined position and the otherwise stressed elements would be relieved.

Claims (11)

Reel for an elongated, flexible element, in particular for a hose (32; 51), cable, rope or the like, with a rotatable drum (20; 50) for rolling up or unrolling the element, with a return device (23) for rotating the drum (20; 50) in the reeling direction (22) or the unwinding direction (21), and with an automatic brake (40; 64) for stopping the reeling process or unwinding process caused by the return device (23) in a predetermined rotational position of the drum (20; 50), in which the element is rolled up or unrolled to a defined remaining length, the brake (40; 64) comprising a roll-up device rotating around the drum (20; 50) for an elongated, flexible brake element which is in several Windings around a lateral surface (29; 53) of the drum (20; 50) is wound, one end of which is connected to a circumference of the drum (20; 50) and is dimensioned such that the drum (20; 50) when the predetermined Rotational position is forcibly stopped by a tensile force in the braking element, characterized in that the braking element is section-wise, in particular with one turn, from the lateral surface (29; 53) is lifted off and guided around a fixed deflection point. Reel-up according to claim 1, characterized in that the braking element is elastic. Reel-up according to claim 2, characterized in that the braking element comprises an essentially inextensible cord (42; 66) or the like and a spring (44; 67) which is switched on in the cord (42; 66). Reel-up according to claim 3, characterized in that the spring (44; 67) is arranged in the raised portion of the braking element when the drum (20; 50) is in the predetermined rotational position. Retractor according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the deflection point is a fixed roller (43). Retractor according to claim 5, characterized in that the braking element at the deflection point forms an angle (α) between 50 ° and 100 ° with the lateral surface (29). Reel-up according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the braking element is struck with both ends at a fastening point (41) on the lateral surface (29). Reel-up according to claim 7, characterized in that both ends are attached to the same fastening point (41). Reel-up according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the braking element has one end at a first fastening point (65) on the lateral surface (53) and the other end at a second fastening point (68) of an auxiliary drum (55) is struck, which is rotatable depending on the drum (50). Reel-up according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the braking element is wound on the lateral surface (29) under tension acting in the longitudinal direction. Reel-up according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the lateral surface (29) is at the same time the reeling-up surface for the element.

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