JP2003032867A - Guide/support apparatus for cable hose - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cable hose guide/support apparatus which has no possibility of breakage, etc., even in a state of a relatively high speed reciprocating movement regardless of an application environment, and has a relatively long life, and a simple construction. SOLUTION: A guide 10 has a variable unit 40 which varies its guiding length L. The variable unit 40 comprises a plurality of links 11 which are connected with each other at respective joints bendably or foldably. Its one end is fixed to a fixed part of a guide channel 20, its other end is fixed to a moving part 30, and the variable unit 40 is moved back and force in a warped state according to the reciprocating movement of the moving part 30. The guide channel 20 has a lower passage 20a and an upper passage 20b, and the upper passage 20a and the lower passage 20b have different guiding lengths L along which the guide 10 is moved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cable / hose guide / support device, and more particularly to a machine tool, robot,
The present invention relates to a cable hose guide supporting device for safely and movably protecting a cable or a hose connected to a moving part of a device such as a carrier device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to guide and support a cable or hose that moves together with a moving part as described above, a plurality of frame-shaped links having passages for the cable and hose therein are connected in order, and their respective nodes ( An extending guide has been proposed in which each link is bendable or bendable at a link (link connecting portion).

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining the structure and movement of an example thereof. A guide 100 composed of a plurality of links has one end fixed to a guide channel fixing portion 102 and the other end fixed to a fixing portion 102.
From the moving part 103 in a state of extending from and curving in a U-turn shape.
It is fixed to the mounting part of. The moving unit 103 reciprocates in one axis direction, that is, in the horizontal direction as shown in the figure, as the device operates.
Along with this, the guide 10 whose one end is fixed to the moving unit 103
0 is moved by the moving unit 103, and moves from the solid line position to the broken line position (or from the broken line position to the solid line position) while sequentially moving the warped position to the adjacent node.

The cable or hose to be guided is the guide 10.
It is guided through the passages in the 0 frame and is supported by this frame in a protected manner from the outside. Also, the guide 10
The guide channel that supports 0 from below has a substantially U-shaped cross section and extends, and has a floor portion A extending along the moving direction of the moving portion 103 and a pair of side walls B formed on both sides thereof. However, the guide 100 is guided along the floor between the both side walls B.

[0005]

By the way, the guide 10
Since 0 has a configuration in which a plurality of links are connected as described above, the maximum bending (refraction) rate is limited due to the freedom of movement of the links, and therefore, as shown in FIG. The curving portion requires a certain degree of curvature, and therefore, the mounting position of the guide 100 of the moving portion 103 is at a high position relatively distant from the fixed portion 102. Therefore, when the guide 100 moves between the solid line position and the broken line position as the moving unit 103 reciprocates, the moving unit 10 of the guide moves.
In the curved portion A near the mounting position of 3, the direction of the force acting on it is reversed at the solid line position and the broken line position, and the direction of the warp is extremely reversed. Such a state does not cause a big problem when the moving speed of the moving part 103 (hence, the guide 100) is slow, but when the moving part 103 (hence, the guide 100) is reciprocated at a high speed, a curved portion is generated. Since the load having different directions is repeatedly concentrated on A, the portion may be damaged or broken.

In order to solve this, as shown in FIG. 7, the mounting position of the guide of the moving portion 103 is lowered, that is,
It suffices to bring it closer to the floor of the guide channel, but in this case, when the moving part 103 moves to the front position (the left side position in the figure), the part of the guide 100 that is bent back is
Since it bends downward, that is, in the opposite direction, a considerably long margin length is required for mounting the guide, which causes a problem that the total length of the guide channel 102 also becomes long.

Further, when the total length of the guide becomes long, the weight of the cable or the hose causes the guide itself to bend, and as shown in FIG. 8, the guides slide in contact with each other. As a result, the contact portion of each guide may be worn or worn away, and the guide may be damaged or broken. Also, in the environment of use, especially in the outdoor use near the coast, the contact portion is significantly worn away, and the service life tends to be shorter than that in the indoor use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has a relatively long life cable / hose guide supporting device without fear of breakage even when reciprocating at a relatively high speed regardless of the environment in which it is used. It is an object to provide the above with a simple configuration.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, a guide for guiding a cable or a hose, which is connected to a moving part that reciprocates in one axis direction and moves with the movement of the moving part, is provided. A guide channel extending in the uniaxial direction for supporting is provided, the guide is provided with a variable portion for varying the gauge of the guide, and a plurality of links are connected flexibly or flexibly at each node, one end of which is connected. Is fixed to the fixed part of the guide channel and the other end is fixed to the moving part and is moved in the front-rear direction in a state of being warped by the reciprocating motion of the moving part, and the guide channel has a lower passage part and an upper passage part. The upper passage portion and the lower passage portion are characterized in that the widths of the guides in which the guides move are different.

Further, the variable portion has a variable shaft provided on the link at an appropriate interval, a guide roller axially supported by the variable shaft, and a biasing means attached to the variable shaft. Is characterized in that the width between the guides is always increased.

Further, the variable portion has a variable shaft provided on an appropriate link, a guide roller pivotally supported by the variable shaft, one end fixed to a stay provided on the link, and the other end fixed to the variable shaft. And a biasing means attached to the biasing means,
It is characterized in that the width between the guides is always increased.

[0012] In addition, the lower passage portion is formed so that the width between the guides moving in the lower passage portion is narrowed, and the upper passage portion is formed by the guide and the lower passage moving in the upper passage portion. While forming a gap with the guide that moves the part,
A receiving portion is provided for receiving the guide roller and supporting the guide moving in the upper passage portion.

Further, the guide channel is characterized by being a pair of one member in which a side portion forming the lower passage portion and a receiving portion forming the upper passage portion are formed.

Further, specifically, the receiving portion is formed so that the contact area of the guide roller moving in the upper passage portion is maximized.

Furthermore, the link is characterized in that it comprises a frame forming a continuous passage for guiding a cable or a hose.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a cable / hose guide supporting device of the present invention. The cable / hose guide supporting device includes a fixed moving part 30 fixed to one end of the guide 10, a guide 10 connected in a chain shape that can be bent or bent at each node, and a guide channel 20 supporting the guide 10. The lower passage portion 20a and the upper passage portion 20b forming the guide channel 20, and the portion of the guide 10 moving from the lower passage portion 20a to the upper passage portion 20b (from the upper passage portion 20b to the lower passage portion 20a) are formed by bending. It is composed of a curved portion A to be formed. The guide 10 and the guide channel 20 are provided along the traveling path at a position below the traveling path of the moving unit 30 such as a machine tool to be connected.

The moving section 30 is a uniaxial direction when the machine is operating,
That is, as shown in the drawing, it reciprocates in the horizontal direction, and the other end of the guide 10 is fixed to the fixed portion of the guide channel 20, and passes through the passage of the guide 10 to supply the supply portion (not shown).
A plurality of flexible cables and hoses drawn from (supplying liquid, gas, electricity, etc.) are guided and supported, and are guided from the fixed portion side to the moving portion 30 side.

The guide has a plurality of links 11 made of plastic or metal. Each of the links 11 has a structure in which it is bent or bent and is connected in a chain shape at each connecting node with the adjacent link 11. One end is fixed to the fixed portion of the guide channel 20 and the other end is a moving portion, as described above. It is fixed in a state of being bent back to 30. As a result, the guide moves in the front-rear direction while being warped by the reciprocating movement of the moving unit 30.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each link 11 is a hollow box-shaped frame body which forms a continuous passage for guiding a cable or a hose by the upper stay 12a and the lower stay 12b. Composed of shapes. Further, each link 11 is provided so that its side wall is pivotally movable with respect to the adjacent link 11 by a pair of pivots, so that the links 11 of the guide 1 have substantially the same plane (see FIG. In the plane parallel to the paper surface), it can be bent or bent freely. The upper stay 12a is detachable, and by removing the upper stay 12a, a cable or a hose can be arranged in the passage from above. The upper stay 12a is temporarily fixed by an appropriate locking means such as a clamp when the upper stay 12a is detached.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the variable portion 40 is provided at an appropriate portion of the guide 10, that is, at an appropriate link 11.
Is provided. The variable portion 40 includes a variable shaft 41 that moves in the direction of the arrow to change the width between the guides 10, and the variable shaft 4
A guide roller 42 pivotally supported by 1 to move the guide 10;
It has a biasing means 43 for always increasing the width between the guides 10. As for the variable shaft 41, one end of the variable shaft 41 is prevented from coming off by a stopper member. Biasing means 43
Is an elastic body such as a leaf spring, a coil spring, or rubber, and one end is on the side surface of the upper stay 12a and the other end is the variable shaft 4 so that the width of the guide roller 42 is always maximized.
It is attached to 1. To set the width between the guides 10,
This is performed by moving the movable shaft 41 and sliding the guide roller 42. In addition, the urging means 43 includes the upper stay 12a.
And the variable shaft 41, but may be directly attached to the movable shaft.

A slide member 44 is provided along the biasing means 43. The slide member 44 is a wedge-shaped member formed so that the thickness thereof gradually increases from the upper passage portion 20b toward the lower passage portion 20a, and when the slide member 44 moves to the lower passage portion 20a, as shown in FIG. A notch 44a for accommodating the guide roller 42 is provided therein.

As shown in FIG. 3, the guide channel 20 has a substantially U-shaped cross section arranged so as to extend along the uniaxial direction, that is, the reciprocating direction of the moving portion 30.
The moving section 30 has a substantially I-shaped cross section.
Has a floor portion 21 extending in the moving direction, a pair of side wall portions 22 formed on both sides of the floor portion 21, and a receiving portion 23 extending in the opposite direction to the floor portion 21, and serves as a traveling path of the guide roller 42.
Further, the lower passage portion 20a is formed in the area of the floor portion 21 and the pair of side wall portions 22, and the upper passage portion 20b is formed in the area of the receiving portion 23 and the pair of side wall portions 22, respectively, and the guide 10 forms a bent portion. Then, the lower passage portion 20a and the upper passage portion 20b are reciprocated. The height H of the side wall portion 22 is
Due to the bending of the guide 10 moving in the upper passage portion 20b,
It is desirable that the guide 10 moving in the lower passage portion 20a has a height that does not interfere with the guide 10. In addition, the guide is provided with guide rollers 42 along the floor 21 and the receiving portion 23, respectively.
The lower passage portion 20a and the upper passage portion 20b.
Will be guided to.

With the above configuration, the operation will be described again with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. As shown in FIG. 1, when the guide 10 of the upper passage portion 20b in the area surrounded by X is moved in the direction of the arrow until the curved portion is formed, the guide roller 42 once moves the receiving portion 23 of the guide channel 20. Leave. Further, when moving in the direction of the arrow, as shown in FIG.
And the guide 10 enters the lower passage portion 20a. During this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the slide member 44 gradually contracts to the width of the side wall portion 22, and accordingly, the variable shaft 41.
Is also shifted inward, and the width L between the guide rollers 42, that is, the width L between the guides is narrowed. This shift is performed until the guide roller 42 is housed in the cutout portion 44a of the slide member 44.

Further again, as shown in FIG. 1, when the guide 10 of the lower passage portion 20a in the area surrounded by X is moved in the direction opposite to the arrow until the curved portion A is formed, the guide roller is moved. 42 is the guide channel 20
Leaving the floor 21 of the. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the urging force of the urging means 43 regulated by the side wall portion 22 is gradually released by the slide member 44, and accordingly, the variable shaft 41 is also contacted with the stopper member. Shift outwards. When it is further moved in the direction opposite to the arrow, the width L between the guide rollers 42 becomes wider due to the released biasing means 43.
Further, when it moves, the guide roller 42 comes into contact with the receiving portion 23, and the guide roller 42 moves and supports the guide 10.

In this way, the guide 10 has the upper passage portion 20.
When the lower passage portion 20a is moved from b to the lower passage portion 20a,
The end surface of the guide roller 42 does not directly collide with the side wall portion 22 of a, and when the lower roller portion 20a moves from the lower passage portion 20a to the upper passage portion 20b, the abrupt shift of the variable shaft 41 by the biasing means 43 is suppressed, and the guide is prevented. It is possible to extend the life of the roller 42 and reduce noise generated during collision and shift of the variable shaft 41.

In FIG. 3, the receiving portion 23 is formed in a flat shape, and the guide roller 42 is brought into contact with the surface of the receiving portion 23 to guide, support and move the guide 10 in the upper passage portion 20b. Further, the upper passage portion 20b
In order to ensure the guidance, support and movement of the guide 10 to the receiving part 23 and the guide roller 42, as shown in FIG.
In order to widen the contact surface with the guide roller 42, the guide roller 42 may be formed in a concave shape, and the receiving portion 23 may be formed in a convex shape so as to fit the shape of the guide roller 42.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the guide rollers are used to support and move the guides and the width between the guides can be changed, and the guide channels for moving and supporting the guides are provided on the lower passage portion and the upper side. As the passage portion, the widths of both wall portions constituting the lower passage portion and the width of the receiving portion constituting the upper passage portion are made different from each other, and the variable portion guides when moving to the lower passage portion and the upper passage portion. The width of the guide allows support and movement of the guide in the lower passage part and the guide links in the upper passage part without rubbing each other. The damage can be eliminated even when the reciprocating motion is performed at a relatively high speed regardless of the operating environment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a cable / hose guide supporting device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a portion X in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a portion X in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an X portion of FIG.

5 is a view showing another example of a guide / support device for a cable / hose according to the present invention, and is a partially enlarged view of a Y portion of FIG. 3. FIG.

6A and 6B are views showing an example of a conventional cable / hose guide supporting device.

7 (a) and 7 (b) are views showing another usage mode of the conventional cable / hose guide supporting device shown in FIG.

8 is an enlarged view of a Z portion of FIG. 7 (a).

[Explanation of symbols]

10 guides 20 guide channels 30 Moving part 40 variable part Width between L guides

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A guide that is connected to a uniaxially reciprocating moving part, moves along with the movement of the movable part, and guides a cable or a hose, and a guide that extends in the uniaxial direction to support the guide. The guide is provided with a variable portion for varying the width between the guides, and a plurality of links are connected flexibly or flexibly at each node, one end of which is a fixed portion of the guide channel and the other. The end is fixed to the moving part and moves in the front-rear direction in a state of being warped by the reciprocating motion of the moving part. The guide channel has a lower passage part and an upper passage part, and the upper passage part and the lower passage part. A guide supporting device for a cable hose, wherein the portions are formed such that the widths of the guides along which the guides move are different. 2. The variable portion has a variable shaft provided at the link at appropriate intervals, a guide roller axially supported by the variable shaft, and a biasing means attached to the variable shaft. 2. The cable hose guide supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means is configured so that the width between the guides is always increased. 3. The variable portion, a variable shaft provided on the appropriate link, a guide roller pivotally supported by the variable shaft, one end fixed to a stay provided on the link, the other end 2. A cable hose guide supporting device according to claim 1, further comprising an urging means attached to the variable shaft, wherein the urging means is configured such that the width between the guides is always increased. . 4. The lower passage portion is formed so that a width between the guides moving in the lower passage portion is narrowed, and the upper passage portion includes the guide moving in the upper passage portion and the lower passage. 4. A receiving portion is provided which forms a gap with the guide that moves the portion and receives the guide roller and supports the guide that moves in the upper passage portion. Cable hose guide and support device described. 5. The guide channel is a pair of one member in which a side portion that forms the lower passage portion and a receiving portion that forms the upper passage portion are formed. The cable hose guide and support device described in item 2, 3 or 4. 6. The receiving portion is formed so that a contact area of the guide roller moving in the upper passage portion is maximized. Guide support device for cable hoses. 7. The cable hose guide of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein each of said links comprises a frame forming a continuous passage for guiding a cable or a hose. Support device.