JP5111890B2 - Movable flat cable - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a movable flat cable for supplying electric power to a movable part or transmitting a control signal in an apparatus having a movable part such as a machine tool or an assembly robot.

  Machine tools, assembly robots, and other devices perform processing operations by freely moving work units such as processing tables and movable arms. The work unit incorporates various components such as a motor, a solenoid, and a light source, and each component is supplied with electric power and a control signal from a fixed object such as a control panel via a cable.

At this time, since the distance between the work unit and the fixed object changes as the work unit moves, the cable is pulled out or pulled back with respect to the fixed object as the work unit moves. At this time, the cable is generally bent and bent in the length direction, and the bending position is generally moved as the cable is pulled out and pulled back, and when the bending position moves, the cable meanders. Then, there is a risk that the drawing / returning may not be performed smoothly.
In order to prevent this meandering, the cable is housed inside a chain-shaped cable carrier, and the cable is guided by the cable carrier so that the movement of the bent portion of the cable is restricted in the pulling / retracting direction. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP-A-9-177902

The power / signal transmission by the cable using the cable bear is bulky because of the cable bear. On the other hand, downsizing of various machines is being promoted today, and with the miniaturization, space saving of the cable bear is desired.
In order to save the space, it is conceivable to eliminate the cable track, but the meandering of the cable is a problem.

  In view of the above situation, the present invention maintains the directionality of the cable itself when bent, so that the use of the cable bear can be omitted.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention first includes a flat cable in which a plurality of linear bodies such as electric wires are arranged in parallel and the outer periphery thereof is covered with a covering resin elastic material, and the linear bodies are integrated. It was.
When the flat cable is bent in the length direction and bent (the state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3), the flat cable is bent while maintaining the flat state except for the bent portion. Return to flat shape. For this reason, the flat cable follows without bending in the bending direction.

Next, according to the present invention, the plurality of linear bodies are arranged so as to be shifted up and down in the cross-sectional thickness direction of the flat cable, and the plurality of linear bodies have a tensile strength equal to that of the coated resin elastic material. It was set to be larger than that.
If a plurality of linear bodies are displaced up and down in the cross-sectional thickness direction, when the flat cable is folded in the length direction and is bent, each linear body is vertically moved in the cross-sectional thickness direction. Therefore, it bends with different curvatures corresponding to the positions shifted to each other. In order to bend with this different curvature, the linear body on the outer side (large curvature) needs to be stretched more than the linear body on the inner side (small curvature) of the bent portion.
However, since each of these linear bodies has a resistance to stretching, so-called tensile strength, it is not easy to stretch the cable by the length corresponding to the difference in curvature. For this reason, this flat cable is difficult to bend even if an external force that causes bending is applied, and has a stronger action of retaining the original shape than a normal flat cable, so that its shape retention is maintained. Therefore, the meandering due to the bending is further suppressed.

On the other hand, if the external force in the bending direction is intentionally applied to the flat cable, the coating resin is made of an elastic material. Therefore, as the bending is bent, the coating resin elastic material is deformed so that each linear body approaches the same plane. Then, if the bending is allowed and the bending is eliminated, each linear body returns to the original position by the restoring force of the covering resin elastic material. At the time of bending, since the tensile strength of the plurality of linear bodies is set to be larger than the tensile strength of the coated resin elastic material, the coated resin elastic material is allowed to deform mainly so that the linear bodies are placed on the same plane. An approaching action is performed (see the bent cross section 9a in FIG. 2).
The tensile strength of the linear body and the coated resin elastic material is appropriately set by experiment or the like so that the action of the present invention can be achieved in consideration of a range of physical property values in which shape retention and flexibility are compatible.
In this way, this flat cable does not impair the bendability by improving the shape retaining property, and has both shape retaining property and bendability. Therefore, the flat cable can be bent in the length direction without meandering. It can be made smooth.

  As a configuration of the present invention, there is provided a movable flat cable in which a plurality of linear bodies are arranged in parallel, the outer periphery thereof is covered with a covering resin elastic material, and the linear bodies are integrally connected. The linear body is arranged so as to be shifted up and down in the cross-sectional thickness direction of the flat cable, and the tensile strength of the plurality of linear bodies is set larger than the tensile strength of the coated resin elastic material. When bent and bent in the length direction, the coated resin elastic material is deformed so that each linear body approaches the same plane at the bent portion, and the bending is allowed. A material in which each linear body returns to its original position by the restoring force of the covering resin elastic material can be employed.

  The linear body includes various wires (including cables) such as power supply wires and signal transmission wires, communication wires such as optical fibers (including cables), and tubes through which water, air, oil, etc. circulate. Conventionally, it is possible to employ various types of elements that have been internally mounted on a movable cable, such as a tubular body. In this invention, a plurality of each linear body, for example, a plurality of wires, or a wire and a tube Assume that a plurality of bodies having at least one body and a plurality of various combinations are arranged in parallel.

  As an aspect in which each linear body is shifted up and down in the cross-sectional thickness direction of the flat cable, any one can be used as long as it effectively exhibits the shape retaining property. For example, each linear body is positioned on an arc line. Or positioned on a W-shaped line. The position on the W-shaped line is arbitrary not only on each vertex but also on the middle line.

The number of the linear bodies can be selected as appropriate, but if it is 2, shape retention cannot be expected so much, so it is 3 or more, preferably 5 or more. For example, when the power supply and signal transmission to the movable part of the robot are performed with this flat cable, a total of five power lines and two signal lines can be provided.
Further, if the arrangement of the linear bodies is symmetric with respect to the center line in the width direction in the width direction (perpendicular to the thickness direction) of the flat cable, an external force that causes bending in the length direction is generated. The bending when acting is smooth and difficult to meander. This is because the drag on both sides in the width direction when the meandering in the width direction is the same, it is difficult to meander, while the bending is performed smoothly. Furthermore, the parallel arrangement of the linear bodies is not limited to a single layer, and a multilayer structure in which two or more layers are provided above and below in the thickness direction can also be employed.

  As described above, the present invention, as described above, has shifted linearly arranged linear bodies up and down in the thickness direction and has different tensile strengths between the linear bodies and the covering resin elastic material, so that the shape retention is high, Moreover, meandering that occurs during bending is suppressed as much as possible. Therefore, it is possible to avoid meandering during bending without the need for a cable bear.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1. In this flat cable 1, five insulated wires 4 each having a conductor 3 coated with a resin 2 are arranged side by side on an arc line c, and the outer periphery thereof is made of resin elasticity. A soft polyvinyl chloride 5 as a material is coated in an arc shape with the same thickness except for both ends. As this resin elastic material, a thermoplastic elastomer such as polyester, silicon or styrene, rubber, etc. can be used in addition to soft polyvinyl chloride.
Since each insulated wire 4 is located on the circular arc line c, the flat cable 1 is arranged so as to be shifted up and down in the flat cable cross-sectional thickness direction, and each insulated wire 4 has its conductor 3 made of copper. The tensile strength is remarkably larger than that of soft polyvinyl chloride 5 which is a resin. In addition, in the width direction (perpendicular to the thickness direction), each insulated wire 4 is arranged symmetrically with respect to the central insulated wire 4 (the center line in the width direction).

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the flat cable 1 connects the working unit 6 and a power supply source 7 with a configuration in which the flat cable 1 is folded back in the length direction. In this configuration, one end of the flat cable 1 is connected horizontally to a power supply source 7 fixed to a machine tool or the like, the other end is connected horizontally to a work unit 6, and the work unit 6 reciprocates horizontally. By exercising (the white arrow in the figure), work such as machining is performed with a machining tool or the like provided in the work unit 6.
At that time, in the two horizontal portions 8 and 8 where the flat cable 1 is horizontally disposed, the flat cable 1 is maintained substantially horizontal without bending due to the shape retention property of the flat cable 1.

  Further, between the two horizontal portions 8, 8, an external force that causes the flat cable 1 to bend acts, and the portion is bent. In the bent portion 9 where the bending occurs, the flat cable 1 is turned 180 degrees in accordance with the positional relationship between the work unit 6 and the power supply source 7.

  In the bent cross section 9a of the bent portion 9, since each insulated wire 4 is integrally formed of flexible polyvinyl chloride 5 and the tensile strength of each insulated wire 4 is large, an external force that causes bending acts. As a result, the soft polyvinyl chloride 5 is deformed so that the insulated wires 4 are arranged on substantially the same plane. Thereby, the curvature of each insulated wire 4 in the bending part 9 becomes substantially the same, and it bends smoothly, and the bending part 9 transfers smoothly as the work unit 6 moves, and the movement is made smoothly.

  In the flat cable 1, the arrangement of the insulated wire 4 on the arc line is either in a state where the bulge of the arc is inside the bend (see FIG. 2) or in a state where the bulge of the arc is outside the bend. Is also applicable.

Each insulated wire 4 is integrally formed by extrusion with a resin elastic material 5 such as soft polyvinyl chloride. As another method of this molding, as shown in FIG. 3, a resin elastic material 5 is one in which insulated wires 4 and interpositions 13 are vertically attached or twisted, or only each insulated wire 4 is vertically attached or twisted. And the tube 11 can be formed, and they can be integrated (connected) by the web-like connecting portion 12 formed integrally at the time of covering. The tube 11 can also be comprised with another thing (for example, resin tube) irrespective of the resin elastic material 5. FIG. Further, the insulated wires 4 can be integrated by fusing the resin coating 2 covering the conductors 3 of the insulated wires 4 by heating or using an elastic adhesive or the like.
In the flat cable 1 shown in FIG. 3, when bent and bent in the length direction, the web-like connecting portion 12 made of the resin elastic material 5 is arranged so that each insulated wire 4 is located on the same plane at the bent portion. If the bending is allowed to be deformed and the bending is eliminated, each insulated wire 4 is returned to the original position by the restoring force of the web-like connecting portion 12 made of the resin elastic material 5.

Further, another configuration using the flat cable 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In this configuration, one end of the flat cable 1 is connected horizontally to a power supply source 7 fixed to a machine tool or the like, and the other end is connected vertically to a work unit 6, and the work unit 6 is connected in the horizontal direction. The reciprocating motion and the reciprocating motion in the vertical direction (white arrows in the figure) can be performed simultaneously, that is, it can cope with the two-dimensional motion of the work unit 6.
In this case, a guide (not shown) for guiding the bent portion 9 is provided in the bent portion 9 of the reciprocating motion in the horizontal direction and the reciprocating motion in the vertical direction.
Also in this configuration, as in the case where the work unit 6 moves only in the horizontal direction, the flat cable 1 is divided into the horizontal portion 8 in which the flat cable 1 is disposed horizontally and the vertical portion 10 in which the flat cable 1 is disposed vertically. The flat cable 1 is maintained substantially horizontally and vertically without meandering due to the shape-retaining property possessed by.

  Further, between the two horizontal portions 8 and 8 and between the horizontal portion 8 and the vertical portion 10, an external force that causes the flat cable 1 to bend acts, and the portions are bent. In the bent portion 9 where the bending occurs, the flat cable 1 is turned 180 degrees or 90 degrees in accordance with the positional relationship between the work unit 6 and the power supply source 7.

  In the bent section 9a of the bent portion 9, as described above, the external force that causes the bending acts, so that the soft polyvinyl chloride 5 is deformed and each insulated wire 4 constituting the flat cable 1 is almost Line up on the same plane. Thereby, the curvature of each insulated wire 4 in the bending part 9 becomes substantially the same, and the flexibility is good.

In the configuration shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the flat cable 1 is connected to the work unit 6 and the power supply source 7 respectively horizontally or vertically on the same plane including the length direction of the flat cable 1. The angle is not limited to these (horizontal and vertical). That is, in consideration of the positional relationship between the work unit 6 to which the flat cable 1 is connected and the other work unit 6, the flat cable 1 and the work unit 6 or the power supply source are not disturbed. 7 etc. are connected in an oblique direction as appropriate on the same plane.
Even when connected in an oblique direction as described above, the flat cable 1 maintains its original cross-sectional shape except for the bent portion 9 due to its high shape retaining property, and smoothly bends without meandering to move the work unit 6. Follow.

  Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 5. As in the flat cable 1 shown in FIG. 1, it comprises nine insulated wires 4 having the same diameter and covered with a conductor 3 with a resin coating 2. The insulated wire 4 is covered with a flexible soft polyvinyl chloride 5 having the same thickness except for both ends, and is united, aligned on the W-shaped line w, and at the center in the cable width direction. They are arranged symmetrically with respect to (the center line in the width direction).

In the flat cable 1 as well, the flexible polyvinyl chloride 5 is deformed by the application of an external force that causes bending, as in the case where the insulated wires 4 shown in FIG. The insulated wires 4 constituting the cable 1 are arranged on substantially the same plane. Thereby, the curvature of each insulated wire 4 in the bending part 9 becomes substantially the same, and the flexibility is good.
In addition to this portion, the flat cable 1 is not bent by the shape retaining property, and the state of being aligned on the original W-shaped line is maintained.

  Similarly, in this flat cable 1, any of the front and back surfaces (upper and lower surfaces in FIG. 5) of the flat cable 1 may be inside the bend.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, not only the insulated wire 4 having the same diameter is integrated into the flat cable 1, but also the insulated wire 4 having the same diameter and the different diameter, the tube 11, etc., as shown in FIG. Since it is possible to appropriately select communication lines such as optical fibers as needed, and to bundle them together, it is possible to clean the wiring and piping of the insulated wires 4, etc., and they are excellent in terms of handling It becomes.

Partial perspective view of one embodiment Operational diagram of the embodiment Cross-sectional view of another embodiment Other action diagrams Partial perspective view of other embodiment

Explanation of symbols

1 Flat cable 2 Resin coating 3 Conductor 4 Insulated wire (Linear body)
5 Resin elastic material (soft polyvinyl chloride)
6 Working unit 7 Power supply source (stationary)
8 Horizontal part 9 Bent part 10 Vertical part 11 Tube 12 Connecting part 13 Interposition

Claims (1)

Three or more types of one or two or more types of linear bodies (4) selected from electric wires, cables, optical fibers, and tubes are arranged in parallel, and the outer periphery thereof is covered with a coated resin elastic material (5) to form each linear shape. A movable flat cable (1) integrally connecting the bodies (4),
Three or more linear bodies (4) coated with the coated resin elastic material (5) are arranged on the arc line, and each linear body (4) coated with the resin is formed of the coated resin elastic material (5). Are connected by a web-like connecting portion (12) made of the covering resin elastic material (5) integrally formed at the time of covering, and the plurality of linear bodies (4) have the tensile strength of the covering resin elastic material (5 When the flat cable (1) is bent in the length direction and bent by an external force, each linear body (4) is on the same plane at the bent portion (9). If the web-shaped connecting portion (12) made of the coated resin elastic material (5) is deformed to allow it to be bent, and the bending is eliminated by removing the external force, the coated resin elastic material (5 Of the web-shaped connecting part (12) The former force, the movable flat cable to the linear body (4), characterized in that the return to the original position.

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