WO1999054640A1

WO1999054640A1 - Channel for power guide chains

Info

Publication number: WO1999054640A1
Application number: PCT/DE1999/001140
Authority: WO
Inventors: Günter Blase
Original assignee: Igus Spritzgussteile für die Industrie GmbH
Priority date: 1998-04-20
Filing date: 1999-04-16
Publication date: 1999-10-28
Also published as: DE29807063U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a channel for power guide chains (13), especially for quick acting power guide chains which are guided inside said channel (1). At least one opening (3) extends in a longitudinal direction of the channel (1) enabling guidance of at least one driver (9) acting upon the guide chain which is arranged in the channel. In order to obtain a channel which enables the power guide chain (13) to be guided in a continuously precise manner, the invention includes a carriage (6) in the opening (3) which can be guided in said opening (3) and which is coupled to the driver (9), whereby at least one of the areas (4, 5) of the channel is embodied as a carriage guide. In a further embodiment, the carriage (6) is provided with several rollers (7, 8) in addition to a coupling element (19) pertaining to a coupling device (18) for coupling to a device which can move in a direction that is substantially parallel to the channel (1). The coupling device (18) enables relative movements of the coupling elements (17, 19) that act upon the carriage (6) and the device.

Description

Channel for energy supply chains

The invention relates to a channel for energy supply chains or the like, in particular for fast-running energy supply chains which are guided in the channel, with at least one breakthrough extending in the longitudinal direction of the channel for carrying out at least one driver acting on the energy supply chain arranged in the channel.

Channels of this type are used in particular in fast-running energy supply chains in which there is a fear of the energy supply chain rising. During this ascent, forces are exerted on partial areas of the energy supply chain, so that they assume a height which is far above that during normal operation. The channel prevents the energy supply chain from being thrown out of your guide.

Channels of this type are also used when the energy supply chain is to be encapsulated against external influences.

In previously known energy supply chains, the driver engaging the energy supply chain is usually connected directly to the device which is supplied with or feeds the lines or the like which are guided in the energy supply chain. As a result, deviations in the movement of the device from the desired path are transferred directly to the energy supply chain, which, however, can lead to uneven running of the energy supply chain and is therefore undesirable.

If, on the other hand, the coupling device of the device with the energy supply chain, which couples directly to the energy supply chain, has a game, then the energy supply chain is not guided exactly, which in turn leads to a restless run of the same.

The object of the present invention is therefore to create a channel which enables the energy supply chain to be guided in an always exact and unambiguous manner.

This object is achieved in that in the opening of the channel into which the driver of the energy supply chain extends, a slide is provided which couples to the driver, the regions of the channel adjacent to the opening being designed as a slide guide.

Due to the sled guide is always defined guidance of the driver and thus also the area of the energy supply chain acting on it, e.g. B. the upper run, possible. The slide can always be moved precisely aligned to the channel by guiding the channel areas adjacent to the opening, which has a positive effect on the travel behavior of the energy supply chain. The carriage is preferably guided laterally in the opening on both sides. The areas of the channel which are designed as a slide guide and adjoin the opening can be correspondingly profiled, for example provided with a flanged or T-shaped cross section, which results in a configuration of the guide areas which is particularly dimensionally stable under the operating conditions, the surface of the guide area also being provided in each case can be provided with a friction-reducing covering.

The opening of the channel can in particular be provided in a side wall, the free lower edge and the free upper edge of the opening each being designed as a slide guide. As a result, the carriage receives precise guidance in its upper and / or lower region, the lower run or the upper run of the energy supply chain being guided by the driver coupled to the carriage, depending on the area of use. The carriage is advantageously equipped with rollers which enable the carriage to move smoothly and with little wear.

In order to prevent tilting of the slide, particularly in the case of a very narrow guide, two rollers can be provided on the slide, which are in engagement with the upper slide guide, and two further rollers, which are in attack with the lower slide guide. One of the first rollers and one of the second rollers can be arranged on opposite end regions of the carriage. The four rollers can in particular be arranged in a trapezoidal shape, wherein the longer base of the trapezoid can be assigned to the upper or lower slide guide.

The driver acting on the energy supply chain can be rigidly attached to the carriage. The connection elements of the lines, cables or the like guided in the energy supply chain can also be mounted on the carriage.

The carriage advantageously has a coupling element of a coupling device for coupling to a device which can be moved essentially parallel to the channel, the coupling device permitting relative movements in the horizontal and / or vertical direction of the device to the channel. On the one hand, this enables a defined travel of the energy supply chain due to the exact guidance of the slide. On the other hand, the coupling of the carriage with the movable device floating in the horizontal and / or vertical direction can compensate for deviations in the travel paths of the energy supply chain on the one hand and the device on the other. This applies to deviations in height as well as in the lateral direction to each other as well as tilting of the device relative to the channel. If the energy supply chain and the device each have different guides or travel paths, the special coupling device ensures ensures that undesirable deviations in the movement of the device are not transferred to the energy supply chain. The coupling device can, for example, have articulated linkages or slide guides in order to be able to compensate for relative movements in height or in any other direction.

Advantageously, relative movements of the device relative to the energy supply chain are compensated for in that the coupling elements on the slide and device of the coupling device have a free play to one another. This can be ensured, for example, by a driver engaging in a guide eye or claw, the driver being able to engage the driver both in a plane and in the vertical direction with play. Sudden movements can be avoided if the driver is provided with a roller that can roll on the inside of the eyelet or a corresponding claw.

The channel is preferably designed as a hollow profile which is laterally closed except for the opening.

The channel can be formed in one piece from a correspondingly profiled hollow profile, but this is comparatively complex in terms of production technology.

The channel is advantageously composed of a plurality of segments extending in the longitudinal direction thereof, the segments possibly also being able to extend over the entire length of the channel.

A simple assembly of a carriage guided on both sides in the opening is possible if the two carriage guides are arranged on different segments of the channel. For example, the channel on the side wall having the opening can have a cover which can be detachably fastened to an area of the channel, part of the cover forming a slide guide. In particular, the channel can have a trough-shaped upper part and a trough-shaped lower part, which can also be composed of two angled components, independently of one another, if necessary. Additional segments can be used between the trough-shaped upper and lower part or between the angular parts, which when assembled result in a trough, so that the height and / or the width of the channel can be varied and adapted to different energy supply chains.

Thus, the channel can have a removable side part on the side of the opening and / or the side opposite the opening.

Advantageously, the trough-shaped upper and lower parts or the segments which can be mounted on them or the removable side parts are each of identical construction.

A separate plate-shaped underlay can be arranged in the lower part of the channel, which serves as a laying plate for the lower run and as a sliding plate for the upper run, so that this can be moved on the plate with little friction and slide rails fastened to the side walls of the channel are unnecessary. At the same time, this results in noise insulation when traversing the energy supply chain. The plate-shaped support can also extend only in the part of the channel in which the upper run or possibly also only the lower run can be arranged, the support can also extend in one or more parts over the entire length of the channel.

Furthermore, a run-up slope can be arranged in the lower part of the channel, onto which the upper run of the energy supply chain stored in the channel can slide in order to place it on the lower run. The run-on slope can be designed in the form of a run-up wedge, which preferably represents a separate component but can also be detachably or integrally attached to the end fastening part of the energy supply chain. Advantageously, at least one of the regions of the channel designed as a slide guide and / or one or more of the wheels of the slide consists at least partially of a material with good damping properties, such as polyurethane. The material can, for example, only be provided on the respective running surfaces, advantageously the components consist entirely of this material. Shocks can be absorbed by the insulation properties, which has a positive effect on the smooth running of the energy supply chain and noise emissions.

The channel can have wall sections designed as hollow profiles for noise reduction, which can also serve as a slide guide due to their increased stability. The hollow profiles of the side and / or top or bottom wall regions are preferably designed as laterally closed chambers, separate closure means for closing the front ends of the chambers being able to be provided. A separate, for example foamed support for the lower run can also be provided for noise reduction and for low-wear guidance of the energy supply chain. Further measures for noise damping, as are known in guide troughs for energy supply chains, can also be carried out in the duct according to the invention.

The invention is described below by way of example and explained by way of example with reference to the figures. Show it:

Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a channel with a mounted carriage and energy chain.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a larger section of a channel according to FIG. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a cross section through a channel with carriage and energy chain and mounted on the carriage Coupling device (below) and top view of the coupling device (above);

FIGS. 4 to 8 side views of channels composed of partial segments or of partial segments in the disassembled state;

9 front view of channels composed of sub-segments in two embodiments.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the channel 1 has an opening 3 on a side wall 2, the boundary edges of which run parallel to the longitudinal direction of the channel 1. The upper edge 4 and the lower edge 5 of the side wall 2 delimit the opening 3 and at the same time serve as guide profiles for the slide 6. The channel 1 thus has a substantially rectangular cross section, the opening 3 being provided in the central region of one of the side walls of the channel . The breakthrough can optionally also be provided on the upper or lower boundary wall of the channel.

The carriage 6 has a roller 7 at its front or rear end in the direction of travel, which rolls on the upper edge 4. On both sides of the center of the carriage 6, between the rollers 7, two further rollers 8 are arranged, which roll on the lower edge 5. The rollers 7, 8 each have a slight play on the side opposite the respective guide, so that the arrangement of the axes of the rollers 7, 8 is arranged in the manner of a trapezoid, the longer base of which rests on the upper edge 4.

The carriage 6 is rigidly connected to a right-angled support plate 9, one leg 10 of which is arranged in the channel 1 and extends parallel to it, while the second leg 11 protrudes from the opening 3. An end fastening part 12 of the energy supply chain is detachably fastened to the leg 10. The carrier plate 9 can on the Carriage 10 can be detachably or attached in one piece.

By guiding the carriage 6 by means of the edges 4, 5 which delimit the opening 3, the carriage 6 is guided exactly with respect to the channel 1, as a result of which the energy supply chain 13 guided in the channel 1 can be moved in a defined manner.

On the bottom of the channel 1 there is an elongated plate which extends over the entire length of the channel 1 and on which the lower run, as shown in FIG. 1, can be placed or, if the carriage 6 is moved accordingly, the upper run can be moved smoothly. In this exemplary embodiment, the plate extends over the entire width of the channel 1, so that it both forms a low-sliding support for the energy supply chain and also serves to dampen noise. Corresponding slide strips can also be arranged on the bottom of the channel 1, which have a comparatively small width. The sliding and depositing plate 14 is detachably fixed to the bottom of the channel 1 by means of appropriate fastening means, but it can alternatively also be inserted loosely.

The end fastening part 15 of the lower run and an overrun wedge 16 are each detachably and independently detachably fastened to the bottom and / or the side wall 2 of the channel. If the upper run is placed on the bottom of the channel or the sliding plate 14 when the carriage 6 is moved accordingly, the upper run slides onto the run-up wedge 16 when the carriage 6 moves in the direction of the end fastening part 15, so that the upper run of the energy supply chain ultimately, can be stored on the lower run, as shown in Fig. 1. The run-up wedge 16 also extends over the entire width of the channel 1, but it can also be essentially web-shaped.

At the protruding from the opening 3 leg 11 of the support plate 9, the hoses or the like guided in the energy supply chain 13 can be attached and from the Channel 1 are brought out. In order to facilitate this, the middle area of the carriage 6, which supports the carrier plate 9, is lowered relative to the area carrying the rollers 7, 8.

The edge 4 of the side part 2 is arranged approximately at the height of the upper edge of the end fastening part 14, the lower edge 5 approximately at the height of the upper edge of the lower strand.

As is also apparent from Fig. 3, the free end of the leg 11 is provided with a coupling element 17 of a coupling device 18, by means of which the carriage and thus also the energy supply chain can be coupled to a device via the coupling element 19, so that the carriage 6 and thus the energy supply chain 13 can be moved in coordination with the device.

The coupling device 18 consisting of the coupling elements 17, 19 enables relative movements of the coupling elements 17 and 19 both in the horizontal and in the vertical direction with respect to the longitudinal plane of the channel 1 with respect to one another. For this purpose, the coupling element 17 is designed as a claw open on one side, which is rigidly connected to the component 55 of the device. The coupling element 19, which is designed as a pin and engages rigidly with the carrier plate 9 and thus with the carriage 6, engages in the claw-shaped coupling element 17. The pin, which is arranged perpendicular to the plane of the leg 11, forms the bearing for a roller 20 which can be rotated about it and which has a play in the coupling element 17 in the three spatial directions of a Cartesian coordinate system.

By arranging a slide in combination with the coupling device shown, the movement of the energy supply chain is decoupled from the movement of the device connected to the coupling element 17, so that the energy supply chain can always be guided exactly in the opening 3 of the side wall 2 due to the narrow guidance of the slide 6 and coupled to the device via the coupling device 18 10 is drivable.

As can be seen from FIGS. 4 to 8, the channel 1 can be composed in various forms from individual segments 21 to 37, each of which extends over the entire length of the channel, or, as can be seen from FIG. 2, only over part of the same.

5 (left), the channel can be formed in one piece, the edges 4, 5 of the channel delimiting the opening 3 being provided with slide rails 40. These can be releasably attached to the side wall 2, for example pushed on or clipped on, or integrally formed on them. The slide rails 40, together with the flat outer edge 41 which runs horizontally in the figure, form a support surface for the rollers 7, 8.

The slide rails 40 and the rollers 7, 8 of the slide are made of a material with very good damping properties, such as Polyurethane, so that they have a shock and noise absorbing effect when the sled is being moved.

To stabilize the channel 1, bulges 42 to 44 are provided on the area lying below and above and on the side area.

In order to create a running surface for the rollers 7, 8, instead of an additional slide strip, the side wall can also be angled accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4.

The edge region of the side wall in the region of the opening 3 can, as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 8, also be flanged inwards or outwards to create a flat contact surface for the rollers 7, 8. In order to prevent the energy supply chain from becoming stuck, the lower region of the side wall 2 is preferably flanged outwards. 1 1

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the channel 1 can also be composed of trough-shaped lower parts 45 and a trough-shaped part 46, so that the side wall 47 opposite the opening 3 is interrupted. Correspondingly, as shown in FIG. 7 (right), the trough-shaped lower and upper parts 45, 46 can also be interrupted, so that they are each composed essentially of two angularly curved segments 48, 49.

In this way, a modular system is created so that the lower and upper parts 45, 46 and the segments 48, 49 are each connected by intermediate pieces, so that the channel can be adapted to energy supply chains of different dimensions in terms of both its height and its width . Furthermore, the lower parts (FIG. 7) (left) can be constructed identically to the upper parts 51, as can the segments 31, 32, by means of which the trough-shaped lower part or upper part is assembled, to one another.

As can be seen from the figures, the segments can each be designed such that their free end regions, which are connected to form the channel, are arranged in the region of the bulges 42-44 of the channel. The trough-shaped or angular segments forming the channel can each be assembled directly or by using corresponding intermediate pieces.

As can be seen from FIG. 9, the individual segments 27, 28, 33 to 36 can be connected via profile rails 52, 53, or with corresponding plate-shaped plates 54, the profile rail or the plates being able to be provided with elongated holes or rows of holes, in order to be able to put together channels of different cross-sections using the same segments. The side parts 21, 25 delimiting the opening 3 can also be connected directly to the angular segments 27. 12

The respective segments or intermediate pieces from which the channel 1 is composed can each be designed to be noise-absorbing or can be provided with corresponding additional noise-absorbing elements.

13 list of reference symbols

1 channel

Side wall

3 breakthrough

4 top edge

5 bottom edge

6 sledges

7, 8 roller

9 carrier plate

10, 11 legs

12 end fastening part

13 Energy supply chain

14 plate

15 end fastening part

16 wedge

17 coupling element

18 coupling device

19 coupling element

20 roll

21 side panel

22-37 segment

38, 39 tread

40 slide rail

41 tread

42-44 bulge

45 lower part

46 top

47 side wall

48-51 segment

52,, 53 profile rail

54 sheet metal

55 component of the device

Claims

14 claims

1. Channel for energy chains or the like, in particular for high-speed energy chains that are guided in the channel, with at least one opening extending in the longitudinal direction of the channel for carrying out at least one driver acting on the energy chain arranged in the channel, characterized in that a Breakthrough (3) of guidable carriage (6) is provided which couples to the driver (9) and that at least one of the areas (4, 5) of the channel (1) adjoining the breakthrough (3) serves as a carriage guide (38, 39, 40) is formed.

2. Channel according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening (3) in a side wall (2) of the channel (1) is provided and the free lower edge (4) and / or upper edge (5) of the side wall (2) each as a slide guide (38, 39 40) is formed.

3. Channel according to one of claims 1 or 2, d a d u r c h g e k e n n e e c h n e t that the carriage (6) is equipped with rollers (7,8).

4. Channel according to claim 3, characterized in that on the slide (6) two rollers (7) are provided, which are provided by the upper slide guide (39), and two further rollers (8), which are by the lower slide guide ( 38).

5. Channel according to one of claims 1 to 4, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the driver (9) is rigidly attached to the carriage (6).

6. Channel according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the carriage (6) 15

Coupling element (19) of a coupling device (18) for coupling to a device (55) which can be moved essentially parallel to the channel (1), the coupling device (18) having relative movements in the horizontal and / or vertical direction of the on the carriage (6) and the coupling elements (17, 19) engaging the device (55).

7. Channel according to claim 6, d a d u r c h g e k e n n - z e i c h n e t that the relative movements of the coupling elements (17,19) on the carriage (6) and device (55) to each other is made possible by a free play of the coupling elements (17,19) to each other.

8. Channel according to one of claims 1 to 7, so that the channel (1) is composed of a plurality of segments (21-39) extending in the longitudinal direction thereof.

9. Channel according to claim 8, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that two slide guides (38,39,40) are provided, which are arranged on different segments (21,25,23,28).

10. Channel according to one of claims 8 or 9, so that the channel (1) has a trough-shaped top part (46) and a trough-shaped bottom part (45) as separate components.

11. Channel according to one of claims 8 to 10, so that the channel (1) has a removable side part (21, 25) on the side of the opening (3) and / or the side opposite the opening (3).

12. Channel according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that at least several of the segments mountable to the channel (21-39, 45, 46) each 16 are constructed identically.

13. Channel according to one of claims 1 to 12, so that a separate plate-shaped underlay (14) for storing the energy supply chain (13) is provided, which can be arranged in the lower part of the channel (1).

14. Channel according to one of claims 1 to 13, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that in the lower part of the

Channel (1) a run-up slope (16) for the energy supply chain (13) is arranged.

15. Channel according to one of claims 1 to 14, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, at least one of the as

Areas (4, 5) of the channel and / or one or more of the running wheels (7, 8) of the slide, formed at least in part, consist of a vibration-damping material.

16. Carriage for energy chain guide channels, which can be moved in an opening (3) of an energy supply chain channel (1) under guidance of the areas of the channel (1) adjoining the opening (3) and to which a driver (9) for the energy supply chain (19) can be fastened is.

17. Carriage according to claim 16, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the carriage (16) is equipped with rollers (7, 8).

18. Carriage according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the carriage (6) has a coupling element (19) of a coupling device (18) for coupling to an essentially parallel to the channel (1) movable device (55), the coupling device ( 18) Relative movements in the horizontal and / or vertical direction of the coupling elements acting on the slide (6) and the device (55) 17 (17.19) allowed.