Dbt Automation Gmbh

Bernd-Ernst Launhardt

Jurgen Tschope

A cable for connecting control units of powered supports to each other to prevent simultaneous movement of two adjacent powered supports in underground mining. The cable includes plug housings, at least one optical waveguide, connecting elements, optoelectric transducers, and potting. Each housing contains a chamber and has an electric plug-in coupling that connects to the control units. The at least one optical waveguide has ends with light entry and light exit surfaces. The connecting elements are arranged at the ends of the at least one optical waveguide and are arranged in the chamber in a respective plug housing. The optoelectric transducers are connected to the connecting elements and are arranged in the chamber of the respective plug housing and transmit data between the control units. The potting fills the chamber in the respective plug housing and encases the connecting elements and the optoelectric transducers to assure virtually 100% exclusion of air which prevents all kinds of dust, dirt, and moisture, which are present to a great extent in underground mining, from penetrating into the optoelectric transducers and contaminating the light entry and the light exit surfaces of the at least one optical waveguide which assures reliable date transmission, and further reliably locks the optoelectric transducers and the connecting elements in the chamber in the respective plug housing.

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Datteln, Germany

Bernd-Ernst Launhardt