Igus Gmbh

Thilo-Alexander Jaeker

Andreas Hermey

Dominik Barten

Joerg Dommnik

Stefan Strack

Frank Blase

Georg Theiss

Konstantin Schmer

Ralf Steeger

Bilal Yilmaz

Richard Habering

Felix Berger

Günter Blase

Philip Howold

Harald Nehring

Peter Mattonet

Jan Hoffman

Rene Erdmann

Christian Barthen

Stephan Strack

Michael Offner

Christian Strauch

Jörg Dommnik

Jan Hoffmann

Jorg Dommnik

Gunter Blase

Cable carriers having laterally stabilized tabs made of plastic. An arc-shaped guide region of one tab engages in a free space behind a retaining nub on the other tab. The retaining nub provides lateral stabilization. According to the invention, the retaining nub is spatially limited to a middle height section of the tab height and limited in dimension in the circumferential direction about the pivot axis. The arc-shaped guide region is thus overlapped solely by a smaller proportion, preferably ≤33%, of the arc length or angle width thereof by the retaining nub and remains not overlapped (that is, laterally free) over a predominant proportion, particularly 66%, of the arc length or angle width thereof by the retaining nub. This particularly facilitates the assembly of the chain tabs and their connection to each other.

Energy guide chain having laterally stabilized link plates made of plastic

A transverse bar for a chain link of an energy guiding chain for guiding lines. The transverse bar has an elongate main body comprising a first plastic and at both longitudinal ends a connecting region for connection to the side plates. The main body of the transverse bar has two long narrow sides which each have a holding device for separating bars. Provided on the inside of the main body that faces towards the lines is a line-protecting layer for handling the lines gently and comprising a second plastic which is different from the plastic of the main body and is selected to reduce abrasion upon relative movement between a line and the transverse bar. In that case the line-protecting layer extends from one narrow side to the other and at least predominantly covers over the inside of the main body but leaves uncovered the respective holding device at the one narrow side and at the other narrow side.

Line-protecting transverse bar for an energy guiding chain

A guide channel for guiding an energy chain along a vertical line or along a line running with a vertical component, which guide channel has delimiting walls that are formed by separate guide plates and are arranged opposite each other. The two guide plates have smooth sliding surfaces on their sides facing the energy chain, which sliding surfaces are provided, in their lateral edge regions, with guide flanges protruding at a right angle. The guide plates are retained in brackets, which can be fastened, with a height offset at distances, to a supporting wall and which are U-shaped. The exterior side of the U web of the bracket lies against the supporting wall, and the guide plates can be fastened to the interior sides of the U legs of the bracket.

Vertical guide channel

Energy chains having flexible joint connectors, and lateral tabs and a joint connector therefor. The lateral tabs are symmetrical by stop surfaces thereof, wherein each lateral tab comprises two protrusions having stop surfaces and two pockets having counterpart stop surfaces. According to one aspect, the protrusions and the pockets are provided symmetrically on the lateral tab. According to one aspect, the joint connector for lateral tabs has a plate-like body having a resiliently flexible joint region, two material regions opposingly arched outward having a cavity therebetween, and two opposite fastening regions on the end. According to one aspect, the energy chain is designed such that, continuously over a chain portion comprising at least more than three adjacent chain links, which comprises the at least two tab strands, the tab strands are structured overall continuously from tabs which are identical to each other.

Energy guide chain with flexible joint connectors as well as side plates and joint connectors for same

The invention relates to a side plate (A,B) for an energy chain, comprising a single-piece plate body that is made of plastic and has two overlapping regions (A,B;A . . .D), each for pivotable connection to a corresponding overlapping region of an adjoining plate, the plate body also having a center region (A,B) between the overlapping regions. The overlapping regions and the center region have a number of cross-section transitions, each of which is located between two outer partial surfaces and at least one of which is rounded or broken (Q. . . Q) between a first partial surface (F, F, F) of the plate body and a second partial surface (F, F, F) extending at an angle, particularly an angle of 90°, to the first partial surface.

Operationally stable side plate for an energy chain

A chain link for an energy transmission chain, comprising two mutually spaced side plates which are interconnected by means of two crosspieces, delimit an interior for guiding cables and each have inner faces facing the interior. A frame module is provided and is mounted between the crosspieces, borders a portion of the interior and delimits at least one guide chamber for the purpose of internal subdivision. The frame module has two lateral walls and two transverse regions extending transversely thereto, wherein each transverse region covers part of the inner face of a crosspiece and forms a cable-protecting support face.

Energy guide chain having a cable-protecting internal subdivision, and chain link and frame module therefor

Monitoring systems for energy chains which guide lines, and which are displaceable along a displacement path and thereby form a movable strand, a stationary strand, and a deflection arc therebetween. According to a first aspect, one or multiple sensors are arranged stationary and form a detection path along the displacement path of the energy chain, in order to react to an approaching and/or contact of the energy chain. According to a second aspect, a plurality of sensor modules are distributed along the energy chain. In this case, each sensor module has a measurand detector and a communication unit for transmitting outputs to an evaluation unit. The first and the second aspect allow function monitoring, for example for the purpose of a safety shutdown. According to a third aspect, a sensor module is arranged on the driver-side end region. The module has a sensor for the quantitative detection of a kinematic parameter of the end region, as well as a communication unit for transmitting output data depending on detected kinematic parameters. This allows an application-dependent prediction of the remaining service life of energy chains.

Systems for monitoring the operation of an energy chain

A chain link for an energy guide chain. The chain link has two link plates, and at least one pivotal transverse web, which connects the link plates together in an articulated manner and which can be converted into a closed position that connects the link plates together and into an open position that at least partly releases the link plate intermediate space. At least one pivotally designed end region of the transverse web can be secured to the link plate in a latching manner. The articulated connection between the transverse web and the link plate has a substantially cylindrical joint pin with a radius (R) over at least one part of the circumference of the pin on one of the corresponding components consisting of the transverse web and the chain link and a substantially cylindrical pin receiving area on the other of the two corresponding components.

Chain link for an energy guiding chain and an energy guiding chain

A tension relief for a cable carrier. A multi-part holding frame comprising bars which are connected by side parts holds block-like spacers, between which a plurality of lines, such as cables, hoses or the like, are laid. In order to exert a clamping force by the holding frame on the spacers for the purpose of strain relief, a quickly closable device is provided. A quick release clamp can be provided, which in the closed position clamps the side parts and/or the bars to one another. According to the invention, the two side parts are mounted pivotably on the lower strip and are fastened releasably to the first bar, for example by screws or the quick release clamp. Each side part can thus be pivoted from the closed position into an open position and vice versa in order to release and clamp the lines respectively.

Strain relief for quick assembly for a cable carrier

A dynamic line guiding system for high speeds and/or long displacement paths, with an energy chain arranged as lying on the side, which chain, in the configuration of a first strand, a second strand, as well as a deflection curve, is displaceable back and forth. The energy chain is guided in a guide trough with two laterally-opposite side walls and a trough floor therebetween, wherein each strand is respectively displaceable with a lateral surface on a respective bearing surface on the trough floor, and is held, relative to the outside, by means of one of the two side walls. It is provided that the trough floor comprises at least one bearing surface with a step or a ramp, which counteracts a deviation of the first strand out of its intended target location on the respective bearing surface.

Line guiding system and guide trough, in particular for high displacement speeds

An energy guiding chain and side part therefore are proposed. In energy guiding chains, the pivotability of connected chain links against each other is typically limited by cooperating abutments with abutment surfaces arranged on the side parts. The invention concerns elastically deformable damping elements which dampen the abutting motion of the areas between the abutments and the abutment surfaces. In accordance with the invention, at least some abutments have a damping bow which is convexly curved in the direction of the respective other abutment surface and behind which a free space is provided, both ends of the damping bow being firmly connected to the respective abutment in the manner of an arched bridge. Furthermore, the damping bow is connected in one piece to the inner wall of the respective side part facing the inner guide channel.

Energy chain with damping elements as well as side part therefor

A cable-routing device, the members of which have central joint bodies for articulation to one another, which comprise a joint head and a joint socket. The joint head has an axial region in which the cross-section thereof has a peripheral geometry with at least two corner points and lateral lines which connect the latter to one another, the lateral lines which meet at a corner point forming an internal angle of less than 180&#xb0;, and the joint socket has a receiving region which geometrically corresponds to the axial region of the joint head and into which the joint head can lock.

Line-guiding device

A monitoring system for the operation of an energy chain. This has a movable strand, a stationary strand and a deflection bend therebetween. The system comprises at least one sensor which generates at least one output dependent on the condition of the energy chain, and an evaluation unit which evaluates the at least one output of the sensor in order to monitor whether a fault condition occurs during operation of the energy chain. The sensor has a non-contact working principle and is arranged so that the sensor interacts from a distance with at least a subregion of the deflection bend and/or a subregion of the movable strand. The sensor thus generates an output which is dependent on the position and/or speed of the energy chain.

Monitoring system for operating an energy chain

A tension relief for supply lines and a block-like clamping part therefor, which has a lateral surface designed as a clamping surface. The clamping surface of the clamping part is formed at least in one clamping portion by an elastic wall, which is delimited on the side facing away from the clamping surface by a cavity structure, which is formed by additional walls. The clamping part can be variedly used without modification on certain line diameters, in particular in a tension relief of a cable carrier or also in a connector housing.

Strain relief, end fastening part having strain relief, and clamping part therefor

A guide device for a cable, in particular for an energy chain, consisting, at least in one region, of laterally opposing wall elements integrally formed from plastic, wherein at least two directly adjacent wall elements have securing means integrally formed on their facing front-side end regions, which securing means cooperate with one another in such a way that a movement of the two directly adjacent wall elements relative to one another in their longitudinal direction can occur over a predetermined limited path.

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Sankt Augustin, Germany

Thilo-Alexander Jaeker