Claims
- 1. An energy guiding chain comprising chain links open at an end face connected to one another in articulated fashion, each of which links comprises two side elements, wherein at least one chain link (1; 2) comprises a first connector at its side elements (5, 6; 7, 8) for articulated connection to a chain link adjacent to the end face of said link about a first axis transverse to a longitudinal direction of the chain, the side elements (5, 6; 7,8) of the link (1; 2) being connected by a center web (13; 14) and having openable outside webs (17; 18), the center web (13; 14) comprising a second connector for articulated connection to a chain link adjacent to another end face about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and transverse to the longitudinal direction of the chain, and other chain links (3, 4) having respective center webs (15, 16) and respective openable outside webs (19, 20), where the respective openable outside webs (19, 20) are located on the same opposite sides of the chain.
- 2. The energy guiding chain according to claim 1, wherein the outside webs (17; 18; 19; 20) are integrally molded on the side elements (5, 6; 7, 8; 9, 10; 11, 12) and have central openings, so that they can be opened by bending.
- 3. The energy guiding chain according to claim 1, wherein the side elements (5, 6; 7, 8) of the chain link (1; 2) are of cranked design, each having an inwardly cranked strap section (5a, 6a; 7a, 8a) and an outwardly cranked strap section (5b, 6b; 7b, 8b), and the openable outside webs (17; 18) extend between the outwardly cranked strap section (5b, 6b; 7b, 8b) of the opposite side elements (5, 6; 7, 8) of the chain link (1; 2).
- 4. The energy guiding chain according to claim 3, wherein the center web (13) extends between the inwardly cranked strap sections (5a, 6a) of the opposite side elements (5, 6) of the chain link (1), and the first connector is located on the outwardly cranked strap sections (5b, 6b).
- 5. The energy guiding chain according to claim 4, wherein the first connector comprises openings (23, 24) in the outwardly cranked strap sections (5b, 6b) and the second connector of a pin (25) integrally molded on the center web (13).
- 6. The energy guiding chain according to claim 4, wherein the center web (14) extends between the outwardly cranked strap sections (7b, 8b) of the opposite side elements (7, 8) of the chain link (2), and the first connector is located on the inwardly cranked strap sections (7a, 8a).
- 7. The energy guiding chain according to claim 6, wherein the first connector comprises pins (26) integrally molded on the strap sections (7, 8) that extend from inside the chain towards the outside, and the second connector of an opening (27) provided in the center web (14).
- 8. The energy guiding chain according to claim 6, with at least one first chain link (1) and at least one second chain link (2), wherein the first and second connectors of the two chain links (1, 2) are each designed such that, when the two chain links (1, 2) are properly assembled, they form an articulated connection about the first and second axis respectively.
- 9. The energy guiding chain according to claim 8, wherein no matter how the two chain links (1, 2) are connected in order to pivot about the first or second axis, their sides displaying the side elements (5, 6) and (7, 8) are essentially closed in every pivoting position, where the outwardly cranked strap sections (5b, 6b and 7b, 8b) overlap the inwardly cranked strap sections (5a, 6a and 7a, 8a) of the respectively adjacent side elements(5, 7 and 6, 8).
- 10. The energy guiding chain according to claim 8, wherein the inwardly cranked strap sections (7a, 8a) of the second chain link (2) have projections (27) on the end faces facing in the longitudinal direction of the chain, which engage pockets (28) in the first chain link (1) when the two chain links (1, 2) are connected to form a pivoting connection about the first axis, the pockets (28) being located on the sides of the outwardly cranked strap sections (5b, 6b) facing the inside of the chain and opposite the inwardly cranked strap sections (5a, 6a).
- 11. The energy guiding chain according to claim 10, wherein the projections (27) are designed as stops, which interact with stop surfaces on the inside of the pockets (28), in order to limit the pivoting angle in both pivoting directions about the first axis.
- 12. The energy guiding chain according to claim 10, wherein the inwardly cranked strap sections (5a, 6a) of the first chain link (1) have slots (31, 32) on one side of the center web (13) on the end faces facing in the longitudinal direction of the chain, the purpose of which is to engage the center web (14) of the second chain link (2), and the center web (14) of the second chain link (2) has a slot (33) adjacent to a side element (8) to engage the end face of the adjacent side element (6) of the first chain link (1), and the slots (31, 32, 33) are designed such that they define limiting angles for pivoting in both directions about the second axis.
- 13. The energy guiding chain according to claim 8, further comprising at least a third chain link (3), the center web (15) of which has a connector in each of the areas adjacent to its end faces for articulated connection to a chain link adjacent to the respective end face about an axis perpendicular to the center web (15).
- 14. The energy guiding chain according to claim 13, wherein the center web (15) of the third chain link (3) is of cranked design, with a first web segment (34) cranked to one side and a second web segment (35) cranked to the other side, where the first web segment (34) has an opening (36) as a connector and the second web segment (35) has a pin (37) as a connector, which is integrally molded on the side of the second web segment (35) towards which the first web segment (34) is cranked.
- 15. The energy guiding chain according to claim 14, wherein the side elements (9, 10) of the third chain link (3) are of cranked design and the section of the chain link (3) in the longitudinal direction of the chain with the outwardly cranked strap sections (9b, 10b) is designed like that of the second chain link (2) and the section with the inwardly cranked strap sections (9a, 10a) is designed like that of the first chain link (1).
- 16. The energy guiding chain according to claim 8, further comprising at least a fourth chain link (4), the side elements (11, 12) of which in areas adjacent to their end faces, each have a connector for articulated connection to a chain link adjacent to the respective end face about an axis transverse to the longitudinal direction of the chain and parallel to the center web (16).
- 17. The energy guiding chain according to claim 16, wherein the side elements (11, 12) of the fourth chain link (4) are of cranked design and the section of the chain link (4) in the longitudinal direction of the chain with outwardly cranked strap sections (11b, 12b) is designed like that of the first chain link (1) and the section with the inwardly cranked strap sections (11a, 12a) is designed like that of the second chain link (2).
Priority Claims (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
199 19 075.5 |
Apr 1999 |
DE |
|
299 07 446.3 |
Apr 1999 |
DE |
|
299 07 447.1 |
Apr 1999 |
DE |
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/DE00/01137, filed Apr. 13, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/DE00/01137 |
Apr 2000 |
US |
Child |
10045716 |
Oct 2001 |
US |