Claims
- 25. An energy guiding chain for guiding cables or hoses, comprising:
a plurality of chain links connected to one another in articulated fashion, the chain links including parallel straps having narrow sides, and cross-members connecting the straps of a given chain link, the articulation permitting the chain to move in such a way so as to form an upper strand, a lower strand, and a deflection zone connecting said upper and lower strands, and wherein at least one said chain links includes two said cross-members at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction of the chain on at least one narrow side of the chain link.
- 26. An energy guiding chain according to claim 25, wherein the chain straps are provided with joint sections, and wherein said cross-members are provided on one narrow side of a strip of said chain links, directly adjacent to the joint sections of said straps.
- 27. An energy guiding chain according to claim 26, wherein the straps have inner sides and wherein the cross members are provided with lateral wider sections which partially cover the inner sides of the straps.
- 28. An energy guiding chain according to claim 25, wherein at least some of the chain links of at least one of the upper strand and the lower strand include rollers, and wherein at least some of the chain links of the other of the upper strand and the lower strand include running surfaces, the rollers being arranged such that when the energy guiding chain travels the rollers on one strand can roll on the running surfaces on the other strand.
- 29. An energy guiding chain according to claim 28, wherein the rollers have a guide profile, which is formed by several circumferential guide grooves positioned at a distance from one another in the running surface of the rollers.
- 30. An energy guiding chain according to claim 29, wherein the guide grooves have a trapezoidal cross-sectional profile.
- 31. An energy guiding chain according to claim 29, wherein the rollers project beyond running surfaces formed on the associated chain strap, and wherein the depth of the guide grooves is at least equal to the distance that the rollers project.
- 32. An energy guiding chain according to claim 28, wherein the running surfaces are formed by the narrow sides of the chain straps facing the opposite strand.
- 33. An energy guiding chain according to claim 28, wherein the rollers are located in recesses provided on the chain straps and project at least slightly beyond the chain straps.
- 34. An energy guiding chain according to claim 33, wherein at least some of the chain straps have an recess for accommodating a roller on one of the narrow sides and have a continuous running surface on the opposite narrow side, and wherein said chain straps are arranged to be mounted with one of the two narrow sides facing the opposite strand.
- 35. An energy guiding chain according to claim 28, wherein at least one said chain link includes at least two rollers mounted on one chain strap and spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the energy guiding chain.
- 36. An energy guiding chain according to claim 28, wherein the rollers project from running surfaces on the strap, the running surfaces including run-up bevels rising towards the rollers.
- 37. An energy guiding chain according to claim 33, wherein the rollers are mounted in the recesses of the chain straps by flanges having a bearing section.
- 38. An energy guiding chain according to claim 37, wherein some said chain straps have recesses without rollers, the chain further including means for bridging recesses which do not have rollers to prevent rollers from running into the recesses.
- 39. An energy guiding chain according to claim 28, wherein the rollers are mounted on the side of the chain straps projecting outward and wider sections of the chain straps projecting to the side are provided as running surfaces.
- 40. An energy guiding chain according to claim 39, wherein at least all the chain straps of one strand are provided with said wider sections which form a running surface, so that at least one essentially closed running surface is formed along the length of the energy guiding chain.
- 41. An energy guiding chain according to claim 28, wherein the chain links with rollers are mounted at intervals of more than one chain link.
- 42. An energy guiding chain according to claim 28, wherein the chain links with rollers are distributed over the length of the energy guiding chain at irregular intervals.
- 43. An energy guiding chain for accommodating and guiding lines between a stationary base and a mobile driver, the chain comprising:
two parallel strap strands including opposing straps, wherein the immediately adjacent straps of each strap strand can swivel relative to one another in a bending direction of the chain; cross-members connecting said strap strands to one another in the transverse direction; and at least one element which is substantially inextensible in the longitudinal direction of the chain and is flexible in the bending direction of the chain, the at least one element interconnects chain links in at least one area of the chain to the driver in tension-resisting fashion.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
198 19 845.0 |
May 1998 |
DE |
|
198 39 270.7 |
Aug 1998 |
DE |
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/674,634, filed May 5, 1999, which is herein incorporated in its entirety.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09674634 |
Oct 2000 |
US |
Child |
09956662 |
Sep 2001 |
US |