Energy guiding chain
AssigneeIgus Spritzgussteile fur die Industrie GmbH
InventorsFrank Blase, Dirk Mönikes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An energy guiding chain comprises chain links that are open at the end face and connected to one another in articulated fashion, each of which comprises two side elements connected by at least one cross-member and has a connector in the areas adjacent to the end faces for articulated connection to a chain link adjacent to the end face about an axis transverse to the longitudinal direction of the chain. In order to simplify the insertion of, and access to, the lines inside the chain, at least one chain link is provided, whose side elements are connected by a cross-member (center web) located roughly in the middle and which have openable cross-members (outside webs) on the outside.
Claims17
An energy guiding chain comprising:
- a plurality of chain links including at least first and second chain links, the first and second chain links having at least one open end face and two opposing side elements, the plurality of chain links being connected to one another in an articulated fashion, wherein the first and second chain links include a first connector on one of the side elements for articulated connection to the other of the first and second chain links adjacent to at least one of the open end faces of the first and second chain links, the first and second chain links being pivotally connected about a first axis transverse to a longitudinal direction of the energy guiding chain, the side elements of the first and second chain links being connected by a center web, the first and second chain links also including openable outside webs, the center web of both the first and second chain links including a second connector for articulated connection to a third chain link, the third chain link connected to one of the first and second chain links at an opposite end face from the connection between the first and second chain links, the first and second chain links pivotally connectable to the third chain link about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and transverse to the longitudinal direction of the energy guiding chain, the third chain link also including a center web and openable outside webs, the openable outside webs of the third chain link are located on the same sides of the energy guiding chain as the openable side webs of the first and second chain links.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.