A housing unit includes: a linear material; and a housing body that houses the linear material. In the housing body, winding regions in which the linear material is wound are disposed in a circumferential direction. The linear material is wound in a figure eight in a first region pair constituted by a pair of the winding regions. The linear material is wound in a figure eight in a second region pair constituted by a pair of the winding regions that are different from the winding regions constituting the first region pair.

A cable management drive system for extending and retracting cable bundles is provided. The cable management drive system includes a cable bundle configured to provide power signals or data signals to an industrial robot configured to perform a service. The cable bundle is configured to couple to the industrial robot. The cable management drive system includes a plurality of drive wheels coupled to a drive mechanism and configured to cause the cable bundle to be extended to facilitate a deployment of the industrial robot to perform the service and to be retracted to facilitate a withdrawal of the industrial robot upon performance of the service, and a driver system coupled to the plurality of drive wheels and the drive mechanism. The driver system is configured to power the drive wheels and the drive mechanism to cause the cable bundle to be extended and retracted.

An energy chain and storage unit for an energy chain having a first chain portion and a second chain portion each including pivotable chain links with upper and lower narrow surfaces, and two side parts (6, 7). At least some of the chain links (2) of the first chain portion (3) have guide elements (12), which project outwards from the side parts (6, 7) allowing the chain links to guide on guide tracks (35), arranged on the outside of the chain links, and at least some of the chain links (4) of the second chain portion (5) have roller elements (13) or sliding elements (14), which project laterally beyond the upper or the lower narrow surfaces (8) of side parts (6, 7) of the chain links and can respectively roll or slide on a region which is located opposite said narrow surfaces (8).

A cable storage system including a housing having a top portion, a bottom portion, and an opening, a drive pulley within the top portion of the housing, a cable at least partially contained in the housing having a proximal end in the housing and a distal end outside of the housing, the cable extending over the drive pulley and through the opening, and a motor driving the drive pulley to extend or retract the cable via the opening in response to a signal. The bottom portion of the housing is sized to permit the cable, in a retracted configuration, to hang in the bottom portion of the housing.

A holder insert is insertable within a module of a fliptop unit for supporting a variety of connectors that may be stored in the module. A platform part has a first surface, an opposing second surface, and an aperture. A pair of arms located at opposite ends of the platform part each extend away from the platform part and have an end section that is mountable at a height within the module. A sleeve extends from the platform part and surrounds the aperture, extending its depth. At least one gap extends from an edge of the platform part to the aperture, and from the first surface to the second surface and at least part way along the sleeve. The holder insert is a single piece of elastic material. A load being placed on the holder insert deforms the holder insert and changes a width of the at least one gap.

A cable retractor includes a housing. A motorized drive section within the housing urges at least a segment of cable past the drive section. A circular chamber within the housing, including a circular spindle at a center, holds at least another segment of cable. The at least another segment of cable loops around the spindle. The motorized drive section urges the cable in one direction to draw the at least another segment of the cable from the circular chamber, past the motorized drive section, and through an external opening in the housing to outside the housing. The motorized drive section and urges the cable in an opposing direction to draw the at least another segment through the external opening from outside, past the motorized drive section, into the circular chamber, and around the circular-shaped spindle, then looping around itself in a circular manner.