MULTI-PART CHAIN LINK OF AN ENERGY CHAIN, AND TRANSVERSE CONNECTING PIECE AND SIDE PLATE THEREFOR

Abstract

The design of chain links for energy chains for movably carrying cables, hoses and the like. The chain link consists of a plurality of individual parts, namely two side plates made of plastic, comprising an interior side facing the interior of the chain link, an exterior side facing away therefrom and two narrow sides running substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, and at least one, more particularly two transverse connecting pieces for detachably connecting the side plates, comprising a center part and a fastening portion at each end of the transverse connecting piece on both sides. The side plates have, on at least one narrow side, a corresponding fastening region for frictionally fastening a transverse connecting piece, namely a clamping receptacle which has two clamping surfaces, which are opposite one another in the longitudinal direction and between which a complementarily shaped fastening portion of the at least one separate transverse connecting piece is clamped. Each transverse connecting piece has two support protrusions on each fastening portion, each support protrusion having a support surface for resting against the interior side of the side plate in order to achieve a robust connection. Providing the side plate, in the central region between the fastening regions, with a special functional cut-out in the plate body, which cut-out facilitates additional functions or application expansions.

Claims

1-21. (canceled)

22. A chain link of an energy guiding chain for guiding lines, such as hoses, cables or the like, between two connection points of which at least one is relatively movable, the chain link being composed of several individual parts, comprising two side plates, each comprising a plate body made of plastic comprising an interior side facing the interior of the chain link, an exterior side facing away therefrom and two narrow sides running substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, and at least one separate transverse connecting piece, in particular two separate transverse connecting pieces opposite one another, for the detachable connection of the side plates, the at least one transverse connecting piece comprising a center part and a fastening portion on both sides at each end, the side plates each comprising a corresponding fastening region on at least one, in particular on both narrow sides, which interacts by form-fit and/or frictional connection with a fastening portion of a transverse connecting piece, each fastening region of a side plate comprises a clamping seat in the plate body, which has two clamping surfaces of the plate body opposite one another in the longitudinal direction, between which a complementarily shaped fastening portion of the at least one separate transverse connecting piece is clamped, wherein the at least one transverse connecting piece is produced in one piece from plastic and has, in the end region adjacent each fastening portion and protruding on both sides opposite the center part, two support protrusions each having a support surface for resting against the interior side of the side plate.

23. The chain link according to claim 22, wherein each of the two fastening portions of a transverse connecting piece comprises two counter-clamping surfaces facing in the longitudinal direction, which are designed complementary to the clamping surfaces, and each of the two fastening portions comprises a solid material region continuous between these counter-clamping surfaces.

24. The chain link according to claim 23, wherein the solid material region of the fastening portions has a material thickness in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the transverse connecting piece substantially equal to the material thickness of the side plate around the clamping seat and/or has a greater material thickness in the height direction compared to a plate-like central region of the transverse connecting piece.

25. The chain link according to claim 22, wherein each clamping seat has an elongated transverse locking protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction and, correspondingly, each fastening portion has a complementary elongated transverse locking groove which hold against displacement perpendicular to the main plane of the plate and hold the support surfaces of the support protrusions in contact with the interior side of the side plate.

26. The chain link according to claim 25, wherein the transverse locking protrusion and the transverse locking groove extend in the longitudinal direction over at least a predominant part of the distance between the clamping surfaces or counter-clamping surfaces and/or taper or come to a point in the direction of the main plane of the plate.

27. The chain link according to claim 22, wherein the two clamping seats on the narrow sides of a side plate are shaped identically, in particular centrally and symmetrically to the plate height center plane, wherein both clamping surfaces each have at least one convex and/or concave surface region.

28. The chain link according to claim 27, wherein each clamping surface has a convex surface region, which represents a predominant surface portion of the clamping surface and widens towards the narrow side, and that the counter-clamping surfaces are designed with at least one corresponding concave surface region, wherein at least the surface regions are designed rounded in cross-section.

29. The chain link according to claim 22, wherein each clamping seat is designed: in the form of an edge recess opening on both sides to the interior side and to the exterior side of the side plate on the narrow side; and/or as an edge recess continuous at least partially between the interior side and exterior side integrally in the plate body.

30. The chain link according to claim 22, wherein the chain link comprises two side plates and two separate transverse connecting pieces opposite one another for detachably connecting the side plates to one another, and that each side plate and each transverse connecting piece is produced as a one-piece body made of plastic, in particular as an injection-molded part without undercuts.

31. A transverse connecting piece for a chain link of an energy guiding chain according to claim 22, the transverse connecting piece being produced as a one-piece body made of plastic extending along a longitudinal axis, in particular symmetrically to a center plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, having a plate-like center part and having a fastening portion on both sides at each end for connection to a side plate, wherein: each of the two fastening portions comprises two counter-clamping surfaces facing away from one another and facing in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the transverse connecting piece, for interaction with complementary clamping surfaces of a side plate, and comprises a continuous solid material region between these counter-clamping surfaces; and the transverse connecting piece in the end region adjacent each fastening portion and protruding on both sides opposite the center part has two support protrusions, each with a support surface for resting against the interior side of the side plate.

32. The transverse connecting piece according to claim 31, wherein between the center part and each fastening portion, adjacent to the respective fastening portion, a through-hole is provided on both sides perpendicularly through the transverse connecting piece, so that a chain link can be fastened to a connection point by screw connection by the transverse connecting piece.

33. The transverse connecting piece according to claim 31, wherein the transverse connecting piece has two reinforcing struts starting from each fastening portion on the exterior side, which, adjacent to the through-hole, run towards the center of the plate-like center part and are produced from plastic in one piece with the body.

34. The transverse connecting piece according to claim 31, wherein the transverse connecting piece has a plate-like center part and, starting from each support protrusion, has a reinforcing strut which runs to the plate-like center part.

35. A side plate for a chain link of an energy guiding chain, according to claim 22, comprising a plate body made of plastic comprising an interior side, an exterior side facing away therefrom and two narrow sides running substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the side plate; the plate body having two overlap regions, each for an articulated connection to a corresponding overlap region of a side plate adjacent in the longitudinal direction, and a central region between the overlap regions, having greater wall thickness compared to the overlap regions; and the side plate having a fastening region for a transverse connecting piece on each narrow side, wherein the plate body has two through-openings from the exterior side to the interior side, which are provided in the central region between the fastening regions and each open into an associated functional recess in the plate body, which has a larger diameter than the through-opening and is provided on the interior side of the plate body.

36. The side plate according to claim 35, wherein the through-openings and functional recesses are arranged symmetrically to the longitudinal center plane and to the height center plane of the side plate.

37. The side plate according to claim 35, wherein each through-opening is circular in cross-section and the associated functional recess is arranged coaxially thereto and has a polygonal, in particular hexagonal, cross-section.

38. An arrangement for the end fastening of an energy guiding chain at a connection point, comprising a chain link having two side plates according to claim 35 and two transverse connecting pieces opposite one another which connect the two side plates to one another, an associated end fastening part being provided for each side plate, which end fastening part comprises a base plate which is designed for fastening at the connection point and overlaps a transverse connecting piece and which comprises a locking pin for fixing in the longitudinal direction, which engages the associated side plate in the functional recess.

39. An arrangement for expansion of an energy guiding chain with an external line, comprising several chain links comprising side plates according to claim 35, a holding adapter for attaching an external line, in particular for a corrugated hose holder, being provided at least on the exterior side of some side plates of a plate strand, which holding adapter is fastened by connectors which engage the functional recesses or are held in these functional recesses.

40. An arrangement for expansion of the receiving space of an energy guiding chain comprising several chain links made of two side plates according to claim 35 and two transverse connecting pieces opposite one another which connect the two side plates to one another, at least some chain links having a laterally attached extension arm on both side plates, which extension arm is connected to the respective side plate by a form-fit and/or frictional connection, in particular a clip connection, by the functional recesses, two extension arms each being connected by a transverse connecting piece of the same design as the chain links.

41. A parallel arrangement of two energy guiding chains made of chain links comprising side plates according to claim 35, at least some side plates in a plate strand of the one energy guiding chain having side plates in a laterally adjacent plate strand of the other energy guiding chain being fastened to one another and engage into functional recesses or are held therein by connectors.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] Further details, features and advantages of the invention emerge, without restricting the foregoing, from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Shown are:

[0065] FIG. 1A-1C: a single side plate or link plate in a side view from the exterior side (FIG. 1A), from the interior side (FIG. 1B) and in top view (FIG. 1C);

[0066] FIG. 2A-2C: a separate transverse connecting piece or opening piece in bottom view (FIG. 2A), side or front view (FIG. 2B) and in top view (FIG. 2C);

[0067] FIG. 3A-3C: chain links having side plates and transverse connecting piece according to FIG. 1-2, in side view (FIG. 3A) and in cross-section with a detached transverse connecting piece (FIG. 3B) and in cross-section of a closed chain link with end fastening screws (FIG. 3C);

[0068] FIG. 4: a perspective view of chained chain links with partial representation of different functional components on or in the chain links with side plates and transverse connecting pieces according to FIG. 1-2; and

[0069] FIG. 5-8: various functional components from FIG. 4, namely an end fastening part (FIG. 5) in side view and top view; a holding adapter for a corrugated hose holder (FIG. 6) in different views; an extension arm for the expansion of the receiving space (FIG. 7) in front and side views and a clip connector for coupling plate strands (FIG. 8) in different views.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] FIG. 1A-3C show the structure of a four-part chain link 10 of an energy guiding chain 1 (FIG. 4) for the dynamic guiding of hoses, cables or the like (not shown) between two connection points. The chain link 10 is rectangular or box-shaped in cross-section, as FIG. 3B shows, for example, according to section line B-B from FIG. 3A, and surrounds a receiving space for carried lines. For this purpose, the chain link 10 is composed of two separate, mirror-symmetrical side plates 2A, 2B and two identical, separate transverse connecting pieces 3 each (FIG. 3C). The side plates 2A, 2B and transverse connecting pieces 3 are produced in one piece from injection-moldable plastic, for example, a polymer, possibly with reinforcing fibers.

[0071] To fasten a transverse connecting piece 3, each side plate 3A, 3B has, on both narrow sides 4A, 4B, a clamping seat 5 which is recessed at the edge in the plate body, with two clamping surfaces 5A, 5B opposite one another in the longitudinal direction L, which are formed by the plate body of the side plate 3A, 3B. Between the clamping surfaces 5A, 5B, a complementarily shaped fastening portion 6 of the associated transverse connecting piece 3 is clamped on the respective narrow side 4A, 4B, see FIG. 3A, section lines A-A and B-B. The fastening portion 6 may have a slight oversize and is pressed or pushed into the respective clamping seat 5 with the application of force, preferably without tools.

[0072] Each of the two fastening portions 6 at the opposite longitudinal ends of a transverse connecting piece 3 has two counter-clamping surfaces 6A, 6B facing in the longitudinal direction L or running approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis M of the transverse connecting piece 3, which are designed as a counterpart or complementary to the clamping surfaces 5A, 5B.

[0073] As can be seen from FIG. 1A-3C, all of the clamping seats 5 on the narrow sides 4A, 4B of a side plate 2A, 2B are each identically shaped and arranged in the longitudinal direction L in the center. The clamping seats 5 are also designed symmetrically to the center plane parallel to the plate height H (perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L). Accordingly, both fastening portions 6 of a transverse connecting piece 3 are identical and each symmetrical to the longitudinal center plane of the transverse connecting piece 3 (contains the central axis M). The transverse connecting piece 3 is overall designed symmetrically to its transverse plane (perpendicular to the central axis M) and to its longitudinal plane. As shown in more detail in FIG. 2A-2C, each fastening portion 6 between its counter-clamping surfaces 6A, 6B is predominantly made of solid material, and here has a continuous region made of solid material and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis M. The material thickness of the fastening portion 6 in the direction of the central axis M (or perpendicular to the main plane of the plate) is, as FIG. 3B shows in more detail, substantially the same as the material thickness of the side plate 2A, 2B in the region of the plate body directly around the clamping seat 5, so that the fastening portion 6 ends flush with the exterior side A and the interior side I of the side plates 2A, 2B. Furthermore, the fastening portion 6 has a greater material thickness in the height direction H (plane of FIG. 1B/2B) compared to the plate-like central region 7 of the transverse connecting piece 3.

[0074] FIG. 1A-1C show the geometry of the clamping surfaces 5A, 5B, here with a predominantly convex or bulged surface region which widens in the height direction H to the narrow side 4A, 4B in order to facilitate the insertion of a fastening portion 6. The clamping surfaces 5A, 5B are designed here approximately corresponding to an eighth of a circular arc or a tangent function in side view (FIG. 1A-1B); other courses are also possible. In the example shown, the clamping surfaces 5A, 5B run cylindrically in the geometrical sense with envelope curves perpendicular to the main plane of the plate, as FIG. 1C shows; widening to the exterior side A is also possible. The counter-clamping surfaces 6A, 6B are designed at least with a corresponding concave surface region. The convex and concave surface regions of the clamping surfaces 5A, 5B and the counter-clamping surfaces 6A, 6B are designed rounded at least in the cross-section of the seat 5 or the fastening portion 6 perpendicular to the central axis M, that is, in the main plane of the plate (plane parallel to FIG. 1A/1B), which also avoids notch stresses. In the lower region of the recess 5, the clamping surfaces 5A, 5B can towards the center of the plate via a turning point into a small surface portion that is concave in order to achieve an additional latching function with a corresponding subregion of the counter-clamping surfaces 6A, 6B. The depth of each recess 5 is slightly greater than the material thickness of the fastening portions 6 in the height direction, so that when the transverse connecting pieces 3 are inserted, a narrow insertion gap 8 remains on the exterior side A of the side plates 2A, 2B, which allows the frictionally, firmly pressed-in transverse connecting piece to be levered out, for example, by means of a screwdriver.

[0075] As FIG. 2A-2C further show, the transverse connecting piece 3 has a plate-like center part 7 having a relatively thin ground plate 9. In both end regions, the transverse connecting piece 3 has two wing-like support protrusions 12 adjacent each fastening portion 6 and on both sides opposite the center part 7. The support protrusions 12 protrude from the ground plate 9 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis M in the longitudinal direction L and also towards the interior or the center of the plate. Support protrusions 12 each form a support surface 13 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis M to rest against the interior side I of the side plate 2A, 2B for twisting connection thereto and also for slightly overlapping the end region of the adjacent side plate (FIG. 4) as a transverse safeguard. To save material, the transverse connecting piece 3 has several reinforcing struts on its side facing away from the interior of the chain link 10. Outer reinforcing struts 14 extend from each support protrusion 12 and run in a curved manner to form a common central reinforcing strut 15 in the center in the center part 7. Inner reinforcing struts 16 also transition into the center reinforcing strut 15 in a curved manner from the edge region of the fastening portions 6. The reinforcing struts 14, 15, 16, like the fastening portions 6, are produced in one piece with the ground plate 9. The reinforcing struts 14, 15, 16 allow the ground plate 9 to have a small wall thickness, that is, among other things, to reduce the weight of the chain.

[0076] As can best be seen from FIG. 1A-1C and FIG. 3B-3C, each clamping seat 5 has a transverse locking protrusion 5C running in the longitudinal direction L, which with a complementary elongated transverse locking groove 6C on the underside of the fastening portion 6 secures the transverse connecting piece 3 from being displaced in the direction of the longitudinal axis M. In the embodiment shown here, the transverse locking protrusion 5C runs completely through between the clamping surfaces 5A, 5B and the transverse locking groove 6C correspondingly runs completely through to the counter-clamping surfaces 6A, 6B. An additional stiffening against pivoting of the fastening portion 6 about the height axis of the side plate 2A, 2B is also achieved with a sufficient overall length in the longitudinal direction L. As FIG. 3B shows, the transverse locking protrusion 5C and the transverse locking groove 6C are designed to taper or come to a point away from the center of the plate, which achieves centering and requires less tight manufacturing tolerances.

[0077] The clamping seats 5 of the side plates 2A, 2B and corresponding fastening portions 6 of the transverse connecting piece(s) 3 enable a robust, torsion-resistant fastening between the transverse connecting pieces 3 and the side plates 2A, 2B and at the same time, due to the relatively simple geometry, allow a simplification of the injection molding tools compared to connection solutions from the prior art.

[0078] A second aspect of the invention is now explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 1A—FIG. 8, in particular with reference to FIG. 4.

[0079] The side plates 2A, 2B each have two overlap regions 21A, 22A or 21B, 22B with a pivot pin protruding in one piece or a seat formed therein. These serve in a known manner for the articulated connection to a corresponding overlap region 22A, 21A or 22B, 21B of a side plate 2A or 2B which is adjacent in the longitudinal direction, here structurally identical, as can be seen, for example, from FIG. 3A. Between the overlap regions 21A, 22A and 21B, 22B, the side plates 2A, 2B each have a central region which, compared to the overlap regions, has a partially greater wall thickness.

[0080] According to the second aspect, each side plate 2A, 2B in the plate body has two identical through-openings 24, here circular cylindrical breakthroughs, from the exterior side to the interior side, which are provided in the central region 23A or 23B and between the fastening regions or clamping seats 5. The through-openings 24 lie centrally on the height center plane, see A-A in FIG. 3A, of the side plate 2A and 2B and are arranged symmetrically to the longitudinal center plane or at an identical distance from the narrow sides 4A, 4B.

[0081] According to the second aspect, each through-opening 24 has a coaxially associated functional recess 25 in the plate body of the side plate 2A or 2B. Each functional recess 25 opens outwards into the through-opening 24 or vice versa, as can be seen in FIG. 3A-3B. As can best be seen from FIG. 1B, the functional recess 25 has an enlarged diameter compared to the through-opening 24 and is provided on the interior side I.

[0082] Unlike the through-openings 24, which are circular in cross-section, the functional recesses 25 are designed with a hexagonal cross-section, as shown in FIG. 1B, in order to enable a form-fit with interacting components such as hexagonal connectors. The enlarged functional recess 25 also forms, as a bottom surface that borders the through-opening 24, a support surface 27 in the body of the side plate 2A, 2B on which latching connections, clip connectors or the like can engage or grip behind the through-opening 24, as explained below by way of example. The functional recess 25 extends the functionality of the side plate 2A; 2B or enables a modular construction kit system for special applications of the energy guiding chain 1.

[0083] An arrangement for end fastening is shown by way of example in FIG. 3B and FIG. 4, wherein an associated end fastening part 50 is provided on each side plate 2A, 2B. The end fastening part 50 is produced as a one-piece plastic part and has a base plate 51 which is designed for screw connection to a connection point with hexagonal cutouts at the end. The base plate 51 has a lower recess 52 with which it overlaps a transverse connecting piece 3, see FIG. 3B. A locking pin 53, in the form of a hexagon, is provided in a central region protruding in the height direction H for fixing in the longitudinal direction, which engages in the functional recess 25 of the associated side plate 2A or 2B in the assembled state (FIG. 3B right).

[0084] FIG. 4 (bottom) shows in connection with FIG. 6, only by way of example in a sub-portion of the energy guiding chain 1, an arrangement for expanding the energy guiding chain 1 with an external line which is carried in a corrugated hose 61. The corrugated hose 61 is fastened to the exterior sides of every n-th side plate 2A or 2B by means of corrugated hose holders 62, for example, of a commercially available type. For this purpose, FIG. 6 shows a special holding adapter 60, with a seat 63 for receiving a corrugated hose holder 62. Clip connectors 40 are provided on the back side of the ground plate 64, with a shaft matching the through-openings 24 and latching hooks for the functional recesses 25. The clip connectors 40 engage through the through-openings 24 into the functional recesses 25, and the support surface 27 grip behind or are held thereon.

[0085] FIG. 4 further shows, only by way of example in a sub-portion of the energy guiding chain 1, an arrangement for expanding the receiving space by means of multi-part expansion brackets. An extension arm 70, see FIG. 7, is attached to at least some chain links 10, each on the exterior side A and on both side plates 2A, 2B. The extension arm 70 has an upper part 71 having an upper-side clamping seat 5, identical to the clamping seat 5 described above for the side plates 2A, 2B. Thus, the upper end of two extension arms 70 can be connected by means of a transverse connecting piece 3 to form an extension bracket to one side of the link plate 10 (FIG. 4, top left), in which further lines or, for example, a hose having a larger diameter can be carried. The outwardly cranked lower part 72 of the extension arm 70 has two inwardly directed clip connectors 40, which by form-fit and/or frictional connection engage in the functional recesses 25 of the respective side plate 2A, 2B and engages behind the support surface 27. The extension arm 70 is made in one piece with the clip connector n 40 in plastic.

[0086] FIG. 4 (right) shows, in connection with FIG. 8, only by way of example on a chain link 10, an arrangement for expanding the energy guiding chain 1 by means of a parallel connection to a further energy guiding chain 1. For this purpose, the side plates 2A; 2B can be fastened to one another with little assembly effort in laterally adjacent plate strands by means of the through-openings 24 with functional recesses 25, analogous to FIG. 5-6. For this purpose, FIG. 8 shows special double-sided chain plate connectors 80 with a ground plate 81 on which clip connectors 40 are provided on both sides, as described for FIG. 6-7. Using chain plate connectors 80 of this type, two or more energy guiding chains 1 can be particularly easily fastened to one another in parallel, for example, in order to guide a larger number of lines. The chain plate connectors 80 also use two through-openings 24 with functional recesses 25 here on both sides for fastening.

[0087] Finally, a third aspect is described with reference to FIG. 3B-3C and FIG. 2A-2C, which allows a particularly cost-effective end fastening without additional parts such as the end fastening part.

[0088] For this purpose, the transverse connecting pieces 3 each have a through-hole 30 between the center part 7 and each fastening portion 6. The through-hole 30 is adjacent to the respective fastening portion 6, in FIG. 3B-3C, this is arranged slightly intersecting. The through-hole 30 extends vertically through the body of the transverse connecting piece 3, so that a chain link 10 having only one fastening screw 32 on each side can be fastened through the transverse connecting piece 3 at a connection point. The head of the fastening screw 32 can be at least partially supported on the fastening portion 6 (FIG. 3C) so that the tensioning or clamping force is transmitted to and through the side plate 2A, 2B. For better stability, the transverse connecting piece 3 has, starting from the fastening portion 6, the inner reinforcing struts 16, which run adjacent to the through-hole 30 towards the central part 7 and transition into the central reinforcing strut 15. The head of the fastening screw 32 can also be partially supported on the reinforcing struts 16.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0089] 1 energy guiding chain [0090] 2A; 2B side plates [0091] 3 transverse connecting piece [0092] 4A, 4B narrow sides (side plate) [0093] 5 clamping seat [0094] 5A, 5B clamping surface [0095] 5C transverse locking protrusion [0096] 6 fastening portion (transverse connecting piece) [0097] 6A, 6B counter-clamping surfaces [0098] 6C transverse locking groove [0099] 7 central region [0100] 8 insertion gap [0101] 9 ground plate [0102] 10 chain link [0103] 12 support protrusion [0104] 13 support surface [0105] 14, 15, 16 reinforcing strut [0106] 21A, 22A; 21B, 22B overlap region [0107] 23A; 23B central region [0108] 24 through-opening [0109] 25 functional recess [0110] 30 through-hole (for fastening screw) [0111] 32 fixing screw [0112] 40 clip connector [0113] 50 end fastening part [0114] 51 base plate [0115] 52 recess [0116] 53 locking pin [0117] 60 holding adapter [0118] 61 corrugated hose [0119] 62 corrugated hose holder [0120] 63 seat (for corrugated hose holder) [0121] 64 ground plate [0122] 70 extension arm [0123] 71 upper part [0124] 72 lower part [0125] 80 chain link connector [0126] 81 ground plate [0127] A exterior side [0128] I interior side [0129] L longitudinal direction [0130] H height direction