Modular Rotary Feed-through with Energy Guiding Chains

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular rotary feed-through (1, 2) for circular movements across a limited rotational angle of one or multiple lines such as cables, hoses, or the like between two connecting points (A, B) which are rotatable relative to one another about a rotational axis. Therein, the line(s) is/are guided in an uninterrupted manner, i.e., without slip rings, rotary couplings or the like. The rotary feed-through (1, 2) has a first winding core (11a, 11) which is rotatable about the rotational axis (R) and which has a first energy guide chain (12a, 12) which winds and unwinds in a spiraling manner, correspondingly to a planar spiral. According to the invention, at least one second winding core (11b, 11) is provided axially adjacent, coaxial and rotatable about the rotational axis (R) relative to the first winding core (11a, 11), which second winding core (11b, 11) is equipped with a second energy guide chain (12b, 12). During its rotation, the second winding core (11b, 11) winds and unwinds the second energy guide chain (12b, 12) in a spiraling manner, correspondingly to a planar spiral. Furthermore, according to the invention, a connection (17, 27) for the uninterrupted feed-through of the at least one line is provided between the first energy guide chain (12a, 12) and the second energy guide chain (12b, 12).

Claims

1. A rotary feed-through (1; 2) for circular movements across a limited rotational angle of at least one line, which is to be guided in an uninterrupted manner between two connecting points (A, B) which are rotatable relative to one another about a rotational axis, the rotary feed-through comprising; a first winding core (11a, 11) which is rotatable about the rotational axis (R) and which has a first energy guide chain (12a, 12), the inner end (16a, 16) of which is fixed on the winding core (11a, 11), wherein the first winding core during its rotation winds and unwinds the first energy guide chain (12a, 12) in a spiraling manner, correspondingly to a planar spiral, at least one second winding core (11b, 11) is provided axially adjacent to the first winding core (11a, 11), which second winding core (11b, 11) has a second energy guide chain (12b, 12), the inner end (16b) of which is fixed on the winding core (11b, 11), wherein the second winding core (11b, 11) is coaxial and rotatable about the rotational axis (R) relative to the first winding core (11a, 11) and wherein the second winding core (11b, 11), during its rotation, winds and unwinds the second energy guide chain (12b, 12) in a spiraling manner, correspondingly to a planar spiral, and in that a connection (17, 27) for feeding through the at least one line is provided between the first energy guide chain (12a, 12) and the second energy guide chain (12b, 12), and in that the connecting points (A, B), which are rotatable relative to each other, are formed by axially outer portions of two respective winding cores (11a, 11b) or are firmly connected to the same.

2. The rotary feed-through according to claim 1, wherein the connection (17) between both outer ends (18a, 18b) of the first and second energy guide chain is provided, or the connection (27) between an outer end (18) of the first energy guide chain and the inner end (16) of the second energy guide chain is provided.

3. The rotary feed-through according to claim 1, wherein at least one winding core (11a, 11b, 11) has a central, axially continuous receptacle (13b, 23b) in the shape of a hollow cylinder coaxial to the rotational axis (R).

4. The rotary feed-through according to claim 1, wherein the two energy guide chains (12a, 12b) have a predefined curvature direction.

5. The rotary feed-through according to claim 2, wherein the first energy guide chain (12a) and the second energy guide chain (12b) are arranged around the associated winding core (11a, 11b) with opposite rotational directions (S1, S2), wherein the two outer ends (18a, 18b) of the first and second energy guide chains (12a, 12b) are connected by means of a connecting link (17) for feeding through the at least one line.

6. The rotary feed-through according to claim 5, wherein a rotational movement is transferable from the first winding core (11a) to the second winding core (11b) by the energy guide chains (12a, 12b).

7. The rotary feed-through according to claim 2, wherein the outer end (28a) of the first energy guide chain (22) is connected to the second winding core (21) via a radially extended connecting body (27), such that rotational movement is transferred from the first winding core (21) to the second winding core (21) by the first energy guide chain (22) and the connecting body (27).

8. The rotary feed-through according to claim 5, further comprising: a third winding core (21) rotatable about the rotational axis (R) with a helically arranged third energy guide chain (22), and a fourth winding core rotatable about the rotational axis with a helically arranged fourth energy guide chain are provided, and wherein all winding cores (21) are coaxial and rotatable relative to each other.

9. The rotary feed-through according to claim 1, wherein all energy guide chains (12a, 12b, 22) include chain links pivotable relative to each other in only one pivoting direction.

10. The rotary feed-through according to claim 9, wherein the first and second winding cores (11a, 11b, 21) each include a connection area (15, 25), which has a joint half for connecting the inner end (16a, 16b) of the energy guide chain (12a, 12b, 22), said joint half being identical in design to the chain link of the energy guide chain.

11. The rotary feed-through according to claim 1, wherein each energy guide chain (12a, 12b, 22) in a fully wound position makes contact with the associated winding core (11a, 11b, 21) with most of its length, without space between the windings, and in a fully unwound position extends about the rotational axis (R) with most of its length in a manner corresponding to a circular arc pointing away from the winding core (11a, 11b).

12. The rotary feed-through according to claim 11, further comprising a housing with a cylindrical outer wall (19a) on which most of the length of a fully unwound energy guide chain (11a, 11b) is supported.

13. The rotary feed-through according to claim 5, wherein a number of identical modules (10) are provided, each with at least one winding core and associated energy guide chain.

14. The rotary feed-through according to claim 7, further comprising a support disc (19b; 29a, 29b) between axially successive energy guide chains or modules.

15. A rotary feed-through for circular movements across a limited rotational angle of a line between two connecting points (A, B) which are rotatable relative to one another about a rotational axis (R), the rotary feed-through comprising: a first winding core (11a) which is rotatable about the rotational axis (R) and which has a first line guide device (12a) for guiding the line, which can be wound helically onto the first winding core (11a) or can be unwound from the same, at least one second winding core (11b) axially adjacent to the first winding core (11a), the at least one second winding core (11b) includes a second line guide device (12b) is provided for guiding the line, wherein the second winding core (11b) is coaxial and rotatable relative to the first winding core (11a) about the rotational axis (R) to wind the second line guide device helically onto the second winding core (11b) or to unwind it from the same, wherein a connection (17, 27) is between the first line guide device (12a, 12) and the second line guide device (12b, 12) for guiding the at least one line, and in that the connecting points (A, B), which are rotatable relative to each other, are formed by axially outer portions of two respective winding cores (11a, 11b) or are firmly connected to the same.

16. A system for providing uninterrupted lines for circular movements across a limited rotational angle, the system comprising a rotary feed-through according to claim 15 and at least one line, which is guided without interruption from the first connecting point (A) to the second connecting point (B) through the rotary feed-through.

17. A system for providing uninterrupted lines for circular movements across a limited rotational angle, the system comprising a rotary feed-through according to claim 1 and at least one line, which is guided without interruption from the first connecting point (A) to the second connecting point (B) through the rotary feed-through.

18. The rotary feed-through according to claim 1, wherein at least one winding core (11a, 11b, 11) has a central, axially continuous receptacle (13b, 23b) in the shape of a hollow cylinder coaxial to the rotational axis (R), wherein both winding cores (11a, 11b) are designed identically.

19. The rotary feed-through according to claim 1, wherein the first energy guide chain (12a) and the second energy guide chain (12b) are arranged around the associated winding core (11a, 11b) with opposite rotational directions (S1, S2).

Description

[0040] Further advantageous features of the invention are explained in more detail below—without constraining the generality of the statements above—on the basis of several preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. The drawings show:

[0041] FIGS. 1A-1B: Perspective views of a module for a modular rotary feed-through according to a preferred first exemplary embodiment, in a position with two fully wound energy guide chains (FIG. 1A) and in a position with two fully unwound energy guide chains (FIG. 1B).

[0042] FIGS. 1C-1E: Perspective partial views of FIGS. 1A-1B with enlarged views in FIG. 1C of the rotatable winding cores associated with the respective energy guide chains (FIG. 1D), and a connecting link (FIG. 1E) between both energy guide chains.

[0043] FIGS. 2A-2B: Perspective partial views of a rotary feed-through according to a second exemplary embodiment, in a position with two fully wound energy guide chains (FIG. 2A) and in a position with two fully unwound energy guide chains (FIG. 2B).

[0044] FIG. 2C: An enlarged, perspective partial view of FIG. 2B for illustrating the rotatable winding cores in a fully wound rotational position.

[0045] FIGS. 2D-2F: Further views of a rotary feed-through according to FIGS. 2A-2B with a top view of a rotary step (FIG. 2D), a perspective view (FIG. 2E) and a cross-section (FIG. 2F) of the rotary feed-through with associated housing parts.

[0046] FIGS. 1A-1E show a basic module 10 in two end positions of the rotational movement. The basic module 10 individually, or together with other identical basic modules 10 (not shown here), forms a rotary feed-through 1 for circular movements of lines across a limited rotational angle. The lines (not shown) are guided between two connecting points A, B without interruption, wherein the connecting points A, B are rotatable relative to each other about a rotational axis R, with only one basic module 10, e.g., via a rotational angle of ≥720°. Of course, more-compact modules with a smaller rotational angle are also possible.

[0047] The basic module 10 comprises a first winding body or winding core 11a, which is rotatable about the rotational axis R, with a first energy guide chain 12a, the design of which is known in principle, which is fixed on the end side at the winding core 11a (see FIG. 1D). For this purpose, an end fastening area or connection area 15 is provided at the winding core 11a, which has a joint half, which is identical to a joint half of a chain link of the energy guide chain 12a. The inner end 16a of the energy guide chain 12a facing the rotational axis R is attached in a pivotable manner to the winding core 11a by means of the connection area 15, for example by two opposite flange parts with articulated openings for articulated pins of the chain link, as FIG. 1D shows schematically.

[0048] Along the rotational axis R, axially adjacent to the first winding core 11a, the basic module 10 has a second winding core 11b, which here is designed identical to the first winding core 11a. An identical second energy guide chain 12b correspondingly is attached with its radial inner end 16b in a pivotable manner at the connection area 15 of the second winding core 11b. As FIGS. 1A-1C show, the two energy guide chains 12a, 12b extend about the rotational axis R in two axially distanced planes. Therein, the winding cores 11a, 11 b hold the inner ends 16a, 16b with axial play.

[0049] Both winding cores 11a, 11 b are arranged coaxially and rotatable relative to each other with respect to the rotational axis R, and for this purpose are supported in an appropriate manner, e.g., on a rotary shaft (not shown). When the energy guide chains 12a, 12b are rotated relative to each other about the rotational axis R between a first, fully wound rotational end position (FIG. 1A) and a second, fully unwound rotational end position (FIG. 1B), each energy guide chain 12a or 12b is wound or unwound in a plane around the associated winding core 11a or 11 b in a helical manner corresponding to a planar spiral. The energy guide chains 12a, 12b therein extend in the shape of a spiral arm with increasingly tighter or, respectively, wider distances between windings.

[0050] The wound rotational end position in FIG. 1A shows how both energy guide chains 12a, 12b make contact in a compact manner, i.e., with all helical windings without space between the windings radially adjacent to the rotational axis R, and close to the winding core 11a or 11b. As most easily visible in FIGS. 1B-1C, in the example according to FIGS. 1A-1E, the helical rotational direction or the winding direction of the first energy guide chain 12a around the first winding core 11a corresponds to a first rotational direction S1 and the winding direction of the second energy guide chain 12b around the second winding core 11b corresponds to an opposite second rotational direction S2 about the rotational axis. The winding direction of the successive energy guide chains 12a, 12b thus is opposite to that in FIGS. 1A-1E. Both energy guide chains 12a, 12b preferably have the same length (in the longitudinal direction of the chain) or the same number of identical chain links.

[0051] The first winding core 11a, starting from the end position in FIG. 1A, can execute a number of rotations, e.g., n≥2 complete rotations, about the rotational axis R in the rotational direction S1 relative to the second winding core 11b until the end position in FIG. 1B is reached. Conversely, the relative rotation takes place in the opposite rotational direction S2 from the unwound end position in FIG. 1B until the end position in FIG. 1A is again reached. Of course, it has the same effect if the second winding core 11b rotates relative to the first winding core 11a in the rotational direction S1 to the end position in FIGS. 1A and 1n the rotational direction S2 back to the end position in FIG. 1B, depending on whether and which winding core 11a, 11 b is attached in a rotationally fixed manner on a stationary part with a connecting point A, B, if applicable. Even larger rotation angles can be achieved by means of longer energy guide chains 12a, 12b, wherein the basic module 10 can retain the same dimensions, if necessary.

[0052] Both winding cores 11a, 11 b have a circumferential cylindrical contact surface 13a on their outer side for supporting the respective energy guide chain 12a or 12b in the end position according to FIG. 1A. The contact surface 13a has a radius that increases starting from the connection area 15, which radius preferably follows an archimedic spiral about the rotational axis R, as can be seen in FIG. 1D.

[0053] As most easily visible in FIG. 1D, the winding cores 11a, 11b are hollow cylinders in their center sections, with a circular cylindrical inner wall concentric to the rotational axis R designed as a central receptacle 13b for attaching to a rotary shaft (not shown), among other functions. Both winding cores 11a, 11 b can be rotatably supported by means of the receptacle 13b. The receptacle 13b has a radial opening for the line(s), while a corresponding radial opening or recess in the contact surface 13a is provided adjacent to the connection area 15 in the circumferential direction to guide the line(s) away from or toward the rotational axis R into or out of the respective energy guide chains 12a or 12b.

[0054] Furthermore, the basic module 10, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, here has housing parts such as an outer wall 19a for supporting a longitudinal section 14a extending in a circular arc of each energy guide chain 12a, 12b in the fully unwound end position according to FIG. 1B. Accordingly, the outer wall 19a is arranged as a circular cylinder and coaxial to the rotational axis R.

[0055] In its unwound rotational end position (FIG. 1B), each energy guide chain 12a, 12b preferably makes contact with mosts of its length in the longitudinal section 14a against the outer wall 19a in the shape of a circular arc, or is radially extended against the same. The curved longitudinal section 14a transitions with a deflection curve 14b into a fully extended section 14c, which leads to the radial inner end 16a or 16b at the winding core 11a or 11b. The fully extended section 14c may be preloaded in the main curvature direction of the deflection curve 14b. Furthermore, energy guide chains 12a, 12b are used here, whose chain links can only be pivoted to each other in one of these main directions (i.e., without a reverse bending radius). The preload and/or pivot direction can be ensured analogously to the intended minimum permissible main radius in the deflection curve 14b by suitable angular stops of the chain links.

[0056] FIGS. 1A-1B show a flat support disc 19b coaxial to the rotational axis R. The support disc 19b separates cascaded basic modules 10 axially from each other and thus supports the energy guide chains 12a, 12b in the axial direction. At the end face, which remains open, of multiple cascading basic modules 10 (FIGS. 1A-1B), an additional support disc (not shown) can be provided for closing the housing on the end face. The support disc 19b is freely rotatable about the rotational axis R relative to the second winding core 11b or arranged in a rotationally fixed manner relative to the same and rotatable to the outer wall 19a about the rotational axis R. Furthermore, the support disc 19b may have a central opening for connecting adjacent winding cores 11a, 11 b of two successive basic modules 10 in a rotationally fixed manner to each other. FIG. 1E shows how the two energy guide chains 12a, 12b of a basic module 10 are serially linked for feeding through the line(s) in the first exemplary embodiment. For this purpose, the respective radial outer ends 18a, 18b of the energy guide chains 12a, 12b are articulated to each other by means of a connecting link 17 designed as a special part. The connecting link 17 has two connecting areas 17a, 17b on both sides facing away from each other in the circumferential direction, matched to the energy guide chains 12a, 12b. The connecting areas 17a, 17b can be designed as joint halves matching a joint half of the chain links of the identical energy guide chains 12a, 12b, for example. The connecting areas 17a, 17b are arranged in offset planes axially, i.e., in the direction of the rotational axis R, and are linked with the ends 18a, 18b in a force-transferring manner. The offset is slightly larger than the width of the chain links (transverse to the longitudinal direction of the chain or along R) to achieve axial play. An inner cavity 17c in the connecting link 17 bridges this axial offset and allows for the line to be guided from one energy guide chain 12a, 12b into the serially subsequent one. The connecting link 17 thus forms a kind of chain link to the axially offset connection of the two energy guide chains 12a, 12b. Thus, a bundle of different lines can be guided continuously from the connecting point A to the connecting point B rotatable relative to the former through the one energy guide chain 12a, the connecting link 17 and the second energy guide chain 12b, and can be protected within these components, in particular against pinching.

[0057] FIGS. 2A-2F show an alternative exemplary embodiment with several axially cascaded modules 20A, 20B, 20C. Here, by way of an example, three modules 20A, 20B, 20C together form a rotary feed-through 2. Each module 20A, 20B, 20C comprises a winding core 21 and an associated energy guide chain 12, which is fixed at the connection area 25 of the winding core 11 with its inner end 16 in a pivotable manner. Each winding core 21 has an outer contact surface 23a for the energy guide chain 12 and an inner receptacle 23b for rotational support, as described above. The winding core 21 in FIGS. 2A-2F can have the same design as in the first example, and is not again described in detail.

[0058] FIGS. 2A-2B show the modules 20A, 20B, 20C only partially with the winding core 21 and energy guide chain 12, in both rotational end positions about the rotational axis R, fully wound (FIG. 2A) and fully unwound (FIG. 2B). One difference to the first example is that the energy guide chains 12 in all modules 20A, 20B, 20C extend in the same rotational direction around the associated winding core 21 (see FIG. 2A). In the fully unwound end position (FIG. 2B), all energy guide chains 12 may be spatially arranged here in the same position, each with a curved longitudinal section 14a, a deflection curve 14b and a fully extended section 14c, as in FIG. 1B. The curved longitudinal section 14a here also is supported on a cylindrical outer wall 29.

[0059] Another difference is the connection between two pairs of axially successive modules 20A-20B, 20B-20C, etc. As FIG. 2A shows, in the wound end position of FIGS. 2A-2F, respective fully extended sections 14d remain between the—preferably largest—portion of each energy guide chain 12 that is helically wound on the winding core 21 and the radial outer end 18 of the energy guide chain 12.

[0060] In FIGS. 2A-2F, a radially extended connecting body 27, e.g., in the form of a radial portion of a first support disc 29a, is provided for line guidance and rotational transfer between the outer end 18 of the energy guide chain 12 of a module 20B or 20C and the inner end of the energy guide chain 12 of a subsequent module 20A or 20B, as indicated with dotted lines in FIGS. 2D-2E. Correspondingly, each module 20A, 20B, 20C has a first support disc 29a as a third essential component besides the winding core 21 and its associated energy guide chain 12, which support disc 29a forms the connecting body 27, or an area suitable for connecting. One advantage of a plate-like support disc 29a—in contrast to a simple radial-arm—lies in the reduction of imbalance and in the axial support of the energy guide chains 12. To save weight and for the purpose of inspections, the support disc 29a can be provided with holes in a rotationally symmetrical pattern (see FIGS. 2D-2E). Optionally, a possibly identical second support disc 29b can furthermore be provided facing the first support disc 29a for the bilateral axial support of the energy guide chains 12 in each module 20A, 20B, 20C (see FIG. 2F). The second support disc 29b is not used for establishing a connection; it can be mounted on the winding body 21 in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0061] In the connection area or connecting body 27, the line(s) from the respective radially outer ends 18 of the cable carrier chain 12 of a module 20B or, respectively, 20C are guided radially inward to the rotational axis R and axially to the subsequent winding core 21 of the subsequent module 20A or 20B (indicated in FIG. 2D by a dashed line), and from there again via the radially inner end 16 of the subsequent energy guide chain 12, as seen in the direction of the line, outward to its outer end 18, etc. Accordingly, the radially outer ends 18 of the energy guide chains 12 are attached to respective connection areas 27a of the associated first support disc 29a.

[0062] Within each module 20A, 20B, 20C, the first support disc 29a, which serves as a connection 27, can be rotated coaxially to the rotational axis R and relative to the respective winding core 21. To transfer rotational movement between modules 20A, 20B, 20C, the first support disc 29a can be connected to the winding core 21 of the respective axially adjacent next module 20A, 20B, 20C in a rotationally fixed manner, such that one module drives the respective next module and the rotation is transferred in steps or in the manner of cascade. Excluded from this is the first module 20A on the front, where the first support disc 29a forms a connecting point A or is attached to the same in a rotationally fixed manner. At the other axial end, for example, the winding core 21 of the last module 20C, for example, its inner receptacle 23b, can form the other connecting point B or be attached to the same in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0063] When the fully wound rotational position according to FIG. 2A is reached, torque is transferred in the first rotational direction S1 within each module 20A, 20B, 20C by means of tensile force from the winding core 21 via the energy guide chain 12 to the first support disc 29a, which then drives the winding core 21 of the subsequent module in the rotational direction S1. Conversely, torque is transferred in the second rotational direction S2 by thrust from the winding core 21 via the energy guide chain 12 to the support disc 29a and thus to the next module. To establish a connection in a rotationally fixed manner, protrusions can be provided at the winding core 21 on the front side, which interact with corresponding recesses in the support discs 29a and, if applicable, 29b in a positive locking manner to transfer torque.

[0064] Modules 20A-20C, as shown in FIGS. 2A-2F, can also realize a rotary feed-through 2 with an odd number of energy guide chains 12 or rotational planes.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

FIGS. 1A-1E

[0065] A, B Connecting points [0066] R Rotational axis [0067] S1, S2 Rotational direction [0068] 1 Rotary feed-through [0069] 10 Basic module [0070] 11a, 11b Winding core [0071] 12a, 12b Energy guide chain [0072] 13a Contact area [0073] 13b Inner receptacle [0074] 14a Curved longitudinal section [0075] 14b Deflection curve [0076] 14c Fully extended section [0077] 15 Connection area [0078] 16a, 16b Inner end [0079] 17 Connection link [0080] 17a, 17b Connection areas [0081] 18a, 18b Outer end [0082] 19a Outer wall (housing) [0083] 19b Support disc

FIG. 2A-2F

[0084] A, B Connecting points [0085] R Rotational axis [0086] S1, S2 Rotational direction [0087] 2 Rotary feed-through [0088] 12 Energy guide chain [0089] 14a Curved longitudinal section [0090] 14b Deflection curve [0091] 14c Fully extended section [0092] 16 Inner end [0093] 18 Outer end [0094] 20A, 20B, 20C Module [0095] 21 Winding core [0096] 23a Contact area [0097] 23b Inner receptacle [0098] 25 Connection area [0099] 27 Connection body/Connection area [0100] 27a Connection area [0101] 29 Outer wall (housing) [0102] 29a Support disc [0103] 29b Support disc