Chain link and link chain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10513240-B2
Application number	US-201615560778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2016
Priority date	Apr 9, 2015
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

It is provided a chain link for a link chain which is flexible per se and in which chain links connected to each other are movable in relation to each other and can be locked to each other such that the link chain which is flexible per se can be stiffened by locking the chain links to each other. The chain link has at least a first connection segment for the connection to a first chain link and a further second connection segment for the connection to a second chain link. The chain link has a carrier having the first connection segment and has an adjustment part having the second connection segment, said adjustment part being supported in an adjustable manner relative to the carrier.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A chain link for a link chain, the link chain being flexible per se and having a plurality of chain links connected to each other, the chain links being movable in relation to each other and being lockable to each other such that the link chain is able to be stiffened, wherein the chain link has at least a first connection segment configured to connect to a first other chain link and a further second connection segment configured to connect to a second other chain link,
wherein the chain link has a carrier having the first connection segment and has an adjustment part having the second connection segment, said adjustment part being supported in an adjustable manner relative to the carrier,
wherein the adjustment part is adjustable relative to the carrier between a flexible position and a locked position, wherein in the flexible position the second other chain link which is connected to the chain link via the second connection segment is movable relative to the chain link and wherein in the locked position the second other chain link is immovably fixed relative to the chain link,
wherein the chain link comprises a locking portion which in its locked position locks the adjustment part from being adjusted relative to the carrier when the chain link is connected to the second other chain link, and
wherein the carrier comprises at least one force transmission element for transmitting an adjusting force to the adjustment part in order to adjust the adjustment part relative to the carrier, wherein the force transmission element has the locking portion.

2. The chain link as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the chain link comprises a locking element which is designed to cooperate with a locking portion of the first other chain link, in order to lock the locking portion of the first other chain link in a locked position.

3. The chain link as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the adjustment part is configured and designed for a positive locking connection to the second other chain link and the adjustment part is mounted on the carrier so as to be retractable and extendable and wherein in its flexible position the adjustment part is retracted and in its locked position is extended, wherein the adjustment part in its locked position protrudes from the carrier for the positive locking connection to the second other chain link.

4. The chain link as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the force transmission element comprises a rotatably mounted gearwheel or is displaceable along a sliding guide.

5. The chain link as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the force transmission element is adjustably mounted on the carrier.

6. The chain link as claimed in claim 5 , wherein
the adjustable force transmission element is connected to a control element and the adjustment part has a control contour against which the control element is configured to bear and via which an adjustment movement relative to the carrier is predetermined for the adjustment part by the control element being adjusted along the control contour, or
the adjustable force transmission element comprises a control contour and the adjustment part is connected to a control element which is configured to bear against the control contour and via which an adjustment movement relative to the carrier is predetermined for the adjustment part by the control element being adjusted along the control contour.

7. The chain link as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the adjustment part is displaceably mounted relative to the carrier.

8. A link chain having a plurality of chain links as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the chain links are movable relative to one another in an unlocked state so that the link chain is flexible per se, and wherein the chain links are lockable to one another so that they are not movable relative to one another and wherein the link chain is stiff where the chain links are locked together.

9. The link chain as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the adjustment part of one of the chain links is configured to be adjusted relative to its carrier such that a spacing between the carrier of the one of the chain links and the carrier of an adjacent one of the chain links is reduced.

10. The link chain as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the adjustment part of one of the chain links is configured to be adjusted relative to its carrier such that the one of the chain linksis locked via a locking element provided on the adjustment part thereof to an adjacent one of the chain links.

11. The link chain as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the chain links are connected together in an articulated manner at their respective connection segments via a multi-axis joint.

12. A vehicle sub-assembly for adjusting a functional element inside a vehicle via a drive of the vehicle sub-assembly, wherein a link chain is provided for transmitting an adjusting force to the functional element, the link chain having a plurality of chain links,
wherein each of the chain links has at least a first connection segment configured to connect to a first other chain link and a further second connection segment configured to connect to a second other chain link,
wherein each chain link has a carrier having the first connection segment and has an adjustment part having the second connection segment, said adjustment part being supported in an adjustable manner relative to the carrier, and
wherein each of the chain links are movable relative to one another in an unlocked state so that the link chain is flexible per se, and wherein the chain links are lockable to one another so that they are no longer movable relative to one another and the link chain is stiff where the chain links are locked together.

13. The vehicle sub-assembly as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a drive element is provided for adjusting the link chain, as well as an adjustment contour, the chain links being able to be guided past said adjustment contour when adjusting the link chain, wherein the adjustment contour is designed for adjusting the adjustment parts of each respective chain link relative to a respective carrier when the respective chain link is guided past said adjustment contour.

14. The vehicle sub-assembly as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the vehicle sub-assembly comprises an elongated guide on which or in which the chain links are not locked together so as to be configured to be deflected around at least two different spatial axes.

Assignees

• Brose Fahrzeugteile

Inventors

• Stegerer Mario
• Lang Fabian
• Hoeppel Michael

Classifications

• B60R22/03 Primary

  Means for presenting the belt or part thereof to the wearer {, e.g. foot-operated} · CPC title

• F16G13/20 Primary

  stiff; Push-pull chains · CPC title

• B60R22/20

  adjustable in position, e.g. in height · CPC title

• F16H19/0636

  the flexible member being a non-buckling chain · CPC title

• F16H2019/0613

  the flexible member being a toothed belt or chain engaging a rack · CPC title