Compact protective cable conduit for clean room applications and encasing unit and arrangement with support chain for same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11811154-B2
Application number	US-202017310061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2020
Priority date	Jan 14, 2019
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

Abstract

A protective cable conduit for lines in a clean room application, with a flexible encasement which is movable back and forth for routing a line. Each receptacle extends in channel-like fashion from a first end to a second end. The encasement comprises at least one encasing unit, which forms the at least one receptacle for a line. The encasing unit has a first fastening strip on one longitudinal side and a second fastening strip on the other longitudinal side. The first and the second fastening strip are designed for releasable connection by interlocking engagement and/or frictional engagement, for example with a cooperating hook profile and claw profile, and are connectable to one another in a connection direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. A plurality of encasing units can thus be fastened to one another releasably using mating fastening strips by connecting the fastening strips in a connection direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. An arrangement of a protective cable conduit with support chains, wherein each support chain is routed in an associated encasing unit which accommodates only the associated support chain(s), such that this is replaceable separately from lines routed in the encasement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A line protective guide to guide at least one line of a clean room application, comprising:
an elongate flexible encasement which is reciprocatingly displaceable, with a formation of a direction-changing arc between two runs, and having at least one receiving means to guide at least one line;
wherein each receiving means extends channel-like in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end;
wherein the encasement has at least one encasing unit forming the at least one receiving means;
wherein the encasing unit includes a first fixing strip at one longitudinal side and a second fixing strip at another longitudinal side;
wherein the first and the second fixing strips are arranged in opposite relationship and configured to be connectable to each other with a releasable connection by positively-locking engagement and/or force-locking engagement in mutually matching relationship and in a joining direction transversely to the longitudinal direction to releasably fix together a plurality of encasing units with mutually matching first and second fixing strips by connection of the first and the second fixing strips in the joining direction transversely to the longitudinal direction; and
wherein the first and the second fixing strips are respectively in one-piece with the encasing unit.

2. The line protective guide according to claim 1 , wherein the encasement includes a plurality of separate encasing units and each encasing unit of the plurality of encasing units has two fixing strips which are in opposite relationship on both sides and which are in one-piece with the encasing unit; and
wherein adjacent encasing units of the plurality of encasing units are connected together in parallel relationship by the fixing strips and provided at the first and second end is a respective clamping device, with which the plurality of separate encasing units of the encasement are respectively secured at the end.

3. The line protective guide according to claim 2 , wherein provided in a receiving means of at least one encasing unit of the plurality of encasing units is a support chain to support the encasement upon displacement.

4. The line protective guide according to claim 2 , wherein each encasing unit of the plurality of encasing units has two cooperating closure profiles of a closure for dust-tightly closing an opened state in which the at least one line is introducable into or removable from a receiving means transversely relative to the longitudinal direction.

5. The line protective guide according to claim 3 , wherein each encasing unit of the plurality of encasing units is of a one-piece configuration, forms a plurality of parallel receiving means and provided for each receiving means is a pair of cooperating closure profiles in one-piece with the encasing unit.

6. The line protective guide according to claim 1 , wherein each receiving means is of an elongatedly round or oval, with an ogival cross-section and a respective fixing profile as the fixing strip is provided at each narrow side of the encasing unit, in one-piece with the encasing unit.

7. The line protective guide according to claim 1 , wherein the encasement includes a plurality of separate and peripherally closed encasing units, wherein each encasing unit of the plurality of encasing units respectively forms precisely one receiving means and each encasing unit of the plurality of encasing units has two fixing strips which are in opposite relationship at both sides and which are in one-piece with the encasing unit.

8. The line protective guide according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one encasing unit comprises a plurality of encasing units, each encasing unit of the plurality of encasing units is of a cross-section which remains a same in the longitudinal direction, wherein the first and the second fixing strips are of a cross-section which remains a same in the longitudinal direction, with an interengaging hook and claw profile.

9. The line protective guide according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving means are connected together in parallel relationship by strip-shaped intermediate regions which predetermine a neutral fibre and the first and second fixing strips or profiles are disposed at a level of the neutral fibre of the encasement.

10. The line protective guide according to claim 9 , wherein a thinner strip-shaped intermediate region is provided between each fixing strip and an adjoining receiving means.

11. An encasing unit of plastic of an elongate flexible encasement of a line protective guide, comprising:
wherein the encasing unit forms at least one receiving means to guide at least one line, which extends channel-like in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end;
wherein the encasing unit includes a first fixing profile at one longitudinal side and a second fixing profile at another longitudinal side;
wherein the first and the second fixing profiles are arranged in opposite relationship and are configured to be connectable to each other with a releasable connection by positively-locking engagement and/or force-locking engagement in mutually matching relationship and in a joining direction transversely to the longitudinal direction to releasably fix together a plurality of encasing units with mutually matching first and second fixing profiles by connection of the first and the second fixing profiles in the joining direction transversely to the longitudinal direction; and
wherein the first and second fixing profiles are respectively in one-piece with the encasing unit.

12. The encasing unit according to claim 11 , wherein the first and the second fixing profiles are configured in mutually congruent relationship and of a cross-section which is a same throughout in the longitudinal direction, that cooperate in mutually engaging relationship.

13. The encasing unit according to claim 11 , wherein the first fixing profile and/or the second fixing profile has at least one inclined insertion portion extending inclinedly relative to the joining direction.

14. The encasing unit according to claim 11 , wherein the first and the second fixing profiles are symmetrical relative to a central plane, in particular a neutral fibre, wherein the first fixing profile and/or the second fixing profile have two symmetrically arranged inclined insertion portions.

15. The encasing unit according to claim 11 , wherein the first and the second fixing profiles are configured such that, in comparison with a connection of mutually matching fixing profiles in the joining direction, the first and the second fixing profiles are releasable only with a markedly higher application of force in opposite relationship to the joining direction or are releasable only in the longitudinal direction.

16. The encasing unit according to claim 15 , wherein the first and the second fixing profiles are of a cross-section with a barb function.

17. The encasing unit according to claim 11 , wherein the encasing unit forms a plurality of tubular receiving means to separate guidance of respectively at least one line.

18. The encasing unit according to claim 11 , wherein each receiving means has two cooperating closure profiles of a closure, that extend in the longitudinal direction, for dust-tightly closing an opened state in which the at least one line is introducable into or removable from one of the receiving means transversely to the longitudinal direction.

19. An arrangement of a line guide for a clean room application, comprising:
a elongate flexible encasement which is reciproca

Assignees

• Igus Gmbh

Inventors

• Hermey Andreas
• Barten Dominik

Classifications

• H01R13/422 Primary

  Securing in resilient one-piece base or case, {e.g. by friction}; One-piece base or case formed with resilient locking means · CPC title

• F16G13/16

  with arrangements for holding electric cables, hoses, or the like · CPC title

• F16L3/015

  using articulated- or supple-guiding elements · CPC title

• F16L3/26

  specially adapted for supporting the pipes all along their length, e.g. pipe channels or ducts · CPC title

• H01R13/52

  Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases · CPC title