Line guide with support chain for clean room applications and support chain thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12085147-B2
Application number	US-202017596468-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2020
Priority date	Jun 11, 2019
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A cable run arrangement for clean room applications, which is movable forming two strands and a deflecting bend. The cable run arrangement comprises: a flexible sleeve having a plurality of receiving channels, arranged alongside one another, for supply lines, and at least one support chain, which cooperates with the sleeve in order to support at least one associated receiving channel in a stretched position. According to the invention, the support chain forms a support surface, the width of which is greater than the corresponding dimension of the free cross section of the associated receiving channel. The invention also relates to a support chain per se, which forms a support surface, the width of which amounts to at least three times the distance of the support surface from the opposite side of the support chain.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A line guide arrangement for clean room applications, to protect guidance of one or more supply lines between two connecting locations, of which at least one of the two connecting locations is moveable relative to another one of the two connecting locations, wherein the line guide arrangement is reciprocatingly displaceable with a formation of two runs and a direction-changing arc between the two runs, wherein the line guide arrangement within the two runs is in a straight position with respect to a longitudinal direction and is in a curved direction-changing position within the direction-changing arc, the line guide arrangement further comprising:
a flexible enclosure to enclose the one or more supply lines, the enclosure having a plurality of mutually juxtaposed receiving passages for at least one respective supply line of the one or more supply lines, the plurality of receiving passages extending in the longitudinal direction,
at least one support chain, comprising a plurality of chain links, that cooperates with the enclosure for support of at least one associated receiving passage in the straight position,
wherein each two successive chain links of the plurality of chain links are pivotably connected together,
wherein the support chain forms a support surface, a width of which is greater than a corresponding dimension of a free cross-section of the at least one associated receiving passage;
wherein the support chain has first abutment surfaces which bear against each other in the straight position and limit a pivotable movement of the respective successive chain links in a first direction, and second abutment surfaces which bear against each other in the direction-changing position and limit the pivotable movement in a direction opposite to the first direction,
wherein the first abutment surfaces and the second abutment surfaces are respectively of a dimension in the longitudinal direction and a dimension in a width direction parallel to a direction-changing axis, and
wherein the dimension of the respective abutment surface in the width direction is greater than the dimension of the respective abutment surface in the longitudinal direction.

2. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the support surface is greater than a total of the corresponding dimensions of the cross-sections perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of at least two associated receiving passages.

3. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chain links further comprises individual, structurally identical, chain links.

4. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each chain link of the plurality of clain links is one piece body.

5. The line guide arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein the one piece body is monolithic and formed of plastic.

6. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each chain link of the plurality of chain links has a plate-shaped configuration.

7. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each chain link of the plurality of chain links has a dimension in a width direction which is greater at least by a factor ≥5 than a dimension in a height direction perpendicularly to the width direction and perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction.

8. The line guide arrangement according to 1 , wherein, in the straight position, a surface region of a chain link, that is opposite the second abutment surfaces, is flush with a surface of a next adjacent chain link and
wherein, in the direction-changing position, a further surface region of the chain link, that is opposite the first abutment surfaces, is flush with the surface of the next adjacent chain link.

9. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the support surface is greater than a chain pitch of the support chain.

10. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chain links are pivotably connected together by receiving means-pin connections.

11. The line guide arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the receiving means-pin connections have inclined insertion portions at pins and insertion grooves at receiving means.

12. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each chain link of the plurality of chain links has a dimension in a width direction greater than a dimension in the longitudinal direction.

13. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the support chain is enclosed with a flexible chain enclosure.

14. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is of a belt-like configuration having narrow sides and at least at one of the narrow sides has at least one functional region extended in the longitudinal direction for dust-tight closure of an opened state of the enclosure in which the one or more supply lines is insertable or removable transversely to the longitudinal direction and for transfer of the enclosure into the opened state.

15. The line guide arrangement according to claim 14 , wherein the functional region includes two cooperating closure profiles of a closure, wherein the closure profiles are positively locking and/or force-locking engagement profiles.

16. The line guide arrangement according to claim 14 , wherein the functional region has a fixing profile for connecting the enclosure to a further enclosure.

17. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is formed of plastic.

18. The line guide arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the support chain has a plurality of chain links which each have convex guide surfaces and with opposite end faces form a minimal movement gap.

19. A support chain, wherein the support chain is receiprocatingly displaceable with a formation of two runs and a direction-changing arc between the two runs,
wherein the support chain within the two runs is in a straight position with respect to a longitudinal direction and extends in a direction-changing position within the direction-changing arc,
wherein, in the direction-changing position, the support chain is curved about a direction-changing axis,
wherein the support chain comprises a plurality of chain links, wherein each two successive chain links of the plurality of chain links are pivotably connected together,
wherein a width of a support surface of the support chain is at least three times a spacing of the support surface relative to an opposite side of the support chain,
wherein the support chain has first abutment surfaces which bear against each other in the straight position and limit a pivotable movement of the respective successive chain links in a first direction, and second abutment surfaces which bear against each other in the direction-changing position and limit the pivotable movement in a direction opposite to the first direction,
wherein the first abutment surfaces and the second abutment surfaces are respectively of a dimension in the longitudinal direction and a dimension in a width direction parallel to the direction-changing axis, and
wherein the dimension of the respective abutment surface in the width direction is greater than the dimension of the respective abutment surface in the longitudinal direction.

Assignees

• Igus Gmbh

Inventors

• Hermey Andreas
• Barten Dominik

Classifications

• F16L3/015

  using articulated- or supple-guiding elements · CPC title

• F16G13/16 Primary

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

• H02G3/0487

  with a non-circular cross-section (H02G3/0468, H02G3/0475 take precedence) · CPC title

• H02G11/006 Primary

  using extensible carrier for the cable, e.g. self-coiling spring (extensible conductors or cables H01B7/06) · CPC title