Advancing/retracting actuation device with meshing chain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9255630-B2
Application number	US-201113981045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2011
Priority date	Jan 27, 2011
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

An interlocking chain type forward and backward actuating device is provided that does not increase workload involved in assembling the device, adjusting the rotation phase, and servicing and maintaining the device. The device is capable of smoothly actuating a driven body by advancing and retracting the body, and of preventing any pulsation or the like of the meshing chain. The interlocking chain type forward and backward actuating device includes chain-guide grooves formed so as to equalize an interlocked-state pin-to-pin distance (D 1 ) between a pair of connecting pins that face each other in a chain interlocking imaginary plane (S) and a rigid-state pin-to-pin distance (D 2 ) between a pair of connecting pins.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An interlocking chain type forward and backward actuating device, comprising:
a first chain comprising at least one pair of spaced hook-shaped inner tooth plates and at least one pair of hook-shaped outer tooth plates, each of the outer tooth plates being positioned with front and rear connecting pins adjacent to an outer surface of the hook-shaped inner tooth plates;
a second chain comprising at least one pair of spaced hook-shaped inner tooth plates and at least one pair of hook-shaped outer tooth plates, each of the outer tooth plates being positioned with front and rear connecting pins adjacent to an outer surface of the hook-shaped inner tooth plates;
a drive sprocket;
a chain guide;
wherein the first chain and the second chain are interconnected to form interlocking chains by coupling the at least one pair of hook-shaped inner tooth plates of the first chain to the at least one pair of hook-shaped inner tooth plates of the second chain, and by coupling the at least one pair of hook-shaped outer tooth plates of the first chain to the at least one pair of hook-shaped outer tooth plates of the second chain;
wherein the first and second chains are integrally made rigid to form a rigid chain part in a state where the interlocking chains are interlocked with each other and arranged to face each other, and wherein the interlocking chains have a longitudinal axis that is parallel to a chain driving direction;
wherein the drive sprocket engages a portion of the first chain to freely advance and retreat the interlocking chains;
wherein the chain guide has chain guide grooves that interlock the second chain to the first chain with a chain positioning guide portion provided in a forked region of the interlocking chains, such that the second chain follows the first chain;
wherein the front and rear connecting pins of the first chain include a first connecting pin;
wherein the first connecting pin of the first chain is positioned on the drive sprocket and positioned in a chain interlocking imaginary plane when the first chain is engaged with sprocket teeth of the drive sprocket, the chain interlocking imaginary plane being orthogonal to the driving direction of the rigid chain part and including a drive shaft of the drive sprocket;
wherein the front and rear connecting pins of the second chain include a second connecting pin that corresponds with the first connecting pin, and is positioned along the chain interlocking imaginary plane;
wherein a distance that exists between the first connecting pin and the second connecting pin is defined as an interlocked-state pin-to-pin distance;
wherein the front and rear connecting pins of the first and second chains in the rigid chain part face each other and are parallel to the chain interlocking imaginary plane, a distance that exists between the first and second connecting pins in the rigid chain part being defined as a rigid-state pin-to-pin distance; and
wherein the chain guide grooves are formed such that the interlocked-state pin-to-pin distance is equal to the rigid-state pin-to-pin distance.

2. The interlocking chain type forward and backward actuating device according to claim 1 , wherein the chain positioning guide portion extends straight to a hollow region of the rigid chain part.

3. The interlocking chain type forward and backward actuating device according to claim 2 , wherein the length of the straight extending portion extending to the hollow region from the chain engagement imaginary plane of the chain positioning guide portion is equal to or longer than a pin-to-pin distance between the pair of front and rear connecting pins.

4. The interlocking chain type forward and backward actuating device according to claim 3 , wherein the length of the straight extending portion is twice or more as long as the pin-to-pin distance between the pair of front and rear connecting pins.

Assignees

• Saji Tomoyuki
• Murakami Keisuke
• Tsubakimoto Chain Co

Inventors

• Saji Tomoyuki
• Murakami Keisuke

Classifications

• F16H19/04 Primary

  comprising a rack · CPC title

• B66F3/06

  with racks comprising pivotable toothed sections or segments, e.g. arranged in pairs · CPC title

• F16G13/20 Primary

  stiff; Push-pull chains · CPC title

• Y10T74/18096

  Shifting rack · CPC title