Energy Guiding Chain with Rollers for Efficient Long-Distance Traversal
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Summary
Problems
Existing energy guiding chains face limitations in traversing long distances due to high friction and complex production requirements for diverse dimensions, making them inefficient and costly to manufacture.
Innovation solutions
The energy guiding chain features side straps with recessed rollers, permanently connected inner cross-members, and detachable outer cross-members with elastic snap-in connections, allowing for a continuous running surface and easy assembly in various dimensions, reducing production complexity and costs.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If rollers are recessed into the side straps to reduce friction and enable long-distance traversal, then the traversal smoothness and energy efficiency are improved, but the production complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Why choose this principle:
The chain is divided into separate components: side straps, inner cross-members, and outer cross-members that can be manufactured independently and assembled later. This segmentation allows rollers to be added to side straps without complicating the manufacturing of cross-members, as each component type can be produced separately and then combined through simple connection mechanisms.
Principle concept:
If rollers are recessed into the side straps to reduce friction and enable long-distance traversal, then the traversal smoothness and energy efficiency are improved, but the production complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Why choose this principle:
Rollers serve as intermediary elements between the side straps and the running surface, reducing direct friction contact. These rollers are recessed into the side straps and can be easily attached or removed, acting as a mediator that improves traversal conditions without permanently complicating the side strap structure.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
The energy guiding chain features side straps with recessed rollers, permanently connected inner cross-members, and detachable outer cross-members with elastic snap-in connections, allowing for a continuous running surface and easy assembly in various dimensions, reducing production complexity and costs.
Abstract
On an energy guiding chain, for guiding hoses, cables and the like, with a number of chain links ( 1 ) connected to each other in articulated fashion, said links being formed by side straps ( 11, 12 ), which are parallel to each other and connected to form parallel side strap strands, and cross-members ( 31 ) connecting them, where the side straps can be pivoted relative to each other about a pivoting axis common to two adjacent side straps, where the energy guiding chain can be traversed in such a way that it forms a loop having an upper strand, a lower strand and a deflection zone connecting them, as a result of which an inner side and an outer side in relation to the loop is defined on the chain links, and where at least one end of the cross-members ( 31 a ) on the outer side of the chain links ( 1 ) can be detached from the side strap and pivoted in order to open the chain link ( 1 ), while the cross-members ( 31 i ) on the inner side of the chain links are permanently connected to the side straps, it is envisaged that rollers ( 21 ) be recessed into at least some side straps, said rollers projecting from the narrow face of the side straps and being able to roll on the narrow faces ( 17 ) of the side straps of the opposite strand during traversing of the chain, and that the permanent connection of the cross-members ( 31 i ) is made on the surfaces of the side straps facing towards the inside of the chain link.