A drag chain cable mating installation joint and a movable mating installation method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of drag chain cable butt joint installation joints and its movable butt joint installation method, wherein the drag chain cable butt joint installation joint includes two first butt seats, two first butt seats are exchanged by transposition mechanism and the front and rear positions of two in the linear movement direction of electromechanical equipment;Second butt seat, second butt seat is moved or stationary along the linear movement direction of electromechanical equipment by the driving wheel with brake structure;Switching mechanism, for driving the first butt joint of first butt seat and the second butt joint of second butt seat between sequentially realizing electrical connection, maintaining and disconnecting during the process that electromechanical equipment moves from above second butt seat;Locking mechanism, for locking and fixing first butt seat and second butt seat.The application guarantees the reliability of drag chain operation and the stability of electromechanical equipment operation, and improves the service life of drag chain.

Description

A cable chain butt joint and its motion-type butt joint installation method Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cable connection accessories, specifically to a drag chain cable butt joint suitable for achieving rapid connection between drag chain cable terminals in relative motion, and to a butt joint installation method for the aforementioned butt joint during motion. Background Technology

[0002] Cable drag chains, also known as cable protection drag chains, are devices used to secure cables, wires, air hoses, and hydraulic hoses to facilitate their rotation and movement. Cable drag chains are widely used in CNC machine tools, stone machinery, glass machinery, door and window machinery, injection molding machines, robotic arms, lifting and transportation equipment, automated warehouses, and many other fields.

[0003] Existing cable chains are mostly composed of several main chain plates connected together. During use, a cable chain can be divided into three parts according to its motion: the lower section, the steering ring section, and the upper section. Due to the limited suspended load-bearing capacity of cable chains, when the cable chain is long, it will bend to varying degrees under its own weight and the force of its internal cables and pipes. This bending can damage the internal cables and pipes. If the cable chain is subjected to excessive force, it may even cause the upper section to overlap the lower section, a phenomenon commonly known as "waist collapse."

[0004] Existing solutions to the above-mentioned technical problems typically involve installing a follow-up support mechanism that moves with the cable chain over long distances to support the chain and prevent "waist collapse." While the follow-up support mechanism solves the problem of cable chain waist collapse, it still has the following drawbacks:

[0005] 1. For long-distance cable chains, the cable chain follower brackets that work with them are also quite long. These follower brackets for long-distance cable chains are not only expensive to manufacture and difficult to manage in the later stages, but also not very stable and prone to failure.

[0006] Patent application number 201911344895.X discloses a cable chain support mechanism and cable chain device. The cable chain support mechanism includes a drive support unit, a follower support unit, a fixed support unit, and a pull rope. The drive support unit includes a first support wheel assembly and a second support wheel assembly movably disposed on the cable chain groove, with the turning point of the cable chain movably clamped between the first and second support wheel assemblies. The follower support unit is movably disposed on the cable chain groove. Both the fixed support unit and the follower support unit can support the cable chain. The follower support unit is connected to the drive support unit via a pull rope, and the follower support unit is connected to the fixed support unit via another pull rope. This patent, through its cable chain support mechanism, not only prevents the upper cable chain from sagging but also avoids placing additional load on the lower cable chain, while providing better protection for the turning points of the cable chain and extending its service life.

[0007] Second, the follow-up support mechanism is only suitable for long-distance cable chains to operate at low speeds. When long-distance cable chains reciprocate at high speeds, it will cause partial disengagement of the cable chain. Moreover, under long-term high-speed operation, the follow-up support mechanism will cause greater wear on the cable chain, which will seriously affect the operational reliability of the cable chain and the protection effect of the cable chain on its internal cables, thus shortening the service life of the cable chain. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a cable docking joint and its motion-type docking installation method that helps ensure the reliability of cable chain operation and improve the service life of cable chains.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above problems is:

[0010] A drag chain cable mating connector includes:

[0011] Two first docking seats are slidably mounted on the electromechanical equipment. The two first docking seats exchange their front and rear positions in the linear movement direction of the electromechanical equipment through a switching mechanism.

[0012] The second docking seat is fixed to the moving end of the cable chain. The second docking seat moves or remains stationary along the linear movement direction of the electromechanical equipment through a drive wheel with a braking structure.

[0013] The switching mechanism sequentially connects, maintains, and disconnects the first pair of joints of the first docking seat and the second pair of joints of the second docking seat as the electromechanical equipment moves past the second docking seat.

[0014] A locking mechanism is used to lock and fix the first docking seat and the second docking seat.

[0015] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the switching mechanism includes a worm, a worm wheel, and two screws. The worm, worm wheel, and two screws are all rotatably connected to a first mating seat. Both ends of the first mating seat are threaded onto the two screws respectively. The two screws are connected by a synchronous belt drive mechanism. The worm wheel meshes with the worm and is fixed to the screws. Two first gears and a second gear are respectively provided at both ends of the worm from the inside out. The first gear and the second gear are fixed to the worm by first and second one-way bearings respectively. The locking directions between the two first one-way bearings and between the two second one-way bearings are opposite. The first gear meshes with a third gear, the second gear meshes with a fourth gear, and the fourth gear meshes with a fifth gear. The third gears and the two fifth gears are connected by rotating shafts, and the centers of the third and fifth gears are located on the central axis of their corresponding rotating shafts. The second mating seat is provided with a first rack and a second rack, which are arranged one behind the other on the moving trajectory of the first mating seat. The first rack meshes with the inner first gear of the two first gears, and the second rack meshes with the inner fourth gear of the two fourth gears. The locking direction of the first one-way bearing on the inner first gear of the two first gears is opposite to that of the second one-way bearing on the inner second gear of the two second gears. During the movement of the first mating seat to the second mating seat, the worm is located in front of the first joint on the same first mating seat.

[0016] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the first docking seat includes a sliding part and a rotating part. The top end of the rotating part is rotatably mounted on the sliding part. A first drive motor for driving the rotating part to rotate is installed on the sliding part. A first sliding groove is formed on the bottom end face of the rotating part. The first docking joint is vertically slidably connected in the first sliding groove. The switching mechanism includes a fixed seat, which is detachably mounted on the electromechanical equipment. A second sliding groove is formed on the bottom surface of the fixed seat. Both sliding parts are slidably connected in the second sliding groove. The second sliding groove includes a straight section and a semi-circular arc section. The two ends of the straight section are respectively connected to the two ends of the semi-circular arc section. The sliding part includes a first pushing section, a second pushing section, a third pushing section, and a fourth pushing section that are integrally connected from top to bottom. The cross-sections of the first pushing section and the third pushing section are both circular, and the cross-sections of the second pushing section and the fourth pushing section are both square. The fixed seat is provided with a first drive module for driving the two first docking seats to move synchronously along the straight section and a second drive module for driving the first docking seat located at the connection between the straight section and the semi-circular arc section to move along the semi-circular arc section. The first drive module includes a sliding seat. The drive unit and the sliding seat are slidably mounted on the fixed seat. The fixed seat is equipped with a first drive device for driving the sliding seat to slide linearly. The drive unit is slidably mounted on the sliding seat. The sliding seat is equipped with a second drive device for driving the drive unit to slide linearly. The sliding trajectory of the sliding seat is parallel to the straight segment, and the sliding trajectory of the drive unit is perpendicular to the straight segment. The drive unit is provided with a clamping part for clamping the lower half of the third pushing segment. The second drive module includes a drive ring, which is rotatably mounted on the fixed seat. The fixed seat is equipped with a second drive motor for driving the drive ring to rotate. The second drive motor and the drive ring are connected by a gear transmission mechanism. Push blocks are provided at two opposite positions on the inner side of the drive ring. The upper half of the second pushing segment and the third pushing segment, located at the connection between the straight segment and the semi-circular arc segment, are both located on the movement trajectory of the push blocks. A partition plate is slidably mounted on the fixed seat for separating the connection between the straight segment and the semi-circular arc segment at the rear. The fixed seat is equipped with a third drive device for driving the partition plate to slide linearly. The third drive device and the partition plate are connected by a gear and rack transmission mechanism.

[0017] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the first gear and the fourth gear have the same diameter, the second gear, the third gear and the fifth gear all have the same diameter, the diameter of the first gear is twice the diameter of the second gear, and the length of the first rack is twice the length of the second rack.

[0018] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, a third sliding groove is provided on the top surface of the second docking seat. A second pair of connectors is vertically slidably connected in the third sliding groove. A spring is provided between the bottom surface of the second pair of connectors and the second docking seat. The two ends of the spring abut against the bottom surfaces of the second docking seat and the second pair of connectors, respectively. A guide part is provided on the bottom surface of the second docking seat. The guide part is L-shaped. The horizontal section of the guide part is at the same horizontal height as the moving end, and the moving end is detachably installed on the horizontal section. A wire channel is provided on the second docking seat and the guide part. The two ends of the wire channel are respectively connected to the cavity of the third sliding groove and the drag chain. The drive wheel is installed on the outer surface of the second docking seat on both sides of its movement direction. A third drive motor for driving the drive wheel to rotate is installed on the second docking seat. Support wheels are installed on the outer surface of the second docking seat on both sides of its movement direction.

[0019] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the second docking seat is provided with a cover for covering the opening of the third slide groove. The cover has an inverted U-shaped cross-section. Both side plates of the cover are connected to the second docking seat through hinge rods. The hinge rods are telescopic structures. One end of the hinge rod is hinged to the outer surface of the side plate. A fourth drive motor is installed on the second docking seat to drive the hinge rod to rotate relative to the second docking seat. The other end of the hinge rod is fixed to the output shaft of the fourth drive motor. A sliding pin is provided on the inner side of the side plate. A guide groove is provided on the second docking seat to guide the sliding pin to slide. The guide groove includes a first horizontal section and a second horizontal section. The first horizontal section and the second horizontal section are connected by a connecting section. The first horizontal section is located diagonally above the second horizontal section. When the cover covers the opening of the third slide groove, the sliding pin is located on the first horizontal section.

[0020] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the top surface of the second pair of connectors is provided with a number of electrical contact pieces, and the bottom surface of the first pair of connectors is provided with a number of electrical contact blocks that correspond one-to-one with the electrical contact pieces. The bottom end of the electrical contact block is hemispherical.

[0021] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the locking mechanism includes a pin and a fourth driving device for driving the pin to move vertically. The pin is slidably disposed on the first docking seat, the fourth driving device is fixed on the first docking seat, and the second docking seat has a socket adapted to the pin.

[0022] The present invention also provides a motion-type docking installation method based on any of the drag chain cable docking joints described in the above technical solutions, comprising:

[0023] Step S1: When the electromechanical equipment moves, the first docking seat in front of the first docking seat in the direction of movement of the electromechanical equipment gradually approaches the second docking seat which is stationary. When the second docking seat triggers the switching mechanism on it, the first pair of connectors on it moves vertically downward until the first pair of connectors is electrically connected to the second docking head of the second docking seat and abuts the second pair of connectors and moves downward a certain distance.

[0024] Step S2: When the first docking seat continues to move horizontally a certain distance relative to the second docking seat, the switching mechanism is separated from the second docking seat, and the central axes of the first and second docking seats in the electrical connection state are on the same vertical line, the first docking seat and the second docking seat are then locked and fixed by the locking mechanism.

[0025] Step S3: When the second docking seat moves along with the electromechanical equipment, the two first docking seats are swapped in the direction of movement of the electromechanical equipment by the switching mechanism;

[0026] Step S4: As the first docking seat to the front moves past the second docking seat of the next cable chain under the drive of the electromechanical equipment, Steps 1 and 2 are repeated. During this process, the second docking seat of the previous cable chain is stationary and the locking mechanism is released from locking it to the first docking seat to the rear. At the same time, the second docking seat of the previous cable chain triggers the switching mechanism on the first docking seat to the rear again, so that the first docking connector on the first docking seat to the rear is reset, and the electromechanical equipment is disengaged from the previous cable chain.

[0027] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, step S3 includes S3.1, driving the two first docking seats to move synchronously in opposite directions in a straight line along the moving direction of the electromechanical equipment through a switching mechanism; S3.2, driving the first docking seat located behind the first docking seat to rotate in a semi-circular arc around the first docking seat located in front of the first docking seat through a switching mechanism; S3.3, rotating the first docking seat horizontally by 180° after the semi-circular arc rotation.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and effects:

[0029] This invention utilizes a locking mechanism to lock and fix corresponding first and second docking seats, a switching mechanism to switch the electrical connection state between corresponding first and second docking seats, and a transposition mechanism to exchange the front and rear positions of the two first docking seats. This allows for the sequential replacement and connection of cables on multiple short-distance cable chains to the electromechanical equipment during movement. This reduces the need for long-distance cable chains during long-distance movement of the equipment, minimizes the limitation imposed by cable chain length on the equipment's movement speed, and maintains the cable connection state on the equipment throughout the replacement process. This ensures electrical continuity within the equipment, guarantees the reliability of the cable chain operation and the stability of the equipment's operation, and ultimately extends the service life of the cable chains. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a drag chain cable docking installation joint of the present invention in a usage scenario.

[0031] Figure 2 is a partial top view of the application scenario of the drag chain cable docking installation joint of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the structure of A in Figure 1.

[0033] Figure 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of structure B in Figure 2.

[0034] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the drag chain cable butt joint installation joint of the present invention in its first usage state.

[0035] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the second usage state of the drag chain cable butt joint installation connector of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of the drag chain cable butt joint installation joint of the present invention in use state three.

[0037] Figure 8 is a structural schematic diagram of the drag chain cable butt joint installation joint of the present invention in the fourth usage state.

[0038] Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the second docking seat shown in Figure 8.

[0039] Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the second docking seat shown in Figure 8.

[0040] Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the second docking seat shown in Figure 8.

[0041] Figure 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the side structure between the fixed seat and the first docking seat shown in Figure 8.

[0042] Figure 13 is a top view of the cross-section between the fixed seat and the first docking seat shown in Figure 9.

[0043] Figure 14 is a top view of the structure of the second section between the fixed seat and the first docking seat shown in Figure 9.

[0044] Figure 15 is a top view of the structure of the fixed seat and the first docking seat shown in Figure 9, in a cross section.

[0045] Figure 16 is a top view of the cross-section between the fixed seat and the first docking seat shown in Figure 9.

[0046] Figure 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure of the switching mechanism of the present invention in one operating state.

[0047] Figure 18 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the transposition mechanism of the present invention in operating state two.

[0048] Figure 19 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the transposition mechanism of the present invention in its third operating state.

[0049] Figure 20 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the transposition mechanism of the present invention in operation state four.

[0050] Figure 21 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure of the switching mechanism of the present invention in operation state five.

[0051] Figure 22 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the transposition mechanism of the present invention in operation state six.

[0052] Figure 23 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first docking seat shown in Figure 21 in a locked state in the straight segment.

[0053] Figure 24 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the second docking seat in Figure 23.

[0054] Figure 25 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the second docking seat in Figure 23.

[0055] Figure 26 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the second docking seat in Figure 23.

[0056] Figure 27 is a structural schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the first docking seat and the second docking seat.

[0057] Figure 28 is a structural schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the first docking seat and the second docking seat.

[0058] Figure 29 is a structural schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the first docking seat and the second docking seat.

[0059] Figure 30 is a structural schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the first docking seat and the second docking seat.

[0060] Figure 31 is a structural schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the first docking seat and the second docking seat.

[0061] Figure 32 is a structural schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the first docking seat and the second docking seat.

[0062] Figure 33 is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism of the present invention.

[0063] Among them, the first docking seat 1, the first docking connector 11, the electrical contact block 111, the sliding part 12, the rotating part 13, the first drive motor 14, the first slide groove 15, the second docking seat 2, the second docking connector 21, the electrical contact piece 211, the drive wheel 22, the third slide groove 23, the spring 24, the guide part 25, the transverse section 26, the wire channel 27, the third drive motor 28, the support wheel 29, the switching mechanism 3, the worm gear 31, the worm wheel 32, the screw 33, the first gear 331, the second gear 332, the third gear 333, the fourth gear 334, the fifth gear 335, the first one-way bearing 34, the second one-way bearing 35, the rotating shaft 36, the first rack 37, the second rack 38, the locking mechanism 4, the pin 41, the fourth drive device 42, the insertion hole 43, the shifting mechanism 5, the fixed seat 51, and the first... 52. Two sliding grooves 52, straight section 53, limiting pin 531, limiting pin hole 532, fifth drive device 533, semi-circular arc section 54, first push section 55, second push section 56, third push section 57, fourth push section 58, first drive module 6, sliding seat 61, drive seat 62, first drive device 63, second drive device 64, clamping part 65, second drive module 7, drive ring 71, second drive motor 72, push block 73, partition 74, third drive device 75, cover 8, side plate 81, hinge rod 82, fourth drive motor 83, sliding pin 84, guide groove 85, first horizontal section 86, second horizontal section 87, connecting section 88, electromechanical equipment 91, drag chain 92, moving end 93, synchronous belt drive mechanism 94, gear drive mechanism 95, gear and rack drive mechanism 96. Detailed Implementation

[0064] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The following embodiments are explanations of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0065] Referring to Figures 1-5, this embodiment of a drag chain cable docking connector includes two first docking seats 1, a second docking seat 2, a switching mechanism 3, and a locking mechanism 4 for locking and fixing the first docking seats 1 and the second docking seats 2. The first docking seats 1 are slidably disposed on the electromechanical equipment. The two first docking seats 1 exchange their front and rear positions in the linear movement direction of the electromechanical equipment through a switching mechanism 5. The second docking seat 2 is fixed on the moving end of the drag chain. The second docking seat 2 moves or remains stationary along the linear movement direction of the electromechanical equipment through a drive wheel 22 with a braking structure. During the process of the electromechanical equipment moving past the second docking seat 2, the first joint 11 of the first docking seat 1 and the second joint 21 of the second docking seat 2 are electrically connected, maintained, and disconnected in sequence through the switching mechanism 3.

[0066] When the electromechanical equipment moves, the first docking seat 1 that is in front in the direction of movement of the electromechanical equipment gradually approaches the second docking seat 2 that is stationary, and docking is completed through the switching mechanism 3 and the locking mechanism 4 (as shown in Figure 5). Then, the two first docking seats are exchanged in the direction of movement of the electromechanical equipment through the switching mechanism 5 (as shown in Figure 6). Subsequently, when the first docking seat 1 that has been switched to the front moves over the second docking seat 2 of the next drag chain under the drive of the electromechanical equipment, the two dock together through the switching mechanism 3 and the locking mechanism 4 (as shown in Figure 7). During this process, the second docking seat 2 of the previous drag chain is stationary and the locking mechanism 4 is released from locking it and the first docking seat 1 that has been switched to the rear. Finally, when the electromechanical equipment continues to move, the second docking seat of the previous drag chain of the first docking seat 1 that has been switched to the rear disengages (as shown in Figure 8).

[0067] Referring to Figure 9, a third groove 23 is provided on the top surface of the second docking seat 2. A second mating head 21 is vertically slidably connected in the third groove 23. A spring 24 is provided between the bottom surface of the second mating head 21 and the second docking seat 2. The two ends of the spring 24 abut against the bottom surfaces of the second docking seat 2 and the second mating head 21, respectively. When the first mating head 11 and the second mating head 21 abut against each other, the spring 24 can provide a certain downward movement space for the second mating head 21, avoiding the situation where the first mating head 11 and the second mating head 21 are subjected to hard compression, which would cause damage to the first mating head 11 and the second mating head 21.

[0068] The bottom surface of the second docking seat 2 is provided with a guide part 25. The guide part 25 is L-shaped. The horizontal section 26 of the guide part 25 is at the same horizontal height as the moving end, and the moving end is detachably installed on the horizontal section 26. The second docking seat 2 and the guide part 25 are provided with a connected wire channel 27. The two ends of the wire channel 27 are respectively connected to the third slide groove 23 and the cavity of the drag chain.

[0069] The drive wheel 22 is mounted on the outer surfaces of the second docking seat 2 on both sides of its moving direction. A third drive motor 28 for driving the drive wheel 22 to rotate is mounted on the second docking seat 2. Support wheels 29 are mounted on the outer surfaces of the second docking seat 2 on both sides of its moving direction. In this embodiment, the third drive motor 28 is a dual-axis motor. The drive wheels 22 on the outer surfaces of the second docking seat 2 on both sides of its moving direction are connected to the output shafts at both ends of the dual-axis motor via a synchronous belt transmission mechanism. By driving the drive wheel 22 to rotate through the dual-axis motor, the position of the second docking seat 2 can be adjusted. When the electromechanical equipment cannot move, the second docking seat 2 can be moved towards the electromechanical equipment to connect the second docking seat 2 to the first docking seat 1 on the electromechanical equipment, thus connecting the cable to the electromechanical equipment.

[0070] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the second docking seat 2 is provided with a cover 8 for covering the opening of the third slide groove 23, providing protection for the second docking joint 21 inside the third slide groove 23, thereby reducing the damage to the second docking joint 21 caused by the external environment. The cross-section of the cover 8 is inverted U-shaped. Both side plates 81 of the cover 8 are connected to the second docking seat 2 through hinge rods 82. The hinge rods 82 are telescopic structures. One end of the hinge rods 82 is hinged to the outer surface of the side plates 81. A fourth drive motor 83 is installed on the second docking seat 2 to drive the hinge rods 82 to rotate relative to the second docking seat 2. The other end of the hinge rods 82 is fixed to the output shaft of the fourth drive motor 83.

[0071] The inner side of the side plate 81 is provided with a sliding pin 84, and the second docking seat 2 is provided with a guide groove 85 for guiding the sliding pin 84 to slide. The guide groove 85 includes a first horizontal section 86 and a second horizontal section 87. The first horizontal section 86 and the second horizontal section 87 are connected by a connecting section 88. The first horizontal section 86 is located diagonally above the second horizontal section 87. When the cover 8 covers the opening of the third sliding groove 23, the sliding pin 84 is located on the first horizontal section 86.

[0072] The fourth drive motor 83 drives the hinge rod 82 to rotate. Combined with the telescopic effect of the hinge rod 82, this causes the cover 8 to move and the sliding pin 84 on the cover 8 to slide along the guide groove 85. This achieves the purpose of controlling whether the cover 8 covers or moves away from the opening of the third slide groove 23. At the same time, due to the height difference between the first horizontal section 86 and the second horizontal section 87 of the guide groove 85, the cover 8 is lower than its original position after it moves away from the opening of the third slide groove 23. This avoids the cover 8 obstructing the movement of the first docking seat 1 over the second docking seat 2.

[0073] Referring to Figures 12-16, the first docking seat 1 includes a sliding part 12 and a rotating part 13. The top end of the rotating part 13 is rotatably disposed on the sliding part 12. A first drive motor 14 for driving the rotating part 13 to rotate is installed on the sliding part 12. A first groove 15 is provided on the end face of the bottom end of the rotating part 13. The first docking head 11 is vertically slidably connected in the first groove 15.

[0074] The switching mechanism 5 includes a fixed base 51, which is detachably installed on the electromechanical equipment. A second sliding groove 52 is provided on the bottom surface of the fixed base 51. Two sliding parts 12 are slidably connected in the second sliding groove 52. The second sliding groove 52 includes a straight section 53 and a semi-circular arc section 54. The two ends of the straight section 53 are respectively connected to the two ends of the semi-circular arc section 54. The sliding part 12 includes a first pushing section 55, a second pushing section 56, a third pushing section 57 and a fourth pushing section 58 connected in sequence from top to bottom. The cross-sections of the first pushing section 55 and the third pushing section 57 are both circular, and the cross-sections of the second pushing section 56 and the fourth pushing section 58 are both square. The fixed base 51 is provided with a first driving module 6 for driving the two first docking seats 1 to move synchronously along the straight section 53 and a second driving module 7 for driving the first docking seat 1 located at the connection between the straight section 53 and the semi-circular arc section 54 to move along the semi-circular arc section 54.

[0075] The first drive module 6 includes a sliding seat 61 and a drive seat 62. The sliding seat 61 is slidably disposed on the fixed seat 51. A first drive device 63 for driving the sliding seat 61 to slide linearly is installed on the fixed seat 51. The first drive device 63 is a linear module. The sliding seat 61 is fixed on the slide table of the linear module. The drive seat 62 is slidably disposed on the sliding seat 61. A second drive device 64 for driving the drive seat 62 to slide linearly is installed on the sliding seat 61. The second drive device 64 is a screw motor. The drive seat 62 is threadedly fitted onto the output shaft of the screw motor. The sliding trajectory of the sliding seat 61 is parallel to the linear segment 53. The sliding trajectory of the drive seat 62 is perpendicular to the linear segment 53. The drive seat 62 is provided with a clamping part 65 for clamping the lower half of the third push segment 57.

[0076] The second drive module 7 includes a drive ring 71, which is rotatably mounted on a fixed base 51. A second drive motor 72 for driving the drive ring 71 to rotate is mounted on the fixed base 51. The second drive motor 72 and the drive ring 71 are connected by a gear transmission mechanism. Push blocks 73 are provided at two opposite positions on the inner side of the drive ring 71. The upper parts of the second push segment 56 and the third push segment 57 located at the connection between the straight segment 53 and the semi-circular arc segment 54 are both located on the movement trajectory of the push block 73.

[0077] A partition 74 is slidably disposed on the fixed base 51 to separate the connection between the straight segment 53 and the semi-circular arc segment 54 at the rear. A third driving device 75 for driving the partition 74 to slide linearly is installed on the fixed base 51. The third driving device 75 is a motor. The third driving device 75 and the partition 74 are connected by a gear and rack transmission mechanism.

[0078] In use, the linear drive effect of the first drive device 63 on the sliding seat 61 enables the sliding seat 61 to drive the drive seat 62 to move together, thereby moving the first docking seats 1 located in the two clamping parts 65 of the drive seat 62 synchronously in the opposite direction of the moving direction of the electromechanical equipment within the straight section 53. The two first docking seats 1 change position relative to the fixed seat 51. At this time, the first docking seat 1 located at the rear is located at the connection between the straight section 53 and the semi-circular arc section 54 and on the moving trajectory of the push block 73 on the drive ring 71. The connection between the straight section 53 and the semi-circular arc section 54 located at the rear is in an isolated state (as shown in Figures 17 and 18).

[0079] Then, the partition 74 is moved by the third drive device 75, so that the connection between the straight segment 53 and the semi-circular arc segment 54 at the rear is released from the isolation state (as shown in Figure 19). Subsequently, the drive ring 71 is rotated by the second drive motor 72, so that the push block 73 pushes the first docking seat 1 located on its moving trajectory to move along the semi-circular arc segment 54. During this process, the drive seat 62 moves linearly through the second drive device 64 and retracts from the second slide groove, thereby releasing the clamping and limiting effect on the first docking seat 1 on the straight segment 53. After being reset by the drive of the sliding seat 61 driven by the first drive device 63, it is driven by the second drive device 64 and extends back into the second slide groove. At this time, one of the two clamping parts 65 on the drive seat 62 clamps and limits the first docking seat 1 on the straight segment 53, and the other is located on the moving trajectory of the first docking seat 1 on the semi-circular arc segment 54. The partition 74 is re-isolated at the connection between the straight segment 53 and the semi-circular arc segment 54 at the rear by the third drive device 75 (as shown in Figures 20-22).

[0080] To prevent the first docking seat 1 on the straight segment 53 from shifting after the drive seat 62 releases its clamping and limiting function, the first docking seat 1 can be fixed by setting a limiting pin 531 on the straight segment 53. The limiting pin 531 is slidably set on the fixed seat 51. The fixed seat 51 is equipped with a fifth drive device 533 for driving the limiting pin 531 to move in the direction perpendicular to the straight segment 53. The fifth drive device 533 is an electric push rod. The sliding seat 61 has a limiting pin hole 532 that matches the limiting pin 531 (as shown in Figure 23).

[0081] Finally, the first drive motor 14 drives the rotating part 13 to rotate 180° relative to the sliding part 12, so that the structure inside the sliding part 12 caused by the movement of the first docking seat 1 along the semi-circular arc segment 54 is restored, thereby ensuring that the first docking seat 1 and the second docking seat 2 can dock normally during the movement of the electromechanical equipment.

[0082] In this embodiment, the top surface of the second connector 21 is provided with a plurality of electrical contact pieces 211 (as shown in Figure 9), and the bottom surface of the first connector 11 is provided with a plurality of electrical contact blocks 111 that correspond one-to-one with the electrical contact pieces 211 (as shown in Figure 25). The bottom end of the electrical contact block 111 is hemispherical. Through the contact between the corresponding electrical contact pieces and electrical contact blocks, the cable on the cable chain can be connected to the circuit in the electromechanical equipment via the first connector.

[0083] Referring to Figures 24-26, the switching mechanism 3 includes a worm 31, a worm wheel 32, and two screws 33. The worm 31, worm wheel 32, and two screws 33 are all rotatably connected to the first mating seat 1. Both ends of the first mating joint 11 are threaded onto the two screws 33 respectively. The two screws 33 are connected by a synchronous belt drive mechanism. The worm wheel 32 meshes with the worm 31 and is fixed to the screws 33. Two first gears 331 and second gears 332 are respectively provided from the inside out at both ends of the worm 31. The first gears 331 and second gears 332 are fixed to the worm 31 by first one-way bearings 34 and second one-way bearings 35 respectively. The locking directions between the two first one-way bearings 34 and between the two second one-way bearings 35 are opposite. The first gear 331 meshes with the third gear 333, the second gear 332 meshes with the fourth gear 334, and the fourth gear 334 meshes with the fifth gear 335. The third gears 333 and the two fifth gears 335 are connected by a rotating shaft 36, and the center positions of the third gears 333 and the fifth gears 335 are located on the central axis of the corresponding rotating shaft 36. The second docking seat 2 is provided with a first rack 37 and a second rack 38. The second rack 38 and the first rack 37 are arranged one in front of the other on the moving trajectory of the first docking seat 1. The first rack 37 meshes with the inner first gear 331 of the two first gears 331. The second rack 38 meshes with the inner fourth gear 334 of the two fourth gears 334. The locking direction of the first one-way bearing 34 on the inner first gear 37 of the two first gears 331 is opposite to that of the second one-way bearing 35 on the inner second gear 332 of the two second gears 332. During the movement of the first docking seat 1 to the second docking seat 2, the worm 31 is located in front of the first mating joint 11 on the same first docking seat 1.

[0084] In this embodiment, the first gear 331 and the fourth gear 334 have the same diameter, the second gear 332, the third gear 333 and the fifth gear 335 all have the same diameter, the diameter of the first gear 331 is twice the diameter of the second gear 332, and the length of the first rack 37 is twice the length of the second rack 38.

[0085] When the first docking seat 1 moves towards the second docking seat 2 in the positive direction (i.e., the direction in which the moving end of the cable chain moves closer to its fixed end), the switching mechanism 3 changes state as follows:

[0086] (1) When the second docking seat 2 is stationary, during the movement of the first docking seat 1, the first gear 331 located on the inner side of the worm 31 contacts and rotates with the first rack 37, thereby driving the worm 31 to rotate and through the worm wheel 32 and the synchronous belt transmission mechanism to realize the synchronous rotation of the two screws 33 in the same direction, so that the first docking joint 11 moves vertically downward along the first slide groove 15 until it abuts against the second docking joint 21 on the second docking seat 2 (as shown in Figures 27 and 28 in sequence), and the first docking seat 1 and the second docking seat 2 complete the docking;

[0087] In this case, due to the opposite locking directions of the two first one-way bearings 34 and the two second one-way bearings 35, when the first gear 331 located on the inner side of the worm 31 rotates, it drives the worm 31 to rotate. The worm 31 drives the second gear 332 located on the outer side of it to rotate together. The first gear 331 located on the outer side and the second gear 332 located on the inner side of the worm 31 rotate ineffectively.

[0088] (2) The first docking seat 1 continues to move a certain distance, so that the first gear 331 located on the inner side of the worm 31 is separated from the first rack 37, and the central axes of the first docking joint 11 and the second docking joint 21 are on the same vertical line. At this time, the fourth gear 334 located on the inner side of the two fourth gears 334 contacts the second rack 38 (as shown in Figures 29 and 30).

[0089] During the movement of the first pair of connectors 11 relative to the second pair of connectors 21, the first pair of connectors 11 always abuts against the second pair of connectors 21, and the first mating seat 1 and the second mating seat 2 remain in a mating state.

[0090] (3) The fourth gear 334, which is in contact with the second rack 38, rotates under the action of the first docking seat 1 moving relative to the second docking seat 2. This causes the worm 31 to rotate via the second gear 332 located on the inner side of the worm 31, and the two screws 33 rotate synchronously in the same direction via the worm wheel 32 and the synchronous belt transmission mechanism. This causes the first docking joint 11 to move vertically upward along the first slide groove 15 to reset (as shown in Figures 30 and 31 in sequence), and the first docking seat 1 and the second docking seat 2 disconnect from each other.

[0091] Because the locking directions of the two first one-way bearings 34 and the two second one-way bearings 35 are reversed, when the fourth gear 334 located on the inner side rotates, it drives the second gear 332 located on the inner side of the worm 31 to rotate. The second gear 332 located on the inner side drives the worm 31 to rotate, and the worm 31 drives the first gear 331 located on the outer side of it to rotate together. The first gear 331 located on the inner side and the second gear 332 located on the outer side of the worm 31 rotate ineffectively.

[0092] When the first docking seat 1 moves in the opposite direction to the second docking seat 2 (that is, the direction in which the moving end of the cable chain moves away from its fixed end), the states of the switching mechanism 3 are as follows:

[0093] (1) The second docking seat 2 is in a stationary state. The fourth gear 334 located on the inner side contacts and rotates with the second rack 38. This drives the second gear 332 located on the outer side of the worm 31 to rotate via the fifth gear 335, the rotating shaft 36, and the fourth gear 334 located on the outer side. This drives the worm 31 to rotate and, through the worm wheel 32 and the synchronous belt transmission mechanism, enables the two screws 33 to rotate synchronously in the same direction. This causes the first docking joint 11 to move vertically downward along the first sliding groove 15 until it abuts against the second docking joint 21 on the second docking seat 2 (as shown in Figures 32 and 30 in sequence). The first docking seat 1 and the second docking seat 2 are docked. At this time, the central axes of the first docking joint 11 and the second docking joint 21 are on the same vertical line (as shown in Figures 30 and 29).

[0094] In this case, due to the opposite locking directions of the two first one-way bearings 34 and the two second one-way bearings 35, when the inner fourth gear 334 rotates, it drives the outer second gear 332 on the worm 31 to rotate. The outer second gear 332 drives the worm 31 to rotate, and the worm 31 drives the inner first gear 331 on it to rotate together. The outer first gear 331 and the inner second gear 332 on the worm 31 rotate ineffectively.

[0095] (2) The first docking seat 1 continues to move a certain distance, so that the fourth gear 334 located on the inner side separates from the second rack 38. At this time, the first gear 331 located on the inner side of the worm 31 contacts the first rack 37 (as shown in Figures 29 and 28 in sequence).

[0096] During the movement of the first pair of connectors 11 relative to the second pair of connectors 21, the first pair of connectors 11 always abuts against the second pair of connectors 21, and the first mating seat 1 and the second mating seat 2 remain in a mating state.

[0097] (3) The first gear 331 located on the inner side that is in contact with the first rack 37 rotates under the action of the first docking seat 1 moving relative to the second docking seat 2. Thus, the first gear 331 located on the outer side of the worm 31 is driven to rotate through the third gear 333 and the rotating shaft 36, which in turn drives the worm 31 to rotate and realizes the synchronous rotation of the two screws 33 through the worm wheel 32 and the synchronous belt transmission mechanism, so that the first docking joint 11 moves vertically upward along the first slide groove 15 to reset (as shown in Figures 28 and 27 in sequence), and the first docking seat 1 and the second docking seat 2 disconnect from the docking.

[0098] Because the locking directions of the two first one-way bearings 34 and the two second one-way bearings 35 are reversed, when the first gear 331 located on the inner side of the worm 31 rotates, it drives the first gear 331 located on the outer side of the worm 31 to rotate. The first gear 331 located on the outer side drives the worm 31 to rotate, and the worm 31 drives the second gear 332 located on the inner side of it to rotate together. The first gear 331 located on the inner side and the second gear 332 located on the outer side of the worm 31 rotate ineffectively.

[0099] Referring to Figure 33, the locking mechanism 4 includes a pin 41 and a fourth driving device 42 for driving the pin 41 to move vertically. The pin 41 is slidably disposed on the first docking seat 1, and the fourth driving device 42 is fixed on the first docking seat 1. The second docking seat 2 has an insertion hole 43 adapted to the pin 41. In this embodiment, the fourth driving device 42 can be an electric push rod. The electric push rod pushes the pin 41 to move vertically and insert it into the insertion hole 43, thereby achieving the effect of locking and fixing the first docking seat 1 and the second docking seat 2 after docking, so that the second docking seat 2 can be moved together when the electromechanical equipment moves.

[0100] To improve the locking effect between the first docking seat 1 and the second docking seat 2, two locking mechanisms 4 can be provided on the first docking seat 1, with the two locking mechanisms 4 located on the outer surfaces of the first docking seat 1 on both sides of its moving direction.

[0101] The above description is merely illustrative of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to replace them, as long as they do not depart from the content of this specification or exceed the scope defined by the claims, all of which should fall within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A cable chain butt joint installation connector, characterized in that, include: Two first docking seats are slidably mounted on the electromechanical equipment. The two first docking seats exchange positions along the linear movement direction of the electromechanical equipment via a switching mechanism. A second docking seat is fixed to the moving end of the cable chain. The second docking seat moves or remains stationary along the linear movement direction of the electromechanical equipment via a drive wheel with a braking structure. A switching mechanism sequentially connects, maintains, and disconnects the first and second docking seats during the movement of the electromechanical equipment over the second docking seat. A locking mechanism locks and fixes the first and second docking seats. The switching mechanism includes a worm, a worm wheel, and two screws. The worm, worm wheel, and two screws are rotatably connected to the first docking seats. The two ends of the first docking seats are threaded onto the two screws, which are connected by a synchronous belt drive mechanism. The worm wheel meshes with the worm and is fixed to the screw. Two first gears and two second gears are respectively provided at both ends of the worm from the inside out. The first gear and the second gear are fixed to the worm gear by the first one-way bearing and the second one-way bearing, respectively. The locking directions between the two first one-way bearings and the two second one-way bearings are opposite. The first gear meshes with the third gear, the second gear meshes with the fourth gear, and the fourth gear meshes with the fifth gear. The two third gears and the two fifth gears are connected by a rotating shaft, and the center positions of the third gear and the fifth gear are located on the central axis of the corresponding rotating shaft. The second mating seat is provided with a first rack and a second rack. The second rack and the first rack are arranged one in front of the other on the moving trajectory of the first mating seat. The first rack meshes with the first gear located on the inner side of the two first gears, and the second rack meshes with the fourth gear located on the inner side of the two fourth gears. The locking directions of the first one-way bearing on the inner first gear and the second one-way bearing on the inner second gear are opposite. During the movement of the first mating seat to the second mating seat, the worm gear is located in front of the first mating joint located on the same first mating seat.

2. The drag chain cable butt joint installation connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first docking seat includes a sliding part and a rotating part. The top end of the rotating part is rotatably mounted on the sliding part. A first drive motor for driving the rotating part to rotate is installed on the sliding part. A first sliding groove is formed on the bottom end face of the rotating part. The first docking joint is vertically slidably connected in the first sliding groove. The switching mechanism includes a fixed seat, which is detachably mounted on the electromechanical equipment. A second sliding groove is formed on the bottom surface of the fixed seat. Both sliding parts are slidably connected in the second sliding groove. The second sliding groove includes a straight section and a semi-circular arc section. The two ends of the straight section are respectively connected to the two ends of the semi-circular arc section. The sliding part includes a first pushing section, a second pushing section, a third pushing section, and a fourth pushing section that are integrally connected from top to bottom. The cross-sections of the first pushing section and the third pushing section are both circular, and the cross-sections of the second pushing section and the fourth pushing section are both square. The fixed seat is provided with a first drive module for driving the two first docking seats to move synchronously along the straight section and a second drive module for driving the first docking seat located at the connection between the straight section and the semi-circular arc section to move along the semi-circular arc section. The first drive module includes a sliding seat and a drive seat. The sliding seat is slidably mounted on the fixed seat. A first driving device for driving the sliding seat to slide linearly is mounted on the fixed seat. A second driving device for driving the driving seat to slide linearly is mounted on the sliding seat. The sliding trajectory of the sliding seat is parallel to the straight segment, and the sliding trajectory of the driving seat is perpendicular to the straight segment. The driving seat is provided with a clamping part for clamping the lower half of the third pushing segment. The second driving module includes a driving ring, which is rotatably mounted on the fixed seat. A second driving motor for driving the driving ring to rotate is mounted on the fixed seat. The second driving motor and the driving ring are connected by a gear transmission mechanism. Push blocks are provided at two opposite positions on the inner side of the driving ring. The upper half of the second pushing segment and the third pushing segment, located at the connection between the straight segment and the semi-circular arc segment, are both located on the moving trajectory of the push blocks. A partition plate for separating the connection between the straight segment and the semi-circular arc segment at the rear is slidably mounted on the fixed seat. A third driving device for driving the partition plate to slide linearly is mounted on the fixed seat. The third driving device and the partition plate are connected by a gear and rack transmission mechanism.

3. The drag chain cable butt joint installation connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first and fourth gears have the same diameter, and the second, third, and fifth gears all have the same diameter. The diameter of the first gear is twice the diameter of the second gear, and the length of the first rack is twice the length of the second rack.

4. The drag chain cable butt joint installation connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: A third sliding groove is provided on the top surface of the second docking seat. A second pair of connectors is vertically slidably connected in the third sliding groove. A spring is provided between the bottom surface of the second pair of connectors and the second docking seat. The two ends of the spring abut against the bottom surfaces of the second docking seat and the second pair of connectors, respectively. A guide part is provided on the bottom surface of the second docking seat. The guide part is L-shaped. The horizontal section of the guide part is at the same horizontal height as the moving end, and the moving end is detachably installed on the horizontal section. A wire channel is provided on the second docking seat and the guide part. The two ends of the wire channel are respectively connected to the cavity of the third sliding groove and the drag chain. The drive wheel is installed on the outer surface of the second docking seat on both sides of its movement direction. A third drive motor for driving the drive wheel to rotate is installed on the second docking seat. Support wheels are installed on the outer surface of the second docking seat on both sides of its movement direction.

5. The drag chain cable butt joint according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second docking seat is provided with a cover for covering the opening of the third slide groove. The cover has an inverted U-shaped cross-section. Both side plates of the cover are connected to the second docking seat by hinge rods. The hinge rods are telescopic structures. One end of the hinge rod is hinged to the outer surface of the side plate. A fourth drive motor is installed on the second docking seat to drive the hinge rod to rotate relative to the second docking seat. The other end of the hinge rod is fixed to the output shaft of the fourth drive motor. A sliding pin is provided on the inner surface of the side plate. A guide groove is provided on the second docking seat to guide the sliding pin to slide. The guide groove includes a first horizontal section and a second horizontal section. The first horizontal section and the second horizontal section are connected by a connecting section. The first horizontal section is located diagonally above the second horizontal section. When the cover covers the opening of the third slide groove, the sliding pin is located on the first horizontal section.

6. The drag chain cable butt joint according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top surface of the second pair of connectors is provided with several electrical contact pieces, and the bottom surface of the first pair of connectors is provided with several electrical contact blocks that correspond one-to-one with the electrical contact pieces. The bottom end of the electrical contact block is hemispherical.

7. The drag chain cable butt joint according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking mechanism includes a pin and a fourth driving device for driving the pin to move vertically. The pin is slidably disposed on the first docking seat, the fourth driving device is fixed on the first docking seat, and the second docking seat has a socket adapted to the pin.

8. A motion-type docking installation method based on the drag chain cable docking joint described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, include: Step S1: When the electromechanical equipment moves, the first docking seat in front of the second docking seat in the direction of movement gradually approaches the stationary second docking seat. When the second docking seat triggers its switching mechanism, its first joint moves vertically downward until the first joint is electrically connected to the second docking head of the second docking seat and abuts against the second joint moving downward a certain distance. Step S2: When the first docking seat continues to move horizontally relative to the second docking seat a certain distance, the switching mechanism separates from the second docking seat, and the central axes of the first and second joints in the electrically connected state are on the same vertical line, the first and second docking seats are then locked together by a locking mechanism. Step S3 When the second docking seat moves along with the electromechanical equipment, the two first docking seats are swapped in the direction of movement of the electromechanical equipment through the switching mechanism; Step S4: When the first docking seat that has been swapped to the front moves over the second docking seat of the next drag chain under the drive of the electromechanical equipment, steps S1 and S2 are repeated. During this process, the second docking seat of the previous drag chain is stationary and the locking mechanism is released to lock and fix it to the first docking seat that has been swapped to the rear. At the same time, the second docking seat of the previous drag chain triggers the switching mechanism on the first docking seat that has been swapped to the rear again, so that the first docking joint on the first docking seat that has been swapped to the rear is reset, and the electromechanical equipment is disengaged from the previous drag chain.

9. The motion-type docking installation method according to claim 8, characterized in that: Step S3 includes S3.1, driving the two first docking seats to move synchronously in opposite directions along the moving direction of the electromechanical equipment through the switching mechanism; S3.2, driving the first docking seat located behind the first docking seat to rotate in a semi-circular arc around the first docking seat located in front of the first docking seat through the switching mechanism; S3.3, rotating the first docking seat horizontally by 180° after the semi-circular arc rotation.

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