A bend-resistant drag chain cable having functional waveform segments and method of conditioning

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of functional wave section's bending-resistant drag chain cable and its adjusting method, belong to cable technical field.The drag chain cable includes cable body, drag chain body, first elastic clamping component, second elastic clamping component and sliding rotary connection structure.A plurality of line clamps are fixed along the length direction of cable body, first clamping channel and second clamping channel are set in drag chain height direction staggered, so that the cable section between adjacent line clamps forms functional wave section that can be elastically unfolded and elastically reset.When drag chain cable is pulled or bent, functional wave section tends to be flat from wave shape, its unfolded amount provides length compensation, and generates elastic traction force;There is a force arm between the action line of elastic traction force and the matching position of sliding rotary connection structure, so that elastic traction force forms reverse moment to buffer the bending movement of drag chain.Thereby, the risk of local repeated bending, transient tension and core wire fracture of drag chain cable is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cable technology, and in particular to a bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments and its adjustment method. Background Technology

[0002] Drag chain cables are widely used in reciprocating motion equipment such as CNC machine tools, automated production lines, industrial robots, and logistics conveying equipment to guide and protect cables. Existing drag chain cables are typically formed by connecting multiple drag chain sections sequentially. The cable runs inside the drag chain and reciprocates as the chain bends and unfolds.

[0003] However, as industrial equipment increasingly demands high-speed, high-frequency reciprocating motion, traditional drag chain cables have the following shortcomings in these operating conditions:

[0004] (1) Localized repeated bending leads to cable damage: In high-frequency, short-distance reciprocating motion, the bending section of the cable chain is prone to frequent changes in a local area, causing the same section of cable to repeatedly enter and exit the bending state. Long-term operation can lead to sheath bending, conductor fatigue, or even core breakage, affecting cable life and equipment reliability.

[0005] (2) Excessive transient tensile peak: Due to the weight of the cable chain itself, the weight of the cable itself and the starting and stopping inertia of the moving parts, the cable may be subjected to a sudden increase in tensile force in the local area of ​​the bending part, which further aggravates the bending stress and fatigue risk of the cable.

[0006] (3) Friction and fretting wear: Traditional drag chain cables often rely on their own bending or slight slippage with the inner wall of the drag chain to adapt to micro-displacement. This causes the cable sheath to repeatedly contact the inner wall or partition of the drag chain section, resulting in fretting wear. Long-term operation will cause sheath wear and may lead to unstable cable position, increasing maintenance costs.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments and its adjustment method, so that the cable body can form a controllable waveform arrangement, cumulative length compensation and elastic buffer within the drag chain, thereby improving the bend resistance of the drag chain cable and extending its service life. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments and its adjustment method, so as to solve the problems of frequent disturbances in the bending part of the drag chain during high-frequency, short-distance reciprocating motion of existing drag chain cables, repeated bending of the cable in the same area, and the influence of transient tensile force generated by start-stop inertia and micro-friction of the inner wall of the drag chain, which lead to bending damage of the cable sheath, fatigue fracture of the conductor, and reduced service life.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments, comprising:

[0010] The cable body has multiple clamping plates fixedly installed at intervals along the length direction on its surface.

[0011] The cable chain body is formed by connecting multiple cable chain sections in sequence, and at least one first cable chain section and at least one second cable chain section constitute a unit cable chain. The cable body is laid in the cable chain body.

[0012] A first elastic clamping assembly is fixedly installed inside the first drag chain section. The first elastic clamping assembly includes a first elastic support base and a first elastic cover. A first clamping channel for clamping the wire clamping plate is formed between the first elastic support base and the first elastic cover.

[0013] The second elastic clamping assembly is fixedly installed inside the second drag chain section. The second elastic clamping assembly includes a second elastic support base and a second elastic cover. A second clamping channel for clamping the wire clamping plate is formed between the second elastic support base and the second elastic cover.

[0014] A sliding-rotating connection structure connects adjacent cable chain links, allowing the adjacent cable chain links to slide and rotate relative to each other. The sliding-rotating connection structure has a mating position for the relative sliding and relative rotation of the adjacent cable chain links.

[0015] The first clamping channel and the second clamping channel are staggered in the height direction of the drag chain body. At least one of the multiple first clamping channels forms a crest support section, and at least one of the multiple second clamping channels forms a trough support section. The cable body forms a wave-shaped arrangement after passing through the crest support section and the trough support section in sequence.

[0016] The cable segment between adjacent clamping plates forms a functional waveform segment that can be elastically deployed and elastically reset under the misalignment constraint of the crest support segment and the trough support segment. The first elastic clamping component and the second elastic clamping component are used to apply elastic clamping force to the clamping plate so that the functional waveform segment can tend to be straight from a wavy shape when the drag chain body is stretched or bent.

[0017] The expansion of the functional waveform segment is used to provide length compensation. When the functional waveform segment tends to be straight, it generates elastic traction force. There is a lever arm between the line of action of the elastic traction force and the mating position, so that the elastic traction force forms a reverse torque relative to the mating position, so as to buffer the bending movement of the cable chain body before the adjacent cable chain section reaches the limit bending angle.

[0018] Preferably, both the first and second cable chain links are snapped with cover plates. The first elastic support, the second elastic support, the first elastic cover, and the second elastic cover each include a clamping part and an elastic sheet part. The clamping part is used to clamp the cable clamping plate. The elastic sheet parts of the first and second elastic support are respectively fixedly connected to the inner walls of the corresponding first and second cable chain links. The elastic sheet parts of the first and second elastic covers are respectively fixedly connected to the inner walls of the corresponding cover plates.

[0019] Preferably, the clamping plate is configured with multiple replaceable specifications, and the clamping plates of different specifications have different thicknesses and / or different clamping groove sizes. The clamping grooves are used to adapt to cable bodies with different outer diameters, and the thickness of the clamping plate is used to adjust the compression amount of the first elastic clamping component and / or the second elastic clamping component.

[0020] Preferably, the crest support section is formed by one or more of the first clamping channels, and the trough support section is formed by one or more of the second clamping channels. When the outer diameter or bending stiffness of the cable body is large, the number of clamping channels constituting the crest support section and / or the trough support section is increased to increase the waveform pitch of the functional waveform segment and reduce the waveform amplitude.

[0021] Preferably, the sliding rotation connection structure includes a waist-shaped groove and a connecting shaft disposed at both ends of the cable chain link. The connecting shaft of one cable chain link mates with the waist-shaped groove of the adjacent cable chain link. The mating positions of the waist-shaped groove and the connecting shaft constitute the mating positions for relative sliding and relative rotation of the adjacent cable chain links.

[0022] Preferably, the mating position of the waist-shaped groove and the connecting shaft is located near the inner side of the bend of the cable chain body, and the functional waveform segment is located on the side away from the inner side of the bend of the cable chain at the mating position, so that the elastic traction force generated when the functional waveform segment tends to be straight forms a lever arm relative to the mating position.

[0023] Preferably, the connecting shaft can slide along the waist-shaped groove, so that adjacent cable chain sections slide relative to each other when the cable chain body is subjected to a small distance of pulling; the multiple functional waveform segments can gradually become straight as the adjacent cable chain sections slide relative to each other, and the expansion of the multiple functional waveform segments accumulates to form length compensation, so as to reduce the transient tensile force and local bending stress of the cable body.

[0024] Preferably, the cable chain link is provided with a limiting pin and a limiting window. The limiting pin is inserted into the limiting window of the adjacent cable chain link. The limiting window has a limiting stroke for the movement of the limiting pin. When the limiting pin moves to the end of the limiting window, it forms a mechanical limiting state to limit the extreme bending angle between adjacent cable chain links. When the cable chain body is in a normal bending state, the limiting pin is located at the non-end position of the limiting window, and the bent part of the cable chain body is held in shape by the elastic traction force of the functional waveform segment.

[0025] The present invention also provides an adjustment method for a bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments. The method selects the specifications of the clamping plate, determines the number of the first drag chain section and the second drag chain section, and the number of clamping channels included in the crest support section and the trough support section according to the outer diameter and / or bending stiffness of the cable body, thereby adjusting the waveform amplitude, waveform pitch, elastic traction force and bending radius of the drag chain bending section of the cable body.

[0026] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0027] 1. This invention, through the cooperation of clamping plates, a first elastic clamping component, and a second elastic clamping component, and by the staggered arrangement of the first and second clamping channels in the height direction of the cable chain, constructs a controlled waveform segment between adjacent clamping plates. This waveform segment is not a free and relaxed state of the cable within the cable chain, but rather a functional segment that can be elastically unfolded and elastically reset under the constraint of elastic clamping force. When the cable chain body is subjected to high-frequency, short-distance pulling or bending, the waveform segment can gradually flatten from a wavy shape, and the cumulative waveform unfolding forms length compensation, thereby reducing the repeated bending of the cable in the same area caused by frequent disturbances in the bending part of the cable chain, and reducing the risk of cable sheath bending damage and core wire fatigue fracture.

[0028] 2. This invention uses the thickness of the clamping plate, the size of the clamping groove, the number of first clamping channels in the crest support section, and the number of second clamping channels in the trough support section as adjustment factors for cable waveform parameters. For cables with larger outer diameters or greater bending stiffness, the thickness of the clamping plate, the size of the clamping groove, and / or the number of clamping channels in the same crest support section and the same trough support section can be increased to create a smooth waveform with a larger pitch and smaller amplitude, preventing stiff cables from being forced into sharp bends under short pitch conditions. Therefore, this invention does not simply rely on the cable chain itself to fix the bending radius to protect the cable, but rather allows the cable waveform amplitude, waveform pitch, and elastic clamping compression to be adapted to the cable's outer diameter or bending stiffness.

[0029] 3. This invention enables the elastic traction force generated when the cable body transitions from a wavy shape to a straight shape to be transmitted to the cable chain link through the first and / or second elastic clamping components, forming a reverse torque relative to the sliding rotation connection structure. This reverse torque can pre-buffer the bending motion of the cable chain body before adjacent cable chain links enter the mechanical limit position, allowing the bent portion of the cable chain body to be flexibly shaped primarily by the combined action of the cable waveform unfolding, the compression of the elastic clamping components, and the cable's elastic traction force. Therefore, the cable chain body not only has a limit bending radius determined by the mechanical limit structure, but also can form a flexible bending radius that adaptively changes with the cable body's outer diameter, bending stiffness, and waveform parameters before reaching the mechanical limit state. This expands the adaptable radius range of the cable chain's bending portion, preventing cables of different specifications from being forced to bend sharply according to the same mechanical limit radius, reducing the risk of sheath bending damage and core wire breakage.

[0030] 4. In this invention, the deformation of the cable body is mainly manifested as the unfolding and resetting of the waveform segments between adjacent clamping plates, and the elastic compression of the first and second elastic clamping components along the height direction of the cable chain, rather than relying primarily on the cable body sliding along the axial direction of the cable chain to adapt to small displacement changes. Therefore, the micro-slip friction between the cable sheath and the inner wall of the cable chain section in traditional cable chains can be transformed into controllable unfolding of the waveform segments, elastic deformation of the elastic clamping components, and relative displacement of the sliding rotation connection structure. This reduces the relative sliding and contact wear between the cable body and the inner wall of the cable chain section, improving the operational stability and bending life of the cable chain under high-frequency reciprocating conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the bend-resistant drag chain cable provided by the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of the bend-resistant drag chain cable provided by the present invention.

[0033] Figure 3 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the first and second cable chain sections provided for this invention.

[0034] Figure 4 This is an exploded structural diagram of the first cable chain section provided by the present invention.

[0035] Figure 5 This is an exploded structural diagram of the second drag chain section provided by the present invention.

[0036] Figure 6 This is an exploded cross-sectional view of the bend-resistant drag chain cable provided by the present invention.

[0037] Figure 7 This is a front view structural diagram of the bend-resistant drag chain cable provided by the present invention.

[0038] Figure 8 This is a front view structural diagram of the bending section of the bend-resistant drag chain cable provided by the present invention.

[0039] In the picture:

[0040] 100. Drag chain body;

[0041] 200, First cable chain link; 201, First elastic support seat; 202, First elastic cover; 203, Clamping part; 204, Elastic plate part; 230, Cover plate;

[0042] 300. Second cable chain link; 301. Second elastic support seat; 302. Second elastic cover;

[0043] 400. Cable body; 401. Cable clamp;

[0044] 501. Waist-shaped groove; 502. Connecting shaft; 503. Limiting pin; 504. Limiting window;

[0045] Where F: elastic traction force; R1: flexible bending radius; R2: mechanical limiting bending radius. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0047] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0048] Example 1:

[0049] Reference Figures 1 to 8 A bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments includes a cable body 400, a drag chain body 100, a first elastic clamping assembly, a second elastic clamping assembly, and a sliding rotation connection structure.

[0050] The cable chain body 100 is formed by sequentially connecting multiple cable chain sections. At least one first cable chain section 200 and at least one second cable chain section 300 constitute a unit cable chain. Multiple unit cable chains are sequentially connected along the length direction of the cable chain body 100, thereby forming a cable chain structure that can bend and unfold with the moving parts of the equipment. The cable body 400 is laid inside the cable chain body 100. Multiple clamping plates 401 are fixedly installed at intervals along the length direction on the surface of the cable body 400. The clamping plates 401 can be fixed to the surface of the cable body 400 by means of snap-fit, crimping, screw clamping, etc. The clamping plates 401 are used to cooperate with the first elastic clamping component or the second elastic clamping component, so that the cable body 400 is kept in a controlled position within the cable chain body 100.

[0051] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 A first elastic clamping assembly is fixedly installed within a first cable chain section 200. The first elastic clamping assembly includes a first elastic support base 201 and a first elastic cover 202, with a first clamping channel for clamping the cable clamping plate 401 formed between the first elastic support base 201 and the first elastic cover 202. A second elastic clamping assembly is fixedly installed within a second cable chain section 300. The second elastic clamping assembly includes a second elastic support base 301 and a second elastic cover 302, with a second clamping channel for clamping the cable clamping plate 401 formed between the second elastic support base 301 and the second elastic cover 302.

[0052] Specifically, such as Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, both the first cable chain link 200 and the second cable chain link 300 are snapped with cover plates 230. The first elastic support 201, the second elastic support 301, the first elastic cover 202, and the second elastic cover 302 each include a clamping part 203 and an elastic sheet part 204. The clamping part 203 is used to clamp the cable clamping plate 401. The elastic sheet parts 204 of the first elastic support 201 and the second elastic support 301 are respectively fixedly connected to the inner walls of the corresponding first cable chain link 200 and the second cable chain link 300. The elastic sheet parts 204 of the first elastic cover 202 and the second elastic cover 302 are respectively fixedly connected to the inner walls of the corresponding cover plates 230.

[0053] During the specific installation, such as Figure 2 , Figure 6As shown, the cover plate 230 can be removed first, so that the first cable chain section 200 and the second cable chain section 300 form a groove-shaped structure with one side open; then, the cable body 400 with the clamping plate 401 installed is laid into the cable chain body 100, and the clamping plate 401 is placed on the first elastic support 201 or the second elastic support 301 respectively; finally, the cover plate 230 is snapped onto the corresponding cable chain section, so that the first elastic cover 202 or the second elastic cover 302 is pressed against the clamping plate 401 along with the cover plate 230. Thus, the clamping plate 401 is elastically clamped by the first elastic support 201 and the first elastic cover 202, or the second elastic support 301 and the second elastic cover 302.

[0054] Reference Figure 6 The first clamping channel and the second clamping channel are staggered in the height direction of the cable chain body 100. At least one of the multiple first clamping channels forms a crest support section, and at least one of the multiple second clamping channels forms a trough support section. The cable body 400 forms a wave-shaped arrangement after passing through the crest support section and the trough support section in sequence.

[0055] It should be noted that this invention does not alter the material properties of the cable body 400 to make it an elastic element. Instead, multiple clamping plates 401 are fixed at intervals along the length of the cable body 400, and the clamping plates 401 are elastically clamped by a first elastic clamping component and a second elastic clamping component. This allows the cable segments between adjacent clamping plates 401 to form controlled waveform segments under the misalignment constraint of crest support segments and trough support segments. When the cable chain body 100 is stretched or bent, this controlled waveform segment can tend to straighten from a wavy shape, and after the tension is released, it returns to a wavy state due to the rebound force of the cable body 400 itself and the elastic action of the first and second elastic clamping components. Thus, the cable segments between adjacent clamping plates 401 form functional waveform segments that can be elastically deployed and elastically reset. These functional waveform segments are distinct from the freely bending segments of the cable within the cable chain, and their crest and trough positions are jointly defined by the clamping plates 401 and the elastic clamping components.

[0056] When the cable chain body 100 is subjected to a small-distance pull, multiple functional waveform segments gradually flatten out, and the cumulative expansion of these segments forms length compensation. This length compensation is not obtained by the axial sliding of the cable body 400 relative to the inner wall of the cable chain section, but mainly by the waveform expansion of the cable segments between adjacent clamping plates 401, thereby reducing the transient tensile force and localized repeated bending stress borne by the cable body 400.

[0057] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 8A sliding-rotating connection structure connects adjacent cable chain sections, allowing them to slide and rotate relative to each other. The sliding-rotating connection structure includes oblong grooves 501 and connecting shafts 502 at both ends of the cable chain sections. The connecting shaft 502 of one cable chain section engages with the oblong groove 501 of the adjacent cable chain section. The connecting shaft 502 can slide within the oblong groove 501, while adjacent cable chain sections can rotate relative to each other around the connecting shaft 502. This gives the cable chain body 100 both bending follow-up capability and small-distance tensile compensation capability.

[0058] refer to Figure 6 , Figure 8 The mating position of the waist-shaped groove 501 and the connecting shaft 502 constitutes a mating position for relative sliding and relative rotation of adjacent cable chain sections. This mating position is located near the inner side of the cable chain body 100's bend, and the functional waveform segment is located on the side away from the inner side of the cable chain's bend at this mating position. Thus, the line of action of the elastic traction force generated when the functional waveform segment's wave shape tends to straighten has a lever arm e between it and the mating position. After the elastic traction force F is transmitted to the cable chain section through the first elastic clamping assembly and / or the second elastic clamping assembly, it can generate a reverse torque M=F·e relative to the mating position. This reverse torque is used to resist the cable chain body 100 from continuing to bend in the mechanical limiting direction and can pre-buffer the bending movement of the cable chain body 100 before the adjacent cable chain section enters the mechanical limiting position.

[0059] Reference Figure 8 The cable chain link is provided with a limiting pin 503 and a limiting window 504. The limiting pin 503 is inserted into the limiting window 504 of the adjacent cable chain link. The limiting window 504 has a limiting stroke for the movement of the limiting pin 503. When the limiting pin 503 moves to the end of the limiting window 504, it forms a mechanical limiting state to limit the extreme bending angle between adjacent cable chain links. When the cable chain body 100 is in a normal bending state, the limiting pin 503 is located at the non-end position of the limiting window 504, and the bent part of the cable chain body 100 is held in shape by the elastic traction force of the functional waveform segment.

[0060] Therefore, in this embodiment, the cable chain body 100 not only has a limit bending radius determined by the mechanical limiting structure, but can also form a flexible bending segment before reaching the mechanical limiting state, through the combined action of the waveform unfolding of the cable body 400, the compression of the elastic clamping component, and the elastic traction force of the cable body 400. The bending radius of this flexible bending segment can vary with the outer diameter, bending stiffness, waveform amplitude, and waveform pitch of the cable body 400, thus enabling the cable chain body 100 to not only have a mechanically limited bending radius (such as...) Figure 8 In addition to (as shown in R2), it also has a flexible bending radius that varies with cable specifications and elasticity (e.g., Figure 8 (As shown in R1).

[0061] Therefore, in this embodiment, the mechanical limiting structure is mainly used for safety protection under extreme bending conditions. During normal bending, the bent portion of the cable chain body 100 is preferentially flexibly formed and pre-buffered by the unfolding and resetting of the functional waveform segment, the elastic traction force of the cable body 400, and the elastic action of the first and second elastic clamping components. This can reduce the impact, wear, and noise caused by the direct impact of the cable chain section on the mechanical limiting, and also reduce the risk of sheath bending damage and core wire breakage caused by the forced sharp bending of the cable body 400 by the mechanical limiting.

[0062] It is worth mentioning that during the bending and short-distance reciprocating motion of the cable body 400 in the drag chain body 100, the deformation of the cable body 400 is mainly manifested as the unfolding and resetting of the waveform segments between adjacent clamping plates 401, and the elastic compression of the first and second elastic clamping components along the height direction of the drag chain, rather than mainly relying on the sliding of the cable body 400 along the axial direction of the drag chain. Therefore, the relative sliding between the cable body 400 and the inner wall of the drag chain section is reduced, and the cable body 400 can maintain a distance or reduce contact with the inner wall of the drag chain section, thereby reducing the wear of the cable sheath.

[0063] Example 2:

[0064] This embodiment, based on Embodiment 1, provides an adaptation description for cable bodies 400 with different outer diameters or different bending stiffnesses.

[0065] The clamping plate 401 is configured with multiple replaceable specifications. The clamping plates 401 of different specifications have different thicknesses and / or different clamping groove sizes. The clamping grooves are used to adapt to cable bodies 400 with different outer diameters. The thickness of the clamping plate 401 is used to adjust the compression amount of the first elastic clamping component and / or the second elastic clamping component.

[0066] refer to Figure 6 For cable bodies 400 with small outer diameters or low bending stiffness, clamping plates 401 with smaller thicknesses or smaller clamping groove sizes can be selected, resulting in smaller compression of the first elastic support 201, second elastic support 301, first elastic cover 202, and second elastic cover 302. In this case, the cable segments between adjacent clamping plates 401 can form relatively large waveform amplitudes and relatively small waveform pitches, thereby providing sufficient unfolding allowance when the cable chain body 100 is subjected to short-distance pulling.

[0067] For cable bodies 400 with larger outer diameters or greater bending stiffness, a clamping plate 401 with greater thickness or larger clamping groove size can be used. With the increased thickness of the clamping plate 401 and / or the increased size of the clamping groove, the first elastic support 201, the second elastic support 301, the first elastic cover 202, and / or the second elastic cover 302 can automatically adapt to the dimensional changes of the clamping plate 401 and the cable body 400 through elastic compression, resulting in a smaller and smoother waveform in the cable body 400. This prevents thicker or stiffer cable bodies 400 from being forced into sharp bends under shorter pitch conditions.

[0068] Furthermore, the crest support section can be formed by one or more first clamping channels, and the trough support section can be formed by one or more second clamping channels. When the outer diameter or bending stiffness of the cable body 400 is large, the number of clamping channels constituting the crest support section and / or trough support section can be increased to increase the waveform pitch of the functional waveform segment of the cable body 400 and reduce the waveform amplitude. For example, as Figure 7 As shown, the unit cable chain consists of two first cable chain sections 200 and two second cable chain sections 300. A crest support section can be formed by two continuously distributed first clamping channels, and a trough support section can be formed by two continuously distributed second clamping channels.

[0069] In the above manner, the thickness of the clamping plate 401, the size of the clamping groove, the number of the first clamping channels constituting the crest support section and the number of the second clamping channels constituting the trough support section, together determine the corresponding compression amount of the first elastic clamping component and the second elastic clamping component, and further affect the waveform amplitude, waveform pitch, elastic traction force of the cable body 400 and the flexible bending radius of the curved part of the drag chain body 100.

[0070] Therefore, in this embodiment, cable bodies 400 of different specifications are not forced to bend according to the same mechanical limit bending radius. Instead, they can form different functional waveform segments by using different clamping plates 401 and different numbers of crest and trough support segments. This allows the bending part of the drag chain body 100 to further form a flexible bending radius range that is compatible with the outer diameter and / or bending stiffness of the cable body 400, outside of the mechanical limit bending radius.

[0071] Specifically, when the outer diameter of the cable body 400 is large or the bending stiffness is large, the waveform pitch increases and the waveform amplitude decreases. The elastic traction force and reverse torque generated when the cable body 400 tends to straighten from a wavy shape can enable the bending part of the drag chain body 100 to form a relatively large flexible bending radius, thereby avoiding the forced sharp bending of the thick and stiff cable. When the outer diameter of the cable body 400 is small or the bending stiffness is small, the cable body 400 can form a relatively small flexible bending radius, while still providing length compensation through the waveform unfolding amount.

[0072] Therefore, this embodiment enables the cable chain body 100 to not only limit the extreme bending angle through the limiting pin 503 and the limiting window 504, but also to form a flexible bending radius that varies with the cable specifications through the waveform parameters and elastic traction state of the cable body 400, thereby expanding the adaptable radius range of the bending part of the cable chain body 100.

[0073] Example 3:

[0074] This embodiment provides an adjustment method for a bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments, which can be implemented based on the bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments described in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2.

[0075] In this embodiment, a parameter manual can be pre-established, which can be obtained through experimental calibration and theoretical calculation. The parameter manual records the correspondence between the outer diameter, bending stiffness, and / or minimum allowable bending radius of the cable body 400, and the thickness of the clamping plate 401, the size of the clamping groove, the number of first clamping channels included in the crest support section, and the number of second clamping channels included in the trough support section. During adjustment, the parameter manual is consulted based on the outer diameter, bending stiffness, and / or minimum allowable bending radius of the cable body 400 to be installed, in order to determine the specifications of the clamping plate 401 and the configuration of the crest support section and the trough support section, so that the cable body 400 forms a matching waveform amplitude, waveform pitch, and flexible bending radius.

[0076] Specifically, based on the results of the parameter manual, select a clamping plate 401 with the corresponding thickness and / or the corresponding clamping groove size. For cable bodies 400 with smaller outer diameters or lower bending stiffness, a thinner clamping plate 401 or a smaller clamping groove size can be selected; for cable bodies 400 with larger outer diameters or higher bending stiffness, a thicker clamping plate 401 or a larger clamping groove size can be selected, so that the clamping plate 401 is compatible with the cable body 400.

[0077] Furthermore, based on the results of the parameter manual, the number of the first cable chain section 200 and the second cable chain section 300 are determined, and the first cable chain section 200 and the second cable chain section 300 are combined to form a unit cable chain, and multiple unit cable chains are combined to form the cable chain body 100. Simultaneously, the number of first clamping channels constituting the crest support section and the number of second clamping channels constituting the trough support section are determined. When the outer diameter or bending stiffness of the cable body 400 is large, the number of clamping channels constituting the same crest support section and / or the same trough support section is increased, so that the cable body 400 forms a larger waveform pitch and a smaller waveform amplitude.

[0078] Then, the cable chain body 100 is assembled according to the determined configuration of the first cable chain section 200, the second cable chain section 300, and the crest support section and trough support section. The cable body 400 with the clamping plates 401 installed is then laid inside the cable chain body 100, so that the clamping plates 401 enter the corresponding first clamping channel and second clamping channel respectively. After the cover plate 230 is installed, the first elastic clamping component and the second elastic clamping component apply elastic clamping force to the clamping plates 401 respectively, and generate corresponding compression amounts according to the thickness of the clamping plates 401, the size of the clamping groove, and the outer diameter of the cable body 400, so that the cable segment between adjacent clamping plates 401 forms a waveform amplitude and waveform pitch that matches the outer diameter and / or bending stiffness of the cable body 400. Thus, the cable segment between adjacent clamping plates 401 remains a functional waveform segment that can be elastically deployed and elastically reset.

[0079] refer to Figure 8 When the cable chain body 100 is subjected to tension or bending, the corresponding compression amount, as well as the waveform amplitude and waveform pitch of the cable body 400, generate a corresponding elastic traction force at the bending portion of the cable chain body 100. This elastic traction force forms a reverse torque relative to the sliding rotation connection structure and works together with the traction force on the cable chain body 100 to form a bending radius at the bending portion of the cable chain body 100 that is compatible with the outer diameter and / or bending stiffness of the cable body 400.

[0080] It should be noted that the bending radius is not simply determined by the mechanical limiting stroke of the limiting pin 503 and the limiting window 504, but rather is formed by the combined action of the expansion of the functional waveform segment, the compression of the elastic clamping component, the elastic traction force of the cable body 400, and the traction force on the drag chain body 100 before the mechanical limiting state is reached. Therefore, the drag chain body 100 can form a flexible bending radius that varies with the specifications and elastic state of the cable body 400, beyond the mechanically limited bending radius.

[0081] refer to Figure 7 During high-frequency, short-distance reciprocating motion, when the end of the cable chain body 100 is subjected to vertical or horizontal tension, the connecting shaft 502 can slide along the waist-shaped groove 501, while multiple functional waveform segments gradually become straight. The cumulative expansion of multiple functional waveform segments forms length compensation, thereby reducing the transient tension and local bending stress of the cable body 400. When the cable chain body 100 returns or the tension is released, the elastic recovery action of the first elastic clamping component, the second elastic clamping component, and the cable body 400 itself causes the cable body 400 to return from a nearly straight state to a wavy arrangement state.

[0082] This embodiment also includes an adjustment state judgment step. Specifically, a pressing force is applied to the suspended end of the cable chain body 100, and it is determined whether the suspended end undergoes elastic deformation, and whether the suspended end returns to its original state after the pressing force is released. The suspended end may include a curved section of the cable chain body 100 and an inclined section connected to the curved section.

[0083] When the suspended end undergoes elastic deformation under pressure and returns to its original state after the pressure is released, it indicates that the bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments is in a qualified adjustment state where it is kept bent by the elastic traction force of the cable body 400. At this time, the bent part of the drag chain body 100 does not rely mainly on the mechanical limiting structure for rigid shaping, and the functional waveform segments still have the ability to unfold and return to their original position.

[0084] When the suspended end fails to produce elastic deformation under pressure, or fails to return to its original state after the pressure is released, it indicates that the bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments may be in an unqualified state caused by extreme bending angle constraints or abnormal elastic traction. The extreme bending angle constraint refers to the position of the limit pin 503 at the end of the limit window 504. In this case, the drag chain body 100 can regain appropriate functional waveform segments, elastic traction force, and flexible bending radius by replacing the clamping plate 401, adjusting the number of clamping channels constituting the crest support segment and trough support segment, or checking the elasticity of the first and second elastic clamping components.

[0085] Working principle:

[0086] The bend-resistant drag chain cable of the present invention is staggered in the height direction of the drag chain body 100 through the first clamping channel and the second clamping channel, so that the cable body 400 forms a wave-shaped arrangement within the drag chain body 100. Since multiple clamping plates 401 are fixedly installed at intervals along the length direction on the surface of the cable body 400, the cable segments between adjacent clamping plates 401 form functional waveform segments that can be elastically deployed and elastically reset under the staggered constraint of the crest support section and the trough support section. The first elastic clamping assembly and the second elastic clamping assembly respectively apply elastic clamping force to the clamping plates 401, constraining the crest and trough positions of the functional waveform segments, while allowing the functional waveform segments to tend towards straightness from a wave shape when the drag chain body 100 is stretched or bent.

[0087] When the cable chain body 100 is subjected to high-frequency, short-distance tension, adjacent cable chain sections generate relative sliding and relative rotation through the sliding and rotating connection structure. The functional waveform segments gradually unfold accordingly. The unfolding amount of multiple functional waveform segments is accumulated to form length compensation, thereby reducing the repeated bending of the cable in the same area caused by frequent disturbances in the cable chain bending section, and reducing the transient tensile force and local bending stress borne by the cable body 400.

[0088] Simultaneously, the functional waveform segment generates elastic traction force as it flattens out from a wavy shape. The sliding-rotating connection structure has mating positions for relative sliding and relative rotation of adjacent cable chain sections. A lever arm exists between the line of action of the elastic traction force and these mating positions, causing the elastic traction force to generate a reverse torque relative to the mating positions. This reverse torque can pre-buffer the cable chain body 100's continued bending motion towards the mechanical limit before adjacent cable chain sections enter the mechanical limit state, thereby reducing the impact, wear, and noise caused by the cable chain sections directly colliding with the mechanical limit.

[0089] Therefore, this invention enables the curved portion of the cable chain body 100 to not only have a limit bending radius determined by the limiting pin 503 and the limiting window 504, but also to form a flexible bending radius before entering the mechanical limiting state, through the combined action of the expansion of the functional waveform segment, the compression of the elastic clamping component, the elastic traction force of the cable body 400, and the traction force applied to the cable chain body 100. This flexible bending radius can adaptively change with the outer diameter, bending stiffness, waveform amplitude, and waveform pitch of the cable body 400, thereby expanding the adaptable radius range of the curved portion of the cable chain body 100, reducing the risk of cables of different specifications being forced into sharp bends by the same mechanical limiting radius, and improving the bending life and operational stability of the cable body under high-frequency reciprocating conditions of the cable chain.

[0090] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments, characterized in that, include: The cable body (400) has multiple clamping plates (401) fixedly installed at intervals along the length direction on its surface. The cable chain body (100) is formed by connecting multiple cable chain sections in sequence. At least one first cable chain section (200) and at least one second cable chain section (300) form a unit cable chain. The cable body (400) is laid inside the cable chain body (100). The first elastic clamping assembly is fixedly installed inside the first drag chain section (200). The first elastic clamping assembly includes a first elastic support base (201) and a first elastic cover (202). A first clamping channel for clamping the wire clamping plate (401) is formed between the first elastic support base (201) and the first elastic cover (202). The second elastic clamping assembly is fixedly installed inside the second drag chain section (300). The second elastic clamping assembly includes a second elastic support base (301) and a second elastic cover (302). A second clamping channel for clamping the wire clamping plate (401) is formed between the second elastic support base (301) and the second elastic cover (302). A sliding-rotating connection structure connects adjacent cable chain links, allowing the adjacent cable chain links to slide and rotate relative to each other. The sliding-rotating connection structure has a mating position for the relative sliding and relative rotation of the adjacent cable chain links. The first clamping channel and the second clamping channel are staggered in the height direction of the drag chain body (100), at least one of the multiple first clamping channels forms a crest support section, at least one of the multiple second clamping channels forms a trough support section, and the cable body (400) forms a wave-shaped arrangement after passing through the crest support section and the trough support section in sequence. The cable segments between adjacent clamping plates (401) form functional waveform segments that can be elastically deployed and elastically reset under the misalignment constraint of the crest support segment and the trough support segment. The first elastic clamping component and the second elastic clamping component are used to apply elastic clamping force to the clamping plate (401) so that the functional waveform segments can tend to be straight from a wavy shape when the drag chain body (100) is stretched or bent. The expansion of the functional waveform segment is used to provide length compensation. When the functional waveform segment tends to be straight, it generates elastic traction force. The line of action of the elastic traction force has a lever arm between it and the mating position, so that the elastic traction force forms a reverse torque relative to the mating position, so as to buffer the bending movement of the cable chain body (100) before the adjacent cable chain section reaches the limit bending angle.

2. The bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first cable chain segment (200) and the second cable chain segment (300) are both snapped with cover plates (230). The first elastic support base (201), the second elastic support base (301), the first elastic cover (202) and the second elastic cover (302) each include a clamping part (203) and an elastic plate part (204). The clamping part (203) is used to clamp the clamping plate (401). The elastic plate parts (204) of the first elastic support base (201) and the second elastic support base (301) are fixedly connected to the inner walls of the corresponding first cable chain segment (200) and the second cable chain segment (300). The elastic plate parts (204) of the first elastic cover (202) and the second elastic cover (302) are fixedly connected to the inner walls of the corresponding cover plates (230).

3. The bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping plate (401) is configured with multiple replaceable specifications. The clamping plates (401) of different specifications have different thicknesses and / or different clamping groove sizes. The clamping grooves are used to adapt to cable bodies (400) with different outer diameters. The thickness of the clamping plate (401) is used to adjust the compression amount of the first elastic clamping component and / or the second elastic clamping component.

4. A bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments according to claim 1, characterized in that: The crest support section is formed by one or more of the first clamping channels, and the trough support section is formed by one or more of the second clamping channels. When the outer diameter or bending stiffness of the cable body (400) is large, the number of clamping channels constituting the crest support section and / or the trough support section is increased to increase the waveform pitch of the functional waveform segment and reduce the waveform amplitude.

5. A bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sliding rotation connection structure includes a waist-shaped groove (501) and a connecting shaft (502) disposed at both ends of the drag chain section. The connecting shaft (502) of one drag chain section cooperates with the waist-shaped groove (501) of the adjacent drag chain section. The cooperation position of the waist-shaped groove (501) and the connecting shaft (502) constitutes the cooperation position for relative sliding and relative rotation of the adjacent drag chain sections.

6. A bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments according to claim 5, characterized in that: The mating position of the waist-shaped groove (501) and the connecting shaft (502) is located near the inner side of the bend of the drag chain body (100). The functional waveform segment is located on the side away from the inner side of the bend of the drag chain at the mating position, so that the elastic traction force generated when the functional waveform segment tends to be straight forms a lever arm relative to the mating position.

7. A bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments according to claim 5, characterized in that: The connecting shaft (502) can slide along the waist-shaped groove (501), so that adjacent cable chain sections slide relative to each other when the cable chain body (100) is pulled a small distance. Multiple functional waveform segments can gradually become straight as adjacent cable chain sections slide relative to each other. The cumulative expansion of multiple functional waveform segments forms length compensation to reduce the transient tensile force and local bending stress of the cable body (400).

8. A bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable chain section is provided with a limiting pin (503) and a limiting window (504). The limiting pin (503) is inserted into the limiting window (504) of the adjacent cable chain section. The limiting window (504) has a limiting stroke for the movement of the limiting pin (503). When the limiting pin (503) moves to the end of the limiting window (504) within the limiting window (504), it forms a mechanical limiting state to limit the extreme bending angle between adjacent cable chain sections. When the cable chain body (100) is in a normal bending state, the limiting pin (503) is located at the non-end position of the limiting window (504). The bent part of the cable chain body (100) is held in shape by the elastic traction force of the functional waveform segment.

9. A method for adjusting a bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments, characterized in that, The bending-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments as described in any one of claims 1-8 comprises the following steps: S1. Select a clamping plate (401) with corresponding thickness and / or corresponding clamping groove size according to the outer diameter and / or bending stiffness of the cable body (400). S2. Based on the outer diameter and / or bending stiffness of the cable body (400), determine the number of the first drag chain section (200) and the second drag chain section (300), and form a unit drag chain from the first drag chain section (200) and the second drag chain section (300), and then form a drag chain body (100) from multiple unit drag chains. At the same time, determine the number of the first clamping channels constituting the crest support section and the number of the second clamping channels constituting the trough support section. S3. The cable body (400) with the clamping plate (401) installed is laid in the drag chain body (100), so that the clamping plate (401) enters the corresponding first clamping channel and second clamping channel respectively, and the first elastic clamping component and the second elastic clamping component apply elastic clamping force to the clamping plate (401), so that the first elastic clamping component and the second elastic clamping component generate corresponding compression according to the thickness of the clamping plate (401), the size of the clamping groove, the outer diameter of the cable body (400) and the number of clamping channels constituting the crest support section and the trough support section, and so that the cable segment between adjacent clamping plates (401) forms a waveform amplitude and waveform pitch that matches the outer diameter and / or bending stiffness of the cable body (400); S4. By using the corresponding compression amount and the waveform amplitude and waveform pitch of the cable segment between adjacent clamping plates (401), the cable body (400) generates a corresponding elastic traction force at the bending part of the drag chain body (100). The elastic traction force forms a reverse torque relative to the sliding rotation connection structure and works together with the traction force on the drag chain body (100) to form a bending radius that is compatible with the outer diameter and / or bending stiffness of the cable body (400).

10. The adjustment method for a bend-resistant drag chain cable with functional waveform segments according to claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes adjusting the state judgment step: Apply pressure to the suspended end of the cable chain body (100), determine whether the suspended end undergoes elastic deformation, and determine whether the suspended end returns to its original state after the pressure is released; when the suspended end undergoes elastic deformation under the pressure and returns to its original state after the pressure is released, it is determined that the bend-resistant cable chain with functional waveform segment is in a qualified adjustment state where it is bent and shaped by the elastic traction force of the cable body (400); when the suspended end cannot undergo elastic deformation under the pressure, or cannot return to its original state after the pressure is released, it is determined that the bend-resistant cable chain with functional waveform segment is in an unqualified adjustment state caused by the limit bending angle constraint or abnormal elastic traction.

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