Flexible robot cable with fire protection

Abstract

This utility model belongs to the field of robot cables and provides a flexible robot cable with fire resistance. It includes a cable core composed of several insulated cores stranded together with a filler layer. Each insulated core consists of a stranded conductor, an extruded fluororubber insulation layer, and a fire-resistant inner layer, arranged sequentially from the inside out. The cable core is further covered from the inside out with flame-retardant tape, a fire-resistant outer layer, a braided shielding layer, and an outer sheath layer. Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this utility model are that the double fire-resistant layer (inner / outer layer) design effectively improves the cable's safety and stability in a fire. Simultaneously, the use of high-temperature resistant fluororubber as the insulation layer further enhances the cable's flexibility and high-temperature resistance, ensuring stability during bending and torsion, and extending its service life.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of robot cables, specifically relating to a flexible robot cable with fire-resistant function. Background Technology

[0002] During the operation of industrial robots and automated equipment, especially in high temperature and high mechanical stress environments, ordinary cables often face problems such as aging, breakage, and insulation failure.

[0003] In high-temperature environments, conventional cable materials age faster, causing the insulation layer to become brittle and hardened, thus reducing the cable's flexibility and tensile strength. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can also cause conductor oxidation, increasing resistance and affecting electrical performance. Moreover, in extreme cases, conventional cables cannot provide necessary fire protection, causing the system to lose power and increasing safety risks. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the existing technology, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to propose a flexible robot cable with fireproof function that has a simple overall structure, a double fireproof structure, and improved safety in use.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is to propose a flexible robot cable with fireproof function, including: a cable core made up of several insulated wire cores twisted together by a filling layer, wherein each of the insulated wire cores is composed of a stranded conductor, an extruded fluororubber insulation layer and a fire-resistant inner layer arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside;

[0006] The cable core is covered from the inside out with flame-retardant wrapping tape, fire-resistant outer layer, braided shielding layer and outer sheath layer.

[0007] In the aforementioned flexible robot cable with fire-resistant function, the fire-resistant inner layer is made by wrapping at least two layers of mica tape around the extruded fluororubber insulation layer, with a wrapping overlap rate of more than 30% and a fire resistance temperature of more than 1000℃.

[0008] In the aforementioned flexible robot cable with fire-resistant function, the fire-resistant outer layer is made of ceramicized silicone rubber extruded.

[0009] In the aforementioned flexible robot cable with fire-resistant function, the stranded conductor is made of oxygen-free copper wires stranded together.

[0010] In the aforementioned flexible robot cable with fire-resistant function, the stranded conductor is stranded in a double-layer stranding manner, and the outer stranding direction is opposite to the inner stranding direction.

[0011] In the aforementioned flexible robot cable with fire-resistant function, the working temperature range of the extruded fluororubber insulation layer is -60℃ to +200℃, and the thickness range of the extruded fluororubber insulation layer is 0.5mm to 1.5mm.

[0012] In the aforementioned flexible robot cable with fire-resistant function, the filling layer is made of inorganic heat-absorbing filling material.

[0013] In the aforementioned flexible robot cable with fire-resistant function, the overlap rate of the flame-retardant wrapping tape is more than 50%.

[0014] In the aforementioned flexible robot cable with fire-resistant function, the braided shielding layer is made of tin-plated copper wire braided shielding, and the braiding density is above 90%.

[0015] In the aforementioned flexible robot cable with fire-resistant function, the outer sheath layer is made of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer material or polyetheretherketone material.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] (1) The flexible robot cable with fireproof function of this utility model has effectively improved the safety and stability of the cable in fire through the design of double fire-resistant layers (inner / outer layers). At the same time, the use of high-temperature resistant fluororubber as insulation layer further enhances the flexibility and high temperature resistance of the cable, so that the cable remains stable when bending and twisting, and extends its service life.

[0018] (2) The application of inorganic heat-absorbing filler materials not only improves the fire resistance of cables, but also enhances their mechanical strength and wear resistance, and extends their service life.

[0019] (3) The tin-plated copper wire braided shielding layer effectively prevents electromagnetic interference, ensures the stability and reliability of signal transmission, and improves the overall system performance. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is an overall structural view of this application.

[0021] In the diagram, 1 is the insulated conductor; 10 is the stranded conductor; 11 is the extruded fluororubber insulation layer; 12 is the fire-resistant inner layer; 2 is the filler layer; 3 is the flame-retardant wrapping tape; 4 is the fire-resistant outer layer; 5 is the braided shielding layer; and 6 is the outer sheath layer. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, which are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings to further illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0023] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention discloses a flexible robot cable with fireproof function, comprising: a cable core consisting of several insulated wire cores 1 twisted together by a filling layer 2, wherein each insulated wire core 1 is composed of a stranded conductor 10, an extruded fluororubber insulation layer 11 and a fire-resistant inner layer 12 arranged sequentially from the inside out; the cable core is covered sequentially from the inside out with flame-retardant wrapping tape 3, a fire-resistant outer layer 4, a braided shielding layer 5 and an outer sheath layer 6.

[0025] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, firstly, the core of each insulated conductor 1 is composed of stranded conductors 10. The stranding process increases the conductor's flexibility, making it more suitable for applications requiring frequent bending, such as robot joints. In this embodiment, a layer of fluororubber insulation material is wrapped around the stranded conductors 10. It should be noted that this (high-temperature resistant) fluororubber has excellent heat resistance, oil resistance, and chemical corrosion resistance, effectively protecting the conductor from the influence of the external environment. Moreover, by using high-temperature resistant fluororubber, its good insulation performance, flexibility, and high-temperature resistance ensure that the cable remains stable when bent and twisted. In addition to the extruded fluororubber insulation layer 11, a fire-resistant inner layer 12 made of fire-resistant material is added. The main function of this layer is to provide additional protection in high-temperature or fire conditions, preventing direct contact with flames and damage to the internal structure. In this embodiment, three insulated conductors 1 (this number is not limited to one type in this embodiment and can be adaptively adjusted according to the structural requirements of the cable) are stranded into a whole cable core through a filler layer 2. The presence of the filler layer 2 not only enhances the overall strength of the cable but also further improves its anti-interference ability. Finally, the various structures surrounding the cable core enhance the overall performance of the cable. In this embodiment, a fire-resistant outer layer 4 is added, providing additional fire protection to ensure the cable maintains its function even under extreme conditions. Therefore, this robotic cable, through its double fire-resistant layer (inner / outer layer) design, effectively improves the cable's safety and stability in a fire. Simultaneously, the use of high-temperature fluororubber as insulation ensures the cable remains stable under bending and torsion, making it ideal for applications requiring highly flexible movement and extending its service life.

[0026] The fire-resistant inner layer 12 is made by wrapping at least two layers of mica tape around the extruded fluororubber insulation layer 11, with an overlap rate of more than 30% and a fire resistance temperature of more than 1000℃.

[0027] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, at least two layers of mica tape are tightly wrapped around the (high-temperature resistant) fluororubber insulation layer using specialized equipment (not shown in the figure). It should be noted that mica tape is a material with excellent high-temperature resistance and fire resistance. By precisely controlling the wrapping process, the overlap rate between mica tapes is ensured to be no less than 30%. This means that each turn of mica tape overlaps with the previous turn by at least 30%, thus avoiding any possible weak points and enhancing the overall structural stability and protective capability. This ensures a continuous and effective protective barrier even under extreme high-temperature conditions. After wrapping, the cable needs to undergo a fire resistance test to ensure that it can maintain its integrity for a certain period of time in high-temperature environments above 1000℃, without short circuits or open circuits, effectively isolating flames and heat, and protecting the internal conductors from damage.

[0028] More preferably, such as Figure 1 As shown, the fire-resistant outer layer 4 in this embodiment is made of ceramicized silicone rubber extruded. In this process, ceramicized silicone rubber material needs to be prepared. This material has the softness and elasticity of ordinary silicone rubber at room temperature, but can transform into a hard ceramic-like substance under high temperature conditions, providing excellent fire resistance. Therefore, ceramicized silicone rubber can play a fire-resistant role in the event of a fire, and the material can be ablated into a shell to further block flames, improving the cable's power supply capacity in a fire. Specifically, the cable core (which already includes flame-retardant wrapping tape 3) is uniformly extruded with a layer of ceramicized silicone rubber using specialized extrusion equipment. This process requires precise control of the extrusion temperature and speed to ensure that the ceramicized silicone rubber layer has a consistent thickness and is defect-free. After extrusion, the cable undergoes a cooling and curing stage to allow the ceramicized silicone rubber to fully form and fix to the outside of the cable core. This step is crucial for ensuring the quality of the final product.

[0029] Preferably, such as Figure 1 As shown, the stranded conductor 10 in this embodiment is made of (high-purity) oxygen-free copper filaments. Oxygen-free copper possesses excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical properties (such as flexibility) due to its high purity and low oxygen content. In this process, oxygen-free copper is drawn into filaments. During this process, the diameter of the filaments needs to be strictly controlled to ensure the consistency and uniformity of the final stranded conductor 10. A specialized stranding machine (not shown in the figure) is used to strand multiple oxygen-free copper filaments according to a specific stranding pitch (i.e., the distance of each turn) and stranding direction. The choice of stranding pitch directly affects the flexibility and tensile strength of the cable. Generally, a shorter stranding pitch increases the cable's flexibility but may reduce its tensile strength; conversely, a longer stranding pitch also increases flexibility. Therefore, the structure of this embodiment can be optimized with stranding parameters according to actual application requirements.

[0030] More preferably, such as Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the stranded conductor 10 is double-stranded, and the outer stranding direction (i.e., the stranding direction of the conductor) is opposite to the inner stranding direction (i.e., the stranding direction of the filaments). This reverse stranding increases the internal friction and mutual constraint forces of the conductor, thereby improving the overall tensile strength and abrasion resistance of the cable. It is also this double-layer reverse stranding structure that significantly improves the cable's flexibility and bending performance. Due to the interaction between the inner and outer layers, it maintains a good shape even under frequent bending, making it particularly suitable for applications requiring high flexibility, such as robot cables.

[0031] More preferably, such as Figure 1 As shown, the insulation material in this embodiment is high-temperature resistant fluororubber, that is, the working temperature range of the extruded fluororubber insulation layer 11 is -60℃ to +200℃, which allows the cable to be used in extreme environments and maintain good electrical performance and mechanical strength under both extremely cold and hot conditions; and the insulation thickness can be preferably within the range of 0.5mm to 1.5mm according to the design requirements of the cable's rated voltage and mechanical strength, which not only provides sufficient electrical insulation protection, but also enhances the cable's physical protection ability and resists external mechanical damage.

[0032] More preferably, such as Figure 1 As shown, the filler layer 2 in this embodiment uses an inorganic heat-absorbing filler material. The inorganic heat-absorbing material consists of one or more of magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, hydrated potassium aluminum sulfate, and hydrated calcium sulfate. It is filled into the gaps between the cable cores to enhance fire resistance and mechanical strength. When heated to a certain degree, the inorganic heat-absorbing material releases water vapor. This water vapor release process absorbs heat, which itself has a cooling effect. Furthermore, the evaporation of water vapor continuously carries away heat, lowering the cable temperature. This improves the cable's fire resistance, enhances its continuous power supply capability during a fire, and extends the continuous power supply time during a fire.

[0033] More preferably, such as Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment also includes a layer of low-smoke halogen-free flame-retardant wrapping tape 3 wrapped around the cable core. The low-smoke halogen-free flame-retardant wrapping tape 3 itself possesses excellent flame-retardant properties, effectively delaying the spread of flames in the event of a fire, buying valuable time for firefighting and rescue, and reducing the risk of property damage and personal injury. Furthermore, the overlap rate of this flame-retardant wrapping tape 3 is not less than 50%, which not only provides excellent restraint for the cable core but also effectively binds the various parts of the cable core tightly together, enhancing the overall structural strength and stability of the cable, preventing the cable core from unraveling or shifting, and improving the cable's durability.

[0034] More preferably, such as Figure 1As shown, the braided shielding layer 5 in this embodiment uses tinned copper wire braided shielding. The shielding layer made of tinned copper wire not only provides excellent electromagnetic protection (providing electromagnetic interference protection), but also increases the overall mechanical strength of the cable, making it more durable and suitable for various complex working environments. The braiding density of over 90% enables the braided shielding layer 5 to effectively block external electromagnetic interference (EMI) and prevent the internal signals of the cable from radiating outward, protecting the integrity and stability of data transmission.

[0035] More preferably, such as Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the outer sheath layer 6 is made of high-temperature resistant and wear-resistant thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) or polyether ether ketone (PEEK) material. These materials have the characteristics of UV resistance, oil resistance, and chemical corrosion resistance, which helps the robot cable to be suitable for harsh industrial environments.

[0036] It should be noted that in this invention, the use of terms such as "first," "second," and "a" is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. The terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly specified. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0037] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0038] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to substitute them, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A flexible robot cable having a fireproof function, characterized by, include: A cable core is formed by stranding several insulated wire cores together with a filler layer, wherein each insulated wire core is composed of a stranded conductor, an extruded fluororubber insulation layer and a fire-resistant inner layer arranged sequentially from the inside out; The cable core is wrapped from the inside out with flame-retardant tape, fire-resistant outer layer, braided shielding layer and outer sheath layer. The refractory outer layer is made of ceramicized silicone rubber extrusion; the stranded conductor is made of oxygen-free copper wire stranded together; the stranding method of the stranded conductor is double stranding, and the stranding direction of the outer layer is opposite to that of the inner layer; the filling layer is made of inorganic heat-absorbing filling material; the outer sheath layer is made of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer material or polyetheretherketone material.

2. The flexible robot cable with fireproof function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fire-resistant inner layer is made by wrapping at least two layers of mica tape around the extruded fluororubber insulation layer, with an overlap rate of more than 30% and a fire-resistant temperature of more than 1000℃.

3. The flexible robot cable with fireproof function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The working temperature range of the extruded fluororubber insulation layer is -60℃ to +200℃, and the thickness range of the extruded fluororubber insulation layer is 0.5mm to 1.5mm.

4. The flexible robot cable with fireproof function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The overlap rate of the flame-retardant strap is more than 50%.

5. The flexible robot cable with fireproof function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The braided shielding layer is made of tin-plated copper wire and the braiding density is over 90%.

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