Cable duct with flex zone

Abstract

Arrangement (1) with a cable duct (2) into which at least one cable (10) with an electrical conductor is inserted, wherein the cable duct (2) has at least one flexible section (3) along its axial extent.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement with a cable duct into which at least one cable with an electrical conductor is inserted, according to the features of the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0002] Conventional cable ducts are rigid along their axial length and protect the cable or multiple cables inserted within them from external mechanical influences. There are also cable ducts that are flexible along their entire length and designed for flush-mounted installation of power cables in walls, but these are not discussed here.

[0003] The standard cable ducts, which are rigid over their length (see examples in the figures, at the bottom), have the disadvantage that they cannot be changed in their axial extent (length) (extended or shortened) or rotated around their own axis without tools or additional components, which severely limits their possible applications.

[0004] This state of the art is in Fig. 5. A known arrangement 12 has a rigid cable duct 13 extending in the axial direction. A cable (not shown in detail) is arranged in this cable duct 13, one end of which terminates in a connector 14.

[0005] The invention is therefore based on the object of improving an arrangement with a cable duct into which at least one cable with an electrical conductor is inserted, with regard to its application.

[0006] This problem is solved by the features of patent claim 1.

[0007] According to the invention, the cable duct has at least one flexible section (flex zone) along its axial extension. By means of this flexible section, it is advantageously possible to shorten or lengthen the cable duct as required and / or to rotate the two sections of the cable duct adjacent to the flexible section relative to each other. In particular, in the latter case, the position of at least two cables inserted in the cable duct can be adjusted in their axial direction relative to each other (for example, up to 180 0 ) can be twisted.

[0008] A casing (in the form of a housing) can be provided over the flexible section and beyond it in one direction, or preferably in both directions, to stiffen and / or support this flexible section. The casing can be manufactured as a plastic overmold.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the flexible section is rod-shaped or tubular, wherein the two ends of the cable duct adjacent to the flexible section are connected to one another by means of the rod or the tube.

[0010] Corresponding embodiments of the invention are shown in the figures and briefly explained in more detail. In the Fig. 1 to 4 an arrangement 1 according to the invention is shown.

[0011] The order according to Fig. 1 has a cable duct 2 which comprises a flexible section 3. A connecting element 4 is arranged within the flexible section 3. The connecting element 4 connects a front section 5 and a rear section 6 of the cable duct 2 in the region of the flexible section 3. The term “front section” means that part of the cable duct 2 is arranged at one end of the connecting element 4 and extends from this. Likewise, the term “rear” section means that another part of the cable duct 2 is arranged at the other end of the connecting element 4 and extends from this. The connecting element 4 thus lies within a respective end of the front section 5 or the rear section 6 and connects them in such a way that these two sections 5, 6 are connected to one another but are movable relative to one another.This movement is possible in the axial direction and / or rotationally relative to each other. It is determined by the geometric design of the connecting element 4, for example, as a thin rod or a thin tubular structure, but also by its choice of material. The connecting element 4 is preferably made of the same material as the two sections 5, 6 of the cable duct 2, but can also be made of a different material. In the latter case, the two sections 5, 6 can be manufactured from plastic together with the connecting element 4 using a two-component injection molding process.

[0012] Furthermore, Fig. 1 shows that a plug 7 is arranged at the end of the rear section 6 facing away from the connecting element 4. Instead of the plug 7, it is also possible for the cable located within the cable duct 2 to be led out of this end of the cable duct 2. In addition, in this Fig. 1 that the cable duct 2 can (but does not have to) have at least one limiting element 8 and / or at least one positioning element 9. These two elements 8, 9 are in the embodiment according to Fig. 1 are arranged on the rear section 6, but can additionally or alternatively also be provided on the front section 5. These elements 8, 9 enable the precise positioning of the cable duct 2 in a surrounding housing (if present) when inserted into this housing, or specify its final position in the housing.

[0013] In Fig. 2 it can be seen that the cable duct 2 according to Fig. 1 is equipped with cables 10. In this embodiment, two cables 10 are present. However, it is also conceivable to insert only one cable or more than two cables into the cable duct 2 with its flexible section 3 and to secure them there. It can be seen that the two cables 10 are twisted relative to one another in the region of the flexible section 3, in particular rotated by approximately or exactly 180° relative to one another. This can already be done during the assembly of the cable duct 2. For this purpose, the cable duct 2 has, in its front section 5 and also in its rear section 6, recesses (such as grooves) or bores or the like extending in the axial direction, into which the respective cable 10 can be inserted or passed through. In the embodiment according to Fig. 2 and when viewed it becomes clear that one cable 10 is arranged at the top in the front section 5 and at the bottom in the rear section 6. The second cable 10, in contrast, is arranged at the bottom in the front section 5 and correspondingly at the top in the rear section 6. By twisting the two sections 5, 6 relative to one another in one direction or the other, it is possible, together with the connecting element 4, to create the flexible section 3 of the cable duct 2. For this purpose, the connecting element 4 is designed and its material selected in such a way that it is possible to move the two sections 5, 6 towards or away from one another in the axial direction, so that the flexible section 3 becomes smaller or larger. This change in the flexible section 3 is thus realized, if necessary at all, by a linear movement or a rotational movement of the two sections 5, 6 relative to one another.It may also be possible to angle the two sections 5 and 6 towards each other.

[0014] The same applies to the embodiment according to Fig. 3. Here, it can be seen that one cable 10 is arranged in alignment and essentially or exactly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cable duct 2. The same applies to the second cable 10. Here, too, the two cables 10 (or more than two of these cables) are arranged in corresponding recesses (grooves) of the two sections 5, 6.

[0015] Was the cable duct 2 as in Fig. 3, it is possible to enable a twisting (a kind of twisting) of the cables 10 by relative rotation of the two sections 5, 6 to each other using the flexible section 3 according to the invention between these two sections 5, 6, which can then lead to a final state as shown in Fig. 2. Conversely, Fig. 2 represents the initial state and to align the two sections 5, 6 to each other (in the axial direction and / or in the direction of rotation and / or bending) a rotation takes place up to the final state, which is shown in Fig. 3 is shown.

[0016] In Fig. Finally, Figure 4 shows that a housing (sheath) is arranged partially or completely around the cable duct 2. This housing is according to Fig. 4 as a plastic overmolding 11. The cable duct 2 is thus inserted into the housing or surrounded by the plastic overmolding 11 after the two sections 5, 6 have been aligned in the intended direction (linear direction and / or rotational direction and / or angling). In this exemplary embodiment, too, a plug 7 is arranged at one end of the cable duct 2, namely at its rear section 6. Instead of the plug 7, one or more cables 10 can also be led out of this housing, in particular from the plastic overmolding 11. The housing and preferably the plastic overmolding 10 ensure that the two sections 5, 6 are fixed in the intended alignment with one another, thus stiffening the flexible section 3, so that it is no longer possible to change the position of the two sections 5, 6 relative to one another afterwards.

[0017] The at least one positioning element 9 according to Fig. 2 is designed for positioning with Poka-Yoke protection of the cable duct 2 in its housing, whereas the at least one positioning element 9 according to Fig. 2 is designed for positioning with poka-yoke protection of the cable duct 2 in its housing. The term poka-yoke refers to a multi-element principle that includes technical precautions or devices for immediate fault detection and prevention.

[0018] Finally, it should be mentioned that in the embodiments described in the Fig. 1 to 4, the two sections 5, 6 are always arranged in axial alignment with each other. It is of course also possible for the cable duct 2 to be bent or kinked around the flexible section 3. List of reference symbols 1 arrangement 2 cable ducts 3 Flexible section 4 Connecting element 5 Front section 6 Rear section 7 plugs 8 Boundary element 9 Positioning element 10 cables 11 Plastic overmolding 12 Arrangement 13 Cable duct 14 plugs

Claims

[1] Arrangement (1) with a cable duct (2) into which at least one cable (10) with an electrical conductor is inserted, characterized by that the cable duct (2) has at least one flexible section (3) along its axial extent. [2] Arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the flexible section (3) is formed by a rod- or tubular connecting element (4) which connects a front section (5) to a rear section (6) of the cable duct (2). [3] Arrangement (1) according to claim 2, characterized by that the front section (5) and / or the rear section (6) of the cable duct (2) has a recess for receiving the at least one cable (10), wherein the respective cable (10) is inserted into its associated recess. [4] Arrangement (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized bythat the front section (5) and / or the rear section (6) of the cable duct (2) has a passage for receiving the at least one cable (10), wherein the respective cable (10) is passed through its associated passage. [5] Arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cable duct (2) has at least one limiting element (8). [6] Arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cable duct (2) has at least one positioning element (9). [7] Arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cable duct (2) is inserted into a sheath. [8] Arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cable duct (2) is surrounded by a plastic overmoulding (11).

Images