Interlocking chain

Abstract

To provide an interlocking chain that has high load-bearing performance in the compression direction and can maximize the driving force per occupied space. [Solution] The device has a pair of chain members 101, 105 that can be driven freely back and forth and mesh with each other to form a single unit, and the total contact area of ​​the end faces that come into contact with the second outer plate 150 and second middle plate 160 when the first outer plate 110 and first middle plate 120 are meshed is equal to the total contact area of ​​the end face that comes into contact with the second inner plate 170 when the first inner plate 130 is meshed.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an interlocking chain having at least one pair of chain members that can move forward and backward, in which the pair of chain members mesh with each other and become one unit as they move in the forward direction, but when the chain members move from this integrated interlocking state in the backward direction, they disengage from each other and branch off. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, interlocking chains used in movable body movement devices, etc., have been known in which multiple pairs of chain members that can move forward and backward mesh with each other and become integrated as they move in the forward direction, but then branch off by disengaging from each other as they move from this integrated interlocking state in the backward direction. Furthermore, a known interlocking chain has high load-bearing capacity in the compression direction and increases the driving force per occupied space, in which the link plates of the first link group (outer link plates and intermediate plates: (outer plates and middle plates)) and the link plates of the second link group (inner link plates (inner plates)) are arranged in large numbers with no gaps in the width direction of the chain and are connected in a flexible manner (see Patent Document 1, etc.). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4662503 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The interlocking chain disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a drive structure in which plates and sprockets mesh together, so loads are transmitted between the plates, preventing loads from being applied to the pins. However, this chain does not take into consideration the possibility of both tensile and compressive loads occurring in chains like the one disclosed in this application, where driving force is applied via pins. While this chain has high load-bearing capacity in the compression direction, increasing the driving force per occupied space, the link plates of the first link group and the second link group are alternately arranged, which reduces the number of link plates in the non-guide rows. Therefore, while there is still some margin for load-bearing capacity between the link plates of the first link group, there is an upper limit to the load-bearing capacity between the link plates of the second link group.

[0005] The present invention aims to solve these problems and to provide an interlocking chain that has high load-bearing capacity in the compression direction and is capable of maximizing the driving force per occupied space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides an interlocking chain having at least a pair of chain members that can move back and forth, wherein the pair of chain members mesh with each other and become one unit as the pair of chain members move in a forward direction, and then disengage and branch off as the chain members move in a backward direction from this integrated meshed state, wherein the chain members are connected rotatably by connecting pins inserted through a plurality of link plates, each having a pair of pin holes aligned in the forward and backward movement direction, and arranged in series such that one pin hole of the pair of pin holes overlaps the other pin hole of the pair of pin holes of the other link plate adjacent in the forward and backward movement direction, and when one of the pair of chain members is designated as a first chain member and the other chain member is designated as a second chain member, the links of the first chain member and the second chain member The link plates have a pair of widthwise outer plates each having a pair of front and rear pin holes, a middle plate arranged between the pair of widthwise outer plates and having a pair of front and rear pin holes, and a plurality of inner plates each having a pair of front and rear pin holes, and the first chain member and the second chain member are alternately connected in the chain forward and backward movement direction by the connecting pins, with a first link group consisting of the outer plates and the middle plates and a second link group consisting of the inner plates, and the problem is solved by making the sum of the contact areas of the contact surfaces where the first link group of the first chain member and the first link group of the second chain member come into contact when meshed with each other equal to the sum of the contact areas of the contact surfaces where the second link group of the first chain member and the second link group of the second chain member come into contact when meshed with each other. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the invention of claim 1, the total contact area of ​​the end faces that come into contact with the second outer plate and second middle plate when the first outer plate and first middle plate are engaged is equal to the total contact area of ​​the end face that comes into contact with the second inner plate when the first inner plate is engaged, thereby making it possible to equalize the load-bearing capacity of the link plates in the first link group and the load-bearing capacity of the link plates in the second link group, thereby providing high load-bearing capacity in the compression direction and maximizing the driving force per occupied space.

[0008] According to the configuration of claim 2, it is possible to make the total contact area equal without changing the shape of the contacting end faces in a side view. According to the configuration described in claim 3, the first distance between a pair of pin holes in the first link plate is smaller than the second distance between a pair of pin holes in the second link plate, making it possible to move forward and backward along a curved movement trajectory with a predetermined curvature corresponding to the curved shape. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an interlocking chain according to an embodiment of the present invention when being unwound; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of FIG. 1 from another angle. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of FIG. 1 with some parts removed near the drive unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the drive unit shown in FIG. 1 with some components removed. [Figure 5] 10 is a perspective view of the state in which some of the link plates of the meshed interlocking chains have been removed, as viewed from the second chain member side. FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a perspective view of the state in which some of the link plates of the meshed interlocking chains have been removed, as viewed from the first chain member side. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the distance between the pin hole and the edge of the link plate. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the thickness of a link plate. [Figure 9]FIG. 1 is an exaggerated explanatory diagram showing bending deformation of interlocking chains.

[0010] Examples of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In this specification, the terms "advancing and retreating movement direction" and "width direction" refer to the direction in which the chain extends and the direction of the central axis of the connecting pin that is perpendicular to the extending direction, as shown in FIG. Furthermore, the term "front and rear" in this specification refers to the "front and rear" of the "direction of forward and backward movement." [Example]

[0011] An interlocking chain 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention and a movable body moving mechanism that moves a movable body using the interlocking chain 100 will be described with reference to the drawings. The movable body movement mechanism includes an interlocking chain 100 that can move back and forth along the direction of movement, a drive unit 200 that is fixedly arranged at the base end of the interlocking chain 100, and a movable body 108 that is connected to the tip end of the interlocking chain 100 via a joint link 107. The interlocking chain 100 has a pair of first chain member 101 and second chain member 105 that can interlock with each other. The interlocking chain 100 is configured such that the pair of chain members, the first chain member 101 and the second chain member 105, move in the forward direction to interlock with each other and become one unit, but when the first chain member 101 and the second chain member 105 move in the backward direction from this integrated interlocked state, they disengage from each other and branch off.

[0012] As shown in Figure 6, the first chain member 101 has a pair of widthwise first outer plates 110 each having a pair of front and rear pin holes, a first middle plate 120 arranged between the pair of widthwise first outer plates 110 and each having a pair of front and rear pin holes, and a plurality of first inner plates 130 each having a pair of front and rear pin holes, and the first link group consisting of the first outer plate 110 and the first middle plate 120 and the second link group consisting of the first inner plates 130 are connected by connecting pins 102 so that they can be alternately bent in the direction of chain forward and backward movement. The connecting pins 102 are provided so as to protrude on both sides in the width direction.

[0013] As shown in Figure 5, the second chain member 105 has a pair of second outer plates 150 in the width direction each having a pair of front and rear pin holes, a second middle plate 160 arranged between the pair of second outer plates 150 in the width direction and each having a pair of front and rear pin holes, and a plurality of second inner plates 170 each having a pair of front and rear pin holes, and the first link group consisting of the second outer plates 150 and the second middle plates 160 and the second link group consisting of the second inner plates 170 are connected by connecting pins 106 so that they can be bent alternately in the direction of chain forward and backward movement. The connecting pins 106 are provided so as to protrude on both sides in the width direction. 1 to 6, the first outer plate 110, first middle plate 120, and first inner plate 130 of the first chain member 101 and the second outer plate 150, second middle plate 160, and second inner plate 170 of the second chain member 105 are each configured by stacking two link plates to ensure the widthwise thickness of each meshing point between the first chain member 101 and the second chain member 105, with the two first middle plates 120 and second middle plates 160 and the three first inner plates 130 and second inner plates 170 being arranged alternately in the widthwise direction. Note that each link plate may be configured by stacking two or more plates, or may be configured by a single thick link plate.

[0014] The drive unit 200 has pin guides 240 arranged on both sides of the interlocking chain 100 and provided with guide grooves 241 for guiding the connecting pins 102, 106, a second guide 230 for guiding the edge of the second chain member 105 opposite the first chain member 101, a first guide 220 for guiding the edge of the first chain member 101 opposite the second chain member 105, and a drive sprocket 210 that engages with and drives the connecting pin 102. A drive sprocket 210, which can rotate in both forward and reverse directions, engages with the connecting pin 102 of the first chain member 101, and when the drive sprocket 210 is driven to rotate in both forward and reverse directions by a motor (not shown), the first chain member 101 and the second chain member 105 housed in a housing section (not shown) are guided by a guide groove 241 and meshed together to form a single meshed chain 100, which is then unwound; alternatively, when driven in the opposite direction, the first chain member 101 and the second chain member 105 are separated in the drive section 200 and housed in their respective housing sections, causing the movable body 108 to move in the forward and backward movement direction. The drive sprocket 210 is positioned to engage with the portions of the connecting pin 102 of the first chain member 101 that protrude from both ends in the width direction in the section where the first chain member 101 moves in a curved trajectory to engage with the second chain member 105.

[0015] As shown in Figure 3, a first distance P1 between a pair of pin holes in the first outer plate 110, the first middle plate 120, and the first inner plate 130 of the first chain member 101 is set to be smaller than a second distance P2 between a pair of pin holes in the second outer plate 150, the second middle plate 160, and the second inner plate 170 of the second chain member 105. As a result, when the first chain member 101 and the second chain member 105 are engaged with each other, the interlocking chain 100 assumes a curved shape toward the first chain member 101, making it possible to move the movable body 108 back and forth along the curved trajectory.

[0016] Also, as shown in FIG. 7, the distance W1 from the edge of the first outer plate 110 of the first chain member 101 on the side opposite to the second chain member 105 to the center of the pin hole is set to be larger than the distance W2 from the edge of the second outer plate 150 of the second chain member 105 on the side opposite to the first chain member 101 to the center of the pin hole. The relationship between the first middle plate 120, the first inner plate 130 and the second middle plate 160, the second inner plate 170 is the same. Even when a locally extremely large tensile force is generated near the end of the curved section as shown in FIG. 9, by improving the load-bearing performance of the first chain member 101 against the tensile force, damage to the first chain member 101 can be prevented even by large curvature or long extension.

[0017] Also, as shown in FIG. 8, the sum of the thicknesses Dg1, Dg4 of the first outer plate 110 of the guide row of the first chain member 101, the thicknesses Dg2, Dg3 of the first middle plate 120 is configured to be equal to the sum of the thicknesses Di, Di2, Di3 of the first inner plate 130 of the non-guide row. In this embodiment, it is configured such that Dg1 = Dg2 = Dg3 = Dg4 < Di1 = Di2 = Di3. The relationship between the thicknesses of the second outer plate 150, the second middle plate 160, and the second inner plate 170 of the second chain member 105 is the same. As a result, the total contact area of the contact surfaces where the first outer plate and the first middle plate contact the second outer plate and the second middle plate during meshing is equal to the total contact area of the contact surfaces where the first inner plate contacts the second inner plate during meshing, and the load-bearing performance between the link plates of the first link group of the inner chain member 101 and the second chain member 105 can be made equal to the load-bearing performance between the link plates of the second link group, enabling high load-bearing performance in the compression direction and maximizing the driving force per occupied space.

[0018] As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the first chain member 101 is formed so that when it meshes with the second chain member 105 and becomes one with it, the edge opposite the second chain member 105 forms a continuous arc in side view, and the second chain member 105 is formed so that when it meshes with the first chain member 101 and becomes one with it, the edge opposite the first chain member 101 forms a continuous arc in side view. This allows guide members or the like to be placed on the inside and outside of the curved shape so that they can always be in contact with and support the interlocking chain at a predetermined contact length, reducing the bending deformation of the interlocking chain 100 and suppressing the generation of extremely large localized tensile forces, thereby preventing damage to the link plates of the interlocking chain 100 even when the chain is bent significantly or pulled out for a long distance.

[0019] In conventional interlocking chains made up of link plates and connecting pins, the link plates and sprockets are driven by meshing together, so loads are transmitted between the link plates, preventing loads from being applied to the pins.In this application, the total contact area of ​​the contact surfaces where the first group of links of the first chain member and the first group of links of the second chain member come into contact when meshed is equal to the total contact area of ​​the contact surfaces where the second group of links of the first chain member and the second group of links of the second chain member come into contact when meshed, thereby preventing an increase in surface pressure that occurs when the contact area between the pins and link plates is narrow in interlocking chains where driving force is applied via the pins.

[0020] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration. In the above embodiment, the pitches of the first chain member 101 and the second chain member 105 are different, and when they mesh together they form a curved shape toward the first chain member 101. However, the pitches of the first chain member 101 and the second chain member 105 may be the same, and they may form a straight line when they mesh together. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the drive sprocket 210 is positioned to engage with the connecting pin 102 of the first chain member 101 in the section where the first chain member 101 moves in a curved trajectory to mesh with the second chain member 105, but the drive sprocket 210 may also be positioned to engage with the connecting pin 102 in the section where the first chain member 101 and the second chain member 105 are meshed. In addition, the drive sprocket 210 may be provided at two locations so as to engage with the connecting pin 106 of the second chain member 105 or to engage with both the first chain member 101 and the second chain member 105. [Explanation of symbols]

[0021] 100 ··· Interlocking chain 101, 501 First chain member 102 Connecting pin (of first chain member) 105, 505 Second chain member 106 Connecting pin (of second chain member) 107, 507 ··· Joint link 108, 508... Movable body 110 First outer plate 120 1st Middle Plate 130 First inner plate 150 2nd outer plate 160 ··· Second middle plate 170 Second inner plate 200, 600... Drive unit 210 Drive sprocket 220 ··· First Guide 230 ··· Second Guide 240 Pin guide 241 Guide groove

Claims

1. An interlocking chain has at least one pair of chain members that can move forward and backward, and the pair of chain members move in the forward direction to mesh with each other and become one unit, and when the chain members move in the backward direction from the integrated meshed state, they disengage from each other and branch off, The chain member is rotatably connected by connecting pins inserted into the pin holes in a state in which a plurality of link plates, each having a pair of pin holes aligned in the advancing / retreating direction, are arranged in series such that one of the pair of pin holes overlaps the other of the pair of pin holes of another link plate adjacent to the advancing / retreating direction, When one of the pair of chain members is a first chain member and the other chain member is a second chain member, The link plates of the first chain member and the second chain member each include a pair of outer plates in the width direction each having a pair of front and rear pin holes, a middle plate disposed between the pair of outer plates in the width direction each having a pair of front and rear pin holes, and a plurality of inner plates each having a pair of front and rear pin holes, The first chain member and the second chain member are configured such that a first link group consisting of the outer plates and the middle plates and a second link group consisting of the inner plates are alternately connected by the connecting pins in the chain forward / backward movement direction, An interlocking chain characterized in that the sum of the contact areas of the contact surfaces where the first link group of the first chain member and the first link group of the second chain member come into contact when meshed together is equal to the sum of the contact areas of the contact surfaces where the second link group of the first chain member and the second link group of the second chain member come into contact when meshed together.

2. 2. The interlocking chain according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the middle plate is different from the thickness of the inner plate.

3. 2. The interlocking chain according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the link plate in the first chain member is defined as a first link plate and the link plate in the second chain member is defined as a second link plate, a first distance between a pair of the pin holes in the first link plate is smaller than a second distance between a pair of the pin holes in the second link plate.

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