Cable feeder

Abstract

To provide a cable feeding device that can significantly improve the efficiency of cable feeding. [Solution] The present invention is a cable feeding device for feeding out a cable, comprising: a lower roller that supports the weight of the cable; a lower roller pivot support that pivotally supports the lower roller so as to be rotatable around an axis; a lower roller drive unit that drives the rotation of the lower roller; an upper roller that is positioned opposite the lower roller and configured to sandwich the cable between itself and the lower roller; an upper roller pivot support that pivotally supports the upper roller so as to be rotatable around an axis; an upper roller pivot support support that supports the upper roller pivot via an elastic mechanism; and a spacing adjustment mechanism that can adjust the spacing between the lower roller pivot and the upper roller pivot support.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cable feeding device for feeding out a cable.

Background Art

[0002] When feeding out a cable, by using a four-sided roller device in combination, it is possible to effectively prevent the cable from floating. The four-sided roller device is a device in which four rollers are arranged on the four sides of up, down, left, and right. Regarding the four-sided roller device, the applicant of this application has disclosed the invention of Patent Document 1 (an open / closed four-sided roller device).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The inventor of the present case has now found that by using the lower roller that supports the weight of the cable as a driving roller and elastically supporting the upper roller facing the lower roller, the feeding efficiency of the cable can be significantly improved.

[0005] The present invention was conceived based on the above findings. The object of the present invention is to provide a cable feeding device that can significantly improve the feeding efficiency of a cable.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention relates to a cable feeding device for feeding out a cable, characterized by comprising: a lower roller that supports the weight of the cable; a lower roller pivot that pivotally supports the lower roller so as to be rotatable around an axis; a lower roller drive unit that drives the rotation of the lower roller; an upper roller that is positioned opposite the lower roller and configured to sandwich the cable between itself and the lower roller; an upper roller pivot that pivotally supports the upper roller so as to be rotatable around an axis; an upper roller pivot support that supports the upper roller pivot via an elastic mechanism; and a spacing adjustment mechanism that can adjust the spacing between the lower roller pivot and the upper roller pivot support.

[0007] According to the present invention, the lower roller itself, which supports the weight of the cable, is driven by the lower roller drive unit, allowing the cable to be fed out efficiently. Furthermore, because the upper roller opposite the lower roller is supported via an elastic mechanism, excessive loads can be released in cases where the cable bounces up, while the contact between the cable and the lower roller is immediately restored. This also contributes to the efficient feeding of the cable.

[0008] Preferably, the elastic mechanism is a coil spring. This feature makes it easy to design the detailed specifications of the elastic mechanism and allows for low-cost implementation of the elastic mechanism.

[0009] In this case, it is even more preferable that the coil springs are positioned on both the left and right sides with respect to the assumed cable position. With this feature, since the coil springs act on both the left and right sides with respect to the assumed cable position, excessive loads can be more effectively relieved when the cable bounces up or the like occurs, and the return of the contact state between the cable and the lower roller can be achieved more effectively.

[0010] Furthermore, the upper roller shaft support portion consists of a pair of front and rear brackets, the spacing adjustment mechanism has a column portion extending upward from the lower roller shaft support portion, the pair of front and rear brackets are movable along the column portion and can clamp the column portion from the front and rear, and the spacing adjustment mechanism preferably further has an operating member for tightening and / or loosening the pair of front and rear brackets relative to each other. This feature makes it possible to stably adjust the spacing between the lower roller shaft support portion and the upper roller shaft support portion.

[0011] In this case, it is even more preferable that the column portion is positioned on both the left and right sides with respect to the assumed cable position. With this feature, the position of a pair of brackets is adjusted on both the left and right sides with respect to the assumed cable position, so that the distance between the lower roller shaft support portion and the upper roller shaft support portion can be adjusted more stably.

[0012] Alternatively, the spacing adjustment mechanism preferably comprises a column extending upward from the lower roller shaft support, a rack provided on the column, a rotating handle rotatably supported on the upper roller shaft support, and a pinion provided on the rotating handle that rotates while meshing with the rack. This feature also allows for stable adjustment of the spacing between the lower roller shaft support and the upper roller shaft support.

[0013] In this case, it is even more preferable that the column portions are arranged on both the left and right sides with respect to the assumed cable position, and that the rack and pinion are provided for each column portion. With this feature, the relative positions of the rack and pinion are adjusted on both the left and right sides with respect to the assumed cable position, so that the distance between the lower roller shaft support and the upper roller shaft support can be adjusted more stably.

[0014] Furthermore, in this case, it is preferable to provide a position adjustment stopper that can restrict the rotation of the pinion relative to the rack. This makes it possible to appropriately stop (lock) the function of adjusting the distance between the lower roller shaft support and the upper roller shaft support.

[0015] Furthermore, it is preferable that the cable feeding device according to the present invention further comprises a left-side roller and a right-side roller, which are arranged on at least one of the front and rear sides of the lower roller and the upper roller, and which extend vertically and are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. This makes it possible to obtain a stable cable guiding function as a so-called four-sided roller device.

[0016] Furthermore, it is preferable that the lower roller drive unit is built into the lower roller. This allows the cable feeding device to be configured more compactly. The lower roller drive unit consists of, for example, an electric motor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, the lower roller itself, which supports the weight of the cable, is driven by the lower roller drive unit, allowing the cable to be fed out efficiently. Furthermore, because the upper roller opposite the lower roller is supported via an elastic mechanism, excessive loads can be released in cases where the cable bounces up, while the contact between the cable and the lower roller is immediately restored. This also contributes to the efficient feeding of the cable. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a photograph corresponding to a perspective view of a cable feeding device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a photograph corresponding to the front view of the cable feeding device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3]Six views of the cable feeding device of FIG. 1, where (a) is a plan view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a right side view, (e) is a rear view, and (f) is a bottom view. [Figure 4] A view showing the operating state of the spring stopper of the cable feeding device of FIG. 1, where (a) is a partial cross-sectional front view, (b) is a cross-sectional side view at the center, and (c) is a cross-sectional side view at the pillar part. [Figure 5] A view showing the state during release of the spring stopper of the cable feeding device of FIG. 1, where (a) is a partial cross-sectional front view and (b) is a cross-sectional side view at the center. [Figure 6] A front view showing the open state of the cable feeding device of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] A photograph corresponding to the perspective view of the cable feeding device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] A photograph corresponding to the front view of the cable feeding device of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] Six views of the cable feeding device of FIG. 7, where (a) is a plan view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a right side view, (e) is a rear view, and (f) is a bottom view. [Figure 10] A view showing the operating state of the cable feeding device of FIG. 7, where (a) is a partial cross-sectional front view and (b) is a cross-sectional side view at the center. [Figure 11] A view showing the operating state of the ratchet mechanism of the cable feeding device of FIG. 7, where (a) is a cross-sectional side view in a state where upward movement is not possible and (b) is a cross-sectional side view in a state where downward movement is not possible. [Figure 12] A front view showing the open state of the cable feeding device of FIG. 7. [Figure 13] In the cable feeding device of FIG. 7, it is a partial cross-sectional front view showing the state where the cable is offset (a view corresponding to FIG. 10(a)). [Figure 14]Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional front view (corresponding to Figure 10(a)) showing the cable feeding device when a CVT cable (triplex) is fed out, with (a) showing the cable state at the minimum height and (b) showing the cable state at the maximum height. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0020] (Configuration of the first embodiment) Figure 1 is a photograph corresponding to a perspective view of the cable feeding device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a photograph corresponding to a front view of the cable feeding device 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 3 is a six-view drawing of the cable feeding device 1 according to this embodiment, where (a) is a top view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a right side view, (e) is a rear view, and (f) is a bottom view.

[0021] Furthermore, Figure 4 shows the operating state of the spring stopper 24 of the cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment, where (a) is a partial cross-sectional front view, (b) is a cross-sectional side view at the center, and (c) is a cross-sectional side view at the column. Figure 5 shows the released state of the spring stopper 24 of the cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment, where (a) is a partial cross-sectional front view and (b) is a cross-sectional side view at the center. Also, Figure 6 is a front view showing the open state (state for loading / unloading cables) of the cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment is a device that feeds out cable C, and is also called a power roller. Cable C has a diameter of approximately 20 mm to 60 mm and a weight of approximately 1 to 7 kg / m.

[0023] The cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a lower roller 11 that supports the weight of the cable C. The lower roller 11 is pivotally supported within the lower roller housing 12 by a lower roller pivot 13 (conceptually shown in Figure 2) that pivotally supports the lower roller 11 so that it can rotate around its axis.

[0024] In particular, as shown in Figure 2, the lower roller 11 is driven around its axis (around the lower roller shaft support 13) by an electric motor (an example of a lower roller drive unit) built inside the lower roller 11. This electric motor is connected to an AC power supply (outlet) via a terminal block box 14 and an inverter power supply.

[0025] The lower roller 11 has, for example, a diameter of 5 cm, an axial length of 27 cm, and a feed torque (rotational torque) of 1 Nm.

[0026] On the other hand, the upper roller 21 is positioned parallel to and opposite the lower roller 11. The upper roller 21 is configured to sandwich the cable C between itself and the lower roller 11.

[0027] The upper roller 21 has, for example, a diameter of φ3 cm and an axial length of 13 cm.

[0028] In particular, as shown in Figure 4(a), the upper roller 21 is pivotally supported by upper roller pivot supports 21a and 21b, which pivotally support the upper roller 21 so that it can rotate around its axis, and these upper roller pivot supports 21a and 21b are supported by the lower roller housing 22. The lower roller housing 12 is then supported by a pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 (an example of upper roller pivot support support parts) via a pair of left and right coil springs 41 and 42 (an example of an elastic mechanism).

[0029] The pair of left and right coil springs 41 and 42 are positioned on the left and right sides with respect to the assumed position of cable C. For example, the material is SWP-A, with a natural length of 35 mm, a compressed length of 16 mm, an inner diameter of φ13.2 mm, an outer diameter of φ16 mm, a winding diameter of φ1.4 mm, 8 turns, and a spring constant of 2.016 N / mm. The spacing between the pair of left and right coil springs 41 and 42 (distance between their central axes) is, for example, 180 mm.

[0030] In particular, as shown in Figure 4(a), the columnar sections 31 and 32 extend vertically upward from the lower roller shaft support section 13 (which houses the lower roller housing 12) so as to penetrate the inside of the coil springs 41 and 42. Each columnar section 31 and 32 also penetrates the lower roller housing 22 and extends between a pair of elongated plate-shaped brackets 43. The upper ends of each columnar section 31 and 32 are connected by an upper end plate 33.

[0031] In this embodiment, the columnar portions 31 and 32 function as an adjustable mechanism that can adjust the distance between the lower roller shaft support portion 13 (which is housed in the lower roller housing 12) and a pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 (an example of the upper roller shaft support portion). The columnar portions 31 and 32 are, for example, substantially cylindrical members with a diameter of about φ12 mm.

[0032] Specifically, the distance between the lower roller shaft support 13 (which is housed in the lower roller housing 12) and the pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 (an example of the upper roller shaft support) can be adjusted by manually adjusting the fixing positions of the front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 relative to the column portions 31 and 32.

[0033] In this embodiment, the fixing and unfixing of the pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 to the column portions 31 and 32 is achieved by rotating a knob 44 (an example of an operating member).

[0034] Specifically, when the knob 44 is rotated in one direction, the pair of elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 are tightened (brought closer together) to each other (while sandwiching the column portions 31 and 32), and when the knob 44 is rotated in the other direction, the pair of elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 are loosened (separated) to each other (while sandwiching the column portions 31 and 32), thereby achieving the fixing and unfixing of the pair of elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 to the column portions 31 and 32.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a spring stopper 24 is provided to prevent the upper roller shaft support portions 21a and 21b from approaching each other, thereby stopping the elastic function of the coil springs 41 and 42 between them.

[0036] The spring stopper 24 of this embodiment can be switched between an activated state (state in Figure 4) and a released state (state in Figure 5) by rotating the rotating lever 23. The spring stopper 24 of this embodiment is provided with an arc-shaped hole so as not to interfere with the shaft or threaded portion of the knob 44 (the shaft or threaded portion of the knob 44 passes through the arc-shaped hole).

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a left-side roller 51 and a right-side roller 52 are provided on the front side of the lower roller 11 and the upper roller 21, respectively, extending vertically and spaced apart by a predetermined distance.

[0038] Furthermore, behind the lower roller 11 and upper roller 21, a left-side roller 53 and a right-side roller 54 are provided, respectively, extending vertically and spaced apart by a predetermined distance.

[0039] The left-side rollers 51 and 53 and the right-side rollers 52 and 54 have, for example, a diameter of φ3 cm and an axial length of 13 cm. The spacing between the left-side rollers 51 and 53 and the right-side rollers 52 and 54 (the distance between their central axes) is, for example, 118 mm. The front-to-back spacing between the front and rear left-side rollers 51 and 53 (the same applies to the front-to-back spacing between the front and rear right-side rollers 52 and 54) is, for example, 106 mm.

[0040] In addition, when loading / unloading cable C, as shown in Figure 6, the connection between column 31 and lower roller housing 12 is disconnected, the connection between column 32 and lower roller housing 12 rotates, and the left rollers 51 and 53 tilt down.

[0041] (Effects of the first embodiment) According to the cable feeding device 1 of the first embodiment described above, the lower roller 11 that supports the weight of the cable C is driven by an electric motor (an example of a lower roller drive unit), so the cable C can be fed out efficiently. Furthermore, since the upper roller 21 facing the lower roller 11 is supported by a pair of left and right coil springs 41 and 42 (an example of an elastic mechanism), excessive load can be relieved in the event that the cable C bounces up, while the contact state between the cable C and the lower roller 11 is immediately restored. This also contributes to the efficient feeding of the cable C.

[0042] In particular, according to the cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment, coil springs 41 and 42 are used as the elastic mechanism. Therefore, the detailed specifications of the elastic mechanism can be easily designed, and the elastic mechanism can be implemented at a low cost.

[0043] Furthermore, according to the cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment, the coil springs 41 and 42 are positioned on the left and right sides with respect to the expected position of the cable C, and act on both the left and right sides. Therefore, excessive loads can be more effectively relieved when the cable C bounces up or the like, and the return of the contact state between the cable C and the lower roller 11 can be achieved more effectively.

[0044] Furthermore, according to the cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment, the upper roller shaft support portions 21a and 21b are supported by a pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 (an example of upper roller shaft support portion) via the upper roller housing 22 and coil springs 41 and 42. The pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 are movable along the column portions 31 and 32 and can clamp the column portions 31 and 32 from the front and rear. A knob 44 (an example of an operating member) is provided for tightening and / or loosening the pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 relative to each other. With this configuration, the fixing position of the pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 relative to the column portions 31 and 32 can be easily adjusted manually, and the distance between the lower roller shaft support portion 13 (which is housed in the lower roller housing 12) and the pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 (an example of upper roller shaft support portion) can be stably adjusted.

[0045] In particular, according to the cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment, the column portions 31 and 32 are arranged on the left and right sides with respect to the position of the assumed cable C, and the position of the pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 is adjusted on each of the left and right sides. As a result, the distance between the lower roller shaft support portion 13 (which is housed in the lower roller housing 12) and the pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 (an example of the upper roller shaft support portion) can be adjusted more stably.

[0046] Furthermore, according to the cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment, a spring stopper 24 is provided to prevent the upper roller shaft support portions 21a, 21b and a pair of front and rear elongated plate-shaped brackets 43 (an example of upper roller shaft support portion) from approaching each other, thereby stopping the elastic function of the coil springs 41, 42 between them. For this reason, by operating the spring stopper 24 when loading / unloading the cable C (see Figure 6), unnecessary deformation of the coil springs 41, 42 can be prevented, and the reduction in the lifespan of the coil springs 41, 42 can be suppressed.

[0047] Furthermore, according to the cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment, the left roller 51 and the right roller 52 are provided on the front side of the lower roller 11 and the upper roller 21, and the left roller 53 and the right roller 54 are provided on the rear side of the lower roller 11 and the upper roller 21. Therefore, a stable cable guiding function as a so-called four-sided roller device can be obtained.

[0048] Furthermore, according to the cable feeding device 1 of this embodiment, since the electric motor (an example of a lower roller drive unit) is built inside the lower roller 11, the cable feeding device 1 can be made more compact.

[0049] (Configuration of the second embodiment) Figure 7 is a photograph corresponding to a perspective view of the cable feeding device 101 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 8 is a photograph corresponding to a front view of the cable feeding device 101 according to this embodiment. Figure 9 is a six-view drawing of the cable feeding device 101 according to this embodiment, where (a) is a top view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a right side view, (e) is a rear view, and (f) is a bottom view.

[0050] Furthermore, Figure 10 shows the operating state of the cable feeding device 101 of this embodiment, where (a) is a partial cross-sectional front view and (b) is a cross-sectional side view at the center. Also, Figure 11 shows the operating state of the ratchet mechanism of the cable feeding device 101 of this embodiment, where (a) is a cross-sectional side view in the state where upward movement is not possible and (b) is a cross-sectional side view in the state where downward movement is not possible. Finally, Figure 12 is a front view showing the open state (state for loading / unloading cables) of the cable feeding device 101 of this embodiment.

[0051] As shown in Figures 7 to 12, the cable feeding device 101 of this embodiment is also a device (also called a power roller) that feeds out the cable C. In this embodiment as well, the cable C is, for example, about 20 mm to 60 mm in diameter and weighs about 1 to 7 kg / m.

[0052] The cable feeding device 101 of this embodiment also includes a lower roller 111 that supports the weight of the cable C. The lower roller 111 is supported within the lower roller housing 112 by a lower roller support 113 (conceptually shown in Figure 8) that pivotally supports the lower roller 111 so that it can rotate around its axis.

[0053] In particular, as shown in Figure 8, the lower roller 111 is driven around its axis (around the lower roller shaft support 113) by an electric motor (an example of a lower roller drive unit) built inside the lower roller 111. This electric motor is connected to an AC power supply (outlet) via a terminal block box 114 and an inverter power supply.

[0054] The lower roller 111 has, for example, a diameter of 5 cm, an axial length of 27 cm, and a feed torque (rotational torque) of 1 Nm.

[0055] On the other hand, the upper roller 121 is positioned parallel to and opposite the lower roller 111. The upper roller 121 is configured to sandwich the cable C between itself and the lower roller 111.

[0056] The upper roller 121 has, for example, a diameter of φ3 cm and an axial length of 13 cm.

[0057] In particular as shown in Figure 10(a), the upper roller 121 is pivotally supported by upper roller pivot supports 121a and 121b, which pivotally support the upper roller 121 so that it can rotate around its axis, and these upper roller pivot supports 121a and 121b are supported by a support plate 122. Furthermore, in particular as shown in Figure 10(b), the support plate 122 is supported by a housing body 143 (an example of an upper roller pivot support support) via a pair of left and right coil springs 141 and 142 (an example of an elastic mechanism).

[0058] The pair of coil springs 141 and 142 are positioned on the left and right sides of the assumed cable C. For example, they are made of SWP-A, have a natural length of 35 mm, a compressed length of 16 mm, an inner diameter of φ13.2 mm, an outer diameter of φ16 mm, a winding diameter of φ1.4 mm, 8 turns, and a spring constant of 2.016 N / mm. The spacing between the pair of coil springs 141 and 142 (distance between their central axes) is, for example, 110 mm.

[0059] In particular, as shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b), the columnar sections 131 and 132 extend vertically upward from the lower roller shaft support section 113 (which is housed in the lower roller housing 112) so as to penetrate the housing body 143. Racks (rack teeth) 131r and 132r are provided on the front side of each columnar section 131 and 132, which mesh with the pinions 145 and 146, which will be described later. The upper ends of each columnar section 131 and 132 are connected by an upper end plate 133. The columnar sections 131 and 132 are, for example, roughly cylindrical members with a diameter of about φ12 mm.

[0060] In this embodiment, as an adjustable mechanism that allows adjustment of the distance between the lower roller shaft support 113 (which is housed in the lower roller housing 112) and the housing body 143 (an example of an upper roller shaft support), in addition to the column portions 131 and 132, a rotating handle (having a shaft portion 144 and a knob 147) is provided that is rotatably supported on the housing body 143, and pinions 145 and 146 are mounted on the shaft portion 144 of the rotating handle and are rotatable while meshing with racks 131r and 132r.

[0061] With this configuration, manually rotating the knob 147 of the rotary handle causes the pinions 145 and 146 to rotate and move along the racks 131r and 132r.

[0062] In this embodiment, a ratchet mechanism is provided as a position adjustment stopper capable of restricting the rotation of the pinions 145 and 146 relative to the racks 131r and 132r. Specifically, the ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet gear 148 provided on the shaft portion 144 of the rotating handle, and a ratchet lever 149 that restricts the rotation of the ratchet gear 148.

[0063] Furthermore, the ratchet lever 149 of this embodiment can selectively switch between three states: one in which the rotation of the ratchet gear 148 in the direction corresponding to the upward movement of the housing body 143 is disabled, as shown in Figure 11(a); one in which the rotation of the ratchet gear 148 in the direction corresponding to the downward movement of the housing body 143 is disabled, as shown in Figure 11(b); and one in which both rotations are permitted (non-operating state of the ratchet mechanism).

[0064] In this embodiment as well, a left-side roller 151 and a right-side roller 152 are provided on the front side of the lower roller 111 and the upper roller 121, respectively, extending vertically and spaced apart by a predetermined distance.

[0065] Furthermore, behind the lower roller 111 and the upper roller 121, a left-side roller 153 and a right-side roller 154 are provided, respectively, extending vertically and spaced apart by a predetermined distance.

[0066] The left-side rollers 151 and 153 and the right-side rollers 152 and 154 have, for example, a diameter of φ3 cm and an axial length of 13 cm. The spacing between the left-side rollers 151 and 153 and the right-side rollers 152 and 154 (the distance between their central axes) is, for example, 118 mm. The front-to-back spacing between the front and rear left-side rollers 151 and 153 (the same applies to the front-to-back spacing between the front and rear right-side rollers 152 and 154) is, for example, 106 mm.

[0067] In addition, when loading / unloading cable C, as shown in Figure 12, the connection between the column 131 and the lower roller housing 112 is disconnected, the connection between the column 132 and the lower roller housing 112 rotates, and the left-side rollers 151 and 153 fall down.

[0068] (Effects of the second embodiment) In the cable feeding device 101 of the second embodiment described above, the lower roller 111 itself, which supports the weight of the cable C, is driven by an electric motor (an example of a lower roller drive unit), so the cable C can be fed out efficiently. Furthermore, because the upper roller 121, which is opposite the lower roller 111, is supported by a pair of left and right coil springs 141 and 142 (an example of an elastic mechanism), excessive loads can be relieved in the event that the cable C bounces up, while the contact state between the cable C and the lower roller 111 is immediately restored. This also contributes to the efficient feeding of the cable C.

[0069] In particular, since coil springs 141 and 142 are used as the elastic mechanism in the cable feeding device 101 of this embodiment, it is easy to design the detailed specifications of the elastic mechanism, and it is also possible to implement the elastic mechanism at a low cost.

[0070] Furthermore, in the cable feeding device 101 of this embodiment, the coil springs 141 and 142 are positioned on the left and right sides with respect to the expected position of the cable C, and act on both sides. Therefore, excessive loads can be more effectively relieved when the cable C bounces up, and the return of the contact state between the cable C and the lower roller 111 can be achieved more effectively.

[0071] Furthermore, according to the cable feeding device 101 of this embodiment, the upper roller shaft supports 121a and 121b are supported by a housing body 143 (an example of an upper roller shaft support) via a support plate 122 and coil springs 141 and 142. The housing body 143 is movable along the column portions 131 and 132 by rotating the knob 147 of a manual rotating handle, and can be positioned (fixed in position) by the interaction of the racks 131r and 132r and the pinions 145 and 146. With this configuration, the fixed position of the housing body 143 relative to the column portions 131 and 132 can be easily adjusted manually, and the distance between the lower roller shaft support 113 (which is housed in the lower roller housing 112) and the housing body 143 (an example of an upper roller shaft support) can be stably adjusted.

[0072] In particular, according to the cable feeding device 101 of this embodiment, the column portions 131 and 132 are arranged on the left and right sides with respect to the position of the assumed cable C, and the racks 131r, 132r and pinions 145 and 146 are provided for each column portion 131 and 132, so that the position of the housing body 143 is adjusted on both the left and right sides. As a result, the distance between the lower roller shaft support portion 113 (which is housed in the lower roller housing 112) and the housing body 143 (an example of the upper roller shaft support portion) can be adjusted more stably.

[0073] Furthermore, according to the cable feeding device 101 of this embodiment, the upward movement of the housing body 143 can be restricted (see Figure 11(a)) or the downward movement of the housing body 143 can be restricted (see Figure 11(b)) by operating the ratchet lever 149. For example, when loading / unloading the cable C (see Figure 12), restricting the downward movement of the housing body 143 prevents the housing body 143 from descending undesirably and colliding with the cable C.

[0074] Furthermore, in the cable feeding device 101 of this embodiment, the left roller 151 and the right roller 152 are provided on the front side of the lower roller 111 and the upper roller 121, and the left roller 153 and the right roller 154 are provided on the rear side of the lower roller 111 and the upper roller 121. Therefore, a stable cable guiding function as a so-called four-sided roller device can be obtained.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cable feeding device 101 also has an electric motor (an example of a lower roller drive unit) built inside the lower roller 111, allowing the cable feeding device 101 to be configured more compactly.

[0076] (Supplement 1) Figure 13 is a partial cross-sectional front view (corresponding to Figure 10(a)) showing a state in the cable feeding device 101 of the second embodiment where the passage position of the cable C is uneven. In this case, when the passage position of the cable C is uneven, each of the left and right coil springs 141 and 142 independently performs its elastic function, thereby more effectively maintaining the contact state between the cable C and the lower roller 111 and the upper roller 121.

[0077] Although not shown in the diagram, in substantially the same manner as in the cable feeding device 1 of the first embodiment, if an imbalance occurs in the passage position of the cable C, each of the left and right pair of coil springs 41 and 42 independently exhibits its elastic function, thereby more effectively maintaining the contact state between the cable C and the lower roller 11 and the upper roller 21.

[0078] (Supplement 2) Figure 14 is a partial cross-sectional front view (corresponding to Figure 10(a)) showing the case where a CVT cable (triplex) is fed out in the cable feeding device 101 of the second embodiment, where (a) shows the cable state at the minimum height and (b) shows the cable state at the maximum height. The CVT cable (triplex) may undergo unintended rotation around its axis during feeding, and may attempt to pass through the cable feeding device 101 in the minimum height position shown in Figure 14(a), or in the maximum height position shown in Figure 14(b). According to the cable feeding device 101 of the second embodiment, the elastic function of the coil springs 141 and 142 allows for immediate response (following) of the transition between the state in Figure 14(a) and the state in Figure 14(b), and the contact state between the cable C and the lower roller 111 and upper roller 121 can be maintained more effectively.

[0079] Although not shown in the diagram, in substantially the same manner as in the cable feeding device 1 of the first embodiment, the elastic function of the coil springs 41 and 42 allows for immediate response (following) to the transition between the state in which the CVT cable (triplex) etc. is attempting to pass through the cable feeding device 1 at the minimum height (see Figure 14(a)) and the state in which it is attempting to pass through the cable feeding device 1 at the maximum height (see Figure 14(b)), thereby more effectively maintaining the contact state between the cable C and the lower roller 11 and the upper roller 21. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1. Cable feeder 11 bottom rollers 12 Lower roller housing 13 Lower roller shaft support 14 Terminal block box 15 Power cord 21 Top roller 21a Upper roller shaft support 21b Upper roller shaft support 22 Upper roller housing (housing body) 23 Rotating lever 24 Spring Stoppers 31 Column section 32 Pillar section 33 Upper end plate 41 Coil spring 42 Coil springs 43. Long, narrow plate-shaped bracket 44 Knobs 51 Left-hand roller 52 Right-hand side roller 53 Left-hand roller 54 Right-hand side roller 101 Cable feeder 111 bottom edge roller 112 Lower roller housing (housing body) 113 Lower roller shaft support 114 Terminal block box 115 Power cord 121 Top roller 121a Upper roller shaft support 121b Upper roller shaft support 122 Support Plate 131 Column section 131r rack 132 Column section 132r rack 133 Upper end plate 141 Coil spring 142 Coil spring 143 Housing Body 144 Shaft (rotating handle) 145 pinion 146 pinion 147 Knob (rotating handle) 148 Ratchet Gear 149 Ratchet Lever 151 Left-hand side roller 152 Right-hand side roller 153 Left-hand roller 154 Right-hand side roller

Claims

1. A cable feeder that feeds out cables, The lower roller that supports the weight of the aforementioned cable, A lower roller pivot support that pivotally supports the lower roller so that it can rotate around its axis, A lower roller drive unit that drives the rotation of the lower roller, An upper roller is positioned opposite the lower roller and configured to sandwich the cable between it and the lower roller, The upper roller pivot support portion pivotally supports the upper roller so that it can rotate around its axis, The upper roller shaft support portion supports the upper roller shaft support portion via an elastic mechanism, A spacing adjustment mechanism that allows adjustment of the distance between the lower roller shaft support and the upper roller shaft support, A cable feeding device characterized by being equipped with the following:

2. The elastic mechanism is a coil spring. The cable feeding device according to feature 1.

3. The coil springs are positioned on the left and right sides with respect to the expected cable position. The cable feeding device according to feature 2.

4. The upper roller shaft support portion consists of a pair of front and rear brackets. The aforementioned spacing adjustment mechanism has a column portion that extends upward from the lower roller shaft support portion, The pair of front and rear brackets are movable along the column and can clamp the column from the front and rear. The spacing adjustment mechanism further includes an operating member for tightening and / or loosening the pair of front and rear brackets relative to each other. The cable feeding device according to feature 2.

5. The aforementioned column sections are positioned on the left and right sides with respect to the assumed cable locations. The cable feeding device according to feature 4.

6. The aforementioned interval adjustment mechanism is A column extending upward from the lower roller shaft support, A rack provided on the column portion, A rotating handle rotatably supported on the upper roller shaft support portion, A pinion is provided on the aforementioned rotating handle and is rotatable while meshing with the rack, has The cable feeding device according to feature 2.

7. The aforementioned column sections are positioned on the left and right sides with respect to the expected cable locations. The rack and the pinion are provided for each column. The cable feeding device according to feature 6.

8. A position adjustment stopper capable of restricting the rotation of the pinion relative to the rack. The cable feeding device according to claim 6, further comprising the above.

9. The left and right rollers are positioned on at least one of the front and rear sides of the lower and upper rollers, respectively, extending vertically and spaced apart by a predetermined distance. A cable feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising the above.

10. The lower roller drive unit is built inside the lower roller. The cable feeding device according to any one of features 1 to 8.

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