Cable routing device

Abstract

The invention relates to a cable routing device (100, 200) for routing at least one cable (250, 251) between at least two connection points, comprising a cable routing unit which comprises at least one first stationary connection point (140, 240) and at least one second connection point which can be displaced with respect to the first connection point and is in the form of a movable connection element (160, 260) or movable manifold, and also comprising at least one cable (150, 250, 251) routed between the connection points, wherein at least the movable connection element (160, 260) can be displaced translationally with respect to the first connection point (140, 240), the movable connection element (160, 260) can be displaced back and forth between two deflection rollers (121, 223) by means of at least one pull means, wherein the cable routing unit further comprises at least one carriage, the at least one carriage (120, 220, 224) can be displaced within the cable routing housing (110, 210) by means of the at least one pull means, and the at least one carriage (120, 220, 224) comprises at least one deflection device, preferably in the form of a roller track, for at least one cable (150, 250, 251) routed between the first connection point and the movable connection element (160, 260), wherein the cable (150, 250, 251) extends, in a manner deflected at least in sections, between the movable connection element (160, 260) and the carriage (120, 220, 224), wherein the pull means is driven and the pull means is designed to displace the at least one carriage (120, 220, 224) and the movable connection element (160, 260) preferably in the same direction.

Description

[0001] Cable routing device

[0002] The invention relates to a cable guidance device for guiding at least one cable between at least two connection points.

[0003] When supplying energy, compressed air, hydraulic fluid, or similar media to moving machines or machine parts, or between machine elements moving relative to each other, it is often necessary to bridge the travel paths between the machine elements with lines. Depending on whether the machines are, for example, machining centers, printers, or cutting machines, it is also necessary to move line connections with high linear travel speeds along with or following a machine part.

[0004] WO 2019 / 185613 describes a cable guidance device with a cable guidance unit comprising a first section with a fixed connection area, a second section with a movable connection area and a circular deflection area connecting the two sections.

[0005] The known cable guidance unit further comprises a support unit, which has a carriage with a support element arranged on the carriage for the deflection area of ​​the cable guidance unit and enables movement of the cable guidance unit about the central axis of the circular arc-shaped deflection area when the cable guidance unit is moved longitudinally along the tubes. The support unit includes a drive device that engages the carriage and drives it in the direction of travel of the cable guidance unit, and a control device that is operatively connected to the drive device and is not formed by the cable guidance unit itself, with which the drive device can be controlled depending on the state of motion of the movable connection area.

[0006] The cable management unit described in WO 2019 / 185613 is designed as an energy chain. The control and drive unit is formed by a mechanical connection between the movable connection area of ​​the cable management unit and the carriage of the support unit. This mechanical connection is designed as a belt or cable drive. Due to the fact that the cable management unit is designed as an energy chain, high inertial forces must be overcome during rapid movements.

[0007] The invention is based on the objective of providing a cable management unit that is relatively simple in design and with which particularly easy rapid displacement movements of at least one connection point can be realized.

[0008] The problem is solved by a cable guidance device with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.

[0009] The cable guidance device according to the present invention is designed and configured from one perspective to guide a cable between a fixed connection point and a movable connection point.

[0010] The cable routing device comprises a cable routing unit, which includes at least one first stationary connection point and at least one connection element movable relative to it, as well as at least one cable routed between the connection point and the movable connection element. A movable distributor may also be provided instead of a movable connection element. Accordingly, the cable may be designed as a supply line for a movable consumer. At least the movable connection element is translationally or linearly displaceable, with the second connection element being moved back and forth and linearly or by means of at least one traction element between two deflection pulleys.is guided in a straight-line displaceable manner, wherein the cable guidance unit further comprises at least one slide, which can be displaced by means of the at least one traction element, preferably within a cable guidance housing, and which comprises at least one deflection, which is in particular designed as a roller guide, for at least one cable guided between the first connection point and the movable connection element, wherein the cable extends at least sectionally deflected between the movable connection element and the slide, wherein the traction element is driven and the traction element is designed to displace the at least one slide and the connection element preferably in the same direction.

[0011] The carriage can be advantageously designed to relocate the deflection of the line.

[0012] At least one section of the conductor extending between the first connection point and the movable connection element is part of the conductor routing device according to the invention.

[0013] The carriage, driven by the traction element, is coupled to the connecting element via a line section, and the displacement of the carriage directly causes a displacement of the connecting element via a tensile force exerted on the line.

[0014] The term "connecting element" as used in this application describes a cable deflection element or a cable support. The term is to be understood as meaning that the cable, which is a functional component of the cable routing device, is attached to and / or deflected by the connecting element.

[0015] For the purposes of this application, a line may be understood to be a signal line, a power cable, a hydraulic line, a compressed air supply line or the like.

[0016] The conductor preferably extends freely between the connection points and at least one roller guide provided on at least one carriage, without additional strain relief such as that provided by an energy chain or energy guide chain. This results in relatively low moments of inertia when the connection element is moved, allowing for precise control of the carriage via the traction element and at least one electric drive with relatively low drive power.

[0017] Various electric drives, in particular electric motors, e.g., BLDC motors, are suitable. Furthermore, the drive can, in principle, be located at any point along the cable routing device. For example, a toothed belt can be used, which is tensioned around a drive wheel by suitably arranged deflection pulleys, with the drive wheel being operatively connected to the drive and positioned at a suitable or desired location. Other drive concepts are also within the scope of the invention.

[0018] The carriage can be designed as a roller block.

[0019] Preferably, the slide is designed as a roller block of a traction device designed as a pulley system.

[0020] A flexible pulling element, such as a cable or toothed belt, can be used as the pulling means.

[0021] The carriage may be equipped with at least one cable guide roller and, for example, at least one deflection device or cable guide roller or other cable deflection for guiding or deflecting the traction element. Alternatively, a cable deflection may be provided by a U-shaped groove channel as a cable guide.

[0022] Preferably, the traction element between the deflection device on the at least one slide and a deflection roller is guided such that the displacement speed of the connecting element is greater than the displacement speed of the slide.

[0023] Preferably, the cable pulley is designed as a simple pulley system, so that the displacement speed of the connecting element is twice that of the carriage, thus advantageously enabling a transmission and relatively fast displacement of the connecting element. This also allows, in particular, very finely metered and direct control of the connecting element.

[0024] In the cable guidance device, which is designed to guide a cable from a first stationary connection element or first stationary connection point to a second connection point that can be moved relative to it, the movable connection element can be attached between a cable section and the traction element, wherein the traction element is guided over two stationary deflection rollers of the cable guidance unit arranged at a distance from each other, and a back-and-forth movement of the connection element is effected by the displacement of the carriage on the one hand and by a tensile force on the traction element on the other.

[0025] Another aspect of the cable guidance device according to the invention relates to a cable guidance device designed to guide two cables in two cable loops between a stationary and a movable connection point. In such a variant of the cable guidance device according to the invention, the cable guidance device comprises a first and a second carriage which can be moved synchronously and in the same direction relative to each other via the traction element, wherein the first carriage and the second carriage each have at least one deflection device for the first or second cable and the deflection devices preferably each comprise at least one cable guide roller.In this variant, the deflection points of both lines are shifted accordingly by moving the slides in the same direction and simultaneously, so that the movable connecting element is moved linearly in one direction or the other at twice the speed of a deflection point.

[0026] Preferably, the carriages are movable back and forth at a predetermined distance from each other in the same direction and preferably at the same speed via the traction element. The traction element engages at the end of each carriage, and the cables extend between the carriages. Each carriage preferably includes a deflection device for a cable, so that the cables are held in a straight position by the tensile force exerted by the traction element.

[0027] The cable guidance device according to the invention, both according to the first and second aspects of the invention, particularly preferably comprises a cable guidance housing in which deflection pulleys and / or drive pulleys for the traction element, for the cable pull, or for a circulating toothed belt as the traction element can be mounted at a distance from one another. At least one deflection pulley can be designed as a driven pulley. In principle, both deflection pulleys can be driven.

[0028] The cable management housing can include means for guiding at least one connection element, for example in the form of at least one guide rail into which a connection element engages in a form-fitting manner. The invention is explained below with reference to and based on two exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings.

[0029] They show:

[0030] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment.

[0031] Figure 2 shows a view of an upper end face of the cable guide device shown in Figure 1.

[0032] Figure 3 shows a side view of the figure shown in Figure 1

[0033] Cable routing device,

[0034] Figure 4 shows a representation of the cable routing device shown in Figure 1 without the cable routing housing.

[0035] Figure 5 shows a sectional view along lines AA in Figure 2.

[0036] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment.

[0037] Figure 7 shows a front view of the cable routing device according to Figure 6,

[0038] Figure 8 shows a side view of the cable guide device shown in Figure 6.

[0039] Figure 9 shows a representation of the cable guidance device according to Figure 6 without side parts of the cable guidance housing and Figure 10 shows a sectional view along the lines AA in Figure 7.

[0040] The cable guide device 100 shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprises a cable guide housing 110 with two side parts 111 and two end parts 112 arranged at a distance from each other. The linear guide device 100 further comprises a slide 120, which can be moved translationally or linearly within the cable guide housing 110 between the end parts 112 via a cable 130. The cable 130 essentially consists of a single endless tension element, which is designed as a tensioning element.

[0041] The carriage 120 is designed as a roller block and comprises a cable guide roller 121 and a tension guide roller 122. The tension guide roller 122 and the cable guide roller 121 are each rotatably mounted about an axis extending transversely to the intended displacement direction of the carriage 120.

[0042] As can be seen in particular from the illustration in Figure 5, the cable pulley 130 is guided in the manner of a pulley system over the pulley guide roller 122 and over deflection rollers 123, which are each mounted in a fixed and rotatable position in the head parts 112 of the cable guide housing 110.

[0043] In the described embodiment, a drive unit 114 with an electric motor is provided on the left head section 112. The electric motor acts on the deflection pulley 123 via a drive shaft (not shown) and thus actuates the cable pull 130.

[0044] Even though the traction element is specified as a cable pull 130 in connection with the description of the embodiment, the discerning reader will recognize that a toothed belt can also be provided as a flexible traction element or traction element instead of a cable pull.

[0045] The cable management device 100 comprises, on the cable management housing 110 (first embodiment), a fixed connection point 140 for a single cable 150, which is guided from the fixed connection point 140 through and within the cable management housing 110 to a second movable connection point in the form of a movable connection element 160. The movable connection element 160 includes means for securing and redirecting the cable 150, which are not described in detail. A video camera, for example in the form of a network camera, can be suspended from the movable connection element 160 and is supplied with power via the cable. The cable can also be used, for example, to guide and / or accommodate signal lines.

[0046] The cable is guided in a loop around a deflection point defined by the cable guide roller 121 on the carriage 120. The carriage 120 can be moved directly by means of the cable 130, which is guided over the cable guide roller 122 of the carriage and over the deflection rollers 123, and indirectly via the movable connecting element 160, which is attached to a free end of the cable on the side facing away from the carriage 120. Pulling the carriage 120 to the right causes the deflection point of the cable 150 to move to the right and thus a corresponding movement of the connecting element 160. Pulling the connecting element 160 to the left causes the carriage 120 to move to the left.

[0047] The deflection point of line 150 always moves at half the speed of the connecting element 160.

[0048] A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 6 to 10. The cable guide device 200 according to the second embodiment also comprises a cable guide housing 210 with side parts 211 and head parts 212, as well as deflection rollers 223 provided in the area of ​​the head parts 212. At least one of the deflection rollers 223 can be driven by an electric motor provided in a drive unit 214. In this respect, the cable guide device 200 of the second embodiment corresponds to that of the first embodiment.

[0049] The cable guide device 200 according to the second embodiment is designed to guide two cables, a first cable 250 and a second cable 251, from a stationary connection point 140 to a movable or travelable connection element 260. The cables 250 and 251 are each guided to the travelable connection element 260 via a separate deflection point within the cable guide housing 210.

[0050] Unlike the cable guide device 100 according to the first embodiment, a first and a second carriage 220, 224 are provided for deflecting the cables 250, 251 or for relocating the deflection points of the cables 250, 251 (imaginary center point of the deflection radius of the cable 250), between which the cable 250 extends in a straight position. An end of the cable 230 is attached to each of the carriages 220, 224 at their opposite ends. The cable 230 is guided over the deflection pulleys 223 such that a drive or drive unit 214 causes a reciprocating movement of the carriages 220, 224, which are held at a fixed distance from each other. The first line 250 is guided via a first deflection point on the first carriage 220 to the movable connection element 260, whereas the second line 251 is guided via a second deflection point on the carriage 224 to the movable connection element 260.

[0051] A first guide roller 221 for the first line 250 is mounted on the first carriage 220 and defines the first deflection point for the first line 250. A second guide roller 222 is mounted on the second carriage 224 and defines a second deflection point for the second line 251.

[0052] Actuation of the cable 230 causes the first and second carriages 220, 224 to move in the same direction and simultaneously, holding the first and second lines 250, 251 in a straight position between them. When the carriages 220, 224 move to the right (Figure 10), the movable connecting element also moves to the right, at twice the speed of the second deflection point, or twice the speed of the axis of the guide roller 225. Moving the carriages 220, 224 to the left (referring to Figure 10) causes the movable connecting element 260 to move in the same direction, also at twice the speed of the axis of the second guide roller 222.During each of the movable movements of the connecting element 260, a section of the first or second line 250, 251 is moved from the lower side of the cable guide housing 220 shown in Figure 10 to the upper side of the cable guide housing 220. Reference numeral list.

[0053] 100 cable guide device

[0054] 110 cable management housings

[0055] 111 side panels

[0056] 112 headboards

[0057] 113 not assigned

[0058] 114 Drive unit

[0059] 120 sleds

[0060] 121 Management role

[0061] 122 Train guide roller

[0062] 123 pulleys

[0063] 130 cable pull

[0064] 140 first connection point

[0065] 150 line

[0066] 160 movable connection element

[0067] 200 cable guide device

[0068] 210 Cable management housings

[0069] 211 side panels

[0070] 212 headboards 213 not assigned

[0071] 214 Drive unit

[0072] 220 first sled

[0073] 221 first train guide roller

[0074] 222 second pulley

[0075] 223 pulleys

[0076] 224 second sled

[0077] 230 cable pull

[0078] 240 first connection point

[0079] 250 first line

[0080] 251 second line

[0081] 260 movable connection element

Claims

Claims 1. A cable guidance device (100, 200) for guiding at least one cable (250, 251) between at least two connection points, comprising a cable guidance unit comprising at least one first fixed connection point (140, 240) and at least one second, movable connection point relative to the first, which is designed as a movable connection element (160, 260) or movable distributor, and further comprising at least one cable (150, 250, 251) guided between the connection points, wherein at least the movable connection element (160, 260) is translationally movable relative to the first connection point (140, 240), the movable connection element (160, 260) is reciprocally movable between two deflection rollers (123, 223) by means of at least one traction element, wherein the cable guidance unit further comprises at least one carriage includes at least one sled ( 120, 220,224) is displaceable within the cable guide housing (110, 210) by means of the at least one traction element, and the at least one slide (120, 220, 224) comprises at least one deflection device, preferably in the form of a roller guide, for at least one cable (150, 250, 251) guided between the first connection point and the movable connection element (160, 260), wherein the cable (150, 250, 251) extends, at least sectionally deflected, between the movable connection element (160, 260) and the slide (120, 220, 224), wherein the traction element is driven and the traction element is configured to move the at least one slide (120, 220, 224) and the movable connection element (160, 260) preferably in the same direction relocate.

2. Cable guidance device ( 100, 200) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one slide ( 120, 220, 224 ) is designed as a roller block .

3. Cable guidance device ( 100, 200) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the traction element is designed as a cable pull ( 130, 230 ) or toothed belt .

4. Cable guidance device ( 100, 200) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one slide ( 120, 220, 224 ) comprises at least one cable guidance roller ( 121, 221, 222 ).

5. Cable guidance device ( 100, 200) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the at least one slide ( 120, 220, 224 ) comprises at least one deflection device for the traction element, in particular a traction guide roller ( 122 ) which is designed to deflect the traction element.

6. Cable guidance device ( 100, 200) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the traction element is guided between the deflection device on the at least one slide ( 120, 220, 224 ) and a deflection roller and that the displacement speed of the connecting element ( 160, 260 ) is greater than the displacement speed of the slide ( 120, 220, 224 ).

7. Cable guidance device (100, 200) according to one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a first and a second slide (220, 224) which can be moved synchronously with each other via the traction element, and a first and a second cable (250, 251) wherein the first slide (220, 224) and the second slide each have at least one deflection device for the first or second cable (250, 251) and the deflection devices preferably each comprise at least one cable guide roller (221, 222).

8. Cable guidance device ( 100, 200) according to claim 7, characterized in that the traction element and the cable guidance are designed such that the carriages (220, 224 ) can be moved back and forth in the same direction over the traction element at a predetermined distance from each other.

9. Cable guidance device ( 100, 200) according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the traction element is attached on one side to each of the slides (220, 224) and the cables (250, 251) extend between the slides (220, 224) so ​​that the cables (250, 251) are each held in a stretched position by the tensile force exerted by the traction element.

10. Cable guidance device ( 100, 200) according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a cable guidance housing ( 111 , 211 ) in which the deflection rollers ( 123 , 223 ) and / or drive rollers for the traction element are mounted at a distance from each other .

11. Cable guidance device ( 100 , 200 ) according to one of claims 1 to 10 , comprising at least one drive unit ( 114 , 214 ) which is arranged on a head part ( 112 , 212 ) of the cable guidance housing ( 110 , 210 ).

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