Energy Chain External Cable Holder Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy guiding chains face challenges in easily fitting and removing lines guided outside the chain links, leading to material fatigue and breakage due to uneven load distribution and difficulty in constrained spaces.
Innovation Solution
The energy guiding chain features receiving means on the outside surfaces of side plates, allowing holding elements to be inserted parallel to the side plates, with elastically deformable latching hooks and profiles for secure fixation, enabling easy installation and removal of external lines, and reducing the risk of wear and breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If holding elements are rotatably fixed in the pivot axis, then the line can be fixed outside the chain, but the forces acting upon displacement heavily load the overlap region of the side plate or pivot pin, causing material fatigue or breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the holding element from the pivot axis location and relocates it to the outer surface of the side plate. This separation removes the load-bearing function from the pivot axis region, allowing the pivot connection to operate without the additional stress of holding element displacement forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding element is positioned on the outer surface of the side plate rather than within the pivot axis region. This spatial relocation to a different dimension (outer surface vs. internal pivot region) allows independent optimization of both the pivot connection and the holding function, eliminating the load concentration problem.
2Ease of operation
If holding elements are fixed rotatably in the pivot axis, then the line can be guided outside the chain, but it is difficult to pull the holding element out in the direction of the pivot axis in constricted spatial conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The holding element is extracted from the constrained pivot axis region and placed on the outer surface of the side plate. This extraction provides clear access to the holding element from the outside, allowing easy removal by simply pulling it out from the outer surface without navigating around the pivot axis structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer surface of the side plate serves as an intermediary location that provides accessible space for the holding element. This intermediary position between the chain structure and the external environment allows easy access for installation and removal operations without interference from the pivot mechanism.
3Reliability
If lines are laid inside the chain links, then the chain provides protection, but maintenance, repair and replacement of such a line requires the chain links to be opened, involving corresponding effort and expenditure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the line routing into two distinct paths: lines can be routed inside the chain links for protection or outside the chain links for easy access. This segmentation allows different lines to have different accessibility characteristics based on their specific requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer surface of the side plate serves as an intermediary location for holding elements and externally routed lines. This intermediary position provides both protection (the holding element is still attached to the chain structure) and ease of access (the line can be quickly removed from the outside without opening chain links).
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design facilitates easier maintenance, repair, and replacement of external lines, reduces material fatigue, and allows for quick addition of new lines, while maintaining chain stability even in constricted spaces.
Implementation Method 1
elastically deformable latching hooks which can embrace the upper and lower narrow sides of the side plates
Data Source
AI summary
An energy chain for cables, which chain comprises chain links, of which at least a section of said chain links has side plates that are parallel to one another and has transverse connecting pieces that connect the side plates, wherein the majority of the guided cables run inside the chain links in a longitudinal direction, while at least one further cable is arranged outside the chain links and is supported by holding elements provided on the energy chain. Receptacles are attached on one side of the energy chain on the outer surfaces of at least some of the side plates in the region between each pair of pivot axes, in which receptacles the holding elements for the at least one further cable can be inserted along a plane that runs parallel to the side plates.