IP Library Granted Patent US 11,608,875
Granted Patent B2
US 11,608,875 · App. 16/343,118 · Granted Mar 21, 2023

High-speed stroke-type moving device with a supply line, and power transmission chain herefor

Inventor: Georg Theiss (Cologne, DE)
Assignee: IGUS GMBH
F16G13/16B65H75/4449B65H75/4478F16G13/20H02G3/0462H02G11/02B65H2511/14B65H2701/34B65H2701/3911
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,608,875
App. No.
16/343,118
Granted
Mar 21, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A high-speed stroke-type moving device for an elongate flexible body having at least one supply line. The device has a guideway for guided displacement of the body, having a spiral portion, in which at least part of the body is compactly accommodatable in a plurality of spaced tracks which are not in mutual contact and extend substantially spirally inwards. The invention provides that the body has a line guideway for the at least one supply line. According to the invention, the line guideway here has a first sub-portion which is guided in the spiral portion and an unguided second sub-portion having a first end which is connected at the end to the first sub-portion and a second end which is connected at the end to a rotary feedthrough for the at least one supply line. A corresponding device having an energy chain is furthermore disclosed.

Claims (35)

1. A high-speed stroke-type moving device for an elongate, flexible body, having at least one supply line and comprising:

a guideway for guided displacement of the body, having a spiral portion, in which at least part of the body is compactly accommodatable in a plurality of spaced turns which are not in mutual contact and extend spirally inwards,

wherein the guideway has two guide profiles arranged parallel opposite one another, wherein the course of the guide profiles defines the spiral portion,

wherein the body has a line guideway for the at least one supply line,

wherein the line guideway

comprises a first sub-portion which is guided in the spiral portion, wherein first sub-portion has journals or rollers projecting laterally at both sides, wherein the journals or rollers are slidingly or rollingly guided in the guide profiles, and

wherein the line guideway comprises an unguided second sub-portion having a first end which is connected to the first sub-portion and a second end which is connected to a rotary feedthrough for the at least one supply line.

2. The high-speed stroke-type moving device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein-the second sub-portion has a small bending radius in a direction of rotation of the spiral course and in an opposite direction of rotation is configured with a large, backwards bending radius.

3. The high-speed stroke-type moving device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the spiral portion has an inlet and a length of the second sub-portion at least corresponds to a distance between an axis of rotation of the rotary feedthrough and the inlet.

4. The high-speed stroke-type moving device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the second sub-portion has a bending radius in the direction of rotation which is less than or equal to an innermost curvature of the spiral portion.

5. The high-speed stroke-type moving device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flexible body forms the line guideway and has a line duct for the at least one supply line.

6. The high-speed stroke-type moving device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the line guideway is of separate construction, in the form of an energy chain, and is provided on the flexible body.

7. A device comprising:

an energy chain for at least one supply line, and

a high-speed guideway comprising a spiral portion in which at least part of the energy chain is compactly accommodatable in a plurality of spaced tracks which are not in mutual contact and extend substantially spirally inwards,

wherein the energy chain has a plurality of chain links which are swivelable relative to one another, are connected together in pairs by an articulated joint and form a line duct for protected guidance of the at least one supply line, and

wherein the energy chain

comprises-a first sub-portion which is guided in the spiral portion, and

wherein the energy chain comprises an unguided second sub-portion having a first end which is connected to the first sub-portion and a second end which is connected to a rotary feedthrough for the at least one supply line.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the rotary feedthrough has a stationary connection side and a rotatable connection side, and the second end is non-rotatably connected to the rotatable connection side.

9. The device as claimed in claim 7 , furthermore comprising at least one supply line,

wherein the rotary feedthrough has a helical course with one or more first helical turns, in which the supply line is wound around an axis of rotation, and one or more second helical turns, in which the supply line is wound in an opposite direction around the axis of rotation, and

wherein a deflection arc which connects the first and the second helical turns and in which the supply line is reversed.

10. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the rotary feedthrough takes a form of a rotary joint for gas or liquid, or a slipring arrangement for electrical power or signals.

11. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the guideway has two guide profiles, having a substantially U-shaped profile cross-section, arranged parallel opposite one another, the course of which profiles defines the spiral portion and a linear portion subsequent the spiral portion.

12. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the first sub-portion is carried by the guideway and the second sub-portion is not guided by the guideway.

13. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the spiral portion is configured with a constantly curved spiral shape.

14. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the spiral portion is elongate in a manner of an oval spiral with straight portions which connect spiral arcs.

15. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the chain links of the energy chain comprise at least in the second sub-portion, a swivel angle limit stop at each articulated joint such that the second sub-portion has a bending radius in a direction of rotation of the spiral which is less than or equal to an innermost curvature of the spiral portion, and an extension angle limit stop such that the second sub-portion extends in extended manner in the an opposite direction of rotation.

16. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the spiral portion has an inlet and a length of the second sub-portion at least corresponds to a distance between the axis of rotation of the rotary feedthrough and the inlet.

17. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a drive comprising an electric motor is in operative connection with the flexible body.

18. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the flexible body is used as at least one of:

a drive chain or cable to transmit thrust and/or tensile force in a machine;

a roller shutter for a machine cover; or

a slatted roller shutter of a high-speed lifting door.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 7, 2026
From: IGUS GMBH
To: IGUS SE & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 074695/0185 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2019
From: THEISS, GEORG
To: IGUS GMBH
Reel/Frame 049222/0760 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 20 2016 105 840.6 · Oct 18, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190257388A1 · Aug 22, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 12,304,771 US 12,466,701