US 12,230,945 B2
Energy chain and storage unit for an energy chain
Jörg Dommnik, Neunkirchen-Seelscheid (DE); and Simon Moritz, Cologne (DE)
Assigned to igus GmbH, Cologne (DE)
Appl. No. 17/786,962
Filed by igus GmbH, Cologne (DE)
PCT Filed Dec. 18, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/087110
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 17, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/123231, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 24, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20 2019 107 116.8 (DE), filed on Dec. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0054614 A1, Feb. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. H02G 11/00 (2006.01); B65H 75/36 (2006.01); F16G 13/16 (2006.01)
CPC H02G 11/006 (2013.01) [B65H 75/364 (2013.01); F16G 13/16 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An energy chain system for receiving and guiding energy and/or communication cables, the energy chain system comprising:
an energy chain having chain links pivotably adjoining one another in the longitudinal direction, wherein the chain links comprise in each case two side parts lying opposite one another in a transverse direction (q) relative to the longitudinal direction (I) and at least some of the chain links have cross members connecting their side parts, wherein the energy chain (5) includes several portions which are each arranged in the form of two strands (7, 8) connected to one another by a deflection region (6) extending about a deflection arc, wherein the energy chain (5) is movable about the deflection arc, and
guide elements (10) extending in an arc-shaped manner about the respective axis of the deflection arc such that each deflection region (6) of the several portions is guided on its inner face and its outer face by guide elements (10), wherein the guide elements (10) extend in the shape of an arc on the inner face and on the outer face over the entire respective deflection region (6).