US 12,135,070 B2
Energy guide chain with flexible joint connectors as well as side plates and joint connectors for same
Thilo-Alexander Jaeker, Sankt Augustin (DE); and Andreas Hermey, Hennef (DE)
Assigned to IGUS GMBH, Cologne (DE)
Appl. No. 17/999,897
Filed by IGUS GMBH, Cologne (DE)
PCT Filed May 26, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/064071
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 25, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/239821, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 2, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20 2020 103 046.9 (DE), filed on May 27, 2020; application No. 20 2021 101 897.6 (DE), filed on Apr. 9, 2021; and application No. 20 2021 101 933.6 (DE), filed on Apr. 10, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0220905 A1, Jul. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. F16G 13/16 (2006.01); H02G 3/04 (2006.01); H02G 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16G 13/16 (2013.01) [H02G 3/0475 (2013.01); H02G 11/006 (2013.01)] 31 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An energy guide chain to guide at least one line, the energy guide chain comprising:
two parallel plate lines, wherein each plate line includes side plates which are connected together by a flexible joint connector and are angleable relative to each other,
wherein the flexible joint connector is elastically deformable in an angulation direction of the side plates and the plate lines are connected together by transverse bars,
wherein the transverse bars with the side plates define a receiving space to receive the at least one line,
wherein the side plates include abutment surfaces which, in a straight relative position of the side plates, bear against each other and include abutment surfaces which, in a completely angled relative position of the side plates, bear against each other,
wherein laterally protruding projections of a first side plate engage into recessed pockets of an adjacent second side plate and, in the straight relative position, at least first abutment surfaces of the projections cooperate with first counterpart abutment surfaces of the pockets and, in the completely angled relative position, at least second abutment surfaces of the projections cooperate with second counterpart abutment surface of the pockets,
wherein the first side plate and the second side plate, at least with their abutment surfaces are in themselves of a symmetrical configuration, wherein each side plate of the first side plate and the second side plate has at least two projections having first and second abutment surfaces and each side plate of the first side plate and the second side plate has at least two pockets having first and second counterpart abutment surfaces, the two projections and the two pockets of each side plate of the first side plate and the second side plate being provided symmetrically,
wherein the at least two projections of each side plate of the first side plate and the second side plate project away from the receiving space and the at least two abutment pockets of each side plate of the first side plate and the second side plate open towards the receiving space, or vice-versa.