Patent ID: 6371876
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: F16G,H02G

Abstract:
Energy guiding chain (1) for guiding hose and cables between two connection points relatively movable with respect to each other, said chain comprising a substantially straight lower strand followed by a curved section and a self-supporting section of an upper strand, with several chain straps (2) which are assembled into parallel strands and connected to one another via upper and lower cross-members in detachable fashion and which overlap one another and can be angled around axes of rotation, where chain straps (2) designed as inner straps (3) with inner overlap areas (5) and as outer straps (4) with outer overlap areas (5) alternate with one another in each chain strand, and where the inner and outer straps (3,4) are respectively opposite to one another in the two chain strands, and where a first stop and a second stop are provided, said first stop comprising a first stop surface (9) and a second stop surface (13) located, respectively, on inner scrap 3 and outer strap 4 for restricting the bending of the curved section and said second stop comprising a third stop surface (8) and a fourth stop surface (12) located, respectively, on inner strap 3 and outer strap 4 for restricting the bending of the self-supporting section of the upper strand, and where the first and third stop surfaces (9,8) of the inner straps (3) are positioned asymmetrically with respect to mirroring at the centre plane (S2) containing the axes of rotation, characterised in that the second and fourth stop surfaces (13,12) of the outer straps (4) are positioned asymmetrically with respect to mirroring at the centre plane (S2), such that in case of a change of the orientation of 180Â° either of the inner straps (3) or of the outer straps (4) around the centre axis (S3) running in the middle between the two axes of rotation and parallely thereto the self-supporting section of the upper strand and/or the curved section of the chain obtains a different curvature.