Abstract:
A tube holder, particularly for holding a protective tube for cables on a robot, with two mutually articulated half-shells closable by a lever provided with a spring clip, is characterized in that on either side of the lever are formed radially extending protective ribs, which cover the circumferential contour of the lever in the closed position thereof

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a tube holder, particularly for holding a protective tube for cables on a robot, with two mutually articulated half-shells closable by a lever provided with a spring clip. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Such hose or tube holders are in particular provided on robots, in order to hold in an axially movable manner protective tubes for electric cables on the outside of the robot. The tube holders are fixed by means of an open, cross-sectionally trapezoidal base to a holder, such as part of the robot, an arm or a rocker, the free ends of the trapezoidal base generally being connected in one piece with the tube holder opening in trumpet-like manner towards its free end faces. The trumpet-like opening walls of the tube holder defining the tube passage are elastic and formed from two interconnected half-shells. Relative movements of the tube holder with respect to the robot part holding it can occur and give rise to parallelogram like movements of the tube holder base. As a result of such movements and the dynamic forces acting on the tube holder, it is easily possible for damage and breakage thereof to occur. 
     In addition, in a known tube holder the locking lever for closing the two half-shells of the tube holder is freely positioned above said tube-guiding walls. There is consequently a risk that unintentional movements, optionally also the sliding past one another of the parts, will lead to a movement of the lever and to the opening of the tube holder. The tube can then drop out of the tube holder, which can have significant disadvantageous consequences when the robot is moving. 
     SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Thus, whilst avoiding the aforementioned disadvantages, the problem of the invention is to so further develop a tube holder of the aforementioned type that in particular an unintentional opening of said tube holder is avoided. It must also be possible to securely, firmly and stably fix the tube holder to the part holding it. 
     In a tube holder of the aforementioned type, the invention solves this problem in that on either side of the lever are formed radially extending protective ribs, which cover the circumferential contour of the lever in its closed position. 
     In that on either side of the lever are provided ribs radially projecting over it in its closed position, it is possible to reliably prevent an unintentional movement and opening of the lever through parts or elements moving along the tube holder. Due to the fact that the base is reinforced by axially parallel ribs in the vicinity of its legs, parallelogram-like movements of the base and therefore movements of the tube holder relative to the part holding it are reliably prevented. 
     The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 A robot in side view. 
     FIG. 2 The robot in front view corresponding to arrow II in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 A protective tube for cables with its essential components. 
     FIG. 4 A larger-scale representation of a detail of the protective tube of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 A side view of the inventive tube holder, partly in section. 
     FIG. 6 A vertical section through the inventive tube holder of FIG.  5 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The robot  1  of FIG. 1 has a base  2  firmly connected to the ground and on which is located the robot base member  3  or “roundabout” rotatable about the horizontal A-axis. With the latter a rocker  6  can pivot about the vertical B-axis by means of a motor  4 . To its free end remote from the base  3  is provided a robot arm  8  pivotable with it about the horizontal C-axis by means of the motor  7 . The arm  8  carries at its front, free end  9  a robot hand  10 , which is in turn pivotable about at least one further, horizontal D-axis and the E-axis perpendicular thereto. The pivoting about the E-axis can take place through a drive motor  11  located at the rear end of the arm  8  by means of drive elements extending through said arm  8 . Further movements of a complicated robot hand, such as a double angle hand or a tool can be brought about by further motors  11 ,  11 ′ located at the rear end of the arm  8 , once again by means of drive elements extending through said arm  8 . 
     Both the motors and also the tools, such as e.g. a welding tool, must be supplied with power from the robot base  2 . This can take place through the robot elements (rocker, arm) or on the outside of the robot, which is in many cases more advantageous. 
     To protect the cables for a power supply to the motors and tools, they are surrounded by a protective tube  12 , which is guided along the outside of the robot and fixed in punctiform manner thereto. 
     The protective tube  12  is provided with ribs  13 . At its ends the tube is provided with end pieces  14 . It can have wearing rings  16 , as well as a compression spring  17 , which bring it into a starting position on relieving with respect to the robot movement. A spring end holder  18  is provided as an abutment for the compression spring. 
     In the represented embodiment, the tube is fixed to the base  3  by a bulk-head  19 , as well as over the tube length by clamp straps  21  and so-called trumpets  22 . 
     The wearing rings  16  prevent a direct rubbing and therefore damage to the tube on moving robot parts, such as rocker  6 , arm  8  and hand  11 . The tube holder  22  supports and guides the tube  12  at one or more points on the robot arm  8  and rocker  6 . 
     A tube holder, whose use is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and with which the protective tube  12  is held in axially differing manner on the robot, is shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6. 
     The tube holder  22  opens from its central area towards its free ends in trumpet-like manner. It comprises two half-shells  22   a ,  22   b , which are pivotably articulated to one another at  23 , so that the tube holder is opened and when in its open state the protective tube is inserted and then said tube holder  22  can be closed again. 
     For securing the closed position of the tube holder  22  a locking mechanism  24  is provided and has on the lower half-shell  22   b  a locking nose  26  provided with a groove-like undercut. In the same engages the free web  27  of a spring clip  28 , which with its end remote from the web  27  is fixed in the form of two ends bent relative to its legs to a pivoted lever  29 . The spring clip  28  is articulated to the pivoted lever  29  at a point  32  eccentrically to the bearing axis  31  thereof on the upper half-shell  22   a , namely between the bearing axis  31  of the pivoted lever  29  and its free operating end  33 . 
     Parallel to the pivoted lever  29  are provided on the upper half-shell  22   a , two radially extending protective rubs  34 , which completely cover the radial contour of the pivoted lever  29  in its closed position engaging on the upper shell  22   a , as shown in FIG.  6 . This ensures that the pivoted lever  29  is not unintentionally opened by parts moving along it, so as to open the complete tube holder. 
     The tube holder  22  is fixable to the robot by means of a trapezoidal base  36  constructed in one piece on its lower half-shell  22   b  by means of a screw fastening using an opening  37 . The base  36  is connected by its trapezoidally opening legs to the more or less flexible, trumpet-like extensions of the tube holder. In the construction according to the invention, in addition to the legs  38  of the trapezoidal base  36  forming substantially axis-perpendicular planes, axially parallel directed ribs  39  are provided thereon, which stiffen the base  36  and thereby prevents a parallelogram like movement of the base  36 .