Patent Publication Number: US-7215867-B2

Title: Cable storage device

Description:
The present invention relates to a device for the storage of cables or cable sections at their ends. In particular the invention relates to such a device in which the cables can not only be transported, but can also easily and practically be conveyed to the process involving further treatment. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for storing cables, in particular in conjunction with the above-mentioned device. 
   From U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,159 (e.g. particularly well shown in  FIG. 2B  thereof), a cable storage device comprising clamping devices arranged side-by-side is known, into which clamping devices the cable ends are to be clamped. However, the cable ends are clamped into the clamping devices such that said cable ends are subjected to quite considerable transverse and longitudinal loads. Furthermore, the cables have to be pulled out; a process which again results in considerable loads on the cable ends, or a special device is required so as to release the cable ends in a way that only involves exposure to light loads. 
   Furthermore, the cable storage device known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,159 is associated with a disadvantage in that a multitude of cable ends can be stored in the same clamping position only while the cable ends are subjected to yet greater loads. 
   The operation of a cable storage device as described above is known in principle from U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,795, without, however, the above-mentioned problems having been solved therein. 
   A gripping device for treating cable ends is also known from EP-A-0 494 570 as well as from EP-A-0 584 493. 
   Known in principle are revolving storage devices, so-called turret storage devices, in which the cable ends typically are arranged circumferentially. Such storage units are particularly well suited to programmed automatic further treatment. However, such turret arrangements are less well suited to manual further treatment. 
   It is thus the object of the invention to propose a cable storage device in which the load on the cables, in particular during the storage process, is kept as light as possible. Furthermore, the process of releasing the cables should be kept as simple as possible. In this arrangement it should be possible to operate the cable storage device with one of the above-cited known gripping devices. Manual further treatment, namely the removal of the cables from the storage device, must be possible in each and every case. 
   This object is met by the invention with the use of a device according to claim  1 . The measures according to the invention first result in the cable ends not being subjected to any significant mechanical load in particular during the storage of one or of a multitude of cable ends in the same storage unit. Furthermore, in principle, the gripping devices known from EP-A-0 494 570 and EP-A-0 584 493 can be used. 
   The solution provided by the present invention is convincing above all in that the spring force of the slide which is pushed downward by its shoulder in no way has any influence on the load exerted on the cable during insertion in the storage device. Gentle treatment is of course ensured in particular if only one cable is inserted in one storage device. However, treatment remains gentle even if several cables are inserted. 
   In particular the removal of the cable or cables by simply pressing the rocker with one finger is also particularly simple and gentle. 
   The spring force of the slide block influences the clamping force acting on the cable. Closing the locking element, which is designed as a rocker, is in particular determined by the pivot and its spring force. 
   In a special embodiment of the invention the spring force of the slider can be set so that the cable storage device according to the present invention can be adapted to the various circumstances without the need to change the spring. 
   The solution provided by the present invention is convincing above all in that it is of lightweight construction, simple and economical to produce. Unlike many cable storage devices according to the state of the art, this cable storage device does not require any compressed air; it is thus ideal for transporting the cables in the storage device. 
   Further advantageous details of the invention are set out in the dependent claims. 
   The above-mentioned elements as well as the elements that are to be used according to the invention, which elements are claimed and described in the embodiments below, are not subject to any particular exceptional conditions in relation to their size, shape, use of materials and technical concept so that the selection criteria known in the respective field of application can be applied without any limitations. 

   
     Further details, characteristics and advantages of the subject of the invention are presented in the description, below, of the associated drawings which in an exemplary manner explain a device and an associated process sequence relating to the present invention. 
     The following are shown in the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  a perspective view of a cable storage device according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  a lateral view of the cable storage device according to  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  a lateral section view, as a functional drawing, of two cable storage devices according to  FIG. 1 , arranged side-by-side; 
       FIG. 4  a multitude of cable storage devices, arranged on a rail, with a gripping device for operating one of the storage devices; 
       FIG. 5  operation of a gripping device in conjunction with the cable storage devices on several rails; 
       FIG. 6  a facility for operating the cable storage devices according to  FIG. 1  with the essential elements; and 
       FIG. 7  the facility according to  FIG. 6  with the cable trough. 
   

   The cable storage device which in  FIGS. 1 and 2  overall is designated  10  comprises two interconnected lateral parts  12  and  14  which form a gap to accommodate one or a multitude of cables or cable ends  20 . Towards the bottom the gap is delimited by a block  30 . In this arrangement the block  30  substantially protrudes beyond the length of the lateral parts  12  and  14  and in this way, in the present embodiment, forms a shoulder on both sides. Furthermore, the slide block  30  is designed so as to be vertically sprung; in the embodiment shown this is effected by a spring  52  by which the slide block is held. 
   Towards the top the gap for the cables can be closed or opened by means of a locking element  16 . The locking element  16  is held on an axis  40  in the left lateral part  14  and is pushed against the internal wall of the right lateral part  12  by means of a further spring  54 . However, by means of a lever  50  the locking element can be opened and the cables can be released in this way. The average person skilled in the art will recognise that the position of the axis, or the fulcrum, can be significant as far as the force relationships and thus the load acting on the cable or cable end are concerned. 
   The upper inclined flank of the lock  16  has a steep incline so as to keep the load to which the cable is subjected during insertion as light as possible. In contrast to this, in the present embodiment the bottom flank has an angle of approximately 45° so that, in conjunction with the spring force of the spring  54 , the cable or cables is/are firmly held in the cable storage device. 
     FIG. 3  shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which the above-described cable storage elements are placed against each other. In this arrangement the right lateral part of the left storage element shown forms the left lateral part of the right storage element. If there is a multitude of interconnected storage elements, thus only the right terminating element is a lateral part  12 . 
   In  FIG. 4  the function of the present invention is shown in particular. Here, a multitude of storage elements  10  are arranged on a rail  80 . In this figure the last right-hand lateral part  12  and a further element  14  are not in place so as to better show the function of the device. In this arrangement a gripper  110 , which is holding a cable  20 , pushes down the shoulders of the block  30 , thus freeing a larger storage space. The gripper  110  then releases the cable  20  by opening its gripping elements, and as a result of the block  30  being pushed back the storage space becomes as small again as required by the cable dimension. Of course, a cable or cable end can also be manually inserted in the cable storage device, e.g. in that the shoulder of the slide block is pushed down and the cable thus automatically opens the lock  16 , which is designed as a rocker. 
   This interrelationship is shown again in  FIG. 5  at another scale, wherein a multitude of storage elements  10  are shown, which storage elements  10  comprise parts  14  and a terminating part  12 . These storage elements are arranged on a rail  80 . The rail  80  comprises a handle  90  at each end, which handle basically serves two functions. On the one hand this handle  90  is intended and implemented as a conventional carrying handle for the rails and thus for the multitude of storage elements. A second function of handle  90  is explained in the following with reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
   However, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the rails  80 , into which the individual cable storage devices  10  have been placed, are inserted on a placement facility  200  from the left in the rear row  210 . In the present embodiment this is done manually. The rails  80  are then pushed to the right, provided there is room in that position for such a rail  80 . If it is the turn of the right-hand rail  80  to receive cables or cable ends  20 , this rail  80  is moved to the placement position in a front row  220 —in the embodiment shown by being raised, shifted to the front, and lowered—and grippers  110  place cables into it. Thereafter, by means of grippers  110 , the rail  80 , onto which cables have been placed, can be pushed out towards the left by its handle  90 . The embodiment shown provides for three grippers  110 , arranged side-by-side, so that the grippers  110  can also supply cable ends with a double-crimp connection. Of course other arrangements of grippers (e.g. two grippers, or more than three grippers) are also possible. As shown in  FIG. 7 , in front of the front row  220 , a cable trough  250  is provided so that the cable loops are protected when they are moved. 
   This embodiment provides for the cable storage devices on the rail  80  to be manually supplied when the cable storage devices have reached the left-hand position in the front row  220 . Of course it is also possible to provide such supply by way of robot technology. 
   In this embodiment it is particularly advantageous that sliding of the rails  80  in the front row and also in the rear row  220  can be carried out with the grippers  110  in that one of the grippers  110  engages one of the above-described handles  90  that are designed for this purpose and slides the rail  80  by this handle.