Patent ID: 8806847

Claim:
Energy guiding chain to guide one or more cables and/or one or more tubes from a first connection point to a second connection point, at least one of the two connection points being non-stationary, said energy guiding chain comprising: a plurality of synthetic chain links which are articulable to each other and which each include two opposing lateral straps having a longitudinal direction, wherein the lateral straps form mutually opposing strap strands transversely to their longitudinal direction, said opposing lateral straps of at least one of the chain links being connected to each other by an upper cross-member and a lower cross-member, wherein the opposing lateral straps are connected to the cross-members at opposing ends of the cross-members, each of the ends of the upper cross-member and the lower cross-member including a lug which extends in a longitudinal direction of the cross-member, wherein each of said lugs of each cross-member includes a locking bar, and two cylindrical bearing parts arranged on a common axis, each of the opposing lateral straps including two pocket-like bearing receivers which protrude of a side of each lateral strap which faces towards an interior of the chain, each of the bearing parts of one lug being insertable in one of the pocket-like bearing receivers of one of the opposing lateral straps, each of the opposing lateral straps including two snap-action devices, each snap-action device having a snap tab that cooperates with one of the locking bars disposed on one of said ends of one of the upper and lower cross-members such that, when in a locking position, said snap tab will overlap said locking bar, wherein the locking bar is arranged radially outside of the common axis of the bearing parts such as to face away from the cross-member, and wherein in the locking position, said snap-action device is disposed on a side of the locking bar that faces away from the cross-member such that, when the cross-member is pivoted about the common axis of the bearing parts inserted in the bearing receivers to a fully opened position of the cross-member, said locking bar is passable through under the snap tab, and wherein, in an axial direction outside of the bearing parts of each lug of each of the upper and lower cross-members, each of the cross-members respectively include at least one projection on each end thereof which extends in the longitudinal direction of the cross-member towards one of the opposing lateral straps and, when the cross-member is in the locking position, contacts against the side of one of the opposing lateral straps which faces towards the interior of the chain.