Patent ID: 6997412

Claim:
A cable protection and guide device wherein a number of link bodies each having a rectangular cross-section are articulately connected to each other; said cable residing substantially within said link bodies; each of said link bodies includes a pair of side plates; each of said side plates includes inner peripheral surfaces; each of said side plates include guide traveling units detachably provided on said inner peripheral surfaces of said side plates of said link bodies; said articulately connected link bodies include a fixed end and a movable end; a guide rail; a first portion of said articulately connected link bodies arranged in a first linear direction being within and engaging said guide rail; a second portion of said articulately connected link bodies are arranged in a second opposite linear direction and do not engage said guide rail; and a third portion of said articulately connected link bodies are arranged in a third curvilinear direction and do not engage said guide rail; said guide traveling units of said link bodies arranged in said first linear direction interengage said guide traveling units of said link bodies arranged in said second linear direction; characterized in that each of said guide traveling units comprises: a slide shaft projected from said inner peripheral surface of said side plate; a slide retainer slidably fitted onto said slide shaft projected from said inner peripheral surface of said side plate of said link body; and, a spring which biases said slide retainer away from said inner peripheral side of said link body and a traveling roller rotatably retained by said slide retainer; and, said slide retainers of said first portion of said guide traveling units arranged in said first linear direction abut said guide rail urging said guide traveling units inwardly toward said inner peripheral surfaces of said side plates of said link body; said slide retainers of said second portion of said guide traveling units arranged in said second linear direction do not engage said guide rail and are biased away from said inner peripheral sides and extend outwardly therefrom; and, said traveling rollers of said first portion of said guide traveling units of said link bodies arranged in said first linear direction being urged inwardly by said abutment of said guide traveling units and said guide rail and said traveling rollers of said second portion of said guide traveling units of said second portion of said link bodies arranged in said second linear direction being urged outwardly by said bias of said springs such that said traveling rollers of said guide traveling units of said first and second portions of link bodies arranged in said first and second linear directions pass each other.