MONITORING SYSTEM FOR TRACTIVE AND COMPRESSIVE FORCES IN AN ENERGY GUIDING CHAIN AND CORRESPONDING FORCE SENSOR

• US 20150135845A1
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGUS GmbH
• Original Assignee: IGUS GmbH
• Inventors: Hermey, Andreas, Jaeker, Thilo-Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 10,175,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/769
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 13/16 with arrangements for holding electric cables, hoses, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/04 by measuring elastic deformation of gauges, e.g. of springs
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2243 the supports being parallelogram-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/103 using sensors fixed at one end of the flexible member
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/006 using extensible carrier for the cable, e.g. self-coiling spring extensible conductors or cables H01B7/06

Abstract

The invention relates to a monitoring system for tractive and compressive forces in a power track chain (1) for protected guidance of cables, hoses etc. The monitoring system comprises at least one force sensor (10, 90) for measuring a tractive or compressive force transmitted between a driver (4) and a moveable end (3) of the power track chain, and an evaluation unit (12) for evaluating the measurement signals detected by the force sensor. The invention is characterised by the design and arrangement of the force sensor (10, 90). This force sensor is designed as a connecting member for attaching the moveable end (3) of the power track chain (1) on the driver (4) and comprises at least one web (32, 34, 92) extended substantially transversely to the direction of the tractive/compressive force. The web has at least one elastically deformable bending region (321, 322, 341, 342) with an associated sensor (621, 622, 641, 642) for measuring deformation produced by bending.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for traction and compression forces in a energy guide chain having a plurality of hingedly interconnected chain link members for protectedly guiding cables, hoses or the like, including at least one force sensor for measuring a traction or compression force transmitted between an entrainment member and a moveable end of the energy guide chain, and an evaluation unit for evaluating the measurement signals detected by the force sensor,

characterised in that the force sensor is in the form of a connecting member for fixing the moveable end of the energy guide chain to the entrainment member and includes at least one web extending substantially transversely to the traction/compression force direction, wherein the web is stressed in flexing in the event of a traction or compression force acting in the longitudinal direction of the chain and has at least one elastically deformable flexural region with an associated sensor device for measuring a deformation produced by flexing.

2. A monitoring system according to claim 1 characterised in that the force sensor has two webs which each include at least one elastically deformable flexural region with an associated sensor device and are arranged parallel with the same operative length in order upon flexing of the webs to ensure parallel displacement of the moveable end of the energy guide chain relative to the entrainment member.

3. A monitoring system according to claim 1 characterised in that a strain gauge is fixed as the sensor device to the at least one elastically deformable flexural region.

4. A monitoring system according to claim 2 characterised in that two series-connected strain gauges are respectively provided at each of the two webs, wherein the strain gauges are preferably arranged in symmetrical and diametrically opposite relationship and the series-connected strain gauges are connected in parallel to constitute a Wheatstone bridge so that the strain gauges of each web are respectively connected in series between the two supply terminals of the Wheatstone bridge.

5. A monitoring system according to claim 1 characterised in that the web or the two webs is or are of an operative length which can be stressed in flexing of at least 20%, of the lever arm causing flexing, measured between the fixing location on the entrainment member and the hinge axis of the most closely adjacent hinge of the energy guide chain.

6. A monitoring system according to claim 1 characterised in that the force sensor includes a first flange which is shaped in one piece with at least one web or possibly with the two webs and which has means for fixing the force sensor to the entrainment member.

7. A monitoring system according to claim 6 characterised in that the force sensor further includes a second flange which is shaped in one piece and which preferably has means for fixing to the moveable end of the energy guide chain, wherein a connecting surface on the second flange preferably extends inclinedly relative to a connecting surface on the first flange.

8. A monitoring system according to claim 1 characterised in that the force sensor includes a frame structure which is produced in one piece from metal or plastic and which forms the at least one web or possibly the two webs and also forms perpendicularly thereto the first flange and possibly the second flange, wherein the frame structure is in the form of a separate connecting member for fixing the moveable end of the energy guide chain to the entrainment member.

9. A monitoring system according to claim 8 characterised in that the first flange for fixing to the entrainment member has a fixing profile, in particular a bore pattern, which is identical to the fixing profile of the moveable end of the energy guide chain.

10. A monitoring system according to claim 1 characterised in that the force sensor, in particular the at least one web, is an integrated component of a chain end member which is in the form of a connecting member for fixing the moveable end of the energy guide chain to the entrainment member.

11. A connecting member for fixing the moveable end of a energy guide chain which has a plurality of hingedly interconnected chain link members for protectedly guiding cables, hoses or the like to an entrainment member, characterised in that the connecting member is in the form of a force sensor for measuring traction or compression forces transmitted between the entrainment member and the moveable end and includes at least one web extending substantially transversely relative to the traction/compression force direction, wherein the web is stressed in flexing in the event of a traction or compression force in the longitudinal direction of the chain and has at least one elastically deformable flexural region with an associated sensor device for measuring the deformation produced upon flexing at the flexural region.

12. A connecting member according to claim 11 characterised in that the force sensor has two webs which each include at least one elastically deformable flexural region with an associated sensor device and are arranged parallel with the same operative length in order upon flexing of the webs to ensure parallel displacement of the moveable end of the energy guide chain relative to the entrainment member.

13. A connecting member according to claim 11 characterised in that a strain gauge is fixed as the sensor device to the at least one elastically deformable flexural region.

14. A connecting member according to claim 12 characterised in that two series-connected strain gauges are respectively provided at each of the two webs, wherein the strain gauges are preferably arranged in symmetrical and diametrically opposite relationship and the series-connected strain gauges are connected in parallel to constitute a Wheatstone bridge so that the strain gauges of each web are respectively connected in series between the two supply terminals of the Wheatstone bridge.

15. A connecting member according to claim 11 characterised in that the web or the two webs is or are of an operative length which can be stressed in flexing of at least 20%, of the lever arm causing flexing, measured between the fixing location on the entrainment member and the hinge axis of the most closely adjacent hinge of the energy guide chain.

16. A connecting member according to claim 11 characterised in that the force sensor includes a first flange which is shaped in one piece with at least one web or possibly with the two webs and which has means for fixing the force sensor to the entrainment member.

17. A connecting member according to claim 16 characterised in that the force sensor further includes a second flange which is shaped in one piece and which preferably has means for fixing to the moveable end of the energy guide chain, wherein a connecting surface on the second flange preferably extends inclinedly relative to a connecting surface on the first flange.

18. A connecting member according to claim 11 characterised in that the force sensor includes a frame structure which is produced in one piece from metal or plastic and which forms the at least one web or possibly the two webs and also forms perpendicularly thereto the first flange and possibly the second flange, wherein the frame structure is in the form of a separate connecting member for fixing the moveable end of the energy guide chain to the entrainment member.

19. A connecting member according to claim 18 characterised in that the first flange for fixing to the entrainment member has a fixing profile, in particular a bore pattern, which is identical to the fixing profile of the moveable end of the energy guide chain.

20. A connecting member according to claim 11 characterised in that the force sensor, in particular the at least one web, is an integrated component of a chain end member which is in the form of a connecting member for fixing the moveable end of the energy guide chain to the entrainment member.

21. A energy guide chain comprising a plurality of hingedly interconnected chain link members for protectedly guiding cables, hoses or the like, wherein the chain link members are respectively formed by side plates which are interlinked by the hinged connections to constitute side plate line arrays, characterised in that provided at at least one of said side plate line arrays of the moveable end of the energy guide chain is a connecting member according to the characterising portion of claim 11 for fixing to the entrainment member.