Patent · US Expired

Guide and support chain for flexible tubes

US6016844A · kind A · utility

17Cited by
9References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 17, 1998
Grant dateJan 25, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 17, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16G13/16
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a guide and support chain for flexible tubes, noises generated from stoppers and stopper surfaces for maintaining a straight-line attitude, and the rigidity in the case where the straight-line attitude tends to be changed into flexing is improved. A guide and support chain 10 is constituted such that link parts 12 having a pair of left and right side plates 14, 14 are rotatably connected. A straight-line attitude maintaining stopper and a straight-line attitude maintaining stopper surface comprise first stage straight-line attitude maintaining stoppers 21a, 23a and first straight-line attitude maintaining stopper surfaces 21b, 23b, and a second stage straight-line attitude maintaining stopper 22a and straight-line attitude maintaining stopper surfaces 22b. The stoppers 21a, 23a and the stopper surfaces 21b, 23b are provided at a position small in radius, and the stopper 22a and the stopper surface 22b are provided at a position large in radius. When the stoppers 21a, 23a and the stopper surfaces 21b, 23b start to contact with each other, the stopper 22a is parted from the stopper surface 22b with a predetermined clearance A.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.