Separator, transverse web and compartment bottom for energy guiding chains

Abstract

Novel separators, transverse links and transverse bases or compartment bottoms for chain links of energy chains. The separator has a pivotable sidebar wherein the top portion and the bottom portion each have a holding clamp for interacting with the narrow sides of a transverse link, the top portion being connected to the first side bar and being detachable and/or pivotable together therewith. The transverse link has a row of teeth protruding at the narrow sides for interlocking with the separators, designed in a manner complementary thereto, and/or a cable-protecting protective layer on the inner face for protecting the guided cables.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A separator for a chain link of an energy guiding chain, wherein the chain link has two side plates which are spaced apart from one another and are connected to one another by two transverse webs and which define a receiving space for one or more lines, the separator comprising:
 the separator configured in a manner of a plate having a plurality of through-openings and having a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side bar, and a second side bar,   wherein the first and second side bars delimit the plurality of through-openings in a width direction of the separator,   wherein the first side bar is detachable and/or pivotable to provide access to the plurality of through-openings such that a compartment bottom is insertable into or removable from each one of the plurality of through-openings, respectively,   wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are each configured to attach to one of the transverse webs, respectively,   wherein the top portion and the bottom portion each have a holding clamp to interact with narrow sides of one of the transverse webs, respectively, and   wherein the top portion is connected to the first side bar and is detachable and/or pivotable together with the first side bar.   
     
     
         24 . The separator according to  claim 23 , wherein the top portion and/or the first side bar are/is connectable by positive locking to the bottom portion and/or the second side bar and/or a central region of the separator. 
     
     
         25 . The separator according to  claim 23 , wherein the top portion and/or the first side bar are/is latchable to the second side bar. 
     
     
         26 . The separator according to  claim 25 , wherein the top portion and/or the first side bar are/is latchable to the second side bar by a latching notch at a top-portion-side end of the second side bar, and a latching lug on the top portion configured to engage the latching notch. 
     
     
         27 . The separator according to  claim 23 , wherein the top portion has broad sides and a planar recess is between the broad sides, and
 wherein the separator has a central region, and a top-portion-side end of the central region has a projection extending in a height direction of the separator to engage the recess.   
     
     
         28 . The separator according to  claim 23 , wherein the first side bar is manufactured in one piece with the top portion. 
     
     
         29 . The separator according to  claim 23 , wherein the first side bar is connectable to the bottom portion by a hinge-like articulated connection. 
     
     
         30 . The separator according to  claim 29 , wherein the articulated connection comprises a pivot joint, and
 wherein a bearing receptacle is formed on the bottom portion.   
     
     
         31 . The separator according to  claim 29 , wherein a pivot axis of the articulated connection extends perpendicularly to the width direction of the separator and perpendicularly to a height direction of the separator. 
     
     
         32 . The separator according to  claim 23 , wherein the separator has a central region, and the central region comprises a plurality of tongues extending in the width direction of the separator, and
 wherein the first side bar comprises a plurality of pockets to receive the plurality of tongues.   
     
     
         33 . The separator according to  claim 23 , wherein each through-opening of the plurality of through-openings comprises a latching cam on one side to latch the respective compartment bottom. 
     
     
         34 . A transverse web for a chain link of an energy guiding chain, wherein the chain link has two side plates which are spaced apart from each other, the transverse web comprising:
 the transverse web having longitudinal ends and being connectable at each of the longitudinal ends to a respective one of the side plates to define a receiving space for one or more lines,   wherein the transverse web has two narrow sides extending in a longitudinal direction of the transverse web, the narrow sides having a holding device to retain one or more separators,   wherein each holding device comprises a respective row of teeth on the respective narrow side to form a positive connection to the one or more separators, wherein the one or more separators each have a complementary design to form the positive connection,   wherein each tooth of the row of teeth projects in a width direction of the transverse web, and   wherein each tooth of the row of teeth has a dimension in a height direction of the transverse web which is greater than a dimension of the tooth in a longitudinal direction of the transverse web.   
     
     
         35 . The transverse web according to  claim 34 , wherein each tooth of the row of teeth has a dimension in the height direction of the transverse web which is greater than a dimension of the tooth in the width direction of the transverse web. 
     
     
         36 . The transverse web according to  claim 34 , wherein the dimension of the tooth in the height direction of the transverse web is at least 3 mm. 
     
     
         37 . The transverse web according to  claim 34 , wherein the teeth are spaced apart by tooth gaps and the teeth and tooth gaps are alternately and uniformly distributed along at least a major portion of a longitudinal extension of the narrow sides and/or have a rounded profile. 
     
     
         38 . A separator for a chain link of an energy guiding chain, wherein the chain link has two side plates which are spaced apart from one another and are connected to one another by two transverse webs and which define a receiving space for one or more lines, the separator comprising:
 the separator being of plate-like design and having a top portion and a bottom portion to hold and/or fasten to the transverse webs,   wherein the top portion and/or the bottom portion each comprise a holding clamp to engage in a row of teeth of one of the two transverse webs,   wherein the respective holding clamp comprises two opposite retaining extensions which each have at least one tooth projection to positively engage in the row of teeth of the transverse web, and   wherein the tooth projections of the two opposite retaining extensions face one another and project from the retaining extension in a direction of the opposite tooth projection.   
     
     
         39 . The separator according to  claim 38 , wherein the tooth projections each comprise an extension in the direction toward the opposite tooth projection that corresponds to a depth of a tooth gap and has an extension in a height direction of the separator that is at least 3 mm. 
     
     
         40 . The separator according to  claim 38 , wherein the separator comprises a central portion between the top and bottom portions,
 wherein the holding clamp protrudes perpendicularly to a main plane of the separator to each side by not more than 150% of a thickness in the central portion of the separator.   
     
     
         41 . The separator according to  claim 38 , wherein each of the retaining extensions comprises two tooth projections to positively engage in two successive tooth gaps of the transverse web. 
     
     
         42 . The separator according to  claim 41 , wherein each of the retaining extensions is U-shaped in cross-section. 
     
     
         43 . A compartment bottom for a chain link of an energy guiding chain, wherein the chain link has two side plates which are spaced apart from one another and are connected to one another by two transverse webs and at least one separator arranged between the transverse webs and having at least one through-opening, wherein the through-opening has a latching cam on one side to latch the compartment bottom, the compartment bottom comprising:
 the compartment bottom being of plate-like design and formed in cross-section to match the through-opening,   wherein the compartment bottom has a toothing on a long narrow side to interact with the latching cam of the through-opening,   wherein the compartment bottom has a recess on an opposite other long narrow side, a recess which is continuously toothless in a longitudinal direction and in which the latching cam is accommodatable in a longitudinally displaceable manner.   
     
     
         44 . A transverse web for a chain link of an energy guiding chain, wherein the chain link has two side plates which are spaced apart from one another, the transverse web comprising:
 an elongated main body made of plastic and having longitudinal ends,   wherein each of the longitudinal ends has a fastening region by which such is connectable to one of the side plates to define a receiving space for one or more lines,   wherein a line-protecting layer made of a second plastic which is different from the plastic of the main body is provided on an inner side of the main body which faces the receiving space.   
     
     
         45 . The transverse web according to  claim 44 , wherein the transverse web has two narrow sides extending in a longitudinal direction of the transverse web,
 wherein each narrow side of the narrow sides has a holding device to retain one or more separators, and   wherein the line-protecting layer extends in the longitudinal direction between the longitudinal ends and in a width direction from the one narrow side to the other narrow side and covers the inner side of the main body.