(19) (10) DE 20 2008 002 576 U1 06/05/2008

Specification

[0001] The invention relates to a drive unit - in particular, a drive motor -, which is mounted so as to be rotatable and/or vertically adjustable and which is intended for an agitator, which is mounted slidably on an essentially vertical support column.

[0002] The agitator can be moved up and down and also optionally swivelled, in order to achieve an effective operation of the agitator.

[0003] At the same time there is the risk that the connecting cable of the drive motor will catch somewhere and be damaged.

[0004] The object of the invention is to design the current supply of the drive motor in such a way that it is safe and secure.

[0005] The invention achieves this object in that on the support column a guide rod is fastened in essence parallel to the support column, on which the clamping holders for the connecting cable of the drive motor are mounted in a longitudinally moveable manner.

[0006] As a result, the connecting cable can conform with the vertical movements of the drive motor and cannot catch and, thus, cannot be damaged.

[0007] One advantageous additional embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the mounting of the clamping holders is designed so as to be rotatable.

[0008] Hence, even the rotational movements of the drive motor can be tracked by the connecting cable.

[0009] Another embodiment of the invention that is also very advantageous consists of the guide rod being fastened on the support column outside the adjusting path of the drive motor.

[0010] Thus, the clamping holders of the connecting cable can go along with the whole adjusting path of the drive motor.

[0011] One advantageous embodiment of the invention lies in the fact that the clamping holders are designed so as to be substantially U-shaped and are provided on their free legs with recesses, with which the guide rod engages.

[0012] Therefore, it is possible to produce the clamping holders in a simple way.

[0013] An additional advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the free legs of the U-shaped clamping holders are provided with slot-shaped recesses.

[0014] As a result, it is possible to affix in a simple way the U-shaped clamping holders on the guide rod.

[0015] This design is simplified even more in an additional embodiment, when at least the upper end of the guide rod is connected to the support column by a web, which is at least slightly narrower than the width of the slot-shaped recesses of the clamping holders.

[0016] The clamping holders can be detached from the guide rod at this point.

[0017] It is also very advantageous, if the clamping holders are mounted in a rotatable manner obliquely to the guide rod.

[0018] In so doing, the cable can be rotated in relation to the guide rod, as a result of which the adjusting path is extended once again. In addition, the cable is prevented from snapping off at the clamping holders.

[0019] The invention achieves an additional improvement in that the connecting cable is securely affixed to a support of the drive motor, said support being traversable on the support column.

[0020] In this way the connecting cable conforms automatically with the movements of the drive motor.

[0021] An additional embodiment of the invention, according to which the connecting cable is securely affixed to an upper holder of the support column, is also very advantageous.

[0022] In this way that area of the connecting cable that faces away from the motor is also securely affixed so that only the necessary length of the connecting cable moves with the motor.

[0023] In this case it has proven to be especially advantageous if, according to another embodiment of the invention, the connecting cable between the two anchor points runs in a meandering shape through the clamping holders.

[0024] This meandering is simply extended or compressed, when the motor moves up and down.

[0025] An additional very advantageous embodiment of the invention also exists, even if the distance between two or more clamping holders in relation to each other is determined as a function of the total depth of immersion of the drive motor.

[0026] In this context it has proven to be extremely advantageous if an elastic connection between the adjacent clamping holders and between the upper-most clamping holder and the bracket and between the bottom-most clamping holder and the drive motor is provided.

[0027] In this way at least an approximately uniform distribution of the clamping holders on the guide rod is guaranteed in a simple way. Excessive stresses on specific areas of the cable are avoided.

[0028] The drawing illustrates the invention by means of one embodiment.

[0029] Figure 1 is a graphical rendering of an agitator that is mounted so as to be vertically adjustable and rotatable.

[0030] Figure 2 is a graphical rendering of the same agitator.

[0031] The reference numeral 1 denotes an agitator, which consists of a drive motor 2 and an agitator propeller 3. This agitator 1 is mounted so as to be traversable in the vertical direction on a support column 4 by means of a U-shaped subframe 5. The bottom end of the support column in turn is mounted in a pivot bearing 6; and the area of the upper end of said support column is also mounted rotatably on a bracket 7. A traction rope 8 engages with the U-shaped subframe 5. Said traction rope is routed over a roller 10, mounted on a cross arm 9 on the upper end of the support column 4. In addition, the cross arm 9 is provided with two guide and deflecting rollers 11, which are intended for the traction cable 8 and which alternatingly take over the guiding of the traction rope 8 when the agitator 1 is swivelled.

[0032] Above the pivot bearing 6 and below the bracket 7 a guide rod 12, which exhibits a circular cross section, is mounted on the support column 4. The upper and lower end of the guide rod 12 have one web 13 or 14 respectively, each of which in turn is mounted on the support column 4. Several clamping holders 15 for the connecting cable 16 of the drive motor 2 are mounted slidably on the guide rod 12. These clamping holders consist of a cable clip 17 for securely clamping the connecting cable 16 as well as a U-shaped bearing member 18, both free legs of which are provided with circular recesses, with which the guide rod 12 engages. In addition, the free legs are provided with slot-shaped recesses, which extend outwards from the circular recess. The slotted recesses are slightly wider than the width of the webs 13 or 14, so that the clamping holders can be slid onto the guide rod by way of the webs. The U-shaped subframe 5 has two additional cable clips 19 and 20, which guarantee the connecting cable an additional hold and are intended to reduce the tension when the cable is connected to the drive motor. An additional affixing of the connecting cable is provided on the bracket 7, which in this case can be designed as the cable bushing 21.

[0033] The connecting cable 16 is run through the clamping holders 15 in a meandering shape between the cable clip 19 on the U-shaped subframe 5 and the cable bushing 21 at the upper bracket 7, as a result of which the connecting cable 16 extends and compresses in the manner of an accordion. The meanderings are arranged horizontally, thus avoiding the formation of knots or the like in the cable. In addition, the cable at the cable clips 17 is run in essence obliquely. However, it is also conceivable that in the totally extended state of the cable the cable clips 17 are rotated against a reset force into the vertical orientation. However, if the cable run is shortened, said cable clips are rotated back into the horizontal orientation.

Patent Claims

1. Drive unit - in particular, a drive motor (2) -, which is mounted so as to be rotatable and/or vertically adjustable and which is intended for an agitator (1), which is mounted slidably on an essentially vertical support column (4), characterized in that on the support column (4) a guide rod (12) is fastened in essence parallel to the support column, on which the clamping holders (15) for the connecting cable (16) of the drive motor (2) are mounted in a longitudinally moveable manner.

2. Drive unit, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the clamping holders (15) are mounted rotatably on the guide rod (12).

3. Drive unit, as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide rod (12) is fastened on the support column (4) outside the adjusting path of the drive motor (2).

4. Drive unit, as claimed in claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that the clamping holders (15) are designed so as to be substantially U-shaped and are provided on their free legs with recesses, with which the guide rod (12) engages.

5. Drive unit, as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the free legs of the U-shaped clamping holders are provided with slot-shaped recesses.

6. Drive unit, as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that at least the upper end of the guide rod (12) is connected to the support column (4) by a web (14), which is at least slightly narrower than the width of the slot-shaped recesses of the clamping holders (15).

7. Drive unit, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping holders (15) are designed so as to be rotatable obliquely to the guide rod (12).

8. Drive unit, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting cable (16) is securely affixed to a support (U-shaped subframe 5) of the drive motor (2), said support being traversable on the support column (4).

9. Drive unit, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting cable (16) is securely affixed to an upper holder (bracket 7) of the support column (4).

10. Drive unit, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting cable (16) between the two anchor points runs in a meandering shape through the clamping holders (15).

11. Drive unit, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance between two or more clamping holders in relation to each other is determined as a function of the total depth of immersion of the drive motor.

12. Drive unit, as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that an elastic connection between the adjacent clamping holders and between the upper-most clamping holder and the bracket and between the bottom-most clamping holder and the drive motor is provided.

2 sheets of drawings to follow.

Attached drawings