Festoon Cable

[controlnovice]

I have an application where I need to festoon cable vertically, not horizontally.

I'm having difficulty finding anything that would work.

Our application is about 0.5meters when 'closed' and about 3.0 meters when open. This is an enclosed piece of equipment with a limit switch that rides on the inside. We need to read this limit switch from the outside of the enclosure, so we will be drilling through the top of the enclosure (no problems there). Already tried wireless. Concerns about just letting the wire hang with getting caught on other internal pieces/equipment.

Any ideas on vertical festooning (if that's the correct term)?

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[btrueblood]

Spring loaded cord reel?

 

[controlnovice]

That was a thought too, but the inside of the unit will be exposed to acrylonitrile and styrene, so the entry through the enclosure would have to be sealed/not movable.

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[starkopete]

What about coiled cord.

Thanks

 

[ScottyUK]

What about a cable chain from someone like Igus? Or are there solids which might foul up the links?


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[potteryshard]

You could use 'lazy tongs' levers (intersecting levers) mounted vertically so that the distance to be spanned is equally divided between the levers, and then strap a flexible cable to the lever segments. The cord could only flex at predetermined points, it's weight would be supported by the levers, and it could only move in one plane.

 

[controlnovice]

Am in talks with cablescience already.

Looking to fit our cable into a coiled tube by them, or they put our cable into the tubing.

The cables are premolded into the limit switches from the manufacturer (Turck) to eliminate any voids for chemicals to enter.

Solids should not be a problem. Will look into material compatibility for the Igus equipment. Also concerns about being able to compress down to 0.5 m.

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