Safe energy supply in the rehab robot for gait training

• What was needed: plastic-energy chain, chainflex® cable
• Requirements: As is so often the case, the energy supply had to be highly reliable and smooth-running. In addition, a particularly narrow machine design had to be guaranteed due to the low chain height and minimal bend radius.
• Industry: Medical technology, mobility & Rehab
• Success for the customer: energy chain with low installation height and chainflex® cable with minimal bend radius fulfil the challenges for this medical device. They enabled the basic machine height to be reduced to 120 mm with a rolling radius of just 60 mm.

This medical device enables robot-assisted therapy for neurological and orthopaedic patients. The G-EO Robot is the world's first device that enables the simulation of any human gait pattern (stairs, slopes, obstacles, etc.) instead of simply walking on the ground. The device has proven to be highly efficient in clinical studies on various types of patients, accelerating the rehabilitation process and thus saving therapy costs. Socio-economic costs are also reduced, as patients who have completed robotic training are more independent afterwards and are not dependent on expensive aftercare.

However, the dimensions of the robot posed particular challenges for various components, including the energy supply. The main problem here, after the high reliability and smooth running, was a reduction in the rolling radius, as the machine mechanics require a level floor to reduce the machine height. However, the routing of a large number of encoder, power and signal cables of different sizes within a single chain made this reduction considerably more difficult.

The particular problems of limited installation space and the tight guidance of a large number of cables were solved by switching to special cable and cable chain series from our company. The customer found what they were looking for in our energy chain programme, in which the cable guides are available in all possible designs for low to high cable loads, a wide range of ambient conditions, but also for particularly low installation heights and minimal bend radius.

The e-chain® has been combined with our chainflex® cables, which have been specially developed for moving applications and are therefore the perfect choice for chain systems. For many years we have been manufacturing cables specifically designed and manufactured for energy chains. The chainflex® cables have been developed to provide the most cost effective solution for our customers whilst offering a clear guaranteed service life. In addition to technical advantages, this also enables significant savings to be made.

And the choice of the e-chain® and chainflex® cable duo has paid off for the customer. By using the components, the robot could be reduced from a basic machine height of 180 mm to 120 mm, with a rolling radius of just 60 mm.