Rail-Mounted Connector with Angled Cable Feed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable connecting elements mounted on top-hat rails require cables to be bent at angles greater than 90 degrees, leading to increased assembly time and potential cable damage due to excessive bending.
Innovation Solution
The connecting element positions cable connections such that the feed directions enclose an angle less than 180 degrees in a plane perpendicular to the mounting rail, allowing for reduced bending and easier cable guidance, with optimal angles of 90 degrees or 45 degrees to minimize flexion, and includes detachable attachment means for versatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If connections are oriented in opposite directions (180°) in known connecting elements, then the structure is simple and cables can be routed from opposite sides, but the cables must be bent at large angles (90° or more) which increases assembly time and risks cable damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the angular parameter between connection feed directions from the conventional 180° to approximately 90°. This parameter modification allows cables to be fed with reduced bending angles (approximately 45° each), thereby simplifying cable guidance and reducing assembly time while avoiding cable damage.
2Ease of operation
If connections are oriented in opposite directions (180°) in known connecting elements, then the structural design is straightforward, but excessive cable bending increases the risk of cable breaks and damage
Solution Approach 1:
By modifying the feed direction angle parameter from 180° to approximately 90°, the patent reduces the bending angle required for each cable to about 45°. This parameter change directly reduces mechanical stress on cables, minimizing the risk of breaks and damage while improving cable guidance ease.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the connecting element provides fixed attachment to support rails, then the mounting is stable and secure, but the device lacks versatility for different mounting configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the attachment means detachable rather than fixed. The attachment means can be secured to the housing in a detachable fashion, allowing the connecting element to be mounted, dismounted, and remounted in different configurations. This provides both stability during use and versatility for different mounting scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
A connecting element (1), with a housing (2), with attachment means (3, 4, 5) for attaching the housing (2) to a support rail (9), preferably for attaching a top-hat rail (9), and with two connections (10, 11) in the housing (2) for cables (12, 13), particularly for telecommunication and/or data cables, such that each connection (10, 11) defines the direction of feed (18, 19) for the given cable, and the connections (10, 11) are so positioned that the feed directions (18, 19) for the cables (12, 13) enclose an angle smaller than 180°.