Attached Conduit Body Covers That Prevent Misplacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conduit body assemblies often have covers that become misplaced during installation, leading to delays when replacement covers are sourced and installed.
Innovation Solution
An electrical conduit body assembly with a movable connection between the body portion and the cover, allowing the cover to be securely attached and preventing it from being misplaced, using features such as hinges, fasteners, and gaskets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a removable cover is used on conduit bodies, then ease of operation for installing conductors is improved, but the cover becomes prone to misplacement and disassociation
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed with movable connection mechanisms (hinges, straps, tethers) that allow it to transition between open and closed states while remaining dynamically attached to the body portion, preventing loss while maintaining operational accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
Intermediary elements such as hinges, straps, and tethers are introduced between the cover and body portion to maintain a controlled connection that prevents disassociation while allowing the cover to be opened and closed for conductor installation
2Ease of operation
If covers are left uncovered during installation, then ease of operation for wire pulling is improved, but time is lost due to misplacement and replacement delays
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is preliminarily attached to the body portion via movable connections before the installation process begins, ensuring that even when opened for wire pulling, the cover remains associated with the conduit body and cannot be misplaced or lost
Solution Approach 2:
Intermediary connection elements (hinges, straps, tethers) maintain the association between cover and body portion throughout the installation process, preventing the cover from being separated or lost while still allowing access for wire pulling operations
3Reliability
If fasteners are used to secure the cover, then reliability of cover attachment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is designed to be dynamically applied only when needed (during final assembly or inspection), rather than being permanently fixed, allowing the cover to remain accessible during installation while ensuring security when closed
Solution Approach 2:
The fasteners serve as temporary or conditional elements that are applied to secure the cover in the closed state but can be removed or engaged as needed, rather than being permanent fixtures that increase complexity throughout the entire device lifecycle
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical conduit body assembly is provided. The assembly includes a body portion, a cover, and a movable connection. The movable connection connects the body portion and the cover to one another so that the cover can be moved with respect to the body portion between an open state and a closed state in a manner that prevents the cover from being misplaced or disassociated from the body portion.