Autonomous Cable Runner Pathway for Data Center Tray Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual laying of cabling in datacenter infrastructure is time-consuming, laborious, and hazardous, often resulting in inefficient cabling runs and potential damage to cables due to repetitive motions and improper estimation of cable lengths.
Innovation Solution
An automated cable runner system comprising a pathway, a carriage with a drive wheel and passive wheels, and a cable holder, which autonomously travels along the pathway to deploy cabling from a start point to an end point, reducing the need for manual climbing and minimizing cable damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual cabling installation is used, then flexibility in handling cables is improved, but installation time and labor requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The automated cable installer performs the installation task autonomously without continuous human intervention. The system self-navigates along the tray, self-adjusts cable tension, and self-regulates deployment speed, transforming a manual task into an automated self-service process that maintains operational quality while dramatically improving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical system of cable installation with an automated mechanical system. The automated installer uses motors, sensors, and control systems to substitute human physical labor, maintaining the mechanical interaction needed for cable handling while eliminating the time-consuming aspects of manual work
2Ease of operation
If manual cabling installation is used, then real-time cable adjustment is improved, but safety risks increase due to repetitive motions and falls
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system performs cable installation tasks autonomously, eliminating the need for technicians to repeatedly climb ladders and perform manual cable handling. The system self-manages cable deployment, tension control, and positioning, thereby removing human operators from hazardous environments while maintaining installation quality
Solution Approach 2:
The automated cable installer acts as an intermediary between the cable supply and the installation destination. It mediates the cable deployment process by controlling cable release, tension, and positioning, thereby eliminating direct human interaction with hazardous elevated work areas while ensuring proper cable installation
3Ease of operation
If manual cable length estimation is used, then installation flexibility is improved, but cable waste increases due to running short or long
Solution Approach 1:
The automated cable installer incorporates feedback mechanisms including sensors that monitor cable length, tension, and deployment progress in real-time. This feedback enables the system to adjust cable release rates and stop positions dynamically, ensuring precise cable length delivery that minimizes waste while maintaining installation flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual cable length estimation with automated measurement and control systems. Sensors and control algorithms substitute human judgment, providing precise cable length management that eliminates the guesswork leading to cable waste while preserving the ability to adapt to different installation requirements
Data Source
AI summary
An automated cable runner (ACR) for a cabling tray. The ACR includes a pathway, a carriage operable to travel along the pathway, a plurality of supports connectable to the pathway and connectable to the tray and configured to support the pathway over the tray, and a cable holder attached to the carriage. The carriage is operable to autonomously travel along the pathway from a desired start point to a desired end point to deploy cabling into the tray from the start point to the end point.