Cable Assembly Bundling with Grommet Dam and Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable assemblies for remote radio heads in distributed base station architectures face challenges in efficiently bundling and deploying hybrid fiber optic and electrical power cables, particularly in preventing damage during installation and deployment on antenna towers.
Innovation Solution
A cable assembly design featuring a sleeve with break-out portions for individual power and fiber optic cables, secured by a bonding material and a grommet that forms a dam within the sleeve, allowing for secure bundling, easy deployment, and strain relief protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hybrid fiber optic cables with integrated electrical conductors are used, then connectivity and power can be provided through one cable, but the cables cannot be easily bundled and deployed as separate units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the hybrid cable into individual power cables and fiber optic cables that can be bundled together. This segmentation allows each cable type to be handled and deployed independently while maintaining the ability to provide both power and connectivity through a organized bundle, resolving the contradiction between deployment flexibility and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a sleeve structure that contains and organizes multiple power cables and fiber optic cables together. This nesting approach allows separate cables to be grouped into a unified assembly, providing both the flexibility of separate cable handling and the organization of a integrated system.
2Reliability
If cables are routed up antenna towers to remote radio heads, then connectivity and power are provided, but the cables are susceptible to damage during installation and deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies bonding material to secures the cables to the sleeve before deployment. This preliminary bonding action protects the cables from movement and damage during subsequent installation and deployment operations, reducing installation complexity while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding material acts as a cushioning element that prevents cable damage during handling and installation. By securing cables to the sleeve in advance, the system protects against mechanical damage that could occur during routing up antenna towers.
3Productivity
If cables are bundled together for deployment, then installation efficiency is improved, but strain relief and protection against over-bending become challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies bonding material at specific locations along the sleeve to provide localized strain relief. This local bonding approach maintains cable flexibility where needed while providing protection against over-bending and strain at critical points, resolving the contradiction between bundling efficiency and strain resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a cable assembly including a sleeve and a plurality of cables that extend through the sleeve. The cable assembly also includes a grommet positioned within the sleeve at a location offset from one end of the sleeve. The grommet forms a dam location. The cable assembly further includes a bonding material at least partially filling a region of the sleeve located between the dam location and the end of the sleeve. The bonding material bonds the fiber optic cables and the grommet relative to the sleeve. The cables extend through the grommet and the bonding material and include break-out portions that extend outwardly beyond the end of the sleeve.