Cable Assembly Segmented Bonding for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable assemblies with outer jackets face challenges such as difficulty in accessing individual components, material wastage, increased weight, and ecological concerns due to scrap accumulation, as well as additional weight and manufacturing costs from continuous bonding layers in alternative designs.
Innovation Solution
A cable assembly where pre-formed conductive elements are releasably bonded at discrete intervals using a composition like adhesive or solvent, allowing for selective separation without continuous bonding, reducing material usage and weight, and facilitating easier handling and installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If an outer jacket is used to maintain cable components together, then the cable assembly has consistent cross-sectional shape and structural integrity, but the jacket becomes difficult to remove, adds significant weight, and creates material waste
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding is segmented into discrete locations rather than continuous, with bonding composition applied only at specific intervals along the cable assembly. This allows the cable components to be bonded together at key points while leaving gaps that reduce material usage and weight, yet maintain sufficient structural integrity for handling and installation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If an outer jacket is used to maintain cable components together, then the cable assembly has consistent cross-sectional shape, but a significant amount of material is required and removed at installation site
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding composition is applied in discrete segments at spaced intervals rather than continuously, significantly reducing the total amount of bonding material required. This segmented approach eliminates the need for a continuous outer jacket while maintaining cable component alignment, reducing both material usage and installation-site removal waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding composition is designed to be easily removable at the installation site, allowing the bonding material to be discarded after serving its transportation and installation purpose. This enables the cable components to be separated cleanly without damaging the conductive elements, and the bonding material can be removed and disposed of without ecological concern.
3Strength
If a continuous bonding layer is applied over the entire length, then cable components are firmly held together, but weight and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous bonding layer is replaced with discrete bonding locations spaced at intervals along the cable assembly. This segmentation maintains sufficient bonding strength to hold cable components together during transportation and installation while dramatically reducing the total amount of bonding composition required, thereby reducing weight and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying bonding composition continuously along the entire cable length, the bonding is applied partially at discrete locations. This partial action provides sufficient bonding strength for the intended application while avoiding the excessive material usage and associated weight and cost of continuous bonding.
4Ease of operation
If outer jacket is removed at mid-length location, then access to cable components is enabled, but there is significant risk of compromising conductive elements
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding composition is applied in discrete segments that create natural separation points along the cable assembly. At these bonded locations, the cable components are held together securely, while the gaps between bonded segments allow for easy access and separation of individual components without requiring cutting or compromising the conductive elements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables easy separation of cable components at specific points, reducing material waste, weight, and manufacturing costs, while maintaining the convenience of a continuous cable assembly for installation and transportation.
Implementation Method 1
a bonding composition is applied to the pre-formed first and second cable components at discrete locations
Implementation Method 2
the solvent melts the first and second jackets to cause the first and second cable components to be bonded by being fused with each other
Data Source
AI summary
A cable assembly having a first cable component with a length and at least a first conductive element extending in a lengthwise direction, and a second cable component with a length and at least a second conductive element extending in the lengthwise direction. The first and second cable components are separately pre-formed and thereafter releasably bonded together through a separately applied composition at discrete locations between the first and second cable components at spaced intervals along the lengths of the first and second cable components. The first and second cable components are capable of being drawn, one away from the other, to selectively break the bond between the first and second cable components at at least one of the discrete locations to thereby separate the first and second cable components.