Sheathed Cable Clamp Rails for Parallel Routing and Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable clamps fail to organize multiple sheathed electrical cables in a parallel array, either vertically or horizontally, and do not facilitate easy identification or accommodation of cables of different thicknesses, leading to inadequate heat dissipation and limited amperage capacity.
Innovation Solution
A multiple cable clamp system comprising two rail members made of non-conductive materials like PVC, with transverse cuts and recesses/teeth patterns to securely hold and align multiple cables, allowing for adjustable configuration and labeling, and accommodating various cable thicknesses through varying tooth depths and optional elastomeric pads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cables are bundled together to pass through a circular hole, then cable installation is simplified, but heat dissipation is reduced and amperage limit must be de-rated
Solution Approach 1:
The cable support structure is segmented into multiple parallel slots instead of a single bundled passage, allowing individual cable placement while maintaining organization. This segmentation enables heat dissipation between cables while preserving installation simplicity through the modular slot design.
2Reliability
If multiple cables are held in a clamp without parallel alignment, then cable holding is achieved, but cable identification and organization are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp transitions from holding cables in a random or bundled arrangement to aligning them in a parallel array configuration. This dimensional reorganization maintains secure cable holding while enabling visual identification and systematic organization along the parallel arrangement.
3Ease of manufacture
If a fixed-depth clamp is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but accommodation of different cable thicknesses is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp features teeth with varying depths at different locations, creating local quality variations that accommodate different cable thicknesses. This allows the single clamp design to adapt to multiple cable sizes while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing through a single molded or machined component.
Data Source
AI summary
A multiple cable clamp is configured to hold a number of sheathed electrical cables in a cable run within a building structure using electrical power, with such cables in a parallel flat array. The cable clamp is configured as a pair of rail members, one being a back or distal rail member and the other being a corresponding front or proximal rail member. These rail members can favorably be formed as bars of a tough, sturdy non-conductive material such as PVC or similar plastic resin. Transverse grooves and lands in the distal member align with teeth and recesses in the proximal member to contain and secure the respective sheathed cables. The depth of the teeth can vary to accommodate different size cables.