Cable Embedding Device for Direct Ground Burial
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for installing grounding cables underground, such as those used for alternating current mitigation, are time-consuming and often result in suboptimal quality due to the need for excavating and manually laying cables in backfill materials.
Innovation Solution
A portable trenching and cable embedding device that uses a hopper and chute with a plowing edge to embed cables and filler material directly into the ground, eliminating the need for extensive excavation, with a tube system to guide the cable and filler material, allowing for efficient burial of cables like copper or zinc.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional excavation and manual cable laying methods are used, then cable installation can be completed, but the installation time is excessive and labor intensity is high
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the cable laying process into distinct functional zones: the hopper receives and stores filler material, the chute guides both filler and cable, the plowing edge cuts the trench, and the tube positions the cable. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, enabling continuous operation without manual intervention between steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The hopper pre-stores filler material before the cable laying operation begins. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need to transport and distribute filler material during the actual cable installation, allowing the device to continuously lay cable with pre-positioned filler material ready for immediate deployment.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional manual cable laying in backfill material is used, then cable installation can be completed, but the quality and precision of cable positioning is suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The tube acts as an intermediary device that precisely guides the cable from the hopper through the chute and into the backfill material. This intermediary structure ensures the cable is positioned accurately at the desired depth and location, eliminating the imprecision of manual laying while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The device merges multiple functions into a single integrated system: the hopper stores filler material, the chute guides both filler and cable simultaneously, the plowing edge creates the trench, and the tube positions the cable. This combination allows precise cable positioning to be achieved without complex manual operations, as all functions work together in one coordinated action.
3Ease of manufacture
If extensive excavation is performed for cable installation, then cable can be installed, but the amount of earth movement and preparation required is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of excavating a trench first and then laying cable, the device inverts the process by using the plowing edge to cut a narrow trench directly in front of the hopper while simultaneously depositing filler material and cable. This inversion minimizes earth movement by only displacing enough soil to create a narrow path for the cable, rather than excavating a wide ditch.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is self-sufficient in creating its own installation path. The plowing edge continuously cuts the trench ahead of the hopper, eliminating the need for separate excavation equipment or manual digging. The system serves itself by generating the necessary trench space while simultaneously laying the cable and filler material.
Data Source
AI summary
The cable embedding device is used to install a cable, such as a copper cable, together with filler material within a void trenched into the surrounding land area. The cable embedding device has a hopper, and a chute extending from a lower end of the hopper. The chute includes a plowing edge attached to a leading edge of the chute. A tube is connected to the device inside the hopper and extending along a major axis of the chute. An arch is formed at a lower edge of the chute.