Cable Enclosure Hinge Assembly for Compact Lid Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable enclosures face challenges in providing a compact and effective hinge assembly that allows easy and quick mounting of the lid, while maintaining space for cable connections and accommodating limited space between the enclosure and external box.
Innovation Solution
A cable enclosure with a hinge assembly featuring at least two retaining elements on the frame, arranged in staggered positions, and a cylindrical pin that slides into channels upon lid movement, allowing for a compact and stable rotatable coupling between the lid and frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hinge assembly is provided at an outer surface of the frame wall, then the lid can be easily mounted and maintained, but the space for cable connections within the frame is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical pin is nested within the channel of the retaining element, with the pin housed inside the channel upon sliding movement. This nesting arrangement allows the hinge assembly to be compact and positioned at the outer surface while not encroaching on the internal space available for cable connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly utilizes the thickness dimension of the frame wall by positioning the retaining element within the wall thickness and extending minimally outward. This dimensional arrangement allows the hinge to be accessible from the outer surface while occupying minimal space that would otherwise be available for cable connections.
2Volume of moving object
If the space between cable enclosure and external box is very limited, then the overall system size is compact, but the hinge assembly must be extremely compact
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical pin is housed inside the channel of the retaining element through sliding movement, creating a nested configuration. This nesting minimizes the external dimensions of the hinge assembly while maintaining the rotational functionality, allowing the hinge to fit in very limited spaces between the cable enclosure and external box.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly is segmented into distinct components (retaining element with channel, cylindrical pin, connecting portion) that can be independently positioned and assembled. This segmentation allows for a compact overall structure while maintaining the necessary functional elements for hinge operation.
3Ease of operation
If the lid is made rotatably connected via hinge assembly, then the lid remains connected during maintenance operations, but the hinge assembly requires space for its mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical pin is nested within the channel of the retaining element, with the pin housed inside the channel upon sliding movement. This nesting arrangement allows the hinge assembly to be compact and positioned at the outer surface while not encroaching on the internal space available for cable connections.
Data Source
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AI summary
A cable enclosure (1) comprises a frame (10)configured to support or house cable connections, a first lid (50) and a first hinge assembly (20) that rotatably connects the first lid (50) to the frame (10). The first hinge assembly (20) comprises at least two first retaining elements (22a, 22b, 22c) projecting outwardly from an outer surface (12a) of a first wall (12) of the frame (10) and at least one first mounting element (27) projecting outwardly from a first wall (52) of the first lid (50). The at least two first retaining elements (22a, 22b, 22c) are arranged in staggered positions on opposite sides with respect to a first longitudinal axis (A1) defined on the first wall (12) of the frame (10). Each of the at least two first retaining elements (22a, 22b, 22c) comprises a respective channel extending along a reference axis parallel to said first longitudinal axis (A1) and having a longitudinal opening facing said reference axis. The first mounting element (27) comprises a cylindrical pin rotatably housed in said channels and a first connecting portion that connects the cylindrical pin to the first wall (52) of the first lid (50). The first connecting portion comprises an end portion adjacent to the cylindrical pin and having a thickness lower than a diameter of the cylindrical pin, said end portion being configured to slide into the longitudinal opening of each of said channels so as to house the cylindrical pin inside said channels upon a sliding movement of the first lid (50) with respect to the frame (10) along said reference axis.