Cable Foil Removal by Pre-Weakening and Twisting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for automatically removing cable foils from electrical cables are either time-consuming, cause damage to underlying components, or require complex and costly modifications to the cable, preventing fully automated assembly.
Innovation Solution
A method involving partial exposure and reduction of the mechanical load capacity of the cable foil through pre-treatments like thermal, chemical, or abrasive processes, followed by twisting or bending to create a crack for easy removal without cutting, ensuring the cable's integrity is maintained.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cable foil is cut using a knife blade to remove it, then the foil can be removed from the cable, but the underlying insulation layer or cable conductors are damaged due to the thinness of the foil and manufacturing tolerances causing variable cut depth
Solution Approach 1:
A filler layer is introduced as an intermediary sacrificial material between the cable foil and the underlying insulation layer or conductors. When the knife blade cuts the cable, it damages only the filler layer instead of penetrating through to damage the sensitive underlying components. This mediator absorbs the harmful cutting action while allowing the foil removal process to proceed
Solution Approach 2:
The filler layer acts as a disposable sacrificial material that is intentionally designed to be damaged during the foil removal process. This inexpensive layer is consumed during stripping to protect the more valuable underlying cable components from damage
2Ease of operation
If embossings are manufactured into the cable foil to facilitate removal, then manual stripping becomes easier, but the foil is mechanically weakened along the entire cable length including sections where removal is not intended
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly embossing the entire cable foil, the invention applies embossings only in specific local areas where foil removal is intended. This selective embossing maintains the mechanical strength of the foil in sections where it needs to remain intact while facilitating removal only at the designated locations
Solution Approach 2:
The embossings are pre-applied to the cable foil during manufacturing at specific locations where future removal will be needed. This preliminary action prepares the foil for easy removal at those specific points without affecting the overall integrity of the foil along the entire cable length
3Ease of manufacture
If a filler layer is provided beneath the cable foil to prevent damage during cutting, then simple stripping tools can be used, but the cable becomes more complex and expensive to manufacture with increased weight and circumference
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the cable construction by changing the material parameters - specifically using a filler layer with different mechanical properties (higher thickness, different material composition) compared to the cable foil. This parameter change enables the use of simpler stripping tools while the minimal additional thickness required for the filler layer keeps the overall cable dimensions and weight increase negligible
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
Enables reliable and damage-free removal of cable foils, facilitating fully automated electrical cable assembly by reducing the mechanical load capacity of the cable foil and preventing damage to underlying components.
Implementation Method 1
Pre-treatment of at least one outer layer of the cable foil facing away from the cable's central axis, at least in the area of a partially annular intended crack position, wherein the mechanical strength of the outer layer in the area of the intended crack position is at least reduced by the pre-treatment
Implementation Method 2
eccentric twisting of the cable section to be treated and/or bending of the cable section to be treated such that an inner layer of the cable foil located below the pre-treated outer layer tears partially annularly or annularly
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 6~8
Figure 9~12
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for removing a cable foil (5) from a cable section (A) of an electrical cable (1) to be processed, wherein the cable foil (5) is at least partially exposed in the cable section (A) to be processed, after which at least one annular crack (11) circumferentially surrounding the cable foil (5) is introduced into the cable foil (5) in the area of the cable section (A) to be processed, after which the cable foil (5) is removed from the cable section (A) to be processed, and wherein at least the following steps are provided for introducing the annularly circumferential crack (11): - Pre-treating at least one outer layer (9) of the cable foil (5) facing away from the cable center axis (M) at least in the area of a partially annularly circumferential intended crack position (RP), wherein the mechanical load-bearing capacity of the outer layer (9) in the area of the intended crack position (RP) is at least reduced by the pre-treatment;- Twisting and/or bending the cable section (A) to be processed in such a way that an inner layer (10) of the cable foil (5) located below the pretreated outer layer (9) tears partially or completely in an annular shape.;